GARY MASON

443.624.3014

gary@gary-mason.com

Acting

CHAOS!

Acting, Encouragement, Wisdom

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading! Moving sucks. There I said it! We are presently in a transition period, moving from Virginia to South Carolina. And while I look forward to our new home (someday) the transition period is pretty chaotic. And it definitely impacts an acting career! This week let’s talk about chaotic life events!

REMEMBER:

Just a reminder here that when I use the term “actor” I mean it to encompass all forms of acting including voice, stage, and screen.  Yeah, I know I say this every week, but it falls under the heading of “The things that go without saying are the things that most need to be said”.  What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting.

It’s a LOT

Have you ever changed houses? Locations? Doing both certainly adds a level of complexity to life. We are doing that right now and there are a LOT of moving pieces. As I sit typing this at 6:15AM on Monday March 11, 2024 I am working with four realtors. Well, actually, today it’s three since we actually completed one transaction, but I am talking to yet another so it will likely be four again soon. Just keeping their names and what each is doing for me straight is chaos enough!

Here’s what is happening

First, I am attempting to sell my home. That’s one realtor (and she is fantastic – if you are in Northern Virginia and need a realtor, reach out and I’ll recommend). We own a very nice, large, home. Some might call it a McMansion, although it was originally built way back in the 1950’s. I don’t mention this to brag, but it bears on preparation to sell. This type of home requires a particular type of executive buyer, so it has to be marketed just right. Enter the realtors staging expert. She’s really a nice lady, but I hate her. If you’re not familiar with staging I envy you. This is where someone goes through your house and tells you what to get rid of and how to arrange everything.

You kind of have to pre-pack

In order to properly stage a house, you kind of have to pre-pack most of it and store the extra stuff…what I call the things you use every day and the stager calls “clutter”. As you can see by the picture our garage is filling up with the stuff we packed. To be fair, Karen has packed most of it but I have moved it all down to the garage.  I won’t show you a picture, but the house is a wreck with moving boxes and packing paper everywhere. Chaos.

Second

Next, we are having a house built in South Carolina. If you didn’t know, South Carolina is a 7-hour drive from Northern Virginia, and in the last two months we have been down there for one thing or another seven or eight times. I’m actually sitting in South Carolina right NOW, as my son moved down here yesterday and we had a truck and car load of stuff to bring down. Enter realtor number 5 (well, 4 now I suppose) to help him find a new place so he doesn’t live with his sister too long.  Anyway, having a house built means a bajillion design decisions and tracking progress, hence realtor number two. She’s ALSO fantastic so if you are looking to have a house built (or buy one) in the Charleston area, I can recommend her too.

Then

We are also selling a piece of land we thought we might build on here in South Carolina (realtor number 3). This one is pretty easy, since it is bare land and nothing to get ready…but also not a lot of offers rolling in.  This one hardly adds to the chaos, although it does to some extent, and if we don’t sell quickly it’s not a tragedy.

And of course…

Since we are moving away from one grandson (but closer to a soon-to-be granddaughter though) we purchased an acre in West Virginia (near that grandson) where we can park our RV for extended visits. We closed on that land last week, which is why that realtor dropped off the list, but added a General Contractor to coordinate a well, septic system, and electric service installation there. We’re barely started there so finishing the purchase will just ADD to the chaos.

My life is all over the place

Between getting our Virginia home ready, tracking and making decisions on the South Carolina home, preparing the West Virginia land for the RV and fielding offers (not as many as I’d like) on the South Carolina property – we are all over the place. Literally. We spend a LOT of time traveling back and forth between all these places. Sometimes I feel like I need an extra 12 hours for each day in order to be ready for everything. Oh, yeah, and my daughter is having a baby next month so I also have all the stuff associated with that to contend with (baby showers and the birth too!). And did I mention I am also producing a podcast? I’ll let you know when it releases. And, of course, regular life as well…that hasn’t gone away.

And then…work

I’m fortunate to be retired from my day job, and don’t require income from my acting career to be able to live. I still want to (and do) work though. I’ve had to make some adjustments. Those adjustments are really kind of the point of this post, sorry you had to wade through all of the above first, but I felt it was important to provide context in describing the adjustments. The real message here is that if you love what you do, you can do it even in the midst of chaos.

Acting class

Sadly, when you have a lot on your plate some things just have to fall off. For me, that meant pausing acting classes/coaching.  It’s temporary and I am already researching acting classes in South Carolina, but we won’t be here full time until late this year (the builder is telling us November). Since we put our house on the market next month and expect to be out by June, that means several nomadic months in the RV which is not conducive to attending a weekly class. So, pause to acting classes. I’ve got two more paid up guitar lessons and then that pauses too.

