Likeable female protagonists & Patton Oswalt on gamechangers

Must Read #1:
Stealing the Herd by playwright Carolyn Gage over on Howlround is about 'likeability' of protagonists in Broadway musicals, and it's fantastic.


Here's a few quotes:

It would appear that there exists a significant double standard for what is deemed acceptable behavior for male protagonists and female ones.

And:

What they know, and what I am learning, is that “likeable” means feminine. Even if the protagonist is the world’s greatest sharpshooter, she must still throw a match to get her man and take a number that says “I enjoy being a girl.

Fantastic - go read it!

Must Read #2:
Patton Oswalt delivered the keynote at Montreal's Just for Laughs in Montreal a week or so ago.  If you haven't seen this yet, it's got some great thoughts for any creative art maker - just substitute what you do any time he uses the word 'comedian'

He writes 2 letters, one to the 'comedian in 2012', and one to the 'gatekeepers':

I need to decide more career stuff for myself and make it happen for myself, and I need to stop waiting to luck out and be given. I need to unlearn those muscles.

 Our careers don’t hinge on somebody in a plush office deciding to aim a little luck in our direction. There are no gates. They’re gone.

Highly inspiring - check it out 

Roundtables from the Hollywood Reporter

For a while now, the Hollywood Reporter has been putting up group video interviews of actors during awards season.  Since Emmy noms are soon, they've just done a set with tv actors.  There are four interviews, roughly an hour each in length, separated into comedy and drama and men and women. 

I found gems in each of these interviews - ranging from Juliana Margulies' recommendation of an app for script work to Johnny Galecki reminiscing about the Roseanne set to Martha Plimpton and the comedy women talking about the intersection of female and comedy to the overall humility coming off of Kiefer Sutherland.

You can watch them at these links:

Comedy Women Roundtable
Comedy Men Roundtable
Drama Women Roundtable
Drama Men Roundtable

Let me know what you think! (I first found this via the website/blog Daily Actor)

On Making It Interesting

At a recent audition for an indie film, while I was using my prep time, I overheard two other actors discussing the sides.  One had decided to give the character a British accent.  Why?  She wanted to 'make it more interesting.'

Hoo boy!

I don't know how much research this actor had done, but the emails from the casting director had included a link to a website with more info for the film. From looking at that website, it was a pretty good guess that the characters they were casting at this session were at best, supporting characters, and probably in reality more like under-5's.  Characters who were not the focus of the story.  Characters who were there so that the leads had someone to talk to while they revealed major plot points, grew and changed emotionally, etc. 

Not characters who the viewer of the film was supposed to think 'that character is so interesting - I want to know more about her.'

I'm not saying these characters shouldn't be well-rounded, fully fleshed out, have an inner life.  Of course that's true.  But it behooves the actor to know why the character is there, what function the character has in the story, and to let that knowledge inform the choices.

Don't be funny if your character is the straight man.  Don't take focus when your character's function is to give focus to the lead. 

Figure out your job, and do it.  If you trust yourself with that, it's gonna be interesting.

Deja Vu

Recently, I've been contacted by various indie filmmakers interested in me for their projects, but I've had to turn down the auditions because some of my warning flags were raised.  I thought I'd write a post about those flags, but wanted to check my archives to make sure I wasn't repeating myself.

And voila: Dear Low-Budget Independent Filmmaker - the post I wrote EXACTLY ONE YEAR AGO TODAY. 

The most important point to reiterate:

"What you need on set is a well-prepared actor.  If you don't let me have sides in advance, how can you assess my skills at preparing?"
 

Another auditioning related epiphany

So there's a certain kind of audition out there that I call 'guy with the shirt'.  These auditions are for commercials, for industrials, occasionally (in the Bay Area at least) for film and TV.  The character has no lines, simply a bit of business or a reaction.  They're angry about the network crashing, or ecstatic because it turns out it's raining money, or relaxed for the first time in years.

In other words, it's Acting 101 - reacting to a set of circumstances.  It doesn't take a Streep or an Olivier to nail the acting skill required.   You just show up at the right place at the right time, doing your best to look like the type they want - for me this is usually either Business Lady (I wear a suit) or Mom (I wear a solid colored knit top from H&M with either jeans or khakis).  I'm just a typical guy with a shirt.

