THE DREAMUNLOCKED
  • TheDreamUnLocked
  • Actor Classes
    • What's Your Actor Super Power?
    • Emotional Type Audition Technique
    • How to Double Your Auditions
    • GET UNSTUCK >
      • I Am Enuf DOL MiniCourse
    • BLOGS >
      • BadAssActor Blog
      • BadAssWriter Blog
  • Writer Classes
    • What is the Solo Show Secret
    • Fix My Solo Show
    • Journalling into Story
    • How to Start Writing MiniCourse
    • Writer MiniRetreats
  • ABOUT APRIL
    • Work with April
    • Privacy Policy
  • Testimonials
  • DONATE
  • GetUnStuck CTA

​​BadAss Actor Blog

Subscribe

Get UnStuck: Move Your Career into Film & TV with Confidence (even in the midst of temporarily-without-fundism)

3/23/2015

23 Comments

 

What are your struggling with in your Film and TV Career?  Please leave your questions in the comments below and I promise to answer them.
23 Comments
Adam William
3/27/2015 11:45:32 am

Jumping into a potential no-income situation!

Reply
April Yvette Thompson
3/27/2015 11:46:37 am

Hey Adam: then only take paying jobs or projects that are high-visibility (like a Sundance film w/names in the leads) that will get you seen and lead to big budget projects

Reply
Adam
3/27/2015 11:47:16 am

It can be challenging to get paid work when just starting out. I'm hoping to jump in soon and give up my day job! 😓😅

Reply
April Yvette Thompson
3/27/2015 11:48:35 am

Training is the key. Start studying privately or in intensives with NYC coaches/teachers with great reputations and preferably with strong TV/Film credits. If that person's reputation is really solid, their name on your resume will get you a meeting w/an agent/manager. There's no way to play in the paying world of TV/Film w/out impressive training which leads to impressive agencies repping you. Never give up your day job, just turn it into a company u own that can earn u income year round and is related to entertainment...tv shows get cancelled all the time, u need a plan in place for the life of ur career, not just until u book the first job.

Reply
Wesley Green
3/27/2015 11:52:45 am

Finding a project that gets you national, if not, world coverage.

Reply
April
3/27/2015 11:53:25 am

Hi Wesley: If you have powerful agents/management team, they can do that. Most big agencies package their clients that way. If you don't have that, then it's time to put a strategy in place to get it done. One way to go is to option a solid short and cast big name leads opposite you and then submit to festivals. The other road is to get impressive training w/a NYC coach/teacher with strong film/tv credits. Their reputation and name on your resume will get you some much coveted mtgs w/agents and managers. Hope that's useful... ☀️☀️☀️

Reply
Lin Stanley
3/27/2015 11:55:13 am

A survival job

Reply
AprilYvette Thompson
3/27/2015 11:56:35 am

Lin Stanley the best survival job is runig your own business ...an online business teachig what you know or providing a service. It gives you flexible hours and steady income and can be done from anywhere...even when ur on set. Check out Jeff Walker's "the Four Hour Work Week'...It changed the way I do business and freed up my time to audition and write.

Reply
Christabel Bella Roseau
3/27/2015 11:58:21 am

Having done street improv for so many years its really hard to reign it back in. I am so used to performing 100 feet out from myself that its hard as hell to keep it inside as it were. Something comes over me when action is called and inspite of my best intentions (plans) a character appears that I am unfamiliar with. Its unsettling - sometimes its great others - not so much -.... I am working hard to pull it close - but what do you recommend?

Reply
Dan McGlaughlin
3/27/2015 12:59:59 pm

I could use a lot more work. - said every actor ever.

Reply
April Yvette Thompson
3/27/2015 01:00:37 pm

Hi Dan McGlaughin: Tom's right, get in class. I made the move from Theatre to TV/Film by studying weekly with a private coach for 9 months. And I stayed in the city so I could get facetime with network execs. I started getting called back after 3 months if weekly practice w/a coach and started booking 6 months later. It works...and my first gig paid for all of my private coaching. It was totally worth it.

Reply
Christabel Bella Roseau
3/27/2015 01:02:32 pm

Having done street improv for so many years its really hard to reign it back in. I am so used to performing 100 feet out from myself that its hard as hell to keep it inside as it were. Something comes over me when action is called and inspite of my best intentions (plans) a character appears that I am unfamiliar with. Its unsettling - sometimes its great others - not so much -.... I am working hard to pull it close - but what do you recommend?

