New Year, Same You? Maybe, Maybe Not. If this is the year you want to get serious about your acting, this blog post is for you Loves! With today’s amazing world of collaboration and technology we have the power to edit our own demo reels, shoot our own head-shots and submit for roles all with the click of a button. Yet, the most common thing holding actors back, at least from ones I have asked is waiting on material they filmed to make a new demo reel, saving up to get better head-shots or really needing those coveted coaching & acting classes.
Let’s dive into the demo reel first. You might be saying, well how can I do this, I don’t know how to edit, I don’t have any new material, I don’t have a camera and the truth is there are a million reasons why you can’t but there are just as many reasons that YOU CAN. Being in LA we have so many students going to school for filming & videography. All these students need to practice their craft just as you need to practice yours. With social media you can easily meet & join groups. You may have to come up with a concept and write some material to pitch them on what the trade will be but it should be mutually beneficial to both parties. I am currently working on recording an argument where both sides are acted by myself. Come up with some fun ideas that will challenge your new film friends and be ready to have some fun recording together!! Worst case if you have an iPhone, you have iMovie and you can make your own. Remember casting directors are looking for talent, not always top notch cinematography, so just make sure you shine and you will be golden babes!
Head-shots. They can be a tricky witch. I have so many friends who save up to shoot with top photographers and are still not happy. The trick with head-shots is you. Do you feel comfortable? What’s your vibe with the photographer. It’s never as easy as it seems. My advice here, is hang out around some photography schools, reach out through Facebook groups and meet with new photographers. Many new photographers will be willing to do a discounted rate or trade. Also, ask them what they need for their portfolio. You may not shoot the same with every photographer so it might take a couple tries with different photographers to get exactly what your looking for. With spending a little extra time and getting to know local newer photographers, you can make your money stretch a lot further. Again, worst case, with a newer iPhone and today’s cool editing apps like Lightroom, ColorStory, FaceTune & Snapseed you can do an okay head-shot. Just make sure you POP. This is all about you popping babes. My Trick: I look around google and pull about a dozen head-shots I think are good head-shots. Then I put mine into the Preview App with the other ones and see if it stands out. This is what casting directors are seeing, so if it doesn’t stand out to you, it may not stand out to them.
Finally, let’s tackle acting classes & coaching. I agree that you must work on your craft daily and practice makes perfect, or as close as we can get to perfection. SURKUS is one of my other favorite apps and from time to time will offer free acting classes at different studios all over LA. You can attend, see what’s it like and put yourself out of your comfort zone. From there meeting with a non paid acting group weekly can really help everyone grow. Check out meetup or Facebook to find groups or create your own. Try to avoid working with only friends, as you need to feel comfortable acting around strangers.
Okay Loves, those are my tips on how to make those “excuses” go away on a near non budget. If you have added funds signing up to LA Casting, Casting Frontier, Backstage & Actors Access are wonderful tools so you can self submit for work. Central Casting is a great free way to get some background work and get familiar with being on set. Good News too, they now have an online registration system. So no more waking up super early, driving over the hill and trying to get one of those coveted squares to get in for the day. Your appointment is now guaranteed! Actors Rejoice!!
Two other amazing companies right here in LA are Los Angeles Connect and WeAudition. Los Angeles Connect gets you amazing discounts on top acting classes, photographers, hair & makeup artists with all tools you need to succeed while WeAudition has face to face (via phone or computer) coaching and rehearsing for getting that acting job. Experienced Actors & Coaches you can also sign up on WeAudition to get paid to help talent rehearse!!
Hope you enjoyed my tips and remember #ismsbabes to always believe in YOU!
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Heidiisms