3 Types of Successful Actors

I was coaching a client this week, and we had a long discussion about HOW TO BE when you're in an audition room.  Not just how to behave, but how to think of yourself.

I have often said, "Bring the brightest part of your personality that is still authentic."
I have been told, "Behave like a star, and you will be treated like one."
I have been told, "Don't behave like a student, trying to please the teacher."
I have been told, "Behave like the solution to the problem of 'who do we cast?'"

Some people just know how to behave instinctively.  I don't think I'm one of them.  I have to prepare, motivate, and think about it.

Sometimes we don't behave correctly in an audition situation. And, we've all been in a class where we have not been the star.  It got me thinking, there are THREE types of people who are successful as actors.  (By this i mean, ACTORS WHO MAKE MONEY) Which one is closest to you?  Which one do you aspire to be?

1) THE HARD WORKER

Of the successful actors I know, a third just work their asses off.  They take class.  They warm up before each audition.  They research every role, and every person in the audition room.  They rehearse everything so hard that they never make mistakes in the room.

You often find HARD WORKERS succeeding in Musical Theatre.  Every dancer is a HARD WORKER.

2) THE SMART ACTOR

The smart actor diversifies.  A smart actor has a voice-over demo.  The smart actor send postcards regularly.  The smart actor markets himself, like crazy.  A smart actor craves residuals.  If you know all of the work opportunities, and you understand how to get into the rooms you need to be in - you're a SMART ACTOR.

You often find SMART ACTORS succeeding in commercials and voice overs.

3) THE NATURAL

Some people just have the X-Factor.  No one taught them how to do it - they just were born with it.  they either look great, or they have the perfect attitude.  Everyone likes them, and the confidence that comes with that makes them perfectly cast-able.  They don't focus on marketing.  They don't focus on craft.  They are just born to be actors.

You often find NATURALS on television and in movies.

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You can't make yourself into a NATURAL.  But you can make yourself into a HARD WORKER or a SMART ACTOR.  And each success makes each one of us closer to the NATURAL side of things.  Success breeds confidence.

So, with this in mind - which are you?  And which do aspire to be?

Stop, Collaborate and Listen

I am going to admit something that may seem fairly obvious:  Sometimes I blog in order to motivate myself.  Sometimes I know the right advice, and I'm hesitant to follow it - so I blog about it, and then I HAVE TO do it.  That's the case with this one.

As I've said, 2012 is the year of content, and I am dedicating myself to creating new projects.  I'm sick of waiting for the perfect role to appear - I'm going to create it.  I have three major projects in the works.  Maybe you have projects too.

So, you sit down and you plan.  If it's a writing project, you write.  If it's a producing project you schedule and budget.  Whatever it is, you prepare... then what?

You have to ask people to help.  (Or let's call it: "collaborate.")

I recently reached out to a writer I know and asked him to mentor me. And, wow, was it hard!  It called up all of my insecurities:
-Maybe people don't take me seriously.
-Maybe my idea is dumb.
-Maybe my writing is terrible.
-Maybe people just plain don't like me.

I emailed him, and he said, "Of course."

For another project, I needed a few actors to "collaborate" with, and all of my insecurities popped up again.  Again, I got all yeses.

It's easy to forget that actors are great at collaborating, so are (most) writers and directors.  And even if you find someone who isn't interested, there are a ton of us out there.

If you believe in the project, you'll have no trouble finding people to work on it with you.

(Maybe this is obvious for some of you, but for most, I bet, it's a big hurdle.)

Now that I have collaborators: I have accountability partners; I have artistic voices; I have support.
I can't wait to see what we're going to create.