All right sexyfaces (I totally stole that from Ninja Amber, but it’s all good, since she stole stabby from me, and we don’t actually call it stealing, since we *like* to share our made-up words with one another), here we are with the final vid in this series of badass freebies, and this one is all about CONFIDENCE!

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s another long vid, but guys, it’s my fave. Your confidence is totally within your control, and I can’t wait for you to grab this paradigm shift!

Your entire job is to show folks who have invited you in: “This is what I do. When you need this, you let me know.” Period.

How can you possibly lose confidence when your only goal is to accurately represent what it is that you’ve chosen to do with the material you’ve been given? That’s totally, uniquely you. How freakin’ awesome!

I hope y’all have enjoyed this free series (believe me, based on your comments, Facebook shares, tweets, and emails I will definitely be doing more of these) and for those of you who have been hankerin’ to be a part of our most popular online course, this next vid is FILLED with good news for you! πŸ˜€

That’s it. Hit me up with a link to your 90 second (max) vid uploaded to YouTube in the comments below. Share who you are, where you are, where you want to be, how I can help you get there, and why you will be a HUGE success story based on the amount of work you’re willing to put in — should you be granted one of these badass scholarship slots! πŸ™‚ The deadline for uploads is Friday, February 8th at 5pm PST. We’ll be announcing scholarship winners the following week, so be sure you’re on the mailing list (and have checked the box at MailChimp for info on online offerings) to get the heads up about that bit of news!

We are so excited to offer these scholarship slots up! THANK YOU for sharing the link to this post with anyone you know who is jonesin’ to get LA-ready, anywhere in the world, so we can jam!

Oh, in case you’re wondering, our next round of Six Weeks To LA will be open for registration later this week… and it’ll run February 17th through March 31st. There’s nothin’ like it. Want proof? Just check out the words of ninjas who’ve been a part of the Self-Management for Actors world thus far. DANG, I love hearing about success stories! Please, if you have one to share, pop it in the comments below so we can celebrate you too!

Bon Teaching w/ Gary Marsh

Speaking engagement with Gary Marsh.

Enlarge with a click, yo.

That’s it for this free series and for the big news about our first-ever scholarship to 6W2LA. Remember, confidence is totally within your control and I am excited to hear how you face down the un-confident (I know; not a word) beast when it rears its ugly head. Is knowing you’re the only one who can do what you do helpful? And that you’re not looking to do anything more than show buyers WHAT you do, so they can know to go to you, first, when THAT is what they need? Sure hope so! It means — to me — you’re pretty damn confident and magical. And I love that about you!

You should love that too!

Rock on, ninjas! XO

Bon


Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!

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70 Comments

  1. Korey Simeone January 30, 2013 at 3:00 am

    Just wanted to say thanks for all these great vids and articles! I have been reading as many as I can and even though I feel like I know a lot of it, you always show me a different side of whatever topic you happen to be addressing. I met you at a TTThursday last year and I don’t know if you remember me but I look forward to seeing you again soon! Thanks so much.

    Sincerely,
    Korey Simeone

    Reply
  2. Claartje van Swaaij January 30, 2013 at 6:11 am

    Lovelovelove your videos and you are so right on the confidence thing!

    Reply
  3. Shari January 30, 2013 at 6:53 am

    Love Love Love!!!! So positive and so very very NINJA! You are the best thing ever Bonnie and you MAKE US HAPPY!

    Reply
  4. Chandra January 30, 2013 at 8:17 am

    What will the format for class be this go around? Will it be completely online, or is it going to be an eprof class based on a live class?

    Reply
  5. Jen Ponton January 30, 2013 at 8:28 am

    You’re so spot-on and inspiring, Bon–always and forever! I have a confidence question, actually: Sometimes the little gremlins in my head say that the choices I make with sides are not interesting or specific enough, because wouldn’t *anyone* make those same choices? (Especially with something maybe so cut and dry, like a co-star that just moves the plot.) Is that just actor mind taffy, or does it have some merit?

    Reply
  6. Morgan January 30, 2013 at 9:48 am

    What a beautiful video! I really appreciate this entire series you did, Bonnie, each had amazing gifts and I think this last one really ties them all in. This confidence concept behind this video is something I have had to train myself to do and whenever I do it properly the difference is night and day. Thanks also for the insight into the lives of casting directors, it really puts things into perspective.

