GARY MASON

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gary@gary-mason.com

General

To SAG or not to SAG

Acting, General, Resources, Voice Over

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  This week let’s talk about the union (SAG-AFTRA).

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”.  For this week, however, what follows applies relatively equally to VO artists and screen actors, but stage has its own union Actor’s Equity.  It’s similar, but eligibility in particular will be different.  One note is that membership in one or the the for the course of a year means automatic eligibility in the other.

SAG-AFTRA

If you’ve been involved in the acting or VO industry for any amount of time, you’ll know that 2023 is the year that all of the unions renegotiate their contracts.  And if you are paying attention to that, you’ll also note that this is one of the renegotiation years where there is a bit of angst. What the angst means is that the unions are not presently pre-negotiating, which means there is some risk of the present agreement expiring without a new agreement, which could lead to a strike.  It’s not very likely, since they typically just extend the old agreement until the new agreement is signed, but because of that some large productions seem to be holding off until a new agreement is in place.  That means there are fewer productions ongoing, and fewer opportunities.  Basically, if you’ve noticed a slow-down in available roles, that’s why.  Let’s talk about what the union is and what it does for artists.

What is the union?

SAG-AFTRA, or The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of television & Radio Artists, is the union that represents actors and VO artists as well as broadcast journalists and radio DJ’s.  It, like other unions, is the collective bargaining group that negotiates with producers to establish salaries, working conditions, safety on set and many other aspects of employment.  SAG was established in 1933 to prevent the exploitation of actors and AFTRA was established in 1937.  The two merged recently, in 2012 to form SAG-AFTRA.  Fran Drescher of “The Nanny” fame, is the current President of SAG-AFTRA.

What is the benefit of the union?

There are definitely many benefits to joining the union, which to many is a significant rite of passage, but there are ALSO some drawbacks.  First, the benefits.  In addition to negotiating contracts membership includes things like a health and pension fund, the SAG-AFTRA conservatory offering training workshops, casting workshops with big name CD’s, deals and discounts for things like hotels and car rental, discount movie tickets, voting for SAG awards (which includes free viewing of the films being voted on), and many others.

The drawbacks

SAG definitely provides some benefits to performers, particularly since performers tend to be self-employed freelance artists who wouldn’t otherwise have access to a pension or health insurance (at least not affordable health insurance). But, Global Rule Number 1, depending on what market you live/work in may keep you from working much.  “Global Rule 1 states: No member shall render any services or make an agreement to perform services for any employer who has not executed a basic minimum agreement with the union, which is in full force and effect, in any jurisdiction in which there is a SAG-AFTRA national collective bargaining agreement in place. This provision applies worldwide” (SAG-AFTRA.org)

Why is that potentially bad?

In short, when you join, you are agreeing to never work on a non-union project again.  If you are not in LA or NYC the number of union productions are going to be low.  And unless you have already established a name for yourself within the industry, read you are a recognizable actor with a good resume showcasing your talent, productions aren’t likely to want to pay for travel and will hire someone local instead.  This is slightly different for voice artists with a professional home setup since they work almost exclusively remotely.  Note that Global Rule 1 for SAG does not apply to work on stage projects and vice versa for Equity membership not applying to work in non-union screen projects.

In short…

If you join too soon, you wind up with a pile of awesome benefits you can’t use because you have restricted access to lucrative union gigs.  It’s something to consider depending on what market you live in or if you are unwilling to re-locate to a bigger market.  Otherwise, you can agree to “work as local” which means they hire you as though you live in their market and all of your travel expenses are your responsibility.  That can sometimes mean it costs more to get hired than you are getting paid.

Well, then, when should I join?

Assuming you have qualified for eligibility to join, which we’ll talk about next, the best time to join is really a personal decision. You’ll have to weigh the pros and cons for your individual situation.  The general consensus amongst everyone I have spoken with is this: Join when you have to. Eligibility to join, once achieved, never expires. Some people become eligible quickly, then remain eligible for decades before joining. How will you know you have to join?  Simple, you’ll get hired for a union gig and because of the contract with the production company they will be forbidden from hiring you unless you join.

How to become eligible

In short, working as a principal artist on a single union contract or as a background artist on three union contracts makes you eligible to join.  How can you work a union contract without being a member in the first place?  The Taft-Hartley act.  This act in part prevents unions from coercing people to join and forbids “closed shops”.  Without going into exceptionally boring legal detail, this means that because of Taft-Hartley a union project can hire a non-union employee for 30 days without the need to join the union. You’ll hear people say they got “Taft-Hartley’d” and that’s what it means.