The booth

One of the things the staging lady called “clutter” is my VO booth. It’s not down yet, but will have to be in the next couple weeks. If you know anyone looking for a broadcast quality booth, let me know I’ve got one at a good price since it won’t fit in the new house. Anyway, the adjustment is figuring out a temporary portable solution. I’m ready there, but don’t need to implement it till the booth comes down.

The Studio

My audition filming studio is, apparently, also clutter. That has to also come down in the next couple weeks. As a result, I’ve had to not only figure out a temporary solution for at home, but come up with a way to audition from the RV. I’ve locked down the RV solution (even booked a job with an RV audition!) even though it is not optimal. I suspect my home solution (which is on my to-do list) won’t be optimal either.

Scheduling

I’ve had to cut back on the number of roles I submit for. With my present schedule, I simply can’t submit for everything I am a fit for like I was doing. So, I’ve had to really pay close attention to not only production dates, but locations as well and then be very selective. It means I’m not able to work as much as I’d like to. The timing on this is actually pretty good, since there is a bit of a contraction in the industry right now and I am not missing out on too many jobs anyway, because they are not there.

The message

My point in all of this is not to complain. Far from it. This is a very exciting time in our lives and I am looking forward to making the move, even though things are a bit hectic at the moment. The real message here is that if you love what you do you can keep doing it even in the face of this much chaos. It would be very easy to simply “pause” my acting career till all of this is done, but that would likely lead to stagnation and maybe never un-pausing it. So, if your life looks chaotic right now like mine does, don’t stop! Make whatever adjustments you need and keep moving forward, even if it is slowly. I think you’ll be glad you did. I’ll let you know when my chaos dies down.

If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!  And please feel free to share this blog on social media or with other people you think might enjoy it.

If you haven’t already, please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything – and as a thank you receive a free copy of my E-Book: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About getting Started in Voice Over but Didn’t Know Who to Ask! 

Looking for your next great non-fiction read? Look no further! Check out this promotion: Spring Into Action 

Leaning Forward

Acting, Wisdom

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading! Leaning Forward. It’s one of those little business jargon sayings like Circling Back, floating it back to the top of your inbox, taking it offline, and others that have come into vogue. While I understand how they came about, most of them drive me a little crazy, but this one, leaning forward, is important not only in business and acting, but in life as well. This week let’s talk about leaning forward.

REMEMBER:

Just a reminder here that when I use the term “actor” I mean it to encompass all forms of acting including voice, stage, and screen.  Yeah, I know I say this every week, but it falls under the heading of “The things that go without saying are the things that most need to be said”.  What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting.

Origins

The origins of the phrase are a little muddy, but it has been around for a very long time. It appears it was originally used during the Cold War era in military and espionage circles to indicate a willingness to take risks to get the job done. It seems to have come into more common usage in the 1970’s and was one of then Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s favorite phrases.

In Business

Leaning forward started its business life with much the same meaning. To lean forward meant to take risks to maximize profits and grow your business. It very likely became mainstream precisely because the defense Secretary used the phrase often when addressing the press. The meaning and usage has morphed somewhat since it was first used and now means something more akin to being eager or anxious.

Bending over backward

I find it interesting that the phrase bending over backward is similar. Bending over backward indicates a willingness to do whatever it takes, to go out of your way, to accomplish something. Funny that the two phrases are so closely defined yet one has you moving ahead while the other has you moving back.

In life

In life, to lean forward is to push hard for the attainment of a goal. To lean forward though, is a bit more than working toward a goal; it is to work to achieve the goal quickly. More quickly than average. There can still be an element of risk involved, because reaching for a goal almost always contains some risk…but trying to achieve it quickly means having to put yourself out there when you don’t feel “ready”. A perceived risk of failure is probably the biggest risk. It can be frightening to lean into the achievement of your goal.

“Normal”

I mean, what is normal anyway? In my mind, normal is average. The usual progression of things. Most of us when attempting to attain a goal look at what the usual steps to achieving that particular thing are, and then proceed down that path. It is unusual to push hard to achieve things faster than normal, but in my experience, it is not unusual at all to desire achieving it faster than normal. So why isn’t everyone leaning forward? I think it because of two things (probably more, but this is my blog, and I am going to say two).  Effort and fear.

Effort

No one will be surprised to know that to lean forward requires a lot more effort than following a “normal” path. While it always takes a lot of work to achieve any goal worth achieving, trying to speed up the process requires an exponentially larger amount of effort. Most of us want “work life balance” (another one of those jargon-y phrases) and are not willing to sacrifice that balance to succeed more quickly.

Fear

I mentioned it earlier, but fear of failure plays a huge role in just following the normal path to success in a given endeavor. It is far easier and much less risky to follow a well-trodden path than it is to blaze a trail. It seems like the chance of success is greater that way. But, in my opinion (I mean, it IS my blog, so my opinion matters) the chance of failure is not any greater when leaning forward, you just fail earlier. That could be a good thing.

