Tag Archive for: acting

So Are You Ready for a Rep? Here’s How to Tell…

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“YES, I’m ready!” Well that’s what I expect most actors to say, whether they actually are or not.

When I worked at my agency, since we were a mid-sized office, we all picked up the incoming calls as we didn’t have a receptionist.  It never ceased to amaze me that at least 50% of these daily calls were from actors seeking representation WHO HAD NO EXPERIENCE OR TRAINING AND NO MARKETING MATERIALS WHATSOEVER! Mind blowing.

They would tell me “I’m talented and I’m looking for an agent”, meaning the thought process was that what they bring to the relationship is the talent and the agent does everything else.  Now if you’ve been reading my posts thus far, I know that YOU know differently.  But how differently?  Have you considered your readiness for representation (first, more, better, different) or do you just think you are ready because you’re talented?

Remember in one of my previous blogs where I spoke about what I looked for in an actor when evaluating them for possible representation?  Marketability? Well here is what I mean by that.  On top of talent, in order to be represented you must have:

Experience – this is a list (more than one credit) of actual work that you have done.  As in “been cast or hired” to perform and not simply starred in your own show or webisode or one person show – for free.  Yes, that kind of work is good too, but can’t be the only kind of work on your resume.  The old “catch 22” of not having an agent “so how can you get work?”, doesn’t apply anymore.  With self-submission platforms, networking, social media pages/groups and more, getting your own work is easier than ever.

Training and/or Formal Education – This is in addition to your experience, not instead of it.  If you’re just out of acting class, a conservatory, or even a graduate of a 4-year program or MFA, it’s a misnomer that you’re ready for an agent or manager as evidenced by the plethora of school ending showcases with very few offers to graduates.  Being trained is part of the process of becoming a gifted and talented actor, but that doesn’t mean with training alone you are ready for representation.

Stellar and Up to Date Marketing Materials – Today this means all of your on-line profiles with which a representative will be using to submit you must be “tricked out” with everything at your disposal to help them to get you in the door of casting offices.  It’s no longer good enough to submit for representation with a headshot and resume.  You need media (video, audio clips in addition to full demos), various and many headshots, your resume in an order so that your credits speak quickly as to what your area of focus is and more.

A Business Mindset and Industry Knowledge – An agent respects you as a person even more and will be more inclined to work with you when you have taken your time to learn about your industry. Knowing the names of casting directors, shows, production companies, directors, what’s trending in the industry and other easily accessible information is essential. The “me” mentality of most actors seeking representation is a very narrow point of view and unfortunately too many actors have it. This is the biggest pet peeve of almost every representative I know as they desire a true partnership with their talent.  Taking time to educate yourself in the business of show isn’t only a good idea, it’s what will get you an agent much sooner.

If you’re lacking one or more of the above, then in my not-so-humble opinion you are not ready for representation.  But inside this realization there are clues as to what steps to take in order to be ready.

If you do have all of the above or are well on your way, then my next post will explore your first steps in seeking an agent or manager.  Stay tuned.

By the way, feel free to share where you're at today.  Just starting out?  Back after an absence? Been at it for a while and still looking for the right fit?  I'd love to hear from you!

 

To be a SUCCESSFUL Actor with an Agent – Consider This

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I know plenty of actors with agents and managers who are not successful.  Whether you’re looking for a rep for the first time (and feel you’re ready for one) or you’ve been with an agent/manager and aren’t feeling successful, consider these first steps.  You may feel like you’ve taken some of them, but ALL of them are required to be a SUCCESSFUL actor with a rep…

MAKE THE CHOICE TO MAKE ACTING YOUR BUSINESS

  • Target the agents that represent your type/level of experience.
  • Research something about the representative that you can include in your message that acknowledges them. Don’t make it all about you.
  • Invest in quality marketing materials that include great headshots and a properly formatted resume with “tricked out” online casting profiles to stand out from your competition and make the best first impression.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY

  • Have a written marketing plan in place before you begin your agent campaign. This includes dates and how you will contact them…what you'll say in the first submission and the follow ups if you haven't heard back.
  • Create your target list – between 6 and 10 agencies/mgmt. firms ONLY. Too many reps at once become unmanageable in your plan.  No mass mailings.
  • Contact each one at least 3 times within one month of the first submission.

