1- Meet and get to be known by the Casting Directors- a lot of CD's. (There are HUNDRED'S!)
ACTION STEP: Meet as many as possible in one fell swoop- attend an Actor Marathon or get a personal referral to dozens- don't waste 3 years meeting one at a time in a 2 minute pay-to-meet. They won't remember you a week later let alone know your work and "brand".
2- Get an established Agent who can remind them of your existence....so in the flurry of a casting session- they can call you in immediately. No time wasted.
ACTION STEP: Meet a slew of boutique agents who may be looking for developmental clients. Attend an Actor Marathon and meet 50 in one weekend or have a Career Coach personally set up appointments for a few dozen.
3- Know how to audition with "cold copy" (you may have minutes from getting the script to the actual audition).
ACTION STEP: Study with Margie Haber- the BEST in the business.
4- Know where the studios are and how to get there-no "getting lost" on the 405 or the 101!
ACTION STEP: Get a Thomas Guide @ any gas station, book store or on line.
5- Be available and attitude-ready not a wimp preparing to fly back to NY (Kansas, Tennesee, Maryland) because it didn't work out in a few weeks or a few months.
ACTION STEP: Lock into an apartment, a car, a source of income and stay put. Begin an aggressive marketing campaign. Persistence will win out.
6- Have a job or funds available (for the first year at least) that allows you to be free from financial stress. There's no time to negotiate "getting off" from a dumb day job- the casting process is over very quickly.
ACTION STEP: Plan ahead. Set up your personal life. Find and develop a "support" group- both social and professional to hang out with. Make sure you're around working, successful winners.
7- Have excellent marketing tools- a fabulous headshot or 5 showing how you look today and what roles you can play, a resume with TV and quality film credits, not NY showcases.
ACTION STEP: Get the advice of a Career Coach- have her check out your marketing kit before going.
8- Have a great, short, entertaining and brilliant sizzle reel..1-2 minutes with the many (5-6) roles you've played (or can play) ...no student or indie film quality!
ACTION STEP: Find an editor who has worked for a major primetime series and hire him to edit your reel. If you have nothing of quality that shows your work- find a company that shoots demo reels and writes scripts catered to you. Don't leave home without one!
9- Be positive, cheerful, FUN to work with, super trained, aggressively persistent and charming as well! If people know you, like you, trust you- they hire you! Learn to be likeable.
ACTION STEP: Go to charm school? (Just kidding) Remember, you chose to be an actor so tap into the passion and FUN of it all...not just the hard work.
10 - Be 1000% with every interview and audition-know your goals, your niche, your brand and show it!
ACTION STEP: Develop military discipline- every interview and audition is a battle you need to win! Be prepared, have the weapons, be psyched and go for it!
Again, the reason you go to LA in April, June, or December (anytime can be good as long as you are prepared and have your life/network already set up but those are the optimum times) is so you can get settled, sign with an agent, learn your way around town. Then, when a role comes up for which you are right, theyalready know you, can call your agent and you just have to show up. Easy, simple, logical.
Then, just do your work and get paid....plenty!
Successful Marketing!
Gwyn
0 comments:
Post a Comment