Marketing Tips For Actors- Getting Your Ducks In A Row
Marketing Tips For Actors- Getting Your Ducks In A Row
When I was studying theatre at CarnegieMellon there was a classmate who had a famous father an opera singer well known in Europe. He was very talented and had a huge following. I heard this story about one of his opening nights while performing in a Wagnerian Opera.
Always friendly and outgoing the tenor was chatting with someone backstage when the orchestra started playing and in the darkness the curtain went up. Obviously he was preoccupied with telling a joke or some story when there was a hush over the audience total silence. Then the orchestra stopped and suddenly hilarity. Everybody was screaming with laughter. Looking out at the almost empty stage he realized too late that he had missed his entrance on the back of a HUGE SWAN. Without missing a beat he turned to the stage manager and asked Whens the next Swan?
Often when I speak to actors I mention our upcoming NY or LA ActorMarathons or our Sitcom Film Commercial bootcamps taught by celebrity guest directors Im always amazed that so many have to think about it for a while or they ask the question Whens the next one?
I wonder if they really WANT to be successful working actors or if they just want to keep doing the same old same old having a day job and putting off attaining their real career.
What is it that keeps good talented actors from achieving success??
Not lack of talent or training. Theres plenty of that out there. Is it fear poverty mentality or just the disbelief that a specific opportunity would really make a difference? I dont believe its fear. If somebody really wants something they overcome the fear whether its asking someone out on a date or cutting off their long hair. And its not lack of funds. If someone really wants something theyll find the money. Ive even had actors tell me that they couldnt afford good headshots because they had booked a vacation to the Caribbean. Somehow they found the money for the trip but not for necessary marketing tools. Gee! Priorities were off there!
I think the reason that good actors are not successful is a perception that they have a lot of time that opportunities are plentiful and that theyll stay young forever. PROCRASTINATION. Oh NEXT year Ill go to LA to get work on a primetime show. Ill get a demo reel in six months when I save some money. Ill get around to taking that class next semester. Theres an assumption that everything is on hold for them that nothing ever changes. This is an incorrect assumption. Its also the assumption of people who never get what they want out of life. Somehow they just miss the boat or the swan because they dont make a COMMITTMENT.
Winners are able to make decisions FAST. They can see the possibilities in every opportunity so they get to that audition hop on that plane get therethey find a way! They COMMIT. And they have their lives set up so they can go forward. In short they have their ducks in a row.
How do you set up your life so that you can be a winner? What DUCKS did you need to get in a row?
These are the 6 things WINNERS seem to have in common:
1 A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE thats pleasant clean NEAT and SAFE. Create an office a place where you can have a computer database and marketing tools. You are your own oneperson business.
2 A SYSTEM of consistent communication with the Industry. That means that every week you DO something to further your career: a class a professional meeting a selfsubmission updating your tools shooting a new demo reel. WORK daily at building a career.
3 A CONSISTENT INCOME from a day or evening job to pay for marketing tools classes and still allow the availability for auditions. If youre broke and desperate when you go to an audition youve already lost the job.
I cant begin to tell you the number of actors Ive met who are always broke cant afford to get the tools they need or meet the top agents who could change their career/LIFE! What are they thinking??
4 Good PERSONAL HABITS staying physically and mentally healthybeing happy and optimistic: daily exercise eating properly getting enough sleep. Maybe your 95er friends are able to party all weekend and show up at their offices Monday morning tired hung over. It may not make any difference to them they have a guaranteed weekly check. But you may have the audition of a lifetime! Looking great for that audition and having energy to spare may make the difference between a major career break and unemployment. You cant afford to blow it. You need to COMMIT to yourself to always be in top form.
5 A MENTOR someone to advise encourage and inspire. Absolutely no successful person got there ALONE. Everyone needs encouragement and advice.
6 A PLAN goals for the short term and long term and a schedule to carry them out. This includes further training networking with industry contacts auditioning for everything you can developing as an actor by getting into as many shows and performance groups as possible whether youre paid or not. Revise your plan monthly. If a market or goal isnt working change it or change your location tools approach. Get advice!
OK! Heres to hoping you get your ducks in a row so you wont miss the boat!
Meanwhile
Successful marketing!
Gwyn
About the writer: Gwyn Gilliss is the Executive Director of TAM The Actor’s Market www.theactorsmarket.com a marketing firm for actors. They provide monthly FREE seminars/teleseminars FREE weekly marketing tips as well as access to top photographers graphic artists and videographers www.sizzlereels.com who provide every marketing tool an actor needs www.theTamstore.com. Gwyn’s acting career spans several decades during which time she appeared on and offBroadway in classical roles in American Repertory companies in over 18 contract and recurring roles in Daytime/Primetime TV Films and dozens of network commercials/V.O.’s. As a Career Coach she is available to work OneonOne with actors at all levels.
Related posts:
