Introductions in auditions, on-camera and voiceover edition

When you're doing a media audition - either voiceover or on-camera, the introduction is called a slate.  The slate is your name and sometimes your agency info, your contact info, or the name of the character or the project.  Pay attention to the specific slate instructions and make sure you follow them. 

But, if you're given no instructions about the slate or just told to 'slate your name' then this means say your first and last name at the beginning of the v/o track or do a brief greeting/intro with your name when they first roll camera at the on-camera audition 'hi, I'm Joe Actor' 

Do this intro as yourself, rather than using the character voice in the voiceover or the given circumstances of the on-camera audition. And, it's your opportunity to introduce yourself to the client or director of the project.  Usually, you're recording the voiceover audition in your home studio or with a sound engineer, or you're doing the on-camera audition with a casting agency's session runner, not the actual people who will be making the decisions about which actors will be involved in the project. 

For voiceover, the intro is done.  But for on-camera, there may be a few more steps.  They may want to take a photo, zoom out so they can see your whole body, have you show profiles or do a 360, or show the fronts and backs of your hands. 

If you're asked to show profiles, this means that you'll do a turn to both your left and right and show both sides of your face.  If you're asked to do a 360, you'll turn in a circle so the camera can see you all the way around.  Practice these with a friend and a camera so you can figure out how quickly you should move when doing these maneuvers. 

Similar to the theater audition, the slate and the rest of the intro is your chance to show that you're both professional and personable.   That you're going to be a good person to have on set - you're friendly, efficient and good at what you do. 

Me and my agents: how we met

For years, I sent cover letters, headshots and resumes to different agencies in the Bay Area.  With very little success.  I would get a thank you form letter saying that they had enough of my type, then I would grumble about how I was a real artist and didn't need to sell myself, and go back to doing theater for another year or so, and then repeat the whole process.

However, I also started to build up some independent film credits and some comfort in front of a camera.  I took classes in on-camera/commercial acting (at a school that has closed its doors), and then classes in voiceover at Voice One.  A few different classes at Voice One included 'one session w/a San Francisco Talent Agent!' as part of the class.  I met a person from my agency at one of those classes, and was asked to come in and audition for them, or 'go on tape'

I came in w/a monologue and also got handed a piece of commercial copy to prep on the spot and record on camera.  And I didn't hear anything.  I followed up via email.  A few times.  I heard that they hadn't had time to review my tape yet.  I asked a colleague who was repped by this agency to follow up w/them.  Months went by.  Nothing.

Almost one year later, I took another class at Voice One that had one of those 'Talent Agent sessions!'  and it turned out to be the exact same person as before.  He asked to talk to me after class, said I looked familiar and how did we know each other.  I said that we'd met roughly a year ago, and I'd taped for the agency and then never heard anything from them.  I got a funny 'Oh!' and he asked me to come in and tape again.

So again, a monologue, reading some commercial copy and having these both filmed.  This time I was told to wait, they might be reviewing my tape right away, but then after the session person checked with other folks, it turned out that it was going to take them a few days to get back to me.  By the end of the week, I'd been offered a contract, and started going on auditions. 

And the rest, as they say, is history.

I'm not sharing this story because I think it has a moral or a lesson - each of us is on our own journey through the business.  These are just a few steps of mine.

And hey, if you're into early Eugene O'Neill, and you're out in Danville (home of Tao House, former home of Mr. O'Neill) tonight or tomorrow afternoon, come and see this reading that I'm part of!

Me and my agents: auditions

More thoughts about agents in the Bay Area, this time a bit more personal.

So this is my agency.  They've been my agents for about 3 years, and represent me for on-camera work, voiceover, and print.

Looking back through my audition tracking spreadsheets, while I've had some dry spells, it averages out to about 1 audition every 3 weeks. This past week I had 4 auditions through my agency - 2 voiceover, 1 print, and 1 industrial.

