I attended a new acting class last night with a truly fantastic teacher. He is kind and encouraging, but definitely calls out when a scene or performance doesn't work. He said a few pearls that I happened to take with me. In short, I am very excited to keep attending.
He is a big proponent of cold-calling Casting Directors. He didn't use the words cold-calling; I put those words in his mouth because that's what I do for a day job now. I am a headhunter for senior care executives (aka Nursing Home Nurses and Administrators). I cold call all day long to facilities in the area of the job opening and see if anyone might be interested or know anyone. Some people seem to think it's a "shady" business, but it's not! I have a legitimate job opening and I'm networking and offering new opportunities to people they wouldn't have known about otherwise. Business is business and I'm in the "finding people" business. My boss calls us "Paid Assassins."
A Casting Director I recently met at a workshop said, "If you call our office, we'll take the call, but we're not on the phone to make a friend. Do your business and get off the phone. If you're doing business, so are we." That makes so much sense. If I am right for a role, the CD wants to see me. They are looking for me, even though they may not know it yet. I potentially could be making their job easier. And I'm no stranger to a "no" response. Sometimes, they truly may not be looking for me. It's business, it's not personal.
The instructor last night said that actors just will not make the call--they get so nervous about getting turned down, or nervous about I don't know what. He referred me to an iPhone App called Actor Genie, updated daily, that has all the names/numbers of CDs, agents, and managers, as well as the projects that are currently casting. I couldn't believe that this existed! I told my mom, if I quit cold-calling nurses, it would be such an easy transition to cold-calling Casting Directors! Now, I email resumes for nurses, but soon, I could be emailing my headshot and acting resume.
Don't I want acting to be my career? Isn't a career a business? Isn't cold-calling the best way to get business? It seems so easy! Probably because it is!
I am really excited to have the resources and the knowledge to take matters into my own hands. This class couldn't have come at a better time in my life!
I'm already taking my weight loss into my own hands for the same reason--to develop a good acting career; this is just the next step :) No one said this would be easy (losing weight OR acting); I'm init for the long haul, so I may as well start the difficult work now! I am PUMPED!
it for the long haul, so I may as well start the difficult work now! I am PUMPED!