    Reply
  7. CrackerJack January 30, 2013 at 12:21 pm

    Bon, you have such perfect timing. Thank you so much for the confidence boost. <3

    Morgan, I agree. the mindset shift is tough and it's something that I have to work at (constantly), but it's so amazing. It makes such a huge difference.

    Reply
  8. Monique January 30, 2013 at 12:23 pm

    Sensei Bonnie! πŸ˜€

    Thank you so much for these empower-packed videos! They’re amazing!

    Quick question about 6w2LA… I was wondering if you cover greencards/visas and getting survival jobs for us WAY out of towners (Canada)?

    Thanks!
    Monique

    Reply
  9. CrackerJack January 30, 2013 at 1:06 pm

    If I wasn’t already in LA, I would totally take 6w2la. It’s so jampacked full of resources.

    Chandra, the class is all online. There are weekly phone calls, mp3s, online forums, and homework!

    Monique, Bonnie LOVES working with way-out-of-towners. She talks about visas and all the logistics of moving to a new country. ^_^

    Reply
  10. Monique January 30, 2013 at 1:43 pm

    Total Awesomeness! Thanks CrackerJack!

    Reply
  11. Angelic January 30, 2013 at 4:21 pm

    Love this!! So glad I stumbled in here. I’m a fairly new actor building my reel and this is such helpful information. Wonderful that you’re sharing it and happy to join your mailing list! πŸ™‚

    Reply
  12. Ramon Olmos Torres January 30, 2013 at 8:33 pm

    I’ve been spreading the word about a the best management for actors book written by a master NINJA!

    Reply
  13. CrackerJack January 30, 2013 at 9:27 pm

    Angelic, I’m so glad you stumbled here too! I wish I had found this information when I first started out. Congrats!

    Ramon, you’re awesome! ^_^

    Reply
  14. jeff m January 30, 2013 at 10:16 pm

    mmm yes honey child

    Reply
  15. Amber P January 31, 2013 at 1:15 am

    I’m gonna listen to this before every audition. Lordy lordy! Love it.

    Reply
  16. kathi January 31, 2013 at 1:26 am

    Awesome! Just awesome. I’ll have to come back to this vid over and over again whenever I find myself starting to question my choices or starting to lose that confidence. YAY!

    Reply
  17. Bernadette Wilson January 31, 2013 at 7:38 am

    Love this! I always think that I have a chance to perform for 5 minutes, meet some cool people who invited me in and then after, I go to a museum to see great art, or a movie. The last thing one wants to do is ruminate and start critiquing oneself or the audition as a whole. The important thing to do is have fun. Embrace the unknown. There are so many possibilities that converge in those 5 minutes of performance.

    Reply
  18. Kevin B. Hartley January 31, 2013 at 9:54 am

    Bon, I think you somehow channel our collective needs from the universe to know just what we need, then give it to us just when we need it!! Thank you, YOU ROCK!!

    Reply
  19. Sara Pittock January 31, 2013 at 11:41 am

    Thanks for these fantastic videos! I think I started out with that confident “Here is what I’m doing with this character” attitude, but somewhere along the way I lost it. Thank you for the reminder that it’s still within reach!

    Reply
  20. Jill Maglione January 31, 2013 at 12:07 pm

    Bon, I love it! I want this in mp3 format so I can add it to my playlist and listen to it in the freaking waiting room! xoxoxo

    Reply
  21. Bonnie Gillespie January 31, 2013 at 2:27 pm

    Oh my gosh! Y’all are SO awesome! I have so many replies to do! Let’s dig in. πŸ˜€

    Korey! Of course I remember you and I hope you’ll come to another TTT down the line (our next one will be in May! Yay!). I’m so glad you’re enjoying the vids and articles. Means a lot to me to know the info is helping out! πŸ™‚ So, thank you for the feedback and keep rockin’, sir!

    Claartje–you KNOW I love hearing from you, gorgeous girl! Thank you!

    Shari, y’all rock. Thank you for enjoying this and for staying so positive. It’s awesome! And so good for Blake!

