BadAss Actor Blog

What are your two most burning questions about the business of acting?

11/28/2014

No one told me this career stuff about how to survive as an actor coming out of grad school and I wish someone had. So you don't walk around in the dark like I did, here's what I know and it's my gift to you. Think of me as your cheering squad on the sidelines. I had an amazing coach who taught me the Business of Acting, so I know the importance of mentoring. I'd like to continue to shape the newsletter and my blog to meet your needs and for that, I'll need your help.

Imagine I'm your FREE personal coach you meet with weekly. What would be your two most burning questions for me in the first session?

I'm all ears...Dream on Dreamers...

38 Comments

Sean

11/4/2014 04:29:21 am

I have a chance to play Othello in a regional theatre company but an opportunity also awaits me in The MTA company. I'm an actor firsthand but should I give up my passion for a steady paycheck?- Sean

April Yvette Thompson link

11/4/2014 06:07:03 am

Hi Sean:

That's a complicated question. If you're going to pursue a career as an actor, you'll need to lay out a plan for yourself to get yourself a flexible "survival job" that you can do anywhere anytime. Ideally, some sort of consultant business that you can do from anywhere with a computer. That would allow you the flexibility to take acting jobs and do your survival job via the internet on a schedule that you control. Acting is a very up and down kind of business. One year you're on TV show, the next year, it's cancelled. So, your own business is one of the smartest investments you can make in your acting career. If your business is in the entertainment field, that's even better because it allows you to leverage your day job skills set, while still keeping you connected to folks in the business who can give you a job as an actor. Everything from a script reader for a production company, to providing a online concierge service for folks in the entertainment business, to scouting out locations for a production company. All of these jobs can be done from your computer anytime of the day or night. Imagine, a famous director is shooting a film and you find a location for him that costs next to nothing on the block where you live. He's loving you and you're more likely to get an audition for his next film or be allowed to spend time on the set learning. I know this because I just left a film shoot on my own block where I live...I put in the good word and made something happen. I'd start by checking out what kinds of things folks sell online and then brainstorming by writing a list of everything you know how to do well. One of those things is the source for your online business. Check out Tim Ferris' "4 Hour Work Week" for ideas of where to begin. Thanks for your great question, Sean and let me know how it works out!

April Yvette Thompson, TheDreamUnLocked.com

Kendra

11/6/2014 04:42:00 am

1) I'm doing a six week book it challenge with a group of actors and my goal is to be book at least a day player role on network television show. How do I, a nonunion actress with no agent and a lack of credible experience (although I have trained) attain such a goal (without necessarily breaking my bank)?

2) I would love to write a web series. And I'm interested in learning what does it takes to self produce and market successfully?

April Yvette Thompson link

11/6/2014 05:05:03 am

Hi Kendra:

Thanks for the insightful, bold questions. You're right on the money to dream big, because the universe doesn't hear small dreams without heart.

So to answer your first question.

"My goal is to book at least a day player role on network television show. How do I, a non-union actress with no agent and a lack of credible experience (although I have trained) attain such a goal (without necessarily breaking my bank)?"

April's Answer:
Let's talk about breaking the bank for a moment because I hear actors say this all the time. If you book one day player role, you will make your quote for the day (for probably about 3 hours of work). For those 3 hours, you'll bring home at least $800-1300. Then every 6 weeks, for the next year, you'll get a residual check for that 3 hours of work. Then for the next 5-10 years, you'll continue to get checks every few months for that one day of work. All said and done, you'll ultimately bring home $12-15,000 from that 3 hours of work.

So, if you want to make that kind of money for 3 hours of work, you need to look like somebody I want to hire who can lay down a performance in as few takes as possible, who looks like a primetime star. So if you look like a budget actor, you will get budget jobs. If you want to play in the big time, you need to look big time.

Here's an example, Viola Davis was stressed about all the student load debt she had from Yale School of Drama. She was doing regional theatre and Broadway for years trying to make payments and keep her head above water. Then, out of nowhere, she books "City of Angels" which was cancelled after one season, but one paycheck form one episode that she worked paid off 10 years of debt. So the rest of the money from the other 8 episodes was hers to take home.

So, plan on spending a good $10K over the next year getting your arsenal together and you'll pay that off in one day's work for about 3-4 hours. So "breaking the bank" is small-time thinking, not the thinking of an actor who wants to be on primetime show that several million people will be watching.

Big-time thinking is you need a 6 month-1 year game plan to get you in the room at NBC, Fox, CBS.

