Tools of the Trade: Car Survival Kit for Actors

Your car is your mobile office as an actor. Make sure it's stocked with everything you need for your career!

Here are four things I always have in my car --

No, not mints. (Though those are a good idea too...)

#1 - Quarters!

For feeding meters heartily to avoid dreaded parking tickets.

#2 - Makeup!

I guess this is for the ladies. Especially handy for those same day audition notices you get when you're on your way to Trader Joe's.

Safety Alert: Do not do your makeup while driving! Also, be sure to check your makeup in the bathroom of the casting office before going into the room. What looks fine in natural light and might look garish under fluorescent lights.

#3 - Headshots!

I keep mine in this old padfolio. It looks professional and it keeps them nice and flat --

#4 - Thomas Guide

Color me old school. There's nothing quite like locating yourself on a map. And even though I mostly use my maps app to get directions, my trusty Thomas Guide is always there to back me up when my phone just won't connect.

That's my car survival kit! I polled a few actor friends for their car must haves - here's what they said --

"Navigation ability (map or GPS or phone navigation), 3 changes of clothing (casual, business, and fancy), and a hair brush. The fancy change is also good in case you drive by an event/premiere and want to crash!" - J

"Spray deodorant to freshen up." - M

"Hair product, voice recorder to memorize lines." - T

"I keep a mini stapler in the glove compartment so I can tack on headshots on the go." - H

"Extra clothes, especially for commercial auditions. I have a set of scrubs, polo shirts, etc. so I'm ready if they ask for a particular look." - R

"Hand lotion! You have no idea how many times I was surprised at a commercial audition when they wanted to see my hands!" - E

And one fabulously sentimental answer --

"A great support group or people around you who are very motivated so that it motivates you to do things for your own career. That's probably #1 for me. All the other stuff will be affected positively by the group of people you trust and respect in the business." - V

A great answer to any question!

Actors! What do you keep in your car? Post your answer in the comments below...

Tools of the Trade: Postcards

Postcards are a great self-marketing tool for keeping in touch with industry folk. You're literally putting your face in front of theirs in a tangible way.

Some casting directors tell actors to save their money because they don't have time to look at them, but most love them because they're a fast, easy way to get an update on what you're doing.

I send a round to casting directors every six months - more frequently if I have something exciting to announce. There are marketing companies that will design and send postcards for you, but I prefer to do them myself.

Usually I use postcards that have my headshots on the front, but for the holiday I sent out these --

Fancy, right? I snagged them from Vistaprint - 250 glossy, full-color postcards for only $15. Total steal.

Next step? Designing a label for the back, because I'm too lazy to handwrite a message on every postcard. I create a template in Microsoft Word to be printed on 3.33" x 4" mailing labels. Here's the last label I sent --

Next comes finding casting director addresses. Back in the day, I inputted addresses from Backstage into a Microsoft Excel database to make labels, but now I just splurge for the updated address listings at Casting About. You can also buy a package of current labels from Samuel French.

Finally, slap everything together along with a postcard stamp, and you're good to go! It's not a cheap marketing project for me - the postcards, labels, stamps, and Casting About service all cost money - but it's worth it for me to keep my face out there.

Do you send postcards to casting directors?
What are some things that have worked for you?

Tools of the Trade: Memorizing Lines

A major television casting director actually said it to me last week - "Your audition must be memorized."

He went on to explain that because so many roles are cast off tape, your energy needs to constantly be coming at the camera. And every time you dip your head to look at your sides, your energy dips. He stressed again and again - "Your energy has to come out of your head!"

A solid point, but I was still surprised by his vehemence. Most casting directors tell you to try to be off book, but always have your sides in your hand and use them when you need to. The wisdom I've lived by is this - don't focus on being off-book, focus on your acting.

So it was surprising to hear someone say, "Just memorize it." He's not the first - Homeland casting director Judy Henderson said the same to Backstage.com.

Alright, fine. Time to up my game and work out my brain!

Acting teacher Doug Warhit always says your brain is a muscle - learning to memorize lines quickly and effectively is just about working that muscle. Here are a few techniques I've picked up --

• Do it in front of a mirror. Pick up a script or a book - even a magazine article will do. Memorize the first line, then look up and say it. Then move on to the next line. Once you've mastered that, try two lines at a time. And so on and so on.
  