RECOGNIZE YOUR TALENT HAS VALUE

  • Cover notes should say what you provide besides talent.  Why you?  What is your particular value to that particular rep?
  • Know your specific archetype and why it sells.
  • Know and point to what a particular agency is looking for when considering you for representation. Speak to that.

$$ MONEY $$

  • Consider they have kids in college and a mortgage to pay and that they are looking at you through green colored glasses. (and also that that is OK because it's their business!)
  • Position your commissionable credits first – paid work vs. chronology.
  • Can they sell you to casting directors with your current materials?

TRAINING

  • Choose acting teachers who have name/reputation value on your resume.  And of course, are also great teachers!
  • Consider the kinds of acting classes that support you making money. Who are their working alumni? Does that teacher have great industry relationships?
  • Research the best class, teacher, school by Googling “best in your city” (need to put the quotes in when searching)

WHO THEY'LL KNOW

  • Put names of teachers/directors/CDs who have great reputations on your resume.
  • Name production companies and theater companies instead of unknown directors.
  • Recognizable titles of plays, films, and TV shows go first.

If you’ve taken these first steps, the next most likely step will be a meeting.  In my next post I’ll share what you’ve got to have prepared for a face to face.  Feel free to share your comments and questions and I’m happy to answer!

Why Does an Agent Want YOU?

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Yep as an agent, we know we need wonderfully talented and creative actors to represent, but what’s the real reason behind choosing a particular person to work with?

You get to be one of the people responsible for finding the “new face” everyone is talking about.  You are the discoverer of the diamond in the rough.

You’ll gain access to those awesome projects, producers, casting directors and auditions that define your status as an agent or manager. 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 talent towards a common vision – your vision – is realized.  The right actors are a faster track to you making a living doing what you love, buying a vacation home and sending your kids to college.

Your resources and relationships will grow.  Your new actor will bring on board their historical experience and network of influence. With your entire stable of actors continuing to create personal relationships of their own, your combined efforts will have you experience the “whole being greater than the sum of its parts”.

Your opportunities for roles that you can leverage for your actors will increase. The talent getting auditions at the co-star level, once booked, can be turned into guest star auditions and so on. Watching your actors progress is not a guessing game but simply a climb on the inevitable ladder to success.  You and your talent will have discussed and targeted the roles they’re most likely to book and are appropriate for.

You’ll be excited to “push” for your actors 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 ability to correct and continue and learn how to make things better for the next audition.

As you add more talented people to your roster to fill out “everything needed on the grocery store shelf” you become the “go to” agent for polished, professional, business-minded, easy-to-work-with actors.  A true win-win for all involved.

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

Does it feel better knowing that agents have very similar feelings and goals as you?  Share your feelings on this subject please.

TIME and The Law of Attraction

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I've been writing a lot on the subject of time in my last few blog posts.  This is due to the fact that I recently took part in a 4-day silent meditation retreat.  It was over a long holiday weekend so it seemed perfect timing…meaning, business wasn't expected to continue at its normal pace so I felt I could fit it in my schedule without too many things getting overlooked.

WOW, what an eye opener!  One of the biggest take-aways from the Vipassana was the speeding up AND the slowing down of my experience with time.  We literally had 6 meditation sessions a day with rest, tea and meal breaks.  And 4 days with no talking!  ME, not talking.  That alone is quite a feat, but as I said time was super warped.  Some days the sessions flew by and other times it seemed like forever, though we were doing pretty much the same thing.  Eyes closed, deep breathing, counting breaths, not speaking, in and out, over and over and over again.

The point is that somewhere I came to understand that the only point in time that truly matters is the one we're living right now.  The present moment.  I've been teaching this for years, but the meditation experience brought it home.

And no matter how many times I teach “the joy is in the journey” and “you can enjoy every moment on your way to your manifested desires”,  most still want a microwave fast career.  Go to school (or a few acting classes), get an agent, have a few awesome auditions, book a gig on TV, film, be seen by key people and become a household name, highly sought after actor on her way to a big award…and like YESTERDAY PLEASE!  Listen I get it, so here's a little something for you to chew on…

For those that have known me over the many years or even if you've just recently started reading my blogs, you may know that I'm a huge believer in the Law of Attraction, and I truly believe that if you've read this far, then you're here for a reason and your timing is perfect.  So I'd like to share a short video from one of my great teachers on the subject, Abraham-Hicks.

The video is entitled “How long do I have to wait?” and I offer it to those of you who want what you want faster than you're getting it and the possible answer to why that is. Click this link and take your TIME, eyes closed, and listen to the answer.

