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Money

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By: Carolyne Barry
 
One of the more challenging realities of becoming an actor is that it can and will get expensive.   The cost of classes, pictures, marketing, demo reels, scripts, theater company dues and union initiation fees and dues, showcases, etc. etc., etc. adds up big time.  Even participating in graduate films and small theater will necessitate spending some money on wardrobe, make-up, and props not to mention gas and parking fees.   The sobering news is that almost any other profession you choose will probably cost you much more, however, with most other professions you would have a somewhat better chance of earning a steady income, -unless you are in the 5% who can make acting a career.   When embarking on other professions, you would have a good idea of all the necessary expenses for your training, start up business costs and the money you would need to get you through the first few years. Unfortunately, most new actors don’t stop to consider all the costs involved with the necessary training and marketing or have a plan to finance their career.  Often that means major obstacles are in place before they even get started.  Some get lucky and fall into situations and opportunities that help make it easier.  Some have rich families or influential friends.  Nevertheless, new actors must “get real” and go into this business as if it were a business.  (It is easier to get lucky when you are knowledgeable and have a plan).  I STRONGLY suggest that you put together a financial structure.

For more detailed info on Spending, Saving and Earning money for your acting and performing career, check into my book HitTheGroundRunning.

How to Get a Mentor – Part 3

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Mentor Etiquette

This paper is the last of my three articles on this super important subject… How to get a mentor. In my first and second articles I looked at: Why should we have a mentor? What is a mentor? Who makes a good mentor? How do you approach mentors? What do you want from a mentor? And the importance of being prepared when you get on a phone or in a meeting with your mentor. This time, I will focus on mentor etiquette… the “Do’s and Don’ts” that go along with having a mentor.

Firstly, here are a few of the don’ts to keep in mind. Don’t put them on the spot by asking them to hire you, audition you, or read your screenplay. If they request it, that’s fine. But don’t put them on the spot by asking.

Don’t have them be the one who works to generate the conversation. It’s your job to be totally ready. And don’t ever use their name without permission. Just because they might mention a show you would be great for and they mention that they know someone associated with that show, if you decide to get in touch with that person, and you want to use your mentor’s name, it is imperative that you get their permission to do so. Remember, you are going to them for their wisdom, not their rolodex.

Here are a few items to remember as far as the do’s are concerned. Always be prepared, really prepared, with your list questions as well as information on them and their company. Make sure you’ve done your homework. Make good use of their time. Keep your word. Call when you said you’d call. Show up at the meeting on time. Really respect their time and acknowledge them and thank them for their time and wisdom.

Remember that it’s a business relationship. So respect the term of your arrangement. If you’ve agreed to have three meetings or phone calls over a month long period and you decide you want to continue the relationship then get permission to do so.

When I was shooting my YouTube series for my YouTube channel on this subject of getting a mentor, I interviewed film and video game producer, Ruby Lopez. Ruby has been a volunteer at Women in Film for many years and their mentor program is a year long, so they are very strict about mentor etiquette.

“Having a mentor is not a time for you to look for a job or be an intern” she says. “It’s more about gaining knowledge. Also, remember that their time is valuable so if you say you’re going to meet them at certain time, do that. If it’s a ten minute phone call or a half hour meeting, keep to your promise and don’t go overboard.” She tells us that “this is not about you pushing yourself on them. If the relationship is meant to evolve, it will. Sometimes all you need from a specific mentor is the knowledge they give so you know how to move forward in your career.”

Ruby feels that “it’s a perfect time to explore different people, different areas that you’re interested in and to find out where you’re missing your knowledge. So when you’re meeting with them, know what you want to talk to them about and what to address.”

One of the do’s that I really really want to spotlight is acknowledgment. It is so so so important that you acknowledge your mentor each and every time. As I’ve mentioned in my other MTT articles and videos, acknowledgement is sadly missing in our industry. When MTT’s acting coach, Diane Christensen, joined me for my YouTube series she shared about the importance of giving and receiving acknowledgement. “I know that having a mentor in Hollywood is special,” she says “since they are the busiest people of all and they are so busy that they don’t even know they need acknowledgement. So for them to receive it and have that gift given to them is so special and such a truly needed moment in their lives. What better reason to mentor than to receive that acknowledgment and to have people grateful for it.”

That’s brilliant advice from both Ruby and Diane. They are giving you gold here, so be sure to use it. And remember, we all should have mentors in our lives and careers. As I mentioned in my first article, everyone loves and wants to contribute and there are thousands of people in our industry who have many years of experience and would be honored to share their knowledge and expertise with you. So take the information in all three articles and of course watch my YouTube channel and the Master Talent Teachers video series on this subject, and go out and get yourself a mentor or two. I promise it will be well worth it.

