Ahhh, the world wide web. Seems like just yesterday I was listening to that lovely dial-up sound while hacking into NORAD. Oh, how the times have changed.

I started building websites in high school, continued throughout college, then did some professional web design upon graduation. Why do I admit to being such a nerd? Because I’m about to proffer advice on websites and I want to add some semblance of credibility to my suggestions. If you want to see some of my work you can check out this site, this site, or this site. Still not enough? You can look at this site or this one, but please don’t look at this one. If you want actor sites you can visit my personal website, or this one that I made for Justin Baker.

Why You Need a Website

Will not having a website sabotage your entire career? Probably not. But there are many reasons why I think it’s imperative for every actor to have their own personal website. As I see it, there are two primary things any actor must do: 1) Show the ‘buyers’ your essence; and 2) Demonstrate that you are a consummate professional. Your website can do both of these things.

If nothing else, your website serves as a virtual headshot and resume (and demo reel!). It is increasingly important to have somewhere online where people can easily view your demo reel, check out your headshots, et cetera, et cetera. While IMDb, your Actor’s Access profile, and other sources can serve this function as well, you have far less control over those sites and cannot add additional content. More importantly, a personal website is the one place online where you get to control how you present yourself to the rest of the world…you have total control over the content. You get to present what it is that you want to promote. Don’t get yourself into a santorum situation.

Beyond that, I would say that one of the most valuable things actors will get out of their website is referrals from their friends. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in the following situation:

Ben’s Director Friend mentions to Ben that she’s filming a stellar short in two days, but still needs a certain type of actor. Ben happens to know certain type of actor and wants to refer them to Director Friend. Director Friend is excited at the prospect, but wants to see a few headshots and a demo reel before reaching out. Ben dials up his modem to search the world wide web for said actor’s website. Said actor doesn’t have website. Ben can’t refer them. Ben curls up in a corner and cries himself to sleep.* 

Seriously. I’ve run into this dozens of times. I want to refer my friends to people who would hire them as actors, but no one accepts a totally blind referral and if I don’t have a site to forward on I can’t help you. Worse than missing out on an acting opportunity you might not have had to even audition for, is missing an opportunity you didn’t even know you had.

Your Audience

Part of the trap in building a website is thinking that you’re going to get thousands of hits, and that everyone from major studio execs to your neighbor’s computer-savvy golden retriever will view your site. Now, while it is true that you especially shouldn’t count on people at more top levels of the industry (TV shows, studio films, etc.) coming to your site every day (they’ll probably just go to IMDb), I will say that I am with my current manager because he visited my website, thought it was funny, and reached out to me as a result.

All this to say that one of the most important things you can ask yourself in building a site is who is your audience?! My guess is you might have a couple target audiences:

Fans

In order to get paid the big bucks (or even the little bucks) you need to command an audience. The bigger the audience, the higher your value as an actor (at least from a producer’s perspective). As such, you should be in the business of accumulating–and more importantly, interacting with–a fan base. Your website can be a great place to do this.

Industry Professionals

Of course, the hope is that agents, managers, casting directors, producers, and the like flock to your page like hipsters to a skinny-jeans convention. With that in mind you need to make sure your website is ready for an industry professional to get the information they need in very short order.

Peers

Similar to fans, your website might also be geared towards your peers. Most importantly, you might want to ensure your website is referral-ready (see above). =D

Your Ex

Nothing makes an ex-lover more jealous than a perfectly-designed website. Ok, that’s probably not true, but again you should be thinking both about who you want to view your website, and who will be viewing your website. Keep both of these audiences in mind as you design your website.

Final Thoughts

As I mentioned above, actors are (read: should be) constantly working to demonstrate their professionalism and share their essence. For someone to cast you, they want to know exactly who they’re casting, and that it will be a pleasurable experience to work with you. Having a website that truly presents your personality accomplishes part of that, and having a clean, professionally designed website goes the rest of the way.

So how DO you add personality to a website? Answers to that question, resources on building your own website, and much more coming up in Part II of this series.

*Ben can neither confirm nor deny that crying himself to sleep was actually a result of him watching the rerun of Oprah’s final episode for the 18th time, not because of the failed referral

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.

One of my biggest concerns about traveling to Colorado to do a show was whether or not I could realistically afford it from a financial standpoint. My friends and family know that, when it comes to money, I tend to make poor decisions and wind up broke at the end of the day. I wasn’t exactly flush with cash at the time, so I knew the trip would require me to look for a creative way to help support myself while I was away from my job at the Royal George Theatre. Ultimately, I decided to follow the encouraging advice outlined in Gary Vaynerchuck’s book Crush It!, and to use my experience as a trained actor to my advantage.

My solution: to organize a series of three workshops in improvisational theatre that I could teach while in Boulder. I figured, “Heck, I’ve got this pretty neat skill that I know a ton about and would love to share with others, so why not?” Aside from affording me a couple dollars to throw around, it would help build my teaching portfolio and spread my brand to other regions! Brilliant!

I prepared like a maniac. Before I even left Chicago, I got ahold of the entertainment writers for the major Denver/Boulder newspapers and gave them official press releases announcing the workshops. I set up a Paypal business account to handle the enrollment fees, and linked it to a unique, easy-to-use website. I even contacted the region’s high school and college theatre instructors, letting them know about the student discount I was offering. While in Boulder, I printed hundreds of posters and flyers and papered every storefront and coffeehouse. I spread the word via Facebook and e-mail, telling friends to tell friends. In short, I did everything I could to make the improv workshops a tremendous success.

They were a tremendous failure. Only two people signed up, and I was forced to cancel them entirely. Sadness.

