Money Makes the TV Go Around – for Now Anyway

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AOTB ShowBiz Insider News Week of July 30th, 2012 / Issue #4

I hate to say it…nah, that’s a lie…I LOVE to say it, but many of you hate to hear it.  The only reason television exists is to be the filler in between commercials.

Yup, acting on a television show, which is a dream and a goal for so many actors, has never been about the art of the show itself, but the ability to draw an audience that will then, in turn, watch the advertising by the commercial sponsors, thus generating revenue to pay the actors as well as all of the other creatives involved.  This is NOT a bad thing.  You want to be paid as an actor right?

So the recent news about the Emmy winning “Modern Family” cast suing for a raise and not going to work last week, as their current contract dictated, was in effect no surprise to those “in the know”.  The actors had been wrangling with the studio on and off for more than a year over a new deal in recognition of the show’s huge syndication deals. The issue came to a head this week as the start of production on season four approached. The main adult actors made their displeasure known to the studio on Tuesday when all but Ed O’Neill, who makes the most money of all as a seasoned and “recognized” actor before the show became a hit, declined to show up for the scheduled table read. The other five actors made another dramatic gesture with a lawsuit that was a purported attempt to void their initial contracts on technical grounds — though in fact it’s clear the suit was a ploy to take the dispute public and force the studio to sweeten its offer.  Sources close to the situation said the negotiations were tough but over the last few days before the weekend, the actor reps and execs from 20th and ABC hunkered down to hammer out a deal. Production began as scheduled yesterday.

The actors’ weekly paychecks will jump from mid five figures per show to low six figures as of the upcoming fourth season, with escalators built in for subsequent seasons.  Ed O’Neill also struck a separate deal that significantly raises his weekly salary.  And all of the actors will each receive one-quarter of a point in back end share. As the show is poised to gross many hundreds of millions in syndication, the quarter point is not an insignificant stake over the long haul. Achieving a profit participation stake, however small, had been an important point to the actors, and their agents of course!

And what about Dancing with the Stars? If you missed the big announcement on Friday, it’s gonna be the All Stars Dancing with the Stars, bringing back popular favorites, winners and losers, to buoy sagging ratings.  Yes, even those on TOP, still have to do “new and improved” things to their franchise to keep it fresh and exciting for viewers.

The cast list includes Apolo Anton Ohno, Bristol Palin, Drew Lachey, Kelly Monaco, Emmitt Smith, Giles Marini, Kristie Alley , Helio Castroneves, Joey Fatone, Melissa Rycroft, Pamela Anderson, Shawn Johnson.  In a first for “Dancing with the Stars” the final contestant for season 15 of the competition Ballroom dance reality show has been left up to the fans. DWTS fans can log onto the ABC website – www.abc.com – and vote for Carson Kresley, Sabrina Bryan, or Kyle Massey. Fans get five votes per day and voting ends August 24.  I’m voting for Carson…I love that guy!

It should be apparent by now this “marketing” thing I’ve been sharing with you.  I love what you love – to ACT.  But to ACT and get paid, you’ve got to take on the business…and business means marketing.  Without it, no one watches, and no one gets paid.  That simple.  At least in the world of television…which is quickly fading into the past and I do predict, that if you are reading this in an archive even a few years from the time it is being written, will make me seem like I have a crystal ball.  We’ll still have a “box” that we will watch things on…whether it’s in our home, or our arm (TV watches anyone?…they exist NOW), our personal device (smartphone) or whatever else is about to be invented.  But the broadcast television that I grew up with will become extinct.

Just like folks no longer gather round the radio for a night of entertainment, so goes “Must See TV”.  I will miss those days.

To access our weekly newsletter archive, CLICK HERE.

To Your Success, Lisa Gold

 

Success Stories

Congratulations to Paul Krasnerl for SIGNING with Shirley Faison of the Carson/Adler Agency.  Paul writes: “I just wanted to extend to you a very personal thank you. Because of your First Thursday’s Event in May, I landed an agent. I signed a (1) year contract with Carson-Adler. You are a gem! Without your event this would not have happened. Thank you soooo much!
If you want to be featured in an upcoming newsletter please send your success story and headshot to Donna@actoutsidethebox.com.

