Are You a Happy Artist?

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“The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.” Allen K. Chalmers

This quote sums up my personal prescription for happiness! The activities I participate in, from hanging out with my friends, to feeding my dogs, eating fine food, to writing these blog posts, are ALL the things that make up feeling good in my life. My hope for the coming weeks and the rest of this year is that I continue to build a community and a lifestyle that reflects my passions – working with creatives, playing with animals, building businesses and relationships and oh yeah, having F-U-N! The stuff I LOVE!

It is my greatest desire that in this and the next several posts on the subjects of happiness, success, feeling good and more, inform the more content filled “here's what to do next” kind of posts I also enjoy writing.  To me, the WHY and the feelings behind doing what we're doing is just as important, if not more, than the WHAT we accomplish, get, or manifest.  (Although I totally still want that stuff too!)

In this life and in particular, this career you've chosen, you'll never have any lack of something to do. That's what being creative is all about. When you combine your love of creating/acting/singing or what have you with a nice healthy dose of hope, I'm certain the months ahead will have you jumping for joy as you experience a new ease and flow around your pursuits.

One of the ways to have this happen is to practice observing your thoughts and feelings around the activities you're engaging in.  Although I'd love to tell you to only do the things you “like”, there are often aspects of this business that are unlikeable.  The process here is to “check in” to see if you can create “liking” the things you do. This way some of the activities like auditioning, practicing, working on your website and the seemingly mundane tasks you know you need to do, the “to do” list…will begin to get done. HERE is the only place you actually have control. Your thinking is what creates your feelings and how you feel will determine your actions.  Do some of the things on your list, check in with how you feel, see that it's better/easier/faster than you “thought” it was going to be, and then the next time you do these new things it WILL be better/easier and faster. For me things shifted greatly when I took my “to do” list and converted it to a “to feel” list!

What kinds of things could you do today for your career?  How about one or more of these? —

  • Add a credit or upload new pictures to your personal website and/or submission platform(s).
  • Begin learning a new monologue, song or other material for upcoming auditions.
  • Set a 30 minute timer and work on your accent reduction, dialects, cold-reading skill or other “tool” you need to work on.
  • Research a tv show, director, agency, or casting office to gain valuable insight/info for your database.
  • Enter information you've learned from your research into you contact database.
  • Look at your audition record, statistics and begin a plan to increase your numbers.
  • Discover and learn some of the technology you know you need to master to compete in the digital world
  • Make a list of contacts you've been wanting to reach out to.  From that list, begin writing to one, drafting your cover note.
  • Create a plan of action around your marketing list.

…and those are just a few examples of doing something around your career today that will impact your forward progress and results in the future.  Remember —

Thoughts = Feelings = Actions = Results

Staying positive and engaging in activities that make you FEEL happy and successful is KEY.  Tell me your thoughts on this post in the comments!

Your Career MINDSET – Set up? Or Up-set?

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I’ve used the term “Success” in a few of my recent posts.  I’d like to clarify what I mean by success.  To me, success is in your THINKING.

While most people look at their bank accounts, homes, clothes, awards and acknowledgements, having an agent or other “outward” symbols or signs that show they are a success, I have a personal experience of success defined by the way I feel on a daily and on-going basis.

I know many people, actors and others, who have an abundance of the aforementioned things in their lives, who are extremely unhappy, have struggles in their relationships and are on Prozac or other anit-depressants.  Conversely, I also know folks who live paycheck to paycheck, share an apartment with 4 other people, no car, no savings, no agent, no visible “stuff” to be admired and yet they are happy and know and believe that what they are working on or towards is inevitable.  Hummmmm.

Success is in your thinking.  And what you think is what informs how you feel.

It’s my humble opinion that the outward signs of success (that “stuff” again) are wanted only for the simple reason that once they are obtained, you’ll FEEL good!  And that feeling is success.  Hummmmm?