Reply
April Yvette Thompson link
3/27/2015 01:03:51 pm

Hi Christabel: take a look at the video:

https://youtu.be/q1pnmOB1j9E

Start pulling scenes from your favorite TV shows and practice putting urself on tape and downloading the video to utube and analyze what ur doing and how to change it to adapt to a small audition space. Make sure u post it private on utube for ur eyes only. Take a look at utube video auditions of famous people who booked roles. Gaby Sidibe's Precious utube aud; she was self taught...she just kept practicing at home, then when she got a callback, i believe she hired a coach. First step is to learn how to use the language of current shows on tape. Practice 20 mins a day and you'll learn a ton. Let me know how it goes. 😏😏😏

Reply
Michael Ney
3/28/2015 08:19:18 am

"WOW WOW WOW"!!!...THANK YOU... Michael.

Reply
April Yvette Thompson link
3/28/2015 08:19:59 am

Thank you, Michael...you made my day!

xoxoApril

Reply
Dorianne Hennessey
3/28/2015 08:22:23 am

I'm 13 and5'9. I'm too talk for everything!!!

Reply
April Yvette Thompson link
3/28/2015 08:22:57 am

Hi Dorianne: i'd start looking for breakdowns for parts that you're right for best on your personality, your emotional center, instead of roles based solely on your physical type. Danny Glover's role in lethal weapon was originally written for a white woman, but he talked casting into letting him read for it bec it fit his personality...and he booked it

Reply
Nikki Chawla
3/28/2015 08:23:43 am

Not enough work for brown people like me, most casting calls are for "Caucasian".

Reply
April Yvette Thompson link
3/28/2015 08:33:47 am

Hi Nikki Chawla: You might want to think about a strategy to get your agents to send you out more according to your emotional type as well as your physical type. The last 2 film/tv roles I booked for were originally written for a Chinese man in his sixties, a 50-something brassy Shelley Winters type blonde and an Asian woman repressed 20 something woman. I'm none of those things, but I got the audition and they re-wrote the role for me. Check out this video to hear some strategies to get your agents to expand what they send you out for: http://www.thedreamunlocked.com/.../emotional-type-vs.../3


or
or https://youtu.be/QejNq-fi_4c

Good luck and let me know how it goes!

xoxoxApril

Reply
Taty Mott
3/28/2015 01:58:26 pm

Before watching the video, I was going to ask something along the lines of "how do you get an agent?" Or "how do you submit yourself for film & tv?" ..but I realized I may be going about this and even my existing theater career all wrong. This was hands down the best video I've seen so far this year, and I'll be tuning in so I can get those 5 sessions. I'm inspired! Thank you so much for posting!

Reply
April link
3/28/2015 01:58:59 pm

Oh, my gosh. Thank you so much, Taty Mott...so glad it was helpful....xoxoxo

Reply
Kelley
3/29/2015 04:45:13 pm

Great video April! You mention an actor who has formed a production company LLC can look for roles for themselves. Can you give a little more clarity around the process for doing so? Does this mean a production company LLC has access to breakdowns?

Reply
April Yvette Thompson
3/30/2015 08:03:44 am

Hi Kelley:

You don't need an LLC to look for roles for yourself. You can simply research writers you like and option them to write something for you. You'd need a good Entertainment Attorney to create a standard option agreement for you and then hire the writer. Or if you know of existing screenplays you love, have your Entertainment Attorney approach their rep about writing for you. You can always inbox me for attorney or writer recommendations...Thanks... and good luck ....

xoxoApril

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    ILove the blog? Consider donating so we can continue to provide great creative content.
    DONATE

    April Yvette Thompson
    is a Tony-winning
    producer,
    writer
    &  actor
    ​working
    across media.  


