The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

RELATIONSHIPS ARE FOREVER (THE PRODUCER)

In the production setting, if the Director is the creative mind behind the final footage, the Producer would be the logistical and/or financial genius of the team.  There may be multiple producers on any production team, who each hold varying positions, but almost all of them revolve around finding the funding to get the project completed.  In essence, the Producer is the production’s fund raiser!

 

Producers have to stay well connected to the industry, which makes their relationships and network paramount to their success.  Not only do they have to cultivate trust with the financiers who have the capital to invest in entertainment, but they also have to develop and maintain the contacts at studios, with directors, and even other producers.  Those relationships may be the bread and butter of the Producer’s income and the direct reflection of their credits, but that isn’t as far from the talent realm as you might think.  Often times, the Producer will continue to utilize talent who have made their sets more successful and functional in the past. 

 

This is where YOU come in!  Talent and Producers don’t always see eye to eye or understand one another’s language, which can make solidifying these relationships a challenge.  The creative brain of the talent communicates and hears in the opposite way that the analytical brain of the Producer might communicate or hear.  That said, it usually falls on the talent to bridge the gap in communication.  Talent who can sympathize with the Producer’s plight are better able to fulfill the Producer’s requests.  If you naturally have that analytical business brain as a talent, it will serve you well over and over again.  If you only rely on the strong right brain creativity, though, this might be a good time to start doing some personal research into a new character study!  However you see fit, get to know what the Producer faces and look for opportunities to relieve some stress on set in the future.

RELATIONSHIPS ARE FOREVER (THE AD AGENCY)

 

In an earlier blog, I noted that it would be tempting for the creative mind to share their great idea when the production has encountered a hurdle.  My advice was to keep your great idea to yourself unless addressed by the production lead to share your thoughts.  In one case, a friend told me about an incident on her set that involved a child actor, a parent, and the ad agent.  There was tension on set between the production team at a certain point during the day and the child actor was told to break while they discussed a problem in the script.  The actor’s guardian was on set and overheard the discussion.  The guardian boldly offered an opinion on the subject, interrupting the intense discussion between director, producer, and ad agent.  Unfortunately for the child actor, this outburst came at the wrong time and left a sour taste in the ad agent’s mind, who advised the ad agency to find a different child actor for future productions.

 

The ad agency is the creative force behind all the commercials, billboards, fliers, catalogs, etc., for their client.  And we should stop here to clarify that this client is the one who signs your paycheck at the end of the day.  Generally, clients are going to follow their ad agent’s advice . And, if the ad agent isn’t on your side, you’re not playing for the right team.  Ad agents work under extremely stressful conditions and have difficult demands they have to meet.  (Watch the show Madmen for a better idea of what an ad agent’s responsibilities are.  Although our culture has changed a lot since this television series, their role in entertainment hasn't changed all that much.)

 

Anything the talent (that’s YOU) can do to make the ad agent’s life easier will guarantee a long lasting relationship that will reap the residual effects of your likeness being used in their future projects.  That makes it a win-win situation, and puts you on the goal of becoming a career actor!

 

A TALENT’S PHONE PRESENCE

Your phone presence is like “stage presence.”  If you have it, you are interesting to watch.  If you don’t, people find someone else to watch.  Here are some keys from a CD’s desk on how to be well-received via phone.  (Note:  These clues are meant for phone interaction with agents, stylists, production managers, or anyone else you encounter.)

 

His words . . .

What you say is only half the battle, how you say it is the other half.  In other words if we cannot hear you clearly or if you speak too fast it doesn't matter what you say.  It seems people often say things in a manner that is directly correlating to a "stream of consciousness".  We not only need informative and concise information, but information that can be easily notated in one sentence. Try keeping these three things in mind when making phone calls to industry professionals:

1.)  Articulate

Articulate your words (especially your name) so that we don't have to make you repeat it which wastes both of our time

2.)  Be Audible

Make sure you are Audible; speaker phone/ear pieces are not a wise choice; we cannot help but be frustrated when someone calls and it sounds like they are talking to us from across a 30 foot room.  Don't be shy, use that strong acting voice you were given and if you aren't normally very loud then FAKE it... Hey you're an actor right!? 