Well here’s the good news.  You can feel successful right NOW, without the stuff… and you know what?  Once you’ve figured out how to do that, the “stuff” will come faster!  How’s that for a mind-bender?

Here’s my list of the 7 Habits of Highly Successful Actors…and in my next several posts, I hope you’ll continue to read more and take a closer look with me into how your mindset will make or break you in this biz.

SUCCESSFUL ACTORS NEVER STOP MARKETING

Be consistent and mechanical = no stop and start
(Out of site out of mind…it’s TRUE)

SUCCESSFUL ACTORS ARE ALWAYS NETWORKING

Hang out with other enthusiastic actors, participate in positivity
(Get out of your house, move away from the computer!)

SUCCESSFUL ACTORS ARE ALWAYS IN AN ACTING CLASS

Have a continued appreciation for the craft and other actor’s work
(If you’re not growing, you’re dying – there’s no in between)

SUCCESSFUL ACTORS DO THEIR HOMEWORK

Study, research and KNOW who the players are in this industry
(Names of people and projects, box office gross, deals and more)

SUCCESSFUL ACTORS KEEP A POSITIVE MINDSET

Speak and think WELL of yourself and others ALWAYS
(Kill off the negative little voice in your head)

SUCCESSFUL ACTORS ARE ORGANIZED, ON TIME, AND RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS

Have integrity in EVERYTHING you do
(Not the moral kind, the NOT cutting corners kind)

SUCCESSFUL ACTORS HAVE BOTH ARTISTIC AND FINANCIAL GOALS

Have a PLAN for your day, week, month, and year in advance
– with room for adjustments, but committing to accomplishing them
(Most actors don’t plan to fail – they fail to plan)

If some of the above sounds repetitive, GOOD!  It's meant to be.  I'll keep on saying the same things over and over and over and over again until it sinks in.  If it's already in, then it's time to apply it.  If you've already applied it, it's time to keep consistent with what works.  And rinse and repeat and never give up!

I'd love to hear your comments on what success means to you!

What to Know When Working with a New Rep…

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Getting an agent is just the entree into your new experience as a represented actor.  If you’ve followed the steps laid out in the last two posts(1) and successfully secured a rep(2), you now have new responsibilities.

I know a lot of actors who unfortunately leave their career in the hands of their agent thinking that they can rest, and other than a quick “touch base” here and there to remind their rep that they are around, do, well, nothing.  Your job in marketing your actor services never ends and now is the time to ramp up your own efforts because you are represented and part of a team.

Here are some guidelines to help you stay top of mind in your rep’s thinking and assist them in getting you in the door for more opportunities. Your goal is to have them happy to work with you over the long term and you them:

COMMUNICATION

  • Ask how often and the best method to be in touch – then do it. When you haven’t had an audition in a while, don’t assume anything.  Have a way of being in touch that works for both of you. Email?  Text?  Call?  When?
  • Respond to calls/emails for auditions immediately. This is PARAMOUNT.  Even an hour’s delay is too long. Confirm or ask for a reschedule if needed.
  • Be as available for auditions as humanly possible.  Tell them (book out) when unavailable. A huge pet peeve (that’s putting it lightly) is when you’ve finally been called in by the CD for an audition and you forgot to tell your rep you’re on vacation this week.  Booking out, even for a day, is necessary, as cancelling auditions makes both you and your rep look unprofessional in the CD’s eyes.

EXPAND AND GROW

  • Network and meet casting directors, directors, writers and producers every way you can. This is a continuing process and includes you announcing to your list of these industry contacts that you have new representation through email, postcards, social media or all of the above.
  • Inform your agent and/or manager who you’ve already met in the industry who knows you, your name, your skill, etc. for more leverage. Make sure they know who you are already connected to.
  • Be engaged in education, training, research and development for your business constantly. Every business person who is in business (that’s you if you haven’t figured it out by now) is always learning what’s new in their market to stay with or ahead of the curve.