Business Tips

Your resume is a living, breathing document.  It’s a road map to where you’re going (or want to go!) and shouldn’t be a complete history of everywhere you’ve been.  Honestly, if you were Annie when you were 10, it’s time to delete, delete, delete.  Take off all credits that no longer represent the kinds of characters/roles you could be hired for NOW.  Take off any reference to years you took classes, graduated, or did a performance.  Take off directors no one has ever heard of…whose career are you advertising anyway?  Get rid of awards that aren’t acknowledged or known by everyone in the business.  Don’t put excerpts of reviews and never, ever put your street address…no one’s gonna write!  Special skills need to be special. Hey NY, driving is NOT a special skill, just sayin’. (Right LA?)

Raise Your Vibration – Energy is Everything!

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Your personal energy is an extremely powerful thing that surrounds you all the time. It is everywhere and is a core part of us but most people don’t know how to manage it for their benefit. When I took a course years ago hosted by T. Harv Eker of Millionaire Mind fame, he said “Everything is energy and energy is everything”…and along side that he also said “The way you do anything is the way you do everything”.  So in my putting two and two together, I read into it that your energy determines the way you do things in the world….well duh!

I’ve noticed that a lot of people (actors) don’t even know that their own personal energy is directly related to their career milestones.  I’ve often heard people say of me that I have a ton of energy.  Well let me confess now that it almost always created, doesn’t come “naturally” and I have practiced generating it for years.  So to folks who don’t see me in the morning after a late night out, or after a full day leading a seminar when I am spent, I say to them…I created it and you can too.

Your potential as an actor lies just as much in your learning to manage and increase your personal energy as it does in your talent and skill set.  Honestly, what good is having all that talent if you don’t have the energy to market yourself, go to auditions or class, or muster the physical (and emotional) energy to STAY in this business through the many obstacles that WILL present themselves?

I’ve been working with vibrational energy a lot recently in conjunction with a good friend who has created a business all around raising one’s personal energy to increase the global energy on the planet.  Raised Vibration uses the acronym VIBE…Visualize, Intend, Believe and Experience.  I won’t go in to that too much here, but suffice to say, being AWARE of your personal energy and how you affect others with it, and how you are affected by the things you see, hear and think, ALL make a huge difference in the outcomes for the goals you have in your personal life and career.  Your personal energy is what allows you to live the life you desire and deserve.

The idea that energy can move and create is nothing new. Throughout history, different cultures have
benefited by tapping into and working with different forms of energy.  Eastern philosophies and practices that have seemed “mystical” are now much more accepted and common.  Holistic methods of healing are now sought out when traditional drugs and cures fail.  There is definitely something about this energy conversation…whether you choose to believe it or not.  It’s only recently that energy work has emerged in the West and for those who experience it’s amazing power, they soon realize anything is achievable.

And how does this relate to the art of acting?  Isn’t it that energetic connection that you are seeking when performing a scene with another actor, or the connection with an audience when on stage live and offering up your energy to move, touch and inspire?  In the end it’s ALL energy.

It also takes energy to DO all of the things it takes to get ahead in today’s show BIZ.  Look at any successful actor and they seem to have boundless energy.  Interviews, rehearsals, performances, photo shoots, special events and fundraisers, personal appearances…the list goes on.  Trust me, no one who is at the top level in the acting community got there sitting on the sidelines waiting for others to lead them down the path to success and a day “off” doesn’t exist.

Moral of this story is to find that place, space, and resource that provides and maintains the energy needed BEFORE you need it!  Really, right now is the EASY part.  When you are working at your biz, in your biz and on your craft DAILY, you’re gonna need it!