Looking back, I can identify several key errors I made while planning the workshops that could, when combined, might explain their unexpected failure.

• I didn’t understand my target audience. My belief was that the acting community in Colorado would jump at the chance to study improv with a trained professional from Chicago. What I failed to realize is that the word “improv” has an entirely different meaning in Colorado than it does here in the Midwest. Here, improv is a culture. People call themselves improvisers, insisting that they’re not “actors.” In Colorado, however, there is no iO Theatre. There is no Second City. There isn’t the massive “improviser culture” that craves constant training. I had mistakenly marketed my workshops to a Chicago audience, not to a Colorado audience.

• Each workshop lacked clear, independent focus. I could have potentially overcome problem #1 above by giving the workshops a clear focus. Instead of calling the first week The Fundamentals of Improvisation, I could have instead called it Beginning Improv for Stage Actors or something similarly targeted toward a more specific constituency.

On the bright side, the process of marketing the workshops got me in touch with the folks over at the Boulder Improv Collaborative. The BIC holds regular meetings to discuss, practice, and perform both short-form and long-form improv with anyone who’s interested. The group’s organizer, Rebecca Bradford, was incredibly helpful in spreading the word about my workshops in Boulder’s acting community. I attended one of their meetings and had a great time playing some super fun games with the group!

Dale Carnegie said it best: “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” I might not have been entirely successful this time around, but I’m gonna go ahead and mark one in the victory column just for trying.

If you have similar stories, I’d love to hear your experience/thoughts/wisdom/whatever! Feel free to share in the comments section!

~JVB

Joe Von Bokern is the Chicago contingent of this blog. Find out more information and view his materials on his website, or read the rest of his blog posts.

Personal Update (a.k.a. where in the hell has Ben been…?)

Ummm, WOW. It has been way too long since I’ve written here. No worries, I will be catching up soon. In short, I’ve been busier than usual with my companies, travel, and the daily grind of an actor. I’ve been producing a web series as well which has taken a lot of time and taught me a lot of things…more on that later. I also re-did my demo reel recently, which you can watch on my website. In addition to that, I’ve been sending out my odd-size mailers, doing drop-offs, going through my Netflix queue, doing some Casting Q’s interviews, and otherwise trying to crank out my 2011 goals.

And on a completely different note, if you have any interest in traveling, if you apply for this credit card by May 6th through British Airways you can get up to 100,000 miles (check out exact details on their website). Awesome.

And now back to our originally scheduled programming…

Ok, so a little while ago (sorry for the delay, really) I did a post with some general thoughts on agents and managers. I would strongly encourage you to read that for context before continuing on the following post. Because it’s been so long, this post will probably be longer than it should, but suck it up and read on.

Where to Start

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of agents and managers in Los Angeles. Moreover, they range in scale from scam to Ari Gold. To be honest, anyone can get an agent, the key is getting the right agent. Finding a good agent, the right agent, is in my opinion the most difficult part of the entire representation equation. You’re adding a serious business partner to your team, and if there’s anything I’ve learned in my entrepreneurial pursuits, finding the right person to bring on to a company is the hardest, and most important, thing you can do to ensure success. In my previous post on agents and managers I discussed what makes a good agent, and how to begin narrowing your search in finding the agent for you.

“Seeking Representation,” the Phrase of Amateurs

It turns out that using the phrase “seeking representation” comes across as extremely amateur to industry professionals (who knew?!). Here’s why. Basically, everyone assumes that you are always “seeking representation”… or at least better representation. I mean seriously, are there ANY actors out there who aren’t looking to upgrade their representation? Even people repped by the very top agencies move around all the time. Drop this phrase from your vocabulary (and website and resume and cover letter) like a bad habit (well, not really like a bad habit because those are actually hard to drop). No agent, manager, or casting director has EVER opened a piece of mail from an actor and thought to themselves,

Gee. I wonder why the heck this actor sent me a picture of themselves with information on their acting. I’m so confused. Maybe they’re trying to find a new financial planner…

So seriously. Stop telling people you’re “seeking representation.” If you want some substitute language consider using the phrase “I’m currently taking meetings” (a favorite of Kevin E. West).

Ways to Get an Agent

1) Referrals

A referral to an agent is by far the most likely way to get yourself a meeting with an agent. A referral could ostensibly come from anyone: friends, clients on the roster of someone you’re targeting, other agents, a manager, etc. Moreover, the stronger the relationship of the potential rep and the person referring you, the more likely you’ll get a meeting. It also makes sense, that a casting director referring you to an agent/manager will likely hold more cred than a client on an agent’s roster. Basically, someone is putting their reputation on the line for you, and the stronger that relationship is, the more favorable someone is likely to look upon you.

So what is a referral? Brilliant question, because this is key. A referral is NOT someone simply saying you can use their name on your cover letter. I mean, I guess it’s a kind of referral, but not really. A true referral is someone walking your headshot/resume into the agent/manager in question, asking the rep how you should follow up to get the meeting set up, then informing you of how to follow up with said representative. A true referral would also be someone calling (or potentially emailing) and speaking with an agent/manager recommending that the agent meet with you and directing them to your materials. If it’s a true referral then your “friend” should also inform you once they have left this voicemail/spoken with the agent, so you know how to follow up…most likely that will mean walking your headshot/resume/demo reel into the agent’s office the next day. I will say that being able to put someone else’s name on your submission to an agency is better than nothing, but absolutely does not constitute a full on referral.