So let's go back to all the things within your control: Your Actor's Arsenal. Here's the thing, when you set goals for success, the goals themselves have to be:

1. well-defined with a specific timeline
2. all of the variables involved in obtaining the goal have to be completely within your power
3. the goal must be measurable.

Your first goal, to book a day player role is not completely within your power, (unless you're the executive producer of a primetime network show in which case, cast me! lol). However, if that is your ultimate landing, there are a whole bunch of other goals that need to be in place to begin to even approach the final goal.

For example, what does an actor need to be considered for a day player role? Here's my preliminary list of things within your control that can be managed right now:

- Target a new Casting Director, agent/manager who can get you the audition every 3 months and build a relationship with them

-Have a competitive, professional resume and headshot. When I say competitive, I mean a headshot done by a top 10 NYC headshot photographer who knows how to get you a headshot that looks like a scene from a primetime serial since that is your ultimate goal. That photographers work will be easily recognizable to CD's and will signal to them that you are really in the game. And a top notch photographer takes photos that will last you 8-10 years and they often have re-shoot and re-touch built into their fee.

-An industry standard resume with some Film/TV credits which you can get on your own when you create your webseries.

-An industry standard reel that has scenes on it from the shows you want to be a day player on

-A press kit: Headshot/Resume, A one page (marketing tool with 5 quotes from industry folks about your work), a list of industry folks who know your work and can serve as references, a kickass website that's simple and clean with one main page where your reel, IMDB, headshot, resume, contact info, 5 quotes from reviewers, teachers, casting directors speak highly of your work)

-Registered with Actor's Access, IMDB so that you have a clear, presentable online profile that a CD, Director, Producer can access from their laptop or mobile phone so that they can give you a job.

-Audition material in your backpocket for CD, agent, manager interview: 6-8 monologues from film/tv that are 45-90 secs long

-A great NYTimes review would help (build a working relationship w/a small NY theatre that gets reviewed by the NYTimes)

- A clear understanding of your emotional and physical type, so that as you put together the components that form your brand (headshot/resume, audition outfits, reel, physical look, marketing materials). Your brand must scream one consistent message about who you are as an art

April Yvette Thompson link

11/6/2014 05:26:14 am

Okay, let's talk about Kendra's second question:

"I would love to write a web series. And I'm interested in learning what does it takes to self produce and market a successfully?"

April's answer:
Find a writer who has written a successful TV show, Film, Play and/or web series whose work speaks to you. Then study with that writer and learn their technique, the fast and dirty version. If you can't afford to study with them, intern for them in return for them teaching you how to write for your genre. The quicker way is to pay them to write it for you or to be a script doctor of your first draft.

I say, go to an established writer, because that person will also become your mentor and advocate when it's time to produce your web series. They will write recommendations, use their powerful relationships to get you financial support or viewership or introduce you to industry folks who know how to get the webseries made.

The prime mistake artists often make when they're learning a new skill is to collaborate with a group of artists who are in the same exact place they are. That does nothing for your learning curve and it doesn't serve the work. I wanted to write a solo show that was irreverent, political theatre with a heart. I had never written a play or done a solo show. I asked a writer who had her first play, a peice of irreverent, beautiful political theatre, "The Exonerated" produced off broadway running for 2 years and made into a film which I starred in. She had done, what I wanted to do, so I partnered with her on my first play. The result was that I was produced off Broadway with my first play ever and then toured nationally. She knew something I didn't so I partnered with her and learned how to write. No one gets their first writing attempt to have so much critical success, unless you collaborate with folks who've done what you want to do.

The second piece is that you need an audience that you build long before, you write the web series. You should have a FB page, website, Instagram, Twitter, Tumbler accounts that are the title of your webseries. You begin by posting content related to your webseries. Say, your webseries is about medical marijuana, start posting funny articles and quotes about it. Begin creating an audience, so that when you build it, opening weekend, you will have 50K hits like Issa Rae's "Awkward Black Girl"

That audience you build will also be the folks who you write individual letters during your crowd funding campaign to raise money. But before you do that, you've already chosen a seasoned writer, now choose a seasoned creative team: a Line producer to handle the technical details of your shoot, create a budget and who can walk you through the process. If this person is seasoned, they can get lots of post costs done for a bargain (ADR, editing, etc). Then find a producer to help you manage it and raise money. The more credits they have, the more likely your web series will get into festivals which can lead to network offers. Bring in a seasoned director, as well and include all of these peoples' salaries in the crowd funding budget. If you've never fundraised, you can do one of two things: 1. Take a class, private sessions with someone who has raised money successfully and have them coach you through it. 2. Hire a producer to raise the money for you and pay them a small percentage of everything that they raise.