Check out www.raisedvibration.com for some great info and as a potential resource for your personal energy.  You’ll be glad you did!  Lisa Gold

Mixed Reaction from Academy Members on “Dark Knight Rises”

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AOTB ShowBiz Insider News Week of July 23rd, 2012 / Issue #3

Members packed the house for a screening last Saturday night, as Academy President Tom Sherak asked for a moment of silence.

It’s tough when real life overshadows what was supposed to be a momentous occasion in film history. Now it’s history for a whole other (terrible) reason.

Members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences packed the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills on Saturday night to the point of overflowing for a screening of The Dark Knight Rises, with Academy president Tom Sherak acknowledging the shooting in a rare pre-screening speech.

Sherak said he took the unusual step of addressing the audience before a screening “because the Academy needed to say something about what happened. … Movies are meant to entertain us. We should be able to take our family to a movie and be safe. What happened in Aurora, Colo., was just a horrible, horrible thing. I know it was very unusual to say something, but sometimes you feel it would be more unusual if you did not say something.”

But whether it was the somber nature surrounding the evening because of the shooting or — as multiple Academy members who attended the screening were heard to say- a lack of enthusiasm for the film, the standing-room-only audience stayed for the closing credits and then departed without much discussion.

Another longtime Academy member, who regularly attends the Saturday night screenings, said there was only sporadic applause, that Academy members are very vocal when they like a movie and that they tend to give pictures that are going to get a lot of Oscar love a big ovation.

The undisclosed source said what he heard in the halls and elevator was that “people were kind of disappointed. It wasn’t because of (Colorado). I just don’t think that this picture will get any nominations (beyond technical nods).”

“There was nothing remarkable about the acting,” said a female Academy member who regularly attends the Academy screenings. “I don’t think it can be nominated as best picture.” And yet the film grossed over $160M in it’s opening weekend. Go figure?

One high-profile Academy member who went on record via Twitter was Bret Easton Ellis, who wrote: “Not that it really matters, but there was zero love for ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ at the packed Academy screening in Los Angeles tonight.” In later tweets, he said he was “with” the film and admired Christian Bale’s performance in particular. Huummmm? Did thou tweet prematurely? You know you can’t take that stuff back!

Of course, the voting is still a long way off, and there are critics that have praised the film and thousands of other Academy members who have yet to see the movie. So who knows?

This business is crazy enough without adding crazy to it. Can you imagine being “attached” to the movie and knowing that people who went to enjoy your art were gunned down? This is beyond comprehension…and something to think about.
The troubled individual who took so much from so many this past weekend was influenced by the very genre we as actors hold so dear. What happened to the mind of a young boy who probably used to love the movies too? The doctors will be studying him for years to figure that one out. But know this: Movies ARE influential, whether they win Oscars or not.
I love this business and the people in it…but life is uncertain, just like an acting career. Gotta love EVERY minute and appreciate it even more day by day!

To access our weekly newsletter archive, CLICK HERE.

To Your Success, Lisa Gold

Success Stories

Congratulations to Larissa Laurel for BOOKING the role of “Watermelon” in the indie film “Saved by the Pole” produced by Baez Entertainment.  10 other AOTB actors were also cast for this project.  If you want to be featured in an upcoming newsletter please send your success story and headshot to Donna@actoutsidethebox.com.

Business Tips

Avery labels #5154 are 6 to a sheet.  It’s the perfect size for writing cover “notes” to attach to your p/r when submitting for a project via hard copy or searching for an agent.  Write your marketing copy (telling “them” about your FAB talent and news) and cut and paste into all 6 labels, then customize the salutation.  What’s really cool is that when you follow up, the info is still there…just add something new like “just following up on a previous 8×10 submission…” then paste that label on to a postcard, and wala, easy peasy!  This is a great way of getting in the habit of beginning and maintaining a contact list and marketing to them CONSISTENTLY!