I'm still a huge believer in enjoying every moment to moment delicious moment of the day, and I'm still creating lots of things I desire that haven't yet manifested for me too.  But I'm not in a hurry about it anymore.  Instead I know that it, they, he, she, those are coming my way and I'm perfectly content if it's tomorrow, next week or next year.

I'd love your comments on the video/audio and or the Law of Attraction and how it works in your life below!

Conventional Wisdom Suggests that you Need an Agent, but Do You?

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My brand for well over a decade, “How to Get and Keep an Agent”, has been my “hook” to get actors to pay attention to what I teach.  It’s because I know the prevailing thought process of every actor out there, ready for representation or not, is that you need an agent and/or manager to make your acting dreams come true.

Agents and managers validate you by saying “yes” to representing you, and when they do, what goes through the average actor’s mind is something like this: 

The doors of casting offices you’ve never been in before will suddenly be flung open and you’ll have awesome audition opportunities.

You’ll then be able to get in front of the real decision-makers, get hired on jobs in a major film or TV show, book a National Network commercial or Broadway show and the result is a big paycheck, champagne and red carpets. You begin rehearsing your Oscar/Emmy/Tony speech.

Conventional wisdom, and this thought process, is all kinds of wrong. I came to find that agents and managers are human beings with human limitations (like me) who require a LOT of understanding (like me!)

The first thing to really understand is that representatives are in a BUSINESS. Our business is to RE-present what you offer the marketplace to our contacts and MAKE MONEY.  Yep, that’s why we do it.  It’s not the only reason of course, but it is the primary one.  We choose the best options for that particular outcome…money in our pocket to pay the rent, put kids through school and enjoy a desired lifestyle.  We don’t choose to represent you because we like you and want to grab lunch or even because we think you’re awesomely talented.  We choose you because we think we can make money with you.

Your job as part of this TEAM, and even before you’re a member of a rep/talent team, is to make yourself easy to sell (both craft wise and with complete and amazing marketing materials) and realize that to be a working actor today, you need to consider yourself as more than simply a talented artist.  Gaining opportunities to show that stellar talent is a full time job, and it’s YOUR job.  A representative is an extension of your marketing efforts.

But you’re an artist who’s in it for the art. Great. But every other artist before and since has had to balance art with finance. It’s a completely necessary consideration. Hearing actors say things like “I have an agent but got in the door on that audition by myself…why didn’t she get me in?” Or, “my agent isn’t getting me any (enough) auditions.” Or “I’m the one writing to Casting Directors, marketing my butt off going to networking events and casting director workshops, so why should I have to give her 10%?”

I’m actually going to answer those questions and hopefully give you a different perspective in my next several blog posts. For now I just want you to accept the fact that your rep is trying to make money. And if you’re not a commodity that’s ready to be sold, it’s not personal, it’s business.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.  Feel free to comment and share!

A Faster Way to Realize Your Dreams

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Here’s a little “to do” that if you actually DO it, will help you get what you want much faster! But of course, you have to know what it is you want for this to work.  I have found in my coaching sessions that not distinguishing EXACTLY what my client wants is the biggest obstacle to a successful creative career that dreams are made of.  “I just want to make my living as an actor (screenwriter, author, artist, singer, etc.)” is not a goal…at least one that can have a strategic plan with actions that will bring you that manifestation.  

So what do YOU want?

WRITE down your big dream, short term desire (a 90 day goal) and a supportive belief.  What do I mean by that?  Here’s an example:

Big Dream:  I have just been nominated for my first Oscar and am about to appear on a hit late night talk show.  

Short Term Desire:  I have just sold my first script for money and it is in pre-production as an independent film.

Supportive Belief:  Because of my strong networking skills and offers to help people where I can, I believe my determination and natural likability will make it easy for me to get involved in the kind of projects that align with my heart's desires.

Give yourself the gift of this 15 minute exercise, read what you wrote daily, and I can absolutely guarantee a HUGE difference will be seen in 90 days. Why, because what you FOCUS on expands.  Attention to your dreams and goals (a dream with a deadline) is what speeds up any process!

Why 90 days?  Because some scientist or genius figured out that anything done for this amount of time eventually becomes habitual.  And creating the habit of focusing on exactly what you want will have it come to you faster.

I'd love to hear about some of your big dreams and short term desires in the comments below!

The Reason to Love Rejection

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Today I will share with you some of my most useful career experience. Believe it or not, it comes from rejection, and lots of it. Who likes rejection? I'll tell ya who – I do! Well, maybe not ‘like” it, but certainly I can appreciate it.

