Utilizing the Internet to Market Yourself

Hello "kids" ;)

I made a video blog (aka. vlog) of finishing my first feature documentary. It's just cheesy rambling and whatnot, but I thought I'd share anyways.

Which, while I'm on the subject. I HAVE to say that you girls are entering a different age of pursuing acting then when I moved to LA in 2004.

Believe it or not, A LOT has changed from 2005 to 2009, and in order for you girls to keep up with the competition, you have to know what the competition is doing.

So what are they doing? THEIR OWN VIDEOS! Whether it's acting out their own written scenes with friends, making their own music videos, spoof videos, vlogs, how-tos, or just simply dancing to the latest music.

I am a strong advocate for being consistent with your "image" (for example: if you're marketing yourself as a dramatic actress, don't go making an SNL spin-off).... BUT I'm also a HUGE advocate for getting yourself OUT THERE! And in this technological age, there are MANY ways to market yourself, and remain true to who you are.

A couple examples:

- Facebook (befriend EVERYONE you meet on set immediately... being fresh in their mind could lead to your next job)

- Twitter (it's not for everyone, but if you have something to say, say it on twitter! And here's a hint: be positive. The better your outlook on things, the more people will want to work with you.)

- YouTube (if you have a camera and know how to use it, THEN USE IT! And shockingly enough, many people have gotten acting jobs just from youtube videos, whether they're acting in the video or not. Casting Directors can sense if you have a good on-screen presence. Plus, bonus tip: if you have a special skill {i.e. a sport, musical talent, weird talent, something not a lot of people can do} FILM IT! You may just get cast, or "discovered" from it!)

*** If you have iMovie or Final Cut Pro and don't know how to edit (and you're like me and hate reading manuals) I suggest watching tutorials on YouTube! That's how I learned most of everything I know about editing.

IMDb is a HUGE marketing tool. When you get your name on IMDb, INSTANTLY put an avatar (profile picture) up, it'll be the best $35 you ever spend online. Just make sure it's a good picture, because it's another $35 if you want to change it. Also, I would highly suggest getting IMDBpro because you get special features such as "in production" castings, job listings, and career advice, as well as access to all message boards and just overall better information so you know the ins an outs of what's going on. Totally worth it.

And eventually you'll want to get your own website (www.yourname.com). Why? Just because it looks more professional. No other reason, really. Well, there are some reasons: putting up all your photos, resume, demo reel(s), contact info, bio... it's good to have, when you have enough to put on it.

If you need a reliable website company: I got mine (CassieJaye.com) through RobPadgett.biz. Great prices, and he's on top of things. I've been with him for almost 3 years and he's never let me down. I'd definitely recommend him.

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Cassie

Preparing a monologue

Being that I live in the middle of nowhere, theatrically speaking, a girl has got to take what she can get.

That being said, I have rarely come across a casting in Las Vegas (where I am currently stationed, for the time being) that not only pays more than the gas it takes to get there but also seems fun.

I came across an odd posting on (where else?) www.Craigslist.org under tv/film/radio jobs. (which believe me, this section is USUALLY blank.)

FRIGHT DOME IS CASTING FOR A MINI-MOVIE / PROMO FOR NEW UPCOMING HORROR ATTRACTION THAT WILL BE OPENING IN OCTOBER!

ACTORS / ACTRESSES MUST:
BE BETWEEN 18 - 35 YEARS OF AGE
 BE IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION
BE ABLE TO DO SCRIPTED DIALOG (APPROX 2 - 3 PAGES)
BE COMFORTABLE WITH HAVING SPECIAL MAKEUP FX DONE TO THEM AND / OR BEING AROUND OTHER SPECIAL MAKE-UP FX.

