Three emails to share this week, all based on last week’s column, Help Us Help You.
Hey you,
Gimme an agent and tell me my type.
Just kidding!!
Thanks for the great article this week as usual!
I have a question. I’m freelancing with one commercial agency in NY so far. The agent there hasn’t sent me out in a while. Is it okay for me to postcard her with my recent bookings/updates, to stay on her radar or is that only okay with CDs? I don’t want to be a bugaboo, but I also don’t want to be forgotten.
Also, your article this week inspired me to contact the NY shows that I’d be right for. I was dragging my feet on this because I truly hate the cover letter writing part of things (striking the balance between professional/my corny personality/showing off what I’ve done is super hard for me) but it was a lame excuse and I’m over it. I’m definitely going to submit and hopefully land some audis.
Thanks so much for your weekly dose of industry awesomeness.
ATB,
Danielle Faust
Yes, postcard your agent, but even better, take her to lunch or pop in with coffee in order to reconnect and to remind her of your corny personality and awesome professionalism. Certainly, postcards are fine for anyone, mainly because they’re so unobtrusive that we can toss them if they’re not something we need, but they remind us that you’re still out there and you never know when that timing might be perfect.
Good luck targeting your shows in NY. I’m excited to hear how that goes for you. Keep it comin’!
Hi Bonnie! Just read your article. And, now that I have been an avid reader of yours for 2+ years since I came to LA, It’s very interesting to note the patterns in the things you discuss. Topics are definitely revisited, but always discussed from a slightly new angle. And as I read I am able to recall, “Oh yeah she said this and this, back then…” and more importantly, I am able to clearly see how things land differently for me because of the things I have learned as time has passed.
A mentor of mine explained to me that learning happens in a spiral, sometimes it may seem like you are faced with the same lesson over and over again, and it may get frustrating having to deal with something you thought you overcame long ago. But in fact, what is happening is that you are learning the same lesson on a deeper level. Hence the “spiral” image.
Anyway, thanks for that. I am visiting the UC Irvine class tomorrow (When are you heading down?), and of course am telling them that it’s never too early to start to read your articles, if they haven’t already. I am visiting them with my newly signed manager, who I researched, and who was extremely impressed when I handed her an outline of the CDs I have met, how I knew them, etc., as well as a direction as far as the kind of work I am feel right for.
The end. My apologies for the novel. And thanks again!
Awesome! I love knowing that agents and managers are as excited about seeing actors who’ve done their homework as I am. I’ll be visiting UC Irvine next month; always a highlight! Thank you for sharing your thoughts with them about me.
As for the spiral, I’ve actually written about that. Of course that should come as no surprise. Definitely, in over five years of columns here, the themes emerge but also refine themselves. That’s both a result of my readers’ evolutionary process and my own. As always, big thanks!
That was so awesome that I don’t know what to do. Wait, yes, I do… because that column was a roadmap.
I have been looking for balance in my presentation. I found out ways to improve my acting technique only to realize that presentation and pitches are just as important.
For example, I just performed in an event where the casting director told me that if I wanted to impress anyone, it would be one specific director-writer genius combo. So, I went to town, prepared nightly for a month, and acted like I knew I could act.
After the performance, many actors went up to him, with their headshots and questions. Realizing that I needed to capitalize on a good event — the only good block is a building block — I made my way over to network. Halfway there, I paused, realizing that I wasn’t prepared with a pitch. I was prepared to act… but not to pitch. As I stood there contemplating my error, he came up to me to congratulate me on my performance and asked me for my contact information.
As he was talking to me, I realized that he had a pitch! A good one too. And he certainly didn’t need to give me one. I left elated, but even more so, aware that a having pitch is a necessity (one of those dividers between amateur and professional). If I saw a window on my way out, I would’ve taken the time to throw out that “networking doesn’t come naturally to me” bull that I tell myself from time to time. But, there weren’t any windows, so I just made a mental note to “fix it!”
As is my weekly experience with your work, reading this week’s column was serendipitous. See I made the mental note to “fix it!” Then, realizing that I didn’t have any clue as how to “fix it,” I decided to get cheese fries (because every time is a good time for a Mean Girls reference).
Your column is going to serve as my road map for the next few months (and longer)! My plan is to go to networking events/workshops with agencies that I already know are a good fit. (Because of my years of kinda sorta figuring out who’s a good fit. Geez! It’s like I like to waste time!) This time, when I meet them, I’ll pick their brain with narrowed down questions and researched options. I’ll do my researching and targeting with CDs of NY TV shows that feature my type. Then, start building relationships in the same specific, charted ways.
I’ll update you on the other side of the awesome research work I’m really excited to do. Will repost your column on my blog and everywhere I can find. Awesome!
Sincerely,
Mavis Martin
Awesome, indeed! It’s interesting. I had a premiere a few days ago for a film I cast. It was fantastic and there was an invitation-only reception after the event. I was prepared to be surrounded by all of my friends who attended the screening, but instead I was kinda sorta on my own, as they were asked to socialize at another area of the bar.
I took a deep breath and walked on in and met up with people I should’ve been intimidated to meet and, just like you experienced, I watched them do pitches and realized we’re all involved in a quest to get others to get us and when we really get who we are, it never feels like we’re pitching. It’s just having a conversation and answering the question, “So what are you working on?”
And that’s pretty dang cool. So, good for you! I’m glad you feel you have a roadmap. Just like with any road you travel for the first time, you’ll consult that map. And then you’ll travel that road again and glance at the map. And then you’ll know that road so well, you’ll feel as though your car drives itself along the route. And that’s when networking is just talking. It’s actually kind of fun! It’s like heading home.
Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!
Originally published by Actors Access at http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/001097.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.