Wednesday, 28 August 2013
Monday, 12 August 2013
10 Questions Artists Should Ask Themselves at the Beginning of Their Careers (To Increase their Chances of Success)
February 5, 2013
10 Questions Artists Should Ask Themselves at the Beginning of Their Careers (To Increase their Chances of Success)
Every young artist has their reasons for working hard at their music, yet so rarely do they ever define these reasons to themselves, bandmates, and their team. Some reflective thinking and sharing could lead to a great deal of clarity when running your business (well, band).
I’ve seen success get in the way of an artist’s core values and goals too many times. Sure, goals are allowed to change and augment, as circumstances do, but too often do great goals get lost, and that bands fold on the brink of their success, and abandon everything they have worked so hard for.
Thinking about these questions and sharing the answers with your team might be hard, but it could help bring you back to what’s important OR save you from wasting your time with the wrong team, and pursuing your career aimlessly in different directions that will never connect.
I realize there is, of course, that underlying passion and urgency that we all have that tells us we MUST work in music and there’s no other choice. My point is to not question that feeling (always trust that feeling), but instead use that gut feeling and turn it in to productive aids in defining you career goals and path. The 2nd important aspect is to show you the importance of clearly communicating that with your team.
This advice is not just for musicians but could be useful for any business owners. Asking these questions will prepare you for future curveballs and ultimately protect your dream. Stay focused and you just might get everything you’ve ever wanted!
Question #1: Do I need validation in order to feel that my music is good?
What factors do I use to rate my musical output? Are these factors productive and healthy, or are they holding me back from taking risks? Who do I trust to give great feedback on my music and why? When writing do I think a lot about what different people are going to say or think? How do I think this affects my songs?
Question #2: By what terms do I measure success?
When thinking about success and my music career do I use a scale based on internal goals and surpassing them, or based on the market and my position in it? Do I have a balance between internal goals and external position? Which element is more important to me? Why does one element (internal or external) weigh more than the other to me?
Question #3: As an entrepreneur and business owner, what are some of my biggest weaknesses?
What are areas I realize I am struggling in or I fear that I will? Why do I feel this way and is it justified? How do I plan on improving my skills in this area and ensuring that this weakness does not get in the way of my career development? Are these weaknesses tied to particular insecurities I have due to past experiences? How do I ensure I don’t let these insecurities make bad business decisions for my career?
Question #4: What elements of my career bring me the most stress?
Can I handle those elements always being present? What tools do I have that can help me manage this stress? Why does this element cause so much stress?
Question #5: Do I trust and believe in my partners (band mates, team etc.)?
Do I have any doubts that they might not be on the same page? How will I address these feelings if I ever did? Do we all envision the same ideal situation for our career success? Do I trust them to represent and share the same morals and standards with me? Do I enjoy hearing their feedback and asking their help when it comes to my career? Do they challenge me in healthy ways on a regular basis? How do I communicate my needs as an artist and human being to my team? Is it a constructive work environment?
Question #6: Do I believe I can be the biggest artist/band in the world with unwavering confidence in myself and my team?
This question is hard to admit, but sometimes to achieve big scary goals you have to say things that may sound a bit crazy. I truly think that, to be the biggest band in the world, you don’t get there by believing that you’re not ever going to be there. You need to believe that you are going to get there and can.
So… Can I be the biggest band in the world? What raises doubt and gets me down? What or who can help me keep on track in these moments of doubt?
Sure one could argue that it’s healthy to have some doubts to help propel you forward but there is a difference between some small doubts and a big gloomy doom monster lurking in your gut. Ask yourself, Do I have a big gloomy doom monster lurking in my gut?
Question #7: Am I ready to really truly work and give everything to this dream?
Is there anything holding me back? Are there any side projects, other careers, or back up plans left open ended that I need to tie up? Do I care what my friends and family think of my career choice? Do I enjoy working all hours of the day and night? Am I ready to really develop a serious work ethic and push through the aspects of this career that are unenjoyable? What am I willing to sacrifice?
Question #8: Is there a point in my career where I see myself hanging my hat up?
What is that point and why? How did I arrive on this idea? If I do have a hat hanging moment, what will I do after the hat is hung?
Question #9: How do I want my writing and songs to affect people?
In detail, what do I want my listeners to think? What if they think or say the opposite? What would be the most flattering compliment someone could say about my writing?
And most importantly…
Question #10: What are the values I will consider when making hard career decisions?
What are the most important things for me when it comes to making a mark with my music? Will I always keep those at the forefront when decision making? What could potentially challenge those values down the road? In what order will I consider these values and why?
Saturday, 3 August 2013
Acting Auditions for Kids & Teens: What You Need to Know
Acting Auditions for Kids & Teens: What You Need to Know
Auditions for kids and teens are plentiful. But you have to know where to look. (And who to talk to...) So let's get started!
What do stars like Natalie Portman, Drew Barrymore, and Leonardo DiCaprio have in common? They were all children when they got their start. And they all had an agent.
Agents and Managers
For adult actors, representation is not as important. It's better to focus on finding auditions and mastering their technique. Getting an agent happens when they're working consistently. It happens when they're ready.
But when finding auditions for kids, they must have an agent first. Why?
Ever been to an open casting call for the Disney Channel? It's a zoo.Everyone and their mother is there. Literally.
(And speaking of Disney, read my article about how to become a Disney Channel actress.)
Agents and managers can save you from that stressful experience by getting you a private audience with the powers that be.