INVEST IN YOURSELF

  • Become a wealthy artist instead of a starving artist or a “just getting by” artist by putting 10% of all income aside to consistently invest in your show business career.
  • Create a budget for your show (craft training) and another for your business (marketing expenses).  Then stick to it come hell or high water!  No money, no marketing, no business. Game over.
  • Spend your time, energy, effort and money on result producing products and services. Classes, marketing tools, online submission profiles and more are essential and keeping track of what you spend money on that works is too.

HAVE A PLAN/STRATEGY

  • Failure to plan = Planning to fail. When choosing to become an actor for a living, you weren’t thinking of it not working out.  Having a plan will create a path to your dream career.  Not having a plan keeps it a dream.
  • Make long term and short term goals with specific with dates and numbers. Measuring and monitoring your efforts and seeing what you’re doing that is effective and what is not will show you what and where to correct…and when to stop or continue.
  • Create quarterly written business plans with benchmarks in time.  Review weekly. Take out the mystery of your career progress.  What you focus on expands (The Law of Attraction).

Working well and in tandem with your rep will propel your further faster when you employ the things laid out above.  You want that right?  I enjoy your comments on my posts and would love to hear you share your thoughts, especially if you are currently represented.  Did you learn something new?  What will you begin today?

Interviewing with Your (Potential) Talent Agent – What to Prepare Before your Meeting

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Securing representation during the interview process should be your goal.  “Of course it is” you’d say to me, but I can’t tell you how many actors I’ve met, either interviewing with me or being coached by me, that have no idea if they have a rep by the time the meeting is over.  So here are some more steps to consider before, during, and at the end of interview process to be sure.  And to secure that YES!

FIRST BUSINESS, THEN SHOW

  • Do extensive research on both the agent and the agency (or management co.) before the meeting. I often asked actors I met while working at 90210 Talent if they did any research on me before the meeting. 95% said no. The few that did had my immediate and full attention.  Not because of ego, but because I was looking for someone who was business minded like me who would take their time to see if we were aligned.
  • Treat the interview like finding a life partner. Ask the most important questions first. Ask questions about some of the things you found out about them in your research.  Be more interested than you are interesting.  Trust me, this works!
  • Have basic knowledge of the shows and projects their current clients are in.

DISCUSS MUTUAL GOALS

  • Know in advance the answer to “so where do you see yourself a year from now?” Be sure, clear and concise.
  • Make sure you know the medium you’ll mostly likely make money in quickly (i.e. commercials, theater, independent film)
  • Talk just as much about financial goals as artistic goals.

WHAT YOU OFFER VS WHAT YOU WANT

  • Let your potential new rep know what you are doing on your own to make money acting. The thought that you can’t make money until you get a rep is backwards, especially in today’s open and internet driven marketplace.
  • Have your speaking illustrate what your acting provides other people’s projects.
  • Be confident in your value, artistically, financially and as a creator.

TEAM MENTALITY

  • Realize they need you as much as you need them. You’ll be working together.  A rep doesn’t work for you and you don’t work for them.  There is no “I” in team.  So cliché but so true.
  • Let them know that will be continuing to do your own work for audition opportunities. This is more than simply taking classes in your craft. They want to know what you’ll be doing to continue to market yourself via networking and meetings.
  • Relate to them as your equal and ASK them to be your representative.

This last part is the missing link – the ASK. There’s a lot of fear around this and I want to alleviate it by saying that if you think and feel it was a great meeting and that you are mutually aligned on most if not all aspects, the rep will feel it too! If they haven’t already offered to represent you, do NOT walk out of the door without asking this question.  Instant respect, whether it’s a yes or a no.

If during the interview process you know in your gut that something isn’t aligned and that you have missing pieces to fill in or that you and the potential rep don’t have the same perception of what you offer or what’s possible for your career to mutual benefit, you’ll know this too.  TRUST your GUT!

