Rejection

Rejection is a big topic for actors. You may feel rejected each time you audition for a role and do not get the part. You may take this personally, and call this “rejection”. After all, one definition of the word rejection is “discard as useless or unsatisfactory”, and the more actors audition and do not get cast, some feel more and more discouraged and depressed, as if they are being judged and found wanting, discarded and useless. Has this happened to you?

You may be surprised when I say that you were not rejected at all.

Let me explain: true rejection is when someone trusts someone else and opens his/her heart to that someone, and then that someone rejects them. Tells them they do not love them anymore. It is awful. It is personal. It is devaluing. It hurts and can be devastating. THAT is rejection.

Now, I think it would be fair to say that nothing like that actually happened to you in the audition room. The people who are holding the auditions are there all day themselves, and they most likely want you, and every actor, to be the right one!  They usually do not know you at all. You have merely spent a very short amount of time showing them a very brief presentation of your talent. They may have liked you, and also quite a few others who auditioned, as it would be likely that many of those who auditioned were talented. They have many people to choose from, and they have to choose one person to cast for each role.

As my partner Robert Curtiss and I like to say, imagine that you are making an egg for breakfast and you have to choose one from the egg carton in the fridge. Perhaps you choose one because it's slightly larger, or a different color. Whatever the reason, there are eleven eggs left. Now, did you choose one egg, or did you reject eleven? Chances are that all the other eggs will be chosen to be eaten at some point, but not for this breakfast.

Now to address what I think is behind the fear of rejection: the possibility does exist that, after many auditions over a long period of time and no callbacks, perhaps you need to improve your auditioning techniques, or perhaps you are not marketing yourself correctly, or maybe you see yourself as a "type" that is not what others are seeing. These are lessons that need to be learned so that you can make adjustments in what you audition for and/or how you audition. Think of all your auditions as full out performances – you just aren’t getting paid … yet!

The next and last possibility is a hard lesson, and one that some people have to face: perhaps you are not as talented as you may have believed. I believe that it is probably a rare experience, in that most people who are pursuing this business need some positive feedback, and without it would probably have given up long before they had to figure it out the hard way. So, although this possibility does exist, the probability is that you simply were not chosen for these jobs. You need to keep your perspective about it.

It is as simple as viewing a glass half empty or a glass half full. Remember that the next time you start to feel that you were rejected.  It really is in how you look at it!
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How Do I Get "Discovered"?

How do I get “discovered”?  Ah, that is the 10-million-dollar question!  I assure you, you will find the secret to being discovered right next to the answer to "How I lost 100lbs in two weeks!"  Of course, if you clicked on this article in hopes of actually finding the answer to immediate stardom, you may want to take a good look at yourself and why you are still trying to reach for this unattainable fantasy.   Nothing in life comes that easy; sometimes (but rarely) there are exceptions to this rule (or ANY rule, for that matter), but an exception should never be confused for the general rule, or even considered a realistic possibility.

You may have heard the legend of how the Hollywood star Lana Turner was discovered by Zeppo Marx while she was drinking a Coke at Schwab's Pharmacy in L.A.  Zeppo signed her to his agency and soon she began working. 


That was a long time ago. Does that kind of thing still happen?  Rarely  to never.  It is a FANTASY, like winning the lottery. Waiting for that to happen to you is a waste of your time. If you pursue this business as a smoke-and-mirrors FANTASY - i.e. "I'm beautiful and talented so things will automatically happen for me" - then you are in for a big disappointment and many years of wasted energy.  Show me any successful career and I will show you a lot of blood, sweat and tears that helped get them there. 

Having said that, there are many things you can do to HELP yourself be seen along the way.  You need to be available for discovery.  A buried treasure is hard to discover unless you know to look in the general vicinity it is located.  Making yourself available by going to plays, movies, industry parties, and taking classes will allow you to be seen by others who may be helpful to you on your way to a successful career.  

Most important, be prepared.  This business requires a passion for all aspects of it from the auditioning to the performance and everything in between.  It is your responsibility to hone your craft and be a good performer, to prepare yourself to be a professional at the business of show business. This also means you should increase your knowledge and life experience:  read, watch, and engage in the world around you.  Being an actor is an integral part of your life as a whole. The REALITY of the business of being an actor includes all aspects of your life: relationships (or lack thereof), health, finances, family, you name it. It is your responsibility to stay on top of all of those parts of your life and make sure you stay healthy and on track.

You may notice I try to use the word "business" instead of "career". The word career conjures up a steady arc of achievement that develops over time. So just starting out, a young actor cannot accurately describe his or her business as a "career", because it has not developed yet. The word "business" really captures what you need to focus on: all of the work you must do each day to keep your business going, and what it takes to "sell" yourself and get work.  You are responsible for your own business.

If you pursue your acting career with great gusto, enjoyment and determination, chances are you will find work as an actor. Break a leg!
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How Much Are You Worth?

Wow, what an uncomfortable question! It can sound crass, and make people feel ill-at-ease, as if they might sound conceited if say that they are worth more than other people. Yet it is important to ask it of ourselves, to assess our own self-worth as well as to understand how others may assess us.