  
• Practice with a friend - See how far you can get without looking at your script. I always find running lines with people helps me memorize much faster.
  
  
• Write it out - When I was memorizing monologues in my theater days, I used to write them out word for word, over and over. I still do this if I have long speeches in my audition sides.

Try one or more of these every day, and you'll be memorizing pages a day in no time!

Non-Acting Tips for Actors

Take or leave the career advice I give in my Tools of the Trade blog posts on the business of being a working actor. Everyone has the right to navigate showbiz in their own way.

But here are some non-acting tips that I think all actors should heed. Because working on your craft can be impossible if the rest of your life doesn’t work.

• Learn to eat out cheap – I’d love to eat Umami Burger every day, but those acting classes cost money! As do headshots and online submission services and demo reel editing and everything else I need to run my career. Save money by locating a few go-to cheap eats in your area and use coupons when you can. My favorites – Taco Tuesdays at Del Taco (3 tacos for $1.09!) and the snack bar at Costco.
  
  
• Wear sunscreen – Aside from being Asian, my secret to younger looking skin is definitely wearing sunscreen on my face every day of the year. In California, the sun is no joke. A sunscreen that contains zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or avobenzone is a necessity for protecting your skin against sun damage that creates wrinkles. Apply liberally (a nickel-sized dollop for your face) and re-apply throughout the day!
  
  
• Have health insurance – Your budget may be tight, but this is one expense you CANNOT skip. Defending yourself against monster medical bills is one of the best investments you can make with your money. If you don’t qualify for medical insurance through SAG or a day job, buy an individual policy. Use ehealthinsurance to shop around and compare rates, then go directly to the insurance provider’s Web site to apply. (My policy costs less than a grande Starbucks coffee & a bagel a day!)
  
  
• Get a Roth IRA – Just because you don’t work at a company that offers at 401K doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan for your retirement. Saving early pays off big time later in life. And you don’t need that much to start. You can find great Roth IRA accounts made up of no-fee mutual funds at do-it-yourself personal finance sites like Vanguard, Fidelity, or TD Ameritrade. But you don’t have to take my word for it.
  

What non-acting tips for actors would you add to this list?

Tools of the Trade: Creating an Action Plan

Everyone does it differently. Some people do it fast. Others take their time and never get satisfaction.

I’m talking about becoming a working actor, of course. From the moment you say to yourself, “I want to be an actor,” there are a million ways to go after that goal. There is no one path to the top – everyone’s view of the top is different anyway. For some, it’s achieving fame and recognition. For others, it’s working with the big names. For me, it was doing what I love and getting paid for it.

How did I go from square one to my current humble state of success? I like to say I did it the MIT way, which means I was smart about it. My entire journey has been guided by one word – focus. I believe becoming a working actor is a marathon, not a sprint. Success comes from planning your route, pacing yourself, and dealing with obstacles, all while headed toward your end goal.

So here’s how I did it. And if I can do it, so can you.

Teresa’s MIT-influenced Method for Creating an Action Plan

1. Make a list of all the things you want from this career. Don’t hold back – put everything you can think of on it. From the general – “I want to act in commercials” or “I want to do radio voiceovers” – to the specific – “I want to work on a Joss Whedon project” or “I want to be invited to an award show gifting suite and get free swag!” Let it all out – this is your dream list – go for the moon!
   
   
2. Choose two of the more general items from this list that you want to work toward first. (You can work on the gifting suite goal after you’ve gotten your first paid job.)
   
   
3. Create a list of short-term goals for each item. Steps that will help you reach that long-term goal. Break it down as much as you can. If you want to act in feature films, your short-term goal list might include taking an on-camera acting class, reading a book about film acting, trying to work in student films to gain experience, doing background on feature films to learn what happens on set, etc.
   
   
4. Look at your two lists and choose one to tackle first. Yep, just one. I know it may be hard to decide, but trust me, it will pay off.
   
   
5. Refine your remaining short-term goals list and give each item a deadline. By the end, your list will look like this – Read a book about film acting every two months. Work on 5 student films by the end of the year. Do at least 1 background acting job a month.
   