OPEN AUDITIONS WILL BE HELD ON ONLY AUGUST 1, 2009 FROM 10 AM - 8 PM
- YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST COME TO THE AUDITION AND DO MONOLOGUE / SCRIPT READING TO BE CONSIDERED. NO EXCEPTIONS!
- PLEASE BE PREPARED TO DO A 1 - 2 MINUTE MONOLOGUE / SCRIPT READING WHICH WILL BE PROVIDED ON AUDITION DAY.
- YOU WILL BE VIDEOTAPED DURING THE AUDITION IN ORDER TO HELP WITH THE CASTING DECISIONS
- PLEASE BE SURE A HEAD SHOT / PHOTO AND RESUME WITH YOU TO THE AUDITION.
COMPENSATION IS: $100 - $150 PER DAY DEPENDING ON WHICH PART YOU ARE CAST FOR.

• Location: Las Vegas
• Compensation: $100 - $150

So being the gloriously unemployed aspiring actress that I am at the moment, I took this little gem. A chance to actually prepare ANY monologue I want? Heck yes. 

I am looking for a creepy, scary, 20-25 yr old role. I am looking through some of my favorite monologue sites from high school (the only time I've ever actually needed a monologue) and need some help deciding what to do. Here are some favorite monologue sites of mine:

1) http://www.whysanity.net/monos/female.html  - They update this every year with new monologues and even have some really hard to find movie scenes, and sometime you have to email the owner and ask for them, but 99% are free for reading on the site. No made up monologue crap from a creative writing student. All real movies. No theater here, though. But you're not actually auditioning for film, are you? Where do you think you are? NYC?

2) http://www.monologuearchive.com/  - They have a great organized monologue selection, separated by classical and modern, dramatic and comedy. Very good older, classical selection. They also have a section for kids I have no explored. Mostly play monologues here. (As you can imagine, at 5'9 barefoot, I don't get a lot of disney auditions...)

3) Another great resource is Borders. Got to the literature section and there is a small section of monologue books, monolouge book sfor women, for men, for kids, from classical plays (not much from movies though.) and from different decades. My go to book, and most useful monologue book is a little purple paperback book called "100 women's stage monologues from the 1980's".

For this audition I'll be choosing a film, and a horror or thriller genre. My problem here is I don't watch scary movies. Because they scare me. (Don't judge me!) So I don't have much point of reference. I am looking for a girl in her 20's who is creepy or scary. I'm not going for the damsel in distress, but the villain. 

Any suggestions?

I'll put up the final 2 or 3 I choose up here when I have some good choices.

email me or Direct Message your suggestion to me on twitter (twitter.com/freakygreeneyes)!

John Robert Powers. Those Dirty Bastards.

Like the new Green Day song so awesomely proclaims: "KNOW YOUR ENEMY".

Let me tell you about my lil' friend, John Robert Powers.

When I first came to LA to act, I didn't know where to start. I didn't know about craigslist.org, LAcasting.com, or even NOWcasting. So I looked in the newspaper for acting jobs. I came across an ad looking for new and fresh ("No experience necessary!") models, singers and actors. It said something like, "OPEN CALL for undiscovered talent for TV shows on Disney and Nickelodeon!" I went down all the way to sunset blvd to audition for something I had no idea what it was really about. Upon entering, I noticed similar surroundings from trying to get an agent as a child (and also being scammed): A big lobby full of movie and tv posters with no connection to each other. There were several children toys and magazines for the moms. (A typical casting office is usually bare and small, with a few chairs and a desk with a clipboard.) After I filled out several forms with all my contact info on it (I never noticed that there was no place to put my agent's info, because they were banking on me not having one.) I was escorted into a huge classroom.

 There were rows and rows of chairs for all the overly excited parents and children to sit and listen to how successful John Robert Powers is and how every one of the posters in the room had been cast  by them or one of the actors from their classes had gone on to make those shows.

One by one, after having us watch a VHS (Yes, a VHS) tape of how awesome John Robert Powers is, they had us file into a line to meet with their executive "Casting Directors". I noticed sad faces and crushed dreams walk out of that room before me. I thought, wow, they must be really picky! (See: the parents didn't have enough money to pay for the several thousand dollar classes they had to join to become "famous".)

