SUZANNE SENA'S HOSTING WORKSHOP

I have been working as an actor and spokesperson for several years and had just begun to dabble in the hosting world when I came across an email from Carolyne Barry, the woman who really got my career started commercially and whom I trust immensely. She was offering a new class, Suzanne Sena's Hosting Class. So I checked out Suzanne and she has had a tremendous hosting career www.suzannesena.com. I wanted to learn a little about how she has such poise, confidence, and heart as an on-air personality that has given her such a quality career. I also wanted to get a bit of that for myself!

So I took the course. It was seven weeks long and had each week focusing on a different hosting specialty (press jnkets, morning show, infomercial, entertainment reporting, expertise hosting, etc.). I also got a high-quality professional copy shot on a green screen of my best script from class to add to my reel. AND the final week of class is with a prominent hosting casting director. Pretty much everything I could have asked for in a hosting class at this early stage of my game in that world. Two thumbs up on this class in my book!

(for information about future workshops click here)

- Shannon O'Dowd

THE ACTORS NETWORK

I've mentioned a few organizations on this blog, surprised I haven't mentioned this one yet. If it's not on your radar it should be. Here is the intro from their website along with a video worth watching. A little long, but great, insightful info.

The Actors Network is a unique, award winning organization which helps actors with the business half of the acting profession. Actors, in all stages of their career, can get to the next level using the benefits, tools, and expertise provided by membership. Since its founding in 1991 The Actors' Network remains the only organization of its kind in the world. The Actors' Network has dozens of successful alums and members, from Masi Oka (Heroes), Christopher Gorham (Ugly Betty), Tamara Braun (Days of Our Lives) and Amir Talai (The Ex List, CBS Fall 2008)! The Actors' Network is the on-going beacon of knowledge, harnessed and presented by veteran leaders, that no university nor class offers. Knowledge is power!

- Scott Young
Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

CAREER TRAINING FOR ACTORS

When I told my parents I was moving to LA, they thought I was nuts. Of course, I wasn't going to do the stereotypical acting thing... no... not me. Rather I was going to play drums in a rock band. Certainly a much more refined and stable career path then then trying to be an actor! My point is, I can relate to the fear and anxiety of pursuing a career most will call you crazy to embrace. However the more you treat it like a career, and not a "hobby" or something you're dabbling in, the more serious people will take you, and the more successful you will be.

You need to at least be aware of the options out there so you can do this effectively. Even those of you who got an acting degree at college, once you make the move to Los Angeles, or New York, will quickly realize that, at best, you have a basic education that needs to be enhanced, fine tuned, or perhaps put aside (now that you have access to stronger acting teachers/ programs).

Here is a quick overview of professional training for actors.
Acting/ Scene Study - This is really where you start. A good scene study class gives you the fundamentals, and helps you build a solid foundation from which to start growing as an actor. There are several popular acting methods, and hundreds of programs out there. Selecting the right program/ method may take some time, and I'll discuss in other entries.

Improvisation - is a must for all actors. It helps you feel more comfortable regardless of what situation you are in as an actor, and thus enhances your ability to do better auditions. Even when given a script to follow, there is room for you to be creative... and if your improv skills are in peak form, you will be able to take advantage of this.

Commercial Audition Technique - To most peoples surprise, commercial auditions are considered to be the most difficult to do in the industry. This is mainly because the actor has so little to work with. If you can master the commercial audition, then TV and Film auditions become much easier.

Cold Reading Technique - Cold Reading classes prepare you for TV and Film auditions. the instructor helps you analyse the material, break it down and make strong choices for you character and approach.

Speech, Accent, Dialect - If you have an accent, it can be very limiting, so this kind of training is obvious. Beyond that, consider how important your speech is to how you are perceived. Cate Blanchett comes to mind, from "The Gift" to "The Aviator" to "The Lord of the Rings", she has such a command of her voice... and it brings such depth to the characters she plays.

Specialty Workshops Soaps - Sitcom - Comedy - Theatre - Stand-up Comedy - Voice Over - Character Voices - Hosting
Once you have a feel for what your strengths are, then take a workshop (as specific as you can) for that skill. Each little corner of the industry has it's own preferences... rules... short cuts... do's and don'ts. Specialty workshops can really give you a ton of information, in a short amount of time, and create some great momentum.

One final note... training should never really stop. Maybe you take a break here and there, but its' always good to continue to develop your skills and/or sharpen the ones you have. I know a few actors who dismiss the importance of training because they've managed to book a few things here and there. I think this is a mistake, and ultimately limits your options in the big picture.

This entry was inspired by Carolyne Barry's book Hit The Ground Running.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

THANK YOU'S

I saw something on Alex'sinfo about this topic. Do you send a "thank you" to casting directors, agents etc. The answer is YES in my opinion. As I talked about in the "Doing the Hustle" entry on this blog, A lot of times in this town you just have to be on someone's radar so they think of you in the future. In other words, you don't have to slam them with job inquiries or multiple reels/ headshots etc. just keep and touch and follow through. You never know where the next opportunity will come from.

Sending a thank you post card, or even an EM, shows at the very least you are plugged into your career and serious enough to make the effort. I find myself on a lot of Email lists, and actors are constantly sending me updates about where they are or what they are doing. Chances are, I will not check out someone's play, or tune at 8 to see your guest spot on How I Met Your Mother. However it reminds me of who you are, and that can be huge. It's all timing... I get some story boards in for something, I'm working away, and then I see an email from an actor I've worked with a few years ago about... something.. and "Hey, this might be good for them" bam, you're on my list that I send my casting director who is busy wrangling up talent for the first call.

I also have to say that I enjoy getting thank you's from actors because I SEND THANK YOU'S to MY CLIENTS. So, I can relate to an actor handling their career this way... it's what I do as well:).

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

SCENE BITES WAS GREAT!

