I'm really great at Procrastination (or why I need a deadline)

If there was a contest for procrastination, I'm pretty sure I'd win, but I would probably procrastinate entering for so long that I would forget to do it.  Basically, I am easily distracted by things like the internet, television, anything shiny, and cat videos. 

For instance, since writing the last sentence I have checked my email 3 times, looked at everything new on my Facebook feed, read half of a speech Steven Soderbergh gave about the state of cinema, and checked Tumblr- twice.

Writing this doesn't have a looming deadline.  I mean, I could write it now, or write it later, or give up completely and just finish reading that Steven Soderbergh speech instead.  Seriously, when left to my own devices I am amazed I get anything done at all, what with all the articles on Cracked and Buzzfeed I haven't read yet. 

Ugh, I just lost another 10 minutes reading about 5 Ridiculous Health Myths and checking a notification on Facebook.

So, since I know that procrastination is an issue for me - how do I combat it?

I need to have deadlines and they need to be soon.  Deadlines more than a week away make it seem like I have plenty of time to do it later, you know after I rewatch all of the Harry Potter movies. 

It helps if it affects someone other than just me.  I hate letting other people down.  Sure disappointing myself sucks, but I can always cure that with some ice cream and British television.

It's a constant battle for me because much of what an actor has to do can't be quantified and put into deadline form.  I have lines to memorize, scripts to read, a website and reel to update - not to mention a house to clean, toilet paper to pick up, and checks that need to go to the bank.  But, that's just life.  There are always things that need to be done and I can't always get mad when I find myself off track and searching for pictures of David Tennant on the internet. 

I just have to remind myself the things I need to do and not be overwhelmed by it all.  I know it will get done - because it has to.

Now for your procrastinating enjoyment here are The 50 Cutest Things that Ever Happened and an otter who got into a car and wouldn't leave.

Because I am Terrible at Marketing ...

This week I watched an interview with Manager/Producer, Seth Jaret, on MyTeeVee.  He is currently focusing on New Media and creating webseries.  The whole interview is full of great information for any independent producers out there.

Throughout the interview he keeps bringing up the same thing: MARKETING.  He says marketing can be up to 2/3rds of your job as a producer.  This is something most creators forget about, because we are creators not business people.

I know this very well because I am one of those creative people lacking that business edge.  I am not a natural salesperson (I'm probably the exact opposite of "always be closing.")  It's one of the reasons why I am not great at typical networking. 

So, what do us creative-non-business-types do to get our work in front of the audiences we want?  Especially when we are low-budget producers who lack the funds for billboards and commercials?

Well, the wonderful thing about the internet is that it is very democratic.  Anyone can create something that can become a huge hit, but the downside of that is that almost anyone can create something - so how do you stand out among all the rest?

First, of course, you have to produce quality content.  But beyond that, Seth mentioned in the interview that on the internet it is often good to focus on developing work for a micro audience of really involved viewers.  After that, it's important to produce regular content to keep your audience interested. 

How do you build this micro audience?  As I said at the beginning of this, I am terrible at marketing ... so I don't have all the answers. 

I've noticed the people on Twitter who maintain a large quantity of followers tweet multiple times a day, often about the same sorts of things or at least in the same voice (for example: Patton Oswalt's tweets are comedic and the Dalai Lama is inspirational.)  On Tumblr, I've noticed the same thing.  Those who post regular content geared towards a specific theme are the ones with the most followers.

What I gather from this information is the importance of developing a brand and make sure you keep that brand clear across all your social networking sites.  And it's important to keep your followers engaged by creating new content often.

I wish I was better at selling myself since as an actor I am the product.  It's definitely something I am planning on working on more in the New Year.  Something to go on the goals list ...

Just Do the Work

I recently saw "Flight" and Q&A with director, Robert Zemeckis, and writer, John Gatins.  It's a decent film with an amazing cast, but among all these huge names like Don Cheadle, John Goodman, and Denzel (big enough you know who I'm talking about with just his first name) there was a standout performance from a not well known character actor - James Badge Dale.  You are forgiven if you have no idea who he is.

During casting his role was "Cancer Guy" and according to IMDb he is "Gaunt Young Man."  If you've seen the film, you'll know who I am talking about because it is quite possibly the most memorable scene of the entire film.  He only had one scene, one speech, and a few lines - but, it's not one you will quickly forget.

The story of how he got the role all the way to how he prepared for it is filled with juicy tidbits every actor should know.