If you are going to fail anyway…

Failure is not a bad thing. Yeah, I know it FEELS bad, but as long as you react to failure the right way it is actually just a learning experience. Failing early gives you more time to fall back and regroup. It is a chance to decide if that goal you were reaching for is attainable by you at all, or if you just need to adjust and try again. The more quickly you achieve failure, the more time you have to adjust. And let’s face it, we are all going to fail at things. Probably a lot. I know I have.

An example

We all, or at least most of us, went to high school. We graduated (hopefully anyway) around 18, then headed off to college and graduated at around 22. Then, it’s off to our chosen profession. Normal. I had the pleasure of dating a girl in high school who had other plans. I say dating but as you’ll see, she really didn’t have much time for actual dating.

Class load

This girl took a full load of advanced classes, starting in middle school actually, and then took additional classes at the local community college in the evenings. She had one-and-a-half times the classes of a “normal” student, like me. She was leaning forward before leaning forward was cool. The result: She graduated high school at 16, was in college at 17, graduated at 19 and was a full-fledged nurse by 20.  Today she is a doctor (before she was 30) and of course our dating didn’t work out because she was way too smart for me and I was a knucklehead. I still can’t figure out what she saw in me.

Here’s the thing…

By leaning forward, she expended a lot more energy up front, to reap rewards for a longer period of time. By the time the rest of us were starting a career she was already three promotions into hers. And today, she not only has the time but the money to kick back and just enjoy life. (She doesn’t, she’s still doctoring, but she could, and I know because we are still FB friends). Not that the rest of us weren’t successful. It just took us longer and we have less time left to enjoy that success.

Balance

We all enjoy balance in our life. But most of us see balance in the immediate moment. Imagine a teeter-totter (do they still make those or are they unsafe now?) where the fulcrum is in the middle. Place the same weight on each end, and you get balance. Now imagine that same teeter-totter with the fulcrum closer to one end. If you put a heavy weight on the short end and a lighter weight on the other, you can still achieve balance. That’s what leaning forward does. All the work and risk up front, all the life on the back end. We typically want balance today, when we should be striving for balance over the course of our life.

What does that have to do with acting?

Well, I’m glad you asked. Most actors I know today are also working a full-time job to support their families that takes up a lot of their time. By the time they need to work on their acting career, they are exhausted and can’t find the time. So, they work at it, let’s say, less strenuously than if they could devote all their time to it. They fail to submit, or when they do they miss auditions. The result? They either struggle for a long time to achieve success as an actor or give up because it just isn’t happening.  That makes the path to success a much longer, and in the end a much more difficult path.

It’s too late for me!

No. It’s not. OK, it’s probably too late to graduate at 16 and be a full-fledged doctor before you’re 30th birthday. But it’s never too late to reach for a goal, and leaning forward will help you achieve it faster. So…bend over backward to start leaning forward today!

If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!  And please feel free to share this blog on social media or with other people you think might enjoy it.

If you haven’t already, please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything – and as a thank you receive a free copy of my E-Book: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About getting Started in Voice Over but Didn’t Know Who to Ask! 

Looking for your next great non-fiction read? Look no further! Check out this promotion: Spring Into Action 

What’s in a “name”?

Acting, Encouragement

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading! What is in a name? After last year’s strikes ended, we thought the industry would come roaring back. Well, think again!  The industry seems to be in some sort of contraction or correction this year. Looking through the few available roles can be discouraging, especially when many of them look for “named actors only”. This week let’s talk about the jobs that are only looking for “named actors”.

REMEMBER:

Just a reminder here that when I use the term “actor” I mean it to encompass all forms of acting including voice, stage, and screen.  Yeah, I know I say this every week, but it falls under the heading of “The things that go without saying are the things that most need to be said”.  What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting.

The Strikes

Last year’s strikes by the Directors Guild of America (DGA), Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild- American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) slowed productions to a trickle, limiting them to only non-union independent projects and a few union projects that were authorized.  The strikes began in May of 2023 and lasted until November. Fully half of the year was spent with one or more of these unions on strike.

The affect

As a result of these strikes, obviously, productions halted. Most crews, writers and, more importantly for this post, actors spent half the year out of work and struggling to make ends meet. Shows were not released; new shows were not begun and for consumers that meant either re-runs or digging deep into the portfolios of streaming services to find entertainment. Since productions were halted and new scripts weren’t being written that also means the landscape in 2024 is going to look pretty bleak for consumers as well.

Secondary affects

A couple of other things happened as well. Notably, funding began to dry up as investors looked elsewhere for places to put their money to make a profit. Studios began to scale back, reducing their workforce. The inventory of available projects to produce at best stagnated and at worst contracted. Things were not looking good for Hollywood.

And then the strikes ended.

