I’m not where I want to be with my career. What can I DO?!?!

I feel like this question comes up a lot, in large part because it’s so hard to know what you can actually DO to move forward in your acting career. When I first moved to Los Angeles that was the most pressing question I had…what do I actually DO, on a daily basis, move forward towards my goals?

To the first part of the question above, there is a certain element of patience. Building a career in any field takes time, and it’s quite likely that you’ll never be where you want. Enjoy the journey and have faith that hard work, skill, and more hard work over time will pay off.

While that’s all true, on some level it’s a frustrating response. You ask what can I do? and people say “just be patient.” Thanks, I’m sure that will get me a guest star next week. So here’s the deal, there is a f&c*ton of things you can do. So much, in fact, you could easily spend 314 hours per day actively pursuing your career. There is ALWAYS more to do.

With that in mind, I have crafted a list off the top of my head of things you can actually do in Los Angeles to help your career along.

• Join The Actors’ Network (TAN)
• Go to every topical and speaker at TAN
• Read the trades every day (The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, etc.)
• Send out postcards to targeted casting directors, writers, producers, etc.,
• Create your own work
• Write scripts
• Practice and memorize monologues
• Make sure you understand SAG, and look into becoming eligible if you’re not
• Study how the format of a script differs from a sitcom to a 1-hour drama
• Get together with your actor friends to discuss what they’re doing for their respective careers
• Start a mastermind group
• Get on twitter and follow industry people
• Network on twitter and come to the LA Actors Tweetups
• Read books on the craft and business of acting (Self Management for Actors being a great start)
• Read some of the hundreds of tremendous blogs on acting that are out there
• Listen to Secrets of Screen Acting podcast
• Listen to Inside Acting Podcast
• Get together with other actors and practice your on-camera technique
• Write your own blog about your career
• Take classes/work with friends to get VERY specific about your type
• Research shows and movies that you are right for, find out everyone who works on those shows, then target marketing materials to them (or better yet find a way to take some of them out for lunch and just pick their brain)
• Get a mentor
• Mentor others
• Check out my list of actor resources and see if I missed anything on this list
• Perform with the Young Storytellers Foundation
• Go to Women in Film events
• Subscribe to Alex’s Info
• Watch plays
• Act in plays
• Read plays
• Write about plays
• Memorize plays
• Play plays (wait, what…?)
• Research potential representation, producers, managers, writers, and the like on IMDb
• Make sure your IMDb profile is completely up to date
• Watch 2 episodes of every TV show that is on the air (there are a LOT) and pay specific attention to what you might be right for
• Write and get press releases published
• Go to any of the bajillion networking events all over town
• Maybe it’s time to look into a higher level manger or agent (or getting one in the first place)
• Create your own work
• Go to SAG Foundation events (free to SAG and AFTRA members)
• View video of previous SAG Foundation events
• Reach out appropriately and professionally to others in the industry you want to work with
• Maybe it’s time to hire a publicist
• Attend and perform at The Actor’s Lounge
• Create your own work
• Work on building and keeping in touch with your fan base through twitter, facebook, myspace, email newsletters, etc.,
• Go spend some time on CastingAbout and learn who is casting what
• Make sure that you have a STELLAR 1 – 2 minute demo reel that is easily accessible
• Be sure that you’re marketing yourself at the level you want to be (if you have guest star credits, you probably don’t need to list music videos and print work…well, you really shouldn’t ever list that)
• Read all of the blog archives of Bonnie Gillespie’s The Actor’s Voice
• Help out friends on set
• Drop a couple bucks and check some AMAZING videos on Actor Biz Guru
• Do independent films, student films, anything that will get you more professional contacts
• Date the head of studio (kidding! kind of…)
• Did I mention creating your own work?

This was just a quick list I rattled off the top of my head of what ANYONE could do, and I’m sure I missed about eleventy billion things. Would love to hear what others are doing that I didn’t mention above.

Ben Whitehair is the Los Angeles contingent of this blog. Find out more information and view his materials on his website, or read the rest of his blog posts.

Step inside my time machine. We’re going on a brief tour. Ready?….

WHABAM! We’ve arrived in the auditorium at Monarch High School in Louisville, CO in the year 2003. The students are busy rehearsing David Ives’ The Universal Language, as part of their winter one-act festival.

Do you see the hopeless-looking theatre geek in the cheap Hawaiian shirt and Old Navy cargo khakis? That’s me! I’m the director! Right about now, I’m probably telling my cast, “You guys are the actors, YOU figure it out!” I have no idea what I’m doing. I am easily the worst director in the history of theatre. Hands down. No contest.

KABLOOEY! Here was are in 2010, and my theatre company, The Consortium Project, is planning an evening of original one-act plays.

I’m sitting across the room, expressing interest in directing again for the first time in 7 years. There is a voice inside my head screaming, “NO, JVB, don’t subject honest, hard-working actors to such terror! For the love of all that is theatre, don’t do it!”

“But I will be more prepared and professional this time around,” I insist. “And I’d love to see my craft from the other side of the table!”

MAPOOF! Weeks later, and here I sit in the dark at Chemically Imbalanced Comedy with my fellow directors, watching hours worth of auditions. I’m focused on finding the right actors for my show, but the performer inside me is taking a few mental notes:

• Joe, remember to never leave the stage looking visibly dejected because the auditors didn’t applaud your monologue or ask you to cold-read from the script. Look at how uncomfortable and awkward that was! Stay confident!

