Actor's Food for Thought
If you aren’t reading IMDbPro, Backstage, Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and EW on a regular basis – you are doing yourself an injustice as an actor.
I am lucky enough to have a friend that works for a casting office so I get an endless supply of Backstage Magazine. I personally think having a tangible copy to hold and read is a little better than reading from a screen because it makes me actually read every article rather than skimming through bylines.
The one article in Backstage that I ALWAYS find insightful is, Secret Agent Man. First off, super cute play on words. Secondly, you’re getting advice and 1st hand scoop from an actual agent in the industry. People sometimes forget how much of a business this is. Just like every other business, you have to understand the product, trade and selling points of yourself to figure out what you are missing in order to showcase yourself best.
Last week’s Secret Agent Man in Backstage talked about goals and choosing one’s that actually sets yourself up for success rather than unrealistic ones that can set you up for an easier failure. “If you want to accomplish anything. You need short-term goals that serve a long-term goal.”
Rather than setting a vague goal such as “be successful”, specify what you feel is a reachable long term goal, i.e. book a pilot, land an agent/manager, you then have to plan out what the steps are to get there.
This is where all of the other industry magazines come in. Do your research. If you say you want to be on a pilot. Search casting directors that cast the shows you like, shows you could see yourself on. Search the actors that play your type. What shows/movies have they done? Who are the CD’s that cast them? This is all stuff I’ve learned and keep learning throughout my journey here in LA – but it’s really about the research... and taking action. You might think it’s a big town and no one will ever remember your face, etc, etc. But you have to do the research to put yourself in front of those CD’s.
Duh, I’m learning and growing in this industry with you as well, interpret what I say how you will but why not share what we’ve learned with others right?
If you aren’t reading IMDbPro, Backstage, Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and EW on a regular basis – you are doing yourself an injustice as an actor.
I am lucky enough to have a friend that works for a casting office so I get an endless supply of Backstage Magazine. I personally think having a tangible copy to hold and read is a little better than reading from a screen because it makes me actually read every article rather than skimming through bylines.
The one article in Backstage that I ALWAYS find insightful is, Secret Agent Man. First off, super cute play on words. Secondly, you’re getting advice and 1st hand scoop from an actual agent in the industry. People sometimes forget how much of a business this is. Just like every other business, you have to understand the product, trade and selling points of yourself to figure out what you are missing in order to showcase yourself best.
Last week’s Secret Agent Man in Backstage talked about goals and choosing one that actually sets yourself up for success rather than unrealistic ones that can set you up for an easier failure. “If you want to accomplish anything. You need short-term goals that serve a long-term goal.”
Rather than setting a vague goal such as “be successful”, specify what you feel is a reachable long term goal, i.e. book a pilot, land an agent/manager, you then have to plan out what the steps are to get there.
This is where all of the other industry magazines come in. Do your research. If you say you want to be on a pilot. Search casting directors that cast the shows you like, shows you could see yourself on. Search the actors that play your type. What shows/movies have they done? Who are the CD’s that cast them? This is all stuff I’ve learned and keep learning throughout my journey here in LA – but it’s really about the research... and taking action. You might think it’s a big town and no one will ever remember your face, etc, etc. But you have to do the research to put yourself in front of those CD’s.
Duh, I’m learning and growing in this industry with you as well, interpret what I say how you will but why not share what we’ve learned with others right?