Last Friday I attended Scene Bites, an event featuring new and upcoming talent in the Larry Moss Studio program. Scene Bites is directed by Michelle Danner, and is kind of a "showcase" of scenes her students develop in class. There are a lot of acting programs out there, and many of them do have some kind of "showcase" event or night... however Scene Bites is several nights, and always seems to play in front of a full house.
As I've said before, I love the opportunity that the larry moss studio creates for their actors. It's a great program and should be on everybody's radar.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

YOU NEED A REEL ASAP

Casting directors are looking more and more at online reels because, with a click of the mouse, they can! Remember, their job depends on getting quality talent into an audition for their client, so anything that helps them make an informed decision about an actor is helpful. The headshot is still the first impression... but can only do/say so much. A good reel shows your abilities first hand, and let's the casting director know you are "for real". A working actor who has accumulated some experience under their belt.

When I talk about getting something on your reel, it doesn't have to be any longer then a 15 - 45 second clip from a scene. Shorter is Better! You simply want to give people a convincing taste of a character you are doing. There are companies that will help you shoot a scene (commercialsuccess is one of them)... but if you are a little resourceful, and want to learn about the process of film making, it's a great excuse to do it yourself.

You can see the blog entry 3.11.09 about "editing your reel" for more details about how a reel should flow.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

So a few years ago I had this idea for a cartoon... sort of a "Far Side" but the humor would be inspired by this wacky business we are in. Finally I got together with a storyboard artist and knocked a couple of them out. It was going to be a promotional thing to do every month, but I never followed through with it. Perhaps I'll pick it up again someday... but here's a sample. Happy Halloween!

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

WHERE THE FUTURE IS HEADED

I have an earlier post about a campaign I directed back in June. Click this link and you will see how it all came together "online". We shot everything, including the web elements and 3 broadcast commercials (not on the site). The buzz word in advertising is "Branding"... but you can call it virals, content, etc.
The idea was to introduce 3 different inventors who use alibaba.com in "mockumentary" style so the audience would think these could be real people.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

DOING THE HUSTLE

I actually shot a bunch of conceptual "comedy" ish campaigns for Hustler Hollywood... but this is not one of them :)!

I'm not a schmoozer, or a fantastic social network kind of guy... but I do make an effort at least to do the obvious. People constantly say it's "who you know"... which in some cases is true, but what I never liked about this statement is that it implies you have to already know them... it says nothing about "meeting them". It should be "It's who you meet and follow up with". Case and point, a few years ago I was at a friends birthday party... not at all in networking mode. Suddenly I was pulled into a conversation about commercials, and I met a young woman who worked for "Hustler Hollywood", the retail store branch of the Larry Flynt empire. She explained they wanted to do a broadcast TV campaign for the stores but didn't know where to start. I'm not an ad agency, but I do direct commercials, so I gave her my card and told her to call me on Monday so we could discuss... not thinking that much about it. A few days went by, and I started to feel like I should have gotten her number or email or something. One phone call to a mutual friend and I had her EM address.

I sent a link of my work along with my contact info, and then felt at least I had given this opportunity 100%. I got a response quickly from her saying she would pass it along, and 2 HOURS LATER my phone rang with an unrecognizable area code. The next thing I knew, I was talking to Jimmy Flynt Jr., Larry Flynts Nephew, who was in charge of the HH stores. A week later I was on a plane to Kentucky (on my own nickel) with story boards to pitch a campaign to Jimmy Jr. This is not what a commercial director usually does (the campaign is usually created by the agency) but the opportunity was real, and I stepped up. This led to a 2 year run with Hustler Hollywood. It wasn't the financial bonanza I had hoped for, but we did make some good money and had a lot of fun creating and executing the campaigns.

How does this relate to you? When you take a class and there is a guest teacher, send a "Thank You" em to that person. Put them on your EM list so you can inform them of any showcases or shows you are doing. When someone casually mentions "you should meet so and so".... follow up, don't let it slide. A lot of times in this town you just have to be on someone's radar so they think of you in the future. In other words, you don't have to slam them with job inquiries or multiple reels/ headshots etc. just keep and touch and follow through. You never know where the next opportunity will come from.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

SCENE BITES!

There are a lot of "showcase" acting programs out there. One of the most successful in my opinion is Edgemar's "Scene Bites". The Larry Moss Studio (Creative Director Michelle Danner) takes scenes from class and makes a showcase night out of it. This is not a new concept, however "Scene Bites" is not a one night event, it's usually between 3 - 5 nights spread out over a week or two. They do aggressive promotion for it, sell tickets, and create a buzz many industry professionals respond to.

It's going on this week, and next week. If you are an actor curious about the Larry Moss acting program, it's worth checking out. I'm going myself, and will follow up in the blog.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

LYNDA.COM

This kind of goes along with media networking. Have you ever wanted to learn HOW to use programs like Photoshop? Final Cut Pro? Aftereffects? Iweb? etc. If you ever try to learn these programs by reading a manual, you will go insane.

Lynda.com is an amazing website that is loaded with quicktime tutorials for hundreds of applications. It's like taking a class... well, better then taking a class because everything is broken down into easy to find segments... so you go at your own pace. You may want to explore editing your own reels, short films, or retouching your own photographs, designing your own website. Lynda.com takes the mystery and frustration out of learning new applications and empowers you to creatively handle more things in your career. It's something like $25 a month... but they have several different options... and once you are up and running on a program, you can certainly unsubscribe. I wanted to share this in the blog because it rocked me through photoshop at lightning speed, and I'm constantly bopping back on the site to learn more, or refresh my memory on certain things.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

MEDIA NETWORKING

I just went to an event sponsored by BLOG OUT LOUD which inspired this entry. The blog, website, facebook... even twitter. We all need to pay attention to the roll these tools are playing in how we network professionally. Make sure you are diligent in not being left behind as this trend screams forward. I think this breaks down into 2 categories for actors. 1. Opportunities to create a buzz (get attention) and 2. Creating a living resume you can send people to. You don't have to do the first one... but the second one is critical. Every actor should have a personal website at this point. Iweb makes creating a website easy, and there are several other quick "website" services out there to take advantage of if need be. Headshots, resume, video reel, and contact info is all you really need. The easier the better. Casting directors are more diligent about looking at reels and visiting websites and it also helps your agent. It's just another resource to help "sell" you or market you.