This is where it begins. Everything I've done in my career was something new I had never done before, write/act/produce an Off Broadway solo show, a Sundance film, Act/Produca a broadway play. These were all firsts and they worked out because I paid someone or partnered with someone who knew a lot more than me. It has paid off triple fold.

Check out Isa Rae's notes:

http://splitsider.com/2011/09/this-week%E2%80%99s-web-series-you-need-to-watch-the-mis-adventures-of-awkward-black-girl/

Michelle Hartley

11/6/2014 08:55:35 am

Thank you April. Basically, where a casting says submit electronically, I need to tell my agent??

April Yvette Thompson link

11/7/2014 06:39:32 am

Great question, Michelle:

So the smartest way for an actor to use the breakdowns is strategically. It's really easy for actors to see a role and say, "That's me. Now I'm going to annoy every person in the business I know to get an audition." So you get the audition or you piss people off and they never call you in again. Or you can think of using the breakdowns to learn about the business, to see what's going on in the industry, to learn more about your targets (meaning people who can get you closer to getting the job: casting directors, directors, producers, agents, managers.)

Strategic means you want to be called in by casting directors without having to chase them down or badger folks. You want your name to be at the top of their go-to list. That means what you're doing is finding ways to build relationships with CD's. Relationships that last for the lifetime of your career, not just getting seen today.

Know that many things are on offer to folks already on shows even when a breakdown is out. Or the CD simply pulls from their existing list of actors on file, pulls their reels and sends to a director to save time with casting. How do you get on that list?

THE SECRET: I'm going to give you a quick, dirty overview of the secret marketing strategy: It takes 3 months to build a relationship with someone. What that means is that for 3 months you need to have a different form of contact with that CD every two weeks and at least 2-3 of those need to be facetime in which they get to see you work.

That's pretty easy to pinpoint who, just watch all the shows being recorded in your city and write down the names of the casting offices or pull the names directly from the breakdowns. Pick a new one to target every 3 months. Here's are key ways to make contact.

1. Create a google alert on this CD and find out where they might show up in the city and be there. Are they casting a play in town? Make sure you're there opening night to congratulate them, not ask them for a favor.

2. Find out where they're teaching a class. Take the class. But don't take the class to learn how to act, take the class to treat it like an opportunity to audition for this CD. Get coached by a smart on camera coaching working in the business and go into that class and blow it out of the water. A class counts as 2 or 3 hits within the 3 month period, so two classes takes care of things.

3. Make sure that once a year, you send your press kit (look through previous answers for details) to each of the major casting offices. Or use the breakdown to send it. On the outside of the envelope, print your name and the role and name of project you're submitting yourself for. Make sure you're perfect for the role. They receive it and now you're on file which is the first step towards building a relationship.

4. In one of those classes, volunteer to be a reader, file paperwork, answer phones for that CD you just took a class with so you can learn the business. When you give someone something they need for free, you now have a relationship that means something.

5. If you have an agent, you should still be strategically using the breakdowns to target industry folks who's offices you want to get into and build relationships. Follow their work, if they get a nomination or award, congratulate them on FB. Here's the rule for all social media, use it to help someone with a problem they have or cheer them on, NEVER EVER USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO ASK A INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL FOR A FAVOR. That's super bad form, but if you help them with a problem, that's another way to make contact in building the relationships.

6. Don't call your agent every time you see something in a breakdown you're perfect for. First of all, all of the roles in the breakdowns are sent to agents first and they are combing through them everyday and submitting you. Just cause you don't get the audition doesn't mean that your agent hasn't submitted you. What it means is that you are not doing your strategic relationship building so that as soon as the CD sees you name/picture, they immediately call you in.

Also, roles morph and change as writers do rewrites as the series gets closer to shooting. So follow a project closely in the breakdowns and start figuring out ways to get to know folks working on those projects. You will start to see the same producers, directors and CD's in breakdowns over and over again. That's the magic of breakdowns, you learn who's doing what in town and how to learn more about their work and target them so that you have a professional relationship with that industry person. Those kinds of relationships mean a director will call you in whenever they have a project because they know your work, your work ethic...