    Chandra, Ninja Cracker Jack is 95% correct in her answer about the format of 6W2LA. It’s just like the 12-week SMFA Online program, but the calls are shorter. Vids go up every Sunday, lots of reading and homework and message board support, then the call on Wednesdays. πŸ™‚ No MP3s. But everything else, yes! πŸ˜€

    Jen! Mostly Actor Mind Taffy. Especially on those one-liners or one-scene co-stars, the choices usually *are* simple and “typical” because your function is to move the plot along, as you’ve mentioned. The goal is not to make a UNIQUE choice for the sake of being unique. The goal is to make choices that are BRAND YOU (which, of course, will be unique because YOU are unique), but not because you’re trying to be different from everyone else as a goal. There’s a little overthinking going on, for you, on this one. For a lot of the roles you’re talking about, it’s not about being INTERESTING, but you definitely want to be SPECIFIC. Always. πŸ˜‰

    Morgan, my pleasure! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this free vid series and that it’s resonating with you! There is so much we can do to be confident… we just have to work the muscle. Usually the one that’s overdeveloped in actors (or creatives of any kind) is the one that likes to “people please” or try and figure out “what do they want?” rather than just showing ’em “here’s what I do.” I’m excited to learn more about your journey!

    Definitely, Monique, as Ninja Cracker Jack has shared, we do cover visas and survival jobs of all levels in 6W2LA. We also cover where to live, accents, headshots, acting coaches, and getting all your materials LA-ready. It’s a ridiculously comprehensive course and we pack a lot in these six weeks! So excited to work with you!! πŸ™‚ It’s so badass!

    Angelic, hi! I’m so thrilled you’ve come across my free vids and articles early in your acting career. I hear from actors all the time who find ’em a DECADE after they’ve made some missteps and have gotten frustrated, and they always say, “Where were you when I was starting out!” So, it means the WORLD to me to hear from actors who *are* starting out, because I know how valuable this information can be to setting your path off on the right foot! Keep me posted on how it all goes for you, and enjoy the BonBlasts! Yay!

    RamΓ³n, thank you. You are such a gem and I am SO happy to get to work with you when I travel to NY. You are one of my very favorite people and I love how much *you* love SMFA. That little book has brought a lot of great people into my life. THANK YOU for recommending it!

    Jeff–*mmm-hmmmmmm*. πŸ˜‰

    Amber, yay! That makes me so happy!

    Kathi, thank you. It’s sometimes the simple stuff that we first forget, so the reminders are good and I’m glad you like this one. XO

    Bernadette–I *love* that mindset! LOVE IT! The last thing I say before an actor auditions for me is, “Have fun.” I wish more actors would see the audition as THE FIVE MINUTES DURING WHICH THEY HAVE THE ROLE. It’s such a great mindset and there’s no mental clutter of trying to “win” the role or anything like that. Fabulous! Keep doing it right, girl!

    Kevin, I know you won’t be surprised that I’ve heard that before. I get emails through my column from people who say, “Have you been talking to my mother to find out what I’m weirded about about right now, so you could write about it in this week’s column?” πŸ˜‰ I guess, like all creatives, I’m a sensitive critter, plugged in and aware of what’s going on “out there” in the lives of my fellow creatives. I’m so glad this clicked for you and I hope I get to see you again soon! XO

    DAN! I *love* your vid! Thank you! Your face lights up SO MUCH when you talk about the work you do with kiddos. (And OMG, that sounds like SO much fun!) Thank you for applying for the 6W2LA Scholarship! NO need to apologize for reaching out to the hubs. He has been keeping me posted on your email exchanges, so I know how excited you are for 6W2LA and how much you’ve been looking forward to it. We’re going to have a blast working together, either way. I’m glad you took advantage of applying for the scholarship. I’ll keep you posted (right now, you’re the only applicant, so it’s looking MIGHTY GOOD for you). πŸ˜‰ Heh! Much love and thanks for the enthusiasm. It’s contagious!

    Sara, it’s ALWAYS within reach! Yes! We just have to remember that place in us where it lives. Glad this vid helped remind you of that. Keep rockin’! πŸ™‚

    Ninja Jill, love you girl. I really should consider an MP3 version. Lemme see what I can do for you. πŸ˜‰ I would love to be able to provide a pre-audition audio file that would help you out. Lemme look into it! XO and thank you for all you do for Team Cricket Feet. We miss your face!

    And with THAT, I think I’m all caught up on comments. THANK YOU, beautiful people, for sharing the word and enjoying these vids! I love that! AND YOU! XO

    Reply
  22. Holly Allen January 31, 2013 at 3:42 pm

    Awesome! Bring JOY in the room with you. This makes such a huge difference. Love what you are teaching Bonnie! I’m in Chicago/Nashville, but am passing all your great info on to actors in these communities. Yay!

