Marketing Tips For Actors - Ten Steps to Prepare You For the Primetime TV Market
1 - Meet and get to be known by the Casting Directors- a lot of CD's.
There are hundreds in NY and LA.
ACTION STEP: Meet as many Casting Directors as possible as soon as possible.
Do so on your own or get a personal referral from an Industry Professional - a Career Coach, acting teacher or director, for example.
Don't waste 3 years meeting one at a time in a 2 minute pay-to-meet.
They won't remember you a week later let alone know your work and "brand".
Be sure you have viable work on camera to show them- a short demo scene or two or a link to your website where it's already posted.
2 - Get an established Theatrical Agent who can remind them of your existence..
..
so in the flurry of a casting session they are reminded of you and can call you in immediately.
No time wasted.
ACTION STEP: Try to meet boutique agents who may be looking for "developmental" (new or without credits) clients.
3 - Know how to audition with "cold copy".
You may have minutes from getting the script to the actual audition.
ACTION STEP: Study with an acting coach who specializes in Primetime audition technique.
4 - Know where the studios are and how to get there.
No getting lost or arriving frazzled and stressed! ACTION STEP: For LA, get a Thomas Guide, the standard resource for learning LA quickly @ any gas station, book store or online.
For NY, get a subway map.
5 - Be available and attitude-ready...
not preparing to fly back to your home state (Kansas, Tennessee, Maryland) because it didn't work out in a few weeks or a few months.
ACTION STEP: Lock into an apartment, a car, a source of income and stay put.
Begin an aggressive marketing campaign.
Persistence will win out.
6 - Have a job or funds available for the first year at least that allows you to be free from financial stress.
There's no time to negotiate "getting off" from a dumb day job.
The casting process is over very quickly.
ACTION STEP: Plan ahead.
Set up your personal life.
Find and develop a "support" group- both social and professional to hang out with.
Make sure you're around working, successful winners.
7 - Have excellent marketing tools- a fabulous headshot or 5 showing how you look today and what roles you can play, a resume with TV and quality film credits, not just showcases.
ACTION STEP: Get the advice of a Career Coach- have her check out your marketing kit before going.
8 - Have a great, short, entertaining and brilliant sizzle reel...
1-2 minutes with the many (5-6) roles you've played or can play.
Avoid the student or indie film quality! ACTION STEP: Find an editor who has worked for a major prime time series and hire him to edit your reel.
If you have nothing of quality that shows your work, find a company that shoots demo reels and writes scripts catered to you.
Don't leave home without one! 9 - Be positive, cheerful, FUN to work with, super trained, aggressively persistent and charming as well! If people know you, like you, trust you- they hire you! Learn to be likable.
ACTION STEP: Go to charm school? (Just kidding) Remember, you chose to be an actor so tap into the passion and FUN of it all not just the hard work.
10 - Be 1000% ON your game with every interview and audition-know your goals, your niche, your brand as well as your talent and show it! Show your "style"- brand and type in your headshots and the creative choices you make on your resume, bio, demo reel and wardrobe.
ACTION STEP: Develop military discipline.
Every interview and audition is a battle you need to win! Be prepared, have the weapons, be psyched and go for it! Be consistent in your personal appearance.
Again, the reason you go to LA or New York in March, June, or December is so you can get settled, sign with an agent, learn your way around town before or after Pilot season or just before Episodic season.
Those are the busiest times to audition and get work in TV.
But, anytime can be good as long as you are prepared and have your life/network already set up.
Those are just the optimum months for making an entry into the industry, meeting agents or having more potential auditions.
Then, when a role comes up for which you are right, they already know you, can call your agent and you just show up.
Easy, simple, logical.
Then, just do your work and get paid..
..
plenty! Successful Marketing! Gwyn
There are hundreds in NY and LA.
ACTION STEP: Meet as many Casting Directors as possible as soon as possible.
Do so on your own or get a personal referral from an Industry Professional - a Career Coach, acting teacher or director, for example.
Don't waste 3 years meeting one at a time in a 2 minute pay-to-meet.
They won't remember you a week later let alone know your work and "brand".
Be sure you have viable work on camera to show them- a short demo scene or two or a link to your website where it's already posted.
2 - Get an established Theatrical Agent who can remind them of your existence..
..
so in the flurry of a casting session they are reminded of you and can call you in immediately.
No time wasted.
ACTION STEP: Try to meet boutique agents who may be looking for "developmental" (new or without credits) clients.
3 - Know how to audition with "cold copy".
You may have minutes from getting the script to the actual audition.
ACTION STEP: Study with an acting coach who specializes in Primetime audition technique.
4 - Know where the studios are and how to get there.
No getting lost or arriving frazzled and stressed! ACTION STEP: For LA, get a Thomas Guide, the standard resource for learning LA quickly @ any gas station, book store or online.
For NY, get a subway map.
5 - Be available and attitude-ready...
not preparing to fly back to your home state (Kansas, Tennessee, Maryland) because it didn't work out in a few weeks or a few months.
ACTION STEP: Lock into an apartment, a car, a source of income and stay put.
Begin an aggressive marketing campaign.
Persistence will win out.
6 - Have a job or funds available for the first year at least that allows you to be free from financial stress.
There's no time to negotiate "getting off" from a dumb day job.
The casting process is over very quickly.
ACTION STEP: Plan ahead.
Set up your personal life.
Find and develop a "support" group- both social and professional to hang out with.
Make sure you're around working, successful winners.
7 - Have excellent marketing tools- a fabulous headshot or 5 showing how you look today and what roles you can play, a resume with TV and quality film credits, not just showcases.
ACTION STEP: Get the advice of a Career Coach- have her check out your marketing kit before going.
8 - Have a great, short, entertaining and brilliant sizzle reel...
1-2 minutes with the many (5-6) roles you've played or can play.
Avoid the student or indie film quality! ACTION STEP: Find an editor who has worked for a major prime time series and hire him to edit your reel.
If you have nothing of quality that shows your work, find a company that shoots demo reels and writes scripts catered to you.
Don't leave home without one! 9 - Be positive, cheerful, FUN to work with, super trained, aggressively persistent and charming as well! If people know you, like you, trust you- they hire you! Learn to be likable.
ACTION STEP: Go to charm school? (Just kidding) Remember, you chose to be an actor so tap into the passion and FUN of it all not just the hard work.
10 - Be 1000% ON your game with every interview and audition-know your goals, your niche, your brand as well as your talent and show it! Show your "style"- brand and type in your headshots and the creative choices you make on your resume, bio, demo reel and wardrobe.
ACTION STEP: Develop military discipline.
Every interview and audition is a battle you need to win! Be prepared, have the weapons, be psyched and go for it! Be consistent in your personal appearance.
Again, the reason you go to LA or New York in March, June, or December is so you can get settled, sign with an agent, learn your way around town before or after Pilot season or just before Episodic season.
Those are the busiest times to audition and get work in TV.
But, anytime can be good as long as you are prepared and have your life/network already set up.
Those are just the optimum months for making an entry into the industry, meeting agents or having more potential auditions.
Then, when a role comes up for which you are right, they already know you, can call your agent and you just show up.
Easy, simple, logical.
Then, just do your work and get paid..
..
plenty! Successful Marketing! Gwyn
Source...