YOU ARE YOUR OWN COMPANY…

I’ve been talking so much about NOT getting work, what about when you do? How can new social media help you then? Getting the word out about you and your project as well as building a fan-base for yourself is huge in this business. You need a following and sometimes you have to start it on your own. Laura Roeder of Roeder Studios, talks about the importance of effectively positioning your company. For actors, “we” are our own companies. So we need to position ourselves effectively in this town. In this interview with Roeder, she discusses one way of doing this.

It was so exciting when I found this next example of getting the word out. It represents everything that social media is all about, with community being at the top of the list. There was a small independent theatre company in Australia called Happy Soldiers. They wanted to get more people in the audience for a new play that was opening. They decided to advertise non-traditionally, by assuming that people will support a play if they know someone in it. With only two people in the production, you would think this would be a difficult task. Take a look at this super creative way of getting people to support a production, without advertising.

These ideas coupled with building networks of fans on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter will be incredibly effective. The idea is to reach as many people as possible with your talents and personality. You have to give yourself a shot, instead of waiting for someone else to give you one. So if it means immersing yourself on the web and exhausting every possible social media outlet, get on it!

REEL OPTIONS.

In my latest post, I mentioned a way of getting seen if you don’t necessarily have a reel yet. If you have some experience though, there are other useful tools that are a little more “outside the box”. Even though you may have a reel, sometimes a great way of promoting a new project is by showing casting directors the trailer (if it’s a film). This way they can still see you on camera and not only get a taste of your work but a preview of the film. Here is a recent trailer of a short film I starred in called US: A LOVE STORY. Uploading the trailer on YouTube may seem obvious but you would be surprised at how few people take advantage of this social media application.

Image via Wikipedia

Another way to beef up your reel is to keep it up to date. Every time you book something make sure you add it on your reel. I often hear actors make excuses about why their scene from a prime time television show isn’t included in their reel… “They couldn’t record it from their DVR”, etc… This past December, a TV holiday movie that I was in, premiered on the Hallmark Channel and I ran into this same problem. A great friend and fellow actor, David Green, suggested I go to EditPlus, a company that focuses on editing for entertainment professionals. EditPlus does way more than editing. All I had to do was provide the date and time my show was airing and they recorded the show onto a DVD for me, as well as a link that can be emailed to anyone that requests it.

There are so many social media resources out there for actors to take advantage of. In some upcoming articles I plan to introduce a few others. You do need more than a reel to be an actor. It certainly serves as an ideal business card though.

ARE YOU THE REEL DEAL?

Image via Wikipedia

There are so many people who come to Hollywood saying “They wanna be an actor”. I’ve been living here for four years now and I swear I meet a new person everyday that says they are an actor. The postal workers, police officers, car insurance agents, you name it, and more than likely their “real” job is an actor. But how many of these people are really actors? I believe if you:

1. are not auditioning
2. aren’t in class
3. don’t have a reel
4. don’t have an agent or manager
5. aren’t a member of SAG or AFTRA

BONUS*** aren’t actively marketing or promoting yourself!

then you are not an actor. I hate to be harsh but there are too many people in this town claiming to be actors who aren’t doing anything except waiting for a career to be handed to them. Last week I talked about skill clips which can be useful for actors to get a few more auditions. This week I want to talk about the power of having a reel. Now granted, getting an agent or manager or casting director to actually sit down and watch your reel is a feat in itself. Shame on you though, if one day they ask to see it and you’re not prepared. I’m originally from New York and  I am very familiar with many of the casting directors there. Often times I will get a call or email with a request to see my reel. One awesome way I can show it to them immediately is through Actors Access. I have a profile which includes extra features like my resume, photos, and a reel. All I have to do is email the casting director my profile and they can view it.

Actors Access also has a feature for actors who don’t have a reel yet. It’s called an Actor’s Slate. It’s a short video of you talking about yourself. This gives a casting director an idea of your personality. An example of an effective Actor’s Slate is of Kurt Quinn. I have never met this guy but you know exactly who would be walking through the door if you called him in for an audition. The quality of the video isn’t bad. You can hear him clearly. He appears to be confident. He plays on his strengths. And he is kind of funny.

Even though actors rarely feel like they have any control of their careers, we are the only ones who have it. No one is going to care more about your career than you, so utilizing all of the tools available is key. New social media is changing the way we get seen. Explore what’s out there!