That’s good, right!? Well, of course it’s good. It means Hollywood can get back to work. Or can it? Yes and no. Yes, they can all get back to work…if there is something to work on. Projects have to be written, reviewed, green lit and production begun. Those things take time. Add to that the reduced workforce and funding, and this year (at least) it will take a lot more time than usual.

Imagine

We all know that Hollywood is a behemoth. It’s huge and has a lot of moving parts. Imagine a long train sitting still on a track somewhere. When you want to get that train rolling you have to staff it, fill it with cargo, then get the engine running and finally put it in gear and get it rolling. But the train is huge and heavy and overcoming the inertia of all that weight takes a ton of energy. Even when it begins to roll, it starts out very slowly and builds speed gradually. So too with Hollywood.

Roaring back?

We all just imagined that the end of the strikes meant that productions would all just re-start. OK, maybe not all of us thought that, but many did. But here we are 3 months post-strike, a full quarter back into “normal” and things are hardly back to normal. In terms of the train analogy what is happening right now is staffing the train and looking for cargo to fill it. That train is just beginning to get to the point where it will, slowly, start to roll. Some people are predicting it will take a year, or several years, to get back up to speed…and some are predicting it will never be back to the way it was before the strikes.

The industry may even be contracting.

You would have expected the end of the strike to cause the industry to expand, but the exact opposite may actually be happening. Check out this Deadline Hollywood article which may explain what is going on in the industry.

What does that mean for actors?

In short, it means fewer available roles, and far more actors competing for them. Since revenue has been down (because of no or limited new releases) it also means reduced funding to green light projects, further compressing the number of available roles. The studios are presently in a “protected mode” when it comes to new projects, meaning they are looking for blockbusters to, as quickly as possible, start the money flowing again. It’s a vicious cycle.

So, what is “named talent”?

I mean, I have a name, right!? Simply put, named talent are actors whose names are widely recognized. Think to yourself about all the lead actors you like and can name. Those are named talent. When a production is asking for named talent, they are asking for someone recognizable by a large group of people who is popular and will bring in viewers.

What makes something a blockbuster?

One of the ways studios know, or at least can expect something to be a blockbuster is to attach a “name” to the project. What does it mean to “attach a name”? It means hiring an actor that a lot of people recognize and enjoy. Those are the actors who draw people to the theater just because they are in the film or TV show. Attaching a name to a production means that people are definitely going to pay to watch it, sometimes a LOT of people. At the end of the day, people paying to watch something is what generates revenue and puts money back into the studio so they can afford to fund more projects.

Named talent only…

This phrase is one I, and probably many of you as well, dread seeing on a role we are a good fit for. It generally means that the role is an important one in the project and the producers want a recognizable name for the role to draw in viewers. It’s discouraging to find an available role you are a fit for, only to see the phrase “named talent only” in the spec. it makes most of us pass that role by.

DON’T…

No, not don’t submit. Don’t pass it by! For me, and my agent BTW, I see no downside to submitting for roles that are looking for named talent. The worst thing that can happen when you submit to these roles is what usually happens anyway; you hear nothing. The best thing? You get asked to audition. The VERY best thing? You book a role! If you are a good fit for a role and they are looking for named talent, submit anyway. The CD has a delete button and can ignore you if they want to. They are not, contrary to popular belief, creating a list of un-named actors who submit to named actor roles.

And here is why…

If you can see the role as available, they are still searching. Many, if not most, named talent are at the point in their careers where they are “offer only”. What that means is they are not typically auditioning for a role the way you and I do. Productions are searching them out (versus them searching for roles). When a production really needs a name, they give the CD a list of actors they envision in the role, the CD then reaches out to the agent or manager for those actors and asks if they are interested. When they exhaust all of those options, they have to widen the search. That’s why you see them as available.

They don’t know what they don’t know…

They think they want a particular actor, but they haven’t seen YOU yet. It’s possible they are struggling to fill the role, and if your submission fits, they’ll ask for an audition. They don’t know if you are perfect for the role unless they see you on tape. Frankly, this is one of the ways un-named actors get to be named actors to begin with. You’ve heard of actors getting their “big break”, right? This is how you get a big break.

At the end of the day…

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by submitting for these roles. Every named actor you know of was once an un-named actor struggling to get booked just like we are. Even if you get no response, which is pretty typical anyway, you are in the same position as if you had not submitted…still searching. But when you do submit, at a minimum your name and likeness is in front of a CD. There is no down side, so go ahead and submit anyway!

If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!  And please feel free to share this blog on social media or with other people you think might enjoy it.

If you haven’t already, please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything – and as a thank you receive a free copy of my E-Book: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About getting Started in Voice Over but Didn’t Know Who to Ask! 