    FOUNDER/CEO of TheDreamUnLocked: Boutique Coaching for Actors, Writers & Dreamers⁣⁣
    ⁣⁣
    W/25 years of teaching, acting, writing & advocating for people's dreams, April has the uncanny ability to help her clients find their personal transformation magic. ⁣⁣
    ⁣⁣
    April is a midwife of genius: helping u give birth to ur dreams & crossing the finish line to ur goals. ⁣⁣
    ⁣⁣
    The DreamingOutLoud Technique from April's Ted Talk: ReWrite Your Story, is the basis of her teaching method⁣⁣
    ⁣⁣
    . • Writing is the way to focus ourselves in the present, on what's working & figuring out new ways to get around old problems⁣⁣

    ​ ⁣⁣ •Writing is a way to align the life ur living w/the life uv always dreamed about⁣⁣
    ⁣⁣
    • Writing is also how u let go of the BS beliefs u have about what ur capable of.⁣⁣ The DreamingOutLoud Technique allows ⁣⁣u to grieve the losses, forgive urself for past mistakes & weave a new story of how ud like to spend the rest of ur life thriving instead of just surviving.⁣⁣
    ⁣⁣
    HOW I HELP YOU MOVE FROM FEAR TO F🌀CK THIS⁣⁣
    The DreamingOutLoud Technique uses writing exercises, a rigorous questioning process & dismantling of all the limiting beliefs u hold that no longer serve u⁣⁣
    ⁣⁣
    Like Kali, the Hindu goddess of destruction & transformation, I help u root out the dead weight so that u can focus on flying. ⁣⁣
    ⁣⁣
    I teach u
    How to get⁣⁣
    past FEAR ⁣⁣
    to F🌀CK THIS ⁣⁣
    F🌀CK THIS is that place where even though you're broke & nothing is working & you're afraid of complete failure, you finally decide:⁣⁣
    ⁣⁣
    I'm doing this sh🦋t by any means necessary because JOY is my BIRTHRITE.⁣⁣
    ⁣⁣
    TheDreamingOutLoud Technique is what happens next after F🌀CK THIS
    ⁣⁣⁣⁣
    From escaping the Pork N' Beans projects to Vassar, Broadway/Film/TV & doing the fabulous black expat writer thing in Morocco; I've figured out how to ⁣⁣WEAVE a RICH life ⁣⁣
    by RE-IMAGINING ⁣⁣POOR beginnings
    ⁣⁣
    I’ve created a process where u can learn how to change the very fabric of your life. This magic is available to everyone⁣⁣
    It's called ReWriteYourStory, the fuel that drives the DreamingOutLoud Technique

