GARY MASON

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gary@gary-mason.com

Encouragement

HUSTLE

Acting, Encouragement, Marketing, Voice Over

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  In keeping with a similar theme to last week’s post about agents and managers, this week I want to talk about marketing yourself, or what I like to call “hustle”.

So, there I was…

I had a boss while I was working for the Navy as a civilian, who was a Navy Captain; during all-hands presentations he would illustrate whatever point he was trying to make by giving us an example from his career, and it always started with: “So there I was…”.  As soon as he said that you knew there was a “Sea Story” coming up that would be both entertaining and have a lesson included.  Well, I don’t know how entertaining this will be (I mean, hey, I’m only 100 words into writing this!) but I feel certain there will be a lesson here.

Marketing

It’s everyone’s (well, almost everyone’s) favorite topic to hate.  Did you watch Mad Men?  I did.  Now THAT was entertaining!  A bunch of lecherous, drunken guys working hard to manipulate people into buying the products they were pushing.  It was fun to watch, but made marketing and advertising seem sleazy and a little dirty.  Entertaining, maybe, but really not what marketing is about.  The dirty truth here, though, is that if no one knows you exist and are awesome, no one is going to hire you.

Why market?

First, as an actor or VO Artist, unless you are a hobbyist, you are trying to run a business. True, a very small one-man freelance business, but a business, nonetheless.  And here’s the thing: You are both the CEO of the company AND the product the company “sells”.  And believe me when I tell you, you are trying to sell a product.  So you set up shop, buy all the best equipment, get the training you need and buyers just roll right in, right?  RIGHT!? No.  As you sit there in your newly furnished office somewhere in the heartland of America (or wherever you live) …no one is waiting to beat down your door to hire you. You have to let them know about you, and that’s what marketing is.

Hustle

So, there I was…sitting around waiting for my agent to make me famous.  HA! I use the word hustle here because that is exactly what you are going to have to do in order to successfully market yourself.  You see, as a VO artist or actor, you are your own one-man marketing department (along with CEO, HR, Accounting, procurement, production…and the list goes on). If you want to succeed, you are going to have to HUSTLE..even when it seems nothing is happening…hustle.  Just keep hustling.

Your agent/manager

Agents and managers are (or can be) important parts of your team to help build your business and move your career along, but they are not going to do it for you.  NO ONE is going to promote you the way that you will.  NO ONE cares as much about your success as you do.  If you want to be successful as a VO artist or actor, YOU have to be the one to market yourself.

Of course…

Marketing alone isn’t going to bring in a ton of work, at least not in the long term.  You have to have a valuable product to sell.  I’ve talked about it before (HERE and HERE for example); in order to be successful you will need the training and coaching to make your “product” desirable and competitive in the marketplace.

BUT..

There are examples of successful marketing for products that had little or no real value.  Ever heard of Pet Rocks?  No?  Well, back in 1975 someone (That someone was named Gary Dahl, and you’ve probably never heard of him either) got the bright idea to package rocks and market them as pets.  That’s right: ROCKS.  Like the ones you find in your yard.  They sold like crazy.  For about 6 months.  And that was it.  I mean, it was a regular rock (well, Mexican Beach Stones to be exact) in a box.  Rocks.  Anyway, the marketing worked well and Gary became a millionaire and a bit of a short lived celebrity, but without a valuable product (really, ROCKS) to sell, it was unsustainable. But marketing works.

Also…

Just to follow up, Gary later went on to have a successful advertising agency and wrote “Advertising for Dummies”. Not ironic I suppose.

What IS marketing?

Dictionary.com defines marketing as:

Noun

        1. the act of buying or selling in a market.
        2. the total of activities involved in the transfer of goods from the producer or seller to the consumer or buyer, including advertising, shipping, storing, and selling.

So marketing, truly, is pretty much your entire business. Now, what we are primarily talking about today is the “advertising” part of marketing.  Just remember that everything you do in your business is marketing.  You can’t just be good at attracting customers, you have to be able to keep them AND keep them coming back for more.  See the pet rock example above.

And now you know…

As you can see by the pet rock example, marketing works. Certainly, there is more to success than marketing, but even if you have the best product on the planet that everyone needs, if they don’t know about it they are not going to buy it. I could probably find numerous examples of products that are useful, valuable and would be great to have that no one has ever heard of.  You don’t want to be them.

OK, so it works, but…

Great, so now you believe that marketing works and is essential to your business if you want to sell your “product” (which, remember is YOU), but how do you market yourself?  Well, first it’s probably good to know the steps to a successful marketing campaign.