Must-Join

You’ll also hear the term “must join” bandied about and what that means is the union has granted the 30-day Taft-Hartley exemption to a non-union artist and they have reached or exceeded the 30-day limit.  If you ask the union rep what must-join is, he or she will tell you there is no such thing since you can never, by law, be compelled to join.  They call it must-pay – which amounts to the same thing.  At the end of the day if you have been Taft-Hartley’d into eligibility and have exhausted the 30-day work exemption limit you will not be eligible for a union employment contract unless and until you pay your initiation fee and are up to date on dues – a member in good standing.

What is the cost to join?

Well, first, there are a couple different ways to join.  If you join nationally, which includes coverage in major markets like LA and NYC, the initiation fee is $3000 and annual dues are $227.42 plus 1.575 percent of covered earnings up to $750,000.00.  Pretty pricey.  You can however join as a regional member to reduce initiation fees and regional membership is calculated based on the region so you’ll have to check.  You can find out your regional office (based on your mailing address) by going here and scrolling down to the map titled “Locals”, calling the head office in LA (855-724-2387) or sending an email and asking.

Regional membership

Joining regionally is a lot less for initiation (half or less) and covers you for the entire US EXCEPT major markets like LA, NYC, Chicago, and Atlanta.  Major markets may shift from time to time, so you’ll have to ask what markets are excluded when you join as a regional member.  Doing this won’t stop you from working in the major market, but when you are hired in a major market, you’ll then automatically be billed for the difference in initiation fees.

The dreaded FICORE

You may have heard of FICORE.  FICORE stands for “Financial Core”.  Most people think that becoming a member of FICORE allows you to work both union AND non-union gigs, and in a way that’s true.  In essence, deciding to go FICORE means that you are or were a member in good standing but for whatever reason are resigning from the union.  Of course, you’ll still need to pay annual dues including a percentage of your salary for covered gigs, you will not get a refund on initiation fees, but you will not maintain the same level of protection or be able to use the benefits of being a SAG member.

Why is FICORE “dreaded”?

The sad truth is many productions “look down on” FICORE actors and while they would be allowed to hire you, they may choose otherwise in favor of another member in good standing.  Again, this is a very personal decision, and if you want to go this route, I urge you to speak with a SAG rep and an entertainment attorney to fully understand the implications.

At the end of the day

The decision to join or not join the union is a strictly personal one.  The union can provide actors many benefits and not just established pay minimums and good working conditions…but it may also reduce the number of jobs you can book depending on where you live.  The only really solid, steadfast advice on whether or not join is this: Don’t join until you have to so that you can continue to work the largest number of gigs to build your resume. That time is different for everyone, but you’ll know when it’s right for you.

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!

Useless facts and Trivia

Acting, General, Voice Over

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  Let’s just have some fun this week.  Here are some useless facts and a bit of trivia that actors should enjoy.

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.  What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting.

Behind the scenes

If you’ve ever been on a sound stage, in a studio or on a TV or movie set, it’s fun to see all the things that go on behind the scenes.  The average “civilian” consumers of entertainment have no idea what kind of things go on in making that entertainment.  What follows are just some fun bits of trivia and not a few useless facts for you to digest. Let’s start with a couple big ones. WARNING: There may be spoilers ahead!

Armageddon

Who doesn’t love a Bruce Willis movie about a bunch of hard charging, hard partying oil drilling roughnecks being launched into space to land on a meteor to drill a hole and save the world?  Well, not many people apparently as Armageddon was a very successful film.  But here’s the thing: Did you know that NASA shows this film during management training? Because it is so accurate?  No.  New managers are supposed to see how many errors they can find.  To date more than 160 have been discovered.

The Godfather

It’s iconic.  Anyone who loves gangster movies has seen the first Godfather movie at LEAST once (personally I like to watch it at least once a year.  And I LOVE the seven hour long cut where the scenes are arranged chronologically across all three movies). If, like me, you’ve watched this movie several times, you may have noticed Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) holding a cat in the opening scene.  That cat was a stray found on the lot who apparently took a liking to Brando so he just became a part of film history.  The cat’s purring was so loud at times, Brando had to ADR some of his lines.

Interstellar

I confess I haven’t seen this one, so I can’t comment on the content of the movie, however here is an interesting tidbit.  I think we all know that making a feature film is expensive and time consuming.  Apparently in this film there was a scene filmed in a huge cornfield.  In order to pull off the scene the producers actually GREW a huge field of corn, shot the scene then sold the corn for profit.  Imagine having to plant the field, tend the field and then wait for the corn to grow before shooting a scene.  That’s dedication.