Do, call your agent for roles that are super unique and that you're perfect for. Is there a role for a man, but they need a specific skill, like juggling or a foreign language that's unusual? Then email your agent and say

Tiffany Thompson

11/13/2014 04:38:16 am

Hi April,

1.) I am currently in my first year of Graduate School for my MFA (3 year program) You mentioned that you were left in the dark after graduating. How do I wisely prepare myself for the business side of acting while still in training?

2.) I wrote and prrformed a solo play with music over the summer but it needs a lot of work. How do I produce the play in an off broadway theater in New York after making the revisions?

2.)

April Yvette Thompson link

11/13/2014 05:27:00 am

Hi Tiffany:

Your First Question: I am currently in my first year of Graduate School for my MFA (3 year program) You mentioned that you were left in the dark after graduating. How do I wisely prepare myself for the business side of acting while still in training?

April's Response: The final year, your program should offer a business class that covers the basics of the Actors Arsenal:

1. Headshot/Resume (Industry standard and how to interview a photographer)

2. Marketing Materials (Press Kit, Website, Reel,

3. Audition Technique (Theatre (classical & Contemporary) as well as on camera (half hour (both single cam and multicam) as well as episodic TV and film. Ideally, at some point Casting Directors who cast this kind of work should be brought in to teach a few intensives in each genre.

4. A class about your physical AND emotional type, so that you know how to package yourself in both choice of audition material, audition outfits, hair and look so that your look is in sync with what your type is...that one consistent message is your brand.

5. A class in Business Relationships and how to sustain them as well as business contracts. You need to read the Equity, SAG-AFTRA handbook now and learn in a classroom setting about relationships with Agents, Managers, Casting Directors, Writers, Directors

6. Life of the Actor Class: How to set up your life as an actor: survival jobs, union membership, balancing last minute auditioning with a stable homelife, housing and discounted services for actors in NYC or LA, health insurance, etc. Essentially how to set up your life as a working artist w/out losing your mind or starving.

That's a brief overview. Most schools have something like this in place. Your job is to take a look at that curriculum and see if it serves all your needs and if not, to ask your department to bring in some more professionals currently working in the field to address these concerns. The nature of what our business is looking for changes constantly especially with the advent of internet and self-producing. So you need to have folks who are currently riding the waves of the industry as guest lecturers.

Lin

11/13/2014 05:49:56 am

Hi April,
My two are these: 1. Is there a market for an older person in the acting field? I would be interested in print work, commercials or a TV sitcom. I would also be interested in being a character actress especial one in comedy. 2. What does a person my age (67 and female) need to do to get started in the business. Thank you.

April Yvette Thompson link

11/13/2014 06:14:19 am

Absolutely, Lin!

As a matter of fact, there's so little competition in this age brackett that there's actually more work for you. Actresses who have been acting most of their adult lives are still trying to play folks 20 years younger or they're not interested in taking small parts that are ideal for actors who are new to the business like you. Check out this article:

http://styleblazer.com/78168/19-actors-that-didnt-get-their-big-break-until-after-40-mid-life-success/

Secondly, the first thing to do is get into a strong basic acting technique class. Do some research on actors whose work you love and find out who they studied with or what technique. Then read up on the best places to study that technique or with that teacher. Google, top 10 studios in your area. There's bound to be a rating system out there. Whichever name keeps coming up in that top 5, there's a reason. Then jump on that class. Take a short 4-6 week intensive to get your feet wet, most places offer that in the summer. And then stay in class until you book work.

Look in the thread above from Tiffany where she asks about how to prepare herself for the business of acting in her final year of grad school. Everything that I've outlined for her is exactly what you should be looking for in a Business of Acting class. So, to review: Get in a technique class and then get in a Business of Acting Class.

Once you've done a little research, feel free to hit me with some more specific questions. Thanks! and Good luck...you got this! xox

April Yvette Thompson link

11/13/2014 05:54:37 am

Tiffany's 2nd Question: I wrote and performed a solo play with music over the summer but it needs a lot of work. How do I produce the play in an off broadway theater in New York after making the revisions?

April's Answer: Well, first you need to get a team of professionals onboard and there are several ways to do that. What other work that's been produced successfully (great reviews, awards and nominations) off-Broadway or Broadway are similar to your solo show? Find out who the creators (director, writer, dramaturg) of that show were and begin studying their work by picking up a class with them or hiring them to collaborate with you or read your script and give you notes. Or study with whoever trained them. That's first off. If you want to do something you've never done, the best way is to learn from someone who's done it well.

Once you've taken the script through this route and have a co-writer or director or strong dramaturg onboard, that person can leverage their professional connections to get your script read by producers.

