The Spark! Podcast - Host - Erika - Season 1 - Episode 6 – The 5 Things You Need to Get Started!
Hello, this is Erika, your host and welcome back to The Spark! Podcast! Today’s episode is Season 1 episode 6 titled “The 5 Things You Need to Get Started!.”
It is February 26th, 2024 and today we’re going talk about 5 Things You Need to Get Started or Get Better results in the Entertainment Industry. Let’s dive right in!
Step 1: Enroll in an Acting Course with a Great Teacher
It is vital that you enroll into an acting class with a teacher that not only is great and helping you grow at your acting skills, but also who is actively working and booking in the Entertainment Industry. The industry is constantly changing and with all of these changes with Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is important that you have a acting teacher/coach who can help you grow your skills and keep getting better and better and you know they are good, when they are not just stroking your ego to get a paycheck from you, but actually care about you getting good.
Let me be clear, a great acting teacher is not a short cut to get out of practicing or working on your skills in your spare time, but they certainly are the way to save the most time, energy, money, and headache of unlearning misinformation or poor technique. A great acting teacher is an investment in your career.
Here are some personal recommendations for various teachers:
Rick Ibarra-Rivera – Coach Rick’s Actor’s Dojo – Virtual Wednesday Class every Wednesday from 6:30-9:30 PM PST (also has in-person classes in Spokane, Washington)
Keli Daniels & Cyd Strittmatter - Camera Left | Stage Right – Virtual Commercial Booking Class
Join the Wendy Alane Wright’s Talent Manager’s For Actors Facebook Page to connect with so many other actors and talent managers and coaches! This is a free community you want to be part of to avoid being scammed or conned like so many other actors and actresses. If it seems too good to be true, it is, join the community and get a roadmap from actor veterans on how to reach your actor dreams.
Here is Wendy Alane Wright, a talent manager’s recommended classes are the following:
SCENE STUDY CLASSES
Houde School of Acting
Margie Haber Studios
Rodney Rowland Coaching
Howard Fine
Larry Moss
COMEDY & IMPROV
Lesly Kahn
Scott Sedita
Groundlings
Upright Citizens Brigade
Second City
ON CAMERA classes that Casting Directors attend
James Ciccone on camera audition techniques
https://actorsaxiom.com/classes-%26-workshops
TVI Acting Studios for classes with Casting Directors.
ACE Studios for classes with Casting Directors.
AUDITION COACHES
ADD THESE IN YOUR CELL PHONE -
Holly Gagnier or Giovannie Espiritu
hgagnier@sbcglobal.net
giovannieespiritu@gmail.com
Deryn Warren, Margie Haber Studios.
BOOKING COACHES
Amy Lyndon & Christine Horn
COMMERCIAL CLASSES
Mike Pointer Hey I Saw Your Commercial
Terry Berland
Judy Kain
Stuart Stone
Killian McHugh
Step 2 – Casting Type
It is important to know your Casting Types and/or roles that you are drawn to in the in the Entertainment Industry.
When it comes to casting type, age range is important, but most important is the overall vibe of the character. You might be a “best friend” type, but what kind of best friend, the dramatic best friend with boy troubles or the wise best friend who always has advice? Specificity is essential because the best friend you bring to the table will showcase your personality and there is only one of you.
Once, you are a more seasoned actor and have a lot more connections and relationships in the industry, you can change your type or challenge yourself with new kinds of roles, but usually the way most of us start off, is with knowing our few most castable roles/types.
Sometimes our interests align with our natural casting type, but for some our casting type can differ from what we might hope for. Luckily, there are a lot more opportunities now than ever to be cast for acting ability instead of just looks alone. Leading ladies do not always have to be a size 2 or below anymore, but they do have to capture the audience’s attention in some way and have confidence.
Here are some casting types:
Best Friend
Girl Friend
Wife
Student
Daughter
Granddaughter
Cop
Doctor
Nurse
Teacher
Lawyer
Ingenue
The quickest way to know your type and to be clear, you can have a few types that you might be called in for a lot, you must watch tv, film, commercials, etc… and watch which actors or actresses remind you of yourself. What characters do you relate to and are similar to in appearance and overall vibe? Once, you have researched, compile a list of characters you might be able to play.
Next, ask your family, friends, and mentors (acting coaches etc…) for their feedback on what kind of types they think you could play based on what they know about you? The more people you ask the better, who know you well the better. The ideal way to gather helpful data is through an anonymous survey so your loved ones can give you unedited, constructive feedback on what kind of roles you can play. Please remind your friends and family that constructive feedback is encouraged.
Lastly, compare the results of your own research on roles you are drawn to that you think you could play and roles others think you can play and see where the results align and how they differ. Some may overlap and others may differ and that really is not a problem.
If a, you have a small list of some playable characters and essences you could play, great! You are well on your way to have clarity for the kinds of scenes you can work on in acting class.
If b, you are confused because your results and the feedback from your friends and family are so different, I think better headshots or photos of you that show your personality are required so people can get a sense of what characters they could see you play.
If c, you are confused because your results are so different because you do not know yourself very well or are not willing to be honest with yourself, then this is a chance to figure out who you are. Which actor or actress would you have play you in a movie? Why did you pick them? What about them do you relate to? What kinds of characters from books or movies did you relate to growing up? What about them resonated with you?
Once you have that information about those traits that you admire and embody, log it into the spreadsheet or notebook and watch a tv show or movie or commercial on ispot.tv that has a character that you are most similar to. Log that information into the spreadsheet, put the actor/actresses’ name, casting type and where you found them, and log what about that character is like you. It could me your appearance and height. It might be that you both seem down to earth and friendly.