9 Steps

  1. Set Goals: These are your goals; they are not chiseled in stone but give you a target to shoot for.
  2. Marketing Audit: What marketing HAVE you already done? What worked, what didn’t.
  3. Market Research: Get a realistic picture of what the market (and your niche in it) really is.
  4. Analysis: Using the results of the market research, determine who your customers and competitors are. What do you bring that your potential customers need and your competitors don’t provide…or don’t provide as well as or in the same way you do.
  5. Pick a target audience: Who are you trying to sell TO?  Yeah, you’ll sell to whoever wants to buy, but what group are you especially good for, who are you “targeting”?
  6. Set your budget: Know how much you want to and can afford to spend.  This might be a lot if you are hiring a marketing firm, or not much for paying for a CRM or other software to help you along the way.
  7. Pick a strategy: Define what steps you will take to create special value to your target customers? What execution steps are you going to take to reach your target audience?
  8. Set an implementation schedule: When are you going to work on marketing? Whatever strategy you choose, you have to implement it, and that means setting aside time to do that.
  9. Evaluate and adjust: Every so often, and a set time schedule (every three months? Six months?) review your marketing efforts and adjust for what is working well and what isn’t.

Easy, right?

Well, no…but it is pretty simple.  It can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. It’s your plan and your goals but be realistic (based on market research) and keep moving forward…that’s the important part.

Marketing materials

Some basic marketing materials you’ll need to create or acquire to successfully market yourself are Head Shots and DEMO reels.  You will need those at a MINIMUM to start putting yourself out there.  Other items that could be useful are Business Cards, One-Sheets and post cards.  Additionally, helpful items are a regular BLOG and a recurring newsletter.  The main idea here is to get your face/name/voice in front of as many potential customers as possible, and then keep showing up for them.  You want to be top of mind when they are looking for watever you are offering.

Here’s what I do…

I spend no more than 3 hours a week on marketing, but I do it every day/week for some amount of time.  My target audience is Production companies, producers, directors and casting directors.

Execution

Each week, I search for and compile a list of those people along with their contact info.  Then each morning I send 5 cold emails to them introducing myself providing a sample of my marketing materials.  I let them know what makes me…me…and what I can do to solve their problem (of casting appropriate talent) and how I am different from everyone else who is contacting them.  Then each day I send 5 follow up emails to keep my name/face top of mind.  I schedule intro meetings with anyone who shows interest.  Finally, I send a monthly newsletter update to everyone I have reached out to in order to let them know what interesting stuff I am working on.  I’ve managed to build a healthy list of people I communicate with regularly.  Oh, and I write this blog each week on Monday morning, edit it Tuesday and send it to my subscribers Wednesday.

At the end of the day

Obviously, there are more details than I can cover here in a 1500-ish word post, but this should give you a rough idea of how to get yourself in front of potential clients and keep yourself there.  No matter what you decide, you are GOING to have to market yourself if you are going to be successful.  So, learn more about how to market yourself and don’t forget to HUSTLE!  You got this!

P.S. 

If you want to learn more about marketing as a VO artist, check out Marc Scott or Joshua Alexander.  If you’d like to know more about marketing yourself as an actor, check out Actor’s Fast Track.

Looking for a new non-fiction read?  Look no further!  There is only FIVE days left to check out the July Non-Fiction Book Giveaway!

 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!

There is a role for everyone

Acting, Encouragement, Voice Over, Wisdom

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  Think you’re too old, too young, too fat, too skinny, too SOMEthing to become a successful actor?  Think again!  There’s a role for everyone!

And let’s be clear

Voice acting IS acting, regardless of how some people may think.  I hate it when someone says something like: “Oh, they’re just a voice actor, they are not a real actor”.  HOGWASH!  True, stage and screen acting are not exactly like voice acting, they encompass movement and form that people can see.  Voice acting relies on those movements and forms to affect your voice and how you sound.  So, this discussion is about acting, and as such it INCLUDES voice actors.

Can anyone act?

Sure…of course!  Honestly LIFE is acting if you think about it, and acting is about portraying life, so it makes sense.  Do you behave differently at work than you do at home? With your kids? With you friends?  Of course, we all (or nearly all) do.  So yes, anyone can be an actor…because we all already are.

Can everyone be a good actor?

DUH…no!  But everyone can become a good (if not great) actor with patience and a LOT of practice.  Learning the mechanics of acting is fairly easy and straightforward.  There are a lot of drama and acting schools scattered across the country, and there is surely one near wherever you live.  You no longer have to live in NYC or LA to find a good acting school.  Acting is a skill that can be developed and improved over time.

Do I need to be a good actor to find work as an actor?

The short answer is no.  As a matter of fact, most actors start out their careers as mediocre actors at best.  Now, the odds of being able to support yourself as an actor at first are slim.  Ever heard the term “starving artist”?  It’s a real thing, and what drives some actors to quit.  But you can work, and earn some money, early in your career.  I watched a documentary not long ago where they interviewed John Voight (You’ve heard of him, right?) where he talked about one of his first roles and how badly he performed.  But he kept learning, and practicing and now he’s…well, he’s John Voight!

The truth is…

The real truth of acting, though, is this:  You have never heard of most professional actors who ARE supporting themselves with acting.  The VAST majority of actors are NOT famous.  Take a close look at your favorite movies or TV shows or cartoons.  How many of the actors can you name…maybe 2-3, right?  Now go back and look at how MANY actors there actually are (and remember every person you see or hear is an actor…they really don’t just record random people…ever).