GWTS auditions aren't about dazzling them with your acting skills.  You can't.  You're just playing a reaction.  GWTS auditions you'll either book or you won't, depending on whether or not you're the flavor they're looking for - a flavor that has to blend with all the other flavors they're using on the project.

So instead of showing off skill (and focusing on how I'm doing and working hard to do the audition 'right', what ever that is), I'm learning to show off my flavor.  My focus is on making a connection in the audition room.  Really listening and responding to direction, asking for clarification if I need it, and being as authentic as I can.

And knowing that if I don't book it, the reason has nothing to do with my acting skills, and everything to do with subjective things related to what kind of guy with the shirt they need for this one.  And, releasing the idea of 'being a good actor' and switching instead to 'being an authentic person interested in connection'  has led to me having more fun at these types of auditions, and feeling better about how I'm doing.

Yay!

P.S. initial auditioning related epiphanies post is here!

Super-hero Work

A sudden thought this week - being an actor is at times like being some kind of double agent or super-hero.  You're at the day job or somewhere in the middle of the daily routine and the call comes in, often w/a great deal of urgency and a significant amount of money on the line.

"Tomorrow morning, be at x address at x time.  Dress like a career woman.  Be ready to speak these words." (on camera industrial audition)
"By 5pm today, send me digital pictures of your hands, fronts and backs." (hand modeling for a SAG National commercial)
"Record these words and email an mp3 by x o'clock." (voiceover for a regional radio spot)

Somehow, you've got to immediately fold this incredibly urgent task into the next 24-48 hours.  You've got to always be ready for it.  You never know when the next summons could come or what it will be for. 

So the actor skill sets need to stay sharp, the mom sweater needs to always be clean, the recording equipment & camera need to be in good working order, and the communication devices are up and running.

I am so thankful for the understanding people in my life - friends, family, loved ones, and employers and work colleagues.  Without them, none of this would be possible.

Get out in front!

Over the weekend, I led a seminar for the Theatre Bay Area ATLAS program, and it reminded me of this idea.

For longevity, for sanity, for finding things that we can control, we've got to get out in front of our careers.  This is about being active rather than passive, initiating rather than reacting.   It's about the fact that they may be auditioning you, but you're also using that audition time to learn more about a company or a director and whether or not you want to work with them.

It's about reading plays as they get their first productions in London or New York, so that you know what parts are out there for you to be watching for when those shows are produced in your region.

Making your own films, writing your own monologues, creating solo shows also fit in here.

You don't need to wait for them to contact you or post an audition notice.  You can contact them, compliment their work sincerely and let them know that you're out there.

It's about knowing what kind of work you want, rather than taking anything that gets offered to you, just because it got offered to you.

Does this make sense?  If you're not sure you've got what I'm talking about, read this. Blogger/actor Virginia Wilcox is applying to MFA acting programs, and doing a great job of getting out in front of that process.

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. 

more links: successful people and odds of pilot success

Here are some more great links from recent reading:

Marc and Angel Hack Life has a great post listing the 12 things successful people do differently.  It has links to book titles and lots of good ideas on things like goal setting, finding balance, and measuring/tracking progress.

And, for a dose of Hollywood TV land reality, take a look at Ken Levine's blog, where he writes about the process of creating and casting a hit series.  Keep reading until the comments, where you'll see a lot of people say things like 'yikes! I had no idea it was this hard to be an actor!'  

Lastly, over at 2amt (a blog/twitter hashtag where you can share your 2am thoughts about theater and theatermaking), there's a post by playwright Laura Axelrod entitled 'Can Women Write Good Plays?'  And, even more awesome is the birth of a new twitter hashtag: #2femt, which looks to be a place for discussion of women's representation in theatermaking.

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!

Louis CK is his own middleman

If your attention hasn't been drawn to this yet, let me take you there. 

Comedian/writer/actor/director Louis CK is selling downloads of a recent comedy live show via his own website for $5.  His question "If I put this out here like this, will people buy it, or will they steal it?"

And people are buying it, overwhelmingly so.  At about 1 week after release, his profits have reached $750,000. 