Cynopsis and Why You Should Subscribe

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AOTB ShowBiz Insider News Week of July 16th, 2012 / Issue #2

Cynopsis and Why You Should Subscribe

I found out about this amazing resource for actors who want to keep AHEAD of the actor pack (the 80% MASSES) by educating themselves daily about what is happening in the world of the business of SHOW about 10 years ago.  Have you heard of it?  Most actors are only concerned with their next audition and getting gigs.  Yeah, you’ve GOT to do that, but at the very least, you should be checking in with the major goings on in the news.

Today’s newsletter is about other newsletters, subscribing to them and READING them.  Backstage and the other “actor” papers and resources out there are helpful, but to really leap into the big leagues you gotta see what the other industry PLAYERS are up to.

Here’s a very small sample of what Cynoposis.com puts out on a daily basis:

AMC set the date for the season three premiere of The Walking Dead for October 14 at 9p.  AMC previously ordered 16 episodes for the third season which will air in two parts with the first eight episodes beginning October 14 and the other eight returning in February 2013.  Following The Walking Dead premiere on October 14, AMC is launching season premieres of the unscripted series Talking Dead at 11p and Comic Book Men at 1130p.  The second seasons of both series will each have 16 half-hour episodes.  Internationally, The Walking Dead will also air on 120+ FOX International Channels (FIC) launching in global markets the week of October 15.  In addition, the season premieres of all three series will coincide with AMC’s annual marathon of thriller and horror films called AMC Fearfest.  In its 16th year, AMC Fearfest features 19 consecutive days of themed programming and more than 70 films, running from October 13 through October 31.

This fall, Hallmark Channel is debuting two new daytime series starting October 1. The first is the Hallmark Channel Original Lifestyle Series, Home & Family at 10a which is set inside a 2,446-square-foot fully-functioning New England Colonial-style home on the backlot at Universal Studios in California.  Mark Steines and Paige Davis will host the two-hour weekday morning show airing at 10a that will cover everything domestic, from home improvement tips to teaching viewers how to Skype.  The second new series is the Hallmark Channel Original Series, Marie, starring Marie Osmond in her own talk show, airing weekdays at 12 noon.  The new one-hour talk show allows Osmond a chance to share in the lives of ordinary people as well as celebrities.  Hallmark Channel, also known for their Hallmark Channel Original Movies has a roster of new titles debuting this fall including Puppy Love on September 8 at 9p; I Married Who? on October 6 at 8p; Common Law on October 13 at 8p; The Good Witch’s Charm on October 27 at 9p; and Love at the Thanksgiving Parade on November 4 at 8p.

A third season of Teen Wolf is in the works at MTV, which will mark the longest run for a scripted show on MTV.  The network has doubled the upcoming season’s order to 24 episodes.  Teen Wolf, based on the film starring Michael J. Fox, is presently in its second season and is delivering 1.8 million viewers each week.

Academy Award-winning actress and star of Broadway’s Oklahoma!, Celeste Holm died on Sunday at home in Manhattan at the age of 95.  Ms. Holm won her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for portraying a sympathetic fashion editor and starring opposite Gregory Peck in the 1947 Gentlemen’s Agreement, a film that one of the first to highlight anti-Semitism.   Ms. Holm additionally received supporting actress Oscar nominations for her roles in Come to the Stable (1949) and All About Eve (1950).  She was on contract with Fox and following her role in All About Eve, Ms. Holm shocked Hollywood by buying out her contract with the studio to return to Broadway.  Her career included roles in other prominent films such as The Tender Trap (1955) and High Society (1956) among others.  More recently, Ms. Holm made appearances in two yet-to-be released films, Driving Me Crazy and College Debts.  In the 1990s, Ms. Holm turned to television, starring in CBS’ Promised Land with Gerald McRaney, a spin-off series to Touched by an Angel.   She is also known for her role as the Fairy Godmother in the 1956 television series, Cinderella.  Ms. Holm received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Loving in 1987 and also had recurring roles on several TV series including Christine Cromwell, Falcon Crest, Jesse, Archie Bunker’s Place and Nancy.  Ms. Holm was also a tireless champion for various charities and at one time served on nine different boards.  She became the president of the Creative Arts Rehabilitation Center and over the years she raised $20,000 for UNICEF by charging 50 cents for each autograph.  President Ronald Reagan selected her to serve a six-year term on the National Council on the Arts in 1982.  On the personal side, Ms. Holm is survived by her husband, Frank; her two sons, and three grandchildren.  Her family requests memorial donations to made in her name to UNICEF or to The Lillian Booth Actors Home of The Actors Fund in Englewood, NJ.