But I’m too…

You have to fill in the blank for you, but here are some I’ve heard: I’m too fat. I’m too skinny.  I’m too old.  I’m too tall.  My voice is too high.  My voice is too unusual.  Balderdash!  None of these are true, and even if they are they will not keep you from becoming an actor, or a SUCCESFUL actor.  Ever heard Gilbert Godfrey speak?  His voice is too something for sure, yet he not only was a successful actor and comedian, he also voiced numerous roles for TV and movies.

Watch and listen with a different perspective

Next time you are watching a movie or show, pay attention to what characters are being portrayed.  Pay particular attention to the non-main characters.  Are they all thin and attractive? OK, so everyone is attractive to some degree and definitely to someone…but you know what I mean.  The answer is no…the characters are portraying “real” people (even when they are fictional).  You see people of all shapes, sizes, ethnicity, and gender.  You hear people with voices that include every pitch, octave, and accent (and yeah, everyone has an accent…but you only notice when it’s different than yours).

Odds are

If you watch/listen from this perspective, odds are you are going to find actors that have the same “I’m too” that you do. If they can do it, why can’t you? Too short?  Check out Peter Dinklage of Game of Thrones fame.  Too fat?  Check out Kevin James.  Too old?  Have you heard of Betty White? I could keep going.  Productions portray the reality of the world around us (for the most part), even while they show us fictional worlds and situations.

Suspension of disbelief

Here’s the trick:  In order to enjoy a movie, podcast, audiobook, or TV show it is required that the viewer or listener suspend their disbelief.  In order to accomplish that, everything surrounding the fantastic fictional elements has to appear or sound like reality.  If not, it pulls you out of the entertainment and causes you to stop the suspension of disbelief.  So, if you are a real person, you are already represented in the things you watch and listen to…you might as be the one representing you!

So how do you get started?

Your first step is to find classes either near you or available virtually.  Personally, I prefer the in-person classes now that we are able to have them because it gives you the chance to interact with other actors in class in the same physical space.  I think it is better, but you may think otherwise…you gotta do you.  A good acting or voice over teacher/coach will start by having you perform something and will assess where you are and what help you need.  And we ALL need help, but that’s another topic for another time.

Get an agent

Family Feud – ABC television

NOPE!  Wrong! BIG RED X (ala Family Feud).  You actually don’t even need and agent to be successful, but certainly not at the start.  The next thing to do is to ACT in something.  Find a local community theater group (they usually struggle to find actors, so it is “easier” to get cast in them) if you are interested in stage.  Or look for independent or student films looking to cast in your area and submit for roles.  Get on ACX and audition for small books to get your feet wet. And then DO it…if nothing else you’ll learn whether or not you even like acting!

It’s not how you think it is

The truth is, while anyone CAN be an actor, not everyone should.  And I’m not talking about talent here.  The truth of being an actor is a lot less glamorous than it seem from the outside.  Acting means long days and a LOT of work.  Voice acting means closing yourself up in your closet sized booth for hours on end and talking to yourself – then learning audio engineering so you can produce it yourself.  It’s not glamorous, but for me (and most of the people I talk to who do this for a living) it is FUN.  If you aren’t having fun, you should not be an actor.

Here’s an example

I was actually on a film set a couple hours from home yesterday. Here’s how it went.  Call time was 12:30 PM, I showed up at 12:15 because, well…Navy.  Checked in with the producer, then headed to wardrobe to get my costume.  After dressing out, off to hair and makeup (HMU) to take care of my wholly uncooperative hair and cover up the three blemishes from where I cut myself shaving (Why does that always happen when I am headed to set?).  Once finished with HMU, headed over to the holding area to meet and chat with the other actors I’d be working with that day.  An hour later (still chatting) lunch was delivered, and we all ate.  THREE AND A HALF HOURS after that, we moved to a remote location to shoot “my” scene.  That took about an hour and a half.  Then we wrapped, changed, said goodbye and headed home. Total elapsed time: seven hours. Total work time one and a half hours.

And…

First, I’m not complaining, just being real. I am an extrovert, so I truly enjoyed meeting and talking to a bunch of new people for roughly 6 hours.  But here’s the other part:  It was HOT, and I was in long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.  I was semi-uncomfortable, but I had a GREAT time anyway.  Plus, the piece was set in the 1930’s so there were some AWESOME vehicles to check out, and I actually got to ride in one…so yeah, a long day for a little work but a great day nonetheless.

Anyway…

My point here is this:  In my mind, if you want to be a professional actor, the ONLY thing that should keep you from pursuing it is the fact that it is not enjoyable…for you…personally.  Let go of all the negative self-image stuff that might be holding you back and go for it.  Remember: There is a role for everyone.

Looking for a new non-fiction read?  Look no further!  Check out the July Non-Fiction Book Giveaway!

 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!

