JOURNAL OF A 2-WEEK EXPLORATORY VISIT TO HOLLYWOOD

THE FINALE! THE ENTIRE JOURNAL IS AVAILABLE, BELOW.

When we found out that an actress we know from the mid-west was planning a trip to Hollywood in preparation for a move here, we asked if she’d be open to keeping a journal and sharing it with our readers. She was and she did – and it’s entertaining AND informative. Here is the first installment; more will follow every few days, so stay tuned!

Saturday, August 15, 2009-

It is 7:10am and I’m sitting at Gate C9 at Cleveland/Hopkins Airport, anxiously awaiting my turn to board the plane, which they will start doing in about an hour. They tell you to check in two hours before your flight and I’m glad I came early…the line at the security point check-in was long and even though he confiscated my (2) water bottles, the security guard did so in a very charming way, and was extremely “hot”, so we flirted with each other and that more than made up for the whole getting up at 4:30am to be here at 6:30am thing. I’m wide awake now! LOL! I did get my ticket cheap, since I purchased it early thru AAA more than 2 months ago, so I can’t complain too much. I’m all about shopping around and getting the best deal, whenever possible. My roundtrip ticket from Cleveland to LA was approx. $350 plus the $15 for each bag you check in, each way. Yes, most airlines now charge $15 per bag for anything you check in. So, squish all your stuff into (1) bag and don’t make it too heavy or they will charge you extra.

I’m now on the “cattle car”….I mean, plane. I swear they’ve crammed in a couple extra rows of seats to pack as many people in this plane as possible. What’s the maximum capacity, again? So, we wait patiently, with our knees up to our chins, for our turn to go. But, I’m getting way ahead of myself here. You’re probably wondering who I am and why I’m even on a plane heading for LA, right? So, let me start at the beginning….

My name is Patricia Valestin and I am a working Film/TV actor from Ohio. I’ve been pursuing my dream professionally for nearly four years now, (though I haven’t left my day job, yet.) I still like AND need that steady paycheck, along with my benefits, if ya know what I mean? My first paid acting gig was as an extra on the set of “Spider-man 3”. Since then, I’ve been training with my acting coach, Maureen Dempsey (on-camera scene study), aggressively auditioning/working and building up my resume. I knew I wanted eventually to make the move to LA, but after hearing all the horror stories about people (other actors) moving down there on a whim with no money, no job, no training (yes, they do look at your training), no demo reel, no business cards, no decent CURRENT professional headshots to speak of and no resume (that has been put in the correct format). In other words, they basically had nothing to offer but their “good” looks and the “stars in their eyes”. Thus getting no agent, no auditions, no jobs, no money and having to return home with their tails between their legs, so to speak. Wow! I didn’t want to be one of those people. I wanted to do this the right way.

About a year and a half ago I came across a web-site called Hollywoodpassport.com. It is a web-site devoted to actors looking to make the move to LA. It’s an unbelievable site, loaded with all the info. you can possibly need to help your transition be an “easy” one. Now, don’t get me wrong. It does not “sugar coat” anything. It tells you how it really is and what to expect. It is definitely not for the squeamish or the faint of heart. It’s geared towards the serious actor. After all, acting is an industry, like any other, that should be taken seriously. It was just what I was looking for. Yes! So, it was then that I started…. getting organized, that is. I got a new passport, (yes, people, you need a passport). You have to be ready, at a moment’s notice, to leave the United States if you are required to film in another country. You don’t want to be left behind or even worse…replaced! I also up-dated my headshot to a colored one with natural light. B&W is definitely OUT! And it had better LOOK LIKE YOU! NO glam shots here! I had a demo reel created and my own web-site up and running with the help of a good friend and a damn fine filmmaker, Steve Pallotta. Thanks, Steve!

Hollywoodpassport.com suggests taking a couple of weeks to go and explore LA and any and all opportunities to get acclimated to the area. So, I started saving my money for the trip out West. My boss at work would only give me two weeks off, so I knew my time out in LA would have to be planned very carefully, down to the last detail, so that I would get the most out of my time spent there. Hollywoodpassport.com suggests doing as much at home as possible before leaving, (demo reel, headshots) mainly because it’s less expensive. They also suggest making appointments/meetings, and registering for classes before leaving the comforts of home. So, I ordered the latest copy of Samuel French’s “The Agencies” to get current addresses and phone numbers of all the LA/Hollywood agencies. I then started sending out promo packages (headshot/resume, with demo reel and a personalized cover letter) to those agencies that were accepting new talent in my age range. Some of the agencies wanted you to e-mail the before mentioned packages, so that saved me a few dollars. “The Agencies” book lets you know what info they want, how they want it sent and to whom it should be directed. Get all this work done at least six weeks out from your trip to give people plenty of time to get back with you. After all, you can’t go to LA expecting to knock on doors and just walk in. The reception would not be a friendly one, most likely. In my case, there were about 60 agencies listed that were looking for new submissions in my age range. Some of those 60 agencies only had phone numbers and no address. So, I started cold calling the ones that had no other information and to my surprise, I was treated graciously and given either an e-mail address or a mailing address for me to use to send my information. Just remember to BE POLITE and don’t keep them on the phone too long. They are extremely busy and really don’t have time to chat on the phone, so don’t take it personally. You need to get a thick skin anyway before going out there, people, so start now.