An actor friend of mine had no representation and had to negotiate his own contracts when he got cast in shows. He was so happy to be cast and so eager to please that he frequently would accept low pay and sometimes uncomfortable living arrangements offered by some theaters. Still, he used to privately complain that although he was working as an actor, he was not making enough money doing it, and he hated having to share living quarters.

He gradually learned that he could ask them if they could arrange for a private room, and if they could pay him a higher salary, based on his rapidly expanding experience. Sometimes he would hear "No," but then he could

decide whether he wanted to work at that theater under those particular conditions. Sometimes he would hear "Yes," and his sense of self-worth would grow. When we stand up for ourselves, we are affirming our worth, both to ourselves and to others.

Another friend of mine went on a job interview, and was embarrassed when she was asked how much she thought she should get paid. She simply told the interviewer what her salary was at her last job, and she got hired at the new job…at the SAME salary as she had before! Ironically, the reason she was interviewing for a new job was that she was unhappy at her old job and felt they didn't treat her well enough!

If she had said she was worth more than that and if she had told the interviewer that her experience made her more valuable at the new job, perhaps she would have received a higher salary. Perhaps, the interviewer would have said that he could not afford to pay such a high salary, but at least the option to get more money would have been explored, and negotiations could have begun. Instead, my friend ended up short-changing herself, all because she had low self-esteem and was too embarrassed to claim she was worth more than her last job paid her.

What is your value? Do you settle for what others are willing to give you? It is worth asking yourself. Do you accurately assess the skills and experience you may bring to a job? Learn to value yourself, and stand up for yourself if you have been short-changed when getting paid. Ask for what you think you are worth.

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Advice & Critique: How to listen when it's not what you want to hear

In The Actors Guide To Everything, under REPRESENTATION, we write that a manager "advises clients on career choices, grooms them for the industry with guidance on new headshots, resumes, classes, type choices, etc., and personally advises every step of their business, which includes some aspects of life coaching."

Presumably actors know this - and want this - when they are seeking a personal manager, or other form of representation. Yet I can't tell you how many times I have met with an actor for the first time - for our "interview" - and started to tell them something they didn't want to hear - that I was unable to represent them, or that they needed to get new pictures, or ... well, you get the idea - and watched them "tune out" I can watch it happen before my eyes: their eyes glaze over, they nod like they are listening but I can tell they just want to get out of my office as soon as they can.

Actors frequently come into my office thinking I am going to be amazed at how talented, professional and on top of things they are, and they seem to think I will simply agree to represent them with no advice to offer. When they hear my suggestions, they look stunned and uncomfortable. I wonder how well they take direction on stage or on screen. I wonder what is going to happen if we decide to work together and we encounter a crisis -- how can I help someone who can't listen to my advice, or accept anything they feel is critical of them?

A happy life & career require personal growth, and understanding criticism is essential to personal growth. Criticism is everywhere, so use it to your advantage.

Here are some simple steps to deal with criticism: Hear it, evaluate it, learn from it and take action.

Hear the criticism: Just listen. Resist the urge to justify, excuse or defend yourself. If you're not ready to analyze the critique, analyze it later.

Evaluate the criticism: Does this criticism apply to you? Is the critic speaking truth or is he/she off the mark? If you are unsure if the critique is true, ask someone close to you, who you trust.

Learn from it: If the criticism is justified, you have been made aware of something you need to adjust, change or do. Accept this knowledge.

Take action: Once you have figured out what action you should take, do it. This is a typical time for procrastination, but make the choice to make the changes instead.

This process of "dealing" with criticism will be a tremendous advantage to you as an actor.

If you need more tantalizing information on receiving criticism, check out Bob's Corner!

Trends in the Business

Trends in the business

Show business has trends, just like in the fashion business: certain types of action movies may be popular (THE AVENGERS, THOR, SPIDER-MAN, etc.), or there might be a surge of tv or film projects featuring young singers & dancers (GLEE, SMASH, etc.). This means that certain types of actors will be cast more than others during these trends. It is important to spot these trends in the business.  Is there a particular ethnic group that is "hot" right now?  Perhaps women with curly hair are in now.  There was a time when men with five o'clock shadows were everywhere. 
Trends are important to recognize -- perhaps your "trend" is hot, or you might be able to adjust your image to fit a trend.  One time I remember one of my clients who used to do well commercially had stopped getting callbacks.  I thought this was so odd, since she had previously been so "popular".  I watched TV for several days in a row and concentrated on those commercials that my client had auditioned for --  I noticed that the women who landed the roles all had curly hair.  Aha! I had spotted a new trend.  I discussed this with my client, and she stopped straightening her hair; she soon began to get callbacks again.  Now I know this might sound rather simple, but sometimes it is simple -- so simple that we fail to see what is there right in front of our eyes!.  The whole point is to always be aware of the currect trends, and to see how you might fit into them.  Sometimes it works! If your type is not "in" right now, keep looking for the trends - they are always changing, and a trend for your type may not be far behind!

I hate my "day job" but I need the money - what should I do?