 

 

REJECTION!

Acting, Encouragement, Voice Over, Wisdom

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  Rejection.  It’s the word (and thing) people fear. Maybe it’s the word we fear the MOST…but I’m not sure, so will just stick with fear.

REJECTION

I actually hate this word.  Especially as a performer…it’s just too negative, and to be honest I don’t believe that rejection is actually what’s happening in the industry.  Of course, rejection is a verb based on the definition of the word reject, so let’s see what the definition of reject is:

REJECT:

verb (used with object)

  1. to refuse to have, take, recognize, etc.: to reject the offer of a better job.
  2. to refuse to grant (a request, demand, etc.).
  3. to refuse to accept (someone or something); rebuff: The other children rejected him. The publisher rejected the author’s latest novel.
  4. to discard as useless or unsatisfactory: The mind rejects painful memories.
  5. to cast out or eject; vomit.

Pretty harsh.  And most of us see what happens when we don’t get a role we auditioned for as items 4 and 5 above.  It’s no wonder people fear rejection!  Useless or unsatisfactory!? Vomited!?  No one wants THAT!

Not just about performers, really…

While I am focusing on rejection as a part of the voice over and acting worlds, feelings of rejection are REAL and can happen in many areas of our life; it has some pretty negative side effects.  Feelings of rejection are painful and, in some cases, affect not only your mental well-being, but also your physical.  What follows is a discussion of how to handle what performers call rejection, but if you are feeling rejected outside of what follows as a performer, then I urge you to seek competent medical help.

Negative impacts…

Rejection makes people feel as if they are not wanted, valued, or accepted.  Everyone will experience rejection at some times in their life. These rejections are usually short lived, and we recover from them quickly. Ongoing rejection, however, can have severe psychological effects.

Some effects of ongoing rejection

If you are a performer, then you may be familiar with ongoing rejection.  We know intellectually that we are only going to book between 2-5% of the roles we submit/audition for, but emotionally it still stings when we are not cast.  Ongoing feelings of rejection can lead to:

  • Trauma
  • Depression
  • Pain
  • Anxiety

Not only that…

But ongoing feelings of rejection can cause anger and aggression and we often blame ourselves which destroys confidence and self-esteem.  NOTE: confidence and self-esteem are crucial for performers.

Fear

Being rejected over and over again makes us fearful to try again.  We turn inward and assume we got rejected because of some flaw in ourselves, which of course is impossible to identify because we rarely receive feedback (if at all) on our submissions/auditions.  This fear makes it difficult to submit or audition again, because certainly those flaws still exist since they are unidentified and uncorrected.

To reiterate:

What I am talking about here is the rejection a performer feels when they are not selected for a role.  The ideas I am presenting below are not intended as any type of treatment: I am not a therapist or even a doctor (although I could play one on TV).  What I am presenting below is a suggestion of a different way to look at the rejection performers feel when they are not cast.  Specifically, and only this.  If you are suffering the effects of long term, ongoing rejection, please seek medical help!

Selection versus rejection…

It may be subtle, but there is a difference between being rejected and not being selected.  If we look at the casting process as a process of selection, and not one of rejecting all but the best submission, we may avoid some of the negative consequences.  There are so many variables in the casting process that have nothing to do with you or your performance.  We have no way of knowing WHY we were not selected, so there is no real reason to immediately assume it was some flaw in what you presented.

Getting the role is rare!

Not JUST for you, for EVERYone!  Looking at it just by the numbers alone, you can see why my friend Michael Kostroff teaches actors that “You’re not getting the f*&%#ing job!”  in his AuditionPsych 101 class.  For a given role, depending on some variables, you can assume at least 100 people are submitting.  Out of those hundred maybe 20-40 will be asked to audition and then only 3-5 get forwarded to production for casting.  Of course, only ONE will be selected.  If you’re a bookie, you can easily see your odds of “winning” the role are slim.

Process…

We need to change our focus in the casting process.  We are not trying to get a job.  As Bryan Cranston (Walter White in Breaking Bad) says:

(From his book A Life in Parts)

“Early in my career, I was always hustling. Doing commercials, guest-starring, auditioning like crazy. I was making a decent living…but I felt I was stuck in junior varsity. I wondered if I had plateaued. Then, Breck Costin [his mentor] suggested I focus on process rather than outcome.

I wasn’t going to the audition to get anything: a job or money or validation. I wasn’t going to compete.

I was going to give something.

I wasn’t there to get a job. I was there to do a job. I was there to give a performance. If I attached to the outcome, I was setting myself up to expect, and thus to fail. My job was to be compelling. Take some chances. Enjoy the process.

Once I made the switch, I had power in any room I walked into, which meant I could relax. I was free.”

The menu…

I prefer to look at submissions/auditions as menu items and samples.  When you go to your favorite restaurant, do they have more than one thing on the menu?  When you select chicken instead of beef or pork does that mean you discard as useless or unsatisfactory – or even think of vomiting – beef and pork?  Maybe, but not typically. It simply means chicken fit what you were looking for at this meal. We need to see ourselves, and our performance, as just another item on the menu.

