Are You a Beautiful Woman?

Great...

Are You a Handsome Man?

Great...

You an Everyday Looking Person?

Even Better!

Not only BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, 5'11" plus get work modeling and acting! REAL PEOPLE get work too! Think about it. Monitor your TV for 12 hours. What characters do you see more of on TV commercials, movies, infomercials, web commercials, etc.! It's the "real" person! "Real" people target the "real/everyday" consumer. Modeling and acting is not only fun...it's KILLER money!"

Stuart Scesney
Author, Talent Adviser
Former C.E.O. Talent
Factory & Stu’s Casting, Inc.

"Shark repellent for the serious actor...I recommend this book to any new talent."

Brian Robinson
Marketing Director
Morgan Creek Productions

How to Enter the Business of Commercial Modeling and Acting ... Without Getting Ripped Off!

A Simple Guide for New TalentBy Stuart J. Scesney

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2012 Stuart J. Scesney
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4620-7222-4

Contents

Introduction.........................................................................................................ixLetter from the Author...............................................................................................xiAbout the Author.....................................................................................................xiiiChapter 1 How Much Money Do I Need To Get Started?...................................................................1Chapter 2 Headshots..................................................................................................5Chapter 3 Casting Agents and Agencies................................................................................12Chapter 4 Six Essential Ingredients for New Talent (and Parents of New Talent) to Get Started........................15Chapter 5 Marketing Yourself.........................................................................................21Chapter 6 The Ten Do's and Don'ts in the Business of Commercial Modeling, Acting and Voice-Overs.....................24Chapter 7 Commercials/Commercial Print...............................................................................31Chapter 8 Terminology................................................................................................36Chapter 9 Resumes....................................................................................................39Chapter 10 Auditions.................................................................................................43Chapter 11 Voice-overs and Practicing Commercial Reads...............................................................47Chapter 12 Acting, Modeling, Runway Modeling.........................................................................60Chapter 13 Child Talent..............................................................................................66Chapter 14 Non-Union/Unions..........................................................................................72Chapter 15 Minimum Pay...............................................................................................79Chapter 16 "Transform Yourself!" Encourages Linda Seidel, Specialist in Corrective Makeup"...........................81Chapter 17 The Importance of Hair....................................................................................85Chapter 18 Memorization Techniques...................................................................................89Chapter 19 Flexible Job Suggestions: Suggested Part-Time Income Opportunities for the New Talent.....................96Chapter 20 Interviews with Professionals in the Modeling, Acting and Voice-Over Industries...........................103Chapter 21 Conclusion................................................................................................130Resource Directory for New Talent and the Pros.......................................................................133Sample Commercial Spots..............................................................................................149Spot #1 Drink Aid....................................................................................................149Spot #2 Drinking and Driving.........................................................................................150Spot #3 Shevy Dio....................................................................................................151Spot #4 Family Cruises...............................................................................................152Spot #5 Eye Fresh....................................................................................................153Spot #6 Color Me Beautiful...........................................................................................154Forms................................................................................................................155Talent Organizer Form................................................................................................155Sample Talent Request Form...........................................................................................157Glossary.............................................................................................................159Congratulations!.....................................................................................................179

Chapter One

How Much Money Do I Need To Get Started?

First, let me tell you how much money you don't need to get started!

Unfortunately, thousands and thousands of people end up spending too much money to get started in the business of modeling and acting. Perhaps your first wise investment has been made in purchasing this book. Its title includes the words "without getting ripped off!" There is no gentler way of saying this. You must have the knowledge up front of what to avoid in this business.

Bear in mind that a non-union casting agency or casting director should not charge you a fee or collect any money from you in order to represent you. The agency receives a commission on the work it gets for you while representing you. It is in the agency's best interest to find you work, to have you appear at an "Open Call" and to advise you of auditions. This is how an agency operates. The more work it finds for you, the more income to the agency ... and of course, to you, the talent.

It is, however, essential to spend money on headshots. Talent Factory's clientele (actors, actresses, models and voice-over talent) has, at times, numbered over 5,000. As it would not be possible for an agency to remember each individual by name, age and background, it is essential for you to have professional headshots available to your agent. (See Chapter 2 on Headshots.)

You have to understand that you will have to spend a few hundred dollars to start. The money will be invested in a professional photo session, paper for resumes, postage, transportation, etc. Your ultimate goal is to get a return on your investment and start a talent fund.

This book will walk you through the non-union process of marketing yourself. It is your responsibility to promote yourself in your regional area and to constantly keep your face, both in person and with headshots, video e-mails and postcards, in front of the agencies that will be calling you in for casting. My agency was a stepping stone for the non-union actor to gather enough quality TV, film, print, corporate and voice work to be eligible to join the union. Once a talent develops a full professional resume and becomes in demand, it is time to consider joining the union. Just as I invested in my company and view it as a stepping stone for talent, you must view yourself as an investment, a living resume who has the goal of being in demand and a member of the union!

Minimum Investment

A new actor needs to know the minimum investment necessary to break into the business. The following should be helpful:

Headshot session: This should consist of two looks -usually one casual (maybe a sweater) and one professional (business suit). Ladies should always have a makeup professional and a hair stylist for the shoot. The photo will be black and white; therefore makeup is entirely different than what a lady would wear out to dinner or a club. Make sure you look at several photographers' headshot books. Select the photographer you like best, and ask if he or she works with any stylists for the shoot. Also, determine whether the photographer prints quantities of headshots. There is a range of prices for a headshot session. The prices vary on the market and the photographer, and the packages they offer. At times there will be a special day where a photographer is at a location and will offer a low rate for a headshot session. The range you will see is anywhere from $300.00 a session to $1,500.00 a session.

Makeup and hair stylists that arrive on the set for your head shot session have a range they charge nowadays as well. They can range from $100.00-$500.00. Again, that depends on the market and the stylist. That is your decision, your budget. Contact sheets (on photo paper or digital) are always included with your headshot (on photo paper or digital). A contact sheet is an 8 x 10 piece of photo paper with all of the shots from your session. Nowadays, the contact sheet is usually on the photographers `computer, but many still are on photo paper. Choose your favorite photograph of yourself and get one copy (8 x 10) so you can send it off to the printer. You can have the printer make your copies of the headshot, with a border and your name centered under your picture. You can also send your digital images to an online printing company for printing.

Most photographers include one 8 x 10 print. If not, pay no more than $20 (markets and photographers mat vary in price) for the print. As mentioned above, you want to order a minimum of 500 copies of your headshot with your name printed on them. The range for printing 500 headshots goes from $150- $300 for the printing expense. You will need about $20 for copies your resume, $20 for the resume paper, $70 for postage and envelopes. If you know a professional photographer and stylist and perhaps a printer, or if you have access to a free copier and paper, go for it. Save any way that you can. In summary, here's what we have (prices, of course, vary in different markets):

Headshot session (2 looks) $300.00-$1,500.00 Makeup (ladies) $100.00-$500.00 500 copies from printer With your name on photo $150.00- $300.00 Copies of resume $20.00 One headshot print $20.00 Paper for resumes $20.00 Postage and envelopes $70.00 $680.00- $2,430.00

Chapter Two

Headshots

A standard headshot is a photograph of your head and the top of your shoulders. Your name (or stage name) appears below your photograph, it's usually centered and displayed on the border surrounding your headshot. You must invest in a professional 8 x 10 headshot, which may be one or two looks. The cost of your photo session will vary, depending on the photographer and the market.

A standard head shot

It is recommended that a woman has her photographer book a professional makeup and hair stylist. If you are shooting black and white, it is important that the makeup stylist is experienced in black and white photography and uses makeup for black and white. It is also important that the makeup stylist knows your skin tone. A stylist usually is not needed for men and children unless there are major blemishes or scarring. Generally, powder matching the skin tone, hair spray, and hair accessories is sufficient. (See Chapter 16 – Transform Yourself – Corrective Makeup).

* Note: The "muscle," "character," or "bikini-look" will not be visible with a headshot alone. You may want to discuss this with your photographer and see what their additional costs will be for one or two shots from waist-up or full-body shots.

Your photo session should cost you, on average, $200.00. Included in the cost of an average $200.00 photo session is your contact sheet (8 x 10 sheets of all shots taken by a photographer and two 8 x 10 prints which include two looks). For adults 18-99 the two looks that are the most popular are business look and casual look. Have at least 500 headshot copies made. Five hundred copies should cost approximately $150.00. Your agent (or agents) – will be "pulling headshots" on their computer or literally pulling and stacking the actual headshots, looking for the talent their client has requested. While they are busy casting, you are busy working at your 9 to 5 job. The agent will be selecting the talent that fits the "look" and presenting them to the ad agency or business that has requested them.

Make sure your current headshot looks like you. When the agent calls, he or she assumes you look the same as the photo in the office file.

When you work with the photographer, they may discuss a "comp card" with you. This is a composite of two, three or four different looks on a photo card. A comp card's various exposures give your agent more opportunity to cast you in different parts. One side of a comp card is a regular headshot, and the back has two to four looks. Comp cards come in many sizes and can be in black and white or in color. Note: Actors tend to use black and white. Models, especially high-fashion, use four-color - or full color - for their comp cards, for obvious reasons. Leave room for statistics such as height, weight (optional), hair and eye color, and clothing size. These stats are very helpful to the agent. Headshots and comp cards must be professional because they represent you when you are not there in person.

It is only OK for parents of infants and kids to send out a snap shot or a home spun digital photos of their kids under 5 years old to an agent.

Professional talent is to never send out a snap shot or home spun digital photos of themselves for agent representation!

A snapshot or a poor quality headshot could prevent you from getting your next assignment. Why pick a bad photo when the competitors use the top of the line?