My agency sends audition information via email.  For an on-camera audition, they send me the time, location, character/wardrobe, sides to prepare (if there are sides), potential callback dates, and shoot dates.  Sometimes there's additional character description or direction.  Usually the email comes in the early afternoon and the audition is the following day, and the email has a specific appointment time.  Sometimes, if there is a lot of text to prep, it'll be a day or two before the audition.  But it's up to me to keep my schedule flexible enough that I can fit in those auditions.

For a voiceover audition, I'm expected to record it myself, using my own equipment.  The email they send has a lot of the same info as on-camera does, but instead of telling me when I need to audition and where, it tells me where I'm supposed to send my sound file, how to name it, and when I'm supposed to send it in by - usually I've got 24-36 hours to get it done.

For print auditions I get a similar amount of notice as for on-camera auditions, but sometimes I get a range (show up between 10 and 12) instead of a specific time.   Every once in a while, especially with the hand modeling stuff, there's not even an audition, just a call or email checking if I'm available for the shoot date.  This doesn't mean I've booked it, but that I'm being considered, based on my portfolio.

If I'm not available to do auditions, I 'book out' with my agents.  This means that I let them know I won't be available for auditions between day x and day y.  Usually this is because I'm out of town, but sometimes it's because of a tech or shoot schedule for another project, and every once in a while for an intensive teaching/directing project.  I probably book out between 1 and 3 weeks total per year.

Being available for auditions means keeping track of a lot of things.  I've got to keep myself and my audition wardrobe looking good - regularly scheduled haircuts and other grooming appointments, keeping my business suits clean and making sure they're not at the dry cleaners at the wrong times.  I need to be able to juggle what I've got scheduled for the day - I'm thankful to have employers who understand this part of an actor's schedule, and a day job that's around the corner from a casting agency, which makes it easy to pop out for a half hour, do the audition, and then get back to work.  I need to be able to absorb new material fast - for one of the auditions this week I had 3 hours w/the audition sides before the audition.

I remember asking at a Q&A panel with agents several years ago something along the lines of "what are some of the mistakes actors make after they've signed with you?"  And the answer that they all agreed on was when actors are consistently not available for auditions because of other commitments. 

Agents and the Bay Area: The Basics

Based on some questions I heard recently, I thought I'd post some info about how actors and agents interact in the San Francisco Bay Area.

1) where do I find a 'good' agent?
Depends on your definition of good, of course.  SAG (Screen Actor's Guild) lists agents here.  Scroll to the bottom of the page, and then select 'San Francisco' as your city.  There are 9 franchised agents, and one listed as non-franchised.  I'm not sure that franchised/non-franchised makes a big difference for non-union talent.  Given that SAG has chosen to list their contact info, I don't think any of these agencies are going to scam you.  Some only rep very specific types, so doing a little further research into each agency and who they represent before you do a submission would help you know who to submit to.

2) can I have more than one agent at once?
While this may be the practice in other markets, where one agent reps you for commercials and another for voiceover, that doesn't really happen in SF.  Your agent is your agent.  Some people do move from one agency to another as their career grows and changes, but they still only have one agent at a time.

3) do you need an agent to audition for theater in SF?
Nope!    If you're looking for theater auditions, start at Theatre Bay Area, but also check the websites of the theaters you want to audition for.  Many hold general auditions at least once per year, often open to anyone who signs up.

I've been repped by an agency for close to 3 years now.  They mostly send me on auditions for on-camera industrials and commercials, but I also audition for voiceover work (again mostly industrial and commercial, every once in a while a video game voice), and sometimes for print - not high fashion runway stuff, but projects where people are supposed to look 'real'.  I also work every once in a while in print as a hand model.

I think a big assumption that a lot of folks make is that once they get an agent, they can sit back and the auditions and jobs will just roll in.  Even with agency representation, you'll still need to work to build relationships, practice skills and develop craft.  The difference is that now you've got someone else on your team who can put their foot in the door for you, and negotiate better compensation when you do get a job.

Actor Slash ?

Here's something I've been thinking about this week: how so many folks I know (myself included) are actor/something else. 

