Too much thinking

Watching what goes on in a audition can really mess with your head. If a casting director keeps certain people behind and lets others go, you can start to think… what is happening, are they getting the “instant callback”… this can lead you straight down the path of self destruction, and blowing your audition.

You need to stay in the game, and FOCUS!!! Do not worry about what is going on with others. Focus on the task at hand, and make it happen!

Yes being observant is not a bad thing at all, but doing the “will they give me the instant callback” song and dance, will destroy your focus. This is yet another reason I like to watch world class Tennis, the players are about the most focused individuals I have ever seen, and it totally relates to what we do as actors. In fact I read a good book recently, that really shows one “HOW TO FOCUS” its called “The Inner Game of Tennis” it has not that much to do with Tennis, but more on the order of How to Focus on the task at hand, its F’ing brilliant, and applies to most all of life.

Anything that helps you stay focused and true to what you are doing, is worth it! Do not waste your time wondering what someone else is doing, do what you do, and the rest will fall in place.

-Frank

5 Tips for Better Auditions by Elisa Eliot

I thought these tips were excellent!!! Thus I am posting them here!

Know your material
If you are given the sides in advance – prepare them! Use the methods you have studied in your acting classes to analyze the script. (Every actor beginner or professional should always be enrolled in acting classes to keep their craft sharp!) If the audition is a cold reading then take the time you need to make sure you have the scene(s) down. Don’t go in until you are ready. Either way you should be extremely familiar with your lines and situations so your head isn’t buried in the script.

Know your audience
When you get an audition one of the very first things you should do is some research! Look up who the major players (the director, casting director, writer and producers) are. See what else they have done – you are likely to get a better feel for the project and what they might be looking for.

Know the project
Or, in other words, know the format. Each format requires a different style of acting, and knowing whether you are auditioning for a sitcom, a single camera comedy, a drama, etc. can help immensely.

Be professional
The “industry” is a business and you should treat it that way! Always be on time. (Yes, even in LA you have to be punctual. Factor in plenty of time for traffic even if there might not be any.) Be respectful to your auditioners and your fellow actors. Dress appropriately… even if you are dressing the part. Have a crisp clean copy of your headshot and resume, not a wrinkly unstapled one. Nothing says “Beware – Don’t hire me!” more than a rude, sloppy actor.

Nail your slate
Finally, first impressions are so important. And your first on-camera impression is the slate. Don’t fidget or look at your script or play with your hair or pick your nose (trust me I have seen all of these and worse!). Make sure portray confidence, affability, professional and personality! And SMILE!

Film Actors moving to TV?!?!!?

Its been an amazing thing to see in the last year, how many MAJOR Film Stars are deciding to make the move to TV, Commercials, and Voice Over.  Is it due to the fact that the scripts in Hollywood these days are nothing more than just another remake of another film, and adaption of a book, or some other totally NOT Original piece???  Or is it the Money?

Its been something that has really interested me over the last year… also seems that people that were once a star of a show, are not making it onto another one.  Or having to take guest spots on shows… Watch TV you will see for yourself.

Is the industry changing?  Is money just the overall factor?  Take it for what it is, and find your opportunity to shine!  You can get work, there is NO Shortage of TV, Films, and Commercials being made, and now things for the Web.

Do well, work at your craft and you WILL SUCCEED!!!

-Frank

How many auditions per week should I have?

This is a great question!  If you agent is doing their job, and you are doing your job (of getting call backs, and booking a gig here and there, and are in good touch with your agent on a regular basis…) you should be getting out at least two times per week, and even more for commercials.

You need to be promoting yourself on a constant basis… via the web, your own web site, twitter, blogs, actors access, etc… and I would still suggest sending out no less than 25 hard copy head shots / resumes on a weekly basis to the casting directors.

If you are not getting out at least twice per week, you should take a deep look at what you are doing to assist in that.  Maybe you are sitting and waiting for the phone to ring… wrong… you need to make it ring.  No agent owes you anything at all.  You need to be an active participant in your acting career for absolute sure.

Your agent will bust their ass for you if you help them and keep in good contact with them.  If you are a “I’m waiting for the phone to ring kind of person” you will not have that agent for long.

Again this is just my two cents, but it has kept me from the need to get a day job for over twenty five years now…   And I’ve had the same agent the whole time!

-Frank

Why do I blog?

This question has been sent to me a few times now, and I was like, its not obvious?  I want to help!  I want Actors to make it, and do what they love to do.  It is that simple.  There are so many people that are nothing more than scammers out there, that are trying to take undeserved money from actors that it just kills me.  There are handfuls of people that truly want to help, and I am hopefully as can be seen one of them!

I want to work with one of you guys on the set, and here the statement, “Hey, I got some great advice at this guys blog”  That would make me very happy!

This is why I blog!