Star Trek (1966-1969)

For all of us who grew up watching William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy conquering the “final frontier” the technology was pretty far out for the viewers in the 1960’s.  Phasers, transporters, communicators…doors that whooshed open as you approached them.  Fun stuff for youngsters like me at the time.  And the recognizable sound of those doors whooshing?  The Foley artist used the sound of a flushing toilet in a Russian train.  Who could have known?

Titanic

Leo and Kate…what a great couple.  The majority of this movie is set in 1912.  Of the total run time for this film…a whopping 3 hours and 16 minutes…the 1912 scenes comprise a total run time of 2 hours 40 minutes; the exact amount of time it took the Titanic to sink. And the scene where the ship collides with the iceberg?  That runs just 37 seconds…the reported amount of time the actual collision lasted.  Attention to detail!

Pulp Fiction

This is, of course, the film that brought John Travolta back out of semi-obscurity.  In one scene, his character Vincent plunges a needle on a syringe into his scene partner Mia’s (played by Uma Thurman) chest to revive her from an accidental overdose.  The film was shot with Vincent violently pulling the needle out and then it was run in reverse in the final cut.  My question is:  Did they actually insert a needle into her chest for this scene?  Since every scene is shot multiple times from different angles and with different lighting, I’d say having a needle inserted and removed from your chest over and over is true dedication.

Psycho

This classic movie depicting a hotel owner who keeps his mother’s dead body in the attic to talk to, and who tends to snuff out his guests, was rife with controversies at the time of its filming.  One of the many was a flushing toilet.  Yep, prior to this somewhat shocking film it was considered taboo to show a toilet being flushed.  It was only three years earlier (1957) that a toilet was shown on screen at all in the TV series Leave it to Beaver.  Like slashing Janet Leigh’s character Marion Crane wasn’t quite shocking enough!

Star Wars

We can’t mention Star Trek without also mentioning Star Wars. Casting shows and movies is a bit of a fine art.  The writer, producer and director definitely have a character in mind for each role, and they sift through (sometimes) hundreds of auditions to find just the right person to fill each role.  The lovable character of Han Solo was one role that was tough to fill…they searched for seven months.  As part of the audition process the casting team uses a “reader” to feed lines to the auditioning actor and at one point Harrison Ford was called in as a reader.  They liked his delivery of dialog so much they cast him as Solo, and the rest is history!

The Matrix

A complicated computer program plugged directly into people’s brains to keep them from realizing they are just a set of biological batteries for the machines that run the world.  Keanu Reeves as “The One”.  What’s not to love about this classic movie?  And Sushi too.  That’s right, those scrolling characters depicting “The Code” that runs to hide reality from humans are Sushi recipes from the cookbook of the wife of one of the production designers.

007

OK, this isn’t A movie, but a movie franchise, and we are only going to focus on the part of the franchise where Sean Connery plays the dashingly handsome and debonair Bond…James Bond. Since the actor began balding at the ripe old age of….17…Connery wore a toupee in every James Bond movie where he played the lead actor. This may disappoint some of the ladies for whom Connery was a heart throb.  Sorry ladies, I warned there may be spoilers.

Fight Club

Some of you probably already know this one, but it’s kinda fun so here ya go.  A meek, stressed-out automobile recall specialist played by Edward Norton (does that job even really exist) who is never named (although he does adopt a number of aliases in the film) creates an alter ego, Tyler Durden (played by Brad Pitt). They go on to create a “fight club” where men pummel each other in basements and warehouses across the city.  Beyond the little-known fact that both Edward Norton and Brad Pitt both learned to actually make soap as part of their preparation for their roles, watch closely and you will see a Starbucks cup in every scene (with permission from Starbucks).  The director, David Fincher, was poking fun at the chain because he thought the ubiquitousness of a Starbucks on every corner was a bit much.

Gone With the Wind

Vivian Leigh, Clark Gable…a love story for the ages.  Strange, since love is pretty much destroyed in the film… “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn” and all.  It’s a great movie, but here is the fun bit.  When the film depicts the burning of the plantation, Tara, as part of the Civil war General Sherman’s “March to the Sea” it was ACTUALLY the first scene shot for the film. Huh?  How can that be?  How did they burn down the plantation BEFORE filming?  Truth is, the scenes that depict the burning of Atlanta, including Tara, were actually old movie sets that needed to be removed before building sets for this film.  So they burned them and filmed it…all before the first actor was cast.

Well, there you have it

Some fun little bits of trivia and little-known facts about some of our favorite films.  I hope you had as much fun reading about them as I did researching them to write this.  I know, not a lot of “meat” this week…but hopefully you’ve had some fun.

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.

Looking for your next great non-fiction read? Only 2 days left to check out this promotion: Become Inspired. Become You.

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!

10 Acting myths debunked!

Acting, General, Voice Over, Wisdom

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  There is a lot of mythology surrounding acting and most of us believe at least one of them.  This week let’s debunk some acting myths!

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.  What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting.

The myths of acting

Sitting on your couch binging Netflix is a great way to be entertained, especially during a global pandemic (let’s hope THAT’S behind us in 2023!) and may make you want to be an actor.  Actors and non-actors alike have likely heard many of the myths that follow, and maybe even believe them.  What follows are 10 common acting myths you may have heard, and reasons why they are myths and not facts! There are a lot more, but these are the 10 I chose to talk about.  So, let’s just jump right in!

Background (BG) work leads to principal roles.

OK, so this misleading bit of tomfoolery gets passed around pretty often.  It’s true and can be verified by our friend Mr. Google, that many of the famous actors you know and love once worked as background actors.  The thing is, none of them were “discovered” as BG actors. Working in BG is a great way to learn your way around set, make a few bucks and get an idea what the life of a principal actor is like.  While it is possible to pick up a line or two (rarely), working as a BG actor is not likely to get you discovered and help you move into speaking roles.  While I was able to find many examples of famous actors who once worked as BG, I was unable to find a single example of an actor being noticed by CD’s, producers or directors.

Actors are born, not made

Ummmm…no.  Talk to any well-known actor or VO artist and you will find that each and every one of them has put in countless hours of training and practice to become the actor they are.  Having some natural acting ability is certainly a plus, but even starting off with no natural ability won’t stop you from being a working professional actor.  Acting is a learned skill…after all, acting is, according to Meisner, just (Just…LOL) “Behaving naturally in fictional circumstances”.  Acting is living, even if it is living in a fictional universe.  We all know how to live; the key is learning out how to live within the framework of the fictional world.

You have to be young and attractive to become an actor

Seriously, I don’t understand how this keeps going around.  First of all, watch TV and movies…you see every type of person being portrayed, because these productions are attempting to depict a real (even if fictional) world…that every kind of person inhabits.  And if you are into VO?  Who CARES what you look like!  My mom said I have a face for radio, and I STILL have managed to book a number of on-screen gigs. I didn’t even start till I was 60 years old!

You need an agent to be successful

A lot of people believe that signing with an agent will propel them to stardom pretty quickly. They are sorely disappointed when reality sets in.  Having an agent is not a bad thing, and agents generally have access to bigger roles than we do as actors…but the agent doesn’t book your roles, you do…so if you are not booking roles on your own, an agent isn’t going to magically make a producer hire you.  The unhappy truth here is that an agent is not likely to even consider signing you unless you are already booking work on your own (they only get paid when you get paid!) and even after you sign with one you need to keep hustling on your own if you want to be successful.

You need connections to make it big

Sure, having some connections to people in the industry doesn’t hurt…just look at all the “legacy” actors who have followed in their parents and siblings’ footsteps.  Connections help, but not having connections won’t prevent you from making it as an actor.  I’ve said it many times, relationships in this industry are foundational, but you don’t have to start with them; you can build them over time.  Get involved in your local acting community, join groups on social media for the type of acting you want to do.  This is the way to meet people in the industry and start building relationships.  Just remember, building relationships starts with how you can help them, not the other way around.

Introverts can’t become actors.

I’d love to put a BIG RED X (a la Family Feud) on this one!  Again, Mr. Google is helpful here.  Click the link and see if you recognize any of the names right at the top of the page: Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Tom Hanks…these are just the first three on the list.  It’s also true that many successful actors are extroverts, but it is not essential to being a successful actor.  You bring a bit of yourself to every role, and you just have to find the roles that are best for you and your personality.  And when your character is an introvert, who better to portray them than an actor who is an introvert!

Actors are “starving”

We’ve all heard of, or may even know, a “starving artist”.  The problem with this myth is that there is a grain of truth to it.  Particularly when just starting out, most actors will need a survival job in order to make ends meet.  It is extremely unlikely (although not completely unheard of) to begin your acting career and immediately earn enough money to support yourself.  The simple truth is if you put in the work and keep putting yourself out there you can become successful (not talking about fame here) and be able to fully support yourself with an acting career.  There are many, many, non-famous actors making a good living with their craft!