In my next post I’ll offer even more things to consider while working with your NEW REP to keep you top of mind, in step with your rep, all the while keeping inspired enthusiasm for your new partnership, even though they will have moved on to find their next great client.

Comments?  Care to share?  Please do!

Why Do You Want an Agent?

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We all know we want and need one, but what’s the real reason behind having someone in your court, fighting for you too?

You get to be one of the talented actors that has a committed partner in your career.  You won’t be on your own anymore.

You’ll gain access to those awesome casting directors and auditions that you otherwise wouldn’t. Stepping up a few rungs on the ladder to reach your dreams happens quicker because you’re part of a team.

The feeling of success that comes from working side by side with your agent towards a common vision – your vision – is realized.  The right agent is a faster track to you making a living with your passion and art.

Your resources and relationships will instantly expand.  With your combined network of influence you’ll experience the “whole being greater than the sum of its parts”.

Generally your casting opportunities for roles that are a pro-fit will increase. No guessing or submitting to any/every audition possibility on every on-line casting site.  You and your agent will have discussed and targeted the roles you’re most likely to book and are appropriate for.

Your agent will “push” for you when needed and get “feedback” on why it didn’t work out when it doesn’t.  Not all the time, but certainly when it counts the most.  This will speed your career up because you can correct and continue and learn how to make it better for the next audition.

Yep, the benefits of having an agent are plentiful.  Keep your eye on the prize and go after the kind of agent that you deserve!  Study them and choose wisely…they are not “one size fits all”.  Remember a pro-fit means PROFIT!

And up next – What’s in it for them?…YES, you want to know this too!

Feel free to comment and let me know personally WHY you want an agent!

What Does it Take to Get and Keep an Agent?

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When I was doing my live version of my most popular seminar on “How to Get and Keep an Agent”, I’d open with these questions:

“How many of you are currently looking for an agent?” and 70% to 80% of the actors would raise their hands. Then I’d ask “How many of you have an agent, but you're looking for a better agent?” and most of the remaining hands would go up.

THEN I’d ask “How many of you are here for the ‘how to keep' part?” And usually one person would raise their hand and often no one at all.

You know what that tells me?  You have an agent problem.

At 90210 Talent I worked with actors that I had never seen perform live in anything.  Yes I watched some demos to get a sense of what their talents were but for the most part I was looking at marketability (more on that later). Talent is in the eye of the beholder and very subjective.  We all have different points of view.  So if you think your talent is what is going to get you an agent, that’s a mistake. But I digress…

I’m simply making the bold statement here that what you think you know about getting (and keeping) an agent isn’t true.  It’s just what you think is true.

This is the part of the process I love to teach the most!  Your breakthrough in securing the right representation for you has less to do with your talent and more to do with your thoughts around what it takes to get one.

I’ve discovered a pretty pervasive scarcity mentality, an adversarial mentality, and worst of all, a hopeless mentality with regard to pursuing agency and/or management representation. This isn’t true for everyone of course, but if you have any negative emotion around gaining a rep or working with your present one, then keep reading this blog on what it’s gonna take for you to flip that switch.  What switch?  The thought process you have around what they’re looking for, your approach and responsibilities, and what it costs in terms of time and money.  Trust me, it’s a LOT easier than you’re making it!

After almost a decade of delivering this course in many formats the problem I’ve determined that most actors have is NOT how to get an agent but how to ATTRACT the right agent for them.

So how do you attract one? Stay tuned!

Your Agent Has Feelings Too.

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Remember how crushed you were when you had 3 callbacks for that pilot, were the first choice of the CD and the director, but lost the part to that name actor at the last minute? Sooooo crushed. Well your agent was crushed, too and that was the fourth time that same thing happened to one of her clients this week.  