I entered the room, the only thin, young teenager there with previous modeling experience and they told me they loved my look, and they wanted to hear "My story". I gave them a brief bio of myself and how I wanted to start acting in film. All three smiled encouragingly and told me there were acting classes available for me! 

Wait. What? How is this an audition? 

"I thought this was an audition for a tv show... " I said. 

"Oh we are having auditions for several TV shows! But you aren't ready yet, honey. But the good news is we just LOVE your look, I think you would book TONS of commercials and movies!" (Movies? What self respecting industry professional calls films "movies"?)

So I say,"OK, cool, I like acting class, I guess.... How much is it?"

Enthusiastic "casting director" said "The acting classes start at $800 for a 4 week class or if you really want to act, we might be able to fit you in to our 2 year program for $6,500." (I am not positive on how many thousands of dollars they were charging, it was a couple years ago, but I know it was almost the cost of a legit college.)

I teared up and said, "But there is no way I can afford that!"

"What about your parents?"

"No, they can't afford anything."

"Well, we might be able to work out a financing plan for you."

I was so upset I nodded and left. Going home, I thought, why wouldn't they say on the dang Ad that they were charging money, not a real audition for a real tv show? I was so indignant and confused. I knew one thing, I didn't need John Robert Powers. I needed a real audition. 

Granted, this was WAY before I knew I even needed a resume or headshot, etc... but I still knew something was wrong with that place.

There are plenty of people out there who have unfortunately gone through the John Robert Powers scam. And if you are curious, or don't believe me, please research for yourselves! http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/119/RipOff0119080.htm

*Fast forward 3 years.*

I have recently moved to Las Vegas to save money for my wedding. I miss LA, but there is no money to be made there right now (So if you are thinking about moving to LA to act, now is not the best time. I would suggest saving up a couple thousand bucks to live off of for at LEAST 6 months, because there is no work out there, acting or regular. Unless, of course, you have very rich parents who have no problem supporting your for 4 years while you break into acting, then go for it!!)

I have been surfing the las vegas craigslist for work recently. No luck yet on finding any acting auditions. well, unless you count a "sexy busty blonde babe" type for a short film for NO pay. There are plenty of those "castings" in Vegas. (PLEASE FLAG THAT CRAP!)

I came across this ad:

Casting This Saturday

LA Casting Director is coming to Las Vegas to seek new talent for two upcoming films. 

All ages are welcome.(if under 18, you must be accompanied by an adult) 

For more information, please contact Mary Zaragoza either by email or phone. 

marygutierrez08@yahoo.com 

(702)466-6482 

So I sent in my headshot and resume. I thought something was weird about this posting, but I wanted SO badly for it to be legit work in Vegas, so I emailed to find out more about it:

Hello!

I am a 22 yr old actress from LA, recently moved to Vegas and would love to know more about this casting and what it is for! I have attached my headshot and a link to my imdb page. Thanks!-Amber Pxxxxxx

She emailed me back a very air head response, asking me for my info all over again:The Director is searching for new talent for her upcoming movies. She will be here this Saturday at 1pm. She is looking for all ages and types. You may audition if you would like. I just need a little bit more information from you such as:

Client name:

age: 

two phone numbers:

Email:

You don't need to prepare anything for the audition. You just need to come in dressed nice. ( no jeans or t-shirts) You will be given a script, but you don't have to memorize it. 

I need your information so I can put you on the list. The audition will be held at the following address: 1:00 p.m. For 2 movies.

8879 W. Flamingo Rd. Suite 101

(Between Durango and El Capitan)

If you get lost or need more directions please call either (702)466-6482 or (702)364-9900.

There will be a sign in sheet which will ask who invited you, you will put my name (Mary Zaragoza).

I hope to hear from you soon with more information about you and if you will be attending. Thank you! Sincerely, Mary Zaragoza

Confused and annoyed, I responded with the same information I already gave her and asked a few questions to try to understand what she was casting, and what the production company was:

Hi Mary,

Does the director have any experience? Is there a production website or imdb credits I could look at? 