• Joe, remember that preparedness and choosing an appropriate monologue are everything! Didn’t you just love seeing that actor nail that piece?! It made your job so easy!

• Joe, remember to not force a handshake when you enter an audition! You can totally express warmth and openness without touching someone. Maybe, as was with you just now, they have no desire to be touched by a stranger!

BLOINT! It’s midnight, a day after finalizing my cast. I got lucky; these actors are incredible! So talented! I’m poring over seven different conflict sheets, trying to come up with a rehearsal schedule that can accommodate their conflicts.

COW! A few nights later, I have finally puzzled together a rehearsal schedule! Whew!

ASDFG! The day of my first rehearsal! I’m busy responding to texts and emails from some of my actors saying they’ve had unexpected conflicts arise and will not be attending rehearsal tonight after all. Of course, these things happen, so I try not to let it get under my skin. Do you see how I’m walking that line between being understanding and keeping firm expectations? Still, the actor inside me is thinking:

• Joe, remember how much time and energy it took to create your rehearsal schedule? Keep that in mind the next time you’re an actor filling out a conflict sheet for a director! Be thorough and stick to your word!

EXPELLIARMUS! Flash forward to March 2011. The past two months have been full of challenges, growth, and success. I’m in the audience at ActOne Studios, raucously applauding my wonderful cast as they take their final bows. This team of artists has put together one hell of a great show, and I’m thinking to myself:

• Joe, whether it’s acting, directing, or whatever else, remember to attack every future endeavor with energy, enthusiasm, preparedness, and a big

~JVB

The Royal George Theatre in Chicago, IL

Okay, picture this:

You’re an actor. To help support your showbiz career, you’ve taken up a day job at Bob’s House of Biscuits. One day, while you’re cleaning the biscuit display case, you look up to see Steven friggin’ Spielberg waltzing through the door, looking for lunch. As a self-managing, opportunity-seeking, moment-seizing actor, what do you do?

• Option #1 – Exclaim, “Hi,omigod,you’reStevenSpielberg!!!!Omigod,I’manACTOR!!! Here,haveacopyofmyheadshot,it’sreallygood! Iam sooootalentedandwouldjustDIEtoworkwithyou. Anyway,thanksforcomingtoBob’s,haveagreatday.CALL ME!!!!!!!!!!!”

• Option #2 – Greet him in a friendly manner, like you would any other customer, and don’t mention film, acting, or yourself AT ALL unless he somehow brings it up first. Be calm, cool, and collected. Be a person. Don’t be a whactor. Let the man eat his biscuits, for crying out loud!

So, which do you choose?

Many of us work similar day jobs to pay the bills. We face situations comparable to the one described above almost daily. Most of us have no problem sticking with Option #2 (the wiser choice, if you’re keeping score). But for the sake of reinforcing the point, I’d like to share a true story.

The Set-Up

To help sustain my acting career, I work at a casual dining restaurant in Lincoln Park. The restaurant is mere steps away from the famed Steppenwolf Theatre, as well as the slightly lesser-known but still vastly impressive Royal George Theatre. One of Chicago’s most well-known talent agencies, Geddes Agency, is a few doors down. In addition, the area is littered with five-star restaurants that draw Food Network camera crews on a regular basis. Needless to say, I am constantly surrounded by working actors, directors, playwrights, agents, and business managers.

I get to know these individuals during their lunch breaks. They tell me about what their respective institutions are up to, and how their careers are going. When it comes to my own career, I make it a point to keep my mouth shut. I let them get to know me as a person first. I focus on building friendly relationships with these people, all of whom could have an impact on my acting career one day.

After a mere 4 months, choosing Option #2 has finally started to pay off for me.

The Payoff

Last week, the manager of the Royal George (we’ll call him Steve) came in for his usual late afternoon lunch, and we got to talking about some big upcoming events for his theatre. Steve mentioned that he was especially busy that week because he was sorting through applications for ushers and bartenders, and he asked me to let him know if I knew anyone looking for that kind of work.

“This,” I thought to myself, “is a most excellent chance to seize the day.”

The very moment I got home from work that afternoon, before I even took off my coat, I looked up the theatre’s phone number online and eventually got through to Steve. The call went something like this:

JVB: “Hey Steve, it’s Joe from Pizza Capri. How are you?”

STEVE: “Oh, hey man! I’m great, how are you?”

J: “I’m doing great, thanks. I was actually just calling to let you know that I’m very interested in the ushering & bartending positions you mentioned this afternoon.”

S: “Oh, awesome!”

J: “Yeah! I was wondering if there would be a good time for you that I could swing by a copy of my resume.”

S: “Dude, I don’t even need to look at your resume. I’ve seen you at work. I’d hire you on the spot!”

And just like that, I now have a flexible paying job at an amazing theatre. Yahtzee!

Would this opportunity have arisen if I had chosen Option #1 upon meeting Steve back in September? It’s difficult to say for certain, but I highly doubt it. He didn’t hire me because I’m an actor. He never saw my headshot or resume. He hired me because he knew me as a friendly, outgoing, professional person in whom he could trust.