So how do you actually get a referral to an agent? Another great question! I can say that randomly asking someone you met once (or have never met) is a quick way not get a referral, piss someone off, and even if it turns into a referral it wouldn’t be a very solid one. I wouldn’t say to never ask someone directly for a referral, because I’m a firm believe that you need to ask for what you want. However, it’s a fine line. I think you should have a VERY solid relationship with the person you’re asking to refer you, and have done your research in terms of who you are asking them to refer you to.

2) Good Ol’ Fashioned Snail Mail

Send an agent/manager/agency your headshot/resume is probably the “typical” (read: often unsuccessful) way to submit for representation. This means you better have a brilliant headshot, hope that they need someone of your type, and that you’re feeling lucky.

I would also recommend employing the technique of sending pieces of mail besides your headshot/resume to the potential agent (note: in doing your research you should have specific agents, rather than just a general agency targeted). This could include a one-sheet a la Dallas Travers, a sheet detailing how to cast you, a newsletter, an odd-size mailer, or the like. The key here is that the potential rep gets your contact information, and information that would help them decide to give you a meeting (including, but not limited to, pictures of you, things you’ve booked, examples of your acting, etc.).

As with anything, persistence is key. If you’re targeting someone it probably makes sense to continue to mail them things every 6 – 8 weeks, or as you have information worth updating them about.

3) E-mail

Many reps have listed their email address on IMDb Pro, or prefer email. Same deal with email as everything else. Being professional, having your marketing materials in order, and demonstrating a high level of knowledge and professionalism will do wonders. Sending hundreds of random emails that start out, “Dear Agent” probably won’t get you very far, but if you find out someone prefers email and you have a brief, witty, professional email to send them…now that’s how a PvsPB reader rolls.

4) Drop-Offs

Doing a drop off means going, in person, to the agent’s office to drop off your headshot/resume, your reel, etc. Generally it’s best to make these short and sweet, and not expecting the agent to meet with you right then. You will often be dropping your materials with an assistant, but it’s much more likely that your materials will land on the desk of the agent if you go in person, than if you simply mail it.

I’m a big fan of drop-offs and have had great success in employing them. Showing up in person and demonstrating that you’re not a ‘wactor,’ that you’re fun, and that you took the time to actually show up in person goes a long way.

5) Personal Relationships

Just by living and interacting in the city, it’s likely that you will begin to develop personal relationships with agents and/or managers. Again, it can be a bit of a balancing act if this person starts to become a friend, and not just a professional acquaintance. However, developing a positive relationship with someone over time is absolutely a great way to potentially find the right agent or manager. It may also be the case that you’re at a different level than your agent/manager friend, and wouldn’t make sense for you to be on their roster, even though you become good friends. Finally, mixing business and pleasure always requires extra care.

6) Social Networking

I got my first commercial agent in LA through twitter. True story. As I described in my last post on agents and managers I started a relationship with an agent through twitter, which ultimately led to her representing me. The key takeaway here is not that you can just tweet your way to an agent, but that social networking is one of many ways to begin and maintain relationships with people, including agents and managers.

7) Serendipity

As Samuel Goldwyn said, “the harder I work, the luckier I get.” That said, random luck can play a major factor in getting an agent. One of my friend’s happened to witness a car accident, stuck around to help out, and one of the passengers was the agent who now represents him. Random. It happens.

Be Brilliant

If you work on being a brilliant actor, do all that you can to advance your career, and consistently put your (wonderful) acting talents out into the world, I have seen time and again that it can lead to landing rep. Agents and managers (or even their assistants) do go to plays, improv shows, and other places where they can see actors perform. Be there. Be patient. Be brilliant.

9) Be Likable

This one is pretty effing crucial. If and when you do finally get the proverbial meeting or run into your target agent at the mall, will they like you? Unless you’re a regular on a show or regularly booking commercials (and therefore automatically bringing in money to a new agency), a lot of an agent’s decision on whether or not to sign you will come down to if they like you. Be nice. Be kind. Treat people with respect. Be funny. Don’t have bad breath. Be likable.

10) Be Drop-Dead Stinking Gorgeous, Really Young, or Otherwise “Extra” Marketable

The younger and prettier you are, the more likely a random headshot submission is to be looked at and lead to a meeting. Being a less-than-common type that an agent happens to not have on their roster at a given time would be helpful too. Just remember, if it’s your or someone else who has an extra-easy time getting rep meetings, you still have to have something to back up your look (talent, professionalism, a parent who’s an exec at a network, etc.).

11) Showcases

As you may know, I have a very strong opinion on casting director workshops, and I feel the same way about paying to be seen by an agent. Frankly, I think actors paying to gain access is unfair, generally ineffective, and does more harm to the community than good. Get creative. That’s what actors are best at anyway, right? Find a new and unique way to encounter people on the other side of the desk.

12) They find YOU

If you consistently put out high quality work, build your career, do great work, be a good person, and live your life with positivity and passion, reps will find you. And how much better is an agent calling you up, than going to all this work to find them…? Go into the world. Do good work. Be likable.

13) Other

In this (long, I know) post I have detailed a number of the common ways to get your work seen by agents and managers who might rep you. However, there are myriad ways to land representation, and the key is ultimately meeting this would-be rep and getting them to believe in you.

Final Thoughts

Let me be clear. This is all very much about establishing relationships. I could just as well re-title this blog post “how to get a girlfriend” and everything would still be very accurate. We get people by meeting them online, are referred to them by friends, and we’re more likely to take someone seriously as a potential mate if our other friends and co-workers vouch for them. And really a lot of it comes down to a feeling…what does your instinct tell you about someone. They may look good on paper but you don’t really dig them. Maybe you meet someone on aisle 5 of Ross and fall in love for life. Such is true for dating, as it is with agents and managers.