    TheDreamUnLocked.com
    AprilYvetteThompson.com



    Categories

    All
    12 Step MFA
    26 Things
    9 Times Fast
    Acting For The Camera
    Actor
    Actor Blues
    Actor Bullshit
    Actor Entreprenuer
    Actor Inspiration
    Actor Nudity
    Actor Prep
    Actor Problems
    Actors Arsenal
    Actorsarsenal
    Actor-tip
    Actor Training Programs
    Actor-vs-star
    Agent
    Aisha-hinds
    Alfre Woodard
    April In April
    April Yvette Thompson
    Artistentrepreneur
    Artist Housing
    Artist Shit
    Artists Survival Job
    ASK April
    Asking Permission
    Auditioning
    Audition Jitters
    Badass Actor
    BadAssActor
    BadAssActor FB Group
    Badass Black Womn
    Bald Black Beauty
    Beyonce-badassery
    Beyonce-badassery
    BFA
    Biggest Question About OnCameraAuditions
    Black Actresses
    Black Girl Magic
    Black History Month Special Edition Of The BadAssActors Arsenal Newsletter
    Black-ish
    Black Love On Primetime
    Blackness
    Black Panther
    Black-panther
    Black Women Telling Their Stories
    BOOK IT
    Branding
    Branding And Marketing
    Brene-brown
    Building An Acting Career
    BULL
    Burning Bridges
    Burning-questions-about-acting
    Burningquestionsaboutacting
    Business Of Acting
    Calling Your Own Shots
    Call To Performing Artists
    Case-study
    Center Of Your Emotional Range
    Character
    Character Actor
    Character Actor Vs Leading Actor
    Cherise Boothe
    Clients
    Client Success Stories
    Compassion
    Courage Over Fear
    COVID Wakeup Call
    Danai Gurira
    Dark Brown Girl Problems
    Dark Skin Representations
    Diversity
    Don-cheadle
    Don-cheadle-on-acting
    Dora Milaje
    Dreambuilder
    DreamingMoroccoRetreat
    Dreamingoutloud
    DreamingOutloud Emotional Type
    DreamingOutLoud For Writers
    DreamingOutLoud MiniCourse
    DreamingOutLoud Technique
    Ellen-pompeo
    Emotional Branding
    Emotional Chords
    Emotional Type
    Emotional Type Vs Physical Type
    Empathy
    Epa
    Failure
    Fall-in-love-with-acting
    Fck-it-moment
    Fck-that
    Fear
    Film
    Film-tv
    Financial Security
    Fit-for-a-queen
    Focus
    FOMA
    Fuck-availability-checks
    Fundraising
    Game Of Thrones
    Game Of Throness
    Gene-wilder-on-acting
    Getanagentmanager
    Getting An Agent
    Getting Out Of Your Own Way
    Getting Out Of Your Way
    Getting-out-of-your-way
    Getting Paid What You're Worth
    Get Unstuck
    Gift Certificates
    Goal Setting
    Greatest-actor-of-our-generation
    Greys-anatomy
    Growth
    Growtth
    Happiness
    Harriet Tubman
    Healing
    How To Be A Working TV Actor
    How To Get An Agent
    How To Move From FEAR To F
    How To Move Into TV/Film
    How To Write A Solo Show
    How To Write Your Story
    Idris-elba
    Inspiration
    Intention
    Intention Vs Goal Setting
    It-girl-summit
    Kerry Washington
    Let Go Or Be Dragged
    Life Changers
    Life Coaching
    Life Lessons
    Lord Of The Rings
    Love-art
    Lupita Nyong’o
    Make Your Own Work
    Making Your Own Work
    Maria Bello
    Marketing
    Marketing Strategy
    Mary Boughey
    Masters Of The Craft
    Memoir
    Memorization
    Mentor
    Meryl-streep
    MFA
    Mfae
    Michael B Jordan
    Michael Harriot
    Mini MasterClass
    Modesto-lacen
    Monetize
    Motherfucking-actor
    Musician
    Natural Hair
    Never-ever-give-up
    Newsletter
    Not-show-talent
    Nudity
    Oncamera
    On Camera Acting
    On Camera Auditioning
    Oncamera Audition Technique
    One Man Show
    One Woman Show
    Online Business
    Openhandsopenheart
    Paul Robeson
    Period Work
    Pilot Season
    Pilot Season Prep
    Pilot Season Strategy
    Pissing-people-off
    Play
    Playwright
    Playwrights
    Political Theatre
    Private Coaching
    Process
    Procrastination
    Producer
    Production Company
    Psychological Gesture
    Purposeful Life
    Raise-money-for-your-acting-career
    Recurring Emotional Chords
    Reg-cathey
    Rejection
    Release The Struggle
    Resilience
    Retreats
    ReWrite Your Story
    SAG-AFTRA
    SciFi Fantasy
    Screenplay
    Screenwriter
    Screenwriters
    Self Love
    Self Producing
    Selfproducing
    Self-producingartist
    Selfproducingartist
    Self Submission
    Self-Submitting
    Self-submitting
    Self-Tape
    Self Worth
    Self-worth
    Selfworth
    Setting Goals
    Show-business
    Simonsays-entertainment
    Singer
    Solo Artist
    Solo Performer
    Solo Play
    Solo Show
    Soulfood
    Soul Song
    Start A Coaching Business
    Start An Online Business
    Starving Artist BS
    Stay The Course
    Storytellers
    Storytelling
    Storytelling Circle
    Style Work
    Success
    Sugar Hill Film
    Support Films With Roles In It For You
    TellYourStory
    Theatre
    The Business Of Acting
    The Questions
    Therapy
    Theresa Randle
    The Walking Dead
    TheWritersRoom
    TimeSavingHacks
    Tv
    TV Writer
    Ultimate 30min Aud Prep
    Victimhood
    Viola Davis
    Voice-speech
    Vulnerability
    Wesley Snipes
    What's Your Fuck THIS Moment?
    White Actors Suing POC Projects
    WHY BRITISH ACTORS ARE TAKING YOUR JOBS
    Working Actor
    Working For Free
    Writer

    RSS Feed

  • TheDreamUnLocked
  • Actor Classes
    • What's Your Actor Super Power?
    • Emotional Type Audition Technique
    • How to Double Your Auditions
    • GET UNSTUCK >
      • I Am Enuf DOL MiniCourse
    • BLOGS >
      • BadAssActor Blog
      • BadAssWriter Blog
  • Writer Classes
    • What is the Solo Show Secret
    • Fix My Solo Show
    • Journalling into Story
    • How to Start Writing MiniCourse
    • Writer MiniRetreats
  • ABOUT APRIL
    • Work with April
    • Privacy Policy
  • Testimonials
  • DONATE
  • GetUnStuck CTA