Voice actors are not “real” actors

I love (HATE) this one! Let’s start by setting the record straight: Voice Artists are actors.  If you want to “get into” voice over, first “get into” some acting classes (along with VO classes, because while it IS acting, it is a different kind of acting from stage or screen acting).  Of course, the most obvious difference is you can see a stage or screen actor and not a voice actor.  The truth is just because you can’t see them doing it, a voice actor behind the mic, if they are any good, is presenting the same facial expressions and some of the same gestures as any other actor…and don’t let anyone tell you it’s not possible to “hear” those expressions.  Voice actors are real actors.

There are rules and rituals to follow for success

Most of us have our rituals or things we believe will help us along our career path like always making sure to send a thank you, mailing postcards every six months ad infinitum.  The truth is a career as an actor is very unpredictable and there is no formula for a one-size-fits-all path to success.  If that were true every actor would follow the same path, and all would eventually be a success.  Instead of looking for some magic formula try working on honing your skills as an actor and figure out what works for you.  Acting is art, and art is both individual and unique.  If you want to be successful, find out what makes you unique and highlight that.

Fame is success

If you are acting because you want to be famous, I have bad news for you: only .001% of all actors become famous.  The good news though, is that fame does not equal success in this business.  If you are an actor because you want to be famous, then perhaps you need to find another line of work.  While fame certainly means you have been successful, being successful doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be famous.  There are thousands of successful actors, people you see or hear all the time, who are not famous.  Truth is, success means something different to each person, so figure out what success looks like for you and pursue THAT.

And there you have it!

Ten acting myths debunked.  If you can think of more, stick them in the comments section below, but remember: They call them myths for a reason.  We’re all individuals with an individual path and an individual goal.  Don’t just follow someone else, find out what works for you in pursuit of your acting goals and just keep working it!

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.

Looking for your next great non-fiction read? Check out these promotions:  Personal Wellness and Self-Help and Become Inspired. Become You.

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

Common Misconceptions About Acting

Acting, General, Wisdom

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  This week let’s talk about some common misconceptions about acting.

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.  What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting.

Outside looking in

When you’re nestled on your couch watching television, or riding in your car listening to the radio and that hilarious commercial comes on…you think: What a life.  I could do that! (NOTE: you probably could). We see the glitz and glamour of a Hollywood premier, we watch award shows, read the tabloids and learn about the millions of dollars actors make.  We envy those people…but should we?

Dire Straights

No, not your situation, the band.  Have you heard their song “Money For Nothing” from their “Brothers In Arms” album?  It’s an 80’s “Classic Rock” song (and I hate that because it makes me feel old). If you are young and haven’t heard it click the link and you can.  TRIGGER WARNING: The song contains some language that was commonly used in the 80’s but which is rightfully no longer fashionable.

“That aint working…”

The song was a hit, of course, but do you know the origin? It’s fun.  One of the band members was in a store in NYC where a wall of TV’s was playing MTV.  He overheard one of the delivery people talking about how easy the life of a famous musician was and many of the lyrics are direct quotes from that guy (Pretty sure he is uncredited though…which could be a problem).  It caught this musician’s attention because it is such a huge misconception, and he wrote the lyrics right there in the store, later setting it to music.

This isn’t about musicians

No, this blog is about acting.  In my experience, many of the same misconceptions about musicians apply to actors as well.  So what follows are six common misconceptions about acting.

I know, you’d expect 5 or maybe 10 – I’m a rebel (and try to stay with a 1500 word limit so I don’t lose people).

Acting is easy to get into

OK, in some ways this is true. You want to be an actor?  Start submitting for acting jobs; VOILÀ, you’re an actor.  Then start taking classes, get professional head shots, draft a resume, take more classes, find an agent, buy, set up and learn how to use the equipment you need, take more classes, start an LLC (it IS a business after all), hire an accountant to keep track of all the admin crap for taxes and insurance, take more classes…you get the idea.  Starting to act is easy – it is simply a decision you make – becoming a working actor who gets paid for their efforts is a lot of work.