I ended up sending out 48 promo packages and e-mailing a dozen or so to the ones wanting e-mail submissions only. To my surprise, I had eight agencies contact me, five of whom were definitely interested and wanted me to contact them when I arrived in LA to set up a meeting. So, with the hardest and most time consuming part done, I then began calling the acting teachers, classes and workshops suggested by Hollywoodpassport.com. One agency, who had contacted me after viewing my resume told me that I really needed some commercial training. She gave me the name of one such class: Mike Pointer’s “Hey, I Saw Your Commercial”! I researched it on the internet and it was actually rated as the #1 commercial training class in LA right now. So, I called and signed up. Yeah! My first class would begin on the day I arrive in LA. After all my phone calls were done and the dust had settled, I had enrolled in a commercial workshop, an on-camera workshop and set up an audition for a showcase through One On One Productions. All of this was done BEFORE leaving Ohio.

With my money set aside and everything coming together, I had nothing left to do but wait for my upcoming trip. I still kept working on acting projects, locally, right up to the week before I was to leave, to keep my skills sharp and to add more credits to my resume. If anyone knows me, they know that I like to stay busy (acting) and “stay in the loop” so to speak, even though I have a full-time job, as well.

That brings us back to my flight, which went smoothly without a hitch. I arrived just in time to pick up my rental car, which I had reserved when I bought my plane ticket. YOU DEFINITELY NEED A CAR IN LA! Do NOT rely on the bus system, taxi cabs or friends. They are all unreliable. You need to be independent and get where you need to go and be there ON TIME! Hint: Being on time really means, BE EARLY!

I had a workshop scheduled at 1:00pm with Mike Pointer’s “Hey, I Saw Your Commercial”. No problem. I picked up my rental car at 11:30am and headed straight to the class from the airport and with the help of my GPS, (a “must have” to get around) I made it to class on time. Coach Mike is an awesome commercial acting coach and my first class with him was unbelievable! I had so much fun and learned a lot at the same time. Can’t wait to go back for my next class with him, which is on Thursday evening. The class ended at approx. 4:30pm. So, I had just enough time to get going and check into the place I would be staying called, The Oakwood. It’s referred to as temporary housing (apartments) and is centrally located (very important) in LA. It was mentioned on Hollywoodpassport.com and I liked the idea of it only being 5-10 minutes from basically everything. It will help me save on gas, during my stay. Looks like gas prices are averaging $3.05-$3.15 out here. Yikes! Anyway, I rented a furnished studio apartment which is plenty of room for me and I really like having a kitchen, so I can prepare my own meals and save more money. It is comfortable, clean and secured 24/7 (gated community). This is a nice feature, especially for a woman traveling on her own.

Sunday, August 16, 2009-

This is my “free day”. I had nothing scheduled, so I used today to do my grocery shopping and explored the area to familiarize myself with my surroundings. I also picked up a copy of the LA times to check out the ads on permanent housing available in the area.

Monday, August 17, 2009-

I got up bright and early. This is the morning I was to make all my phone calls to the agents/casting directors that were interested in seeing me after reviewing my promo packages I had sent out BEFORE leaving Ohio. I’m sorry, but I can’t stress how important it is to do your “leg work” BEFORE leaving home. I left messages with receptionists and left voice-mails on others. Remember to talk slow, clear and concise. About an hour or so later, I began to get returned calls and also some e-mails. The first casting director, Dean Fronk, called and was still very interested in meeting with me on Tuesday. Yeah! It wasn’t even lunch-time and I had set up my first meeting! The next call I received was from TCN (The Casting Network). My contact was Marsha and she told me to register on TCN’s web-site ASAP and to come to the showcase she was having tonight at 7:30pm with guest Casting Director, Matt Lessall. Hint: A legitimate showcase will have you audition before being invited. Anyway, Marsha said that the showcase would be considered my audition for TCN and that I could participate in the actual showcase in front of a working LA casting director. The fee was $30. I know you are probably saying right about now, “You should never pay for an audition!” People, don’t whine about the fee. I’ve known actors who have paid upwards of $1000 to work and/or audition in front of so-called casting directors and/or coaches and there are plenty of them out there that will gladly take your hard-earned money and give you nothing in return.

When I arrived at the showcase EARLY (around 7:15pm), the place was packed. Remember, the traffic is crazy in LA, so always give yourself plenty of time. It is frowned upon to walk in late. DON’T DO IT!! This is where having a GPS comes in handy. NOTE: If you are running late, and this does happen to everyone from time to time, all the workshops/showcases have what’s called a “Late Line”. This is a separate phone number to call and leave a message to let them know you will be late and your approx. arrival time.)

Matt Lessall, the guest CD, actually ran the showcase tonight and he worked with each one of us on sides that he had supplied for us. We had 10 minutes to go over the sides he’d chosen for each of us. After a brief Q&A session before beginning, we then started going up one by one to deliver our lines. He worked patiently with each of us, giving us direction to see if we could change up the scene with his adjustments. My thought on this: He was seeing how well we could follow directions. Even though it was my first showcase ever and I was a little nervous, I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and learned a lot. It was well worth the $30 I spent. At the end of the evening, about 4 hours later, I was told by Marsha that I did very well but that I needed to work on a couple of things, which I noted without offense. She also told me that I had passed my audition and welcomed me to TCN. I was thrilled! If you’re contemplating attending showcases, please remember, as an actor, you need to put yourself out there in front of actual working casting directors that really don’t know you or your work. These showcases give you the opportunity to be seen by casting directors that normally would not give you the time of day. So, check your ego at the door and have some fun!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009-

Woke up early (once again) so, that I wasn’t rushed. I had my meeting with Casting Director, Dean Fronk, at 11:30am and I did not want to be late. I arrived there about a half an hour early, so; I decided to go ahead and at least check-in for my appointment. Again, being early is not frowned upon…it is expected. I entered the building and headed for the elevators when a gentleman at the desk asked, “May I help you”? I responded, “I have a meeting with Dean Fronk”. He replied, “Oh, that would be the Penthouse”. He opened the elevator and pressed the PH button. I thanked him and he told me to have a nice day. Even though I was calm, cool and collected on the outside, as soon as the elevator doors shut, I was screaming to myself on the inside, “The Penthouse? Oh my God”!!

