Are You a Professional?

I recently saw this quote from Stephen King:

If you wrote something for which someone sent you a check, if you cashed the check and it didn't bounce, and if you then paid the light bill with the money, I consider you talented.

Of course he is talking about authors, but it also applies to any artists including actors.  How good does it feel to get paid to do this job you love so much, even if it is just a $100 a day film that requires you to change in an In-N-Out restroom.  Feels even better when you cash that check and it doesn't bounce.

Nice to feel valued as a professional in your chosen career.  But, the trick is to act like a professional even when you are not being paid.

So, what does it mean to be a professional actor if it isn't a paycheck?

• KNOW YOUR BUSINESS  You should make it your job to know what is in production, who is producing what, what casting directors are working on what show, what shows you are right for (and everything is not a good answer.)  How do you find out this information?  Read the trades like Deadline Hollywood, get a CastingAbout account, watch television shows, and talk to your agent - which leads me to my next point ...
• TALK TO YOUR AGENT  and the other people on your "team" regularly.  Let them know when you are dying to go out on a project or if you just saw a casting director at a workshop.  Not only will this help them to get you on a new project, it also shows them that you are working for yourself as well.  Look, I'm not saying call your agents everyday just to chat, but if you have a legitimate reason to reach out to them then do it.  Ask them if there are any particular casting directors they want you to reach out to or what more you can be doing.
• BE ON TIME  LA folks I am looking at you hard about this one.  Why is it so hard to be on time to places?  I mean, I've seen people late to class, auditions, even to plays - what did you think? That they were going to hold the curtain on "Book of Mormon" for you because you hit a bit of traffic on the 101?  Okay, okay, okay I get traffic is bad here, but you know what, it is always bad!  That means you leave an hour early and if you get to where you are going early then hang out a Starbucks (you know there has got to be one nearby).
• KEEP UP WITH YOUR TRAINING  Professionals in nearly every field from doctors to airline pilots will take classes, go to conferences, read the latest trade magazines to keep themselves sharp.  Don't allow your instrument to go dull by not improving on yourself.  I once heard: if you aren't moving forward then you are going backwards, there is no such thing as a plateau in acting.  There are always improvements to be made and you can't allow yourself to slip backwards.  If you aren't in classes right now, you should at the very least do something everyday for your acting.  You can read a play, watch some of the great actors work, write a script, etc.

Look, don't be one of those actors that are just playing at this career.  You know the ones who think going to Hollywood parties is all they need to do to be a great actor.  Maybe it will get them a job on a film and they may even get paid as an actor from it, but that certainly doesn't make them a professional.

Is Your Demo Reel Helping or Hurting You?

Every actor I know is constantly talking about the need to get tape on themselves, so they can put together a demo reel.  They say things like: "Hey, lets go shoot that scene from that super famous play we did in class that everyone said was really good" or "Tape me doing this monologue in front of my curtains."  Okay, so maybe they don't actually say those things, but if you look at their demo reels you'd think that they had said that at one point.

Yes, it can be very helpful to have a demo reel.  It can help you get an agent and it does put you to the top of the list for submissions on the Breakdowns.  But, having a bad demo reel is much worse than not having one at all.  In my agency and at casting offices, I've seen actors not get a meeting because of a bad demo reel.  The following tips are things I have heard directly from casting directors and agents.

First of all, just because you have tape of yourself acting doesn't mean you need to put it on your reel.  Let's be honest lots of those student films and webisodes you did, don't always look great.  Even if your acting is stellar, poor production value will distract anyone watching it and reflect poorly on you.