In the interim, you should be submitting your script (once your experienced collaborator has said, it's ready) to every single script developmental opportunity you can find, but especially the prestigious ones: Sundance, The Eugene O'Neill, Playwrights Conference, New York Stage and Film, The Public Emerging Playwrights, New York Theatre Workshop Fellowships, The Women's Project and any other developmental labs that you can find that support your kind of work.

After you've done that, depending on what happens, you research theatres that have produced work similar to yours and start submitting directly to them by going to their websites and submitting via their specific parameters. Some theatres won't accept unsolicited scripts, others want only a 10 page sample, others have an application, etc.

And then you are in the game. Keep doing readings so folks have a place to see the story on it's feet and don't be afraid to invite important decision makers to these readers. They will become your champions in getting this baby produced. Readers are not just for chilling...they are a way to get your work out in the world.

Good luck and godspeed and thanks for such smart, thoughtful questions.

Tanya Martin

11/15/2014 01:02:56 am

Viola Davis went to Juilliard not Yale.

I really enjoy and plan to make use of all your helpful tips. Thank you!

April Yvette Thompson link

11/15/2014 05:29:43 am

Noted, Tanya. The pleasure is all mine. I love to see artists take back their power...we deserve it...

William Mckay link

11/15/2014 03:33:00 am

I am an Actor/ Comedian who has been swimming in both pools for the last 8 years or so. I'm finding out that my Stand-up career is getting me in front of more people of importance so to speak and gives me more opportunities. But I enjoy and love acting more and revel in the team effort of it.I've been told to concentrate on one of the other but I can't choose. Should I or shouldn't I? The bottom line is that I have not gotten that big break from either of them.

2nd question: I need quality casting opportunities where's can I find them?

April Yvette Thompson link

11/17/2014 04:22:00 am

Hi William:

You don't have to give up one or the other. You can set a limited of period of time to focus on one targeted goal. For example, you could take 3 months to focus on putting a project together that showcases your stand up gifts, in a more traditional acting format. You could create a webseries for yourself, so that folks get to see how your work translates in that storytelling medium. Or you could put together a well-written solo show or two person play that has a strong storyline, but still allows folks to see that you have serious acting chops in addition to your comedic gifts. The two really do feed into each other. It's just a matter of deciding which to focus on first with a specific, goal in mind that has a start and end date.

Now that you've asked your question on this thread, that makes you eligible for the Super Seven and my weekly casting updates. Each day for the next seven days, I'll be sending out newsletters with actor business and audition tips as well as casting notices. So please stay tuned and thank you for your questions.

Be well,

April

Kendra

11/16/2014 09:07:27 am

How do we get film and tv credits to impress casting directors if we need casting directors to get film and tv credits?

April Yvette Thompson link

11/17/2014 04:34:14 am

Hi Kendra:

You make your own work. You shoot a webseries, a short, a indie film and get it seen. Each time you produce some of your own work, your project gets registered with IMDB and you begin to acquire credits. Check out Tiffany's question above about how to get your play produced off broadway. It's lays out step by step process as well as the info from your previous question about creating a webseries. You're already moving your thinking in the right direction. It's just a matter of pick one of those self-producing options over the next 6 months and doing it. Good luck!

Be well,

April

Jonathan Hooks

11/18/2014 12:04:42 pm

What does a producer do and how do they make money?

April Yvette Thompson link

11/18/2014 12:37:54 pm

Hi Jonathan:

A producer does whatever is necessary to get a project on it's feet and put on stage or network TV or film. Producers' jobs range from raising money, to hiring creative team (director, writer, actors) to finding locations for a tour or movie theatres, picking up actors and getting them to set. Or some producers work for hire. Say, you'd like to produce your own webseries, but you need hard cash. You could hire a producer to raise the money and pay them by giving them a small percentage of whatever they raise. That way, it's less work for you, and if they raise no money, you're not out of pocket paying their salaries. A producer can simply attach their name to a project to help the artist raise money, without actually giving money to the project. Often times in broadway, this is called an Angel producer. Someone famous, says, sure, use my name as Executive Producer and if they are famous enough, other folks will automatically give money to the project because they are involved. That's why you see so many famous peoples' names attached to projects that they had little parts in or no parts at all. They've allowed the creators of the work to use their name to raise money. For example, Brad Pitt lent his starpower to "12 Years a Slave," not for the big role, but to make it easier for Steve McQueen to raise money for the film and to get it sold. Hence, using Brad Pitt's face on the poster was a super smart business decision. It meant people all over the world who would not normally see a film about African American slaves, would go if Brad Pitt's name and image were attached. No Black film has ever been bought by distributors in Europe the way "12 Years a Slave" was. It's an opportunity to put more butts in seats and get the story out there to a wider audience. Or Will Smith has a long line of producer credits for films he didn't appear in: Saving Face (lovely little Asian American indie film), The Secret Life of Bees, The Human Contract, etc.