I have my work on a big production company website (as a director), but I also have a more personal site that comes in handy. Many times I'll send people to that site first as it gives them an immediate impression of who I am and the kind of work I do. Also the personal site allows me to update things myself easily.

Creating a buzz is also good. I started this blog for both personal and business reasons. I was curious about the format, I wanted information (that I often teach) to also be available (or archived) online, and I wanted to bring attention to my headshot photography company. Read about Alexandra Raines on this blog as well... she created "alex'sinfo.com", another great example of someone helping others while getting attention as an actor. Most importantly, be informed about how people are marketing themselves and try and take advantage of it in your own career.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

DIRECTORS SWEAT IT OUT TOO!

Whether it's feature films or commercials, there is a selection process that happens where a studio, or advertising agency, are combing through reels, making conference calls, reviewing production companies (in the commercial world), and reading director treatments. I'm going to talk specifically about the commercial directors process since that is what I am most familiar with.

Ad agency producers seek out director reels and production companies to execute a campaign. The reels (now usually just links) come from sales reps, executive producers, or other contacts the agency producer may have. Each link is usually put together in a custom fashion for the project at hand. This was not the norm a few short years ago, but with the ease of internet it is now the expected. In a way, this the same as an actor's "first call"...or even headshot.

Eventually the ad agency selects approx 3 to 6 directors/production companies they want to speak with. The conference call for a director is like a "call back" for actors. This is where a director really has to shine and make an impression. Just like with casting, sometimes the simplest things can make all the difference and usually we (the director) are in the dark about what the agency is "really" looking for. (Sound familiar?!). Once the call is over, the director writes a treatment and the producer puts together a budget ("bidding" the job). We send this in and then we wait it out.

The preparation I do for a conference call inspired a comedic short film called... of course... "The Conference Call"...take a look! Anyway, the point of this entry was to help actors understand that the director judging you is no stranger to being judged. Not taking it personal is key, and I feel I become better at calls and treatments the more I do... even if I don't get the job.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

ALEX'S INFO!

I recently became aware of actor Alexandra Raines. She has started a service for actors that I think is great! It's called Alexsinfo.com, and it's a free daily email for actors with the best information and resources on everything from castings, classes, marketing to traffic and lifestyle. Many of the resources offer discounts and specials exclusive to alexsinfo.com members -all in the hopes of helping actors build their careers. The mission of Alexsinfo.com is to keep you up-to-date on all the information, resources and research you may not have time to do in a way that is accessible and easy to understand. Alex enjoys sharing information and referrals about all the products and services available in and around Los Angeles - as well as giving you the opportunity to share your services. To check out the website go to www.alexsinfo.com and sign up to receive daily emails.
This is a wonderful example of being proactive in your career, and at the same time doing your best to help others. Alexandra's Karma must be in a strong orbit! I urge everyone to sign up, or at least check it out.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

HOSTING WORKSHOP

As a director I've shot many "spokesperson" campaigns. It is a specific skill, different from traditional character acting. The ability to look into the lens and connect with people is arguably one of the most difficult thing an actor/personality must do.

If you are considering a career in hosting, or want to seriously brush up on your spokesperson skills (for commercials etc.) then definitely check out this workshop. The quicktime above is a great introduction to the program and instructor (television/news personality Suzanne Sena.) Her reel fricken rocks! When a workshop, class, or seminar is taught by someone who is out there doing it... you always get so much more from the experience.

The workshop itself is offered by Carolyne Barry who writes:

"For many years, I have often been asked by students and agents about offering a HOSTING WORKSHOP. It was a natural extension of the programs I currently offered. But, in order to present one that would provide the best training available for this expanding venue, I had to:
• Offer an ultra qualified, kick-ass teacher
• Create a program that would offer more than anything that was
currently available. One that truly produced results and was not
quick overview of information.
• Only enroll the right number of students to give every person enough
time on camera.
• Offer eight workshop sessions that would give the students enough
practice time to own the training they receive.
• And offer it all at a fair price.

Well, I am ready. I am very excited to announce the addition of television host, news personality and teacher. Suzanne Sena to my staff" - Carolyne Barry

For more information clicke HERE. It starts Sept. 23, so if this is your thing then go for it!

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

A CASTING POV

Thankfully I've been busy, and I wanted to share a project i shot back in June. Lately branding, or online material is becoming more important... or JUST as important as any 30 second broadcast commercial. I've shot a few projects now where we are doing commercials, webisodes, and even print campaigns all at the same time! I personally enjoy this trend because I get to work outside the :30 format.

For actors, this means I've been casting projects where there ability to improv and be creative on the spot. We cast the following spot by asking them questions about their invention, and then having them read the commercial script. I've included the original casting session along with the finished branding video... You can see how free form the casting really was. It's also helpful to see who DIDN"T get picked (Which I do whenever I teach) but that's a little harder to pull off on a public blog. Enjoy!





Got HEADSHOTS?!

WHAT CASTING DIRECTORS SAY

A few years ago I interviewed several casting directors in preparation for my seminar. I found it very interesting, and take note of what feedback over laps. They are talking about specifically about commercial auditions... Here's what they said:

MICHAEL LIEN
(Lien Cowan Casting, now retired)
“Commercials are the grassroots of our industry. I have seen a lot of successful actors go on to do series and feature work. I think this is because commercial actors learn to sharpen their instincts, allowing them to pick up things quickly and make smart decisions. Thus, when they go in to read for a series or feature they have been seasoned by the commercial auditioning process. It’s really a great proving ground”
• Know when to leave the room, don’t ask to do things over and over again.
• Listen before you start asking questions.
• Make sure the head shot still resembles you.
• Don’t lie on your resume
• Don’t list your commercial credits on a resume (it will work against you)
• Be able to improv or tell an interesting story when casting for commercials that have no dialog.
• If you have a physical tick you do really well, make it work for you as much as you can.