Looking for your next great non-fiction read? Look no further! Check out this promotion: Spring Into Action 

Acting: A rough Business

Acting, General

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading! As actors, we are told over and over that in order to be successful, we need to be reliable and easy to work with. If not, productions won’t want to call us back. What we never hear is that productions, and more correctly, producers also need to be reliable and easy to work with! Being easy to work with can be an entire post all its own, so let’s concentrate on being reliable. This week I’d like to spend some time talking about the things producers/production companies do that make acting a rough business.

REMEMBER:

Just a reminder here that when I use the term “actor” I mean it to encompass all forms of acting including voice, stage, and screen.  Yeah, I know I say this every week, but it falls under the heading of “The things that go without saying are the things that most need to be said”.  What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting.

Reliability

What exactly does it mean to be reliable? Well, just to make sure we all have the same definition, here is what Merriam-Webster has to say about it:

1: suitable or fit to be relied on: dependable

2: giving the same result on successive trials

Both of those describe it well, but we should also take a look at dependable to make sure things are clear. Here is Merriam-Webster again:

                        1: capable of being trusted or depended on: reliable

So, dependable is reliable and reliable is dependable. I love it when they use one word to define another, and then use that other word to define the first one again. Apparently, the dictionary is not a reliable or dependable source of a definition for these words.

In simple terms

OK, so I’ll just make up a definition of both terms based on my understanding of them. To be reliable and/or dependable means, to me anyway, that you will do what you say you are going to do when you say you are going to do it and that the quality of what you are doing remains consistent. For an actor, that means you will arrive on set on time (or ***GASP*** early) and prepared for the work you have agreed to do.

Productions are expensive.

Even the lowest budget productions cost money. There is equipment to buy or rent, locations to secure, a crew to put together and actors to pay. I know there are productions that are done where crew and actors are not paid, but even removing those costs there is still likely some cast to a production. But the projects I am talking about are the ones that DO pay the crew and actors. And those productions are expensive…and on a schedule.

Being unreliable…

An unreliable actor (or crew member for that matter, but we are talking about actors here) who shows up late or unprepared slows down the production and costs money. Sometimes a LOT of money, particularly if the location is being paid for. Imagine having to pay an entire film crew for an extra day (or more) because one of the performers is late? Even paying overtime for a single day can be thousands of dollars.

But what about the producer?

Sure, the producer is paying the bills, so if the production runs over due to something the producer does, he (or she) is paying for it anyway, so their own problem. But an unreliable producer creates other kinds of costs. Time, frustrations, and inconvenience to name just a few. So, let’s talk a little bit about some things I have experienced as a result of unreliable producers.

Disorganized producers.

I’ve been on a couple sets where the production is completely disorganized. And not just small independent sets where the producer/director lack experience, that’s almost to be expected. I’ve been on one set for a major production (you’d recognize the show) that was SO disorganized many of the crew walked away from what would have been a nice paycheck. My experience was that I was called in to work one day, arrived on time, went to wardrobe and hair and makeup and then…sat for 12 hours. I sat all day and never made it in front of the camera.

Why is that bad?

I mean, I got paid, I got fed and I got to network with other actors. Those things are great; however, those things are not why I (we actors) do this. The great thing is they wanted me back the next day (so I would have gotten another day of pay). The bad news is, I wasn’t available. Not only did I miss out on a second day of pay, but I also missed out on being in the production. I don’t know about everyone else, but part of what I love about acting is appearing in the production!

Hold the date.

Here is another one I dislike but think it will never change. You submit, audition, and then get called back. They like you, so they put you on hold. These are very positive and exciting. And then, just before the hold date…they release you. So, you potentially miss out on other jobs around that date. To be sure, the way to handle this is to not avoid submitting for work on that date until you are under contract and if you get offered another role that is in conflict, ask production for a book or release right away. This is a much bigger problem on smaller independent projects that do not offer a written contract.

And my favorite

This one just happened to me on Saturday.  And it is not the first time it’s happened like this. I had submitted for a role in a local, non-union, commercial. Obviously, I thought I fit the specs for the character. At around 10AM Saturday I received a call asking me if I could be on set at 2PM that same day. I asked for 3PM (I had some stuff going on) instead and the producer agreed. We discussed wardrobe, pay and location as well as how long I should need to be on set.

We struck the deal.

I agreed to the pay and duration, location was local, so no sweat (30 minutes from home), and I had appropriate wardrobe. So, an hour before call time, after rushing through what I had to do at home, I jumped in the shower, got dressed and headed out to set. Easy-peasy.

But then…

As I was exiting the highway 5 minutes from the shoot location…my phone rings. It is the producer. I assumed he was calling to make sure I would arrive on time given the last-minute nature of the arrangement. I was wrong. He told me, 5 minutes before I was to be on set, that he no longer needed me. He “had the person they needed for today”.  In other words, the person they originally cast and who may have said they couldn’t make it (there was snow Friday) had apparently been able to make it after all.

