On Hiatus!

Hello! I will be on haitus while I focus on my film project and website at http://21stcenturyfeminist.com/ I hope you’ll check it out and when I have finished that project I will resume my posts here!

~until next time

Interview Series with Patrick Cronin

The new interview series that was shot last year at East Tennessee State’s Veteran’s Theatre between Hollywood Actors Patrick Cronin and Jodi Nelson. Discussing all aspects of the business, encounters and stories untold.

Tune in and check it out!

YouTube Channel

Acting Class – Online! Register Now for Spring

Register now for ETSU’S Spring’s Acting 1 Class ONLINE!!!! Fantastic video lectures, professional guest lectures, insider information to the business and craft of acting — FROM THE CONVENIENCE OF YOUR OWN HOME! No matter where you live, you can learn acting fundamentals, get college credit and be on your way to becoming a talented, working actor.

Sign up at www.etsu.edu for Acting I – 14451 – THEA 2510 – 901. Hurry! Spaces are limited and classes begin January 13th.

 

 

Five Important Things Every Actor Must Do – Part 4

Log and Track Your Progress
This is a biggy in my book. Organization. Period. If you aren’t organized in your life, how can you ever possibly expect to be organized in your career? There are so many distractions pulling us off course, if you don’t have any method of keeping track, how will you ever know if you’re getting ahead?

I’m not asking you to go out there and buy an expensive software package that does all these whiz bang things for you (I’ve bought these before and they’re neat…but I’d rather have bought a pair or two of shoes). Excel works just as well at logging all your contacts, auditions, addresses, data and information. Yes, it’s that easy.

If you don’t have a method, then I would start with one today.

If you don’t have Excel (through Windows Microsoft Office), there is a free one called Open Source that you can utilize for free online. In it you can track all your auditions, contacts and information in one place. Once you set it up, you are free to fill in the information as you get it, and then use the program to make labels, letters or sort the information into whatever you need.

It’s simple, easy and fast. Even for those who are technically challenged, I still encourage you to have some system in place. I wouldn’t advise writing it down on paper and making a folder, because after a while, these contacts will stack up, they’ll get lost, eaten by your dog, coffee spilled on it, or the ink will fade over time. An electronic record is always the best method.

It is also important to keep such information as mileage, wardrobe, food and other expenses that you spend on your career, such as classes, headshot sessions, printing cost etc. These are all things you can deduct on your taxes.

It can also help you remember a particular casting session, what the casting director was like, what you were wearing to the audition (in case you get a call back!) and other important information that can aid you in staying focused, organized and professional. Also, after several years in the business, you may want to assess your auditions and types of jobs you have been booking. This is good information that can help you when arguing your case to your agent who has only been sending you out on Soaps, when you really want network television.

Check out my Online Teaching courses that can help you get an organizational system that is proven to help you be organized, proactive and functional so you can get on with the creative aspects of your career.

ETSU’s Friends of Pinter and Beckett

   

Please become a fan of our upcoming plays from Pinter and Beckett. If you are in the area, please come and see the amazing works in an evening of 3 One Acts.

Katherine Weiss directs Beckett’s ‘Come and Go’ and ‘Footfalls’ and Patrick Cronin and Jodi Nelson Co-Directs Pinter’s ‘The Dumb Waiter’.

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An evening with Pinter & Beckett
October 7-9 at 7:30 p.m.
October 10 at 2:00 p.m.
Bud Frank Theatre, ETSU
$7 student admission
$15 general admission
Presented by ETSU Division of Theatre & Dance and ETSU Department of English

Website:
http://www.etsu.edu/theatre

Five Important Things Every Actor Must Do – Part 3

Build a Strong Professional Network

To build a strong career in the arts, especially in Hollywood, Networking is the name of the game. Remember often times, it’s ‘who’ you know more than ‘what’ you know. How do you network? Well, first you figure our your product (Step 1), second you focus your career goals (Step 2), then you take that package, $20 for valet parking, where your ‘schmoozing’ best and put on a smile. In this business, the name of the game is contacts and the more contacts you have, the more opportunities you get.

Say you meet 50 people that are now in your contact list. That would probably equal to about 5 opportunities maybe a year. But, what if you had 500 contacts in your list – maybe that would equate to five opportunities per month! Sound good? Okay, let’s go!

‘But wait’, you say. ‘What do I do when I network? What do I say? Where do I go?’ All very valid questions to a newbie. If you’re in a big city like Hollywood or New York City – there are ample places to run into a director, a filmmaker, casting director, studio executive, an agent or even other actors who might share information with you. Any one of these people could help you with your career. You might run into them at an industry event, an organizational fundraiser, or heck, even the grocery store! I stood next to Alan Alda at the Whole Foods store on Columbus Circle in NYC once – scooping basmati rice into a plastic carton. I once had a conversation with Ed Begley, Jr. at the Trader Joes in the Valley over broccoli…so you never know who you might run into.