What It All Means

1. Exercise an appropriate amount of patience, and opportunity is sure to present itself. When it does, seize it!
   
2. Approach your day job with the same degree of professionalism and caring that you would any other gig. You never know who’s watching!
   
3. Instead of worrying about getting jobs or gigs, focus on building relationships!
   

I start my job at the Royal George next week. I’ll only be an usher at first, but I’m told I’ll begin bartending this Spring. It’s not enough to quit my restaurant job just yet, but it’s a step in the right direction for me, and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

Living the Dream,

~JVB

Crush it!

Congratulations, you’ve been called back!

The casting director was blown away by your reading, and she loved your personality from the minute your energy preceded you into the room (which actually happens, believe it or not). All your hard work and preparation has paid off! Woohoo!

So…uh…now what?

• Plan on arriving early! The only thing more embarrassing than showing up late for an audition is showing up late for a callback. If you’re relying on public transportation, give yourself an extra 30 minutes of travel time. You can always bring a book, practice your sides, or warm up if you arrive early, but you never want to find yourself walking into a room of people who have been sitting around waiting for you to show up. Trust me.

• Wear the same outfit you wore to the audition! Recently, I read for a character described as
  

  It's okay to wear this if it fits the character!

  “easygoing,” and the “best friend.” Having read the script, I knew that the character had a “clean, urban, wannabe-slacker” vibe, so I wore nice jeans, a green shirt with guitars on it, and a brown zip-up hoodie to the audition. The outfit complimented the character, and it helped garner me a callback. You’d better believe I wore that exact same outfit to the callback, making sure they thought, “Oh yeah, hoodie guy! I remember him!” I got a phone call the following day saying I had booked the role.

I can’t stress this one enough:

• Play like the role is already yours! Casting directors do not want to see an actor trying to be the character. They want to see the character! If you get in front of the camera and think, “Okay, I hope I’m doing this right,” then you’re already doing it wrong. Play a little! Take risks! Former O’Connor Casting CD and current acting instructor David Murphy always tells his students how much casting directors love mischievous actors; actors who aren’t afraid to ‘break the rules’ a little! In the aforementioned callback, I never did a take the same way twice, and the director thanked me for it afterward.

• Be nice! Don’t be a jerk. Nobody wants to work with a jerk. “But Joe,” I hear you insist, “being a douche is part of my persona,” or, “I’m talented enough that it doesn’t matter.” Sorry, but you’re wrong. In her recent webinar, “6 Things You Can Do To Jumpstart Your Entertainment Career,” YourIndustryInsider.com creator Jenny Yerrick Martin noted that talent ranks dead last in order of importance in the entertainment industry, behind things like knowledge and relationships. So I’ll say it again: DON’T BE A JERK!

I realize that most of us are probably like, “Duh, Joe. We knew this already.” Indeed, this is all ‘Auditioning 101′ material, and I’ve probably gone over it in previous posts a billion times. But it never ceases to amaze me just how many actors in Chicago can’t seem to grasp these concepts (especially the part about being punctual). Just remember: Professionalism, a positive attitude, and confidence will always set you apart from the rest!

Now go get ‘em, tiger!

~JVB, a.k.a. “the hoodie guy”

Brilliance.

Last night I attended a wonderful session put on my manager Mitch Clem (be sure to sign up for Jeff Gund’s InfoList for future updates on Mitch’s seminar as well as tons of other great information), and we got to talking afterwards. After our conversation I was reminded of a (the most?) crucial step to success in this industry: be brilliant.

Let me back up just a step. There is a significant information gap, especially at the developmental stages of this industry (that was my original inspiration when I started writing this blog with Joe and Emily). Finding good information is absolutely crucial, as is getting your act together and treating this business like a business (more in the future on what that phrase actually means). It takes a tremendous amount of effort to even get in “the room” in Los Angeles. Marketing yourself, building relationships, having the right things on your resume, having a brilliant headshot…the list goes on. However, at the end of all of that you’re simply opening a door and walking in. An equally important consideration is what happens as soon as you step through that door and into the room. You have to be brilliant.

If you know me you know that I could talk for days on how I think this town and industry work, and myriad ideas on how to get yourself the coveted opportunities to be considered for roles. At the end of the day, though, if you can’t walk into a room and knock the socks off of everyone in there it doesn’t matter. If you can’t act, no one will put you on a set; at least not consistently. There’s absolutely a balance to be had in marketing yourself and doing the business aspect, but if the other half–acting your face off (in a good way)–isn’t there then what does getting in the room really matter?

Now let me also state that “being brilliant” does not necessarily mean doing something totally wacky or out there. Being brilliant might be having the most solid and specific understanding of a character, saying your two lines, then getting the hell out of the room. But as Mitch was telling me last night, when he looked back at the dozens of his clients over the years who have been regulars on a series, by FAR the most common way they got there was by being a 1-day guest star, or even a co-star in some instances. These actors not only got the job, but were brilliant on set, getting them asked back, often turning their few lines into hundreds of future episodes.

So forget about your starmeter and go out there and take classes, study with your friends, read plays, read screenplays, watch EXACTLY what actors on TV are doing, listen to Secrets of Screen Acting Podcast, put yourself on tape, do a play, take improv classes, memorize a monologue a day, WHATEVER. But do it consistently and with passion until you have full confidence that if Aaron Sorkin pulled you aside at a Coffee Bean and asked you to put down your iced cafe latte and audition right there…that you’d nail it.