   
6. Voila! You have your action plan! Type it up or write it on a nice piece of paper and tape it to your bathroom mirror so you can see it every day. Check your progress against this list regularly. Have you signed up for that on-camera acting class yet? Have you been submitting yourself every day to get those student film auditions? By focusing single-pointedly on this list, you can rack up small successes that keep driving you forward, plus keep yourself from feeling overwhelmed.
   

Like I said, this is only one way to do it, but I think it works. Try it and let me know how it works for you. Better yet, post your action plan below! The more people you share it with, the more people can support you and hold you accountable.
I met a girl once who told me her action plan for becoming an actor was going to the Skybar every night until she met a producer who wanted to put her in a movie. How do you think that turned out for her?

Tools of the Trade: Watching Yourself

When I studied on-camera acting with the fantastic Doug Warhit, he would instruct each student to bring a VHS tape to class, which he used to tape our in-class scene work so we could watch it again later.

For months, I didn’t bring a tape. “This is an on-camera class,” he would scold. Then I brought a tape but never watched it later. “You don’t have to like watching yourself,” he said, “but it will help you become a better actor.” Still, I resisted. It wasn’t until my roommate took the same class and forced me to do so that I started watching my tapes.

And lo and behold, I became a better actor.

Watching myself on-camera will always be awkward and awful for me. The inner critic babbles in my ear incessantly – “Your mouth looks funny, your makeup is bad, you look like a man.” Utter nonsense.

But as I’ve learned, watching yourself act is one of the most powerful tools for getting better at your craft. You immediately catch your bad habits – the way you keep shifting from side to side, that tendency to sigh before every line – and learn how to shape your performance in a way that comes across on-screen.

Everyone has a camera in their phone or laptop nowadays. The next time you’re preparing for an on-camera audition, consider recording video of yourself performing the sides like you would in the room. Give the inner critic the night off and watch yourself, taking note of how your performance comes across on-camera. If you’re trying to be authoritative, does your on-camera self seem authoritative? Or does she come off looking angry? Does your outfit give the impression you want it to? If you’re doing comedy, do you laugh at yourself?

Don’t use this as a tool to beat yourself up. Just take note of a few things and make adjustments. It’s a painful exercise, I know, but so useful. Imagine what Alexandra Wallace would have done if she’d watched herself first. (Merely a hypothetical question, not a social comment.)

And if you took the advice of my last Tools of the Trade post about submitting yourself online, consider adding the new kid on the casting block to your submission list – CAZT. They’re a casting studio in Hollywood that allows you to watch your taped auditions, read comments from the casting director, and even upload a replacement audition video if you want.

All for a fee, of course, but with that monthly fee you get to submit to all the projects in their list of Los Angeles auditions, which is growing exponentially. I’ve been auditioning at CAZT for a few years, and every time I’ve been this year, the place has been packed with projects looking for actors. More and more independent & mainstream projects are using their studios, cameras, and video hosting & collaboration tools, which are all 100% free, which means more opportunity for all of you! (If you’re looking for audition space, visit pro.CAZT.com to learn more.)

So don’t be afraid of your own image on the screen. It could be the key to transforming you from an audition disaster to an audition master.

Tools of the Trade: Submitting Yourself Online

When I meet new actors, one of the first questions they ask is inevitably, “How do I get an agent?”

Honey, you do not need an agent to start working as an actor. News flash – agents don’t want newbies. They want people know how to audition, have worked on a set, and know the meaning of “hit your mark.” They want actors that already have somewhat substantial resumes that will impress casting directors.

So start gathering experience to put on your resume. Everyone starts somewhere. Put your headshots and your resume on the top three online casting sites, submit yourself to projects every day, and start auditioning right now!

Actors Access
www.actorsaccess.com
FREE to sign up & create your resume, $2.00 for every submission or you can pay $68.00 for a full year of unlimited submissions. First two headshots are free, additional photos are $10 each.

LA Casting
www.lacasting.com
Monthly membership packages start at $12.95 a month for unlimited submissions. First headshot is $25, additional photos are $10 each.

NOW Casting
www.nowcasting.com
FREE to signup & create your resume with 6 headshots, monthly membership packages start at $11 a month for unlimited submissions to LA projects.

There are also online casting opportunities at Backstage, SAG Indie, Actor’s Equity, and Casting Frontier. So get going!