That’s why it’s important to have your stuff together prior to running out and meeting anyone and everyone you can. In this business, first impressions are everything and often times you only get one chance. Once you have that down, then it’s just getting out there, exchanging business cards, having a professional attitude and be your natural, charming self. Be ready at any time to chat about industry subjects, like some story you just read about in Hollywood Reporter, what you are doing in the business (actor, writer, director) and what you are working on, or just something random and off subject. Maybe, they have a particular wine in their hand and if you have a story about that particular wine (in good taste of course), like some trivia or something interesting, share it. You might make a friend out of it along with an important contact. But, you must be likeable above all and not try too hard. It’s a balance, and for people who have never done this, it seems daunting and impossible.

Start with this: Join the gym, join industry organizations such as Women in Film, IFP, or any of the actor’s Unions and go to meetings, volunteer for everything you can find time in your busy schedule to do. People will appreciate you and remember you for your time and support. In essence, scratch their backs (not literally) and they will hopefully return the favour.

Once you get their names and emails, follow up every now and again with a new show you’re in, or wish them a happy birthday or congratulations on (whatever) when you read up on them in the trades. Don’t just contact them when you need something. That will ruin a relationship faster than anything. Relationships, especially in this business, need to be fostered, give and take and be built on trust. That takes a long time and you must put in the work you hope to get out of it, and not just a quick turn around on the script you just slipped Steven Spielberg at the restaurant you wait tables at last week.

Most importantly, just get out there and network. Have some patience. I know it’s scary, but it must be done. You’re an actor after all, not a monk.  This goes for everyone – not just actors. Writers, directors, producers, show runners – everyone associated with the business has at some time gotten a gig out of a contact they met at some random event. So put on your best smile and go get ‘em! Practice makes perfect.

Check out my Online Teaching courses that can help you gain confidence and prepare for your best ‘elevator speech’ in preparation for meeting people who can help you in your career.

Five Important Things Every Actor Must Do – Part 2

Create a Focused Career Strategy

If you had all the time and all the money in the world, how would you structure your day to meet your daily, monthly and yearly goals? What would be your acting goals?

Simply having dreams and ideas won’t go anywhere without action. And without focus, the bigger picture, then the smaller goals just looks like a bunch of ideas on paper. Like starting any career, you must have a roadmap. Beginning, middle, end – just like in a story. What is your story and how do you want to be the leading man/woman in your own life?

I was asked that once when I felt I was at a dead end. I never really thought about that before, but it made sense. Instead of waiting for someone else to give me a job, a role, a career, I would figure out what I needed to do to realize that dream. First step, write it down. What-do-I-want? It’s a simple question, but so many times we just don’t take the time to ask ourselves this important question. It does two things. One, it helps us focus on the bigger picture, enabling us to break it down into bite-size chunks; realistic items that can be tackled one at a time. The second thing it does is tell you what you don’t want – and that’s half the battle. Time is short and isn’t it more important to spend our time and money focused on reaching our individual goals to enable us to realize our big picture?

Rather than spinning our wheels going from one ‘hot’ thing to another just to get somewhere or something? A job, a contact, a resume credit – anything that validates that we are doing ‘something’ with our careers! I was at a workshop once where the instructor told us that we are like a table with four legs and when one of those legs is week, and then the entire table is unstable. Those four legs can represent anything you want; finances, spirituality, career, family, love/relationships etc. – but all four must be in perfect alignment if the table is to be stable. Remember, if you want to make significant and progress in life, if it’s what you want, then all your goals must feed into your focus and you must take the steps to take action on the goals you have written down.

Life does get in the way and can throw us off track. It happens. But, just like trying to stay on a diet and being tempted by that large, greasy, awesome piece of cheese pizza; life will tempt you away from your goals and focus because at times, it will seem insurmountable, difficult and challenging. This is why you must have a greater focus, a purpose if you will, of why you want to do what you want to do. Once you define this, only then, can you make magic happen. I believe you can do it all – but just not at the same time. Remember, you can change course, this isn’t set in stone – it’s your life. And just like last week’s post on Defining Your Product – this is your life and you are the leading woman/man in your life.

Check out my Online Teaching courses that can help you make goals and reach your intended focus.

Next week learn how to Build a Strong Professional Network.

Five Important Things Every Actor Must Do – Part 1

Define Your Product

Actors really forget they are a product to be sold. In whatever form, whether it’s a commercial, a movie or a stage piece. You are an integral part of the story being told and it’s up to you to package yourself to meet the needs of the casting director, producer and director. And while you can’t be all things to all people – you must tap into what makes you unique, what gifts you have to offer, what your ‘niche’ is and how you can best sell that package to those who are looking for you.