The implications here are huge for the individual artist.  Yes, having a hit series on fX has helped Louie become visible to tons of fans.  But even on a smaller scale, the artist/creator-performer has access to distribution like never before thanks to the internet.

How are we going to use it?

More to read on the Louis CK thing:

his own statement

some NY Times articles here and here

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.

Reel Resources

Bonnie Gillespie answered some questions yesterday about actor reels in her terrific Showfax column, and linked to some great resources worth checking out - additional info as well as links to docs that actors can get filmmakers to sign to specify details about the copy they'll be providing.

I'm pretty happy w/my recently edited reels, which you should be able to see here.  The editor I worked with is Deva Blaisdell-Anderson.  I had a great time working w/her and she was very helpful, insightful and knowledgeable about the tech side of things.

The actor's closet

I've written about wardrobe and wardrobe choices a bit before. 

But because of some recent industrial work, I'm thinking about it again.

I'm thinking about how it's helpful for an actor to know what colors they look good in, and to know what colors and clothing styles work well on camera. Lots of us know this already but thanks City of Alberquerque for spelling it out so clearly!  To their page I'd add the following: avoid logos/writing/images on your clothing, but everything else they're saying is spot on.

For industrials in particular, it's helpful to know the difference between formal business attire and business casual.  This page has some great descriptions and images, maybe a little bit more for women than men.  Here in the Bay Area, with Silicon Valley's influence, we're sometimes asked for a slightly more hip version of business casual, so you may need to ask for clarification if things aren't clear.  Another great way to figure out where your current project or audition falls on the formal to casual spectrum is to go to the website for the client company or to companies w/a similar culture/industry, and see what the people are wearing in photos on their site. 

I'm not the most conservative dresser in my everyday life, but I keep a few pieces on hand for things that I'm often asked to do.  I have my mom slacks (light colored khakis) and a few sweaters, as well as a few business suits, with the appropriate accessories.  I've watched for when the suits go on clearance at department stores, and taken a few runs through places like Nordstrom Rack, H&M, etc. to round out what I need.  Clothing swaps with friends have also helped me round out these areas of my wardrobe.

I make sure that I keep all of this stuff clean and ready to go too.  It sucks to have to spend extra money on a rush turnaround at the dry cleaners. 

And last of all, I've got a garment bag for hauling too and from set!  It's always surprising to me when people show up w/stuff jammed in grocery bags, or just carrying a bunch of shirts on hangers in from their car.  Both you and the clothes look better and more pro when you can bring it all in in a good bag. 

links to check out!

Local Theater: a few good essays from Portland.

Howlround is on fire right now with great conversation and ideas! Taylor Mac talks about ending auditions (and shouts out Lily's Revenge at the Magic) and the Playwrighting and Parenting essay is terrific too.

And Dallas Travers has terrific practical advice on How to Talk to Casting Directors on Facebook.

How to write a casting notice

I've been reading some notices lately that are really awful!  Leaving out important information (like character gender and age), or weirdly rambling or full of errors.  So here's a quick crib sheet that I hope will get into the hands of the people who need it.

What to include:
1) the dates of the project - when you're shooting or when you're rehearsing and when the performances are.  You might not know all of this yet.  That's okay.  Be as specific as you can.  If there are dates/times that the actors absolutely must be available or you can't hire them, this should be in there.
2) where the project will take place - this can be a city if you're shooting multiple locations, and should include both rehearsal location and performance location for a play.  Again, if you don't have all the details hammered out, as specific as you can be would be great!  If your location has quirks (outdoors, somewhat off the beaten path) or perks (close to public transportation) that would be great to mention too.
3) what you're looking for - for each character, the gender, age or age range, ethnicity.  If these are open, it's fine to put 'any ethnicity' 'any age' etc. It's great to also let us know the size of the role for a film or unpublished play - lead, supporting, featured, extra.  If there's a special skill required of this role - dialect or foreign language, singing, dancing, stunts, playing a musical instrument, list that too.  If the character takes their clothes off, smokes, or uses excessively vulgar or offensive language, it'd be nice to know that too.  And a short description of the character beyond this would be great too - their relationship to the other characters, their occupation, a short descriptive phrase.  If the role or character is similar to a celebrity or famous character, that might be a helpful way to describe them too.
4) details about the audition - when and where will it be, what you want the actors to prepare for the audition.  If you want to just collect headshots/resumes/links to reels now, and then screen that and choose who to invite to auditions later, that's fine too, but let us know that's what you're doing.
5) who you are and why you're doing this - a URL with more info about you, your production company or your IMDB credits or your theater company will provide some legitimacy for what you're doing, and it would be great to have this in your audition notice.  Where do you want to take this project once it's completed?  Are you submitting to festivals?  Do you have the backing of a cool grant to fund the project?  Let us know these things too.
6) what you're offering to those who are cast - is this project credit/copy/meals, or is there financial compensation as well?  If so, how much is it?  The word 'stipend' doesn't convey much info - I've booked jobs that paid stipends of $50 and of $1000, and everything in between.  If you're still working out how much you'll be able to pay people, give us a range. 