There’s an important skill that we haven’t talked much about here on the blog, but that most of us will need to master at some point: the interview. I’m not talking about a meeting with an agent or casting director, but rather the good old-fashioned “tell the folks at home a little bit about yourself” interview. These can be a great opportunity to spread the word about your upcoming shows, gain valuable Twitter followers, or simply get your name out there. Naturally, you’ll want to be at your best, so honing your interview chops might be something you want to consider doing.

I was honored to be the featured guest on this week’s episode of Jessie and Matt’s Podcast, a show that interviews Chicago actors, improvisers, and comedians. I’ve been an avid listener of a number of different podcasts for a few years now, but I had never been a guest on one until now. My preparation consisted of…well, not as much as it should have. More on that later.

Recording the episode was a total blast! I’ve known Jessie for a number of years, and I’ve recently become friends with Matt, and both of them are incredibly fun and super nice. In the episode, we talk about a variety of topics, ranging from acting to baseball to the new fries at Wendy’s. The hour flew by quickly, and I left feeling great about the interview! Like the title of this post suggests, it was my first such interview ever, so I’m probably not in any position to be giving advice. That said, there are a few things I’d like to toss out there that I’d have liked to know going into the process.

• Be prepared! If possible, find out the types of questions you’ll be asked during the interview. The more you know about what to expect, the more you can practice giving clear, informed replies! Also, it never hurts to do some light vocal warm-ups to get your instrument running smoothly. Make sure to get plenty of sleep the night before!

• Know thyself! Sometimes you won’t be told what questions to expect, so be extra mindful of the things you’d like to plug during the interview! This can include, but isn’t limited to, your upcoming performances/appearances, social networking handles (e.g. Twitter name, Facebook URL), websites (e.g. actor’s website, IMDb page), or anything else you’d like to promote! If it helps, make a notecard to remind yourself of each of these talking points during the interview!

• Have fun! You’re an actor! You’ve got the coolest job in the world! Be a pleasure to interview, and don’t be surprised if they ask you back at a later date!

I’m listening to the episode now, and I’m pleased with the way everything turned out. For next time, I’d like to remember to delete the phrases “uhhh” and “y’know” from my vocabulary. Seriously, it’s getting annoying for me to listen to myself stumble over thoughts right now, and I love the sound of my own voice, so that should tell you something. I searched the phrase” giving an interview” on Amazon.com, and I’m considering picking up a copy of Interview Tactics: How To Survive The Media Without Getting Clobbered! The Insider’s Guide To Giving A Killer Interview! It sounds like it might be an interesting read.

I’d love to hear some things you guys taken away from these types of interviews! Feel free to leave your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!

~JVB

Note from Ben

Hey there everyone! A quick note to you loyal readers. First of all, you’re awesome. Second, I hope you’re continuing to enjoy and get value out of our posts. We’ve been overwhelmed at the readership we’ve gained, and I can’t tell you how much we appreciate your comments, and every time you send our posts to someone else. What a tremendously supportive community we have here. Thank you, truly. One final note that I realize I mentioned a couple posts ago that I’d be writing about the steps to go about actually getting an agent, and I’m still working on that. Look for it in the coming weeks. I’m also committed to doing posts on actor websites and the actor resume, hopefully by the end of the month.

What This Post is All About

As an actor, you’re running a business. More than that, you’re probably working a couple other jobs, juggling rehearsals, Actor’s Network events, and 1800 other things. So how do you keep up, follow through on all commitments, and remain productive. I’m a bit of a maven for productivity tools and approaches, and a whore for useful software, apps, and websites. Below are some of my favorites. If you have any favorites I didn’t list here, please put them in the comments section.

Electronic Mail

Gmail

If you’re not using gmail then I’m judging you. Maybe that’s not fair, but if I have to send an email to someone with anything other than gmail account (especially an aol account) then I automatically think that they still ride a horse to work and have a rotary phone. And even though I’m a tech nerd, there are plenty of other people like me in the industry. In my opinion, to be considered a professional you really do need a gmail email address, or one that is linked to your own domain name. I advise that you switch immediately, if for no other reason than gmail catches all spam. Seriously.

Google Apps

If you own your own domain name (ex: benwhitehair.com) you can install Google Apps which will let you use gmail, google docs, and the full google suite with that email address. For example, I have it set up so that my email is ben@benwhitehair.com, but it’s as if I use gmail. I sign in just like a gmail account, and get all the benefits of having a gmail account. In order to get started, go to this page.

Boomerang

Our team is a huge fan of Boomerang. No, not the fly-ee stick thing, the gmail tool. Go to http://www.boomeranggmail.com/ from the browser you use and click the big, red “Install Boomerang” button. Boomerang is a tool that shows up in your gmail that allows you to automatically have emails returned to your inbox after a certain amount of time if someone doesn’t reply to them. For example, I could send an email to a friend asking for feedback on my headshots. I could then check the boomerang box to have the email come back to me in 4 days (or 1 week or whatever) if they haven’t replied to the email. That way the email will “boomerang” back to my inbox if they haven’t replied. Another use is to boomerang is if, for example, there’s an email that you need, but don’t want to deal with for a couple days or some future time. In that instance, you can just boomerang the message so that it will leave your inbox and return when you need it.

Google Sync

Google Sync for Outlook syncs up your contacts and calendar between Outlook and your google account. Imperative if you use both. Also, Google Mobile Sync keeps your contact and calendar synced between gmail and your mobile phone. That way you can add/update a contact or calendar event from your phone or your computer, and everything automatically stays synced up. Even more importantly, by using google mobile sync you then have all of your contacts backed up to google, in case you drop your phone in a large body of water.