And then it was that Network National commercial that she had two clients on “avail” for and they both got released, losing the booking. She talked each of those clients off the ledge, just like she did for you, while at the same time submitting on the breakdowns, closing deals for other clients who did book, and saw 8 new prospective clients at interviews.  She’s holding it together, but she’s ready to crack. Cut her some slack and know that she’s doing her best.

The greatest feeling for any representative is when you book a job. My highest highs when working at the agency were when the call came from casting with an “avail” for one of our actors, then waiting with great excitement and anticipation for the booking call to come. However, when I got “release” emails, or if casting actually took the time to call (rare), my lowest lows were when they didn’t book it.  I felt every bit of it, and then I also felt it again when I had to tell the actor. Talk about a roller coaster.  

I believe everyone is always doing their best and I want you to believe that about your agent too. Your agent is a person. There are emotional, financial, organizational and scheduling aspects to her biz that inform how she operates. She’s got a boss and co-workers, and then at home, her kids and dogs and a husband and, oh yeah, the gym and the book club.  Who am I kidding? There’s no time for a book club or even a book for that matter!  Again, being a representative is hard.

I know you want your rep to believe in you, take care of you and be interested in your dreams. But you believing that an agent lives to make your dreams come true is just plain stinkin’ thinkin’!  She is not responsible for your happiness or your success.  It’s her job to make her own dreams come true and it’s your job to tirelessly and passionately make yours come true. Choose to believe that the work, the marketing and the mindset is ALL ON YOU!  Taking control of your work (craft/business/networking) and being responsible for your own career happiness will have your agent calling you!  And doing all of these things to begin with, before you’re represented, will most assuredly give you your choice of agents and managers to work with.

Feeling good now?

To Your Success, Lisa

Are You Really Hearing Clearly? Communicating with Your Rep.

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My agent just doesn’t “get me” is a phrase I’ve heard a lot as a consultant and now since being in the shoes of representation I can honestly tell you why.  Ready? Your agent most likely doesn’t speak your language.

Though some representatives come from an acting background the majority have not, and chances are your agent isn’t in a weekly acting class. (By the way, you are, right?) No, she spends her evenings on the computer till midnight, because the breakdowns come out at all hours.  And I do mean ALL!

While many agents have great instincts about actors, they may not speak a language that suggests that they understand your artistic process. So, don’t expect them to. When they offer a note about your performance that may seem insensitive, don’t take it personally. Transform it into something that helps you grow and expand as an artist. And if it’s not helpful, just chalk it up to “their opinion”.

Again, and I’ll keep saying it over and over, agents are spending 10 or more hours a day on their computers, on the phone, sending email messages and making submission notes, all in service of getting you IN THE ROOM. When you call to talk to them in the middle of all that, don’t expect them to be super sensitive to the creative and delicate artist that you are.

I think folks loved having me work with them when I was at the agency because I was an actor/singer for 35 years (still am!) and could relate on that level and did take the time to consider their feelings.  But I do that as a general rule all day every day with everyone I meet!  Except the guy that cuts me off on the 405 at rush hour…I’m only human!

That was the saddest part of my leaving…a loss of that relationship for both of us.  However my clarity around what makes me happy on an on-going basis and the courage to choose my happiness above all else is what ultimately brought me back to what serves a much larger audience these days.  And I’m grateful to you for being a part of this community and reading this right now.  Thanks for letting me be me!

To Your Success, Lisa

Is Your Agent Cheating on You?

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Yes, your agent has other clients. Deal with it. Your agent would go hungry if she only had you as a client. She has to have “everything on the grocery store shelf” to have the best shot at making a living.

One of the fun parts of searching for and finding new talent is creating that awesome stable of actors with unique talents and skills that cover all of the possible casting needs in this crazy industry. We need one or two in every category.  Age, ethnicity, male/female, union and/or non-union, height/weight, languages, special skills, and every possible saleable commodity is needed so we can provide our shoppers, ahem, casting directors, with what they need. So when your phone call/email/text (pick ONE please!) isn’t returned right away, know that there are at least 20 other actors who are also demanding attention.