What not to include:
1) grammatical and spelling errors - if you don't take the time to proofread your audition notice, what does your script look like?  How much of an eye for detail will you have when on set?  Some personal peeves: the phrase 'female actress' and the word 'casted' (as in 'this role is already casted').
2) crew/backstage/designer/tech/project volunteer positions - put these in a separate notice.  If the actor is also a lighting designer or wants to do DP work or volunteer to usher for you, they'll look for those notices too.
3) rambles/diatribes/manifestos about your art - save this for your website.  And on your website, make sure it's clear, concise and professional rather than something that makes you seem unhinged and dictatorial. I'd love to know a little about your influences and passions, but not when I'm trying to determine if you're looking for someone of my type.

Did I leave anything out?  What else is essential (or inessential) in an audition notice?

2011 Pilot Report: Read it!

The Pilot Report is a document that the president of Premier Talent Group (an LA based talent agency)sends to the actors they represent.

It's basically an age/gender demographic breakdown of all the roles cast in this year's pilot season, with an emphasis on what was cast with name or known actors vs. unknowns.

Read it here, and let me know what you think.

Also, thanks to The Struggling Actress for pointing it out.

Stranger in Blood: rough trailer

So a few weeks ago, I worked on an indie film (playing item #6 on this list).

Here is rough cut of the trailer. The first speaking voice you hear is mine, but I'm wearing a wig, so you might not recognize me at first.

At the end of the trailer is a link: www.indiegogo.com/strangerinblood  The filmmakers are looking for additional funds to cover some post production costs, festival entry fees, and reimbursements for some of the supplies purchased during filmmaking.  Donations are tax deductible thanks to support by the San Francisco Film Society. 

Thoughts on Auditions

Recently, I was seen almost 90 minutes past my call time at an audition for an industrial, where when I got in the room, I slated, did profiles, and then they filmed me sitting in a chair flipping through a magazine.  That was it.

Here was the takeaway though:  I was really surprised at the number of people who complained to the audition runner about how late things were running and asked why they weren't being seen.  In general, on-camera auditions for commercials, industrials, etc. are run like this: they see everyone for a group before they move on to the next group.  It has something to do w/organizing the video files for presentation to the client.  So, they see all of the 25-30 something business men before they move on to the 20's college girls and finish with them before they see the Asian grandmas. 

So, you can read the waiting room and don't have to act pesky to the audition runner!  If you get in there and there are a few types sitting around, figure out what group they're on - yours? (short wait).  The one before yours? (a little bit longer wait). Two before yours? (go put more money in your meter now, call the babysitter, etc. - you're going to be a while).  It seemed like many people at the audition didn't know this, and there were quite a few people stressed out about getting tickets, or picking their kids up.  I'm sure those folks didn't give their best auditions, and asking when they'd be seen made them seem more like amateurs who didn't know what they were doing.

I know this sounds kind of sucky.  No one wants to wait 90 minutes past their appointment time for anything (and in fact if this was a SAG audition, they would've had to pay us to wait longer than 60 minutes).   It is yet another reminder of the unbalanced power in an audition situation.  But as actors, what we have power over is our preparation and our planning, including where we park (maybe a lot where you pay on your way out instead of a meter?).

P.S. check this out!  It's a commercial I shot with the awesome Scott and Tory of Two Trick Pony!!