3.)  Get "To The Point"

Don't waste time (time is money) tell us who you are, why you are calling, and who you are calling for.  It is rare that the person that answers the phone is the person you are trying to reach so making that first correspondence as stream-lined as possible will help both of you.

-- Casting Director, Scott Powers

 

Now that you have the ingredients, practice on your voicemail so that you are prepared and professional when someone important is on the line!

 

THE NECESSARY RESEARCH

Before diving into the talent pool head first, do your research on agencies!  In the end, it may be possible to qualify some agents as “good” and some as “bad,” but your search should go much deeper in order to find the best option for a partnership.

 

Agents have personalities, too - just like each talent, each casting director, each director, each producer, and so on.  We are each unique individuals with unique desires, goals, insecurities, fears, communication styles, and personalities.  The best partnerships are made from complementary personality styles and goals. 

 

You should we doing extra work or non paying projects at this point if you are keeping up with previous suggestions.  And you will likely want to continue to do that type of work until you can glean enough information to make an educated decision.  Ask the other talent who they work with and what they love/dislike about their relationship.  The naturally dramatic talent will be more than happy to spill the beans.  You will know you have done thorough research once you have collected at least some positive and at least some negative on all the agency options. 

 

Word of mouth can be positive, but keep in mind that it is based on a personal opinion, which may or may not be applicable to your situation, so do your homework, too.  Check out each agency’s website.  Rather than being caught up in the glitz and glamour that marketing can create, look for valuable content.  You may not get much more than background on the company, but some red flags to watch for would be pricing information (agents make money by booking, so there should at most be a commission percentage) or details on schools.  [We’ll talk more about modeling schools later.] 

 

If you can access the talent pool, look for other talent who are in your same demographic.  This doesn’t mean that you won’t be a valuable addition to the roster, but it is worth noting for when you secure the interview.  See if there are letters of recommendation or accreditations.  Is the agency union affiliated?  [This is a must for union members.]   Google the agency’s name and collect any more solid information you can.  You never know what will come in handy and when it comes to a partnership, you want to have as much knowledge as possible!

 

On a side note, what the agent or bookers at any given agency do on their own time is not relevant to you as a talent.  Only collect information involved in their business practices.  Trying to friend an agent on Facebook or MySpace who doesn’t know you makes you look desperate – and that agent will be watching what you do down the road when you do meet.  It’s one of the tell tale signs of how a talent will treat others on set, which can make or break relationships for the agency! 

 

HOW CAN I GET THE CD TO LIKE ME?

You may not have realized how difficult the casting director’s job was until now.  If you have ever had to organize a large number of people for an event, you can sympathize – imagine having to do that every day!

 

So how can you help make the casting director’s day . . . and in turn, find favor with this person?  Here are some simple pointers that never fail:

 

a)     Be on time.  One person showing up even a few minutes late can make a mess of a casting session for not only the CD, but also the talent slated for later times that day.  I could spend an entire blog on all the issues that late talent create without realizing the damage they did unintentionally.  I’m not going to, however.  Just do it.  On time means 5-10 minutes early.  You should have your paperwork filled out and a few minutes to get fully into character PRIOR to the casting time you were given.  That time is when you should be stepping in front of the camera to show off what you can do!

b)     Don’t be too early.  “Woman, what do you want from me?”  I can hear you asking it even through cyberspace.  It’s not difficult – get there early and don’t walk in until 5-10 minutes prior to your scheduled time.  Talent who show up an hour early cause the same problems and make CDs (and their assistants) angry, which causes the talent to fall out of the good graces they were working to obtain.

c)      Dress in character.  “The dog ate my shirt” isn’t an excuse after you graduate from middle school.  Look the part – show the client that you are naturally that character they are seeking out! 