LESSON NUMBER ONE

James was called in for a different role - Lang, the lawyer role that ended up going to Don Cheadle.  He went in to read with Casting Director, Victoria Burrows, and asked if he could also read for "Cancer Guy."  This was a strange request - not only was Cancer Guy a smaller part, it was also written for a much younger guy.  She acquiesced and he was amazing in it. 

Lesson: Don't be afraid to make requests in the audition room.  It is your time.  Don't demand to read for another part, but it is okay to ask.  The worst that can happen is they'll say no.

LESSON NUMBER TWO

Mr. Zemeckis said as soon as he saw the tape he knew this guy had to do this part.  He said he made different choices than everyone else and made it interesting.

Lesson: Ah, back to the age old thing about making choices.  You know this, I know this, but it deserves repeating: MAKE STRONG, CLEAR CHOICES in all your auditions.

LESSON NUMBER THREE

James finds out he got the part a while before he is set to film.  It is only one scene and he is scheduled to shoot only one day.  He then begins to prepare for this role like he would any other, just like if he was the lead.  He loses weight and makes himself look like a gaunt cancer patient.  I don't know him personally, but I am willing to bet he did a lot of research and knew everything he could about his character - even though we only see him for this one brief instant of his life.

Lesson: Treat every role you are given with the respect it deserves - do the research and don't write it off as "just a small part."  You wouldn't want your surgeon to go in saying, "it's just a tonsillectomy, I'm gonna phone it in today."

In the end this is about being a PROFESSIONAL actor and doing your work every step along the way from audition to finished project.

Where is your Passion?

I recently watched an amazing documentary called, "Jiro Dreams of Sushi."  Every artist out there needs to start streaming this movie off of NetFlix right now.  Seriously, go do it, I'll wait ...

... great, welcome back.  How good was that film?  Did you see why I think every artist needs to watch it?  There is so much there for actors and artists.  One point I really wanted to talk about was Jiro's passion.

Jiro is so passionate about his sushi and making it absolutely perfect.  It is all he thinks about; he even dreams about it.  It's his love, so much so that he hates to take a day off from his sushi restaurant.

That passion is poured into every bite of sushi he creates and has earned him the title of best sushi chef in the world. 

This is how passionate you need to be about your acting career. 

Yes, there are days when I'm feeling crappy about myself and I don't want to get out of bed to go to class, but I do.  Actually, those are the days I probably need it the most.  Once I'm on stage all that other crap falls away and I remember why I do this.  I love acting and it makes me feel whole to be on stage.

Jiro has spent 80 years perfecting his craft and that passion has never left.  So, when you are feeling down about your career, remember it takes a lifetime to reach your full potential at anything.  Keep working and remember to never lose that passion.

With passion for your art, plus hard work you will find success in this world.  It may not be the success you thought you'd find, but it will make you an amazing artist. 

It's the hardest thing to do: JUST RELAX!

Right now I am in a post-Olympic, pre Fall TV season malaise.  So, I'm taking an online literature class to fill my time.  I'm telling you this so you know I have a darn good excuse for being late with my blog this week: I was writing a term paper on the theme of science vs faith in "Dracula" (makes me sound really smart, huh?)  Well, now that I'm finished writing and on to reading "Frankenstein" I figured I would take a break and write about my last piece of Olympic inspired acting advice.

JUST RELAX.

I found it fascinating watching how different athletes prepared for their events.  A big theme was relaxation.  One of my favorites was the high jumper who sang to herself while she waited for her turn.  She wasn't focusing on how high she was going to jump or going through the motions, she was just singing.  Or how about all the divers hanging out in the hot tub between dives?  Yes, it allows their muscles to stay warm, but it also relaxes them.  By relaxing an athlete can rely on all their training to come forward and they will actually do better by not thinking about what they have to do.

Acting is similar.  You go to classes and work day after day perfecting your technique.  Then when you get a script you pour over it, figuring out every single moment.  Then here is the tough part: you let all that go.  Once you are on stage or film, you can't be thinking about what you are about to do or worrying about the moments coming up because when you do that, you'll lose the moment right in front of you.

A key for me before any audition or show is to relax.  I don't sit there going over my lines in my head, because they should already be there.  You have to have done the work ahead of time and be able to trust in it.  I got a great piece of advice once: the moment before you begin an audition or go on stage - yawn really big.  This immediately relaxes your jaw and helps get rid of tension in your face and neck. 