My meeting with Mr. Fronk went very well. He’s from Ohio! Very cool! We talked for a while and I gave him my current photos, resume and demo reel, as he had requested the day before. He thanked me for coming in and told me that he would definitely watch my reel and get back with me at the beginning of next week to set up another meeting. So far so good….and it’s only Tuesday! Wow!

In the evening, I had another class….an on-camera workshop that I was invited to by an industry professional that I had been networking with. Network, network, network BEFORE leaving home. Get in touch with other actors and industry professionals that have either been to LA or happen to live in LA. This is so very important. Again, I had signed up for this class BEFORE leaving Ohio. Even though there was no fee for this class, I was forewarned that this would be a 3-4 hour intensive session and I was somewhat apprehensive but looking forward to it, as well. When I got there, I signed in with the registrar, Johni Hurst, giving her a blank VHS tape with my name on it, as requested and was given my sides, which were pre-selected for me, in return. We were given about 10-15 minutes to go over them. The acting teacher, Tim Lampros, was refreshingly honest and did not hold back one bit. When it was time to go up to perform our sides, he would immediately let us know what mistakes we were making, if any, and what to do to correct them. He taped each one of us so that we could see our performance and rate ourselves. What better way to learn about your individual acting skills. I loved it! He then gave us a lot of great information on the business aspect of acting because that’s what it is….a business. He also stated that Hollywood is getting tired of training actors on the set. As an actor, you need to know your job, i.e. knowing where you’re supposed to direct your lines to. It’s called your “eye-line”. If you don’t know it….ASK! Also, know your lines. The director doesn’t want to have 50 takes of you performing your one line. No one wants to pay their production crew OT (over-time), especially in this economy. Besides being costly, they don’t have time. He may have offended a few actors in the room by being so brutally honest, but no one stormed out or anything like that, even though he did mention that some actors had done so before. It was an awesome class and I will most likely sign up for the 16 week workshop. I highly recommend this class, Actors Certified Training or (A.C.T.) to everyone. But, remember, once again, to check your ego and your “attitude” at the front door. He will notice and will point it out to you and the rest of the class. Tim Lampros takes his job seriously and so should you. If you’re not serious, do NOT WASTE HIS TIME!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009-

I woke up early again. This isn’t a vacation. Sleeping in would be disastrous, to say the least. I had a few more phone calls to make to agents who had contacted me before I had left Ohio. They had instructed me to contact them when I had arrived in LA to set up a meeting with them. Immediately after my phone calls, I had an appointment for an audition for another cold reading workshop, One On One Productions. Again, I had made this appointment BEFORE leaving Ohio. There was no fee for this audition, but once again the audition process is necessary to weed out the actors who don’t have the confidence and the ability to execute a cold read. Hint: Brush up on your cold reading skills before you sign-up for a cold reading workshop.

I signed in and was given my sides and assigned another actor to read with me. We had about 10 minutes to go over our sides and then we were called in. I was lucky enough to have an actor who was experienced and comfortable with cold reads. We not only made the right choices with the characters, but we were both pretty much off page so that we could concentrate on the acting and not the words so much. Next, we were told to wait outside while they made their decision. A few minutes later, they called us back in the room individually to give us their feedback on our performances and if we were eligible to become members. We both ended up making the cut and we were officially welcomed to the workshop! Very cool! So, now I am a member of (2) workshops in under a week! These workshops that I auditioned for are extremely important because they give you the opportunity to attend showcases that are run by actual working LA casting directors.

Later in the evening, I received a phone call from TCN (The Casting Network), for whom I auditioned on Monday night, inviting me to attend another workshop/showcase tomorrow night. They said the guest CD is looking to cast character actors for some feature films (horror) coming up and they thought I’d be perfect. So, of course, I said “yes”. Horror is one of my favorite genres and I’m really looking forward to meeting this particular CD for this showcase.

Audition for and attend as many workshops and showcases as you can. It’s so important to get yourself out there in front of actual LA casting directors. Don’t make the mistake, like so many others have done, and shrug workshops off. Agents, as well as casting directors do attend workshops often. You never know who may be watching you.

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Thursday, August 20, 2009-

Got up early, once again. I’m talking 8:00am. I keep mentioning this because I am on a working vacation and I’m not here to lay by the pool or go to the beach. I haven’t done either one. Not only because I don’t have time, but I think it would not go over very well at my auditions and/or meetings if I showed up with a deep dark tan or burnt to a crisp. In other words, I WOULDN’T LOOK LIKE MY HEADSHOT! HELLO! Keep that white, pasty mid-western skin, (if that’s where you’re from). It’s a refreshing change from all the hundreds of actors they see everyday with a savage tan. Keep your hair the same style as it was done for your headshot and your make-up to a minimum. They (the agents and casting directors) will recognize you almost immediately because you would have already sent your promo packages to them BEFORE leaving home, (hint, hint). Most of them have excellent memories. So, stay the “real you” and don’t get all dolled up.