Most of us have, at one time or another, worked at a job that we did not like. Sometimes the boss seems penurious (my new favorite word - look it up), or the coworkers are mean, or the pay is too low for the amount of work required, or the work itself just does not appeal to us. Here are some thoughts about dealing with this problem.

To figure out how best to proceed, ask yourself the following questions:

• What is it I don't like about this job? 
• Is the thing I hate about this job fixable?
• Would it be worth staying at the job if I could fix the problem?

Let's break it down:

What is it that you don't like about your job? Is it a personnel matter, i.e. you have a problem with people you work with, like the boss or a coworker? If so, possible solutions include asking for a private meeting with the person or persons, in which you make an effort to find out what they are thinking, and to make your feelings known. This can clear the air, and get the unspoken issues out in the open, with the hope that all those involved can adjust their behaviors accordingly. Remember to be professional and try to be respectful, because being disrespectful and angry will very likely sabotage any potential progress. Sometimes our coworkers and supervisors have no idea that their words or behaviors have upset others, and simply making them aware of your thoughts and feelings can be enough to bring them around.

Is the thing you hate about the job fixable? If your coworkers or your boss still make you miserable, or you can't seem to find  a way around the thing you dislike, then it probably is time to look for employment elsewhere.

If you dislike the work itself, the best thing to do is to figure out what you would prefer to do, and then look for a job where you can do that instead. Sometimes this is simply looking at what jobs you can find, and then choosing the best out of the bunch (we can't always find the perfect job right away). In the meantime, since you need to keep your job until you can find another, try to make the best of it, and to take the path of least resistance. Sometimes it just doesn't pay to argue with people when you already know you can't win. Try just agreeing with them, and letting the conflicts just roll off your back, knowing that you will soon be gone from the unpleasant situation as soon as you can.

Remember ... communicate effectively. Use your friends and family as support systems & to help get the word out when looking for a new job.

What Kinds of Showcases should I do? What form?

Showcases come in many "types" (scenes, monologues, one-acts) and "styles" (improv, acting, musical theatre). The "type" or "style" is the LEAST important thing to consider when thinking of developing or participating in a showcase. The MOST important element is the overall way the showcase is packaged, or the "WOW factor", if you will.  I have been to hundreds, if not thousands, of showcases over the time I have been a manager - more than 25 years - and I can count on one hand those I actually enjoyed and benefited from.  The rest were quickly forgotten, mainly because they were uninventive, unstimulating and downright BORING. 

Let me explain.  You will draw more flies to the honey if your "showcase" has an interesting "gimmick".  This can be in the form of a fascinating venue: a park, an old gutted warehouse, an ice cream parlor, on a bus, on a train, in a public restroom (oh people, PLEASE - I am KIDDING...but only partly.  Come on, do you mean you wouldn't be a little interested if you were invited to a showcase presented in a public restroom?).  OK, even a theatre will do, AS LONG AS the show is of interest.  Try hiring a director of note to help add legitimacy and buzz around your showcase.  How about scenes interspersed with music from a well known or up-and-coming composer?  I have always wanted to start a play contest by soliciting plays from playwrights that are no more than 10 minutes long.  I'd choose 6 of the best, cast them with great talent, and spread the word.  People attending would not only benefit from seeing new talent but also the work of some new playwrights.

If you are thinking of developing or participating in a showcase, make sure it is exciting, unique, and has a great selling point!  Above all, DO NOT participate in a showcase for the sole reason of getting casting directors and agents to come to advance your career.  Your main reasons to do a showcase should be because you like and admire the other people involved, you like the concept, it promises to be a learning experience, and (IMPORTANT) it should be FUN!  Of course you will invite industry folk to come and see it, but it WILL NOT be the ONLY reason to participate in it. 

Right now a client of mine and I are developing a "showcase" of a new play we found, which my client would direct (she is primarily an actress but we are beginning to explore directing opportunities for her). This play we found is perfect for high schools and community theatres across the country, and getting it up in public will help in getting this play produced elsewhere. I will cast the roles with many of my clients to give them more exposure, and to provide them with a creatively fulfilling project.  Those are three excellent reasons for us to do this showcase. 

Understand? Good - now go start a showcase of your own!

I have an accent - will it hinder my opportunities?

Let me start by saying that the more versatility an actor has can only provide him/her more opportunities.  You certainly can get work with an accent, but it will limit the jobs you can get.There are only a few movie stars that have done quite well with an accent, such as Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz, and Holly Hunter.

In general, it helps to be able to learn to speak without accents or regionalisms (such as a Southern, a Boston, New York or Midwest American regional accent). Anna Torv and John Noble, the two leading actors on the J.J. Abrams series "Fringe", are both from "Down Under" (that's Australia, people!), yet they speak with neutral American accents on the show.

A Speech Coach or Voice Coach can help you learn to speak without your accent - you can find them on our website in our RESOURCES under CLASSES.

DICTION is the important thing to remember if you intend to keep your accent or regionalism. If you have an accent, we MUST understand everything you say!  The Casting Director or Director will appreciate it, as well as the author whose words you are saying!

Remember, just because you have learned to speak without an accent doesn't mean you must live the rest of your life without it. Use it at home, use it with your friends, just leave it at home when attending to your business.