Okay, well back to reading "Frankenstein."  Anyone got suggestions on essays topics for this one?

Believing You Belong Here

Watching the coverage of the Olympics, one of the announcers said a very interesting quote:

Confidence is a little voice inside your head that tells you that you belong here.

(I've done a little Googling and couldn't find the original source, so if anyone knows it please pass it on to me.)

As an actor, you find yourself in lots of intimidating situations like auditions, table reads, your first day on a new set.  Actors know that their job is always tenuous.  Just look at Eric Stoltz who shot for 5 weeks on "Back to the Future" before being replaced by Michael J. Fox.  That feeling of being replaceable is something that always sits somewhere in the back of my mind.

But, all that is in my head and it's my job to change the dialogue in there.  Change that little voice inside my head.  Of course, I know it isn't that easy. 

I wish I was one of those people who just exudes confidence that has never known a place they didn't belong.  My problem is that whenever I do get something I think it's a fluke.   And just try to give me a compliment - I am a master at deflecting them. 

Since confidence doesn't come naturally to me at all, I'm going to have to pretend.  Maybe if I pretend enough, I'll be able to change that little voice inside my head

Being Okay with Failure

I fixate on things.  When something goes wrong I can't stop thinking about it, worrying about it, and going over everything that I could have done differently.  Simply put it is hard for me to let things go.

This can be stifling both in my career and in my art.  I take criticism to heart more than I should; and when you put yourself out there on places like FunnyorDie or YouTube you can get a lot of criticism.  Here is a quote my friend, Karen Weza, put on Facebook the other day:

To avoid criticism do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.    -Elbert Hubbard

It's true that no matter what you do someone is going to find fault in it.  If you go around worrying what other people think or if you are going to fail, it can be very difficult to start anything.  This is a battle I have most days.  Once I start something I'm fine, it's the actually getting up off the couch that I find nearly impossible.

One big reason you can't let fear of failure stop you is because it doesn't matter.  Seriously, what's going to happen if you fail?  Unless you are jumping out of plane, failing generally isn't a life-or-death situation.  Okay, so you fail or someone on the internet says mean things about you or things don't happen how you planned - then what?

Then you get up and try again a little differently - the important thing is to keep going forward.  Like I said before Failure is Never Trying.

So, go forth and FAIL.  Seriously, get up and fail in as dramatic a fashion as possible, because this time might be the time that you surprise yourself and SUCCEED.

What are your Priorities?

I don't seem to be able to book commercials.  Maybe it's my face or maybe I'm a little too sarcastic, I dunno.  People just don't seem to want me to sell their stuff.  I came to an unusual realization: I don't care.

It's not that I wouldn't love to be the new face of some national commercial campaign, because trust me I would love that paycheck.  It's just that I can't make getting a commercial a priority in my life.  I can't let it bother me that I'm not the next Bud Lite girl.  It's not worth the energy. 

My priorities right now are on creating my own work.  I look at people like Brit Marling who are really making it happen for themselves.  For those who don't know she wrote and produced two movies in Sundance the same year and I highly recommend her movie, "Sound of my Voice."  She is writing roles she wants to play and that is what I want to do.  I think creating your own stuff may be the best way to be in the films you truly want to work on.  To get them seen by other people you need to make them look really good and that is where my priorities lie.

When I say I am not going to prioritize working on things like commercials, I don't mean that I won't go on auditions when they come up.  I will and will do my best on them.  But, in my spare time I will focus on writing and producing my own stuff. 

And cast myself as the star.

Does Anyone Out There Know How to Network?

I need to admit something to you guys.  I am terrible at networking; I have no idea how to go about it.  Any actor who gets an agent while working as a bartender or cast in a movie after meeting a director at a party impress me.  I'm especially terrible at parties because I tend to just stand by the food (cheese is my downfall) and find it difficult to "schmooze."

No matter how difficult it is to network, Hollywood is a people business and who you know does matter.  If schmoozing at parties isn't your thing and the idea of approaching someone at your day job with a headshot makes you feel sick to your stomach, how do you get to know the right people?

Maybe it's just the word "networking" that bothers me so much.  It just sounds disingenuous.

Quite a few actors have taken to twitter and follow directors, producers, casting people.  I don't know if this has led to any successful business relationships, but I think the key is to engage sincerely and don't try to kiss up as so many people seem to do.  Twitter may be a start, but I don't think you should let it be the only way you try to connect.