When choosing footage for your reel here are a few hints that will make you look good:

1. Do you have professional footage from a professional set?  One thing casting is looking for in your reel is: can you act effectively in all the craziness that is a professional set.  In their mind this will help to ensure that you will not make them look bad if you get the part, that you know how to handle yourself professionally.  In Hollywood, most people don't want to be the person that takes a chance on a newbie and gets burned by it, so that's why they want evidence of your credits.
2. Is there someone famous in your scene?  It seems very silly, but if you have a scene with someone recognizable, even if you just have one or two lines, make this scene one of the first ones on your reel.  It shows that you can hold your own with someone considered very good, it shows that someone trusted you to have this scene with  this person, and if the viewer likes this famous actor then some of that may rub off on how they think about you.
3. Do you have very, very, very good looking non-professional footage?  Of course, there are some short films that you've done that look really nice.  The lighting is nice, the shots are professional, and there is even a score.  All of that will help sell you.

Now that you've chosen your footage; here are some other basic rules about demo reels.

1. The length of your demo should be between 2 and 3 minutes.  A good length is about 2 minutes and 15 seconds.  The truth is that most people won't watch the whole thing, if you're lucky they'll get all the way through the first minute.
2. Since most people only watch the first minute, make sure your best stuff is at the beginning.  I recommend starting with any scene with a famous actor, then professional stuff, and ending with the amateur work.
3. Start with you.  Even if the other actor is famous or if they have the first line in the scene, always start with the camera angle that is on you.  This way they know who they are supposed to be looking at and you are highlighted.
4. The scenes in your demo reel don't have to make sense.  No one is watching for context, they are watching to see your acting ability.  So, cut as much of the scene that the camera is not on you as possible.  Don't cut the other people out completely, just make sure you are the focus. 
5. Don't waste time with pictures of you.  It's an annoying trend I've noticed where people feel the need to spend the first 20 seconds of their reel as a montage of pictures of themselves set to music.  It is just wasting the viewer's time and now they are probably going to spend less time watching your actual footage.  If they wanted to see a picture of you they would look at your headshot.
6. It is appropriate to have your headshot at the beginning with your name and contact info that you display for 3 seconds.  It's not too long, but it's long enough for them to read.
7. Montages in general have no place in your demo reel.  We don't need to see you playing basketball or knitting or running.  Any of that sort of thing is what your "Special Skills" section of your resume is for.  If you do have an extreme special skill like Parkour or Belly Dancing, then I recommend having a separate tape of just that.
8. Post your reel on Vimeo or YouTube so they don't have to download it.  That way they can just watch it streaming.
9. If you are posting your demo on Actor's Access or the Breakdowns, I recommend breaking it up into individual scenes.  That way when submitting to casting you can be specific in what video would be right.  Plus, it costs the same, the charge is only for the amount of time not the number of clips.
10. In general avoid anything that seems fancy or artsy.  Casting just wants to see you and if you can act, not how skillful your editor is.

Editing your own demo reel is not that difficult.  If you have Final Cut or even just iMovie, you can put it together easily.  I just fiddled around with the software til I figured it out.

Wanna check out my demo reel?  Check it out here:  Michelle's Demo Reel

Halfway through Pilot Season

So, how's your pilot season going?

Not great yet?  Yeah, me either.  That seems to be what I am hearing from all my actor friends.  We know there are pilots out there getting cast and none of us are getting auditions.

But, here's the good news:  It's not just us.  In the first month or two of pilot season the people testing for roles are offers and the ones who already have series regular or big movie credits. 

Don't get mad at your agents just yet.  If you aren't already a known entity to a casting department then generally your agent's pitching will have little affect getting you in any office at this point in time.  Much of casting is working of their lists of favorite actors right now.

So, when is your chance?  Don't worry it's coming.  Most people say that unknowns will start getting called into offices in March.  But, don't set yourself on only series regular roles. 

During this pilot season there are episodics still casting.  You may suddenly have a better chance getting in on a co-star or guest star because many actors are holding out for a pilot.

I hope you all a better end to your pilot season and I would love to hear when y'all get called in or when you book something!!!

A New Year and New Goals

New Years is fast approaching and people will start asking you what resolutions you made, like that question isn't the least bit nosy and intrusive.  My answers are the same as everyone else: to work out more, eat healthier, stop procrastinating, blah blah blah.  They are all good ideas but they lack specificity and for that reason I'm making the same resolutions every year.

