These days, social media has been a God-send for many of us, as we are able to connect with many people in a very short span of time; usually with little effort. We are able to even build rapport with folks that may not be as accessible to us without it. HOWEVER, the use of Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and the like can often lead to gross exaggerations of reality and a misperception of what true work, preparation, progress, and forward movement is. How many times have you read something on one of those sites posted by someone that you KNOW? Like someone that you REALLY KNOW… and just shook your head like ‘dude really?’ I know that it’s happened to me more times than I care to share. The smoke and mirrors that get posted on the internet is at most times comical, and often times pathetic.
My question then becomes – when the smoke clears and the mirrors break – who is working? Who is really about the BUSINESS of this thing? So often you hear people say they want to work in, or are in show business, but they are much more SHOW than actual BIZ. And when you get down to the nitty-gritty, they have not a clue.
So this blog post is going to help those of us that don’t really take the “BIZ” part to heart as we chase our dreams. These are things that not just Katie and I have come across in our time as Producers, AD’s, Casting Assistants and so on; but things that other Directors, Producers and CD’s have talked to us about when it comes to actors and writers.
As you all may or may not know, Katie and I write various things – from articles, to reviews, to fiction and film. She’s much more fluid with it than I am on the screenwriting, script-writing side, however, we both work hard to ensure that what we write is done to the best of our ability, is proofed by the other person, and represents not just us and our individual brands (K.Mack Brand and MOORE than Enuff) well, but also our collective brand, Boxed Out Productions. So to my writers, be about your BUSINESS.
- Proofread your work – there is nothing worse than getting a submission, and you can clearly see that the person submitting has not re-read or gotten a second set of eyes on the work. Duplicate words, missing words that leave the reader guessing, misplaced words and/or punctuation, can all be corrected with a second or even a third glance. Reading it aloud is actually the best way to catch the mistakes!
- Speaking of punctuation…it’s your FRIEND! – When you were in school and had to write papers, I know that your teachers talked to you about run-on sentences. Well this is not school, but in your press releases, scripts or the synopsis of your film, no one wants your run-on sentences there either. And learn HOW to use punctuation. When to use a comma and when a semi-colon is more appropriate. Be reminded that ALL punctuation goes INSIDE of the quotation marks, no matter if it’s a comma, question mark or exclamation point. Oh and in the situation of exclamation points…they EXCLAIM stuff…so one is fine, unless you are texting with your girl and she’s elaborated on it being just that small *HA!!*
- Homonyms are NOT your friend if you are not aware of them – A homonym is a word that has the same sound audibly, but a different meaning and usually a different spelling on paper. So people, please understand that THERE, THEIR and THEY’RE are all very different. And that WOMAN and WOMEN represent the singular and the plural respectively. The list goes on and on, but I mean, it’s frustrating to read someone’s work and use my mental red pen through the entire document. This is so frustrating because one, I now don’t take you seriously, and two, I’ve not concentrated on your piece due to my imitation of an English professor as I scour your doc.
Okay, so enough about the writing. I’m sure that there is much more out there, but this is a blog for the purpose of edu-taining the people, not an MLA instructional. BUT you might want to grab a copy of the MLA Handbook at your earliest convenience and brush up…I’m just sayin.
Now that you’ve worked on that, let’s work on your personal stuff. Your resume, bio, and pre-audition paperwork are the only things that speak for you when you are not in the room to speak for yourself. Do they represent the BEST version of you? Read on and see how you fare.
- Who is that?! – I have so often seen people’s headshots, and then they walk into a room and I have not a clue in the world of who they are. Your headshot should represent the YOU that you are today. Small changes like highlights, straight hair versus curly, and a recently-got-home-from-vaca tan, are okay. But when you are twenty pounds heavier in the room than you were in that picture…umm, NO! Or if in the pic you had locks cascading down your back, and now you have a Caesar…again…NO. And my personal favorite, that is totally you in that pic…a decade ago! We all age, embrace it. Because if a CD is calling for 25-30 and you are 40 and look it, your 25 year old headshot won’t save you in that room.