Wardrobe: Know what colors look best on you and bring them. Stay away from red or prints of any kind. They rarely look good on camera. Don’t wear any flashy jewelry that is going to distract them from concentrating on your acting. I, myself, wear only a watch, a simple (very small) pair of hoops or silver or gold studs, or no accessories at all. DON’T wear bracelet, bangles, necklaces, toe rings, thumb rings, etc. or anything that makes any noise when you move. Again, it’s TOO DISTRACTING! When you go to an audition or meeting, it’s usually casual, so don’t overdress for the occasion, unless otherwise specified or reading for a particular role. Business casual or a t-shirt and clean jeans is fine. DON’T wear flashy fingernail/toenail polish (clear polish is O.K.). Again, it’s VERY DISTRACTING! When going to meet with a casting director or an agent at their office, wear a pair of dress slacks and a dress shirt. If you want them to take you seriously….dress seriously.

Also, always have at least (2) headshots with resumes attached (no paper clips) and ready to go. Coming in unprepared or asking for a stapler makes you look like an amateur. Always be nice, polite and receptive. Say hello to at least three other people before going in to your audition/meeting/workshop, etc. DON’T be a diva! Remember, people are ALWAYS watching you….you just don’t know it. Check your ego and your personal problems at the front door. They don’t care that your cat just died or you just broke up with your boyfriend. If you consider yourself to be an actor….ACT!! Paste that smile on your face and go in there and BLOW THEM AWAY!!! But, most of all, be yourself, act normal and have fun! Believe me, I’ve seen quite a bit while I’ve been here and I’ve only been here for five days. O.K., I’ll get off my soapbox now. But, I do hope the information has helped you in some small way.

I attended another TCN (The Casting Network) showcase tonight. The CD was Marisa Rodrigues. She helps to cast “The Young And The Restless” (Day-time Soap) and is also involved with some feature films in the horror genre. We handed our headshots in before class began, as usual; that’s why it’s important to be early. It gives the CD a chance to pair you with a partner or have you read a specific scene on your own. There was a brief Q&A session and then the CD assigned our sides and we had 10-15 minutes to go over them and to get off page as much as possible. We went up one by one and the CD would critique our performances and let us know if there were any adjustments we needed to make, and then after a few minutes, we’d perform the scene again. She gave me a scene from Y&R and I went up and messed up on one of my lines but kept going without a pause and was off page for the rest of the scene. Hint: If you make a mistake, don’t stop and apologize and ask to start over. Just keep going as if nothing happened or as Coach Mike from “Hey, I saw Your Commercial” would say, “make it a beautiful mistake”. Anyway, Ms. Rodriques told me that my read was very good, but that I needed to make a few adjustments. So, I went out for a few minutes, while someone else read, and then came back in and performed the scene again, totally off page with her suggestions. She then told me “excellent job” and I was done. After everyone had finished, she asked us for demo reels or a web-site to view our demo. I approached her, gave her my link to my web-site, said “thank you” and that it was a pleasure meeting her. Don’t just bolt for the exit afterwards. It looks like you don’t really care. If you have to leave early, make sure you get with a staff member or the CD beforehand. It’s considered extremely rude to just get up and walk out.

Friday, August 21, 2009-

This was a free day for me, so I did my grocery shopping, laundry, filled my gas tank and “chilled,” basically. I checked my e-mail first thing, as usual, and good thing I did. The showcase I signed up for on Sunday with Casting Director, Nan Dutton (Miami C.S.I) wanted hard copies of our headshots and resumes beforehand. She wanted us to drop them by her office in Encino ASAP. So, with the help of my GPS, I made sure and did as she instructed. Then, I had the rest of the day to myself. I heard back from all the agents that had contacted me, except for two…even after doing a couple of follow-up calls. But, that’s O.K. I know it’s nothing personal. So, it’s all good.

Saturday, August 22, 2009-

Got up early, had to be at my commercial class by 9:00am. I made sure to pack a lunch…I was warned it would be a long day, since I’m actually taking two of the commercial classes today. I have a Level II class in the morning and a Level I class in the afternoon. Mike Pointer is awesome…not only a great coach, but a great person. He’s doing all he can to make sure I get his full 4-week workshop completed during my short stay here. He’s an actor, as well, so he understands my drive and ambition. Anyways, the Level II class was fun. There was more improv and I love improv. He also had a great guest speaker at the end of class. His name was Adam Collis, a successful LA Director. Coach Mike said that it was a good idea to get to know him because he knows a lot of people in the industry and besides that, he’s one of the “good ones”. He had a quick Q&A first, then gave us some information about on-camera film classes that he was going to be having for actors. He was in the middle of a workshop right now and his new one started in the Fall. But, I didn’t let that stop me from inquiring. At the end of class, Mr. Collis was hanging out in the lobby, talking to some students. So, when I saw my chance, I introduced myself, handed him my headshot and resume and asked if there was any way he would be able to squeeze me in a class before I leave on August 28^th. He had me write down my name and contact # on a piece of paper and I figured he was just being polite and stuff. I really don’t think I’m going to hear from him, again. Hey, but you never know, unless you ask, right?

DEMO REELS

DEMO REELS

We never cease to be amazed by young (and not-so-young) actors who arrive in Hollywood with resumes replete with film and television credits, yet minus the video clips to back them up.  “Why?”, we ask them, “don’t you have any tape?”.  The answers invariably fall into one of two categories:  1.  “I never asked the producers for it”, or 2. “I couldn’t track it down after the shoot was finished”.

If your answer is #1, above, we’re inclined to say “shame on you”, but then we have to remind ourselves that novice actors may never have been told that acquiring tape for a demo is a necessity in the Big City.  Apparently, acquiring it for posterity doesn’t compute, either.

If you’re in the #2 category, though, you have lots of company.  The most common reason for losing track of your on-camera work is that it was a student film and the student graduated (or washed out) without ever completing it and/or without giving you your much-deserved copy.  It doesn’t seem to matter which university was involved; student filmmakers everywhere suffer from the same lack of focus on the people who made their masterpiece possible in the first place:  The actors!