I'm an actor/theater educator.  I know actor/directors, actor/writers, actor/theater administrators, actor/musicians even actor/massage therapists and one actor/flight instructor.  Actor/ is different than being an actor with a day job (like an actor who makes their money by walking dogs, or working chain retail). 

Actor/ means that you do multiple things for work, enjoy doing multiple things for work, and if people ask you what you do you might be tempted to say "I'm an actor and also a (fill in the blank)"  However, sometimes, depending on the parts of the slash, it may not make sense to promote all the parts at the same time, or in the same way.  If you were a preschool teacher/dominatrix, it's pretty obvious that you wouldn't want to bring up both in the same breath, but what about a police officer/cake decorator, or a voiceover artist/B&B owner?

If you pursue multiple careers simultaneously, you may want to check out the book One Person Multiple Careers by Marci Alboher.  (I got it from the library several years ago).   It's full of practical advice about how one part of your slash can compliment the other, and includes things like how you might negotiate if you are a /parent.  I thought it was a helpful read, and hopefully you will too!

Resource of the Week: VoiceBank

An actor friend emailed last week to ask some questions about voiceover equipment.  She wants to pursue voiceover work and wants to start by creating a studio for home recording.  Not only is that a huge financial investment, I think it's a lousy place to start. 

First of all, the actor in question has never done voiceover work before, or even taken a class.  So she doesn't know if she has an aptitude for it, or if it's work she'll enjoy.  Second, and more important, you don't get voiceover work by having a studio (although it can definitely increase your opportunities), you get voiceover work by having quality demos.    You wouldn't get hired to work on a film just because you owned a camera, would you?  You get hired because of your reel and your audition.  Voiceover demos are the reel for voiceover work.

And, there's a cool website - Voicebank - where agencies post their clients demos, and anyone can listen to them - it's a great way to get to understand the format, what the trends are, etc.  So start listening!

Resource of the Week: Voice One

Voice One is a voiceover school in San Francisco.  I took classes there for about a year/year and half fairly steadily, and continue to pick up classes when there's something that interests me.  Through classes at Voice One, I met a director who gave me a voiceover job, I solidified a relationship w/a local casting director who has called me in for a few projects, and gotten me a few jobs, and that's how I met my agent.  And, I learned about voiceover, made demos, and took a few on-camera classes as well. 

In general, voiceover classes aren't cheap, and take a lot of your time.  But if you want to know more about Voice One, here's where to go.

technical difficulties!!

One of the kinds of work I do is voiceover (voiceover is the kind of acting work that is voice only - all radio work, and any time in an on-camera setting when there is a voice but not an actual human talking, that's voiceover). 

Voiceover has gone through a lot of changes in the past few years - the equipment has gotten cheaper, and the tech has gotten easier.  It's near impossible to be a voiceover actor without at least having the ability to record your auditions at home (which means you need a mic, a quiet room, and editing software).  I've been doing auditions at home for about a year, but typically when I book, I get asked to go to their studio to record the job. 

However, yesterday I got asked to do a job where I'd record the job from home.  I've got my cell phone earbuds on underneath my studio headphones, so that I can hear the client when they call, and I've got my software program open (Audacity - it's a free download and super easy), and I'm using this new thing called Dropbox - a cool way to send the audio files to the folks at the other end via what seems like magic elves to me.  We're nearing the 1/2 way point of the 2 hour session, when Audacity starts bugging on me - the program crashes almost every time I hit 'stop recording'  I take a suggested break to reboot my computer, and then when I get Audacity open, it doesn't recognize my mic.

I'm troubleshooting as fast as I can, with suggestions from the audio engineer at the other end of the phone, when my screen freezes.

FREEZES.

I tell the client what has happened, they get off the phone and I spend the next hour working through the problem.  When I'm finally able to call them back w/working equipment, we need to reschedule for another day.  They were cool about it, but this was really stressful for me. 

I was glad for the chocolate sorbet in the freezer, and while I'm confident that I've fixed the original crash issue, I've got my fingers crossed for today's rescheduled session.