Cool Stuff

Google Voice

In case you are not already familiar with Google Voice, please check out www.google.com/voice. In short, it’s a free phone number from google that has a number of amazing features, like transcribing your voicemails and emailing them to you, advanced call screening, etc. Also know that you can still use google voice on both your computer and smart phone, even if you continue to use your original cell phone number. Simply  go to google.com/voice or download the google voice application to your phone.

I highly recommend getting a google voice number that you use for all things acting-related. One of the features is that if someone calls the google voice number, it shows up on your phone as the google voice number. If this is the number that your agents have, that’s on your resume, and that you give our for all acting things, then you know the incoming call is related to acting and you can make an increased effort to answer it. It also makes it so you don’t have to feel as protective of your number, because it’s much easier to change your number through google voice, or set up advanced screening settings.

SugarSync

SugarSync is one of my new favorite programs. In short, it gives you 5GB of free online storage. It also makes it extremely easy to share files and folders between multiple computers. For example, I have my acting folder shared between my desktop and my laptop, and in the process this backs all those important files to “the cloud.” It also integrates with smart phones, and allows you to access synced files from anywhere that has an internet browser. Awesome.

Sign up for a free account here.

Google Labs | Click on “settings” in the upper, right-hand corner of gmail then go to the “Labs” tab

Google Labs are a number of beta and specialty features that are not automatically enabled in gmail which are awesome. Go through the list and see which ones catch your fancy. Some of the best ones are:

• Undo Send (allows you to undo sending an email within a set time frame…like 30 seconds)
• Signature Tweaks (puts your signature above the most recent email
• Send & Archive (allows you to send and archive a message in one click)
• Google Voice Player in Mail (lets you play google voice messages right from the email)
• Don’t Forget Bob (If you often email the same group of people and forget someone, it will suggest you add them to the email you’re sending)
• Got the Wrong Bob? (Alerts you if you’re emailing Bob Smith instead of Bob Gunther…)
• Message Sneak Peek (Allows you to right-click on a message and preview it without actually opening it)
• Mouse Gestures (Adds a mouse shortcut that allows you to go through messages more quickly)

Microsoft Office

You probably already have Microsoft Office, but if you don’t then you need to get it. I’m not a big fan of paying for software, but this is one suite you have to have. At a bare minimum, you need Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. I’m also a pretty big fan of Outlook. Their calendar is far superior to google calendar, and depending on what type of user you are, you might enjoy using Outlook for email more than using gmail.

The Ultimate Steal

If you have a .edu email address (and are ummm, *cough* *cough* still a student…) then you can get the entire Microsoft Office Suite for windows for $79.95, or for the mac version for $99.95. Simply go to http://TheUltimateSteal.com. However, to get this deal you have to have a .edu email address as mentioned before.

Xobni | http://www.xobni.com

This program does a lot of the things that Microsoft Outlook should do. It increases the ability to search through your emails and contacts.

Google Docs | http://docs.google.com

While Office is imperative, I also end up using google docs quite a bit, particularly if I want to share a document with someone that is going to be updated a lot. If you don’t know already, google docs is like an online, free, google-fied version of Microsoft Office. If you’re in gmail, simply click “documents” in the upper, left-hand corner to be taken to google docs or go to docs.google.com. I have a google doc that just has a long, bulleted list where I write down everything I did for my acting career that day.

DimDim | http://www.dimdim.com/

This is like gotomeeting.com or other websites that let you have virtual meetings. Their free version allows you to have up to 10 people in a public meeting. Next level up is $25/month.

Fasterfox/FasterChrome | For Firefox :: For Chrome

I am a huge fan of the internet browser google chrome, mostly due to the fact that it’s super fast, and I’m super impatient. FasterFox/Fasterchrome is a GREAT add-on for both Chrome and Firefox, increasing the speed searches, and adding increased functionality like autoloading of next pages.

Create New Habits | http://www.createnewhabits.com/

This is a super simple tracker where you can add goals, and then give yourself a check mark if you do them that day. Tracks how many days you do the things and your longest streaks… You have to sign up for you get to see the site, which is weird, but what you gonna do…?

Monthly, Daily, and Weekly Planners | http://www.productiveflourishing.com/free-planners/

This page is updated weekly with links to pdfs that you can print out to help you organize your day, week, or month. If you’re the type of person who likes to have your to-dos and such in good ol’ fashioned paper, this is a good place to start.

Rescue Time | http://www.rescuetime.com/

This tool tracks everything you do on your computer, and tells you how much time you’re reading blogs, checking twitter, self-submitting or watching videos of cats cleaning themselves. It generally takes a week or two to customize everything so that the program knows how to categorize all the sites you use, but it’s an incredible measure of what you’re spending your time doing on your computer(s).

Mint | http://mint.com

Mint.com is probably the single greatest (free!) website in existence. It’s a safe, easy-to-use, online way to track and manage all of your money. Brilliant.

Evernote | http://evernote.com

Evernote can be used on your computer, your smart phone, and the internet. It’s a great way to keep all those random lists and things you want to have and remember, but that don’t really fit anywhere else. Never forget anything again.

Jing | http://www.techsmith.com/jing/

Jing is a great tool that allows you to make a video of what you’re doing on your computer, and then save it as a file or share it online. For example, if you want to walk someone through how to use a computer program or use a website, you could make a video of yourself demonstrating how to do that (it records your voice and everything), and then share that video with whomever you want.

Audible | http://www.audible.com/

Are you in your car a lot? What better way to spend that time than by listening to audio books. You do have to pay for this service, but it downloads seamlessly into iTunes and then onto your iPod.