While there is no sure-fire way to safeguard your access to a copy of your work, we do have a suggestion:  Before agreeing to appear in any student film, have the producer/director/writer (often the same person) fill out a form giving you not only his current contact information, but also a phone number (possibly of his parents) where someone will always know how to reach him.  BETTER YET, make him give you the name and number of the professor in charge of his project.  The implied threat is that if he disappears on you, you will go directly to his professor to complain and track him down.  (We don’t suggest that you say this overtly.  It’s really not a good idea to intimidate the person who is “hiring” you, even if you aren’t receiving a dime for your work…!)

But let’s face it:  Aside from a learning experience, the main part of your “pay” is the demo you receive from a student or independent film.  Why would you not make every effort to obtain that footage?!

WHAT GOES ON THE DEMO?

Your best work, that’s what.

Most professional demos begin with the actor’s name on a title card, often accompanied by a still photo (so that the person viewing it knows instantly which actor in the first scene is the actor in question).  There was a trend some years ago of actors opening their demos with a montage of stills or short film clips, sometimes accompanied by some pretty wild music, in order to “get the ball rolling”.  The only thing this did was annoy the people who had to sit through it, waiting to get to the meat of the demo – the acting!  Save your time and money (and the possibility of irritating the wrong person), and go right into your scenes after you’ve “slated” your name.

On a demo, it’s quality that counts, not quantity.  If you only have a couple of pieces that show your work off to its best advantage, that’s perfectly fine.  Don’t worry about “filler”.  The more you work on-camera, the more footage you’ll have to edit in, but in the meantime, just show off your existing good scenes.  If you’re unsure of their demo-worthiness, ask someone you trust (no, not your mom or best friend!) to give you an honest opinion.  We’re more interested in your acting ability than the production values, so try to keep that in perspective.

Some people label the scenes with the name of the project.  Unless it’s a feature film that was actually released or a TV show, don’t bother.  Nobody cares.  If you really think it’s important, you can always list the scenes on the packaging, in the jewel case.

Speaking of the packaging, it’s a really smart idea to show your current headshot on the front of the jewel case and your resume on the back.  That’s easier to do than you might think.

HOW LONG SHOULD A DEMO BE?

There is no hard and fast rule, but we wouldn’t go longer than 5 minutes.  Have your most recent and strongest work at the beginning of the demo.  That way, if the viewer gets bored or has seen enough in the first couple of minutes, it won’t matter that the remainder of the demo isn’t being watched.  We’ve seen plenty of really strong demos that were less than 2 minutes long.

WHAT MEDIUM SHOULD A DEMO BE ON?

DVDs are the medium du jour.  Most agencies and casting offices do still have access to VCRs, but you’re going to look rather dated if you present a VHS tape nowadays.

You should also try to provide an on-line link to your demo on a website somewhere.  If you don’t know how to do that yourself, ask a friend or pay someone to do it for you.  It’s definitely worth it if you’re serious actor.

As new media is evolving, who knows what’s next?  Keep your eye on the industry and try to evolve with it…eventually.

INCLUDE YOUR CONTACT INFO

Most demos end with a repeat of the actor’s name and his contact info.  If you have an agent or manager, now’s the time to list them.  Ditto listing your own website, if you have one.

Remember:  Your DVD may become separated from its case.  Both of them should show your contact info.

WHERE CAN YOU HAVE A DEMO EDITED?

Well, that depends on where you are, of course.  Editing is editing, but producing a great looking demo usually requires that the editor have a good eye for cutting together various disjointed scenes and making them look interesting.  If you can wait until you’re actually in L.A. or New York, you’ll probably have to pay a little more, but it may well be worth it to work with a professional demo editor.  Once you’ve settled here (or there), you’ll find loads of them.

WHAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY MATERIAL FOR A DEMO?

Don’t worry.  You will sooner or later.  It is rarely a good idea to “create” demo footage and taped stage plays generally look awful.  That’s another reason why we highly recommend trying to book student films.  They may not turn out to be “glorious Technicolor”, but their entire raison d’etre is to try to look professional.  Hopefully, you will, too.

As with most aspects of show biz, there are companies in existence who continually come up with clever ways to separate actors from their money.  Among them are companies that will shoot footage of the actor “just being him or herself”.  We’ve seen dozens of these so-called “actor slates” and they scream “amateur” to us, as in “I don’t have any other kind of tape to show you, so ta-dah, here I am, folks, just hoping you’ll think I’m cute!”.  We generally don’t.

DEMO REELS

DEMO REELS

We never cease to be amazed by young (and not-so-young) actors who arrive in Hollywood with resumes replete with film and television credits, yet minus the video clips to back them up.  “Why?”, we ask them, “don’t you have any tape?”.  The answers invariably fall into one of two categories:  1.  “I never asked the producers for it”, or 2. “I couldn’t track it down after the shoot was finished”.

If your answer is #1, above, we’re inclined to say “shame on you”, but then we have to remind ourselves that novice actors may never have been told that acquiring tape for a demo is a necessity in the Big City.  Apparently, acquiring it for posterity doesn’t compute, either.

If you’re in the #2 category, though, you have lots of company.  The most common reason for losing track of your on-camera work is that it was a student film and the student graduated (or washed out) without ever completing it and/or without giving you your much-deserved copy.  It doesn’t seem to matter which university was involved; student filmmakers everywhere suffer from the same lack of focus on the people who made their masterpiece possible in the first place:  The actors!