Producers also do things like write grants to raise money, do research on a project. Look for scripts for an artist to star in and develop. Line producers create budgets for indie films and then pass the budget on to the other producers who are primarily involved with raising the money or getting actors attached. In short, if you help put a project on it's feet, you're a producer. Own it, live it and you are it.

Producers make money all kinds of creative ways. As I mentioned before, there are producers who work for a percentage of whatever they raise. There are producers who will write grants for you and write their grant-writing salary into the grant. There are producers who do lots of legg work on a project in return for a producing credit. Producers will work on a fundraising campaign (like a Kickstarter and their salary is either written into the budget, or they take a percentage of what is raised.) Producers who also happen to be actors, will often work for producer points on the back end (if it's a film, meaning once the film is sold and starts making money, they get residual checks each time the film makes money) or they will do legg work on the project in return for a part in the film and a producer credit. Those are just a few of the ways, folks make money as a producer. If you're self-producing, always, always, put your salary into the fundraising budget. If you don't, you won't be able to focus on putting the project on it's feet, because you'll be too busy working 3 other jobs to keep your head above water. It's tough,but rewarding work and totally beats auditioning ad nauseum for the rest of your life with no guarantees of work. When you produce, you make your own opportunities.

Craig Dolezel

11/18/2014 12:06:23 pm

Hi April:

I saw that you raised $100,000 doing a Kickstarter for your play, Good Bread Alley? How do you go about raising money to produce a play?

April Yvette Thompson link

11/18/2014 01:25:19 pm

Hi Craig:

No sleep and lots of hustling...lol. The first thing is audience development. You've got to get folks excited about your work long before you start asking folks for money. First off, look at building a webpage and a FB page. Create content about your project. Visuals are best. For example, my play is about Afro Cuban and Gullah dance, so my webpage, FB, Instagram, Twitter and Tumbler pages are full of images, music and "Did you know" quick facts about the cultures in my story. People love images. Your goal is to create a mailing list. So on all your platforms, you want to make the offer of sending updates and related articles about your project in a monthly newsletter to begin with. Your ultimate goal is to get an active mailing list. Meaning, you ask folks what they want to know about your story and send them yummy visual treats. If there are places where they can get free stuff related to your story, get them the free stuff links. Or share excerpts from the film, play, webseries. As you get closer to the project, you'll send more regular updates like bi-weekly or weekly.

Once you have your fan base, time to start putting together a tighter strategy for a crowdsourcing campaign. You need a short exciting heartfelt video about why the project is important to you, to others, what sets it apart and what about it moves you. You'll need one strong visual logo and you need a campaign slogan that's catchy and memorable. For example, my play was called Good Bread Alley, so the campaign slogan was "Give us some Bread, So we can make some Good Bread Alley. Short, sweet and catchy...that and a sexy photo of the cast in costume became the t-shirt, postcard, kickstarter image that we pasted everywhere.

Your social media platforms are important to keep up to date with weekly and then daily posts once the campaign has started. Make sure every time you post, you're giving your audience new information and one action item (i.e. sign up for the newsletter, follow us on twitter, Like our FB page, donate now).

Then, the single most important angle is personalized letters. It takes a conversation before folks raise money. Meaning, three personalized letters to each and every person in your mailing list. Form letters turn people off, but if a letter begins with asking about their kid or commenting on a lovely FB post of theirs, then they know you're talking to them. A campaign should be no more than a month, so essentially you'll be sending them a personal letter once a week. The personal part of the letter needs to be no more than 2-3 sentences and then talk about your project. You can create the letters weeks before the campaign, then create email blasts to automatically go out. Folks usually give by the 2nd letter. The letter writing is more important than social media posting. I raised $100K with 500 supporters. Just by writing letters. 85% of all donations came from direct letters and not social media. It works, guaranteed.

Summary: Create a following long before you start asking for money, turn that into an email list and then write 3 personal letters to every contact in your email base. Done. Signed. Sealed and Delivered. And the good news is that those folks who give to your campaign are now your supporters who will put butts in seats opening weekend of your play or film which is when it really counts. Box office is all that matters and once you've run a successful kickstarter, you now have a base of loyal fans who feel invested in the success of your project, so they will buy tix.