Tools of the Trade: Casting Director Workshops

Today, I’m going to teach you about three of the most controversial words in showbiz – casting director workshops.

For the uninitiated, these are workshops featuring a casting director who works in TV or film. Typically the session starts with a group Q&A, after which the CD will hand out sides, often from the project they’re currently casting. Everyone gets 10-15 minutes to look them over, then everyone performs them in front of the class and the casting director. Sometimes actors are paired, sometimes they read one on one. The good casting directors give terrific feedback and acting advice. The annoying ones are dry as dust and say nothing but a flat “thanks.”

There’s a huge backlash against them because some people think actors shouldn’t have to pay to audition in front of a casting director. Opponents say it’s just another way big bad Hollywood is taking advantage of eager actors. Ask any actor about casting director workshops – everyone has an opinion. Here’s mine…

I like them. I enjoy the opportunity to work on my cold reading skills and getting to know a casting director in a casual environment. They’re especially useful for me because I’m focused on television work. I also find it valuable to see other actors act. I don’t think they’re scams and ultimately I think they’re harmless.

(Pausing to wipe off the rotten tomatoes mentally thrown in my direction…)

Because here’s the thing – legitimate casting director workshops only cost $35-$45 dollars tops. That’s less than I’d pay for a shirt at J.Crew. $35 is worth it for me to show a casting director my talent, learn inside tips on auditioning for their office, and just plain have a chance to perform. It's a win-win!

Workshops are an opportunity to connect in a disconnected town that's saturated with actors. Casting directors are way too overworked and underpaid to spend time finding talent in the old ways of going to theater or showcases, especially if they work in television which is already ridiculously fast paced.

So please don’t go all berzerker on me because I go to casting director workshops. I hate scams too. That “school” that offers “classes” for $2,900 for a chance to be seen by “top Hollywood agents?” That’s a scam. $35 is probably what you spend at Starbucks in a week.

If you’d like to give them a try, here’s my advice for doing them right. First, know that there are several places that offer them and they’re pretty much all the same. Just find a place that's close to where you live that offers workshops in the $35-$45 a class range. I go to ITA Productions in Culver City because it's close to where I live, though I used to go to One on One Productions in Studio City.

Next, make a list of all the TV shows that you think you could be cast in. Look at the Production Listings on Backstage to figure out which shows shoot in LA. Consider which shows often use actors of your type as well as shows that cast a lot of actors in each episode. If you're in the 18 to Look Younger category, you'll definitely want to add the Nickelodeon & Disney shows.

Once you find a place and have your target list, you can start looking at their calendar and sign up to see the casting directors that cast the shows on your list. That way you're not wasting time and money on a casting director that doesn't need your type. I limit myself to two a month, which forces me to choose only the workshops that are most useful for me.

If you’ve been wondering about casting director workshops, I encourage you to give them a try and decide for yourself which side of the controversy you stand on. Just remember, casting director workshops don’t equal jobs. Being a good actor gets you the audition and the job.

Tools of the Trade: Getting Your SAG Card, Part 2

To SAG or not to SAG. That is the question every actor faces after finally securing their SAG eligibility. Sure, joining SAG is what they’ve been working toward, but stepping over the line into union-land is a whole separate decision to be faced with careful consideration.

Take this message I received in response to my earlier post about getting your SAG card:

I just read your post about getting a SAG card. My question is...what next? My girlfriend recently joined SAG after landing a small part in a feature and she is unsure how to proceed. The local SAG office hasn't been much help. She has her info with some of the local talent shop type places, but does not have a full blown agent etc. ANY suggestions, advice or encouragement I can pass her way would be appreciated. She doesn't expect to become a movie star, but would like to make enough money to at least pay for her dues!
– Matt from Detroit

Thanks for reaching out, Matt! Your girlfriend is in a tricky spot – being a SAG actor in a regional market is a challenge because the opportunities are fewer and farther between. Though if you’re reading this post in New York or Los Angeles, the same advice applies...

Once you join SAG, you can no longer accept non-union work. No exceptions. And SAG doesn’t take any responsibility for finding actors work. They have their hands full trying to keep the studios from ripping us off. So becoming SAG means your world of job opportunities is suddenly completely different.