I knew I wanted to be in show business (singing, acting, walking the red carpet) ever since I was 4 years old. At the beginning it was easy. I got the lead in all of the school plays (Red Riding Hood, Peter Pan, solo for the class song on the radio) and grew up in a house where my dad was a comic. I was fully supported and when I wanted to go to North Carolina School of the Arts for high school, I got in on the first try.

During the summer when I was 16, I auditioned for and got my very first paying acting/singing job in a show called Hooray for Hollywood at a NC based theme park – Carowinds.  So where's the rejection you ask? Everything that happened directly after that. And I am thankful!

After school and then some college I began going on hundreds of auditions. Yes, HUNDREDS. I auditioned for everything, appropriate or not for my type or level of skill, and because of that, of course, didn't get MOST of the things I auditioned for. Big theater companies rejected me, little jingle companies rejected me because I couldn't read music well enough, print agents said I was too “big” (I’ve lost over a hundred pounds since then but that’s another story!) and forget TV. Most of the auditions I did get for TV were basically open calls or generals (which they don’t even do anymore) before they also rejected me.

It was mainly because I had very little experience. The economy was recovering then too – the recession of the 80's, the gas crisis, hey, everything old is new again, right? And I kept thinking my career would be different if someone would just give me a break. How can I get the experience if someone doesn't give me a break?

The reason this period of time was so useful is that it helped me develop a really thick skin. I came to realize that casting directors weren't really rejecting me as a person or on my potential (heck I was and still am an AWESOME singer) – they were rejecting my resume; my product. As it became depersonalized, it became easier. I eventually landed a gig with a big band, then my first musical, and shortly after that a gig as an “in house” jingle singer in Houston, TX. From there I did more musicals, cruise ships as a headliner, print work, soaps, commercials, some indie film and 35 years later I look back and see that I have a very nice history doing what I love and getting paid. But it took TIME and lots of rejection.

One of the great things about auditioning over and over again is that your “payoff” of getting the gig is almost always a function of a series of “best of all attempts”, not the average. Now that my focus has turned to helping other actors gain representation, I  get rejected by many more people several times at a day.  And that's OK because I always remember that at the end of a long string of “nos” there is bound to be a yes!

Reaching this level of appreciation takes time AND getting rejected a lot!  So if you aren't getting rejected on a daily basis, get your butt out there!   Never give up and keep on keepin' on! 

I'd love some stories of rejection.  Yes, it may be painful or it could be cathartic.  This includes auditions, agent interviews or even at networking events.  Maybe social media comes in to play?  Please share!

Attract Agents by Knowing Casting Directors

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You know the old saying “It's who you know” that will help you get ahead in this biz.  Well that's half true.

My take on it is “it’s who knows you”.

For every agent meeting you take, you’ll be asked “how many casting directors know your work?”  Before you interview, my recommendation is that you have at least a list of 5 or don’t go! And when you have a rep, your talent agent and/or manager will want you to continue to grow your list on your own in addition to the auditions they send you on.

So how do you create a network of influential people that know you, like your acting work and are in your court?

Here are 5 ways to do just that:

  1. Mail or email your headshot, resume and online profile links to the 10 top casting directors in your area of focus every quarter, without fail, letting them know that you’re available and what else is going on in your career i.e. a new class, skill acquired, call back or booking.
  2. Identify which CD’s you’d like to show your talent to in person and book a meeting with them at a casting director workshop establishment like Actors Connection. If you’re either in LA or New York, check out for local networking places to meet industry professionals in person.
  3. Attend a networking party, brunch, assistants night, screening or other event where casting directors and other industry will be in attendance. Introduce yourself as an actor and be interested in them and what they do before you offer your business card or ask to send them your casting profiles.
  4. Volunteer at or attend a charity event frequented by the entertainment community. Animal rescue and health awareness causes always draw actors, agents and casting directors alike.  Do your research on your top picks to see what they stand for and if you get behind the same cause, you have commonality.
  5. Follow or friend them on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media. Today casting directors use the web to offer advice, post auditions and give feedback on many things hoping to help the actors they will meet someday in an audition room.

It’s time you understood that with a HUGE network of people that have you on their radar, the chances of having the breakthrough, kick-butt, acting career of your dreams are dramatically increased.  There are many people in the showbiz world who are ready and waiting for you to get connected and stay connected.  You never know which one of them will be key in your forward movement.

What are your favorite ways to make contact with casting directors, agents and other industry?  If you have resources to share, please post away in the comments section below with your location and why you recommend what you recommend.  Thanks!