Here are two sites that I feel are a huge help to actors:

www.actinghelpcenter.com – this is a bulletin board system, full of great topics, totally free!  Great advice.

www.myactingsite.com – The only real place to get your website done, Made by great actors, for all actors!  And they answer the telephone!

www.headshots101.com – The best resource I have ever seen on the topic of head shots.  Its free, and it will answer all of your questions!

That is it for now!

Peace! – Frank

Agent / Manager Differences?

MANAGER’S are generally more focused on the talent’s more broad term goals as an artist. To use an analogy, from a painter, the manager is responsible for the whole canvas, they ensure that from many yards away all the pieces fit together with each other, the colors are right together, and as a whole the canvas is a complete work of art, they may ask the artist to fine tune some section, give a note about what they think might be the next right thing to do, add in anything they think they have a better chance at selling the art work etc.

The AGENT’S role would be to provide the various paints for the canvas, the brushes, they would make sure that each individual small part of the canvas was complete as a single piece, and they would consider their job a well done one each time one small section was done.A manager is a more PERSONAL person to the artist. They should have tens of clients not hundreds. An agent is more about booking many projects for the hundreds of people they represent rather than handholding a small group. There are many other parts to this that I could go on about, legal, commissions etc, but I think this gives the basics.

Hope this helps!

-Frank

What is a good acting website

A good acting website, should be a very simple layout, and very clean.  The pages that you really need are the following:

Home page – Introduction of who you are and what you do.

Bio – Which is the one page of you!  Who you are, what are your dreams, and where have you come from, and why are you a great actor.

Resume – Just like the one on the back of your head shot, same format, and have the ability to print it right from your website

Photos – do not over do a photo gallery, put up your main shots that you have on your 8 x 10′s and maybe 10 more, that show you much different than the others.  You want variety… do not put up 100 of them either, as its just too much.

Contact – a way for people to reach you… and for god sake do not put your address or phone number, have them send you an email.

Mailing list – so you can inform everyone that signs up what your next appearance will be.

Demo reel – Where you can show at least one 3-5 minute reel of what you have done.  And maybe eve have two or three, but no more than that.  You can also and should also put up your voice reel if you have one.

That really about covers it.  You do not want that site in 100% flash, otherwise no search engine will list you and it will be harder to find you.  And you need to register your name as you .com or .net address.  Do not use this site for anything other than your acting career… if you want more than this build another site.

Hope this helps!  Again the ONE PLACE I have found that does all of this right for $19.95 per month is here:  MYACTINGSITE

Here is a good example of a great website

Here is a good example of a poor website

- Frank

 

Actors Reel

The great demo reel, how long should it be, what should it show…  I have at least a dozen close friends that are casting directors, and they all say the same thing:

Most actors blow their reel by making it #1 too long, #2 showing off too much of others (like that scene you did with a major celebrity) They do not care, they want to see YOU!!!  not them…

A good real is 3 minutes long, anything less is too little, and anything more is boring…  Sorry but that is the way it goes.

Casting directors also hate seeing reels that are on the internet, because they download slow and are too small too see.  They do however like what Myactingsite did, as they turn the video into a big sexy flash movie that downloads as it plays, so they can see it all FAST!!! and its BIG!!!  

You want a pro quality reel, which you need to probably pay for, unless you are a great video editor…  there are many places that do this, and it should cost no more than $250.00 to take all of your tape and turn it into a great 3 minute short film about you and your great work.  Then you can post it on your web site, if you have one that converts it to a flash movie, or else get one from myactingsite.com as they do it as part of the service they provide for $19.95 per month.  

You will also want to copy the DVD that you will get and sent it out to those that need it… CASTING DIRECTORS!  and yes, believe me they watch them.

What I have been doing lately is sending out head-shots  with my web site address, and a personal note to have them watch my new reel on myactingsite, its been working out great, and I have had several responses and auditions as a result!

If you use technology correctly it can only help, and its not that hard.  If you have a myspace account you can figure out anything.

So remember its a THREE MINUTE REEL!!!

Take care, 

Frank

The business of acting

Of course I have a day job is the answer to that compelling question… But I also have my life as an Actor.  In my home, I have a desk setup directly for the purpose of Acting.  And I spend no less than ten hours per week at that desk doing the various things I see are necessary to promote myself as an Actor.

I send out no less than 25 pictures and resumes to casting directors and the like every week.  I send out no less than 50 emails per week to people in the industry that can help me get work.  I surf the internet for at least an hour per day, and submit myself to anything that seems right on Actors Access, or Backstage.

I call my agent at least once per week to say hi, or I stop by, the face time is VERY important.  I stay in touch with past people that have hired me.

In short, everything I do is an effort to get me more work.  In my day job, I do that the same way… and I do not think about my Acting… until that job is done for the day.  Then I am full force into the business of getting more acting work.

being a professional at all times is key, just like going to acting class, promoting yourself, having a website, etc…  DO NOT SELL YOURSELF SHORT!  Bust your rear, and you will make your dream a reality in the not too distant future.

-Frank