Again, my name is Amber Pxxxxxxx, I'm 22, I only have one phone number (my cell) xxx xxx-xxxx.

She never responded. 

Well I got a call this morning from a 702 area code (THAT'S VEGAS, NOT LA! LIKE THEY SAID THEY WERE VISITING FROM). It went something like this: 

"...Hello?"

"Hi Amber! This is Mary from John Robert Powers! How ARE you!!"

*sigh*

"I'm good."

"We just wanted to make sure you could still come to our movie casting today! You see, we have a top LA casting director visiting today casting for new movies! Yup, so you REALLY don't wanna miss that! Oh I really hope you can make it, this is gonna be HUGE! Here, let me give you some contact numbers in case you get lost, ok?"

(I pretended to take the several numbers down and said yeah I was pretty sure I'd be there at 1pm.)

I hung up and was so glad I caught that before I wasted my time going to that stupid audition!! 

The point I'm trying to make (and I'm sorry for this being so long!) is:

-Know your enemy: Beware of John Robert Power "castings" that are really ads. As well as anything else that makes you pay for anything. (unless acting classes are recommended by a working actor or legit agent who gets you work)

-Always try to find out as much as possible about the casting before committing to it! Some things to always know are who is the casting director, or the director/writer? What kind of work can they show you they have done? A youtube teaser trailer, or production website, or imdb credits, or personal references from actors they have worked with in the past are better than nothing! 

-If they are professional, they will understand the request for information, and respect you for being interested.

Also check out one of my good director's blog about what he looks for in an actor and let us know if it is helpful!

http://nsage.blogspot.com/2009/06/what-i-look-for-in-actor.html

Whew! had to get that off my chest!

Act From Experience

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.
Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened,
vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved." - Helen Keller

I want to share some advice that took me a while to sink in.

I am the type of person where: when people tell me what to do and give me great advice, I don't FULLY understand it until I experience it for myself. I learn more through trial and error then I do from me just following people's advice. So if you're like me, then I'll tell you this advice and it may not register for a while. But if you are the type of person who learns from other people's experiences, then here's what I've learned:

I was star-struck when I first got to work with actor, Rider Strong (who played Shawn Hunter in "Boy Meets World", a show I grew up religiously watching). We worked in "Cosmic Radio" together, and we got to get drinks one night and talk for a bit.

At the time, I was still a newbie, and trying to soak up as much information as I could about the industry. So I asked Rider, "if you have any advice for a young aspiring actress like me, trying to break the glass ceiling, what would it be?"

I was expecting him to say "make sure you find a good agent" or "get into acting classes" or even "it's all about networking, who you know"..... at least with that kind of advice I feel like I can work towards and ask people for help with.

But, in fact, his expert advice was... dun nun nuuuuuuuuun......

"Go out, experience life, meet many people, travel, live, love, learn. An actor's job is to know the most about life as possible, because we are translating these real life experiences onto film, and sharing it with people who don't have the opportunity to see all of the world and do everything there is to do."

When he told me this, I'll admit I was kind of bummed. I was thinking to myself "I don't want to travel, go get my heart broken, go experience risky time-consuming things... I want to be in LA, auditioning, filming, networking... and that 'experiencing life' stuff seems like a lot of work".

Yes, that's actually what I thought.

Fast forward to 3 years later (right now), I see what he was talking about.

How are we, as actors, supposed to convey these emotions on screen, if we've never experienced them ourselves? We have the absolute privilege to teach millions of people about these true life experiences, we should know what we're talking about. It'd be like an News Anchorwoman reading the stories off the teleprompter, and yet, not even know anything about the subject. Sure, you can slide under the radar and hope that no one ever finds out you don't know what you're talking about... but believe me, they'll find out. If not now, then later.

Now, I'm not saying you should go do drugs if you're supposed to be a drug addict in a film, or go experience prostitution, or be in a gang... NO. But know about the subject. Research! You can actually google true-life stories of prostitutes on the web. I did it yesterday because I auditioned for a girl who was a prostitute yesterday.