Whatever made you eligible doesn’t expire, so you should wait until you’re offered another SAG job to actually join. Save up for the mondo initiation fee and put “SAG Eligible” on your resume so producers know they can use you if they want. That way you can still accept non-union work and audition for SAG projects at the same time.

But if you’ve already taken the leap like Matt’s girlfriend, there are several things you can do to start securing paid gigs for yourself:

• Consider background work if you haven’t before. Having your SAG card means that a day on a film will pay $139 for 8 hours – more than twice as much as it did when you were non-union. Plus they have to feed you hot food – a nice perk. If you can find commercial background work, even better – that SAG minimum is $323. In a regional market like Detroit, review production listings on Backstage.com to find films being shot on location in your area. Keep your eyes peeled in your local paper for extras casting calls. If they need to upgrade anyone to a speaking part, the SAG actors on set will likely get preference.
  
  
• Don’t be closed to working for free. Student films and independent projects can offer set experience and introduce you to other actors who work in the area and know where the jobs are. They’re also a great way to gather footage for your demo reel, which is quickly becoming a necessity for working actors.
  
  
• Get to know your state film office. Each film office’s Web site will not only list casting opportunities but give information about upcoming major productions that are filming in the area. Michigan is a booming production state, so look for opportunities on the Michigan Film Office web site. I also found this Michigan Acting resource that should have current opportunities.
  
  
• Get yourself on Actors Access and start submitting yourself every day. It’s free to join and $2 for each submission, though I suggest getting the yearly Showfax subscription for $68 to get unlimited submissions. Actors Access lists opportunities in several regional markets, including Chicago/Midwest.
  
  
• Look for opportunities in larger regional markets close by. When I lived in Boston, I knew several SAG actors who had voicemail numbers in New York City so they could pretend to be local actors available for work there. It was always a risk in case you were called for same day auditions, but for the most part they had at least a day’s notice before they had to get in their cars and drive down. I know there are San Francisco actors that have LA phone numbers. For Detroit, it might be worth getting a Chicago phone number through Google Voice. You can always put yourself on tape for auditions if you’re not able to drive all the way there.
  

Finally, keep at it and don’t lose faith! The good thing about regional markets is that they’re small and easy to navigate. Each job will introduce you to more people that know what the deal is in your area. You may not need an agent at all if you have a good network of actor friends to help you find the opportunities.

If you’re an actor in a regional market or have any other advice to offer, please leave it below. Break a leg!

Tools of the Trade: A Library Card

I carry all the essentials in my bag – keys, phone, and my library card.

As an actor, there will be times when you need to read a play to find a monologue or watch an episode of a TV show for an audition. Netflix and Amazon are great resources, but they cost money, and you need to save your pennies for classes and filling up your gas-guzzler.

Your local public library is all free, all the time. Maybe you haven’t stepped foot into a library since the days of college research papers and study groups. If this is the case, I invite you to rediscover the stacks at your nearest branch. In addition to books, libraries can have DVDs, music CDs, audiobooks, and magazines. The resources at the public library are an actor’s best friend, saving you time and money in your pursuit of art.

Say you have an audition for Romeo and Juliet. Get a free library card and you can borrow a copy of the play to read, find a Shakespeare monologue in a monologue book, and rent the Leo & Claire movie version to see their interpretation. Don’t forget to pick up a book of helpful tips for auditioning for Shakespeare and the audiobook version to listen to in the car on your way to your audition.

I’ve also watched previous features from a director I’m about to meet and entire seasons of TV shows as research. Once I auditioned to play a Japanese war refugee and found an Asian accent for actors CD the day before. It got me a callback. All this in a one-stop shop just around the corner.

Now go get that library card...

Tools of the Trade: Getting Your SAG Card

It’s a classic catch-22. How do you get a role in a feature film? You need a SAG card. How do you get a SAG card? You need to get a role in a feature film.

So you want to be a card-toting, dues-paying member of the Screen Actors Guild. Who doesn’t? Being in SAG means access to roles that actually pay money! But getting into SAG is difficult for one simple reason –

SAG doesn’t want you to get in!

There are already thousands of SAG actors that don’t work consistently. The majority, in fact. Yet every SAG actor has an equal vote in all union issues, most of which don’t apply to them yet. Letting more members into SAG just means more unemployed actors making decisions that affect the small percentage of the membership that actually is working.