Soon after Steven Tyler announced his departure from FOX’s American Idol as judge, Jennifer Lopez revealed during an interview with Ryan Seacrest via On Air with Ryan Seacrest that she will be exiting too.  Said Lopez, “The time has come for me to get back to the other things I do… We had an amazing run.”  Lopez apparently may be open to returning to American Idol as a mentor.

Top 10 Weekend Box Office Estimates:  July 13-15, 2012
Ice Age: Continental Drift (20th Century Fox) $46.0 million  opening weekend
Amazing Spider-Man, The (Sony)                 $35.0 million  2 wk total $200.9m
Ted (Universal)                                         $22.1 million  3 wk total $159.0m
Brave (Disney)                                          $10.7 million  4 wk total $195.6m
Magic Mike (Warner Bros.)                          $9.0 million  3 wk total $91.9m
Savages (Universal)                                   $8.7 million  2 wk total $31.5m
Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection (Lionsgate) $5.6 million  3 wk total $55.6m
Katy Perry: Part of Me (Paramount)              $3.7 million  2 wk total $18.6m
Moonrise Kingdom (Focus Features)              $3.7 million  8 wk total $32.4m
Madagascar 3 (Paramount)                          $3.5 million  6 wk total $203.7m

Fourteen new cast members are joining the third season of HBO’s Game of Thrones which is returning next year on March 31.  Veteran actress Diana Rigg will play Lady Olenna Tyrell also known as The Queen of Thorns; Mackenzie Crook as wildling raider, Orell; Clive Russell as the knight Brynden or otherwise known as “The Blackfish” Tully; Nathalie Emannuel as former slave Missandei who becomes a translator to the slave trader Kraznys in Astapor; Kerry Ingram as Shireen Baratheon, the only child of Stannis Baratheon; Paul Kaye as Thoros of Myr, a member of the outlaw band known as the Brotherhood Without Banners and a Red Priest; Thomas Brodie-Sangster as the mysterious Jojen Reed who becomes an important ally to Bran Stark; Ellie Kendirck as Meera Reed, the eldest daughter of Howland Reed, sister to Jojen and a staunch Stark royalist; Richard Dormer as Lord Beric Dondarrion, the leader of the Brotherhood Without Banners; Kristofer Hivju as Tormund Giantsbane, a famed wildling warrior and chief lieutenant of the King Beyond the Wall, Mance Rayder; Philip McGinley as Anguy, a skilled archer and key member of the Brotherhood Without Banners; Tara Fitzgerald as Selyse Baratheon, the wife of Stannis Baratheon; Tobias Menzies as Edmure Tully, the younger brother of Catelyn Stark and the recently-named Lord of Riverun following his father’s death; and Anton Lesser as Qyburn, a former master of the Citadel.
Today’s Trivia Question: What was the name of the cul-de-sac where the main characters of Knots Landing lived?

To subscribe to Cynopsis click here.  I also recommend checking out subcriptions to The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.

To access our weekly newsletter archive, CLICK HERE.

To Your Success, Lisa Gold

Success Stories

Wanna be featured in our weekly newsletter?  If you’ve found success by participating in any of our live programs or DIY downloads of seminars and have gotten RESULTS, please send your story and headshot to Donna@actoutsidethebox.com.  We’d love to add to YOUR marketing visibility!

