Self-Management for Actors: Targeting 101
Join Bonnie Gillespie as she jams with showbiz creatives about the power of TARGETING. You’ll need a mindset shift to be able to make the most of your relationships for the long-haul of your creative career and today’s where it gets SO! Damn! Good! 🙂 This is day 8 in our 20 days of FREE Self-Management for Actors training!
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Hi Bonnie,
I am an actor based in the UK and I have recently just started my journey through Self Management for Actors, which is something I wish I had done much sooner in my career! It is a fantastic book, and thank you so much for writing it.
I am just about to watch your ‘How to Get an Agent’ video that you posted, and I have made it a goal now to watch all of your 20 amazing videos on actor training.
I am reading through your book on Self Management for Actors now, and it has become so clear to me in the last few months just how important research is.
I had a goal for so long to start a network book of everything I need to know on all the casting directors I want to get in contact with and work with, and I have started it, however, I realized that I have no idea how to properly research anyone.
I was so inspired by Blair Hickley’s story that you put in the Self Management for Actors book, and I would like to learn to research to that level that he has and that you have.
I am aware of just how accessible all this information is now that we have things like Casting About and IMDB Pro, and all the social media and youtube footage, but I can’t help but feel overwhelmed and confused.
I was just wondering if you could point me in the direction of how I could learn the process of how to research fully and properly because I feel like this is a skill that I have a lot to learn from in general.
I started with Nina Gold, which is a casting director I would love to be seen for one day, and so far I’ve read a few articles and watched some interviews and checked out her IMDB for all the amazing work she’s been involved in, but I feel like I am missing some in-depth detail about this researching process.
Like how an actor has their own personal process for researching and preparing for a character, do you have a process for targeting and researching?
I am sure you have probably already given this away in your book or one of the many very valuable contents you have put on your website, but I wanted to get in touch and ask anyway.
I also wanted to say how grateful I am for you sharing all of these tools and information about the industry. I realize that I have been missing the most important part of my job. I was spending most of my time spending all my money on loads of acting classes and skills improving, which are very important parts, but I was neglecting possibly the most important part.
I hope you’ve had a lovely weekend, and thank you for your time.
Kind Regards,
Kendall
So here’s the great news, Kendall. Because you’ve invested so much in your craft, now when you start getting the business side of your career pursuits up to speed, you’ll be a HIT in the offices you get into! No concern about doing all the work to build the relationships and then falling short on the talent side of things. 🙂 So yay! 🙂
Yes, we actually have a full day dedicated to the show bible process (researching the target buyers and doing all the organizing of the data, how not to get overwhelmed and chip away at a bit of it every day so it just becomes part of your daily life like brushing your teeth… tiny bits of progress that lead to a lifetime of healthy goodness) in our 100-day membership program: https://bonniegillespie.com/now (feel free to check it out).
There are myriad ways to wrangle a show bible and, yes, there is a section in the book and in the 20 day free vids you’re about to dive in on that cover all of this too. The important thing is to just start! Don’t let it overwhelm you. Just begin relying on something other than your brain for keeping up on the information about these people you’re going to build a lifetime of interaction with. Woo HOO!
Glad you’ve found your way here and I look forward to getting to know you as you continue your creative pursuit!