ROSS LACY
(Ross Lacy Casting)
“It’s important actors remind themselves to listen to direction. Many times they get all caught up in the excitement of what their doing and forget to listen first.”
• When auditioning, stay in the moment and try to keep it real.
• Treat a commercial audition as if going up for a film role. Take it seriously, because commercials are deceivingly difficult.
• Remember, we’re looking for one or two key seconds in a performance that hit a certain emotion.
• Read through the script and try and visualize the entire commercial, from there you can break it down and start to make choices.

BRIDGET MCBRIDE
(McBride Casting) an ex-actor, Bridget has been casting for over 10 years)
“You need to have a life beyond acting. I can always tell the needy, self absorbed people from the interesting ones. Work on yourself, pursue other interests, try and be a well rounded person and it will show up in your audition.”
• This sounds trivial, but please be on time. It only takes a couple of people showing up late to throw the entire day out of sync.
• While your sitting around, instead of whining about it, use this time to PREPARE and GET FOCUSED. Overall, people “wing-it” way too much. Don’t be one of them
• Go to Commercial classes.
• It’s so important to develop your improv skills
• After a callback, don’t take it personally

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

HIT THE GROUND RUNNING

Carolyne Barry, long time actor and teaching guru, has just published her book "Hit The Ground Running". I'll give a more detailed review once I've actually read through the book, but in just looking at the website, and knowing Carolyne like I do, I can easily say this would be a great investment for actors... ESPECIALLY new ones.

Many of you know Carolyne already, through reputation or taking one of her many classes. I've had the pleasure to teach for her on occasion, and every now and then will actually sit in on a class to brush up on my directing skills. Her experience in the business, and teaching the business (both the craft and everything else that goes with it) is extensive to say the least. She has put 5 years into writing this book, and all of her vast experience, so check it out!

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

AUDITION CREED

This is something I used to include in my seminar booklet... I thought I would post here. The idea was you could review this before your audition to get in a good head space. The biggest point here is something I've mentioned in previous posts regarding rejection. It says "I know the people making the decision are not rejecting me, they are simply picking someone else." Sounds so basic, but if you start taking this personally it will drive you crazy!

Here is it.. the "Audition Creed"

• I’ve taken the time to break down the script, make choices, dress for the part, I’M AS READY AS I CAN POSSIBLY BE.

• When I walk into the room, I need to let go of my preparation and TRUST the people I’m working with. They want me to do well because it makes them look good, so we are all working together for a common goal.
THEY ARE ON MY SIDE!

• I need to LISTEN to the people in the room first. This means not being rigidly attached to the choices I made in preparation and taking adjustments in stride.

• The reason I’m an actor is because I am passionate about it, I love to do it. I’m here to PLAY and BE CREATIVE. This is my time to block out the rest of the world, practice my craft, trust my instincts, and HAVE FUN.

• I’m grateful for this opportunity, because every time I go through the casting process I grow as an actor. Regardless of whether or not I get the job I know commercial auditions are the stepping stone to series and feature work.

• I know that there are many reasons I may not get this job that have nothing to do with my ability as an actor. I know the people making the decision are not rejecting me, they are simply picking someone else. Therefore I will not take their decision personally or dwell on things that are out of my control.

Hope this helps...

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

YOU'VE GOT 10 SECONDS

Due to the fact I've thankfully been working a lot (directing/editing), the blog has been a little neglected... so I'm going to do some catching up the next couple of weeks.

OK, I say this at all my seminars, and people are usually not happy to hear this. I usually know within 10 seconds if an actor is going to work for my project or not, at which point I'll either watch it all the way through OR press "SKIP" to the next person. This makes your first impression critical. In some cases, you simply don't look right for the roll... other then being aware of your type and what you go out for, this is beyond your control. However what is in your control is the quality of your auditions. Moment Before (in commercial auditions anyway) is the life you create before someone says action. It could be a physical thing, or maybe even dialog if it feels right. It gives you the opportunity to be creative and collaborate a bit with the script.

When I teach, I show people a casting tape of 5 women who were auditioning for the roll of "ZOO GIRL", a girl who works at the San Diego Zoo ticket booth. The script says "It's nighttime at the zoo, and there is a party like atmosphere". Most chose to ignore this set up, and stood in their "booth" waiting for the dialog to start. a couple of women (out of the 80 who auditioned) chose to break into some kind of dance, as if at a party. One of these two got the roll (For that and other reasons), and is a great demonstration of how you can stand out if you create the right opportunity for yourself.

It's hard to give examples in writing... but I think you get the idea. Remember the first 10 seconds are critical, and try your best to create a life before the actual dialog starts.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

RESEARCH WHILE YOU WAIT

I just taught another class for Carolyne Barry, and in the Q&A someone asked me about researching the director. In reality, you probably will not know who the director or production company is until you are in the waiting room. However, thanks to Iphones, and blackberry's and all that PDA stuff, chances are you can pop onto the internet and view a campaign, or a directors reel if you are a little resourceful. I would recommend spending most of your time prepping for the audition via the more traditional methods... but if you have the time, then why not.

Sometimes (not always) on the casting board you can see who the production company is as well as the director. If it's not listed, and you feel comfortable, then you can certainly ask the CD as well. Your best chance of seeing a commercial directors work is via the production companies website (which is usually a google away).

Just like Actors have "types" so do directors. There are all kinds of specialized directors... comedy, car, kids, food, sports, testimonial, spokesperson, fashion... etc. Therefore, if you are able to view a directors work it may help you see the tone in which they specialize, and perhaps see why THIS director was chosen to do this particular campaign by the Ad Agency. Better yet you may realize the commercial you are going out for is part of a past campaign, and that campaign already has a look and a feel to it that you can draw influence from.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

WOMEN IN FILM

Several years ago... before Youtube and 24 hour film festivals... I directed my first short film. I had been editing music videos and commercials up to that point, so knew very little about the short film market, how to submit to film festivals and all of that. I read somewhere that the WIF was having a "Short Film" discussion, complete with industry experts at their next meeting. When I realized the WIF was "Women In Film" I hesitated, but then decided to call and ask if I... being a guy... could go there. Looking back, a rather brave thing to do I think, but off I went.