Anti-Social | http://anti-social.cc/ (currently only for Mac)

Addicted to Facebook? Twitter? This might be the best $15 you’ve ever spent. Anti-Social allows you to block yourself from visiting certain sites for a user-selected period of time.

Tungle.me | http://www.tungle.me/

Tired of sending 18 emails just to set up a meeting time? Tungle.me is the solution for you. Great website that syncs with your existing calendar and helps you schedule meetings with other people.

Google Reader | http://google.com/reader

If you read blogs, then you are wasting serious amounts of time and productivity if you’re not using google reader. Basically it’s a one-stop shop for all of the blogs you subscribe to. I have mine organized by category (acting, business, personal, etc.). This way you don’t have to remember and visit a bazillion different blogs all the time in order to keep up to date with your blog reading. It also helps you stay on task and read through your blog subscriptions efficiently, rather than spending hours going all over the internet.

TED | http://www.ted.com

Ok, so TED probably won’t be more productive, in fact it might just suck hours upon hours of your life. However, it will make you smarter, more informed, and an all-around more well-rounded individual. TED gets the best and brightest in the world to give the best 20 minutes speech of their life. What follows is nothing short of remarkable. A couple favorites to get you started:

• Sir Ken Robinson on how schools are killing creativity
• Sir Ken Robinson, bring on the learning revolution
• Malcolm Gladwell on spaghetti sauce
• Joachim de Posada says, Don’t eat that marshmallow
• Nicholas Christakis: the hidden influence of social networks
• Adora Svitak: What adults can learn from kids

To Do Programs (and websites)

Getting Things Done | book :: On Amazon

This book by David Allen is actually rather dry. However, (even though it was written a decade ago) the philosophy behind it will literally change your life if you implement it. At the core, the idea is that you have to dramatically limit the number of inputs of information in your life, and have a system in place in which you have one primary location that you put ALL of the things you need to do. In addition, you want to always ask, “what is the next action.” The overview on the Wikipedia page for the book is very succinct and gives a good primer. This philosophy aims to let you put everything you ever need to do in one place, so you can get it out of your brain and focus on the task at hand.

On a personal note, I will tell you that this philosophy is probably the single most dramatic improvement in my life since I graduated college. It has absolutely revolutionized my productivity.

Based on the Getting Things Done philosophy, there are a couple programs and websites that serve as the one place to keep ALL of your active projects and next actions. Below are a few of them. Special thanks to awesome actor and awesome-er person Drew McAuliffe for pointing me in the direction of most of these programs.

Omnifocus | http://www.omnigroup.com/products/omnifocus/ (only for Mac)

This is the program that Ben uses, and he says that it fundamentally changed his ability to be effective and productive.  You can view intro videos of the program here: http://www.omnigroup.com/products/omnifocus/videos/. The cost for an individual license is $79.95, but you will make that back in productivity within a single day. Go in witha couple buddies and split the cost of a family plan.

Asana | http://asana.com (online, so works on all computers)

Probably the most robust system outside of Omnifocus. If you have a PC this is probably your best option. Only downside is you have to be online to access it.

Wunderlist | http://www.6wunderkinder.com/wunderlist/ (for mac AND PC)

Wunderlist looks to be the best option if you are a PC user (or have PCs and macs), it looks great, and it’s FREE. It’s a little less functional than Omnifocus, but that can be a good thing.

Things | http://culturedcode.com/things/ (only for Mac)

Things is another popular to-do program, similar to Omnifocus. It runs about $50, has a lot of the benefits of a more complex to-do program, and looks pretty.

The Hit List | http://www.potionfactory.com/thehitlist/ (only for Mac)

Yet another program similar to Things. It runs $50 as well.

TaskPaper | http://www.hogbaysoftware.com/products/taskpaper (only for Mac)

If programs like Omnifocus of Things seem a bit overwhelming, then you might look into a simpler program like TaskPaper.

TadaList | http://tadalist.com/

This is an online to-do list, so it works as long as you have an internet browser. It’s a bit stripped down and doesn’t have the functionality of the programs such as Omnifocus.

Remember the Milk | http://www.rememberthemilk.com/

This is another online, very simple, free to-do list.

Toodledo | http://www.toodledo.com/

Probably the most sophisticated of the online to do lists. It’s also free, with the enhanced versions at $15 or $30/year. The free version will probably do the trick, though.

Producteev | http://www.producteev.com/

Another highly sophisticated online to-do program. Producteev also has some cool integration with email, where you can email things to it and it will automatically create a task out of it.

Final Thoughts

Damn. This turned into a pretty long post. I realize there are a TON of things I posted here, but I would highly recommend using some of your eleven and a half minutes to start going through these things and seeing what work best for you. Increasing your productivity and putting these types of systems in place will have a profound impact on your life and your career. These types of things end up affecting everything you do, and allowing you to get more done in less time.

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.

Getting ready to teach an improv workshop w/ Eric Bays!

A busy month has passed since my last post. Apart from directing a play, which I’ll get to in a moment, this has actually been a big month of “firsts” for me!

• I went out for my first general audition at Second City, and it went pretty well! I made what seemed like a favorable impression on a couple of big names in Chicago improv and sketch comedy, so I view it as a huge success!

• I auditioned for my first national tour, and even managed to get a callback! It was one of those breakdowns that you see on ActorsAccess and you’re like, “Well, I’m not sure I’ve got the chops for this one, but I’ll submit anyway.” Boy, am I glad I did! I ultimately didn’t get cast, but the experience taught me a ton about myself and my audition preparation!