Do it! and Do it well!

xoxoApril

Leslie

11/18/2014 02:40:06 pm

How do you deal with nervousness before and during graduate school auditions or any audition for that matter? How can one turn their nerves into helping them through the process?

April Yvette Thompson link

11/19/2014 12:02:53 pm

Hi Leslie:

I have an actor daily regimen that I begin each morning. I start with a cup of cuban coffee, a chapter from Pema Chodron's, "The Places that Scare Us. And then I write 3-6 morning pages where I pour all of my fear, anxiety, hopes, wishes and dreams onto the page. Then I warm up the body. I love Sun Salutations followed by early morning chanting of vowel sounds as you move through simple yoga poses. You warm the voice and the body simultaneously. Begin just humming as you move through the poses. Breathe deeply and as the body warms up, move into chanting vowel sounds as you move through the yoga poses. Here's a great gentle warm up regimen to accompany vocalization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiHIs7_iMl8.

Afterwards, I'll speed through my monologues with a cool game like throwing a ball up against a wall , increasing the tempo until i can speak faster than the ball can move. This morning regimen grounds me in the present moment, connects me to my inner voice that is always routing for me and keeping me in the moment when I begin acting.

Then, I set one standard for success for each audition. A standard is a goal I can set for myself that I am totally in control of, is measurable and has a time limit. For example, today's goal in this audition may be to really talk to my scene partner, to really see them, feel them and allow them to happen to me. Or, another goal would be to really listen deeply to your scene partner putting all of your attention on them. Or another goal could be to focus on grounding my breath deep in my belly so that I am totally emotionally available once I begin acting. These are actor tasks that we should get in the practice of doing in each audition. To master the things that are completely within your control is the mark of a pro and will give you the kind of confidence that makes auditions bring down the house.

Be well,

April

Angela L link

11/19/2014 02:59:29 am

Hi April! I hope you're well!

1) I recently moved to LA, & am represented by a reputable agency and management company. Both companies seem enthused that I'm here. One of the partners at the agency told me to call and talk to each agent - a lot. I want to do this, but I want to do it responsibly. What should I be talking about that's not "Do you have anything for me today? " (which is what I really want to know lol) or "Hi. How are you? " (which is moot)?

2) A coach/director friend helped me get into video description during my last year in NY. I loved it and it was profitable! Who should I contact to get into it here in LA?

Thanks Love!!

April Yvette Thompson link

11/21/2014 09:21:28 am

Hi Angela:

Great questions. The first one has a lengthy response, so stay tuned for the Actor's Arsenal newsletter going out this Sunday. I will dedicate an entire section of the newsletter to answering your question with a step-by-step strategy. Number 2 is simpler. Call the company you worked with in NYC and see if they have an affiliate company on the west coast or can direct you to one.

It's definitely a hot market as this article outlines:
http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/60097/networks-set-to-launch-video-descriptions

Here's a company I found just by googling. I'm sure there are many more, but you'd have a better chance of getting work if the NY- based company put in a call for you and gave you a reference.

http://www.descriptivevideoworks.com/

Thanks,

Be well,

April

Carmen Lobue

11/21/2014 09:30:52 am

Hi April:

I've produced several webseries and shorts on my own, but I feel like I was just learning as I was going along and just getting it done without necessarily any forward movement in my career. How can I raise the game of my projects that I'm producing, writing and acting in?

April Yvette Thompson link

11/24/2014 08:50:12 am

Hi Angela:

Check out the video on this page for the answer to your agent question

http://thedreamunlocked.weebly.com/blog/a-love-letter-to-my-fellow-artists

Dahiana link

11/25/2014 04:06:49 am

Hi April!

I'm having a really tough time landing an agent/ getting a meet with one. Any tips on how I can go about this? I've been in the NY area now for five years, auditioning and working, but still not agent...

April Yvette Thompson link

11/25/2014 06:54:20 am

Hola Dahiana:

Thanks for the great questions. I posted a response for you here:

http://thedreamunlocked.weebly.com/blog/a-love-letter-to-my-fellow-artists#comments

12/5/2014 07:35:17 am

Not sure if you have heard of TAPNYC (The Actor's Project it's also referred as) but is it a scam? I hear it's not a scam per second, but a bait and switch. You pay this much, and then oh wait pay this much, and more and more. I think it's used for actors who want agents. Not sure if it's any different than Actor's Connection or One on One? I guess to tie in on this, what are your thoughts on pay for play?