10 Habits to Turn your Dreams into your Reality

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Over my 40 year professional career as an actor and my last 20+ years as a coach/mentor/business owner of two companies that serve actors, I’ve had the privilege and the heartbreak of watching others go after their dreams. One set of actors seem to just know what to do or are constantly educating themselves to figure it out, while the other set seems to struggle, question, stay stuck and wonder “why not me”?

I honestly think it comes down to one, and only one distinction in a human being – their habits. For a habit is a thing you do over and over again without thinking. This automaticity can make or break your career, life and ultimately your happiness day to day.

The good news is you can always create new, productive and supportive habits. Here are some habits of actors who are turning their dreams into realities:

1. They see challenges as opportunities

Most actors interpret fears as obstacles and tend to run away from them. People who live their purpose successfully have developed the capacity to see fear as a sign of what they really need to go for, and put all their courage and energy into it. To ACT Outside the Box, if you will!

2. They see their career and also their life as a game.

Having this vision opens up space for playfulness and creativity instead of limitation. It also cultivates those qualities of resilience, problem solving and confidence that helps actors take risks not only on the stage but in their business to get to the next big place.

How-to-form-good-habits1

3. Living the life they want is the only option.

They’re so committed to making their dreams a reality that they banish any possibility of quitting whatsoever from their mind. They don’t think things like, “If it doesn’t work in 3 years, I’ll just go become a CPA.” Of course, I’m a great believer in having multiple steams of residual income from many sources, but that’s not quitting, that’s being a smart actorpreneur.

4. They always speak their truth.

They are able to speak it everywhere in their lives because they make a conscious effort to connect to their truest desires, their inner voice, and their spirituality without fear of judgment. This is HUGE in an industry where we are constantly judged. This connection to self is often fostered through meditation, journaling, being mentored and being surrounded by like minded-people. Just ask any successful actor you know and they’ll tell you they have a foundation of practices around their spirit and guidance from sources greater than themselves.

5. They aren’t just dreamers: they ACT on their desires.

There’s that word again. ACT is for action, not acting. Starting to get it? Instead of getting stuck in their hopes, wishes and dreams, they snap right into action, no matter what it takes. Whether it’s turning down a job that a gut check tells them to, getting out of a situation that holds them back, investing in themselves financially when called to, or moving to a new location across the country for other opportunities, they have the courage to do it. They do this by listening to, and then acting on, their intuition.

6. They expect and know that they deserve the best.

Actors who expect that what they want is going to happen as if it were an inner-knowing is THE SECRET. You’ve heard of that, right? They expect and feel they deserve to earn well, do what they love, serve others using their gifts. THE SECRET is that they still expect the best even when they don’t have all the answers as to how it’s going to happen.

change7. They have no fear or guilt when asking for what they want.

Because they’re so connected to their passions, they aren’t afraid to ask for what they want. In fact, they understand that their success depends on others, so asking for what they want is part of the deal. They set their boundaries and express their needs without fear, guilt or shame. Best of all, this is a trait that earns them respect from others.

8. They create their own rules.

They create their own rules instead of fitting into path set for them before. As in “they say you can’t do this and you have to do that to make it in this biz”. They make decisions from a place of what they want to have instead of what they think they can have or limiters heard from others. This gives them the freedom to design their destiny.

9. They’ve learned to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

One of their favorite places to be is wherever they are uncomfortable. They don’t get stuck in having all the answers, making things perfect or trying to gain comfort by controlling everything. Instead, they’re aware that they’re not going to see the next step until they make the decision to move forward despite the discomfort.

10. They have teachers, mentors and role models.The Gold Standard: Mentoring and Support Membership

Having teachers increases their awareness. They clearly understand that each time they’re getting ready to pursue their dreams all their limitations are going to come up to the surface so that they can let go of them. Having role models and mentors helps them quickly identify where they’re stuck so that they can immediately change their results.

If it’s time to follow your dreams in an entirely new way, I recommend adopting some of these habits. If you’re looking for someone’s assistance, we're here!

(Inspiration for much of this post comes from an article I read on broccolicity.com)

How to Not Stay Broke All the Time (Part 2)

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In the continuation of my last post on The 10 Commandments of Personal Finance for Actors, here again is the vital yet not discussed very much subject of money in our business. Every actor wants money, but you're not in it for the money.  Hummm. The pure love of art and the craft of acting is the very reason most actors are starving artists forever…never attaining many of their dreams.

