Be More Than Just A Pretty Face

Dear Models, Actors, Hosts, Comedians, and Newbies:

...in other words, please do not depend solely on your looks when it comes to trying to book gigs.

You are not respecting your craft if you do not prepare or at least are willing to learn so that you're on your A-Game when presenting yourself. And I get that some are born with natural Talent and looks. But even the talented and beautiful can use some sort of training and structure.

Being THAT Talent who isn't open to try new things or open to constructive criticism is not who we want to work with or hire. If you respect the craft, you have to nurture it. Be open. Be flexible. Research. Watch who is doing what you want to do and do it better or do it in your own way. But don't sit on your ass relying on the hook up or someone to book you directly because you look good.

Making yourself better can actually make you more marketable and more money! Cha-Ching! And sometimes work means working on yourself to get work and more work...and there's nothing wrong with that.

Sooooooo...

• Work on those facial expressions, poses, hand gestures, and/or diction. 
• Work out, try a new hair style or cut. Take new photos. Test the waters! 
• Follow up on leads. Ask for help. 
• Practice! 
• Got a camera? No? Borrow one. Have a friend do a mock interview of you and watch yourself.
• Interview a friend and watch yourself interviewing them.
• Go to an actual magazine shop or book store and buy some different magazines and books for inspiration on facial expressions, poses...and learn a little about body language.
• You have a fave doing what you want to do? Google them! See what has them working and try to implement what they're doing in your strategy.

You have to empower yourself. Invest in yourself...unless you're trying to stay local and known only to your crew of friends....and there's nothing wrong with being local. But don't complain if and when others are doing big and bigger things while you stay unknown.

It's really simple. You want more? Do more!

That's all I've got!

Good luck. Get booked!

Sincerely,

C.M.J

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....NO!

Hey, there...hey!

For those of you who want to be on-camera for anything...Reality TV, Acting, Hosting, Improv, News Anchoring, Public Speaking, Comedy, or Oral Interpretation of Literature in the park...

You rrrrrrrrrrreally must get "umm" out of your vocab.

ASAP-IDLY!

I don't think you realize you do it or how much you do! Umm in between breaths, in between sentences and random words...umm as a place setting until the next thought.

Ummmmmmmmm!

It's comforting, right? It gives you a minute to catch up to your thoughts. It's a cushion for your brain farts. It's also second nature to a lot of people. 

I get it!

But that damn UMMM is also distracting. It makes you sound unsure and insecure. It makes it difficult for editing. And too many of them sound annoying. It's the devil!

TRUST ME ON THIS!

Start to pay attention to your words. Try to see if you can catch some of those umms you let run wildl! Make a deal with yourself to stop them right in their tracks. You'll be surprised how often you say it! I even say it, umm, all the time, umm but umm er umm...I'm not Talent ;)

Practice reading out loud. Practice saying your own words out loud. Ask friends who support your on-camera endeavors to help you catch those filthy Ummms!

Filth! Filth! Filth!

You don't want those umms at your interviews, on your reel, on stage or on screen. 

Umm, nope!

Don't let them to accompany you on auditions or meetings with Casting Directors, Agents, Producers or Directors. No way! You don't want the person who can Book you to meet umm either!

#Nope

And listen...don't try to psych yourself into just using umm around your friends and fam. 

Nooooooooo!

You want umm gone! BYE! Why? Because once you form that bad habit, it'll be difficult to shake it.

So no umms in 2015 and beyond!

Take some Speech, Diction and Accent Reduction classes while you're at it! 

Yes...ALL UH DAT!

Classes and workshops can help with umm and other speaking "issues" you've picked up along the years. What you'll learn will help with auditions and delivery once that gig is booked!

Ummm k?  

Now go get booked!

CMJ

3 Critical Questions For Choosing Your Best Headshots

Your head shot is an essential tool for getting work but you should also think of it as an investment. You can’t just ask a friend to take a photo of you sitting on your couch and expect a good response. You will need to hire an experienced photographer who knows how take head shot photos.

Considering how cheap digital photos are, photographers these days typically take hundreds of photos in one sitting.  Out of that, you will need to choose the best 1, 2 or 3. However, the one you like the most might not be the one that attracts talent agents.

So how do you choose the right head shot?  Use these 3 questions to help:

1.  Is the photo technically perfect?

Believe it or not, your favorite photo might not be technically correct.  You might have moved without thinking about it, the lighting is off, or a hair is distractingly out of place. These are things the photographer should catch, but they may not. Make sure the head shot you are considering is technically flawless. 

Areas to play extra close attention to are:

• Look for the photo to be in focus, especially on your face.
• Is it free of white, shiny, hot spots from the lighting, like on your forehead or your nose?
• Are there any stray hairs or lint somewhere that will draw the talent agent’s eyes from your face to the mistake?

Any time you answer “yes” to these questions, you have to reject the photo or get it touched up in Photoshop or at the lab.  Talent agents receive dozens of head shots a day and are looking for reasons to throw them out.  Don’t let poor technical quality be the reason yours is “filed” in the trash.

2.  Does the head shot make you castable by entertainment industry professionals while also representing you at your best?

The headshot must make it clear how to Cast you.  Talent agents need to be able to sell you for specific kinds of roles, so your head shot needs to reflect that type. For example, if you are looking to be cast as a villain or antagonist, don’t pick a photo of you smiling.  No one photo can be all sides of an actor, but if you think about what roles you want to get, that will make it easier to choose.

Ultimately, your head shot has to look like you and capture your essence in the eyes of professionals. Your photographer should help you during the photo shoot to get your best look. Don’t be afraid to ask their opinion on which option expresses you best, as they often have a good sense of what Casting and talent agents are looking for.

3.  Do you feel like it represents “you?”

Since you will be sending out hundreds of these photos, and they will be the first contact for many of the talent agents who receive it, you need to feel good about the head shot.

Don’t choose one that you have concerns about, such as how you just hate your hair fixed that way, or you think it’s a bad angle on your nose. This photo represents you and your talent!  It should have your good thoughts toward it, too.

You need to feel as confident about the head shot as you do about your acting ability. Choose a photo that makes you proud when you send out your cover letter mailing to talent agents and managers. You want the real inner “you” to come through so that it sets you apart in some unexplainable way.  Yes the photo must do the job in what it looks like, but that eternal quality that represents the “you” beyond what we see must also come through. If you don’t like a photo, there’s a good chance it’s not the right one.  Pick one that you like that industry professionals also like.

If you take these three questions into account and can answer them in the positive way, you are well on your way to choosing a great headshot for you!

via Smart Girls Productions. Order their Hollywood Headshot Handbook ebook:  http://smartg.com/buzz/hollywood-headshots/

So good luck and get booked!

CMJ