Easy come, easy go…

This was not a tragedy, but it certainly was frustrating! What was the cost? To production, nothing. To me? Time…which I consider our most precious commodity. I had to rush through the things I needed to get done before leaving, missed lunch because of that, spent time getting ready and prepared, spent time traveling to set…all for nothing. No work, no pay. And while it is not common it was also not the first time this has happened to me.

Actors beware…

The truth is, I did this to myself. As a caution to other actors, here is my advice: do not accept work without a written contract. Insist that you are paid regardless of whether or not you are actually used in the project, and even if they cancel at the last minute. It was naïve of me to accept the work based on a verbal agreement, although a reliable and dependable producer would have honored that agreement anyway. Rest assured I will not accept work from that producer again.

At the end of the day…

It is, as we are told, imperative that we as actors are reliable and dependable. If not, we can cost the production a bunch of money. I submit that is equally important for producers and production companies to ALSO be reliable and dependable. Otherwise, we as actors are just being taken advantage of. We can probably file this entire post under “Reasons why union representation is important to actors”. I’d love to hear any of your horror stories!

If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!  And please feel free to share this blog on social media or with other people you think might enjoy it.

If you haven’t already, please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything – and as a thank you receive a free copy of my E-Book: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About getting Started in Voice Over but Didn’t Know Who to Ask!  

Auditioning: Self-Tapes

Acting

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading! Times have changed, auditioning has changed! When COVID sent workers home to work remotely, it pushed auditions from the casting director’s office to the actor’s home and added some complexities that didn’t exist previously. This week I’d like to talk a bit about the new audition landscape.

REMEMBER:

Just a reminder here that when I use the term “actor” I mean it to encompass all forms of acting including voice, stage, and screen.  Yeah, I know I say this every week, but it falls under the heading of “The things that go without saying are the things that most need to be said”.  What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting.

Auditions have changed.

Not too many years ago, pre-COVID, auditions were primarily held in-person, but these days self-tape auditions are the norm. They’ve become so prevalent, in fact, that regulating them became a part of last year’s SAG strike negotiations!  Self-tape auditions have opened opportunities for more actors but have also added a few wrinkles.

The old days…

Way back before COVID the only thing an actor had to be concerned about was preparing their character and the situation the character was in. But then it was necessary to make the time to jump in the car and travel to the audition site. In some cases that may have been out of town and required a stay in local lodging as well. Because of this, many actors passed on submitting for roles due to time and expense. Essentially, if you were a beginning actor, or had a full-time day job to contend with you were pretty much stuck only working local gigs.

The “vibe” is different…

Having to walk into a room, or a sound studio, fully prepared to perform in front of a “live audience”, if you will, just feels different than stepping in front of a camera in your basement at home. The nerves, the butterflies, the stage fright is missing in a self-tape. What is also missing is the personal interactions with the people casting the project, so that your personality has no real opportunity to shine through.

One and done…

In-person auditions required an actor to be totally prepared before stepping into the room. You generally had ONE opportunity to wow the casting team, and then you were on your way. Sometimes, if they were happy with your performance, but maybe saw the role slightly differently, you’d get a “note” and had a chance to perform the scene again in a different way, but sometimes that was it. Thanks for your audition, send in the next person.

In-Person

There are (or were at least) some advantages to doing an in-person audition. For one, you got to look the casting team (even if it was just a team of one) in the eye and have personal interactions with them. They got to see you and not just your character portrayal. On top of that you did your audition, applied notes if given for a second take, and then…left. That was it. There was little opportunity to second guess your choices and re-do the audition over and over again stressing out over every detail. Some might say that is a disadvantage, but I say it is less stressful in the long run.

Self-Tapes

These days auditions are primarily done through self-tapes. In some ways, this is great! In other ways, not so much. For starters you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home, and you can schedule your audition around your busy schedule. That aspect certainly relieves scheduling and day job stress, but self-tapes add some other stressors that may not be so great. Like most anything in life, self-tape auditions are a mixed bag of good and bad.

First, the bad

I always like to get the bad news first so when the good news comes it takes the edge off the bad. Because of that, I’m going to talk about the bad aspects of self-tapes first. If you like the good news before the bad, just read these sections out of order.

Technology

One of the biggest drawbacks to auditioning via self-tape is technology. No, not like technology is bad, but like technology is necessary. In order to provide a self-tape audition actors now have to have appropriate equipment. They need to be camera operators, lighting technicians, set designers (ok, really just have a plain background) and sound engineers. Not to mention, they will need to have and understand (at least somewhat) audio and video editing software.

Cost

That need for technology adds cost to being an actor. On top of headshots, reels, websites and acting lessons, actors now also need to buy cameras (OK, your cell phone works too), tripods, lights, backdrops, and software. While you save in travel expenses and time off work, you will need to make an up-front investment to produce a professional self-tape.