Acting is easy

I admit, at one time I thought this very thing.  Then I started acting.  Newsflash, it’s not; acting is hard work (but still fun…it’s a real dichotomy).  What you see or hear as a member of the audience is just the tip of the iceberg.  What you DON’T see is:

  • Early morning call times. There are 24 hours in a day, and any one of them may be the time you need to report to work.  Sometimes your scenes are night scenes, and well, they shoot them at night.  Sometimes getting ready for your scene (Hair and Makeup) take hours to complete so you need to be there early…like in the middle of the night.
  • LONG days. Especially on low budget independent films, you can expect to work 12, 15 or 18 hours straight.
  • MONTHS of preparation. Not for every gig, but it takes a lot of preparation to become a character.  Even for short VO recordings preparation is key.
  • Long periods of unemployment. A given role could last anywhere from a day to a few months.  Once it is “in the can” that job is over, and you are back to looking for the next job.

And this is just a touch of what you don’t see or hear.  There is also years of training and days/weeks/months of submitting and auditioning…on top of working a survival job to pay the bills between gigs.

Actors make a ton of money

Some actually do!  Most actually don’t. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, actors earn a median hourly wage of $23.48 as of May 2021. The lowest earning 10 percent made less than $11.16 an hour — not even as much as an average fast-food cook ($12.07).  Combine that with the fact that there are potentially long periods of unemployment between gigs, the cost for all those classes and head shots (and if you are lucky enough to have an agent, sharing 10-20 percent with them) and VOILÀ, you’re a starving artist. If you are acting for the money – quit now while you’re ahead.

You have to be attractive

It’s sad but true that attractiveness provides an advantage in any profession. If you don’t believe me, Google it, there are a number of scientific studies that confirm this.  So, pretty people have an advantage…but there are certainly plenty of roles for…what, unattractive people?  Let’s call them regular people.  People like me – and probably you.  Look around…most people look normal…which is probably why “attractive people” stand out.  Obviously for VO what you look like matters less than how you sound, but even in TV and movies pay attention to how many “normal” people there are.  I especially hate this misconception because what is attractive to me may not be attractive to you and vice versa.  So, take this one with a grain of salt.

You have to be young

Well, if THAT were true, I’m screwed.  You see, without a ton of very expensive makeup and prosthetics a 25-year-old person is not going to be able to play the 80-year-old person in a nursing home, or the jovial grandpa…or even the long-standing politician.  The truth is that there are roles for people of every age. Honestly, I personally find that there is ALSO a lot less competition in my age group, probably because most people believe this misconception. So, go ahead and keep believing this one so I have a better chance to book roles.

The best actor always gets the job

This one may be partially true in that the best actor who submitted and auditioned and who fits the look/character for the role and who is available during production dates usually gets the job. See the last paragraph for an example: If the 25-year-old actor is a better actor than the 80-year-old actor…they are not getting the role of 80-year-old nursing home patient.  Yes, it is important to train and practice and hone the craft of acting to become the best actor you can become.  Just remember that even the best actor cannot fit every character.

Any agent is better than no agent

Anyone who has been acting for much more than a couple weeks can tell you this is false.  It’s false for several reasons, one of which is that if your agent is not a good agent; they have few industry contacts, are not liked by many casting directors, or just don’t hustle and market you strongly enough…they are not going to book you work.  All agents are not created equal, so do your research and make sure you sign with a good agent if you sign with one at all. On top of that, there is a misconception built into this misconception that once you have an agent you can stop hustling for work on your own. I have 4 agents and the majority of the work I book I find on my own.  I’m not saying my agents are bad, they are not, and I love them, but they have multiple actors to worry about and I only have one.  I can concentrate on me like they cannot.

So, there you have it!

Six common misconceptions about acting that both non-actors and new actors (I hate the word aspiring) actors believe that are simply not true (or are only partially true in some circumstances).  Don’t let these common misconceptions keep you from pursuing your drams. So, take the classes, submit for the work and above all: KEEP HUSTLING no matter where you are in your career.

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!

Guest Blog – Karen Weeks: Ways to Make Money From Home in Arts and Entertainment

Finances, General, Wisdom

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  This week we have a guest blogger, Karen Weeks.

Karen is a Senior Lifestyle blogger. After retirement, she struggled with finding a new sense of purpose which led to taking a computer course for her to learn a new skill. She created Elderwellness.net as a resource for seniors who want to keep their minds, bodies, and spirits well. In this week’s post Karen talks about how to make money from home.

Artists

Almost 2.5 million Americans are artists, according to the National Endowment for the Arts. If you work in arts and entertainment, creative income options let you earn money from home with a flexible schedule.