Business Tips

You’ve heard it a thousand times…but you STILL DO IT!  Apologizing is the single most discussed “pet peeve” amongst industry creatives on the other side of the audition table.  They don’t care that your sick, late because of traffic, the dog ate your headshot or any other of a myriad of excuses for why you AREN’T _____ that day!  They want you to be the one that solves THEIR problem (casting the role) and discussing yours is the last thing that will assist you in booking a job.  If any of the former has happened, just ACT like it didn’t and do a stellar job!

A Personal Note to Women who ACT

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Today I am writing you a very personal note because I have a lot of appreciation for all you do as a woman in the acting business. I don’t know the many roles you have played on stage, film or TV, but I know that being a woman in life carries many roles in itself when you are also a spouse, a mom, a daughter, a friend, etc. It’s sometimes exhausting.

Did you see the news report that came out today about women being smarter than men and scoring higher on IQ tests?  It seems to be because of all the “roles” we play, the things we juggle, and the people we take care of, including ourselves.

I want to share with you that I’ve been struggling for a few months now with the Superwoman Syndrome.

I didn’t realize that although I had done years of personal development work in my life, there were still limiting beliefs I held in place that kept showing up that told me that “to be successful means hard work”, “you have to just keep pushing through and don’t show any weakness”, “this is what you have to do for your family, your actor community, and all the others who depend on you”, “you have to be an example for everyone”…and on and on.

When my niece looked at me this past weekend in Las Vegas with an odd expression (we were there for her 4 day volleyball clinic at UNLV) she noticed how utterly exhausted I was and said, “Auntie Lisa, we don’t need all of the stuff you give me and mom, we just want to be with YOU and we want you to be happy.” I love that kid and I heard it loud and clear.  She really got me thinking about that. Why did I feel like I had to do everything perfectly?…why did I put so much pressure on myself to perform? Who says it has to be this way?  Why do I make up these deadlines I create that have me missing some of the most precious moments in life?  Are they really out there WAITING to hear from Lisa Gold?

The answers came through the questions that I asked, and the questions that my mentors asked.  It’s ALL made up!  And I can accomplish everything I say I want to with grace and ease…

But I have some work to do myself and I can’t teach what I haven’t learned.  Sometimes it’s not easy but I do realize it serves me in so many ways to play in this “gap” and become more and more aware of each moment of my precious and fabulous life.

I felt the need to plant a seed and share this with women in particular (hey, I know you GUYS have your moments too, but I’m not a guy!)…and share the pathway that I travel to start living my life on MY TERMS and with so much joy in my heart.  To live my purpose is always my goal.

I have a vision for the “New Superwoman”, the woman who embraces life on her own terms, redefining what is important and doing what nurtures her, tapping into her own femininity, inner passions and designing a life that fulfills that. It includes having peace of mind, a playful heart and a prosperous experience.  Always.

I invite you on the journey.

I’d love to hear from women just like you on how you overcome self-sabotage, limiting beliefs, and tap into your feminine energy to create a balance of peace, playfulness and prosperity in you life, and your show BUSINESS, while juggling all that YOU do.

Please take the time to comment so that other gals out there who read them can draw on your experiences.  You can’t teach what you haven’t learned.  Time to share with our wonderful community!

I look forward to reading what you have to say and wish you all peace, passion and purpose!  Love, Lisa

New Shows for the 2012 Fall TV Season

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AOTB ShowBiz Insider News Week of July 9th, 2012 / Issue #1

New Shows for the 2012 Fall TV Season

Every year around this time, once the Fall TV Season is announced at Upfronts, actors wait with baited breath to see which of them will be produced where. The majority, of course, will ultimately be shot in LA, with NY second, and a handful in other locations.

If your focus is television, where you live has something to do with the amount of work available to you but with technology and casting directors use of new video streaming in their auditions, as long as you are marketing yourself smartly and efficiently, you can be “seen” for shows shot almost anywhere.

Knowing the trends of the different networks is important too. For example, CBS has always been “branded” as the network for an older demographic with the kinds of shows that appeal to Baby Boomers…thus follows the commercial advertisers who want that particular audience to see an array of products that appeal to that sector. You don’t see a lot of investment type companies (i.e. TD Ameritrade or Charles Schwab) offering securities on the CW now do you?