While there is no sure-fire way to safeguard your access to a copy of your work, we do have a suggestion:  Before agreeing to appear in any student film, have the producer/director/writer (often the same person) fill out a form giving you not only his current contact information, but also a phone number (possibly of his parents) where someone will always know how to reach him.  BETTER YET, make him give you the name and number of the professor in charge of his project.  The implied threat is that if he disappears on you, you will go directly to his professor to complain and track him down.  (We don’t suggest that you say this overtly.  It’s really not a good idea to intimidate the person who is “hiring” you, even if you aren’t receiving a dime for your work…!)

But let’s face it:  Aside from a learning experience, the main part of your “pay” is the demo you receive from a student or independent film.  Why would you not make every effort to obtain that footage?!

WHAT GOES ON THE DEMO?

Your best work, that’s what.

Most professional demos begin with the actor’s name on a title card, often accompanied by a still photo (so that the person viewing it knows instantly which actor in the first scene is the actor in question).  There was a trend some years ago of actors opening their demos with a montage of stills or short film clips, sometimes accompanied by some pretty wild music, in order to “get the ball rolling”.  The only thing this did was annoy the people who had to sit through it, waiting to get to the meat of the demo – the acting!  Save your time and money (and the possibility of irritating the wrong person), and go right into your scenes after you’ve “slated” your name.

On a demo, it’s quality that counts, not quantity.  If you only have a couple of pieces that show your work off to its best advantage, that’s perfectly fine.  Don’t worry about “filler”.  The more you work on-camera, the more footage you’ll have to edit in, but in the meantime, just show off your existing good scenes.  If you’re unsure of their demo-worthiness, ask someone you trust (no, not your mom or best friend!) to give you an honest opinion.  We’re more interested in your acting ability than the production values, so try to keep that in perspective.

Some people label the scenes with the name of the project.  Unless it’s a feature film that was actually released or a TV show, don’t bother.  Nobody cares.  If you really think it’s important, you can always list the scenes on the packaging, in the jewel case.

Speaking of the packaging, it’s a really smart idea to show your current headshot on the front of the jewel case and your resume on the back.  That’s easier to do than you might think.

HOW LONG SHOULD A DEMO BE?

There is no hard and fast rule, but we wouldn’t go longer than 5 minutes.  Have your most recent and strongest work at the beginning of the demo.  That way, if the viewer gets bored or has seen enough in the first couple of minutes, it won’t matter that the remainder of the demo isn’t being watched.  We’ve seen plenty of really strong demos that were less than 2 minutes long.

If you’re fortunate (and talented) enough to have both dramatic and comedic material, you’d be well-served to create separate tracks for your demo.  That makes it much more convenient and pertinent for the audience.

WHAT MEDIUM SHOULD A DEMO BE ON?

DVDs are the medium du jour.  Most agencies and casting offices do still have access to VCRs, but you’re going to look rather dated if you present a VHS tape nowadays.

You should also try to provide an on-line link to your demo on a website somewhere.  If you don’t know how to do that yourself, ask a friend or pay someone to do it for you.  It’s definitely worth it if you’re serious actor.

As new media is evolving, who knows what’s next?  Keep your eye on the industry and try to evolve with it…eventually.

INCLUDE YOUR CONTACT INFO

Most demos end with a repeat of the actor’s name and his contact info.  If you have an agent or manager, now’s the time to list them.  Ditto listing your own website, if you have one.

Remember:  Your DVD may become separated from its case.  Both of them should show your contact info.

WHERE CAN YOU HAVE A DEMO EDITED?

Well, that depends on where you are, of course.  Editing is editing, but producing a great looking demo usually requires that the editor have a good eye for cutting together various disjointed scenes and making them look interesting.  If you can wait until you’re actually in L.A. or New York, you’ll probably have to pay a little more, but it may well be worth it to work with a professional demo editor.  Once you’ve settled here (or there), you’ll find loads of them.

WHAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY MATERIAL FOR A DEMO?

Don’t worry.  You will sooner or later.  It is rarely a good idea to “create” demo footage and taped stage plays generally look awful.  That’s another reason why we highly recommend trying to book student films.  They may not turn out to be “glorious Technicolor”, but their entire raison d’etre is to try to look professional.  Hopefully, you will, too.

As with most aspects of show biz, there are companies in existence who continually come up with clever ways to separate actors from their money.  Among them are companies that will shoot footage of the actor “just being him or herself”.  We’ve seen dozens of these so-called “actor slates” and they scream “amateur” to us, as in “I don’t have any other kind of tape to show you, so ta-dah, here I am, folks, just hoping you’ll think I’m cute!”.  We generally don’t.

UPDATE:  April, 2009

We recently found a very impressive company that will create, from scratch, a really professional-looking demo for those of you who may not have enough good, solid tape to put together a “real” demo.  So, contrary to what we generally say about these companies, here is the info on this particular one.  If any others come our way, we’ll be sure to share…

Steve Ackerman, a veteran Director of Photography in Commercials,Television and Film, will shoot and edit  Scenes, Monologues, Hosting and Skill Clips ( from Juggling ,Skateboarding to Horseback Riding and Ballet Dancing ), for personal Reels and  Online Clips.  www.thereelmaker.com

RESUMES

The layout of your resume should be standardized and match up with the way others in Hollywood do it (it’s different in other cities).