Gerry Katzman

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY – What to do when you feel like giving up

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by: Gerry Katzman

There comes a time in everyone’s path when the road ahead seems long, and we wonder if it’s really worth going forward. A time where we’ve heard the word “no” so many times that we’ve forgotten what it sounds like to hear “yes”. Where the only thing you can see is the areas that you fall short and the difficulties in your way.  This is usually them moment right before something great is going to happen, but the only way you’ll live to see that moment is if you stay in the game and keep yourself inspired.  The following technique has worked for my students and I, and it can help get you out of any rut and back onto the road of success. 

Tip #1 Reconnect to your dream. 

If you start to feel discouraged- ask yourself (and answer) the following questions:

When do you remember first deciding that you wanted to become a performer, artist, etc.?  What were your first inspirations? What were the things (albums, performances, etc.) that got you excited? It doesn’t matter how silly they are- they could be cartoons, kids’ shows, movies, commercial jingles- but something, no matter how silly it seems now, lit you up inside.. What was it?

Tip #2 Connect to the feelings.

Describe in writing or recollect out loud what it was that inspired you to try your hand at this profession. Describe in detail what it was that you saw, felt, and experienced that motivated you to get involved. Recall your first fun experiences when you got started in this craft- what made those early performances or experiences so delightful?

Tip #3 Go back to your roots.

As you feel your inspiration start to grow, go back to some of the source material. If a certain album or movie (no matter how silly or bad it may now seem) inspired you, find it online and listen to it or watch it.

Go back to the seeds of your inspiration. Warm yourself from the fire that first sparked your heart. Going back, understanding and reconnecting to your original reasons and purposes can provide some of the valuable inspiration we need to get through the temporary doldrums in any career.

For more tips, sign up for my newsletter at www.Standupcomedyclass.com. 

Remember, you’re just one action away from changing the world with your art- make a move, make a difference! -GERRY KATZMAN

How to Get a Mentor – Part 2

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What a Mentor Can Provide

In my first article on “How to Get a Mentor” I touched on a) What is a mentor? b) Why we should have a mentor and c) Who makes a good mentor. In this article my focus is on a) How do we approach mentors, b) What you can expect from your mentor, and c) The importance of being prepared when you get on the phone or in a meeting with your mentor.
Read more

How to Get a Mentor – Part 1

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In all my years in the entertainment industry, I’ve come to believe that having mentors is one of the single most important things you can do to help speed up your career and ensure your success.

There are so many aspects to this topic that I’m going to break this into three separate articles and in each article I’ll address different issues. For now, my focus will cover these areas: A) Why should we have a mentor? B) What is a mentor? C) Who makes a good mentor?

Firstly, why have a mentor? Well if you haven’t noticed there are 7 billion of us on the planet. And chances are there are tons of people who have done what you are planning to do. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel and I think in the entertainment industry we often feel like we’re a Lone Ranger. And you don’t have to be. The one thing that all human beings have in common is that we love to contribute, so please allow people to contribute to you. It will help you avoid a ton of mistakes and open up doors that can save you years moving forward in your career.

What is a mentor? A mentor is someone you respect and who is in a position to advise you on your project goals, your strategic plan, your target list… even help you finesse your pitch. You can also request guidance on areas where you’re stuck. A mentor, in a sense, is an advisor. What they are not however, is a coach. So please don’t expect them to be. A coach is someone whose job is to kick your butt and push you outside your comfort zone. Like a coach in sports or a career coach. So with a coach, if you are making promises to make five phone calls today or send out twenty headshots or write five pages of a script, they will hold you accountable to that. That is what a coach does. That’s their job. That is not the job of a mentor. A mentor is more of an advisor.

Who makes a good mentor? Once again, it will be someone who you respect who can advise you. And it is not necessarily someone who does what you do (although it certainly can be). For example, a mentor for a writer who wants to sell his screenplay, may be a director of development, or a reader or a producer. For an actor, it may not be an agent or senior actor, it may be the supervising producer of that TV series you love, or a director you respect. Also, a good mentor is not necessarily the biggest name. Often the big names are too busy to give you the time and attention, so I always suggest that you have an A list and a B list. Write down the names of four or five people that are the big names and four or five people that are the more “gettable” names.