Step 3 –Casting Profiles & Clips
Before you consider wasting money on Casting profiles, please get into a solid acting class or scene study class or meet with a coach. Until you learn the fundamentals, being on these sites will most likely drain your bank account. So please train at least for six months to a year before you invest in any of these websites for tv/film projects. Since commercials are about being your authentic self, you can probably get on this one quickly, but some people do not easily fit into the commercial world in which case additional training might be required. In an oversaturated market, picking up a new hobby, especially a hobby or a language in demand, could get you called in for more commercials, especially if you do it well.
I’m on Actor’s Access and Casting Networks and these are the two I recommend.
Casting Networks is mainly for Commercials, Industrials, and Media Projects
Actors Access is mainly for TV/Film, Commercials, Industrials, etc…
Most of what you will find on one you will find on the other, but not all the time, as commercials are not posted on Actors Access as often as on Casting Networks. Is it double dipping, kinda, but it is what it is. It is subscription-based job board so that we can audition and potentially get a job.
I have heard Casting Frontier is also important, but I have yet to use it and do not feel I am missing out, but I know some agents make you get it. Some actors also use Backstage as well, I do not, but I know people that do, it depends on what you are going for, your financial situation, and if there are projects there that align with your casting type, skills, and location.
When filling out a profile, it is important to be accurate and professional, so I will direct you to Talent Managers For Actors, Wendy’s Facebook page again for casting billing instructions (how to fill out your profile page for roles you book). There are important guidelines, and you must see her page on what is recommended for billing (not to be confused with paying a bill but it is referring to playbill roles). If you have never booked a role, just fill out the profile with your most basic, truthful information. Only put skills that you have down at an advanced level and if you have clips of these skills, like yoga, upload a well-lit 30 second clip of you doing a few moves to showcase the skill.
Step 4 – Killer Headshots
Once you have at least three-five of your most castable types, some acting clips, you have some acting training under your belt, now it is time to research a headshot photographer. Before you book headshots, it is vital that you prepare and ask your photographer questions before you consider booking with them.
You want to find out how much time you have during the shoot, what their shoot days are like in terms of how they take pictures, if they provide edits, you want to look at their website or social media page and see what kind of photos they take, you want to make sure they have a solid reputation or at least their photos look professional and not amateur. You want to have conversation with them and see what they are like, how they get their subjects to be comfortable and show their real self for the camera. Being photographed is vulnerable so make sure you will be taken care of and safe, so you get your money’s worth. Just say Suzy took a great headshot of Billy, but an awful one of Gina because Suzy just took pictures and did not talk to Gina and Gina felt uncomfortable. What works for most or some, might not work for you, pick a photographer that makes getting your picture taken enjoyable and memorable.
PNW Area Photographers
Emily B Jones Photography
LA Area Photographers
Vaney Poyey
David Muller
Dana Kirkpatrick
Marc Cartwright
Sage Kirkpatrick
Peter Carrier
Hilary Jones
Michael Roud
Cathryn Farnsworth
Kenneth Dolin
Chris Marino Photo
Remember your 8x10 headshots communicate what you look like and your essence to casting people, so make sure it is high professional so you can be taken seriously as an actor.
Step 5 – Resume and Bookings
Just like a 8x10 headshot, a 8x10 resume is a list of the experience, training, and roles that you cast as that you could currently play. It has appropriate information in a certain standardized format that helps you stand out and it typically stapled or on the other side of your headshot. They both are your calling card and first impression to Casting Directors and associates.
Again, please visit Wendy’s TMFA Facebook Page for information on how to be professional on set, learn the ins and outs of the industry, and edit your resume.
When you book your first job, be it an unpaid or paid non-union project, low or big budget sag project, make sure you get contact information and create a log for relationship building and tax purposes if applicable to keep track of footage, payment, etc… If the contract, such as non-union or union project say they can use your likeness in perpetuity, just say no. This is where having an agent could come in handy. Once you are finished with the booking, thank the casting director and any casting associates for the opportunity and stay in touch, you never know if you might see or work with them again. It pays off in the long-term to cultivate and nurture existing relationships to symbiotically help and support each other.
You want to nurture certain connections with certain people you loved working with or met and want to work with because these connections could open doors and having these relationships can be leveraged once you have a talent agent and/or manager.
Everyone’s career might look different. Some may do extra work first to gain on-set experience, while in acting training. Others may stay in acting class for a while, be in plays, and then start Commercials, and TV/Film afterwards. Others might just want to do voiceover and commercials, regardless, I hope these tips inspired you to take action to fulfill your acting dream to get closer to making a living in the Entertainment Industry.
Once you have a more professional marketing package, you can consider getting a sag-franchised or reputable agent and/or manager on board, which will help you get more opportunities. And not too far in the future, once you get good, become SAG-AFTRA eligible and are booking SAG-AFTRA union projects consistently, you might consider joining the union. Or if you become a Must-Join Union because you booked too many union gigs, then you will have to join the union to do any more work. I definitely recommend having some money set aside for joining the union, just in case you book a tv show or movie and need to join the union fast in order to be in the project. The SAG join fee is very expensive, so definitely do not join unless you are ready to compete against the best actors and actresses in the industry. There is some fierce competition, which I know one day you will be able to audition with other well-known talent, but one thing at a time. Definitely go visit Wendy Elane Wright’s Talent Manager For Actors Facebook Page to get the most up-to-date information on what there is to know in the Entertainment Industry.
Thank you for tuning into the Spark! Podcast! Disclaimer for this podcast that everything mentioned in this podcast is for educational purposes only. Everything stated is opinion and based on Wendy Elane Wright’s Talent Manager For Actors Facebook Page and the information therein, as well as information I learned through my own experiences as an actress in the Entertainment Industry. Until next time, spark on!