• At the top and most prominent will be your name. You representation can also go here, although it sometimes appears at the bottom of the page. It’s up to you. You will also put your height, eye and hair color (we’d avoid weight) at the top.
• The sections should be in this order:
  • TELEVISION
  • FILM
  • THEATER
  • COMMERCIALS
  • TRAINING
  • SKILLS

Under film, TV and theater, there will be 3 columns:

NAME OF PROJECT

ROLE

DIRECTOR and/or STUDIO

Do NOT give a list of commercials. Theatrically, nobody cares and commercially, if they see any specific products listed, they will worry that you might have a “conflict”.
Simply say it this way: COMMERCIALS (conflicts available upon request)

(If you don’t understand “conflicts”, you will. Basically, in the commercial field, you may not appear in commercials for competing products, i.e. a Burger King ad and a McDonald’s ad, or a Coke ad and a 7-Up ad. Those are “conflicts”. They don’t last forever, so don’t panic. Once an ad has been dropped, you’re free to work for the competition.)

Now, when listing the roles under Film and TV, do NOT mention the name of the character. Only list the credit – Supporting, Co-star, Lead, Principal, Guest Star.

Under Theater (or Stage), however, DO list the name of the character.

Training should be pretty obvious: Classes and teachers that pertain to acting, NOT your accounting class!

Skills include anything physical, musical, vocal, languages and dialects, medical, military, etc. Please don’t include things that anybody could fake, such as reading, cooking, good with kids, etc.

Trim your resumes to the same 8X10 format as your headshots and attach them securely to the back of the photos. That means either staples top and bottom, or glue-sticked (glue-stuck?). As long as they’re neat and won’t easily tear off, you’ll be fine. We do not suggest printing your resume directly onto the back of the headshots. If you do that, every time you book a job or change anything else on the resume, the headshot becomes obsolete, whereas you can easily change a stapled-on resume.

Finally, a word of warning: DO NOT LIE. About anything. It may (most likely will) come back to bite you on your cute li’l ol’ derriere someday and that’s an “ouch” you really don’t want to experience.

RESUME EXAMPLE

HEADSHOTS

No matter where you currently reside, other than L.A. and New York, it’s pretty much a given that when you land in Hollywood, you’re going to need brand new COLOR headshots. Your local photographer was probably perfectly fine for weddings, bar mitzvahs and high school annuals, but not for professional, Hollywood-caliber headshots. That isn’t something that you, the actor, would necessarily recognize, but the people who will judge you here in Hollywood will. Poor-quality headshots can stop your career before it ever begins, fair or unfair as that may seem to you.

All headshots are done in color now, thanks to the popularity of online submissions. When you line up a dozen or so thumbnail shots on a computer screen, the lovely old black & whites just can’t hold up next to color shots. It’s that simple. Besides which, if you’re still using black & whites, you will appear to be so far behind the times, that casting offices will avoid you like yesterday’s egg salad.

We’re going to give you a list of some of the best photographers in town – but not any who charge an arm and a leg. If you think that spending half again as much (or more) for a photo shoot provides you with anything better than these guys can come up with, there are plenty of gougers to choose from. We just won’t recommend them. On the other hand, we have known some fabulous photographers who were so inexpensive to begin with that we wanted to hand them a few bucks just to keep them going. They were smart enough to realize that in order to build up their own portfolios, they would practically have to give their work away. Several of them are on our list and fortunately for them, are able to command “normal” prices now. Our point is merely that you might just luck out and find someone who seems too cheap to be true, but if his or her portfolio matches up with what you need, feel free to give it a go.

Before we get to that list, here are a few pointers, in no particular order:

- This should be obvious (but apparently isn’t): For color shots, be sure to wear…a color! And we don’t mean those dull, boring browns, grays and khakis. We mean something that’s bright enough to draw the viewer’s eye to your headshot and which is complementary to your own coloring. The darker you are, the stronger the color should be.

- No wild patterns in your clothing, please, and no jewelry.

- Little or no makeup, and if you do wear makeup, be sure you can duplicate it yourself for auditions.

- Keep your hairdo as “everyday” as possible, so that (as with makeup) you can do it yourself.

- No costumes, at least not for theatrical shots. It’s still considered OK to suggest a costume for commercial shots.

- Make sure your photographer understands the use of dramatic lighting and try to avoid outdoor shots. It’s too hard to control the lighting and bad lighting can ruin a great face.

- Guys – if you can grow a scruffy beard in a couple of days, but usually are clean-shaven – start your photo shoot with that scruffy look, then shave and continue. Don’t bother with this if it takes you a week to grown pale, weak or semi-hairless facial fuzz.

- Show emotion in your face and especially with your eyes. Blank stares may work for fashion models, but not for actors!

Remember – your headshots are your calling cards, the very first thing that most agents and casting directors will see. They must, must, must look like you – not some glamorized, one-day-out-of-the-year version of you.

One other word of advice: After checking out a potential photographer’s portfolio, please make it a point to meet with him prior to hiring him. It’s really important to “click” (no pun intended) with the person behind the camera. If you don’t like them much, or they seem intimidating, you will not produce relaxed, inviting headshots.

Here’s that list…

CHARLES FRETZIN	www.fretzinphoto.com
ARMEN ASADORIAN	www.armenasadorian.com
LISA BEVIS	www.lisabevis.com
JOHN CORBETT	www.johncorbettphotography.com
DENICE DUFF	www.duffimages.com
KENNETH DOLIN	www.kennethdolin.com
FRICK PHOTOGRAPHY	www.frickphotography.com
MARY ANN HALPIN	www.maryannhalpin.com
ROBERT KAZANDJIAN	www.kazphoto.com
DAVID LAPORTE	www.davidlaporte.com
JOE FEDIO	http://jfediophotography.com
VANDIVEER	www.jvimages.com
GUY VIAU MARK BENNINGTON JEROME DUCHANGE	www.guyviauheadshots.com www.benningtonheadshots.com www.jeromeduchange.com

There are loads of other photographers listed in the display ads in Backstage West. You have plenty to choose from now, so no excuses!