    Reply
  23. Lissie January 31, 2013 at 5:31 pm

    Bonnie!

    Thank you for the many, many things you do for actors. Thank you for the positivity and the “can do” attitude. Thank you especially for this video. I have major confidence issues. They stem from an awful audition experience, my first ever “professional” audition (it was summer stock). It was over ten years ago and it continues to haunt me. As a result I am literally afraid of directors, what they will think about me, what they will say about me. Material that I have down cold with strong choices I will forget and take rather limp choices with because, ironically, I don’t want the director to find me worth noticing, because then I won’t be verbally or emotionally abused by them. I know that the behavior of that director it is by far the exception to the rule. Even so, I have found it almost impossible to shake off. So, thanks for giving me something different to think about in the room.

    Luvs n Hugs to you!

    Reply
  24. Dan Waton February 1, 2013 at 6:47 am

    Hi Bonnie! Thank you for the awesome feedback! I was curious should I sign up for 6W2LA now and pay. Or wait to find out the results of the scholarship? Thanks in advance! Dan

    Reply
  25. Amber P February 1, 2013 at 9:54 am

    Hi Dan!

    I intern with Bonnie – I know she would encourage you to grab your seat NOW, you will still be qualified for a scholrship (if you made the video, I haven’t checked). Bonnie makes SURE that everyone who will make a scholarship video will be looked at. I’m so excited to share this time with you, Dan!!

    Reply
  26. Dan Waton February 1, 2013 at 10:51 am

    Thanks for the response, I guess my real question is when do you pay. When you sign up or when the class starts? Thanks for the help!!!

    Reply
  27. Keith Johnson February 1, 2013 at 2:19 pm

    Hey Dan,

    The safe bet is to enroll now. If you do, and we award you the scholarship, it’s easy for us to kick you a refund.

    However, since there’s a cap on the number of students we’re taking into class, if you haven’t enrolled and class is full, you’ll have missed your chance.

    I don’t know what the odds are of us filling completely up, but they’re not zero…

    Oh, and you pay when you sign up, not when class starts. Paying saves your seat. We ahve a lot of people who say “I’m in,” and then flake at the last minute, so in order to hold your seat, you will need to pay.

    Reply
  28. Dan Waton February 1, 2013 at 6:12 pm

    No problem! Thanks for the response!!!!

    Reply
  29. Dan Waton February 1, 2013 at 6:22 pm

    Alright I am signed up!!! I have another question, are there any materials you send out or is it all online? Because I am in a different place every week and my job sends me my mail where ever I am, so it tends to take a little longer to get to me. Thanks for answering all of my questions and being patient!!!

    Reply
  30. Keith Johnson February 1, 2013 at 6:48 pm

    Hey Dan,

    There’s a welcome packet that should be sent via email about a week before class starts. It’ll include some stuff to get your head in the right place to be successful in the program and some workbook materials (PDFs most likely).

    Everything else is online of working via a phone call that we’ll do on Wednesdays at 2:30pm Pacific time. If you’re not available to participate live on the phone call, you’ll be able to listen to it at your convenience online.

    Reply
  31. Dan Waton February 1, 2013 at 8:16 pm

    Great! Thanks! You guys are sooooo helpful!!! πŸ™‚

    Reply
  32. Allie February 1, 2013 at 8:33 pm

    Thank you for the boost of confidence, and for continuing to encourage viewers to be themselves and believe in themselves. Virtual high-five!

    Reply
  33. Jaye February 2, 2013 at 1:45 am

    Bonnie! YAY! I’ve been in LA for a little over a year. Need me some Ninja moves! I am going to create my vid while others are watching the Super Bowl ’cause the 6W2LA is MY super bowl! And I am going to be a techno wizard in uploading the vid link here from You Tube!
    Thank you for creating the scholarships!

    Reply
  34. Travis Greer February 2, 2013 at 1:54 am

    Yeah, this rocks. The confidence blog is so spot on! I really appreciate this Bonnie. This is something that I have been asking for. Someone who put it so directly as you did. Kudos!!

    Reply
  35. Zee February 2, 2013 at 5:51 am

    oops. Sorry about that. Just realized that my video was locked on private. I have opened it up, and I apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused.