Ben Whitehair is the Los Angeles contingent of this blog. Find out more information and view his materials on his website, or read the rest of his blog posts.

Take a good look at the the “Special Skills” section of your resume. What does it say?

“Fluent in Spanish?” “Licensed motorcycle operator?” “Can juggle flaming bowling pins with one hand?”

Sure you can do it. Well, can’t you?

I was on Columbia College’s campus Saturday afternoon, auditioning for a lead role in a student-produced web series. The audition was being held in room 317, the inside of which I know well from previous auditions. But unlike many of my previous attempts, I knew I was perfect for this role from the moment I read the character description. So I prepared like a maniac! I read the script a hundred billion times. I came dressed for the part. Hell, I even brought a small prop to use in the audition. I was the calm, cool and collected actor waiting patiently in the hall for my name to be called. I was the man.

When I walked into the audition itself, I let that confidence shine through in my personality and my smile. God, I was on fire! We did the first take. Nailed it. Felt great. Second take, even more so!

And then it happened.

“Alright Joe, we want you to do this next one using a Cockney dialect.”

This is the part where the lights in the room suddenly go out and you find yourself strapped to a chair with a single hot light burning into your eyes. You start to sweat. You think, “Did I put a Cockney dialect on my resume?” Yes, Joe, you in fact did. That children’s theatre production of My Fair Lady you did when you were a kid? Well, somewhere along the line you decided that was training enough. Well what a fine spot you’ve gotten yourself into now. Bravo.

Don’t get me wrong, I can do a Cockney-ish dialect. And that usually works for my improv shows. But vocal caricatures simply won’t cut it for film and television. Producers, directors, and especially viewers want the goods.

Hoping to lighten the mood, I smiled and wryly quipped, “Ah, so you’re the director that makes his actors actually do the stuff on their resume.” The comment garnered a hearty laugh from the producers, and even the director couldn’t help but smile. “Oh, you know it,” he replied. So with that, I jumped into the scene, which ended up sounding like something between a wannabe Michael Caine and a giraffe trying to swallow Rupert Grint. It certainly could have been a lot worse.

Here’s my point, and it should be a pretty obvious one: Be sure you can actually do what your resume says you can do. You never know when a director is actually going to ask you to do it!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a resume to adjust.

~JVB

Knowledge, in this industry, is power. So put on some steel toed boots, ’cause the following websites, podcasts, and like are veritable knowledge bombs that be droppin’

The Actor’s Network

Just did a blog post on them. Check it. If you’re in LA you shoulda become a member 3 weeks ago.

Brains of Minverva

I effing love this blog, and Sarah and Claire are total rock stars. They sent me the following: Brains of Minerva – The Guide to the LA Actor Hustle publishes resource-rich career and lifestyle articles for the industrious working actor. Launched in Sept. 2009, the site now hosts over 100 posts on everything from joining SAG to prepping your web series to navigating the steps of auditioning for a series regular. We’re thrilled to be part of the community of actors using the web to share information and perspective, and we’re constantly inspired by our friends at Playbills vs. Paying Bills (and, yes, you guys win the awesome name contest!). At Ben’s suggestion, we’ve put together a list of posts to introduce ourselves.

• How to Join SAG
• The Lowdown on Using the Breakdowns Pt. One and Pt. Two
• So I Married an Actor
• Using Facebook & Twitter to Grow Your Acting Career
• Things I’ve Learned on the Other Side of the Table
• Grants for Actors
• A Financial and Artistic Wake-Up Call from Abundance Bound Pt. One and Pt. Two
• Dallas Travers’ 6 Steps to Great Headshots
• Emmy-Winning Casting Director Holly Powell on the 4 Steps to Casting a Series Regular
• And for exclusive interviews on auditioning and working on-set with the The Daily Show’s Josh Gad, Avatar’s Dileep Rao and others, visit the Brains of Minerva Youtube Channel…

Come on by, let us know what you think – we’d love to say hello… Claire Winters & Sarah Sido Brains of Minerva

Inside Acting Podcast

Trevor and AJ are two of the nicest, most genuine actors you will ever meet…err, listen to. They host Inside Acting Podcast, the best way to spend your LA commute. I asked them for a summary and some links to their favorite episodes. Here’s what I got: Inside Acting is a free industry audio podcast for actors, by actors. Each episode brings you tips and insights from Los Angeles-area casting directors, agents, producers, writers, actors, filmmakers, personal finance gurus, and more. Get insider information on marketing yourself, creating your own work, and booking the gig — straight from the people who’ve been there, done that, and are doing it again. Check out our website and find the podcast on iTunes. And our Top 5 most popular/favorite episodes so far:

1. Episode 03 — Brian Vermiere (note from Ben: Brian is one of the most influential people in my view on Los Angeles. He’s brilliant and is one of the founders of PerformerTrack)
2. Episode 06 — Enci
3. Episode 07 — Kris Diedrich (note from Ben: Kris is one of the kindest people in all of Los Angeles)
4. Episode 15 — Neal McDonough, Part 1
5. Episode 24 — Bonnie Gillespie, Part 2

Actor’s Voice/Self Management for Actors/Bonnie Gillespie

Casting Director Bonnie Gillespie writes (I’m guessing) the most widely read actor blog around. And for good reason. Her blog is absolutely brilliant. If you ever have a free second (and by second I mean week), go poke around her extensive blog archives and prepare to have your mind blown. Bonnie has also written the best book available on the business of acting. Self Management for Actors should be mandatory reading for any actor wanting to take their career seriously.