So they make it wicked hard to get into SAG. And wicked expensive – initiation fees were $2,277 last I checked. But if you want to move your career forward, getting into SAG is necessary and in my opinion, it can be done.

Here are the ways:

• Taft-Hartley – A fast pass into the ranks. Easier if you’re under 18, a celebrity in a different field (like Jordan Farmar), or if you have a crazy talent like fire-eating that happens to be needed on How I Met Your Mother this week. Make sure your resume lists all your special skills, but only if you can actually do them. Taft-Hartleys seem to be more common in the commercial world, so try to get a commercial agent right away.
  
  
• Background Vouchers – Get with a good call-in service and be professional. Show up on time, bring good wardrobe choices, and stay where you’re supposed to be. 2nd 2nd ADs like actors who listen to them, work hard, and don’t complain.
  
  
• Via AEA or AGVA – Snag a lead role on stage or in a theme park, and a year later you can become SAG Eligible. Disney’s Pixar Parade, anybody?

But most of all, be diligent! It’s a long road, but you’ll get there eventually. If I can do it, so can you! Click here to read Part 2 of this series!

Tools of the Trade: Online Resume Links

So you say you’re an actor? You want to work in TV and film? Then take this key piece of advice to heart:

Make sure people can find your acting resume online!

A few weeks ago, I was looking for an actor for my short film project. Not a problem, I thought. I know plenty of actors. Just had to check their union status first. So I logged onto Facebook, perusing the profiles of my actor friends, looking for links to their online acting resumes.

And I could barely find any! Their profiles detailed what TV shows they watched, their birthdays and siblings, and all the animals in their fake farm. But rarely did I find a link to their acting resume in the Links section. Rather than send a message and wait for a response, I simply moved on to the next person.

So this is for my actor friends and anyone else out there. Help me help you! After you create your resume on Actors Access or LA Casting, broadcast the link to it any way you can. Put it on your Facebook profile, YouTube channel, blog, email signature – anywhere and everywhere! If you don’t, who knows how many jobs you’re missing out on.

Start broadcasting!

Tools of the Trade: Demo Reels

Demo reels are quickly becoming a must-have for actors at all levels, especially now that casting has moved almost entirely online. Production moves faster than ever and casting directors want to see immediately what you look like, sound like, and feel like. Having a solid demo reel that showcases your talent can be integral in getting you the job.

If you don’t have any tape on yourself, doing student and independent short films are a great way to get scenes for your reel. No, you won’t make any money – you’re getting paid in footage. Look for roles that you’re likely to be cast in. If you think you’re a shoo-in for a medical examiner on CSI, try to book a student film in which you play a doctor.

To ensure you’ll get the footage in a timely manner, have the director or producer sign and date a simple contract that states you’re working for free in exchange for a copy of your work and expect to receive it within 60 days. Once he signs it, you’re owed your footage in the time allotted or else you can take him to small claims court.

But if you’ve done the submission game for student and independent films for a while without any significant result, then shoot something yourself. Use a scene from the TV show you’re perfect for or find a scene from a film that fits your energy. Make sure it showcases you in a role that you’d be cast in. Shoot it in the highest quality HD you can find, keep it under 3 minutes, and you’re golden.

But do it right. Crappy tape is NOT better than no tape at all. Your demo reel is a professional tool for your career – make sure you present something that looks professional. Find people who know what they’re doing to shoot and edit your reel. It’s worth the investment.

Finally, avoid the Actor Slate service offered by Breakdown Services for creating a one-minute general interview that shows off your personality. What it really shows casting directors is that you’re a beginner who’s not ready for on-camera work.

I just updated my own demo reel and present it here as an example. Professional editing done by the talented and handsome Ian at Bubba’s Chop Shop. If you have a demo reel to share, post it in the comments!

Tools of the Trade: Business Cards

How many times have you heard this at an industry networking event?

"I forgot to bring my business cards."

Now, how many times have you been the one saying it?

Business cards are a must in entertainment, no matter if you’re an actor, a writer, or a forest fire fighter. The currency of entertainment is relationships, and business cards are a great way to track those relationships and establish your brand at the same time.

If you don’t have current business cards, visit Vistaprint to get 250 free business cards. Just pay for shipping and you're good to go!