Samples

Sometimes, we aren’t sure which meal is the right one, so we ask for a sample.  We see these many times at the mall food court, or when wandering around BJ’s or Costco on a Saturday morning.  Your audition is the sample to help them choose.  Being asked to submit an audition is ALREADY a win, because they think you may be right for the role but need a sample to make a final decision.

A new perspective

Since we know the odds of getting cast are low no matter how talented we are and recognize that our submissions and auditions are there to give the casting team choices, then we can start to look at the process differently. When we are not cast, we are not being rejected; instead, someone else just got selected (and sometimes we get selected too…don’t forget!).

What can you GIVE…

If you focus on what you can give during the audition instead of focusing on the outcome, you are free to be as creative as you are capable of.  You are not going into an audition to GET a job, you are going in to GIVE a performance.  It may be (is likely to be!) the only chance you have to play this role, and if you do not attach the result (getting cast) to your performance, then you are free to give your best and then walk away.

Irony…

The irony here is this:  If you understand your job (presenting a menu item), the odds for ANY actor to get cast in a particular role (they’re low no matter how talented you are) and you don’t attach your audition to the outcome (getting cast) …you can relax and just have fun in the audition.  You can be bold, give them your best interpretation of the character and then just be glad you had the chance to provide a sample of your menu item.  This outlook removes all the stress and dramatically improves your confidence.  Believe it or not, those two things actually make you MORE likely to book the job!

Face it…

No matter what you do, chances are “You’re not getting the f&%$#ing job” anyway (just by the numbers!), so why carry around all the baggage of feeling rejected?  REJECTION:  It’s not really a part of this industry even though sometimes it can feel that way!  Relax, have fun…and eventually YOU’LL be selected!

Looking for a new non-fiction read?  Look no further!  Check out the July Non-Fiction Book Giveaway!

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!

DO NOT QUIT!

Acting, Encouragement, Voice Over

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  Do you ever get discouraged on your journey in voice over and acting?  And let’s be clear, voice over IS acting.  They’re different and the same all at the same time.  Well, this week, here is my message to you: DO NOT QUIT!

10,000 hours

It’s said that it takes 10,000 hours to become proficient at something.  That’s not elapsed time, like I did a thing today and then tried it again 10,000 hours later and I was proficient.  That is 10,000 hours of DOING something, which could mean 100,000 hours or MORE of elapsed time.  100,000 hours (yeah, I pulled that number out of thin air for illustration) works out to about 11 years.

Success

What is success?  I submit that you define success for yourself. Only YOU can decide if your career is a success and defining what that looks like for you up front gives you a target to aim for and helps you recognize when you have achieved success.  Don’t make the mistake of letting someone else, or society, define what success looks like for you.  What success looks like to me is likely far different than what success looks like to you.  More importantly success to me MAY look like failure to you.

Money

It’s not the root of all evil (that’s the LOVE of money, but that’s not a topic for my blog page).  It’s a tool you use to pay your bills, put a roof over your head and food on the table.  Even though society in general may have you believe that the more money you make/have, the more successful you are, that may not be true for you.  What money IS, for certain, is necessary in today’s society.

And it may not be pouring in

You may not be earning enough money right now to support yourself and/or your family with VO or acting.  And that can be discouraging, I get it.  You probably need a “day job” or what we sometimes call a “survival job” to make ends meet while you pursue this career.  And that job?  It takes up 2000+ hours of your time each year, which is time you can’t spend becoming proficient at VO and acting.  The message here is this: It can take a long time to reach the success you define.

Available time

All of that to say that the time you (likely) have available to pursue this career is less than optimal.  Your survival job is not the only thing that sucks time away from your VO/acting career.  There’s family, vacations, sleep (something a lot of people sacrifice to the detriment of their health BTW) and a myriad of other responsibilities and desires.  It can take DECADES to reach that 10,000-hour proficiency mark.

And that can be discouraging

It can sometimes feel like you are just not getting anywhere in your career.  First, know that you are not alone there.  I’ve read numerous articles about very famous people who were ready to quit JUST before they got their big break.  What if they had quit then?  Well, you wouldn’t know their name now…and many of these people are names you would recognize.

A famous poem

Confession time: I am not much into poetry; I’ll just say that up front.  However, there are a couple, and one in particular that fits this theme, that I like and remember.  This one by a poet named Edgar Albert Guest jumps out at me (opening stanza below, the whole work can be found at the link):

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.

Not for the faint of heart

This business is TOUGH. It’s definitely not one for the faint of heart.  The industry is filled with “rejection“ (more on this later) and naysayers.  There will be times when you feel like you are working tremendously hard, and not seeing any results.  There will be times when friends, family and sometimes even COLLEAGUES suggest you “grow up” and get a real job.  Or even suggest that you just don’t have what it takes in this business and should quit. It can be easy to get discouraged and want to throw in the towel.

