Okay, so the AFTRA employee apologized immensely to the group of about 25 of us that showed up last night for the Cold Reading Workshop with CD Clair Sinnett. Turns out the class was actually a Marketing Seminar/Workshop based around Clair's book: Actors Working: The Actors Guide to Marketing Success. Which meant no cold reading, and no interaction. My first thought, after such a long day, was "Can I really sit through a 2 hour lecture? It's been A LONG time since I was in college." I decided to stick it out, and see what she had to say. Besides, the last thing I wanted to be was rude by getting up and walking out.
In the end, Clair covered a lot of good points. She talked about how we should look at ourselves as Company Owners and the product we're selling, of course, is ourselves. And how it's very, very important that we find out what our niche is. Sure, as actors we feel like we can do everything, but what is that ONE thing that we can do very well that sets up a part from the pack? Once we figure that out, our headshots and resumes should be a representation of that.
In the end, Clair covered a lot of good points. She talked about how we should look at ourselves as Company Owners and the product we're selling, of course, is ourselves. And how it's very, very important that we find out what our niche is. Sure, as actors we feel like we can do everything, but what is that ONE thing that we can do very well that sets up a part from the pack? Once we figure that out, our headshots and resumes should be a representation of that.
She also stressed how our product should be in tip top shape, and ready to be sold. We should never try to "sell ourselves" when we're not ready. She equated several business marketing tools for us to get a visual of what she meant:
Brochures - Great Photos (not the cheapest photographer you can find) and a Resume that describes and sells the Product.
Direct Mailing - Postcards, unique (but not over the top) marketing ideas, etc.
30 Second "Commercial" - Specific answers to questions that should be used when doing a general interview or when being asked "tell me about yourself" during an audition.
Needless to say she sent us all home with a large amount of homework due for next weeks class. I'm actually pretty excited about doing it, when looking at it from her perspective, it gives me a lot of ideas I'd like to try that I never would have thought about on my own. I think that once the workshop is over, I might pick up her book for future reference.
When I got home last night, I tucked my little one into bed, and then ran to my computer to purchase my airline ticket to ABQ before midnight, it was on sale, and midnight was the deadline. Needless to say, $225 gone that quickly! I will only be in ABQ for a couple of days: 2/16 - 2/18. So far I have two appointments with agents. I'd like to have more. I'd also like to meet with some of the CD's in the area, so I'm planning to do a mailing sometime before the end of this week, so that I can follow up with phone calls early next week. (Up until this point, I'd only been corresponding with them via e-mail.)
Brochures - Great Photos (not the cheapest photographer you can find) and a Resume that describes and sells the Product.
Direct Mailing - Postcards, unique (but not over the top) marketing ideas, etc.
30 Second "Commercial" - Specific answers to questions that should be used when doing a general interview or when being asked "tell me about yourself" during an audition.
Needless to say she sent us all home with a large amount of homework due for next weeks class. I'm actually pretty excited about doing it, when looking at it from her perspective, it gives me a lot of ideas I'd like to try that I never would have thought about on my own. I think that once the workshop is over, I might pick up her book for future reference.
When I got home last night, I tucked my little one into bed, and then ran to my computer to purchase my airline ticket to ABQ before midnight, it was on sale, and midnight was the deadline. Needless to say, $225 gone that quickly! I will only be in ABQ for a couple of days: 2/16 - 2/18. So far I have two appointments with agents. I'd like to have more. I'd also like to meet with some of the CD's in the area, so I'm planning to do a mailing sometime before the end of this week, so that I can follow up with phone calls early next week. (Up until this point, I'd only been corresponding with them via e-mail.)
While there, I really hope that I will have free time to hang out with some of my old skool friends in the burque. I really like to be as laid back as possible when I go back home. Ya know, try to get a little rest from life in the big city. We'll see though, I'm sure my dad will want to hang out and do something too, that is, if he can pull himself away from his girlfriend long enough!
Okay, so I'm 6 months pregnant now, and I can reeeaaalllly feel my body starting to slow down. I have several more workshops, classes, and seminars I want to be a part of over the next few weeks. So, I think come mid-March, I'll be ready to slow things down a bit until after the baby is born. Hopefully she doesn't say differently!
I got word this morning that I will have to wait until the end of the week to call that Hollywood talent manager I'd mentioned the other day. Apparently one of her good friends and clients is Yolanda King, and so she's in ATL for the funeral of Ms. Coretta Scott King today. All I can say is wow, I can't even imagine what it would be like to experience that funeral service. (Shortly after writing this, someone e-mailed me the program from her funeral, 28 pdf pages full of amazement. Wow. I will try to post it later.) While on this note, it's interesting because I was just talking to someone the other day about how my maiden name is King, and how my family is from the same area as the late, great Dr. Martin Luther King. One day I will have my family tree done so I can finally see if I'm related to him. I think we are related, either that, or both of our ancestors were on the same plantation. Really. No kidding.
Everywhere I go, I've been hearing about Actorsite, Actorsite, Actorsite. I've been a follower of ITA Productions since early last year, but I've never gotten called in from any of the workshops I've attended there. I think that after I have the baby, Actorsite will be one of my first stops, so I can finally see what all the buzz is about.
Finally! After two months, I'll be getting my hair re-braided this weekend. If you remember, the process is long and daunting, but you have no idea how much time this will shave off me getting ready in the mornings!
XOXO
XOXO
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