Welcome to 2017. i see you are ready…. got your game face on - lets go over a few things so that we know that 2017 will kick some serious ass.
photos that look like you - check (you took them in the last 12 months…you have the “ugly” picture… you have the “you” picture) don’t make me say this again…. honestly this is acting 101
reel all updated - check (not just a bunch clips up - but a real…reel that is less than 3 minutes long) makes your reps job easier
passport - check (you do have a passport right….right… because if you don’t you are not letting your reps open all the doors they can for you ) and lets be honest….it’s 2017 and this is something we have been saying for a long time… it is super easy to do.. so get off your ass and take care of it NOW. And for the record… this also means that you have checked and it is updated…..since weirdly… you can’t travel on an expired passport either.
And since we are talking about passports - some food for thought - if you have a felony or a misdemeanor (read DUI) you can not (CAN NOT) work in Canada. which eliminates all those shows…. (i think there are close to 20 hot shows that shoot there) so…. first… don’t drink and drive… but let your reps know… i don’t care how embarrassed you are…. if your reps are working on something that shoots there… and you audition… and you book it…. uh… it is not up to us… Canada won’t let you in…
so a few things that i noticed over the past year that you probably need to work on….. if you live in los angeles or nyc…. there is traffic… .there is always traffic… so i am not sure why you would think it is ok to be late. its rude…. its not fair to anyone else and its a power trip… get over it. i don’t care if it is an audition or a meeting with your rep. figure that out… if you have to give your self more time then do it… me personally… if someone is late to an appt (and they don’t really have a good excuse) i reschedule…. and if your late again…. chances you don’t get a next chance….
putting your self on tape. when your rep calls and sends you a self tape and gives you a deadline…. meet the deadline… because like being late, its rude - its inconsiderate and it’s a power trip. and on the self-tape note…. a lot of you are familiar with eco-cast…. if there is a time that a tape is due… and that time has passed…. the eco-cast does not let you submit. and if you manager or agent asks for you to get it in earlier…. it could be because you are not the only actor to get this self tape… and now someone has to spend time downloading everything (to then upload it to casting) so be considerate of that.
don’t misunderstand…. shit happens… sometimes people run late…. but i find that this is not the exception to the rule in this business but the standard - me personally…. if i am on time i am late…. i tend to run early - but that is how i was raised…you know…. with good manners.
so here we are… its February which in a lot of peoples lives it means it is pilot season (now we have gone over this….. so don’t get your panties a bunch) - it is also still episodic season…. so we are BUSY. Now if you have an agent or a manager and it is this time of year and they tend to be a bit more busy or cranky than normal I would say don’t take it personally. Really most of us are up to our elbows in scripts, breakdowns, phone calls, auditions and test deals. So it is like everything is in high gear. If you can’t get in to see some one and it is an emergency PICK UP THE PHONE. if the emergency is why aren’t you going out…..go sit in a corner and give yourself a time out.
Now……if you are looking to add an agent or manager to your team right now and you are lucky enough to find someone who will make time for you that is great. BUT for the most part folks are busy and want to focus on the clients they have right now and not add to the list. So not really the best time to ask for a new anything. If you are saying to yourself right now…but i need someone to help me with pilot season so i can go out on lots of pilots (and if you think that really will make all the difference in the world) you would be wrong. Pilot season really is like a trap that most actors fall into…. don’t be one of them.
Ok…. I want to cover one more thing before I let you all go back to work here…. and i want to be clear that these are non partisan comments…..
1 - i have heard more people say they have missed appointments because of the state of what is going on….and they can’t function. ARE YOU KIDDING ME….!!!???? this is your job… i hear things like that and i have to wonder if something happened that you did not agree and you were working would you just pull the covers over your head and not go to work? THIS IS YOUR JOB…. figure out other ways to have an outlet…..but not going to meetings or auditions should not be one of them.
2 - Be respectful… not everyone is going to agree with you or your politics (not everyone has to)…. so play nice.
ok.. so this is it for today…. if there is something you would like me to cover…. shoot an email and I will answer it in my most snarky and honest way!!!
now go be a rockstar