Rejection (because I promised to address this)

The thing about rejection in this business is: It isn’t really a part of this business.  Sure, it feels like rejection when we pour our heart into an audition, and they choose someone else to fill the role.  The truth is you are not being rejected.  Someone else is being selected (and sometimes you are the someone else to another person’s “rejection”).  I have auditioned for thousands of jobs, and I have not been selected for most of them (typically we book between 2% and 4% of the jobs we audition for) but I have never once received a message from a producer that says: “You really suck at this and we are rejecting you”.  Never. Once.

LOTS of reason

There are so many reasons to NOT be selected that I couldn’t possibly think of or write about all of them.  Maybe your voice is too high, or too low.  Maybe your accent (and yeah, we ALL have an accent of some kind) is just not right for the job.  Maybe you are too tall for a scene partner, or too short, or the character has blonde hair and you have brown.  You just never know, which is why “send it and forget about it” is the most common advice about your auditions.  For whatever reason, someone else was just a better fit.

A caveat

I’m going to contradict myself just a bit here and suggest the only valid reason (in my mind) to quit. Here is what you need to ask yourself: Why am I pursuing a career in voice over or acting?  Clearly, we all do this work with the hopes of making money at it, and probably with the hopes of making enough money to survive (or even thrive) on.  It makes sense because none of us want to live on the street or starve.  I submit, though, that if money (or fame) is the reason you do this, or if that is your sole motivation…then you are in the wrong business.

You HAVE to love this and be passionate about it!

Some people will tell you that you have to love or be passionate about this business and to that I say folderol.  And I’ve always wanted to use the word folderol in a sentence.  So there…SUCCESS!  Seriously, you do not have to LOVE this work, but you should enjoy it.  The very nature of freelance work like this, with its uncertainties and financial ups and downs can really only be pursued if you enjoy doing it.  If you DON’T enjoy it, then I submit that you can find a different job that you don’t enjoy that provides a steady income and be marginally happier.

You could get rich though…

Yes, you could get rich doing this.  But like winning the PowerBall lottery (which would also make you rich): You won’t.  Or more correctly: You probably won’t.  The odds of getting rich either of these ways is roughly the same.  The odds of being able to make a decent living, however, are much greater.  And the odds of being a working voice over artist or actor are nearly 100% if you aren’t dependent on it to fully support yourself or your family.  It again begs the question: Why do you do this?  If you do this only to get money, either to live on or become rich, then you are likely going to stay discouraged.  But if you do this because you enjoy it, then you are probably not going to be disappointed.

Not mutually exclusive

By the way, enjoying the work and making a living at it, or even getting rich and famous, are not mutually exclusive.  You can make a living AND enjoy the work at the same time…but you are not likely to make a living AND dislike the work.

And here is the real message this week:

Your success may be in your next audition, but if you quit, you’ll never know.  Therefore, assuming you do this because it is something you enjoy and you are NOT just “in it for the money” (or fame), then regardless of what friends, family or colleagues tell you; DO NOT QUIT!

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.

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Make Goals

Acting, Encouragement, General, Voice Over, Wisdom

Continuing the series

With this week’s topic “Make Goals”.

Drum roll please!

And…here we are. This is the long awaited 38th in the series post finishing the series!  So, I suppose the heading to this ought to read: Ending the series.  At any rate, this is it, the end of the line for my subset of the 100 wisest words series.  I don’t know if you’ll miss it, but I myself will now have to start coming up with my own fresh topics each week. So, part of me will definitely miss it!

It’s kind of ironic

I didn’t plan it this way, but the irony is not lost on me.  40+ weeks ago I made a goal to write a weekly blog based on a list of “wise words” published by someone else, and here we are as I reach the goal with a post about making goals! I promise it just happened that way.

What is a goal?

The term “goals” gets batted around a lot, but before setting a goal it is important to know what it is, and what it is not.  A goal is big and time sensitive.  It is not an objective (those are the steps you take to reach the goal), a resolution or a mission.  A goal is something “out of the box” that you are trying to achieve.  You should have goals set by week, month, year, 5 years and 10 years (as an example)

Goals

OK, so let’s dive in.  Why is it so important to set goals? The short answer is; without goals you’ll never know when you’ve achieved what you set out to achieve.  As author Bill Copeland says: “The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score.”.  And that is just what many people do.

How does making goals help?

There are several things making a goal will accomplish.  Goals give you focus, help you stay motivated and measure progress, they help you stay motivated and ultimately help you achieve more.  Of course, just setting the goal is only the first step…you have to take action to achieve the goal once it is set.

It’s like driving

I like to compare goal setting to taking a road trip.  Before you jump in the car and head off down the road, you need to have a destination in mind.  Just driving around until you see someplace you want to stop will only waste time and money.  And with fuel at $5.00 a gallon (or more in some places) you can’t sustain that model.  No, you must have a destination selected before you even walk out the door to get in the car!