Feedback

Self-tapes are done in relative isolation and lack feedback from the casting team. Self-tapes could lack the energy and personal connection you get from an in-person audition. It is not only impossible to gauge how the performance is going (based on facial expression and body language) in order to make corrections but also means an actor will miss the opportunity to establish a personal connection with casting directors and other actors.

Perfection is the enemy of good enough.

OK, “good enough” is an ambiguous term, but the point is self-tapes give you a chance to agonize over your performance to the point that you tape so many takes that the performance loses its luster and uses a LOT of time (one of the things you save by not having to travel). This one is a two-edged sword, which is why it appears at the edge between good and bad. You have an opportunity to correct a flubbed performance but may take it to the extreme and endlessly try over and over.

The good

For me, self-tapes are pretty much all I’ve known, and I like them a lot. I have had a couple of in-person auditions as well as a number of Zoom auditions, but I personally like self-tapes the best. There are those (usually people who started out doing mostly in-person auditions) who simply do not like them. For me, they are a blessing.

Time

Time is our most valuable resource. It is absolutely non-renewable. The biggest plus to the industry moving primarily to self-taping is that it has given us back time.  Yes, there are deadlines, and nearly everyone who knows anything about the industry will tell you that early submission is much better than late submission, but having the flexibility to work around your schedule is a major plus. No stressing about getting the time off work, or how long it will take to travel to the audition location.

NOT one and done.

This one shows up in the positive category, but it definitely overlaps into the negative category, which I’ll mention below. But for the positives, self-taping gives you an opportunity for a do-over. Flub a line and get flustered in an in-person audition and that’s it. Do that in a self-tape? Stop the camera, reset and do it over (hopefully without the flub). Along the same lines, self-tapes give you an opportunity to watch your audition to see how it comes across, then adjust if things don’t look right.

Reach

In-person auditions required you to be AT the location where auditions were being held, which limited many actors to only local, or semi-local productions. Newsflash: Not all locations have an abundance of acting opportunities. Self-tapes have opened up opportunities to submit and audition for projects in non-local areas, even globally. Self-tapes have broadened an actors ability to audition for productions they may not have been able to with in-person auditions.

Less pressure

With no casting people in the room, many actors are less nervous which gives them a chance to provide a more relaxed, natural performance. The pressure comes back once you’re on set to some degree, but personally I feel like the actual performance is a lot less stressful than the audition anyway.

Like a lot of things…

Like so many other aspects of acting, and well, life in general, self-taping auditions has its pros and cons. I find that while self-tape auditions offer convenience and flexibility, they also come with challenges. However, the challenges are easy enough to overcome, and the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. I personally prefer them. Either way, self-tapes are here to stay.

If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!  And please feel free to share this blog on social media or with other people you think might enjoy it.

If you haven’t already, please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything – and as a thank you receive a free copy of my E-Book: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About getting Started in Voice Over but Didn’t Know Who to Ask!  

Slumps!

Acting, Encouragement

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading! Slumps. Don’t you hate them? I do, and I am in one now. No, this is not a post to whine about not working, or how hard it is to get cast, or…well…whine about anything. This week let’s talk about what things you can do while you’re in a slump to keep you from deciding to just throw it all in. And if you’ve been with me for a while, you know I wrote about something similar before: The Doldrums.

REMEMBER:

Just a reminder here that when I use the term “actor” I mean it to encompass all forms of acting including voice, stage, and screen.  Yeah, I know I say this every week, but it falls under the heading of “The things that go without saying are the things that most need to be said”.  What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting. And this week (just to see if you read this every week) it applies to a lot of areas in your life, not JUST acting.

This too shall pass…

I once had a friend who would ask me how I was doing every weekday morning (we worked together). I’ll just point out that this went on for THREE YEARS. No matter what I said, “I’m doing great!” or “Man my life sucks right now”, his response was always the same: He’d look at me solemnly and, with gravitas, say “This too shall pass.” I’d love to tell you this wasn’t frustrating (which is probably why he kept it up so long), but I grew to hate it. These days I’d say he was one pretty smart individual.

Honestly, it will…

Pass that is. Truth is no matter how good or bad things are in your acting career (or, well, life really) the odds strongly favor them changing before too long. The message here is: Don’t get discouraged when you experience a slump, because a very large percentage of the time, let’s say 99.9% (almost all percentages are just made up on the spot. This one was)  of the time, the slump ends. Oh, and if you are riding high? That’s likely to change too. So, keep your head up, keep putting one foot in front of the other and before you know it it’ll all be different.