d)     Know your script.  Some CDs don’t mind if you have your script in hand, whereas others expect you have it memorized.  Take the script in with you, but don’t use it unless the CD gives you direction that changes what you had originally prepped character-wise.  Then it’s ok to rely on the script because your focus should be following their character notes/direction.  (If they ask you to put it down when you enter, be gracious and accommodating – you don’t need it anyway, right?)

e)     Fill out paperwork correctly.  Each market will vary slightly, so consult your agent about anything you may need to know concerning paperwork before heading to your audition.  You should be able to fill it out on autopilot so you can stay in character.    Read the forms carefully.  Talent who fill in blanks marked “office use only” open themselves up to feel the wrath of a CD or assistant who might need to find a reason to vent frustrations.  That’s not the side of a conversation you want to experience prior to stepping into the casting room!

 

Simple direction that you were taught in elementary school will ensure a lasting relationship with this gatekeeper.  You aren’t there to be the CDs friend (or have them want to be your friend).  You are there to do your job as a talent.  It is just that –  A JOB – so to borrow a catch phrase, “just do it”.

 

What issues have you run into in the casting room?

BRIDGING THE GAP

If you took advantage of some of the outlets mentioned in the previous blog, you are doing something that will have substantial positive consequences for your career as a talent!  Now that you are meeting people and getting the exposure to learn your way around the industry, the next step is VITAL!  You need to know who the people are you are meeting!  Maybe not their first born’s shoe size or their favorite kind of pizza, but identifying their needs, struggles, place in the chain of communication, and responsibilities will put the fear that most talent feel back into a logical perspective.

 

The next few blogs will focus on the other professionals you may encounter.  We already touched on the manager, agent, and acting coach.   (Refer to “Be A Team Player . . .” for a coach, “Walking The Tightrope . . .” for the manager, and “A Complementary Partnership” for the agent.)

 

The casting director.  After you secure a partnership with an agent, you will likely be exposed first to the casting director (aka: the CD).  The CD is the gatekeeper between the ad agent, director, or producer.  Their job is to put quality talent on camera and share the options with their client.  The process for doing so can be logistically and financially challenging at the least – but can also be difficult when it comes to communication.  The CD has to dissect and translate what the client wants into words that can be submitted to the agents clearly.  Sometimes they use storyboards or sides to communicate these ideas more effectively, which can be shared with the talent prior to their casting appointment. 

 

Once the translation process has been completed, the CD sends a “breakdown” out to the agents.  From there, the process can take many routes.  Some CDs ask for specific talent only, while others may suggest the agent decide who is the best fit.  Some CDs are willing to work with talent scheduling issues with whom they know well and have built a relationship, but generally they offer a casting time that is not negotiable.  (Keep in mind they are not only juggling upwards of 100 or more talent at any given casting session, but they are also dealing with agents trying to work out scheduling issues and applying pressure to work new faces in that weren’t invited, so they have to be Ringling Brother’s Circus style jugglers to make it all work out in the end!)

 

Then the CD spends the casting day nailed to the floor in one room seeing all of the scheduled talent say or do the same thing over and over and over and over . . . can you see where it would get tedious?  It does.  But oddly, most CDs find the process bearable (and even enjoyable when a talent really does something amazing to nail the audition)!

 

After all the talent have cast, the CD burns a copy of the auditions and sends it to the client.   The client may wish to see a select few talent at a callback session, in which case the CD has to go through the entire process one more time. 

 

At last, though, they get to make the phone calls to the agents when the client has chosen the actor or model they want to book for the job.  Hopefully it will be your agent calling YOU! 

 

I find that talent as a whole don’t know much about what the casting director actually does.  What misconceptions did you have prior to reading this blog?  And what questions do you still have that have yet to be answered about the role of a CD?

THE VICIOUS CYCLE

“I have little to no experience,” the talent complains.  “How can I get work if I don’t have a resume with credits?” 