    Reply
  36. Jaye February 3, 2013 at 4:58 pm

    Hey, Bonnie,

    Here’s my submission for a BonBadass Scholarship!

    this is the link!!

    https://youtu.be/MIIpL7wetFk

    Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Bonnie Gillespie February 3, 2013 at 5:24 pm

      Hiya Jaye! Please change the settings to UNLISTED rather than private, so we can have the team check it out. THANKS!

      Reply
  37. Jaye February 3, 2013 at 8:34 pm

    I fixed it! Ohhh! I love wearing big girl pants!! OOPS I made it public! will fix it!

    Reply
  38. EmilyHoch (Emily Gibson) February 4, 2013 at 10:02 am

    Hey Bonnie!
    Here’s my submission for the 6W2LA Scholarship. Thank you for this amazing opportunity and all that you do to help actors live out their dreams! Sorry my voice is a little gravelly I’m just getting over a cold.

    You may recognize my username form DrawSomething: I just sent you another masterpiece πŸ˜‰

    I love reading all your blogs and following you on Twitter!

    Thanks again,

    Emily

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_Zyl7Y54UM

    Reply
  39. judith tobi February 4, 2013 at 1:09 pm

    thank you so much on the confidence talk. I need it. Really gave me a whole new perspective on auditioning.

    Reply
  40. Christopher Seivright February 4, 2013 at 4:10 pm

    Hey Bonnie! It’s Chris Seivright here (Neil Whitely’s friend) from the T Dot! Yes you learned that phrase from me lol. I am sooooo so grateful for these videos that you post. They are so strengthening and nourishing to me every time I see them. I love the confidence video. I wish I could find more words to express to you than Thank you. But it’s all I can think of. So thank you Bonnie. You’re such a blessing in a huge way for us actors who who need that pick me up from time to time. And even if we don’t need it, you are still a blessing because you continue to bless us! So thank you! πŸ™‚

    God bless you!

    Chris

    Reply
  41. Erin February 5, 2013 at 3:48 pm

    THANK YOU! I just moved to LA and I want to keep this perspective and never become bitter. This is awesome!

    Reply
  42. Whitney February 7, 2013 at 1:18 pm

    Hi Bonnie,

    Here is my submission for the 6W2LA scholarship: https://youtu.be/_ryhkbiZ-yM Thank you for the opportunity!

    Best wishes,
    Whitney

    Reply
  43. Cherokee Cillie February 7, 2013 at 2:30 pm

    Hey Bonnie!

    Am super excited about the 6W2LA scholarship opportunity! Thank you so much!!! Here’s the link to my scholarship submission: https://youtu.be/owT-l76RVwU

    I look forward to your thoughts on it!

    Truly,
    Cherokee

    PS – Might have overused the “!” but I’M SUPER EXCITED!!! πŸ™‚

    Reply
  44. Fiona Geddes February 7, 2013 at 4:17 pm

    Hi Bonnie,

    Here’s my application for the Six Weeks to LA Scholarship. Thanks for the continued great advice and guidance!

    https://bit.ly/UH4XOU

    Best Wishes
    Fiona

    Reply
  45. CrackerJack February 7, 2013 at 8:49 pm

    Sidney, your link is set to private! Can you fix the settings so we can watch it?

    Reply
  46. Bonnie Gillespie February 8, 2013 at 12:43 pm

    Wow! Lots of comments since my last full-on reply-fest! πŸ˜€ Bear with me as I try to get to everyone. First off, THANK YOU all so much for being here, for engaging with one another, and for celebrating confidence! That means a lot to me, to see happen! Y’all rock!

    Holly — Keep celebrating the joy and THANK YOU for spreading the word. Check your email today (everyone) for a bit of news about these free vids and how we’re making them available to even more folks, free! Yay!

    Hello, Lissie! Hope you are well! We were just talking Wednesday in-house about some of our worst-ever auditions and how we let them “stick” but we let go all the wonderful things people say to us about how great we are, in other auditions. I had a brutal encounter with one of the first CDs I met in LA (20 years ago) and I still to this day remember exactly what he said. Do I remember the exact words — all complimentary — from the other half-dozen casting directors I met (much higher-tier than this guy) during that same first month in LA? Of course not. We just really do let that stuff STICK (part of why I’m working with Bree on an amazing new series and our free call 2/18). Yay! I’m glad you are using this vid to help you think about things differently. I know there’s still a lot of fear there, and that’s the tough stuff to break through, but you will. It’s just a muscle you need to build up. πŸ™‚ It’s in there! Keep at it!