I remember learning quite a bit about short films, AND that being in a room full of strong, motivated women is... interesting:) There was a group dynamic I had not experienced, they were talking about men, and men in the business with such openness... I felt at one point they were going to see me huddled in the corner and attack! It was all in good fun, and the short film I directed (Shooting Star) went on to screen at Sundance and all over the world!

ANYWAY, this is how I came to know WIF, and felt any woman in film would find it a great resource. Check it out...
Women In Film

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

REJECTION ISN'T REJECTION

After 2 callbacks, Tim did not get the gig... he does not know why. He complains to his scotch, but it's of little comfort. Soon Tim will be angry, bitter, and drunk wandering around the streets wondering why he wants to be an actor.

Rejection in this industry is not really Rejection. What I mean is, WE NEVER "REJECT" YOU... WE SIMPLY DON'T PICK YOU. There is big difference, and if you realize this you gain helpful perspective on how casting decisions are made. One of the most liberating things for an actor is to watch a casting tape of other actors. It doesn’t matter if it’s for a diet pill or a guest appearance on ER… once you experience what it’s like to watch so many different people approach the same material, you realize how subjective it all is. Every person has their own look, vibe, hair color, skin color, etc. No two actors come across “the same” way. In fact many times the choice comes down to minor details and preferences..

Your goal is to get a callback. That means that you connected with someone on some level and they want to get a closer look. If your not getting a healthy percentage of callbacks then something is wrong. Either your going out for the wrong parts, or you need to work on your acting skills. On the other hand, if you find yourself going to a fair amount of call backs and not quite closing the deal…. It could be any number of things beyond your control (see earlier entry "why didn't they pick me") So remember, that feeling of rejection is an illusion you are investing in... there is nothing personal in any of this... it simply was not your job to book.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

WHERE IS THE LENS?

This is a quick entry, to be filed under obvious BUT important. Always be aware of the camera and your position/eye-line in relationship to lens. If you are doing an audition solo, and they don't give you a specific eye-line, then pick a point as close to the lens possible without actually looking into it. If you are off to one side of the camera, even slightly, then aim your eye-line across the lens. In other words, if the camera is slightly to your left, then send your eye-line to the far left of the lens.

In a scene with another person, always angle yourself as much as you can towards camera, send your performance into the lens. Basically think about how much more powerful a close-up front shot is to a medium-shot profile. Obviously you have no control over how the shot is framed, but the energy of your performance is always more powerful the tighter the shot, the closer the eye-line. Keep that in mind especially on your first calls where eye-line direction from the camera operator or casting director is often not mentioned.

Also in a call back, directors will notice if you seem oblivious to the camera... facing away, or looking way off lens. This is not all that uncommon, especially when doing a scene with another person... however, it does scream "Newbee". All common sense, but easy to forget.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

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Shameless plug in the middle of the blog :)

ACTING WITHOUT DIALOG

I get asked a lot about the "no dialog" audition. The question is usually "What the hell am I suppose to do?". Non dialog auditions usually break down into two categories... 1. "Just Action" and 2. "Getting to know you".

"Just action" is something like... "Ok you sit down, turn on the TV... and you're surprised at what you see, not shocked... but just surprised". The best plan of attack on things like this is to ask yourself "WHERE AM I". Yes, a standard acting approach... but seriously... "WHERE ARE YOU?" And answer it down to the most specific detail. Create a 4th wall with substance, with meaning, make it crazy real to you. Subtle is NOT easy, if you are in your head it will not feel genuine. So create in great detail the room, is it carpet, or wood floor, what kind of TV is it, is it mounted on the wall, what's around it, are you on a couch, how does it feel, is it saturday afternoon, is it late evening, ALL of this is important. Then just exist in this world you created... don't TRY to exist in it, just exist in it.

When you are at home, what is the thinking process when you walk over to the couch and turn on the TV? For me, there is no thinking process... other then maybe , "I wonder what's on". Everything else... walking across the room, sitting down, picking up the remote, is on autopilot. I don't think at all about it... that's the key.

The "Getting to Know You" is when the action is so basic, they don't even bother having you do it, rather they ask you a bunch of questions to get a feel for who you are. This is your chance to impress, and any improv training really shines here. So be ready to be personable, fun, have a story, be interesting. If you haven't, take an improv class of course.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

LARRY MOSS IN ACTION

My last post was about Michelle Danner who is the Executive Creative Director at the Larry Moss Studio. Well, here's a GREAT clip of Larry himself I stumbled onto the other day. I've had the pleasure of interviewing Larry Moss a couple of times, and watching him work on one occasion, he definitely has some kind of Yoda thing going on that can't be denied. Check it out...

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

Got HEADSHOTS?!

MICHELLE DANNER INSPIRES

Michelle Danner is the executive creative director at the Larry Moss Studio. I've known her for years now, and have always been a fan of both her teaching technique, and her ability to push projects, actors, writers, artists to the next level with their work. When Michelle digs her heals in and focuses on something, it gets done! And it happens in the REAL world, in the industry, not just in class, or a one time showcase... she is about results that make careers, events, movies, theater productions happen.

A few years ago when Edgemar was officially opening their new space, Michelle asked me if I could help her film the event. I suggested maybe interviewing people, sort of "press junket" style in the back alley with a couple lights and a backdrop. Well, I didn't realize at the time who was showing up to this thing... it was surreal. I interviewed, in no particular order, Sally Field, Christian Slater, Steven Spielberg, Helen Hunt, and one of my favorite actors of all time... Julia Ormond to name just a few. It was bizarre to sit there and watch one high profile person after another get ushered through this banged up door into the alley for their interview. (you can see some of this footage on their homepage intro-video)

My point is, Michelle is hooked into an amazing group of talented people, and seems to maintain this relationship via the respect they have for her creative vision, and the many forms it takes on via the Larry Moss Studio. The best part is, the thunder she creates is very accessible to her students, they simply have to step up, show some initiative, and grab it.

