Dear Bonnie, Industry truth beacon, Southern soul-sister, and Goddess of the pole:
I’m writing today to say you were right. Actors should self-produce. I never doubted you were right; I just resisted it. Boy, did I resist it.
There is a multitude of wonderful teachings you have imparted to us such as fighting Actor Mind Taffy, the Web of Trust, creating a Show Bible and having representation that’s “Hell Yeah!” instead of “ho-hum.” But the principle of self-producing pushed a button in me and I despised the idea. I was not just indifferent to it — I hated it.
I did NOT want to self-produce anything and I had plenty of good reasons. For example: Why should I self-produce when other people I know are doing it? Surely they will ask me to join them. (They did not.) Why should I reinvent the wheel or start from scratch? I rationalized. My energies would be better placed elsewhere. Plus, I had already self-produced a webseries in Austin before moving to LA, so I already had that experience, thankyouverymuch. Finally, I reasoned I would just be contributing to the ever-increasing static. My webseries, one-woman show, etc., would be lost in the sea of other self-produced work and drown unnoticed.
I have read Pressfield’s The War of Art and knew that, “Resistance presents us with a series of plausible, rational justifications for why we shouldn’t do our work,” and yet I insisted self-producing was not for me.
I do, however, want to be cast on a sitcom and the closest available versions of a sitcom for me are a comedy webseries or live sketch performances. Since I’m taking improv classes at UCB and I would love to be on one of their sketch teams, I figured I would increase my chances by taking UCB’s sketch writing class. I seemed to have a knack for it and the instructor was good. He suggested I submit one of my sketches to the “Not Too Shabby” show. In case you’re not familiar (I wasn’t), “Not Too Shabby” is a free sketch comedy show at midnight on Friday nights at UCB. They take open submissions and pick material lottery style. I thought, “What the heck, I’ll try it.”
Before I knew it, I was reworking the script, casting it, working out blocking, costumes, etc. We got picked, performed it, had a great time(!), and my scene partner’s roommate taped it from the audience. It was up online within a day.
The morning after the performance, I attended a workshop with a CD who was casting a new comedy sketch show for Cartoon Network. She explained that they needed so many performers that they booked people right off of their online clips and reels. She asked me if I had clips and/or reels available. I explained that I did but they were mostly drama (Friday Night Lights, etc.). But wait, “I just did a sketch last night at UCB. Would that work?” I asked. “Absolutely!”
I sent her the link and by Thursday I was booked and on set by Friday!
I had practically fallen into self-producing with minimal planning or forethought and it led directly to paying work. Holy cow! This stuff works!
Eight things I learned from this experience:
- Self-producing can be simple and easy. Sure, it can be more elaborate and complex but it doesn’t have to be.
- There are as many forms of self-producing as there are people. I admit I had my mind stuck on thinking it had to be a webseries. It doesn’t.
- There are as many consumers of self-produced material as there are people. My self-produced material went to a targeted audience of a few for a specific purpose. Sure, a horde of rabid Internet followers would be nice but not particularly necessary for success.
- Self-produce even if you don’t have a perfectly clear idea of the use for the final work, the audience, or the vehicle by which it will be published. Yes, it’s infinitely better to have these things figured out before you self-produce but do not let it stop you. And be willing to be flexible because your intention to do a video blog may just morph into a one-woman show.
- Overcoming resistance and doing the work is as important as the work itself. Even if my sketch went no further than the stage and had not led to a paying gig, the process of producing it and working those self-producing muscles has as much value as the final product because I’m developing a reusable skill set.
- Bonnie is smart.
- Bonnie is right.
- Listen to Bonnie.
Thank you for all your instruction and help,
Deana Ricks
Well, Deana, I’m gonna say I love this email not only because you say I’m smart, right, and worth listening to (*blush* *blush*), but because you fully embraced the power of self-producing, even though you didn’t do it the “same way” everyone else is doing it. You GOT that the whole point of Self-Management for Actors is emphasis on the SELF, and that means everyone is going to have a different road. You GOT that there may be another way of attacking this whole self-producing thing that may lead to something wonderful, for YOU.
Not that I like to encourage results-driven attempts at anything, but BOY, have you shared a good results-related experience, as self-producing is concerned. I talked about your email with my assistants and we discussed how common it is that actors resist self-producing. I get it! It’s not what you came here to do! And, when you look at the way everyone else is doing it, it’s not lining up with what you need.
But that you were OPEN to what it COULD mean is what’s beautiful, here. You GOT that this could lead somewhere awesome… and it did.
Cannot wait to see where your next self-producing experiment leads you! Keep me posted, my friend!
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/001537.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.