    Charissa — Thank you for your application! πŸ™‚ You rock! I *love* that you are already on your way to LA! Cannot wait to meet you. πŸ˜€

    To Dan and *ALL* who have enrolled in 6W2LA, we’re scheduled to send out the welcome packet next week, so just hold tight and start thinking of all the things you don’t yet know about LA or your tools’ LA-readiness so we can start strong together on the 17th. Woo! Excited! Once we’re in the ongoing course, you can watch the weekly curriculum vids and participate at the message board from any computer at which you can log in (you’ll need Flash, to watch the vids), and our weekly call you can do from anywhere you can hop on a phone (or Skype, or even listen-only mode through a web browser). Cool, huh? Looks like I’ll be traveling a lot during the course too, so I’m glad it’s something we can get into from anywhere in the world.

    Allie — Of course! Believing in yourself is a true ninja move, no? πŸ˜‰

    Jaye — Love your attitude about this being YOUR Super Bowl. That’s awesome and I’m glad you got over some tech hurdles to get everything put together for your scholarship application. Woo! No worries about “wiggle room” for taking classes. You know that’s why I put so much free content out into the world, so you can get your ninja badassery going, no matter what! πŸ˜‰ Yay! Oh, what kind of dog do you have?

    Travis — Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the vid. I’m always pretty direct, so I’m glad this spoke to you! Keep at it!!

    Zlatko (AKA Zee) — Yay! So glad to get to hear more about your journey. Can’t wait to see you move ever-closer to your dream! Fabulous! πŸ˜€ And absolutely, I love having tools available for actors at all stages in their career, from free to one-on-one coaching options. I know there’s no one-size-fits-all way of learning for all creatives, and some do just fine with the DIY version of all that I teach through my writing, speaking gigs, vids, and MP3s. Others want that engagement and personal direction. I’m glad to be able to offer it all, and I’m so glad to know that — no matter what level — you’re getting so much from what I put out into the world. That’s awesome!

    Hello Jonathan — Thank you for your application vid! The agent who represents me for hand modeling (yes, really — that’s another story for another day) was once a figure skater and that sounds like such a challenging, competitive, crazy-fun pursuit. No wonder acting is so attractive to you! Love it! Looking forward to learning more about you and your journey.

    Bernadette — You’re awesome! You so have your head on straight and I’m excited to see you come back to this part of the industry you love so much (and yes, it *has* changed a lot in the past 15 years! I’ve seen it all happen and it’s crazy, looking back on it all at once). Thank you for the opportunity to learn more about you and your world. Yay!

    Hello Emily! Good to “see” you outside of Draw Something! I need to get more consistent with playing my turns (I’m much faster with Words With Friends). πŸ˜‰ You’re lovely and I hope your cold is now all the way gone. Stay warm and, hey, looks like Philly is on the list of my 2013 travels, so we’ll get to work together whether here, there, or online! Yay!

    Judith — You’re welcome! I hope that paradigm shift “sticks” for you. Enjoy those auditions and just have a blast, as much as possible. πŸ˜€

    C-Dot! πŸ™‚ Hiya, Chris. I am forever grateful for you schooling me on “T-Dot” when I visited in 2011. I’m so glad you love the vids. And hon, “thank you” is plenty (especially if you say it to me while holding up something gold and shiny in front of a few million people). πŸ˜‰ Heh heh. Stay inspired!

    Erin — you are welcome! Remember, that Bitterville is a destination and you can either choose to stay there or just visit and quickly leave. πŸ˜‰ It’s rare that you’ll never take a trip there, as a creative, so just remember to “come back home” as quickly as possible, when that happens. Welcome to LA!

    Thank you, Michael! I am so pleased that you’ve already done a recon week in LA. That’s a huge leg up on so many others who don’t get to have that time (or longer than a week) to plug in and really see, first-hand, what’s going on here. Thank you for your application and I look forward to learning more about you and your path to Hollywood!

    Ninja Ben — *You* are a ninja. I know this first-hand. I’m so proud of all you’re doing and I can’t wait to work with you again, whether now, later, here, or back up there! XO

    For SURE, Elizabeth, whether now or down the line, I agree with you and I am fascinated by your journey from LA to London and now on your way back again. Great strategy and just crazy enough that it may work! Thank you for your application!

    Thank you, Whitney, for taking advantage of the opportunity and getting yourself in the mix! I look forward to learning more about your journey from TN to LA! Yippee! (And where’s your accent?!? Wow! Not a hint of one.)