- Short means short – If a SHORT bio is requested, find a way to cleverly make your two-page-too long diatribe of your life since you were swimming in your daddy’s sack, into a paragraph. Be strong with your adjectives, get to the point of why you are the bomb.com and move on. No one cares that you were on Electric Company as a dancing light bulb thirty something years ago…trust me (says the Grouchkateer).
- Your e-mail says a lot about you – When you are going in for a role, and you are completing the application (if there is one), it’s usually not good to use your yesthedonkisreal@hotmail.com address. Gmail is the norm these days, though any email that works is fine. But the professional thing to use is your name or some variation of it that allows you to send and receive. No one should be able to guess your reading on the freak-o-meter by your handle…thanks!
Now another piece of understanding the BIZ of show is your audition prep. It’s all good to pay your 40.00 or more for a pay-to-see. That is awesome. But when you walk in ill-prepared, you may as well have just lit that money on fire. Not booking a call back due to them wanting something or someone else is okay, its par for the course in this thing. But not booking it because you were just a mess in that room…that’s totally different.
- Look the part – If you have details on what you are auditioning for, do your best to embody that character in your attire. Now use good judgment, in terms of not showing up in full ‘costume.’ But if you are auditioning for the leading man, it’s a good idea to shave or shape up that mountain man beard you got going, and pull your pants up on your waist, since most CD’s are NOT interested in your draws! If you are auditioning for the sexy co-star, your Saturday laundry outfit may not be the best bet either. And for those demure roles, leave the freak-um pumps in the closet til you’re done.
- Don’t be your own biggest distraction – This is especially for my ladies. We love our accessories and they often add some pizzazz to our ensembles. But many times, they can also be distracting in the audition room. Jewelry that makes noise is awful to hear in an audition. Be it your stack of enamel bracelets, your metal chandelier earrings, your mobile ring…it’s annoying to see and hear when the person is trying to get into your performance. So why not stick with simple adornments and let your biggest accessory be your truth in the moment, mmkay.
- Food is not for the audition room – I cannot tell you how many times I’ve spoken to frustrated CD’s and Directors who complained of gum chewing in the room. Or the auditions that have characters eating or drinking something. I know that miming is not cool, but neither is trying to spit out your lines with a mouth full of tuna on wheat. Figure out a feasible compromise that won’t end up with the CD wiping your food off of their new silk blouse.
- It’s make-up, not magic – Ladies, I wear my share of M.A.C and the like. But I have had many mentors tell me about women (and a few fellas a time or two) coming in as if they are about to audition for RuPaul’s Drag Race, and not the latest pilot. You know your threshold for the amount of makeup that you want, but always remember, enhance your look with it, don’t try to create a whole new face, complexion or facial topography (texture).
- Be off book – If you received the material more than a day before, do your best to be off book. It is always suggested to keep the paper in your hand, just in case nerves, distractions or whatever gets you off course, so you can quickly recover. But the more familiar you are with the text, the more authentic the delivery will be.
- Smell clean…that’s it – Allergies are so common these days and you don’t want to offend your CD or reader with your perfume or cologne. Whether it’s Jean Nate or Channel No. 5, no one wants to smell you after you’ve immersed yourself in it and your smell (because by then it’s no longer a scent) wafts into the room before you do and stays three actors after you’ve left.
Okay, this all getting pretty lengthy, so I’ll stop here. But I just wanted to address these things, because though they may seem common sense to some and minute to others, they matter. I’m going to already give you the benefit of the doubt that you train, you work hard at your craft and that you stay on your toes and work out your acting muscles. I’m going to take for granted that you are pretty dope (and if you are not, that’s a WHOLE OTHER BLOG that I will let Katie address one of these days), and say just be mindful of these, shall we call them, “house-keeping” tips. You want to go in and be ready. You want to show these CD’s, Writers, Directors, Producers, and your peers, that you are more than some ego-centric tweets or a “look at me now” FB status. You know what it takes beyond having the talent and you major in the minor when it comes to handling your business. You want to let them know that you are now prepared to get this SHOW on the road…or the stage, or the screen or whatever applies.
And speaking of shows, if you’ve not done so yet, don’t forget to submit your ten minute play for the chance to put your show up in our Love Series this winter…for more deets, click HERE.
XOXO
-Kema