And I am in one now…

It’s not a bad one as slumps go…not yet anyway. I haven’t worked (well, I haven’t been hired by someone else to work) for three months. THREE MONTHS!  Yeah, not horrible. And I’m not complaining either because I know they are common, I know it will pass, and I figured out how to keep myself busy, so it at least seems like it is passing faster. And to be fair, part of this is my own fault. You see a lot of “life stuff” is happening so my availability is limited. One thing this has allowed me to do is to start producing a podcast. Episodes should start rolling out late Spring/early Summer. I’ll let you know as we get closer to launch.

Good Company.

A slump is just part of an acting career. EVERY actor has experienced them, so if you are in a slump, you are in pretty good company. I believe you can probably name some big ones right off the top of your head. If not, then I’m going to talk about a few actors whose names you may recognize here.

Jenna Fischer

You’ll know her better as Pam, from The Office. Ms. Fischer was lucky enough to land a series regular role on a hit television series that lasted for eight seasons. Even with her notoriety she hasn’t acted in much since 2018. For you math wizards out there, that’s 8 years. Puts my three months in perspective. But even before her role as Pam, she struggled. If you have some time, read her book The Actor’s Life: A Survival Guide (I get nothing if you buy the book). In it she talks about her time living in a small one-bedroom apartment, working full time, and getting to the point where she considered giving up on her acting dream. And then, one day, PAM.

Bryan Cranston

Not quite the same story as Jenna Fischer, but similar at least early on. Of course, you probably know him best as Walter White on Breaking Bad (seriously, if you haven’t watched this, you really should). And, if you look at his IMDB page you’ll see that he stays quite busy. But that was not always the case. As a young actor trying to land a good role, he, much like Jenna Fischer, struggled almost to the point of giving up. If you haven’t read his book, A Life in Parts, then you should.

John Travolta

Yep, we loved him as Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction, and the Archangel Michael in Michael. Even before that in Saturday Night Fever, Grease and as Vinny Barbarino in Welcome Back Kotter (I loved that show as a kid!). Yeah, he stays pretty busy these days according to his IMDB page. But you’ll notice that his career has been somewhat cyclical. Between his heyday in the 1980’s and his next hit in the 90’s, almost a decade passed before he was offered a big role. He hasn’t written a book about his struggles as an actor that I know of, but if he ever does I’m sure it’ll be a fascinating read.

Part of the “problem”…

And I put problem in quotes because we think of this as a problem, but it’s really not a problem at all, at least for most of us. A part of why some actors wind up in long slumps, and certainly in Mr. Travolta’s case if you research his career, is appearing in some…less than noteworthy…projects. This is a really bad idea once you’ve “made it” but not a bad idea for us “normal” (ie: Not famous) actors at all. It’s acting even if it is in a “bad” project…and you never know which one will be your breakout role.

What to do…

I don’t know about you, but during slow times, slumps, I tend to get down on myself. Impostors’ syndrome is bad enough on its own, let alone during a slump! Sometimes, I start to feel like I am chasing the wrong dream. Without some positive action on my part, I would spiral down to the point where I’d just…give up. But I find there are things I can do that make me feel less slumpy and keep me working.

Learn

One of the best things an actor in a slump can do is continue actor training. For one, it keeps you up and acting even if it is just for the class. For another, it helps you continue to hone the craft of acting, which should make it easier to land a decent gig. If you can manage it, I highly recommend an in-person class where you get up and perform scenes. If nothing else, it will occupy some of the time you would normally spend bemoaning the fact you are in a slump.

Read

Reading about what other actors, especially actors who have achieved some level of fame, have or are going through helps a lot. For me, anyway, knowing that someone who is a household name experienced the same thing I am is encouraging. I feel a lot less alone. A lot less like it is my fault for being a horrible actor. And if you (or I) are a horrible actor, refer to the last paragraph – Learn.

ACT!

That’s right…act! “But how do I act if I’m not getting cast?”. There are a couple ways to remain active as an actor without getting hired by someone else. First, there are acting/coaching classes, also every audition is an opportunity to act. Then, particularly if you are networking with other actors, you can work on small indie projects for your friends, or even create something on your own.

If you’re not creative and have no friends?

If all else fails head on over to Google and search for Script Archives (click the link, I did it for you). Pick a script, find a reader, and tape yourself (you DO have a self-tape setup, right?) performing scenes from a project that interests you. Also consider community theater. They are usually begging for people to audition.

What not to do…

Telling you what TO do without telling you what NOT to do isn’t really fair, is it? Here is the big thing to not do: Give Up. Giving up guarantees you’ll never “make it” as an actor (no matter what your definition of making it is). It won’t happen overnight, but if you quit…it won’t happen at all. Lots of clichés around this idea, but the simple fact is that if you give up, you fail. Look, you may fail anyway, but the only surefire way to make sure you fail is to not keep trying.

If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!  And please feel free to share this blog on social media or with other people you think might enjoy it.

If you haven’t already, please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything – and as a thank you receive a free copy of my E-Book: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About getting Started in Voice Over but Didn’t Know Who to Ask!