    Cherokee, you have such a sweetness about you! Thank you for sharing that inspiring quote in your scholarship application. Awesome! Sounds like you may be facing what I called (in my life) “the Age 28 Epiphany” (not saying you’re 28 or anything… saying that’s what I had, when I looked at my life and said, “Um, whose life is *this*?!?” and started making choices just for ME and what made me happy, rather than what I thought I was “supposed to do.” Looking forward to learning more about you, darlin’!

    Fiona, I love the phrase “turbo boost my relaunch.” Your goals are awesome and I love that you’re holding workshops with people who inspire you, so that you can share those folks with other actors *while* benefiting from all the instruction at the same time. Brilliant shift in survival jobs and that all sounds delicious. So excited for you! Thanks for your application.

    Boo, Sidney, your vid is still marked as private. I know, even after Cracker Jack prompted you here (thanks, CJ), we discussed it via email and you said it was also longer than the 90-second maximum, but I hope you’ll make it something we can check out before the deadline today! Looking forward to learning more about you and your next steps as a creative!

    Lindsay, you’re adorable! Ha! LOVE the whiteboard and your spunk, super-cheesy or not! Ha! Love all of it. Thank you for this cute application. A pleasure to watch!

    Ninja John — Ooh, I have so many favorite SMFA students in NY I want you to huddle with, so y’all can take over the world out there and make it even more blissful for me, when I try to live my bicoastal life (well… two trips to NY a year, staying longer each trip… not quite bicoastal, but I’m pushing that way). You are a rockstar and I’ve loved getting to know you through your emails to my column and now this vid. You rock and I can’t wait to see you in NY soon!

    Okay, I think *that* gets me caught up on comments as of 12:43pm on 2/8, the scholarship application deadline. In just a few hours, we’ll call it CLOSED, I’ll let the finalists know they’re advancing (and let those who are not advancing know they’re not, so they can still have time to register for 6W2LA before we close registration, should they want to participate this time around), and we’ll keep prepping for our start date of 2/17! So excited!!!

    Again, HUGE thanks to everyone for participating on this thread, whether you’re going in for the scholarship or not! I love all of this and all of y’all. Keep the good stuff flowin’ and let’s have a spectacular weekend! XO

    Reply
  47. Abby L February 8, 2013 at 1:06 pm

    Thanks so much for offering a scholarship Bonnie. And as always what an awesome post about confidence!!
    https://youtu.be/iJvAF99wrLs

    Reply
  48. Kally Khourshid February 8, 2013 at 4:57 pm

    Here goes! Thanks for making this scholarship opportunity even possible to us – and for your never-ending support in helping us become ninjas!

    Joy,
    Kally

    https://youtu.be/mygNJXubcRk

    Reply
  49. Bettina Kenney February 8, 2013 at 4:58 pm

    Dear Bonnie

    I cant’t say it enough: you are divine! :))))
    Thank you so much all for the inspiration, the joy, fun, sunshine and everything!
    And Thank you heaps for this amazing opportunity!

    VoilΓ  my application video…
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzHhhOqbWAE
    Yay! πŸ˜€

    Loads of love
    Bettina

    Reply
  50. Paul Rousse February 17, 2013 at 12:46 pm

    Thank you Bonnie. I’m going to re-watch this video often.

    Best regards,

    Paul Rousse

    Reply
  51. quincy cho February 19, 2013 at 4:47 pm

    Your message is beautifully simple and clear. Thanks Bonnie.

    Reply
    1. Bonnie Gillespie February 24, 2013 at 10:18 am

      Quincy–My pleasure! Thank you for checking it out. πŸ™‚ Glad it spoke to you.

      Paul–Did you grab the version I put up at iTunes? For those who want to listen to it, MP3 style, I stripped the audio and put it up at my podcast feed. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-work/id420337807 Check it out! And thank you for enjoying the vid. Yay!

      Almarie, Veronica, Bettina, Kally, Amber, Jennie, Carolina, and Abby–THANK YOU for your vid applications to the 6W2LA scholarship! This was such a great experience and I’m so grateful to y’all for throwing your hats into the proverbial ring on this, our first time out. Just getting to know you fine folks better was a huge treat, and I look forward to our paths continuing to cross for decades to come! XO

      Kisses to all! Stay confident! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  52. Pingback: 6W2LA Scholarship Winner! – Bonnie Gillespie

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