I'm helping them put together a promotional video right now, that will feature little gems of wisdom like the video posted here.
Please take a second to get familiar with the Larry Moss Studio. There will be much more about Michelle in posts to come!

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

READING the COMMERCIAL SCRIPT

The commercial script is a tricky beast. It's so damn short... sometimes there are no lines, just reactions. As an actor you are presented with the challenge of making something out of very little. Where do you start? What do you do?

Step One... read the script. I'm sure many of you will say "Thanks a lot genius!", but I want to talk about HOW you read the script. First of all , take a second to appreciate the fact that this commercial script (despite being only 1 page) represents a lot of work. The advertising agency pitched and re-pitched... wrote and re-wrote for who knows how long. Certainly there are projects that get slammed together, but usually many hours have been spent creating the campaign you have in front of you. It represents a lot of commerce, and thousands... if not millions of dollars are invested in bringing this script to life.

Because there is so little information, you need to read EVERYTHING at least 3 times. Don't judge it, or make decisions about your acting yet, just read. The titles, the voice over, everything. If you read it once and miss something, (it could be only one word), it may effect how you understand the story and what your plan of attack will be. This happens more then you think, as a matter of fact, I used to fall into this trap as well. As a director, when I first got a script I would fly through it, and instantly start thinking about how to shoot it. Then at some point, I would realize I misread something that was critical to really understanding the full story or purpose. So, giving it a careful read, MULTIPLE times is critical.

Now, try to picture what the commercial will look like. Is it part of a campaign you're familiar with? What is the message... what is the tone? What is the product? Try to SEE it put together in your mind.

At this point, you are ready to start playing with the copy and your character. Sounds pretty basic, I know, but taking a little time with the script, showing it "more respect" if you will, can make all the difference in your audition. I'll just leave it at that... much more about auditions in past posts, and posts to come.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

DIRECTORS ARE FROM MARS

Directors come from different backgrounds, writers, art directors, special effects supervisors… or in my case, well... I played the drums. Therefore, many directors do not know how to talk to actors. It’s simply not their world, they never took an acting class nor pursued acting as a profession. Therefore, as an actor, you may find yourself with no feedback, OR too much detailed feedback from your director. (I'm speaking of commercials, but I'm sure it applies everywhere)

If a director says little to you, it probably means you are doing fine and they feel no need to mess with a good thing. This does not mean you can’t ask questions, or maybe explore on your own… depending on who the director is of course. On the other hand, you may find yourself in a situation where there are so many details being thrown at you, it gets overwhelming. Your acting starts to get very detached and robotic if you are not careful.

My point here is that YOU are responsible for your acting. YOU are your own department, and directors will rely on you to be an expert in your field, just like they rely on their DP’s, AD’s, Production Designers etc. If you are expecting the director to sound anything like your scene study teacher, you will most likely be disappointed. There are exceptions to this obviously, but certainly something to be ready for.

So what do you do when all attention is on you and nothing seems to be working? There’s no hard fast rules here, and all sets/ directors/ personalities are different, but here are some ideas. First of all, don’t panic or show your frustration. It’s just a problem, you simply have to work through it. If you are totally confused, then tell them you are confused and explain why. Try to keep it light and fun, at least within yourself. If you let the tension and stress effect you, things will only get worse. Be in the moment… listen… explore… and trust yourself as an actor to get there.

Moments like these are a test of your acting abilities in the REAL WORLD, not the calm acting class cocoons many of you (especially in LA) spend your time studying in… so embrace it and learn from it, even if it’s a miserable experience on the surface.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

WHAT EVERY ACTOR NEEDS TO KNOW

Financial Core (or Fi-Core). I wanted to put this in here because the point of this blog is to help actors get work, and sometimes the unions designed to protect actors actually prevent them from capitializing on opportunity. They do so in the name of the greater good, but it's important you know your options. Many of you know about Fi-Core, but if you don't... please read on.

Financial Core is a tricky thing, in short, if you are a union member (of any union) and you declare Financial Core, it enables you to do non-union work without leaving or violating the terms of your union agreement. The only catch is you give up some union rights (to the best of my knowledge, health care and pension are not one of them), and may fall victim to people who want to put you on a guilt trip for not being a team player. To be fair, if everyone went Fi-Core the unions would lose their leverage, so you can see how the issue of financial core can draw strong emotions from both sides of the fence.

Why Financial Core? I would probably avoid it if you can, but situations may occur where you need to give it hard look. For example, let's say you are offered a lead roll in a movie that will shoot in Thailand. Originally the producers were going to work with union talent, but realized to make it happen within their budget, non-union talent would have to be hired. They call you, or your manager up, what do you do? There are three options, 1. decline... 2. do it and hope no one finds out (I would not recommend this) or 3. declare financial core (if your union won't play ball with you or your producers). It's a personal choice, a choice you have to make based on your circumstances and where your career is at. That was a true story, and the actor actually turned down the work. I don't know him super well, but I remember his story haunted me. I'm not saying he should have gone fi-core, but to have to turn down that opportunity (when you are a struggling actor) is certainly a drag.
I think this logic also applies to what the union is doing (or isn't doing) to create a job friendly atmosphere. Threats of a strike (that drag on month after month), or long drawn out negotiations are things you have no control over. However, increasing your opportunities by enabling yourself to audition for non-union work is.

Google "Financial Core" and read up on it yourself. You'll notice there are very strong PRO and ANTI articles out there, along with the nueteral one's, so I would read several and ask around. Also, BEWARE, most articles issued by a union will try and scare the crap out of you. They put a nasty spin on it and imply you are committing career suicide. GET ALL THE FACTS, educate yourself, try and talk to a fi-core actor, consider your personal situation, and make the best decision for YOU.

To be clear, I'm not anti-union, or pro fi-core. I simply think all professionals need to be aware of their legal options, especially when opportunities come knocking on your door.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

THE ANATOMY of a CALLBACK

When you walk into your commercial call-back, there is a table ( or couch) of 2 to 8 people staring back at you. Who are these people? What do they do? Who’s really making the decision? Did they get any sleep last night?... they all look tired!