But the goal itself is just not enough

What good is it to know where you want to go without some idea of how you plan to get there?  Again, like driving, simply saying “I plan to go to Los Angeles” and then driving around aimlessly hoping eventually you’ll wind up in Los Angeles won’t work.  You have to map out the trip.  And, yeah, I know with a GPS in your car it’s easier but stick with me here.

The first step

The first step in goal setting, believe it or not, is knowing where you are NOW.  If you want to go to LA, establishing a starting point is paramount!  Following directions from Atlanta to LA doesn’t work if you are in Billings, Montana.  And yeah, I get your GPS figures that out for you but don’t get stuck on that, the whole driving thing is just an analogy.

One BIG goal, many smaller objectives

You may have heard it said that the way to eat an elephant is: One bite at a time.  This is also true with goals.  Let’s face it, big goals are not achieved in one fell swoop (now THERE’S an oldie for ya!).  Big goals are achieved one objective (bite) at a time.

Which means

Once you have decided on a BIG goal and know where you are at in relation to that goal it’s time to look for intermediate objectives.  A series of smaller “goals”, if you will, that lead to achieving that big goal.  Let’s go back to that trip from Atlanta to LA by car.  Getting to LA is your big goal, but now you have to map out your route, and since you know it is going to take several days you’re going to have to figure out where you’ll stop to rest along the way.

So…

You pick a route (a series of highways) and then decide how many hours per day you’ll drive and figure out where you’ll be along the route when you need to stop.  In those locations you’ll make sleeping arrangements…maybe family, maybe a hotel, maybe a campsite…it doesn’t matter as long as you know ahead of time so you’ll have a place to rest.

Now…

Now that big goal doesn’t seem quite as daunting.  You have smaller, objectives (intermediate goals) to achieve along the way that keep you moving toward your bigger goal. So, you don’t have to worry about LA on day one, you only have to worry about reaching your first stopping point.  You set objectives that are reasonable, measurable, and achievable.  Achieve all your objectives, and you achieve your goal!  Easy right!?

Not so fast!

What if something interferes with an objective, or you change your mind about wanting to go to LA along the way?  In our example, what happens if your transmission decides to blow out on day two?  In those cases, you need to re-evaluate and replan.  It’s as simple as deciding if LA is still your ultimate destination (it is in this story) and then set objectives anew from wherever you are at.

Periodic review/renewal

Goals are not stagnant.  It is important to periodically review your goals and decide whether they are still goals you want to achieve. The goals are yours, so it is perfectly reasonable to drop a goal and add a new one…let’s face it LIFE HAPPENS, and we need to adjust when it does.

In business

As a freelance business owner (face it, your VO and acting career is a freelance small business) it is imperative that you set goals for yourself and your business.  Without goals, you’ll never know if you’ve become “successful” (as you have defined success for yourself).  What do you want your VO or acting career to look like next week?  Next month?  Year?  Decade?  Only you can answer these questions for yourself, and I would bet there are as many right answers as there are voiceover artists and actors.

And then…

Set some objectives for yourself.  Want to become an A-list actor?  Ask yourself what steps you need to take to get there.  Will you need training?  Maybe a degree?  Just like our trip from Atlanta to LA (which is a trip many VO Artists/Actors want to take, BTW) the first step is to determine where you are in relation to that goal.  Find a coach who can evaluate your talent/ability (someone who won’t pump smoke up your…well…backside). Then, based on that honest evaluation, map out the objectives along the way to get where you want to be.  Get training, get an agent, book some student films, then a couple Indie films and finally some 5 or less roles and co-star roles.  Whatever it takes.  And then FINALLY…keep at it…keep your eyes on the next objective and routinely evaluate if your ultimate goal is still right for you.  There are many forks in the road, and you MAY want to take one!

It’s your journey

And only you can map it out.  It doesn’t matter (to anyone but you) what your goals and objectives are.  What’s important is that you HAVE them and are tracking them.  So: Make Goals!

Looking for your next great read?  Check out the “New Ideas and Different Perspectives” promotion!

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.

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Smile at Strangers

Acting, Encouragement, Voice Over, Wisdom

Continuing the series

With this week’s topic “Smile at Strangers”.

The last two weeks

Believe it or not, I was out of the country touring Greece the last two weeks, so I wrote blog posts to cover while I was gone.  Now I’m back and struggling with a bit of jet lag, so bear with me this week if I ramble a bit.  NOTE TO SELF: When traveling, ALSO write the blog for the week you return ahead of time.

Vacation

View from our Air BnB

Just to kick it off, the vacation was AMAZING.  It’s not what this post is about, but here are some highlights anyway.  We flew to Athens and spent three nights there.  The archaeological sites were something to behold, and the food was out of this world. I’d say you’ve never REALLY had a gyro till you’ve had one (or several dozen) in Greece. After Athens we drove around the Gulf of Corinth through the Peloponnese mountains for 4 days finally landing on the island of Aegina where we spent a week in an Air BnB.