Hollywood Happy Hour

Continuing the awesomeness that is Bonnie Gillespie, every actor should subscribe to the Hollywood Happy Hour yahoo group. This is an e-group of a couple thousand actors, CDs, and industry professionals from all over the globe asking questions and sharing resources. I’m pretty sure you have to sign up for a yahoo email address, but that’s the only time you’ll have to use it…you can have the email digest sent to whatever email you want.

Marci Liroff “Like” Page

Casting Director Marci Liroff (E.T., Spitfire Grill, Freaky Friday, Mean Girls, and many more)  has a tremendously engaging Facebook “Like” Page (or whatever the hell they’re called now). Lots of great resources there, her audition tips videos, and always an engaging conversation. Check it!

Secrets of Screen Acting

The best on-camera training I’ve had. But Ben, it’s a PODCAST, you exclaim! Yeah. That’s right. It’s that friggin’ good. Probably the most informative 5 minutes of your day as an actor. David H. Lawrence hosts and Patrick Tucker does most of the talking. Seriously. Check it out (Podcast inspired by the book Secrets of Screen Acting that Patrick Tucker wrote. Find it on Amazon.)

Acting Answers

Speaking of David H. Lawrence, check out his website www.ActingAnswers.com. Full of wonderful advice from a very astute working actor.

Alex’s Info

One of the most informative email newsletters out there. Go to Alex’s Info site and sign up to receive daily awesomeness. It’s fairly LA based, but there are great resources in there for everyone. The email also contains information on thrival jobs, internship opportunities, and the like.

Cynopsis

Head over to their website and click on “Subscribe” in the top menu to get daily updates of what the heck is going on in this crazy industry. Get the news that the people at the top of this crazy town care about. You can also watch a 5-minute video of the morning’s news every day if you prefer.

The Hollywood Reporter

Rather than droppin’ a couple hundred bones on actually paying for the magazine, I suggest signing up for their daily email newsletters, or subscribing to their rss feeds. This is the kind of info the people with the money care about. The type of info that is great to have as a general understanding of what’s going on in our industry.

Info List

Tons of wonderful industry news on their main site. Lots of networking opportunities and such. Click on the “Register” link in the top right and enter your email to get on the list.

Gold Star

Damn you all of my friends who didn’t tell me about this until 6 months into my Los Angeles experience. If you want to get tickets to anything in Los Angeles, it’s mandatory to check Goldstar first. Pretty much every play, concert, or whatever has extremely (like 50+ %) discounted tickets. Awesomesauce.

Oh, and there are discounted tix for most of the major cities on here, not just Los Angeles.

ActorRated

ActorRated is like Yelp for actors. Basically it’s a place where people can rate and give feedback on the myriad services, products, headshot photographers, membership organizations, and the like. What you’re looking for isn’t there? Put it up! The more information we can give each other as a community, the better.

Performer Track

In short, PerformerTrack is online software that allows you to manage all aspects of your acting career. Auditions, expenses, contacts, etc.

I wrote about PerformerTrack previously, and I would highly recommend you check out co-founder Brian Vermiere’s interview with Inside Acting Podcast.

The Moth Podcast

As actors we’re in the business of telling stories. And The Moth Podcast has some of the best stories around. They are true stories, run about 15 minutes, and are told live without notes. Subscribe on work out those storytelling muscles.

The Actor’s Lounge

I absolutely LOVE The Actor’s Lounge. It is by far the best energy in Los Angeles. So what is it you ask? Great question.

The Actor’s Lounge is essentially an open mic night for actors. Any actor can simply show up and do a monologue (3 min. or less) or a scene (5 min. time limit for 2-person scene, 6-minute limit for 3 or more). There’s a live DJ on stage, phenomenal emcees (led by the truly brilliant In-Q), as well as music, dance, live painting, and film stuff thrown in for good measure. If you have a single creative bone in your body you NEED to check this out.

When: First Wednesday of every month, starting at 8:30pm (performers must show up early to sign up)
Where: Greenway Court Theatre, 544 N. Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Cost: $1 (though it might go up to $5 soon)

What are your favorite resources? If they’re not listed here, throw ‘em up in the comments section!

Ben Whitehair is the Los Angeles contingent of this blog. Find out more information and view his materials on his website, or read the rest of his blog posts.

Today is the day, my good friends. I move – from the Upper East Side (New York’s quiet, family oriented, wealthy, primarily Jewish neighborhood wherein I have found solice in my Bikram Yoga studio/friends, my local vegan salad/sandwich/juice shop, and my Starbucks’ baristas who consistently ask me for my number, give me a discount, and know how to make a gal feel special and loved – also where I have miserably shared a studio with a veritable dipshit) to Greenpoint, Brooklyn! Listed as #5 in The New York Times on April 12, 2010 as one of the top 50 “Most Livable Neighborhoods,” in New York, Greenpoint is up and coming as a trendy place for young professionals and artists who are perhaps too poor for the more expensive East Village or Williamsburg real estate but too “scene” to move North to Wash. Heights, Harlem, or even the Bronx.