One of my teachers at Playhouse West gives out a great goals assignment every year that helps with those pitfalls.  The first step is to create goals not resolutions.  Goals are something that have a finite end point and they are only goals if it is something that you can do on your own without the approval of someone else.

So, how do you create goals?

I start with my dreams.  You know those things that you want so bad and seem so far away that saying them out loud makes your stomach go into knots.  (I talked a bit about that here.)  This is one of my dreams: to become a series regular in a hit TV show.  The reason this is a dream and can't be a goal is because I cannot do it wholly on my own.  I need other people's approval to get cast and an audience to watch. 

The next step is to break your dream down into smaller dreams that lead to it.  In the case of getting a series regular role the steps before that would be booking some guest stars and before that would be some co-star roles.  That is a more manageable place to start, but it is still a dream and not a goal.

What goals would help me book some more co-star roles? 

• Always attending acting class unless I have an acting gig or am sick and I will always be working on a scene.  Perfecting my craft will make sure that when I get an audition I am 100% prepared to be my best.
• Communicate with my agent at least once a month about what I need to be doing to make it easier for them to pitch me.  Make sure they know what my dreams are so they can help me achieve them.
• Attend one workshop a month with the casting directors who work in the type of TV shows that cast my type.

These are just a few ideas of the type of goals you can make that are specific and are something you can achieve.  The best thing to do is write your goals down in a place you see everyday as a reminder and then revisit your goals a few times during the year to adjust them as you achieve your dreams.

Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year filled with success.  Keep Dreaming!

How to Help your Agent Help You

I always say how important it is to not sit on your tush waiting for your agent to call.  But, agents are an important part of the business.  There are doors they can open that you can't by yourself.

This is why having a good working relationship with your agent is so important.  I hear so many actors complain about how their agents aren't working for them or how their agents never get them auditions.  But, how many of these actors actually talk to their agents about these problems?

I intern at my agent's office once a week.  It keeps my face in their mind and I get to see what's going on out there.  I know what's casting and if it really is just slow.  But, interning isn't the only way to have a better relationship with your agent.

When was the last time you went to agent's office just to say hi and see how they are doing?  One visit goes a long way, it makes them think of you and want to pitch you.  Bringing baked goods never hurts either.  Plus, you can take this as an opportunity to talk with them about what you need to do to get out more.

Don't hold back from talking to your agent because you're worried about bothering them.  If there is a project casting that you really want to be in, or you know you are right for something, or you know the casting director, you absolutely should email or call your agent and let them know.  If you don't feel comfortable enough to call and email your agent then ask yourself why you're in a relationship with them.

Your agent is your partner, but remember they only make 10% so you should be doing 90% of the work.  Make your own movies, help out at casting offices, research what's currently casting on websites like castingabout.com, go to classes, network, and all that other good stuff proactive actors do.  Make sure your agent has all the tools they'll need to be able to work effectively for you.

What are you working on now?

Yep, that is one of the most dreaded questions for actors.  Right up there with, Have you been in anything I would've seen?

Jobs for actors tend to be few and far between.  A good year for an average working actor would be about four jobs.  Unless one of those jobs is as a regular on a TV show, there is a lot of down time.

Of course, you are doing things like going to classes or on auditions.  But, answering the question with a list of auditions or a description of how you were really close getting this one role, but at the last minute they decided to cast the director's girlfriend, leads to blank stares and polite nods.

Let me tell you how I would answer this question:  We are in post-production on a five minute short that I wrote and shot last weekend.  I am in pre-production on a film that I've been working on for about 6 months.  We are going to shoot in two weeks.  Plus, I am in a play that has been running once a month for over a year.

That sounds pretty impressive, right?  It's all because I am being proactive by creating my own work.  It's easy in this town to sit back and wait for your agent to call but if you do that you may be sitting around a long time.

You don't have to look like a deer in headlights the next time someone asks you what you are working on.  Start creating on your own.  If you don't know where to begin, then find people to work with who do.  Form your own group of creative types and start working on something.