• I went on my first audition at Simon Casting, one of the “Big 3″ casting offices in Chicago (the other two being O’Connor and TP&R)! Just being in the office and getting to know the layout was helpful in a strange way. Once again, I didn’t book the job, but the experience was priceless and I made a favorable impression. Like the fellas at Inside Acting Podcast say, even if you don’t book the role, do your best to “book the office.”

• I taught my first improv workshop! As part of a fund-raiser for my theatre company, The Consortium Project, myself and other company members taught a series of theatre-related workshops at a high school in the suburbs of Chicago. It was such an eye-opening experience for me! I had never viewed myself as a leader; I’m at my best when taking direction from others. But the role of “teacher” came naturally to me, and I wound up having loads of fun! It’s something I’m strongly considering doing again in the near future.

• I quit my day job! The pizza joint has served as a decent survival job for the past three years, but I’m ready to move on to a thrival job. Call me reckless, but I just had a gut feeling that it was the right thing to do at the right time. I am incredibly excited to see how the rest of the year unfolds!

And on top of it all, I’ve been lucky as hell to be directing an incredible cast of actors for the world premier of Rotten Couch Potatoes, a one-act by Chicago playwright Amy Whittenberger. I cannot begin to express just how much they have taught me about the art of acting. By helping these actors discover their characters, it has opened my eyes to approaching character work for myself. By analyzing a script inside and out, I have learned how to recognize key moments in a character’s story arc. Above all, the process has cemented what I already knew: creating theatre from the ground up is a collaborative process. Each one of us brings something unique and creative to the table, and, if we combine those abilities, we create these incredible works of art.

I realize that this post is a lot of “me, me, me,” but I really wanted to share it with you guys. It’s one thing for us to sit here and say “create your own opportunities,” but it’s pretty damn awesome when it actually starts to come together! Try it!

As always, I encourage you to share your stories in the comments section below! After all, Chicago, we’re all in this together!

~JVB

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.

What does me skydiving have to do with the coming year? Probably nothing. But it's cool and I needed a picture.

Alright. I’ve been doing a lot of looking back at my last year, and I’m excited to do a post on looking forward. I’ve written a lot about goal setting, and at the risk of being less likely to accomplish these goals, in the interest of transparency I will share with you the goals I set out for myself in 2011. These are part of my larger annual goal list (which I really should start just calling a business plan…) that includes categories like travel, lifestyle, service, health, and the like.

I’ve broken these into a few different categories, primarily “business” and “creative.” At least in Los Angeles, you really are pursuing these both, and they can be very different. I’ve also separated out “visions” versus “goals.” There’s a difference between outcomes (what you want to happen) and actions (what you have direct control over), and goal-setting is about setting forth actions. With that said, envisioning the thing you want is all kinds of awesome, so I’ve set out some visions in addition the actual goals. Finally, I have set a “theme” as well to guide my actions. Let’s get to it.

Business of Acting Plan for 2011

Theme: Building my team. The year of marketing.

Vision 1: A 30% callback ratio.

Vision 2: Agent and manager who I LOVE on my team and excited about me by end of year.

Actionable Goals:

• Spend at least 30 minutes preparing for any union audition, or audition with more than 1 page of dialogue
• 6 odd-sized or other mailings per week mailed to a member of my target list
• Send out 1 eNewsletter update per quarter
• Add email list signup to my website by end of first quarter
• Combine Outlook contacts with PerformerTrack contacts for eNewsletter
• Re-cut and upload demo reel by February 15^th
• 5 drop-offs per quarter
• Add 100 master contacts
• Send back Netflix DVD if haven’t watched it in 2 weeks
• At least 1 Casting Q’s interview every 6 weeks (min. 8 by end of year)
• Build the LA Actors Tweetup Website
  • DONE. See www.LAActorsTweetup.com
• Put on 8 tweetups in 2011 with my fellow Tweetup co-founders (1 down, 7 to go)

Hosting Sub-Section

• Meet with Brian Robert Taylor in first quarter regarding hosting, agents, & equipment
• Put together hosting reel by end of first quarter
• Learn who the top 5 hosting agents are in LA & 2 other major markets by end of first quarter

Note that my vision is a certain callback ratio, but the thing I have control over is how I prepare for and the time I spend on my audition (the goal). You’ll also note that instead of saying “get a hosting agent” I set a learning goal (as discussed in last blog post) around gaining more knowledge around the issue, which will still lead me towards that desired end.

Creative Side of Acting Plan for 2011

Theme: Free thyself. The year of play.

Vision: Feeling free, present, and alive at every audition and performance.

Actionable Goals:

Blogging Sub-Section

• 50 blog posts in the year & built in time to write them
  • 1 video post in first half of year
  • 1 interview post per month
  • 1 podcast/audio post/telecall by end of year

Writing Sub-Section

• Write 15 minutes per day (Note: I also break this down into different categories of writing I want to do that would mean nothing to you so I have taken them out here)

Acting Sub-Section

• Learn how to have freer expression in my acting, & what mindset I need to be in to do so
• Listen to Secrets of Screenacting podcast every week
• Listen to Inside Acting Podcast every week
• Feel proud of my performance at end of UCB class
  • Really focus while in class and take it seriously
  • Lose all hesitancy
• Perform in 4 – 6 Young Storyteller Big Shows
• Audit 6 scene study classes in first quarter
• Be in class regularly by end of the year (see: financial goals)
• Memorize one new comedic and one dramatic monologue by end of year
• Go to The Actor’s Lounge every month
  • Perform at Actor’s Lounge 4 times during the year

In general, I’ve focused a lot on my on-camera technique and skills over the past year. In that vein I think I’ve restricted myself a bit in movement and expression. This year I want to go a bit in the other direction, expanding my emotional range, and seeing how approaching my work from a mindset of “big” and “free” feels and comes across.