“…But Greg Pitts, 53, a ceramics instructor who moved to Greenpoint four
years ago, said he loved the working-class Polish character of the
neighborhood and had wearied of the noisy weekend stampedes of the
young, drunk and club-bound.

“It’s New York, so I guess I shouldn’t be complaining…”

The one thing that wont change will be the smells. The Upper East Side smells of urine. Why? Well, in addition to the homeless people who sleep on every street corner in every neighborhood in New York City, there is an abundant population of small, peppy dogs that adorn my blessed block. It always smells of urine. And, on days when I feel sluggish and just want to wear some oversized slouchy pants that drag ever-so-slightly on the ground below, it makes for a fun little ‘human frogger’ adventure, dodging sliding pools of yellow as the run downhill towards the street wondering if I can pass them before they trickle onto my pant legs and pass safely to my secured destination. More times that not, I win. As for “Little Poland” (my beloved Greenpoint):

“The wind turned, and a pungent blast of something chemical — nail polish
remover? — wafted by. “The smells are bad; you know, they worry me,”
said Ms. Aiuto, as Isaiah ran a few circles on the grass. “I guess a lot
of places in New York are not going to be great for your health.”

Moving in New York (er, moving in Brooklyn) is actually quite a lot easier than I had anticipated. I don’t have a lot of things but having a bed makes it very difficult. If you just have clothes, books, pots and pans (as a typical studio dweller or minimalist may only require), you can move slowly, over the course of days, via the trains, buses, and cabs – if you have the cash. I, however, have a bed. Its small, its a twin. If I weren’t so broke all the time, I’d just leave it or sell it and buy a new one at the Sleepy’s on my block in Greenpoint. Alas, this is my situation. So I give you two words of wisdom:

1) Man with a Van
2) UHaul

Man with a Van is cheap and dependable. They are the best deal you can find if you need MOVERS (people to pack your things, carry them, load and unload, etc). I don’t need that – I took boxes from work and am a phenomenal packer if I do say so myself. But they have been recommended to me on more than one occasion. There are Men with Vans all over the country actually so just do a google search and call around. You should be good to go. In my situation, however, the BEST deal is UHAUL. To rent a 10 foot truck for a whole day is only $20. That is, to clarify, IF you pick up and drop off the truck in Brooklyn. Reboot the search and find a pick-up location in the City and the rate becomes $89/day. And, again, we are reminded as to why I 1) have to work four jobs to live here and 2) am moving to Greenpoint! You get the van/truck/whatever you’ve rented for as many hours as you specify and then you pay for miles (either $.99 or $1.79 depending on size of rental) at the end of the day. If you’re moving within the city or between the boroughs, this means not so many miles and a very very very reasonable moving deal. Its an incredible tip!

Upon moving, we discover many things need to be changed: cable, electric, billing address, address change in general, and maybe even your stage name? Oh wait… that’s just ME! Which leads me to my next order of business:

2. NAME CHANGES IN THE PERFORMING ARTS INDUSTRY (often referred to as “the STAGE NAME”)

It’s official. Your New York City contributor is no longer the oft mispronounced Emily Schmidt-Beuchat. From this time forward, I will be Emily Beuchat (and considering even Emily Beauchat). Your comments on this subject matter are GREATLY encouraged and appreciated.

But why this “sudden” change? Why this drop of a Schmidt? Where will the Schmidt go? Will it go peacefully?

According to our favorite resource these days, Wikipedia: “A performer will often take a stage name because his/her real name is considered unattractive, dull, unintentionally amusing or difficult to pronounce or spell, or because it has been used by another notable individual or because it projects an undesired image. Sometimes a performer adopts a name that is unusual or outlandish to attract attention. Other performers use a stage name in order to retain anonymity. The equivalent concept among writers is called a nom de plume or pen name, while the term ring name is used in professional wrestling.”

My fight name, if I were to quit acting all together and really pursue Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with some moxie/chutzpah and a smile, was and will always be “Emily Schmidt BOOM-shaka-laka” (and my song to enter the ring would be the theme song to JAWS… or Black Cat by Janet Jackson). But these are just thoughts I have late at night…

The stage name is a much more serious consideration. And quite controversial. With family names, especially with names less American sounding, it becomes a big question as to whether or not you are “selling out” to fit a certain type or mold in this industry. Let’s face it, the industry is rarely, if not never, going to come to you. Don’t be a sell out but also don’t give them hurdles to reach you. This being said, its completely a personal call whether or not someone changes his or her name for the sake of their career. I have chosen because of various conversations with my mother (the hippie/giver of the “Schmidt” and the hyphen to both my sister and myself) and her reasons are this:

1. Schmidt-Beuchat is too complicated to say, spell, and remember. You need to have something that makes an impression (which this name does) but not because its too overwhelming. People remember my name but not as what it is but that it was long and interesting sounding. Contacting me, I can only imagine, has become a task in email rerouting hell.
2. Schmidt-Beuchat sounds like a married name. The number one question I get at auditions is, “is this your married name?” So not only am I there, fragile in my auditioning state but I am in addition saddened and reminded of my state of alone-ness in this world as a strong, single lady.
3. Beuchat is French and it means Beautiful Cat (Beu from Beau for handsome (m) and Chat for Cat (m)). Schmidt is German and makes me sound like a Nazi. And, according to my mother, in this industry filled with many powerful people of all backgrounds, it is not good to ever be associated with the Nazis.