Teach Art

Turn your artistic talents into income by teaching others. Musicians might teach vocal or musical instrument lessons. Music lessons cost an average of $30 to $60 per hour, according to Musician Authority. Visual artists can hold in-person or online classes to teach various methods. You can also create self-paced online courses for passive income.

Share Online

Blogs and YouTube channels let you share your art online. You might cover projects or explain the processes you use. Ads and affiliate links are two common ways to monetize. In your blog post, you can use affiliate links to link to the art supplies you use.

You can also use blogs and YouTube to promote your artwork. You might link to the website where you sell your art or promote online courses you sell.

Write About Art and Entertainment

Freelance writing opportunities let you share your knowledge about art. The median pay for writers is $67,120 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Earnings vary based on the per-piece or per-word rate and how many pieces you write. You can often have your byline or a link to your website included, which can get you more traffic.

Monetize Your Art

Your art can make you money in several ways whether you’re selling your original artwork, illustrating a book, or working as a graphic designer. Choose monetization methods that work for you. Some options include:

  • Licensing your work through stock agencies.
  • Selling prints of your artwork.
  • Selling your artwork on mugs, shirts, and other items.
  • Designing greeting cards.

Do Commissioned Work

When you work on commission, you create specific artwork based on clients’ requests for an agreed-upon amount. When setting your rates, consider how long it’ll take and your desired minimum hourly wage. Fine artists make a mean hourly wage of $31.26, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Multiply your desired hourly wage by how long it’ll take and add the cost of materials to calculate your minimum. Your rates can be higher for more complicated designs.

Start Your Own Business

If you create arts and crafts, you can start your own business. Research your target market, name your business, and choose a business structure. Many new business owners choose to form an LLC, or limited liability company. This type of business offers personal asset protection, flexible management structures, and tax benefits. Plus, forming an LLC is relatively simple and straightforward. However, it’s important to understand the process and requirements before getting started. Most formation services can help you with the filing paperwork and can even provide registered agent service to ensure your business remains in good standing. If you’re looking for a good formation service, be sure to look up BestLLCServices.com cheapest LLC formation info online before you make a decision.

SELL!

You’ll also need to determine where and how you’ll sell your products. Many artists choose to sell on Etsy as the platform allows for custom orders. However, you may discover other platforms that are more suited to the art you create, as well as the people who like it.

Freelance

You can also find one-off projects through freelance opportunities. You might do freelance illustrations for books, design e-book covers, write music for a radio ad, or create other visual designs. You can offer your services on sites like Upwork, which lets you create a profile for your artistic services. You can also find freelance jobs listed by companies on various job websites. Create a profile on those same sites, so people who need artists for freelance work can find you.

Make Money at Home

Diversifying how you sell your art helps you increase your income while working from home. The ideas above should give you some creative income options.

And there you have it!

Some outstanding suggestions for how to generate income from home! Thanks Karen for a great read and for bailing me out this week while I am away from home on set.

 

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!

Halloween Edition: COSTUMES!

Acting, General

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  Since it is the first week of November and we just had Halloween, this week let’s talk about costumes!

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.  What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting.

Having said that…

This week’s post is aimed mostly at stage and screen acting since we hardly need to get into costume for voice over work. My mom used to tell me I had a face for radio, though, so maybe I should START getting in costume for the mic?  Anyway – let’s talk about costumes!

So…

I’m going to confess that this week I:

  • Struggled to come up with a topic to write about
  • Don’t really feel like writing (see item 3 below)
  • Am sitting in my new RV in Dillon South Carolina (Pedro’s campground at South of the Border for all you I-95 corridor people who will surely recognize that place!)

What follows…

What you are about to read doesn’t feel much like my best work.  I apologize up-front.  However, it was a lot of fun for me to research some of the characters and what the actors had to go through to get into costume…so there is SOMEthing positive.  Even though this is not my favorite post, maybe it will be yours!

Halloween

As a kid, how much fun is it to throw on a costume, store bought or otherwise, and run around the neighborhood collecting free candy?  Costume or not, who doesn’t LOVE free candy?  Well, besides us old people with Type II diabetes I guess…can’t have it but do still love it!)

Adults

For some reason, Halloween has become a favorite adult holiday here in the US.  Adult costumes range from goofy to sultry and everything in between.  Personally, I don’t get the popularity of Halloween among adults (I mean, there is no free candy after all), but hey…to each his (or her) own, that’s my philosophy.

But costumes?