 

It’s a quandary faced in both the talent realm and the corporate world.  Building your resume can be a daunting task.  Directors don’t want to work with green talent, who make their days long and pay off minimal – it’s a fact.  So what’s a dreamer to do?

 

Build a resume!  Yup, it sounds like I didn’t answer your question, but despite what the nay-sayers are telling you, talent CAN build a resume with little to no experience.  Here’s what you can do:

(a)          Get involved in an acting class.  Coaches and other working talent can give you insight on where to get extra work.

(b)          Check internet databases.  Be wary of anything found on craigslist, but don’t nix it altogether.  Sign up for extra databases in your area.  Look into non-paying work when the opportunity presents itself.  Hey, that’s what college interns do to get experience!

(c)           Contact an industry professional and ask if you can intern.  Building relationships with people who desperately need good help is invaluable.  Send your business resume to agents, casting directors, coaches, etc., and offer your services free of charge.  (Expect to sign confidentiality agreements and non-competes.)

(d)          Find local film communities.  Check out film schools in your state.  Get on mailing lists to keep up with what’s going on and ask how to get in front of the people who are looking for talent.  Most of them are desperate to find a quality actor willing to work for free!

(e)          Get involved in local theatre.  You don’t have to land the lead - and sure, theatre isn’t the same as on-camera work.  But the point is that it’s a credit.  Agents would much prefer to see theatre experience to nothing at all.  Theatre settings are great for learning to develop character, follow direction, and get through all the initial stage fright & nerves.

 

One or more of those suggestions will work anywhere in the world. Find something you have questions about, leave a note and I’ll help you sort through the confusion!  

 

What outlets do you have locally?

BLOG GOALS AND DIRECTION

Who would do ANYTHING without having a purpose (e.g., a goal)?  As an actor, you are constantly figuring out the goal of your character.  Models are focused on the goal of the image.  This blog has goals, just like you do!  (Note:  If you can’t say you have the same, stay tuned for how to set effective goals in a future post.)

 

I have FIVE strong intentions as I start this blog.  These goals, like this industry, have the ability to progress and develop farther as we grow together.  For those of us that like Easy ways of remembering information – here are my FIVE E’s.

 

Goal #1 – to EDUCATE

Posts will be focused on educating the actor and model.  In an industry with endless questions and few answers (even the answers you think you have are likely subjective and/or temporary), having an education is invaluable.  If you can’t speak the language, for example, you won’t be able to go far.

 

Goal #2 – to EQUIP

Posts will be geared toward equipping talent with the tools, knowledge, and skill sets to run a successful career or hobby.  These will be widely diverse and changing as technology becomes available to the talent pool.

 

Goal #3 – to ENLIGHTEN

Posts will be challenging ideas and concepts that may lead to enlightenment – be forewarned!  Many talent never realize they are burying themselves since most of them don’t get critical feedback.  Those who do, rarely take it effectively.  This forum will be a place to challenge misconceptions, reveal misunderstandings, and engage in effective group learning.

 

Goal #4 – to ENCOURAGE

Spend a little time as a talent and you will realize the emotional rollercoaster you signed up to ride!  Just like your high school coach provided, we all need encouragement to battle the rejection of a subjective opinion.  We will dive into some effective ways to gain control of your emotional highs and lows, so that you can use your emotions to your benefit rather than letting them become an obstacle to success.

 

Goal #5 – to EMPOWER

Once a talent understands the code of conduct, professional relationships, and the value of appreciation, he/she will become empowered to reach his/her full potential!  As an agent, I don’t expect to have to hold the hand of each actor and model I represent.  I do not fear them growing, expanding, changing, or making decisions on their own.  Talent who are effective and successful know that they are a part of some larger team and picture – they are confident about their place, their skills, and the expectations put on them. 

 

By delving into the REALITIES of being a talent and working in film, television, print, promotion, voice over, and commercials, you will Expand your horizons  (we’ll call this the sixth “E”) and reap a blossoming calendar of bookings!

 

Melinda Eisnaugle

Agency Director

The Avenue Model & Talent Agency