Other reasons to change ones name, according to Wikipedia, are:

• To disguise a family connection (as in the case of Nicolas Cage who sought to hide his relation to the Coppola’s or Emilio Estevez who chose not to take his father’s professional name, Sheen).
• Guild and association rules: SAG, British Equity, and others have strict rules on having no duplicate names (often actors change their names simply by choosing one that isnt already being used professionally). For example, Michael J. Fox has his lovely J because Michael Fox was already a member of SAG. Or Terry O’Quinn (JOHN MOTHER F*ING LOCKE) is actually Terry Quinn but that name, too, is already in use.
• Involuntary Name Changes: sometimes agents choose for you… This is not something I would advise. I think, and this is just me, if you are going to change your name, do it out of necessity (association rules) or because YOU have chosen to. Don’t let your agent or someone TELL you that you wont succeed without it. If they’re blaming your NAME as the sole reason to your not being an A-list star, you may want to reconsider working with this person. This will only be the first of their long list of excuses.
• Ethnicity!!! or changing a name to disguise one’s heritage. Take Freddie Mercury, born “Farrokh Bulsara” to Parsi parents. At one time, Jews in Hollywood were encouraged to anglicize their names to avoid discrimination, and still happens today. In an extreme example, Margarita Carmen Cansino (an American Spanish actress) underwent electrology to change her hairline to more “Northern European appearance,” and renamed herself Rita Hayworth. … more on this controversy later…
• Ease of use – the AEA (actors equity association) advises performers to select a name that is easy for others to pronounce, spell, and remember.

“Some performers while playing great attention to their skills and abilities give little thought to the difference that a well-thought-out name can make to their career. Often it is only after the realization that a poorly chosen name results in an undesired impression that a person or group decides on a different name.”

• Relevance to image – (more specific to the music world) – take for example; Sting, Slash, Sid Vicious, Necrobutcher, Rob Zombie, LADY GAGA – who is actually a complete character on stage and in her musical career than she is from her typical, personal self! Every member of the punk band The Ramones took the pseudonymous “Ramone” surname as part of their collective stage persona. And Norma Jeane Baker changed her name to the far more glamorous-sounding Marilyn Monroe.
• Euphony and ease of remembrance – pretty straight forward…

So, peacefully, my mother and I will bade my Schmidt farewell.

In further conversations with my boss at Theatre Communications Group / American Theatre Magazine (for which I am now the official/temporary PR person – funny how things unfold), Teresa Eyring commented that Emily Beuchat has a ring to it. Its very French. Americans love French things because we assume that there is always an element of culture there that we can never truly possess. Furthermore, she suggested I even change the spelling back to the original pre-americanized “Beauchat.”
This is a suggestion that I like… but I haven’t quite made up my mind about it. Beuchat is still very difficult to say and changing it to Beauchat would definitely clear up some pronunciation confusion. However, then I will really have CHANGED my name. And this leads me to more of the “controversy” in this subject;

How much of yourself are you willing to change in order to reach your dreams in this field?

Be careful how much of yourself you change in order to fit a mold or type. Often, the best and most successful actors are their own type or are already a certain niche. Let yourself fill a void rather than try to squeeze into an over crowded section of the industry. Your greatest talents and your uniqueness are your assets. However, in the case of Rita Hayworth, her alterations worked in her favor. SO, my only TRUE and sincere advice can be, again, to do it for you and not to let someone require it of you. Same goes for breast implants, any sort of facial plastic surgery, and other ventures with you which you may feel uncomfortable (porn and prostitution).

As far as stage names are concerned, think of it in this manner: the industry refers to them as “professional names.” If you separate the issue and look at it as “for use in a professional capacity” then the name change becomes less personal. Less controversial. Less offensive to your parents, friends, heritage (maybe).

SO…

To my friends, family, and landlords, I will continue to be the sweet, hyphenated, Emily Schmidt-Beuchat from Boulder, CO.

To my colleagues, casting directors, audiences, and THRONGS of adoring fans, I will now be Emily Beuchat (… BeAuchat pending).

(comments on this specific post are greatly encouraged and appreciated)
Much love,

Emily Beuchat

I love this video because it reminds me that sometimes I make acting more complicated than it needs to be. I mean, there are 6-year-old kids who act brilliantly, so it can’t be that hard, right?

Now I’m most assuredly not saying that anyone can just pick up a script and be a brilliant actor. I dare you to try heading to your local supermarket armed with any script and get that lady next to the pomegranates to do a little scene with that dude stealing the cashews…not that simple. On the other hand those same people, sans script, are acting all the time. They’re interacting with the people around them, having conversations, living life.

I find it particularly important to remember this, especially when I’m acting on camera. On a film set you never bring your own props, they tell you where to stand and where to look, and at the end of the day all you need to do is talk to people. That’s what I tell myself if I ever get worked up. When all is said and done, it’s just talking to people. All of it. The business, the craft, the networking…it’s simply talking to people. I can do that. In fact, sometimes I can be pretty good at that. And I would wager that every now and again, you’re pretty darn good at it too…

Tracy Curtis has extensive experience in the industry, from acting to editing, to being a commercial agent in San Francisco. Her father was an Emmy-award winning producer/director, and she recently opened the theatrical agency Talent House LA which is doing extremely well. Oh, and she has 2 dogs and enjoys the outdoors.