Be well-versed in any subject you come across. If you only read acting books, then you're not doing your job. Expand your mind, expand your experiences. It's our job (as actors) to live life to the fullest so we can translate our experiences onto film for others to learn from.

So, go out: LIVE, LOVE, LEARN!

Prepping For Commercial Auditions

It's very important to do as much research as possible before every audition, but prepping for a commercial is a little different then prepping for a film or tv show.

I have a Ross Commercial audition today, and there are no sides and no explanation of what I'm going to be asked to do. So how do I educate myself before this audition? 

You Tube! Just by searching Ross commercials on www.youtube.com I can see that ALL their commercials are just people dancing around, smiling, and having fun. So l will most likely be asked to improv something like this at my audition.

I can also see how they dress, do their hair, makeup, etc... Your image and how you present yourself at commercial auditions is one of the most important deciding factors for casting directors (next to letting your personality shine). 

I encourage you to always watch previous commercials from that company before you audition for them: iPod, Geico, Verizon, Fruit of the Loom, Doritos.... they all have different "styles" of commercials, so educate yourself!

I auditioned for this Listerine commercial before, and I had to practice swooshing mouthwash in front of a mirror... it's actually really hard! But at least I knew to practice!

Break a leg!

- Cassie

Actress Check List

Helloooo! Cassie here again. I just went to an audi this morning, and when I was in the car I was thinking how I should write a blog about all the "actress supplies" I keep in my car for any last minute audition situation. So here are some tips on things to have in your car at all times and different supplies to invest in for your acting career!

Things to keep in your car:

- Plenty of headshots in a hard folder (to keep them from getting bent)

- Plenty of UPDATED resumes already cut to 8"x10"

- A small stapler to attach your headshots to your resume and a small box of extra staples

 (I don't staple my headshot to my resume until the day of the audition because if you do it in advance, you may attach old resumes to updated headshots or vice versa, and then have to take the staple out later when you update it... so just keep them seperate until the day of your audition)

- Highlighter (for your "sides", aka script)

- Heals (you may be out running errands and all of a sudden you get a call from your agent for an audition in an hour across town. It's a sexy girl role but you're just wearing jeans and a t-shirt... add heals to any outfit and you're automatically "dressed up"... keep a black pair of heals in your car)

- Tape recorder (*optional - I use a tape recorder to memorize lines if I don't have someone else to read the other part for me. I'll tape myself reading the other part and leave a blank space for my character's lines. That way it's like I have someone else reading the lines with me. My tape recorder stays in my glove box at all times)

Actress Supply List:

- Paper / Printer / Ink 

(for your resumes and scripts, you'll be printing ALL THE TIME! Don't rely on Kinkos!)

- Headshots

(Prints usually cost a little less than $1 per photo. I think I got 100 Headshots for $75. I also have 3 different "looks" which I choose depending on the audition. I have a young/natural  smiling look for Disney and commercials; a smokey eye seductress headshot for the sexy girl auditions; and then my straight forward, no smiling, average girl-next-door for leading lady roles. Find your top 2 or 3 characters you'd be auditioning for and have your headshots reflect those)

- Paper cutter

(I invested in this within a month or 2 after moving to LA and I don't know what I'd do without it. I think it was about $20 at Office Depot and it's helped my resumes look so polished and it cuts time in half! Pun intended....)

- Business Cards

(I mentioned this in my last post, but they're very important! Mainly for networking events and while you're on set filming, not really for auditions. It doesn't matter how good, bad, or ugly you have them, as long as you have them with the correct info! Some people put their headshot on their business card, I didn't do that, I just have my name, email, and acting website. Phone number is optional. Just depends on how much info you want floating around out there. Be safe girls!)

Hope this helps! Feel free to email us if you want to add your own actress check list item! Always looking to share good tips!

I wanted to blog about moving to the fabulous Las Vegas...

But I haven't found anything positive yet...

Stay tuned kids.

-Amber