With a little bit of focus and some attention paid, (double meaning there…PAID, get it?) you'll start to see some shifts that will make way for a financial breakthrough as well as make it easier for you to create art.  Here are the last 5 of the 10 Commandments:

5. Thou Shalt Set Financial Goals

In order to reach your financial goals, you need to know what those goals are. Nobody can determine these goals except for you. You need to take the time to figure out exactly what your financial goals are so that you can take the needed steps to reach them.

One of the first steps I recommend is to find out current actor pay rates.  I find that when I work with my coaching clients and we begin setting financial goals, they’ll come up with an arbitrary number they’d love to make in a year.  Often that goal is sooooo unrealistically reachable simply because they don’t know what stuff actually pays.  I won’t go into all of that here, but knowledge is power and starting with achievable goals and attaining them creates enthusiasm and momentum to reach higher.

If you don't know specifically what your financial goals are for this year, next year and 10 years from now, take the steps needed to create them.  Choose target dates and a plan for reaching those goals by that time.  Review your plan every quarter.  Progress makes perfect!

4. Thou Shalt Educate Yourself and Be Responsible for Your Decisions

I know you want to really make a great living as an actor and when you do, while it may be more convenient to hand over all your money matters to somebody else, please promise me, you will not do this. Part of being financially responsible is having the final say in all decisions about your money. That does not mean that you can't seek out advice and get opinions on your finances, but in the end your money is your responsibility, and you are the only one who is going to truly look after your own interests.

Many years ago I got hooked on learning about investing my money without a financial planner.  I took my savings and IRA money and put it into self-directed investments.  In order to not screw it all up and lose everything I took classes with Tyrone Jackson, an actor and voiceover artist, who taught himself everything he needed to know to invest wisely and win in the stock market. He created a class for actors and artists and shared that knowledge. Now he has widened his horizons and teaches his methods to any and all who want to learn.  It’s because of this financial education that I’m confident about my future retirement and prospects for having all the money I’ll need when I’m older.

3. Thou Shalt Save and Invest

As in the two previous commandments. Take the money that you pay yourself first and either save or invest it to make it grow and work for you in the future.

If you are carrying credit card debt, invest your money by paying it down/off first.  But also make sure to take full advantage of the saving and investing opportunities that are available to you now that you may not be.  If your flexible day joy company matches contributions to a 401k, contribute up to the match maximizing the potential savings.  No matter what your work status, opening a Roth IRA and making regular contributions, no matter how small, will create the habit of saving. Having an emergency fund is also essential.  And no, heading out of town for a last minute weekend adventure is not an emergency!

2. Thou Shalt Protect Your Finances

This is more than making sure your purse is closed or your wallet is in the front pocket when walking through Times Square.  At some point in your career, you will need to take the necessary steps to make sure that your money and investments are protected in case of a disaster.  This mostly means insurance and there are several different kinds.

Take the time to make sure that all your assets are properly insured, and re-evaluate this every few years or whenever a major life change occurs, such as buying a house or apartment, getting married or having children. Be sure to compare insurance rates on a regular basis, since this is a competitive business.

I know that some of this seems far down the road for some of you, however looking forward to what’s to come and what’s needed in order to maintain and protect what you’ve worked so hard to create is essential.

1. Thou Shalt Donate to Worthy Causes and Those Less Fortunate

This is my absolute, #1 favorite commandment. No matter how desperate your finances may appear, if you are reading this article there are a lot of people that are far worse off than you are in the world. It's important to nurture a sense of giving and to be thankful for the small things that you do have. That means donating to worthy causes on a regular basis.

donation

Helping the homeless, donating to the Cancer Society of America, animal causes, etc. are all needing funds to make an impact. Find the causes that you believe in, and give to them generously. Don't assume that money is the only way that you can give. Volunteering time and skills are also appreciated by most charitable organizations.

On Amazon I sell my 8 Steps to Reps pocket guide for $2.99 and donate all of the proceeds to one of my favorite charities, The Best Friends Animal Society.  They also have the largest “no kill” animal sanctuary in North America located in Kanab, UT and I’ve volunteered there as well.  What an amazing experience I’ll never forget and can’t wait to repeat!

So that’s it.  The Ten Commandments of Personal Finance for Actors.  Even if you just start with implementing 3 of them, that means you’re taking ACTion and that’s a good thing!

I always love to hear your opinions on my posts but here I'd also love to hear which one (or three!) commandments you're committing to taking on.  It's time to have an adult life folks…actors are fun loving creators and that childlike quality is what keeps our creativity alive.  However, the business of show requires you to get your financial act together so come on, tell me what you're gonna do!