It usually breaks down like this... from the production company you have the Director and Producer. From the Ad Agency you have the Creative Director, Writer (or art director, or both) and Agency Producer. Those are the main players in the room.

Here’s some background. The Ad Agency created the campaign, and probably had to pitch it more then once to their clients (Honda, Verizon, Coke etc.) until it was approved. When they get a green light to go do the commercial campaign, that’s when they hire a director (who’s with a production company), and the director usually takes the lead on who to hire as a casting director. The casting directors contact your agent, your agent contacts you. This is where your headshot is important... but once you get through the door its ALL about your performance.

After the “first call” The casting director sends a DVD, or posts all the auditions for both the director and the ad agency to make their picks. Callback selects are usually done separately, meaning the director does his/her selections… the agency does theirs… and the lists are combined.

I’ll just add this real quick because I get asked this a lot… if you get a call back, YES, wear the same thing if you can, and DO basically the same thing you did in the first call.

The “Call back” is usually the first time everybody making the commercial has been in the same room together, thus it’s no surprise that lines and action get changed or re-worked. So you may walk in to see you have been rehearsing the wrong sides, or you might get asked to read for a different part on the spot. This is all business as usual, so be ready for it.

The Director and Agency usually start making a MAYBE and NO pile as the day goes on. Then, end of day, the debate begins… if casting has gone well there are a lot of choices. Eventually it is the Director and Ad Agency Creative’s who make the choice, but everyone in that room may have a vote or be asked for their opinion. Many times we review the audition more then once before choosing, mix and match, change our minds a few times... it can be difficult and the decisions made by the narrowest of margins.

Then our top 2 or 3 are sent or posted to be presented to a the client for FINAL approval. In other words, it’s usually a guy in a suit, CEO or marketing type who gives the final nod. Sometimes they like the back-up picks, but more often then not go with who the director and agency prefer.

Hopefully this will help you, as an actor, gain some perspective on the (commercial) audition process.
For more specific details on how/why decisions get made, see the blog entry called “Why Didn’t They Pick Me” .

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

ACTORS LOOKS and TYPES for HEADSHOTS

“Looks”...actors want different “Looks”... can I get 3 looks, or 5 looks, in one photo session? etc. When it comes to looks, I think it’s more about quality then quantity. For example, whatever “Look” you have should re-enforce the “Type” you are going for and feel genuine. I see too many so called “Looks” that are nothing more then a change of cloths, and people think they are actually pulling off another “Type”. YES, wardrobe is part of it, but so is location, attitude, and an overall sense of self. Many photographers are good at taking pictures, but not necessarily helping you type yourself... so the more you know specifically what “types” you want the better your outcome will be.

I suggest you concentrate on your top 2 or 3 rolls you feel are right for you... these are your “Types”. Young Mom, Athlete, Blue Collar Employee, The Suit, College Student, Dad, etc. and go for variations of these characters. Type Casting yourself is not always easy, so ask your friends, teachers, and agents (if you have one) to help you. The more objective they are the better. You want honesty, and you have to be honest with yourself. YOU are the product you are marketing, so this is like “research” to see how the public perceives you.

Here’s a common type-casting exercise I’ve done many times with actors. I have each actor come up to the front of the class one at a time. They sit down facing everybody else, and say nothing. Just based on looking at the person, the other actors jot down their first impressions. I usually give them a sheet of adjectives, and “Types” to help them. Then I have the person on the hot seat show us his or her headshot(s). More often then not, the headshot does not match the “vibe” of who we see in front of us.

This is a great exercise that allows actors to learn what types they naturally carry with them, and at the same time provide a headshot reality check.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

NATURAL vs. STUDIO LIGHTING for HEADSHOTS

This is discussed quite a bit out there, I’m going to give my opinion from a slightly less technical angle.

Natural lighting (to me) means SHOOTING ON LOCATION, which means taking an actor OUTSIDE, moving around, planning and prepping a little more with wardrobe. It loosens an actor up, it effortlessly changes how they interact with the camera, the lighting is different... all natural, but each location will have it’s own strong points.

So the ENERGY created by a location shoot is very helpful to both photographer and actor... plus the locations themselves provide a variety of textures, looks, moments that enhance your headshot and the particular vibe you are going for.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, according to all the casting directors I’ve spoken with recently... the “in” look right now is Natural light, On location headshots. Not so much for models, but certainly for actors. Does this mean I don’t think you can get good headshots in a studio? NO... of course not. However there do seem to be a few advantages to location/natural light shooting at this time.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

IT'S JUST A COMMERCIAL...

This quick entry is especially for those of you just starting out, or perhaps the actor that doesn't take a commercial audition as being all that important in the big picture.

Commercials are the gateway to other work... primarily in your ability to do better cold reads and gain confidence in your auditions. All casting directors will tell you, if you can do a strong commercial audition, your TV/Film auditions will be easier, and you will do better. The main reason is because commercial scripts give you very little to work with, thus rely more on your instincts and experience to make something come to life, to create a vibe, to “make us believe".

Every now and then I enjoy seeing actors I've worked with pop up in movies and on TV shows. For example, I shot a San Diego Zoo commercial with "Big Loves" Joel McKinnon Miller, I directed a years worth of Del Taco commercials with "My Name is Earl's" Greg Binkley, A Yamaha commercial with Johnny Sneed... who is in too many things to name...(and the only actor to ever give me a "mix tape" as a thank you) Recently I saw actor P.J. Byrne in a scene trading lines with Tom Hanks in "Charlie Wilsons War", and there are many others. So the point here is, don’t underestimate the importance of commercials, or commercial auditions when it comes to your craft and career. It's a great training ground for opportunities to come.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

SPEAKING at the SAG CONSERVATORY

I spoke last weekend at a SAG event... this was my third time and it’s always fun to do. It's basically where I try and cram in 5 or 6 hours of information into 2. It’s kind of a “Best Of” version of a seminar I’ve taught over the years. Here are just a couple of ideas that came up during our discussion I’m happy to share with you.