Again, I share with you that my love of actors and people in general was also the thing that had me leave the agency.  I was inundated with communication at all hours of the day and night because I didn’t set the proper boundaries I needed to have my own life work. This was a very valuable lesson learned for me and let it be one for you as well.  Please realize that while your focus is on ONE career, yours, your rep’s focus is widespread, on MANY others…it has to be. Give them the space and time to respond.  Here’s a great communication guideline to use:

  1. URGENT – Immediate (or within the next couple of hours)  – CALL them

     Examples:

  1. Car broke down/running late to audition
  2. Last minute accident or injury
  3. Having you sign something weird on set/at an audition

 

  1.  IMPORTANT – Something today – TEXT them

     Examples:

  1. Audition follow up – how it went/info
  2. You sent an email that you want to call attention to
  3. Checking in from set/audition and need something

 

  1.  INFORMATIONAL – Something this week – EMAIL them

     Examples:

  1. Recommendations for classes, photographers, etc.
  2. Review of new headshots or other marketing materials
  3. Invitations to performances

In my next post I’ll talk about not just the when, but the HOW to communicate clearly with your rep.  Stay tuned.

What are your thoughts on being “part of many”? Do you feel you're on the inside; part of a team; listened to? Comment and share!

Your Agent Isn’t an Angel

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OK, by saying your agent isn’t an angel, I’m not disparaging their mood, mode or how they operate. What I’m trying to say is that your agent is not here to save you!  

Many actors suffer from the notion is it that it’s the agent’s job to dust you off, polish you to a brilliant shine, and escort you to the promised land. The belief is that the agent does all the work.

In fact this was MY mistake when I took on working with 90210.  Inherently the coach and teacher in me kicked in and I was spending an inordinate amount of time getting the talent I inherited and brought in by the last agent working there into what I considered to be “fighting shape”.  Polishing up their online profiles, telling them the best classes to take that would mean something on their resume and sending a lot of inspiring messages to prop up feelings of doubt, took time away from the most vital aspects of being a representative…submissions and bookings.  

I realized that even actors that are represented didn’t really know a lot about business and marketing and had the thought that it would and should be my job.  They’d do the “show” and I’d do the “biz”. And I was facilitating this…big mistake on both of our parts!

I had seen it for many years when coaching actors…this persistent thought that there’s someone or something outside of you that has the power to make dreams come true with little effort or output from you, and once you find that person, you’ll be rich and famous. But then it was “theory” and here it was in practice, evidence of this insanity.  I drove myself insane too, then I stopped it at the behest of the head of the agency.

I want to let you know that during my tenure there I had actors who never got an audition at all.  I was submitting them a TON and the CD’s weren’t calling them in.  Not because they weren’t talented (how would they know?) but because the materials I had to submit with weren’t viable and requests for new headshots or media on their profiles, updating resumes and other requests were ignored or took months.  I pushed the buttons knowing that they’d never get in the door…and it was a very disturbing place to be in.  Since I left, I’m fairly certain many of these actors have sadly been dropped from the roster.  A very avoidable situation.

Getting an agent doesn’t mean you’ll ever have an audition and it certainly doesn’t mean that you don’t have to do most of the work in getting opportunities yourself.  Leaving it all up to your rep is folly. You have to be in classes, write/shoot/produce/direct your own material, put up a play/Youtube video/Facebook live and get yourself out there. These days you have to work harder than your agent. Training in class consistently, creating your own material constantly, and doing whatever you can to engage with other artists is essential to your craft and your career. You have to give your agent the tools to sell you. Relying upon anyone other than yourself is career suicide. Giving up your artistic and professional responsibility to an agent is a grave error that too many actors make. Do the work and make your agent catch up.  

Stay tuned for more “insider” info in my next post.  To Your Success, Lisa