Checking Back In

This list is meant to be fluid, and I re-asses it thoroughly every quarter. I also revisit these in the weekly check-in/planning sessions I have with my roommate, as well as our more comprehensive 6-week check-ins.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it. That’s what I’ve set out for myself in the coming year. I will say that having analyzed and set this out at the beginning of the year has already had a marked impact on my work and auditions. In fact, I had probably the best audition of my life last week, very much because I spent the time I set out to, and more than anything because I gave myself permission to free my expression and go to some emotional places I don’t normally go (or even get the chance to).

To an epic 2011…

As always, the only way I know anyone is reading is if you comment. If you have an extra 15 seconds please leave your comments below.

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

At a recent holiday party, a close friend and incredibly talented actor gave me a surprising compliment.

“Joe, I’m proud of you,” he told me. “Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve always said you were going to do things, and you’ve wound up doing every single one of them!”

The remark left me speechless! Here’s a guy whose consistent artistic output and success I’ve admired since the day I met him, and he’s telling me he’s proud of me?! I managed to let out a series of very sincere “thank you’s,” but his words had rendered me otherwise stupefied.

I was stupefied because he was absolutely right, and I had failed to recognize it.

Here’s something you should know about me: I love accomplishing things. I can’t help it. It’s just who I am. While I certainly relish my time spent with my peers inside the proverbial rainbow, I’m always the one focusing on that pot of gold at the end of it. This sometimes causes me lose sight of the fact that I’m experiencing successes along the way. I love reading books and learning from them, but not nearly as much as I enjoy having read them. You get the idea.

My friend at the party was onto something. For example, my improv frame of mind two years ago was always “get ‘in’ at Second City,” and I have since learned how to improvise, completed a highly accredited training program, helped form an independent comedy troupe, and produced immensely successful shows with that troupe. While I still haven’t “gotten in” at Second City, those are all achievements to be proud of in themselves! That sort of accomplishment represents what it really means to have success in this industry: to work your butt off and let your efforts reward you with happiness and, potentially, further opportunity. End of story.

In 2011, my ambition will be as super-charged as ever, but it will be fueled, as always, by the specific “smaller” goals that I set for myself along the way. With that in mind, I’ve taken the time to clarify this year’s objectives as follows:

Acting as an Art

Goal #1 – Get my butt back to class!

I spent the first half of 2010 in improv and film acting classes, but my bank account eventually ran dry and I had to put the formalized training on hold. This year I will pick up where I left off, and continue to polish my craft in Chicago’s innumerable training centers. Specifically, I have my eye on the CORE Curriculum at Black Box Acting Studio, the improv program at The Annoyance Theatre, and the on-camera training at The Green Room Studio.

Goal #2 – Attend 12 acting-related workshops!

Most of the aforementioned training centers also offer workshops, and nearly all of them are reasonably affordable, if not free altogether! I will attend at least a dozen of these events and soak up everything I can from them!

Goal #3 – Find a great acting coach!

More than anything, I need to polish my audition technique, and I believe that some one-on-one focused training with an acting coach will help me build confidence and hone my rough edges. Sloppy theatre auditions have been my downfall since the beginning, but not this year! (Note: Even as I write this, I may have already accomplished this goal. I’ve been talking with the incredible Deanna Moffitt about coaching sessions, and it’s looking good!)

Goal #4 – Audition for 36 45 different acting projects!

Why 36, you ask? Well, that’s three auditions a month. Seems more than reasonable, don’t you agree? Especially if I’m booking them. Actually, this sounds almost too easy… Hmmm, better make it 45!

Acting as a Business

Goal #1 – Make every day count, and celebrate every victory.

A cliche? Yes. Important nonetheless? You betcha! This is one of those unquantifiable goals that my colleague Ben discourages in his incredible 2010 wrap-up, and rightfully so. That said, I’m going to strive for it anyway. I will give myself more credit for the “little things” I accomplish, and continue to use the momentum to propel me forward. There are things I can do every day to further my acting career. I intend to be bold about them.

Goal #2 – Submit my credentials to commercial and theatrical talent agencies 3 times.

I’m very ready to begin working with an agent, and I truly believe that it will happen in 2011. In Chicago, you should really only submit to the same agencies every 3 to 4 months, so I’m looking at March, July, and November as potential candidates. Of course I’ll continue to build relationships and get my foot in the door other ways, but I believe it’s important to also submit the traditional way as well, just in case.

Goal #3 – Create my film reel and get on iMDB.

This is a two-parter. In 2010, I worked in film for the first time, and I got several great chunks of footage for my demo reel. I will have my very first reel finished by no later than the end of February 2011. Additionally, I will continue to encourage the filmmakers with whom I work to submit their projects to film festivals and to iMDB.com. I’m going to get my credits on that website if it kills me! It’s such a fantastic tool!

Goal #4 – Write at least 40 Playbills Vs. Paying Bills posts.

Last year, I set a goal of writing 100 blog posts. I wrote 27. Juuuuust a bit short. This year, I will deliver at least 40 posts, all while maintaining the quality of content that you’ve come to expect from PvsPB.com. You may even be surprised at some new things we have in store for you! (Spoiler alert?! Muahahaha….)

It’s safe to say that two major motifs have emerged from these goals: Learning, learning, learning! and Mind Your Business! So with that in mind, let’s get to it! And remember what I said earlier:

There are choices we can make every day to further our acting careers. Let’s be bold about them.

~JVB