Yeah, man…I love a good costume!  I’ve had the pleasure of working on some period pieces that required costumes to match the time period and MAN was THAT fun!  I got to be a reporter from the 1960’s, a prison guard (for a chain gang) from the 1930’s and most recently an executive from the 1930’s.  I also got to play an executive from the 1990’s, but that was just a lot like getting dressed instead of getting dressed up.

Even for auditions

Recent auditions saw me dressed as a bartender from the 1860’s, and a slovenly drunk with my wife’s bathrobe on.  Typically, I wear something only suggestive of the character…but since I had the costume I went full bore on the 1860’s vibe.  I should have taken a picture!

As actors

As actors, any day can be Halloween!  Depending on the production, and your role in it, your costume (and make no mistake there is ALWAYS a costume, even if it is just your normal clothes) could be as simple as the clothes you wear every day, to period clothes for authenticity, to elaborate outfits with latex prosthetics (or worse) for far out creatures.

Wardrobe department: Costume designer

The role of costume designer would be a fun, yet sometimes difficult (if not impossible) job to have on a film set.  The costume designer is responsible to the producer and director and needs to work closely with both hair and makeup.  Ultimately, though, the costume designer’s primary relationship is with the performer themselves.  No matter what period or genre, the costume designer needs to make the ACTOR look good!

Normally

For me anyway, normally wardrobe, hair and makeup are fun. A chance to cut up a bit with the folks who work in that area and enjoy getting into character.  For SOME, wardrobe, hair and makeup can be soul crushing. I’d love to include images for the following, but I’m not a fan of crossing copyright boundaries, so you’ll just have to google them yourself!  Imagine some of the following:

Wizard of Oz: Tin Man

Not sure how widely known this is, but Buddy Ebsen, who, if you are old enough, you would recognize as Jed Clampett of The Beverly Hillbillies was originally tapped to play the Tin Man.  He spent hours each day in makeup ahead of rehearsals and managed to record many of the songs the Tin Man was to sing.  Sadly, he became ill from the tin powder used on his skin and was replaced.  He complained of respiratory problems for the rest of his life from that makeup.

X-Men: Mystique

It’s reported that Jennifer Lawrence the actor who played Mystique in the series of films had to be on set early to get her SIX HOURS of wardrobe/makeup done before filming began.  Imagine a 12 hour shooting day preceded by 6 hours in wardrobe, hair and makeup!  To top it all off, it is also reported that the costume was quite restrictive not even allowing her to sit…the production team had to get creative to allow her to use the “facilities”.

Game of Thrones: The Hound

You might not think this one was very difficult, but remember that the Hound had his face burned by his brother and he was terribly scarred.  Thankfully, the actor who played The Hound, Rory McCann, does not have terrible scars on his face. Consequently, he too spent six hours a day in makeup to have them applied.  He also had to keep half his beard shaved, so he got a lot of funny looks in public and ribbing from his friends and family.

Star Wars: C3PO

These days characters like C3PO and R2D2 would be animatronics or perhaps their costumes (or even the entire character) would be added in post.  But in the 1970’s computers weren’t what they are today and these characters were played by people in costumes!  For C3PO the actor was Anthony Daniels.  It’s been reported that once in costume, the actor was unable to sit down so he had to be propped up between takes.  Further, he did such a good job, the crew tended to forget he was a real person and treated him like a prop!

Star Wars: R2D2

While it was probably not a nightmare to get into the costume, believe it or not a man named Kenny Baker was INSIDE R2D2 (sometimes, other times it was remote controlled).  Baker tells us that if R2’s third leg was extended, or he was rolling, then the actor was not inside.  Kenny Baker passed away in 2016 so after that R2 was controlled remotely by puppeteers.

There are surely a LOT more…

I could go on for a long time about some of the legendary (and difficult) costumes worn by actors and other performers (let’s not even touch wardrobe malfunctions! But, alas, as I mentioned earlier I’m not really “into it” this week…mainly because I would like to be outside doing RV things…so since I am definitely approaching my self-imposed 1500 word target here, Instead I’ll go ahead and start wrapping this up!    If you have enjoyed any of the wardrobe items above, I challenge you to google “difficult actor costumes” and see what you come up with!

Into Halloween?

Well, I actually LOVE Halloween because it’s fun to scare the kids then give them copious amounts of sugar laden candy…but I’m not a huge fan of dressing up myself for Halloween.  But for a role?  I’m in!  Being in costume helps me feel like the character, and that helps me become the character.  So, while I may ne be heavily into Halloween, I sure do like  good costume!

And now…

OK, so now I’m gonna go do RV things…have a great week!

 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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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!