Your job as an actor…yes as AN ACTOR, is to really get the gist of where you fit in to the larger picture. Gone are the days when you could just go to auditions without this marketing knowledge and get the part. We now have too many channels, not to mention the internet and who knows WHAT to come, competing for a viewer’s attention. And where eyes go, money follows!

Remember, it’s called Show BUSINESS for a reason. The current fall TV line up has been announced so do some homework and find out what’s being shot in your city, then market, mail and make money honey! I assert THAT is why you’re an actor, otherwise it’s just an expensive hobby!

To Your Success, Lisa Gold

Success Stories

Congratulations to Tom Schubert on BOOKING a national Cialis Voiceover! He recorded it on 7/10/12 – Way to go Tom! (We’re certain you’re not a customer though!)

Business Tips

When creating your photo post card, remember to put all pertinent contact info out of alignment of where the post office puts the bar code. This means along the bottom if your pic is landscape (don’t do it!) but should be fairly clear of being covered up if portrait style. Check with your local post office first if you’re unsure so you can be certain “they” can contact you when they need what you’ve got!

Why Social Media is Nothing Without Creativity

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As an actor (or just a “regular” person), gone are the days when you had 500 friends on Facebook and 75 of them clicked a link you posted or made a comment.  Now, you’d be lucky to get five.  Huuummmm…

The landscape of social media has drastically changed in the past three years.  Actor websites that began as powerful platforms to spread information about your latest acting credit, show, or “what’s happening” in your career has turned into the “norm” and congested with too much information that not everyone is interested in. There’s your family (always interested), real-life friends (sometimes interested), industry professionals you WANT to see what’s going on (maybe interested) and your audience, if you have one yet, (perhaps interested if they know you exist).

And now even social media has transformed from an efficient and inexpensive way to use the power of word of mouth, to a virtual mess of a garage sale.  How to sort through it all and TARGET market?

I still think social media is awesome.  Just take it slow and step by step.  AND FOCUS!

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others are completely free services that you can sign up for and use to create a community of passionate fans and eyes on EXACTLY what you are doing when you’re doing it.  But what people — actors, especially — need to do when using social media is to ACT outside the box, and create content that’s worthy of sharing.

Consider how other “regular” businesses used to their names in front of audiences before the internet, before TV, before radio — it was PURE word-of-mouth interaction, a.k.a. real people talking.

How can you do this too?  Combine your word-of-mouth marketing  with social media. Ever go to a live networking event like “Showbiz Thursdays” (formerly First Thursdays) and then let your social media friends and network know about it?  It’s the ability to let hundreds of people at a one time know what you’re up to.

Have you seen an amazing B’way show lately?  How about the latest big movie that everyone ELSE is talking about?  What did you like about it, or not?  If it’s “trending”, it usually makes it something worth talking about. And getting people talking is of course the name of the game.  Forget about what you ate for breakfast, posting pics of random cute animals and giving your opinion on politics or religion…yeah, two areas that are NOT related directly to the services you provide as an actor. (OK, that’s just MY opinion!)  Really, just STOP that!

Real people talking about you in person AND in the social media universe, getting those “eyes” on you is the intended outcome.  Not THAT’s a marketing strategy.

The unique thing about our community is that we are passionate about the arts, entertainment and about sharing. Creating this kind of presence where people pay attention doesn’t happen over night either.  Building trust and a highly-engaged community can take years.  Remember, slow and steady wins this race.

Sit back for a moment and take a look at your career. How can you create a conversation about what you uniquely offer that blends an offline live experience with an online one?  How can you encourage your community  to spread your message for you and have fun while doing it?  Think about the power of combining word-of-mouth communication and also getting new followers or “likes”.  Think about offering something of yourself that other people will want to participate in again and again.

I wish you all the very best this life has to offer, online and off!  To your success, Lisa