Here's how to find an agent/manager for kids:
- 1. Do your research. Google acting studios in major cities near you. Call and ask if they teach a class for kids (or teens). If they say yes, it almost alwaysmeans that they're looking for local talent to sign.
- 2. Take a class. The studio might offer kids' courses from 6 to 9 weeks long. (This is another good signal that the studio is poaching kids to sign contracts.)
- 3. Snoop around. Ask questions, seek answers. Someone connected to that studio is an agent or manager. Make sure they know who you are.
- 4. Be talented. They won't sign just anyone. From a class of 30 kids, maybe 1 will be approached about working with an agent. Make sure it's you.
The strategy is simple: Find the right community and become an indispensable part of it. This is how success works.
If it doesn't work the first time, try again with a different class. Or even a different acting studio. Keep your eyes and ears open. It's easy to become a child actor, you just have to be in the right place at the right time.
Be Careful
Some agents and managers can get you into private acting auditions for teens and kids. Absolutely. But others are just liars and charlatans. Here's how to tell the difference:
They ask for money. If an agent or manager tells you there's a fee for signing his contract, run the other way. Why?
Because agents and managers get a percentage of what you earn as an actor. If they ask for money up front, it means they might take it and disappear.
And the same goes for organizations like ProScout, which promise to set you up with agents and managers.
Hide your checkbook. Period.
Acting Training for Kids & Teens
Kids have a wonderful capacity for imagination. Much better than us adults. And imagination is one of the key components of acting talent.
In my experience, acting classes stifle a kid's ability to imagine. Too much structure and not enough creativity.
"But Adam, you just told me to sign up for an acting class!"
True. But stick to classes like voiceover or commercial technique. Anything that doesn't directly involve acting methods. Plenty of time for that later. Make auditions for kids your first priority.
Stage Mothers
The musical fable Gypsy is about Mama Rose pushing her daughters to be vaudeville performers. But along the way, she exposes them to adult situations, and destitution.
Mama Rose is the ultimate stage mother: Agressive, domineering, and downright pushy. So what happens to her? She ends up alone, desperate, and abandoned by her family.
A simple word of caution for parents: Make sure you're not confusing your kids' dreams with your own. Don't push them.
The Bottom Line
Auditions for kids are out there. But it's a wild world, and you should only do business with people you can trust. If you follow my advice, you'll be a real working (child) actor!
Your Actor Resume, How to Write It, Even with No Experience
Your Actor Resume, How to Write It, Even with No Experience
Yes, your actor resume is hard to write. But it's your single greatest tool when marketing yourself. The goal is to tell them who you are, and what you can do as an actor. All in 10 seconds.
Why only 10 seconds? Because that's how long anyone will look at it before they move on. I'll show you how.
The Anatomy of a Resumé
The acting resume format is somewhat flexible. It should be hand-tailored to fit you. But here are some of the standard sections:
- At the top. Your name in large, bold letters. Followed by your contact info, height, weight, hair color, eye color, and union associations.
- Credits. The roles you had in plays, musicals, films, TV shows, commercials, voiceovers, etc. Don't have a lot of experience? We'll talk about that later.
- Training. Where you studied and what kind of program. If you've had quality acting training, directors are liable to take you more seriously.
- Special skills. Do you speak another language? Do you play an instrument? Can you drive a car? Those are all special skills.
I know, this is a lot of info. So let's look at some acting resume samples...
Knowing (And Using) Your Type
We'd all love to be Meryl Streep or Daniel Day-Lewis, playing a wide range of interesting characters. But the truth is, most working actors fall victim to type-casting. Directors look at you and say, "He's a leading man type," or "She's the best friend type..."
But here's the good news: You can use type-casting to get more acting work!
Look in the mirror and imagine who you might play in a movie. Are you the girl next door, the bombshell, the romantic lead, the funnyman? Once you know, you can tell them how to cast you.
Tell Them How to Cast You
That's right. I said it. Tell them how to cast you.
For example, I'm tall, thin, and funny. I'm a character actor. So on my actor resume I don't list roles where I played the lead. I list roles where I played the villian, the goof, or the poet.
When a casting director sees my actor resume, he understands immediately who I am and what I can do. That makes me marketable.
So find out your type and play into it. You'll thank me later.
No Experience?
Well, everyone has to start somewhere.
If you have no experience, then go down to your local community theatre and ask to be in the chorus. Or volunteer to be in a student film. Or become a movie extra.
Whatever you do, don't lie on your actor resume. You will get caught. And because acting is a small industry, you'll be black-listed. Trust me, I've seen it happen.
How you present your experience is also very valuable. Chances are, you've done some acting somewhere. In high school, or an acting class, or a high school acting class, whatever the case...
So be proud of your accomplishments. Have confidence in yourself.
Resume Tips
- White space is good. The human eye is easily overwhelmed. Leave some breathing room on the page.
- Don't list every credit. Directors are not impressed by how many plays you've done, they only care if your work is good.
- Make it 8'x10'. Not 8.5'x11'. Because it will be stapled to the back of your professional headshots.
- One page only. Unlike the business world, your actor resumeshould be kept to one page and no longer.
- Leave out personal info. Don't list your address, home phone, or social security number on your resume.
- Use an acting cover letter. If you're mailing your headshot, make sure to include a letter.
The Bottom Line
Your actor resume is great for telling directors what kind of actor you are. If you can do that, you're bound to get hired
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)