12/5/2014 07:37:40 am

If an actor gets offered their SAG or Equity card before they really build their resume, should they accept it or should they wait until they have more experience? But, then again, who's to say they'll ever get the chance again?

Shemeka Foster

1/23/2015 04:05:49 pm

First I want to say everything that you said on that webinar about the universe responding accordingly is very true. I truly appreciated your honesty and candor about the industry.

1. My question comes from being called in to auditions especially film and TV because my teacher recommended me for a role on Primetime TV and I. I wasn't ready. Is it okay to approach that casting director later with a reel and say "hey,look at me now"? and how do I maintain that relationship with my teacher?

2. You mentioned a theater monologue does not work for film /tv as a reel. So did you mean use a monologue from a TV show b.c I got confused when you said prepare the monologue like it's not a monologue.

2. Do you have any names of playwrights that might spark the same flame as Katori Hall?

Please do your weekend intensive classes you used to offer last year. I hate that I didn't take advantage of those classes. :) I have only been acting for two years and after researching you I realized you were the real deal lol. I haven't taken a lot of classes but a weekend intensive in Spring lol...I'll b there lol....

Thank you again for sharing that invaluable information. I'm going to apply it to my first agent meeting next month :). I have a lot of work to do but like you said I can do it.

April Yvette Thompson link

1/23/2015 04:17:12 pm

Hi Shemeka:

So glad you loved the webinar. So few teachers were real with me, not because they didn't want to be, they simply weren't working in the industry anymore. That's why I act, write, produce and teach. I'm glad you found the webinar useful. I felt like I bombed because nobody had anything to say...ha! lol.

You can always come back around with a great reel after a lackluster audition. This is a learning curve, this acting business and people realize that actors are young (which is when most of the work is available), but are still growing into their training. It won't hurt you and as a matter of fact, it will endear you in their eyes for being brave enough to stick to it and come back with something better.

I bombed with Seret Scott in my first reading...and when I say bombed. Frozen, no words came out of my mouth. This happened in two different workshops a year apart. Can you imagine, that woman didn't even want to look at me. I got her address from a fellow actor and for two years I sent her my monthly updates on my career. Readings, reviews, a new headshot/resume whenever I updated it. It took 5 years. But one day she responded to one of my letters. Did I mention I was sending her a presskit basically 4 times a year. One day she responded by leaving a message at the front desk of the theatre where I was performing. She said, yes, she'd like to see my show. She came. Stood outside in the rain. I was terrified. She said, "You were alright, kiddo." And then she walked away. 6 months later she cast me as Ruth in A Raisin in the Sun when no one would see me for the role because I was too young. Then she cast me as the lead in the her play which was premiering at passage theatre. She said, that she had watched me grow up and she couldn't trust her autobiographical story anyone else's hands.

So stick to it...people adore and respect tenacity. It also will make you a better actor.

Stay tuned for a new video or podcast this Monday or Tuesday where I'll answer the rest of your questions.

I don't teach those workshops because most of my time when I'm not writing, producing or acting, I work primarily with private clients who are dead-up serious because they're me a lot of money to help them make things happen. Working with folks who have made their first short film or wrote their solo show and got it produced is the most fulfilling work for me because those are artists who've decided they will do this work by any means necessary. That's my focus these days...

xoxoAYT

3/12/2015 12:58:53 am

Curious as to what non union actors can do to protect themselves. I was in a situation where the fellow promised to pay us, and he did, delayed, but he did. So, we continued to perform and then no payment. Found out he was a liar. The actors just want their money back, but legally there is nothing they can do aside from maybe sue. What can we do? Should we warn others about this man?

3/25/2015 11:35:07 am

Hi E:

If he or his company have a website, you can certainly write a review of his work on Yelp. Beyond that, unless there was a contract signed, I'm not sure what can be done legally. You can always adapt a union contract for any acting work you've done and haave the producer sign, even an email with instructions about payment is legal to a degree. If you have either, I'd see a lawyer. But in furture, since you're not union, I'd always have a one page contract on hand before agreeing to work. Thanks and hope that was useful.

Best,

April
AprilYvetteThompson.com

Weathervane@Productions link

6/29/2015 05:45:20 pm

Your blog is really good. My question is "How do I start an acting career?"

april

10/19/2017 10:20:04 pm

have u signed up for my mailing list, thedreamunlocked.com?

that's the first place to start...then see what kind of acting classes are happening in the north country?

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.