Take an improv class. Any class will do at first... and it’s critical. Throughout your career you will be asked to adapt as an actor, not only in your audition, but on the set. In commercial audtions, sometimes you don’t have ANY lines... you are just sitting down in a chair, or pressing a button, or throwing a football... who knows. A lot of people ask me “Is it OK to improv”... and I often think if you have to ask, then you probably don’t have the confidence or ability to improv in the first place. An actor comfortable in their skin just knows if and when to take the material and run. Obviously if you are asked to stick to the script, then you do so, but even then... how you move your body, create an atmosphere, etc. are all sharpened by improv training.

Work for a Casting Director if you can, especially you 20 somethings who just rolled into town. An ad agency, or production company might give you the same knowledge as well, but the idea here is you get to see what you are up against. HOW people are chosen, the process of selection based on talent, politics, and a dozen other things you wouldn’t have thought of. By working for a casting director you are basically gaining a healthy perspective of the business you plan to be in, and that perspective has numerous advantages. A young actor told me “I don’t take it personal anymore” after she had spent a few months in a casting directors office, and I’m sure that knowledge alone will serve her well throughout her career.

Take a cold reading, or commercial audition class. Acting class is great, but taking a class that prepares you specifically for auditions is very valuable for obvious reasons. The ability to do a mean Tennessee Williams in scene study is wonderful, but the world of auditions move fast and follow certain rules you need to learn and use to your advantage.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

CAROLYNE BARRY

I did another guest spot for the great Carolyne Barry. She has me come in and teach a 4 hour class to her advanced students... and sometimes her beginners a couple times a year. I’ll make this short and sweet... I really feel every actor, especially new actors, who are seeking commercial work should take a class from Carolyne. (www.carolynebarry.com)

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

WHY DIDN'T THEY PICK ME?

All directors work differently, but I would say overall that if you're not getting a healthy percentage of commercial callbacks then something is wrong. Either your going out for the wrong parts, or you need to work that much harder on your acting technique across the board.

However, if you find yourself going to a fair amount of call backs and not quite closing the deal…. This list is for you. The following are all reasons that I, along with the agency creative's I’ve worked with, have not chosen someone… regardless of the fact they did everything they could possibly do to get the job. In my seminar I’m able to explain each thing in more detail, but you’ll get the idea.
(I have phrased it as sort of a mantra you can repeat to yourself that will hopefully make you feel better in your time of anguish)

1. Although I had a great audition, and dressed the part, I naturally didn’t have the “right look” (I wasn’t really the right type), and there is nothing I can do about that.

2. I had the right look, I killed in my audition, they laughed out loud and everything!…. But I don’t make a good match with the other person (or people) in the commercial I have to interact with, and that persons role takes priority in the script.

3. The agency changed their mind creatively about the direction they wanted to go with this character. (This sometimes includes race and/or gender changes)

4. They’re still shooting a campaign, but the specific commercial I went up for was killed all together.

5. I was in the final pile, out of 45 people it was between me and somebody else, and even though everyone acknowledged that I would do a great job, the other person has that slight extra something that they carry with them… in their chemistry or performance, that tipped the scale in their favor.
(You can add a “And they forgot to call and tell me this” to the end of all of these!)

Let me add one thing in here... IF you are put on hold after a callback in the commercial world, it usually means you are in the top 3 and are getting put on a disk (in order of preference) for final approval from the client. Thus, it means we like you and would shoot the commercial with you... even if you are not the first pick. I say this because occasionally a client will go for #2, and so as a director I can’t afford to put just anyone on as a backup. Unfortunately many of you get SO close, but never really understand what happened. Hopefully some of this info will help you come to terms with it a bit quicker and move on.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel

JOCKEYS

To my surprise this has become a minor Youtube favorite.

Quick casting story. The Jockeys are the real deal, Chris McCarron and Alex Solis are very famous jockeys, I think retired now. Because the comedy of this commercial was written into the script, I didn’t want the actor, or the jockeys, to act wacky... or funny... rather I wanted them to be as serious as possible. I felt this would play much better against the absurdity of the situation, and in the end it did.

So when casting the cop, we told everyone BE A POLICE OFFICER. Don’t be a wacky cop, or a southern cop, just play it as straight and normal as possible. MANY did not listen. It was like a goofy cop parade regardless of how many times we said “Normal Please”. Finally we found the right guy, and ironically I learned later that he USED to be a cop before he started acting.

The point is, and all casting directors tell me this, many actors do not listen. They get so nervous and have run through their plan of attack so many times in their head, that when they get into the room they tend not to hear any adjustments. This makes it look like you can’t take direction, when in fact it’s usually just a case of the nerves. Remember to listen, especially on a callback, to what is being said.

Some of you who have been doing this for a while may wonder why, when you get in the room, so many things have been changed since your first call and nobody told you. The reality is, (as far as commercials go anyway) this is usually the first time the ad agency and director have been in the same room together, and watched the script actually come to life in front of them. So naturally, lines are added, or cut, and actions are changed. It’s part of the creative process, and often it’s happening so fast the casting director out front isn’t even aware of it. So go in with a plan, listen to adjustments, and roll with it.

- Scott Young

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ACTORS BLOG IS UP!

I've been fortunate to have built a directing career here in Los Angeles, meeting many wonderful mentors, teachers, and friends along the way. Now that I have ventured into photography... I find myself dealing one on one with both beginners, and veterans to whom... because I've been in production for so long, I can offer my guidance and advice well beyond the headshot.

I've also been teaching seminars and guest speaking at a variety of events for a few years now, in the blog I hope to pass along the kind of stories and advice I would often share at these venues.

I encourage you to let me know if this information helped you, ask questions, and leave comments. I have only recently been on blogger (as of March) which allows comments, followers, subscribers etc. so in many ways this is brand new.

- Scott Young

Commercial Success/ Shoot a Scene. Edit Your Reel