On Talent

Tracy prides herself on having an eye for talent, but what is talent exactly? Talented people have “charisma,” she said. They are very comfortable with themselves. It comes down to knowing in your heart that acting is your calling. Any doubt you have is very transparent.

How to Attract an Agent

Your Reel: In attracting agents, “the reel is everything,” Tracy said. The goal of (most) any actor in Los Angeles is to get cast in moving pictures, so what better way to demonstrate your value in that arena than a reel? A stellar reel also gives an agent a tremendous tool with which to sell you. But don’t freak out thinking you need 27 minutes of material. Even one 30-second clip (that is good!) is enough to get started. Just know that you should constantly be updating your reel as you get new material.

Tracy also mentioned that she can often tell within 5 seconds of watching a reel whether or not she would be able to help that actor get a job. While at first this might sound like an insanely short amount of time to make a judgment, I challenge you to start watching actor reels and see how quickly you “get” the emotional value of a scene. You might find that 5 seconds is an eternity. J

Relationships: Cliché or not, this is a relationship business. Relationships are absolutely vital, and you need to be aware that they take time to build (which is a primary reason why it takes time to accrue success in this industry). Demonstrating to an agent that you have, and will continue to form solid industry relationships is priceless. Want to blow an agent away? Show up at your meeting with a detailed list of all the casting directors, producers, and other industry professionals you know.

And as an actor, don’t be afraid to ask a potential agent how they develop relationships. The main reason an agent will be able to get you an audition, is because they have a solid relationship with a specific casting director (or are able to leverage a relationship you have). Tracy, for example, takes general meetings herself. Knowing that she is a newer agent in town, she put together a book of her clients which she takes around town as a networking tool. Find out how your representation is developing relationships and how you can both work together to leverage those.

Being Proactive: I don’t have to tell you how competitive this business is, but what does that mean for you? Well, it means that you need to be working harder than the next guy. And I assure you that the next guy is working pretty effing hard. Agents and managers want to see that you will continue to work your ass off in furthering your own career, even with representation. It’s not enough to just get an agent then sit by your phone and wait for a call (which sounds really boring, anyway). Demonstrate that you’re out there meeting people, taking class, producing your own material, doing whatever it takes to keep your career moving forward. Give your agent ammunition to shoot you auditions! Okay, that was the worst analogy I’ve ever made, but you get the point.

What She’s Looking For

As I’ve mentioned before, it’s extremely important to research and understand the individuals you’re targeting (be they casting directors, agents, whomever). Tracy runs a very boutique agency, and perhaps more than other agencies is interested in comedic actors. She views the ability to be funny as a gift not to be taken lightly. Even dramas often require a sense of comedic timing (think Dexter), and more and more improvisation skills are an audition requirement. Furthermore, Tracy commented on the increasing number of ½ hour sitcoms that came out this year, noting that this is likely a trend that will continue over the next couple years.

In addition, like many of the agents I’ve heard from, Tracy is looking for emerging talent and culturally diverse actors. Agents are often interested in actors who have a good acting background—Second City Chicago, extensive theatre experience, and the like—who are also still young enough to be molded. There also seems to be an increasing demand for more ethnically diverse casts on TV.

As with most agents, Tracy also wants actors to at least be eligible for SAG. (For more information on SAG and how to join check out this post.)

The Meeting

Most agents and managers have their own unique way of conducting a meeting with an actor. Tracy requires 2 scenes from a current TV show or feature film (preferably 1 comedy and 1 drama), which you will read with her assistant. Beyond that, she might require a couple cold reads, and if she’s still not sure about you she’ll call your acting teacher (you are taking classes, right?). Which, by the way, is another reason not to lie on your resume. Talk about an awkward phone call…

Whatever a specific agent requires, I’ve found it wise to always have a comedic and dramatic scene that I have rehearsed and memorized ready to go at any given time. While monologues are a lot less required in Los Angeles, I think it also prudent to have a comedic and dramatic monologue in your back pocket at all times. (And no, I don’t mean literally have them in your back pocket, I mean have them memorized and polished silly.)

On Managers

The opinions on managers in this town varies greatly, but Tracy’s basic point was that the more people you can get on your team, the better. Obviously you want these people to be good and work with you to further your career, but so long as that’s the case the more the merrier!

(Side note: managers generally charge 10 – 15%. Agents by law can only charge 10%.)

Actor Websites and IMDb

Tracy noted that an actor’s website can certainly be helpful, especially if there is information that she could point a casting director to in order to help sell you. However, she said that IMDb is the most important resource for actors to have updated, as a casting director will immediately pull up your profile when getting pitched.

Check out my posts on the basics of IMDb, how to get listed, how to manage your profile, and your Bacon Number.

Final Thoughts

As with so many others, Tracy demonstrated the importance of loving what you do. The passion and enthusiasm that comes with that is utterly infectious. Tracy is clearly head over heels in love with what she’s doing. Are you?

Ben Whitehair is the Los Angeles contingent of this blog. Find out more information and view his materials on his website, or read the rest of his blog posts.