What you should be doing is making friends, not "connections" and you don't make friends by worrying about how they can help your career.  You make friends by being there when they need you.

Here are some of my ideas on non-network-networking:

• Help out at a film festival.
• Volunteer at something you feel passionate about, like at an animal shelter or Habitat for Humanity.
• When you meet a casting director at an audition or workshop, offer to be a reader for them.
• Offer to help on your friend's film sets (even if they didn't cast you.)
• Get involved in hobbies you love. 

Do you guys have any other ideas?  How have you all made contacts in the "biz?"

The truth is you never know who you might meet or where you might meet them.  So, never be afraid to say you are an actor, but remember you are a whole person with other interests and those other things may be the key to making a new friend.

Oh, How Far You've Come

When you are an actor, you know you spend most of your time not working in the job you love.  I've discussed different ways you could keep yourself busy during those down times, like producing your own stuff.

But sometimes not working can be pretty depressing and it can be hard to even get out of your pajamas much less be proactive.  I've talked about watching movies and reading plays when you feel down, but sometimes you're so far down the rabbit hole even that won't pull you out of it.

So, when I am spiraling down into that dark place, one thing I like to do is remind myself how far I've come.  No matter how long you've been following your dreams, I guarantee you've come a ways from where you started.  Think of everything you've learned since you began. 

I think of the plays I've been in and even the scenes I've done in class; all the short films I've helped out on or acted in.  Every little thing I've done has taught me something new about my chosen profession.  I know I've come far since I moved out here, but sometimes I need to take a moment to reflect on it all to really see it. 

I'm here to remind you that this business is a 10-year project (at the least.)  Yes, some people get lucky and make it before then, but don't expect that.  Just remember every step forward, no matter how small, is still a step towards where you want be and you gotta keep moving. 

But, it's okay every once and a while to look back to see just how far you've come.

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

You Are a Terrible Judge of Yourself

I am a very harsh critic, not of other people, just of myself. 

I can't think of a single audition, play, or day of filming when I have left thinking "I nailed that!"  There are always moments missed, some fault that made me feel less than perfect.

Even worse is me watching tape of myself because all I see is how much I hate how my face looks when I turn my head that way or why didn't anyone tell me how bad my hair looked in the back.  These things that don't really matter, things that aren't related at all to my ability to act.  But, when I'm editing my own footage, darn it, if that isn't all I see.

This past week I had another reminder to not judge how I did in an audition.  Because I totally thought I blew one this week and it was kinda a big audition.  So big that the fact that I thought I'd blown it actually had me crying in my car.  Embarrassing but true.

Even more embarrassing is that I was totally wrong.  I booked the job.  It's not set in stone yet so I'm not sharing with you guys what it is.  Once I have the deal memo signed and all that, I will tell you all about it!  But, it is kind of a big one.

Remember you can't see how others see you and don't spend your time worrying how you think you did.  Because no matter what you think, it is probably wrong.

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!!!

Don't Expect Perfection but Keep Working at It Anyway

At the Grammy Awards last night, Dave Grohl had a wonderful acceptance that is for important for any artist to hear:

Dave Grohl's Grammy Speech

The importance of working on your craft is for every form of art whether it be music, painting, or acting.  On NPR this Saturday I heard an interview with a perennial understudy in the opera world who after 22 years of work has finally gotten his chance to play the lead role in Siegfried at the Met.  Jay Hunter Morris said the past 22 years has been him improving his voice, lung capacity, and all the technical things an opera singer needs to learn everyday in baby steps.

Actors should be working on their craft in the same way: everyday and understanding that some days may be just baby steps that you can't hardly see.  I've heard it said that learning to be an actor is a 20 year process.  Everyday you learn something more about yourself, about your limits, about your triggers.  Learn how to read every nuance and behavior that someone is giving you.  But don't give up if it doesn't all come together in the first few years of training.  It will take years of work and eventually you will be in the right place at the right time like Jay Hunter Morris was when they called him up from being an understudy.

But with all that work perfection can't be the product you are looking for because it doesn't exist.  Art is not about perfection.  Like he says it's about what it is in your heart.  How it makes you feel.  As an actor, it is easy to go back and watch performances and criticize what you did do, what you had meant to do but didn't.  Being perfect is not your job, your job is to bring life and heart to whatever you are working on. 

I'll leave you with this wonderful Ira Glass quote for those of us starting out on this journey who aren't quite as perfect as we'd like to be:

I heart Ira

Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through. 

Keep working and fighting, guys!