Tools are needed in order to sell this package. Marketing tools that will help sell your brand. These come in the form of the headshot, the resume, the demo reel. These are the basic things you as an actor will need to sell yourself, get an agent or a manager, get an audition and book a job. The thing is you must align these tools to represent the best of who you are. Reveal your identity, be open and vulnerable – not closed of and ‘playing’ a version of yourself. You must reveal the real thing, something that sets you apart from all the other actors out there.

Your training and craft are very important, but you also must have a unique identity that sets your talents apart. Once you find that and align the two, you are light years ahead of everyone else.

How do you do this? Look at other actors past or present that you feel you represent. Ask your friends and family if they agree. You look like…or you act like… or if people are constantly telling you that you remind them of (some actor/actress), then start looking at their career, what kinds of jobs they have done and see if that ‘type’ is what you can shape yourself after. I’m not telling you to go in acting, talking and looking like a young Robert DeNiro. What I am suggesting is that if you are that ‘type’ of actor, those types of roles he does is most likely what you’ll be booked for. So focus your efforts in that area, rather than say – a Shakespearean career.

Check out my Online Teaching courses that can help you define your product and get your marketing tools together that will bring out your unique self.

One Day On Earth – A Filmmakers Opportunity

An amazing opportunity for filmmakers to get involved.

Join us on 10.10.10 for an unprecedented event.
Every Nation, 24 hours, and You.

Across the planet, documentary filmmakers, students, and inspired citizens will record the human experience over a 24-hour period. By participating in this historic event, you will help capture the diversity of life and culture on this planet. Together we will create a document that is a gift to the world.

One Day on Earth is a documentary and new media project about the amazing diversity, conflict, tragedy, and triumph that occurs in one 24-hour period on Earth. More than a film, One Day on Earth is a multi-platform participatory media project. The flagship of this project is a 120-minute documentary to be released theatrically. Through the One Day on Earth platform we will establish a community that not only watches, but participates.

Keeping Your Blog Regular in 5 Easy Lessons

If you aren’t regularly communicating with your subscribers, it’s not a great way to build brand, trust, relationship, familiarity – it means that when you do send something it’s less likely to be read.

People forget they subscribed, people are more likely to view you with suspicion, people could feel slighted.

Some might call it letting your list go ‘cold‘ – I call it a big mistake. This applies to newsletters, blogs, RSS feeds and social media, such as your Twitter account as well.

1. Don’t take on more than you have

There are only so many hours in the day and the temptation in this game is to commit to every single social media outlet out there and be in too many places at once – Newsletters, Facebook, LinkedIn…and if you have more than one blog, then forget about getting home by dinner time. In most cases, it’s better to do a few things well than do too many things poorly.

2. Being regular is more important than higher frequency

Whatever you determine your frequency is at the outset…once a day, once a week, once a month – stick to it. Bloggers tend to get in trouble when they start at one level then change their frequency, as it will aggravate some of your readers. It’s also going to have a detrimental impact on your business, how you manage your time and build trust. You want to sustain relationships with your readers, not turn them off with too frequent posts. Write something amazing and leave them wanting more, don’t inundate them with mediocre information or they’ll go into overload mode. Or worse, they’ll stop reading.

3. Under promise and over deliver

This is an easy one. Idealistically decided what is the ‘minimum’ you can do, then stick with it. If you suddenly get inspired to write more blogs, then write them, but publish them with the same frequency you started with. And always be aiming for sustainable posts, returning readers, loyal clients and informed audience members.

4. Have a game plan and stick to a schedule

This business can be very impulsive – hurry up and get out there! But you will find if you design a schedule within your already busy day to dedicate time to write a blog and then stick to those deadlines – this includes for all newsletters, blog posts, rss feeds, forum interaction, and social media interactions, etc. you will be a much happier camper. You might not still achieve them all, but having a tangible schedule gives you some sense organization. Without this, all will eventually fall by the way side as more and more daily fires consume your time.

5. Have a management system in place

Someone or something. An email reminder. A Blackberry reminder. Post-it notes on your computer screen. Whatever format works best for you, but keep it consistent and keep it visible. It does no good to write it down in a calendar or journal notebook if it stays closed inside your briefcase all day. You may also find you need a reminder for your reminder. Something before you go to bed, something in the morning reminding you of the last reminder and then perhaps 15 minutes before the task is due. It will keep you on track, and an electronic system is much cheaper than a fancy assistant reminding you all the time – even though it won’t yet bring you coffee.

– this is a repost from my original post at SiliconBeachTraining.co.uk

Jodi Nelson is an independent artist, filmmaker and actor from Los Angeles, currently doing her PhD at the University of Sussex in Brighton in Digital Technology, Social Media and the Emerging, Alternative Documentary Filmmaking Production Methodologies. She loves chatting with her pals in the states on Facebook and thinks Skype was invented by the Gods. Her mom thinks so too – now that she knows how to use it.