TOUCHUPS AND DUPLICATION

Once you (and your representation, if you have any) have chosen the headshots you wish to duplicate and/or use online, check them carefully to see if they need any touchups (stray hairs, dark circles under the eyes, that stupid pimple that erupted the morning of your shoot, etc.). We suggest that you only touch up things that the makeup artist on your next film or TV show could easily cover – not permanent “flaws” that no amount of stage makeup can disguise. No matter what you order to be touched up, instruct the technician to go lightly. You do not want to completely change the shape of your features or “erase” 15 years of “maturity”. No, no, no. Your mantra should be “keep it real”.

Decide which of the photos will only be used online and which will also be duplicated in hard copies. Then shop around for the best prices for duplications. The quality nowadays is fairly standard, but play it safe: Make sure the duplication house stands behind its work and will re-do the photos if there are any serious problems with them.

Be sure that you only get 8X10s. We’re still astounded that once in a while, someone is using an oddball-sized headshot. That’s really ridiculous; if nothing else, the duplication house should have warned them not to do that.

NOTE: In our opinion, there is no reason to order more than 100 of any shot to start out. For one thing, with the proliferation of online submissions, far less hard copies are used (which is saving actors a ton of money). For another, you may find that what looked great six months ago really isn’t working for you, so why kill an extra tree just to have a pile of unusable headshots in the back of your closet?

ANOTHER NOTE:  If you’re going to send out jpegs of your headshots for any reason (and there are plenty of ‘em!), for heaven’s sake, take the time to put your name on the label of each one.  There’s nothing worse for an agent or casting director than finding a jpeg floating around your computer of someone you vaguely recognize and the only identifyer is the number of the photo.  DON’T BE LAZY.  Do a cut-and-paste of your name and add it to the photo number.  That way, each shot can easily be identified.

Unless your agent specifically instructs you otherwise, you should only have your name on the headshot. All other information should be found on your resume. (Suppose you switch agents and have their logo plastered all over your headshots, of which you still have a couple of hundred left…!)

Many people really detest having their photos taken. It isn’t easy and it’s not designed to make a person feel at ease. If you’re one of those who freezes during a shoot, think about taking a good friend with you, someone who will act as your security blanket, and with whom you can laugh and have a good time. Ask the photographer if you may bring your own music, if that’s your favorite relaxer. No matter what, try to have a good time. After all, if nothing else, you are an actor. Act as if…!

PASSPORTS – - THE “OTHER” KIND

This is going to be very short and sweet, folks.

EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE A CURRENT PASSPORT. The price has been rising rapidly, but at least they’re valid for 10 years.

Whether you plan to travel occasionally or never at all (shame on you!), as an actor, it is your responsibility to maintain a passport at all times. More and more productions are shooting outside the United States. You might be cast in something today and told you’re leaving for Siberia the day after tomorrow.

Not without a passport, you aren’t!

Besides which, it’s an ideal form of identification.

Although it can take several weeks or months for the passport to arrive, they are really quite easy to obtain, either in person (at a U.S. Post Office or Federal Building) or by mail. The following link will provide everything you need to get started.

http://www.state.gov/m/a/dir/forms/

STRANGERS IN A FOREIGN LAND

This section is for you wonderful actors from foreign countries, who are considering testing the waters in Hollywood. You may very well be fully aware of what we’re about to say, but perhaps you should read this anyway.

It has never been easy to begin a career of any type in the United States unless you have the proper work documents. Since 9/11, it has become next to impossible to enter the United States with the intention of working, no matter which country you’re coming from. Between our government’s rigid restrictions and those of your homeland, it can take literally years to obtain the proper clearances.

Actors face additional hurdles, unless they are already world-famous (no! just being a “star” in your own country does not guarantee entry here!). Proving that you are going to be able to support yourself (and not become a burden on us!) is one of those hurdles.

You must come here with a proficiency in English, first of all. The only language other than English in which you can possibly hope to make a living is, of course, Spanish, since Telemundo and Televisa have become major Spanish-language networks in the U.S. There are a handful of stations that cater to other nationalities, such as Japanese, Korean, Armenian, etc., but they provide very, very limited opportunities to work. So, even if you have an accent in English (and who doesn’t?!), you must feel comfortable enough to perform in the language of this country.

We won’t pretend to know all of the rules and regulations that will inhibit your ability to work here. It’s up to you to investigate that yourself, before leaving home. There is nothing worse than knowing that you are in this country illegally, just waiting for our immigration service to come knocking on your door. But we do have one suggestion:

There are a number of excellent acting schools in Hollywood that cater to foreign students. They can help their students obtain certain types of work visas, at least for part-time work. Here are links to two of the oldest:

THEATRE OF ARTS/ACT HOLLYWOOD www.acthollywood.com

LEE STRASBERG INSTITUTE www.strasberg.com

You should also check on a couple of our universities that have great theater arts departments: U.C.L.A., U.S.C., LOYOLA, CHAPMAN and CAL ARTS.

You may have heard that if a movie studio hires you for a role in a film, they can sponsor you for up to a year. That is true. What you may not have heard is that this type of temporary sponsorship limits you to only working for that particular studio during that one year period. You may also have heard that if an agency takes you on as a client, they might be willing to sponsor you, too. Don’t count on that happening – it’s easier said than done.

The bottom line to all of this is: Be very careful before attempting to make a move to Hollywood. Everything that we have said throughout this website applies to you, plus the added burden of being a stranger in this very foreign land.

Bon chance! Buena suerte! Viel Glück! Good luck!