When I was shooting my “10 Tips” YouTube series on this topic, I had the pleasure of interviewing writer/director/producer, Heather Hale, who has had a number of mentors in her career and has been a mentor herself. We discussed the question, who makes a good mentor? Here is what she had to say.
“I would encourage people to make a hit list of ten people who wear different hats. Shoot for the pie in the sky person, but don’t have a list of ten pie in the sky names.” One of the things that helps Heather create her list is looking at her all-time favorite films. “Make a list of your top ten movies,” she says. “Who worked on those films? Who is it that shares your value system, shares your sensibility? Look at who would you be honored to work with and go after them as a mentor.”

As I mentioned I will be writing two more articles on this topic and in the next one I’ll focus on how to approach the mentor you want. I’ll look at how to best use their time and I’ll address the importance of being prepared. Then in my last article I will go over the necessity of mentor etiquette and look at all the do’s and don’ts. However, in the meantime, work on your A and B list. And if you decide to move forward and start approaching possible mentors, it is essential that you treat it like a business arrangement and also make it easy for them to say yes by keeping the time requirement brief. In the Flash Forward workshops I led over the years I suggested three ten-minute conversations over a four week period, or a half hour coffee meeting or a one hour lunch meeting for example. Something that makes it easy and doable for them.

Stop Apologizing to Get What You Want

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by: Christina Shipp

I am always shocked how much I hear people apologize these days. Frequently, for things they have no need to be sorry over. Frequently, just for being who they are. And I stand by and think to myself, why on earth are these people giving their power away?

Here’s the deal, business lovers: no one is going to give you power unless you claim it for yourself. So why not embrace the Tiger within you? This is what Peter Arnell means in his book “Shift” when he talks about Embracing the Tiger within. He uses Chris Rock’s bold stand-up to illustrate his point. A while ago there was a lot of media buzz over a trained circus tiger that “went crazy” and bit his trainer causing severe arterial damage. Chris Rock made a valid point in his routine, saying: “That tiger didn’t go crazy! That tiger went Tiger!” The idea is this: that tiger only did what was in his nature to do: to dominate and to be king of his domain.

So how can YOU go Tiger? How can you fully embrace the nature and essence inside of YOU? How can you honor who you are and your strengths? Unapologetically so, with confidence and power?

Bottom line – figure out who you are, uniquely, at your core and name it. Name it, define it and own it. Be consistently and authentically YOU. Be your own Tiger. Because you’ll never have to be sorry about that.

How to Select Your Best Teacher

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or waste time and money

by: Carolyne Barry

The teachers you choose to train with will be a major influence in the development of your craft and thus will have a strong impact on your career. But so many actors choose teachers for the wrong reasons: either they select one who is less expensive, offering some kind of deal, located close to where they live, recommended by unqualified sources, they know actors in the class or ONLY because the teacher is or has been a casting director. These are not good reasons for such an important decision. Don’t be one of those reckless actors who wastes money and time going in the wrong direction. Be in control of your career and those you are assembling for your team.

To make your best choice(s), I suggest this plan:

  1. Research
  2. Audit
  3. Ask Questions
  4. Consider your Chemistry with the Teacher

Audit at least three candidates then make your selection of the teacher who can help make you the best you can be and the one you can see yourself staying with till you get everything you need- before moving on. For commercial classes it can be a few months and for acting it can be several years. CHOOSE WISELY.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR TYPE?
I believe one of the big mistakes many actors make is not being clear on their type (or as often referred to as a brand). Most believe that they “are actors and can play many roles”. In a majority of theatre productions, you can because of the distance between the actor and audience. But on-camera, which is more intimate, who you really are and what your look represents is obvious and there is usually no hiding behind character make-up and wardrobe.

Although it can be vital to your success, for booking commercials as well as theatrical work (especially when first starting a career), most don’t give determining their type the time needed to figure it out. When you know your type/brand: you can shoot headshots that better serve you, intelligently describe yourself to your representation, and submit yourself for roles that you have a better chance at getting. Knowing your type can be very important, but how do you determine what it is? It is not easy for most. You may need help from others because it is difficult to be objective about ourselves. Most actors tend to label themselves as more or less than how they choose to see themselves. That is why it is important to investigate.

During your investigation, you must honestly look at your:

  • Age
  • Physical Appearance
  • Personality Type
  • Essence

You might need assistance in labeling your type, so I suggest you put together a concise questionnaire using those four factors. Then question teachers, friends and some strangers. Strangers can often be more objective. Be sure them know that you need honesty. And you must accept what they say (with no comments from you) so they can be truthful.

It will probably take more than what I prescribe here but this is a good beginning. What you learn about yourself during this investigation into typing should be of great benefit to you personally and to your career. Have fun learning how others perceive you.