It was completely relaxing

And I worked very little…really only enough to make sure there wasn’t anything pressing and to send my pre-written blog posts out.  If you’d like to see some highlights of the trip you can check out some more pics here.

Smiling

OK, on to the topic at hand. Being in a foreign country gave us plenty of opportunity to see and interact with strangers.  Like…everyone there besides us.  And we were on vacation, so of course, as you can see,  we smiled…a LOT.  In my very brief experiment, what I found was this:  When you smile at someone, generally they smile back! A smile is contagious.

What happens?

Researchers have found that smiling, or even nodding at strangers you pass on the street has psychological and physical effects.  The acknowledgement has the effect of making the other person feel included (yes, even briefly).  Not acknowledging them (with a smile!) can make someone feel excluded, even briefly, which leads to loneliness and loneliness can be deadly!

It’s contagious!

Smiling at someone makes them feel “included”, which in turn makes them feel good, which makes THEM want to smile…a smile really IS contagious.  Try it for yourself.  Pick a day and endeavor to smile at strangers you pass on the street and see what happens.

Really, it’s science!

According to mental health expert Roseann Capanna-Hodge, “Smiling at another person can have a ripple effect, not only improving your own health but creating well-being in others.” And “When we smile, it triggers a cascade of feel-good brain chemicals called endorphins…Endorphins lower stress levels, reduce pain, and produce feelings of well-being and happiness—which make us just feel good.” So, smiling not only helps strangers, it make YOU feel good too!

Caution!

But beware…a fake or forced smile does not have the same effect as a genuine smile. Somehow, we humans have a way of detecting when a smile is not genuine.  So don’t try the experiment on a day when you can’t muster a genuine smile for someone, or it will backfire!

And then…COVID

Is it any wonder people were grumpier during the pandemic?  Besides the fact of the disease and the suffering it caused, it ALSO covered up everyone’s smiles.  I’m happy that mask requirements are being relaxed because we can smile at one another again.  And we have enough reasons in this world to not smile, so seeing people smile is a treat.  Even if you’re uncomfortable removing your mask in public, seeing others smile may help you feel just a little better.

Why might we not smile?

There are loads of reasons to avoid smiling at people.  Maybe you are focused on something important, or maybe you feel like a smile will lead to something you don’t want like a conversation when you don’t have time. I get it.  But remember, smiling at strangers helps not only THEM but YOU as well.  Feeling grumpy or overwhelmed?  Try smiling (genuinely) at people. Before you know it you’ll feel much better.

What does this have to do with VO or acting?

I’m glad you asked!  As a freelance VO artist or actor, you are going to wind up meeting and working with strangers ALL THE TIME.  It’s rare to show up on a new set, or log into a directed VO session with people you know.  True, there are times, but it is rare.  And on a set the odds that you know even one person, let alone a group of people, is slim.  And no matter what, there will ALWAYS be someone you don’t know (a stranger).

I may have mentioned before…

Maybe just once or twice anyway, that this industry is built on a foundation of relationships.  It is going to be rough on you if you can’t establish, build, and maintain relationships.  And think about it: People don’t really like a sourpuss (yeah, that is an older phrase that reveals my age, I know).  Every time you show up on set or log into a directed session, you have an opportunity to smile and make a new relationship.

A face for radio

That’s what my mom used to tell me.  Yeah, I know, not very encouraging.  I loved my mom, but she was…complicated.  Anyway, enough about her.  How the heck do you smile at someone as a VO artist when they can’t even SEE you?!  And the answer is…just the same way as if they CAN see you.

My coach

Well, one of my VO coaches anyway, used to say, “I can’t hear your smile”.  I was like, what?  That’s like saying I can’t taste blue.  It made no sense to me.  But here’s the thing: Your facial expression drives a change in your voice.  You actually CAN hear a smile.  Think about the last time you called someone who was happy to hear from you.  You can tell by the way they sound.  And then try calling your boss to take a sick day…THEY’RE not smiling, and you can tell that too!

On set

As I mentioned, nearly every time (if not EVERY time) you arrive on set for a job there are going to be a LOT of people you don’t know.  Smiling will act to make the environment brighter, and if you’ve ever been on an “unfriendly” set (I have) you’ll know that it makes for a very stressful, very long day.  And if you’ve been on a friendly set, you’ll know that it makes the work a breeze (well, it IS still work, but…) and you’ll want to work with those people again.

And…

If you are the one that always responds with a smile, they’ll want to work with you again.  And as a freelance performer, that is what you want.  You want to be the person people want to work with.  So, you be the person who smiles and soon others will be smiling.  At the VERY least you’ll get to work on a fun, friendly set.

At the end of the day

Try to remember that a genuine smile helps to make others feel better and more included.  It helps to relieve (even a little) someone’s loneliness and it also gives you a little endorphin rush as well.  It’s like the simplest win-win situation and you have control over it!  So, from now on…Smile at Strangers!

Looking for your next great read?  Check out the “New Ideas and Different Perspectives” promotion!

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!