Marketing yourself as a model or actress cannot be accomplished without advertising yourself. Your headshots, together with your resume, will advertise (or promote) what you look like, what you do, and what experience you might have had. You need quality, updated photographs that show what you currently look like. A comp card is needed to show several interesting looks in order for you to be selected above the hundreds of photos that arrive each day in the mail at agent's desks. A comp card might depict a woman as an executive behind a corporate desk, as a mommy in the kitchen, as a silly character, and other appropriate looks. There is no end to the skills of a creative photographer. Make use of this talent for your comp card. It will help your agent place you in more castings.

Be very selective when choosing your photographer. Make sure to interview two or three of them. Look at their latest portfolios, paying special attention to the quality of the work and the variety of poses and backgrounds. Since some photographers specialize in people and others in products, make sure their portfolios include headshots and not just still-life and scenery. Determine whether you feel comfortable and at ease with the photographer. Consider how your personalities gel. Check costs and what those costs include. Follow instructions as he or she photographs you. Make sure the photographer is creative. As for the technical side of photography, there can be astounding differences in photos of the same face. Can you see a difference in the following photos? Look for lighting, background and clothing.

You are paying for the best possible shots. Make sure you get them! Remember that the photographs market you as much as you market yourself!

When being photographed for a magazine or other print ad, or video or film production, you may be alone with the photographer, or several others may be present. Be aware that various directions may be given to you. "Let's see your teeth in this one." Or, "Fix your hair over your left eye." Or, "Where are your hands?" This should not add stress. These directions are helpful in order to get the best shots. In a video or film production, it is essential to follow ALL directions given.

Without experience in modeling and acting, one needs a Beginner's Portfolio. This consists of (a) headshot only, or (b) headshot and two to four looks on a comp card. These are inserted into plastic sheets that are in a black leather portfolio case. Once the talent gets a job, it is essential that he or she tries to get a copy of the finished product – a page out of the magazine or brochure for which the talent modeled. At this point, the talent pulls one shot out of the portfolio (which means one of the shots that appears on your comp card) and replaces it with a "tear sheet" (the actual brochure or a page from the publication for which you modeled). This keeps your portfolio updated. After you get a few jobs, the first page of your portfolio will be your comp card. The pages that follow will be photos from past modeling assignments (tear sheets). An on-line portfolio is also recommended. It is suggested that you have your own talent website. Your talent website will make your shots and resume more accessible to those who hire talent! Online access to your site also makes it easier for your agent to promote you. As for now, Facebook is a great place to make your talent website ... and as of now it is free.

Actors and voice talent also have their own type of portfolios, but they are not called portfolios. They are called "demo tapes" or demo CD'S or DVD'S (See Chapter 11). Once the actor or voice talent has done a couple of jobs, it is up to the talent to obtain a copy of each audio or video performance. A voice demo uses four or five 10 second samples that were never broadcast. As work is secured and completed, spots that were broadcast will eventually replace the four or five 10-second samples that had not been broadcast. Make sure that you obtain permission from your agent to use these spots. (See Glossary) Again, you will need an on line site that will make voice-overs -television and radio productions more accessible for your self-promotion. For now Facebook is free, SO WHY NOT USE IT?

Chapter Three

Casting Agents and Agencies

If you have friends or family members in the acting/modeling business, you may be fortunate enough to be given a referral name – the name of their casting agent or agency. If your contact works with an agency or agent he or she respects, by all means meet with the referred person. Also, contact your local SAG (Screen Actors Guild) or AFTRA (American Federation of Television & Radio Association) local to request a list of casting agencies and agents.

Check regional online yellow pages under Casting Agent or Agencies, Modeling, Theater, Talent, etc., to collect names. A good casting agent or agency is the middleman between your job and the advertising agency or client working with the casting agency. A casting agency is in the business of receiving information on available jobs, selecting from among its talent, and contacting talent for castings and auditions. The casting agency negotiates the best possible financial arrangement. The casting director's negotiation with its agency's clientele is very important to non-union talent. Individual talent works very closely with casting agents, especially in the beginning of the talent's career. Keeping in touch with your agent can spell the difference between being selected for an audition and being overlooked. It is not encouraged to market oneself directly to an ad agency or a production house. These businesses do not want to have the hassle of lining up talent. That is why they use casting agencies.

Another reason it is not good practice to market yourself directly to ad agencies and production houses is because your agent will feel as if you are bypassing his or her agency. Even if you already sent your headshots and resumes to a specific production facility before your agent ever connected with that company, your agency will still feel it is being bypassed. If you never worked with ABC Production Company through your agency, the agency will still not appreciate your marketing yourself without an agent. As a matter of fact, Talent Factory had a few clients who sent in audio, video demos and headshots that they had received from talent trying to market themselves directly. Some people got a job from Talent Factory and then sent in their personal phone numbers and information to Talent Factory's client. This is bypassing the agent. Those folks end up in Talent Factory's circular file (trash can).

I find that many actors, models and voice-over talent lean heavily on the agent, thinking the agent is the doorway to his or her success. Talent has to realize that they are responsible to open their own doors leading to success. If they lean on the agent to hold the door open for them, it might shut in their faces. Agents are avenues to success. They don't make talent better actors or stars. Agents are in the business of introducing talent to their clients. Once the introduction is made, it is up to the talent to sell themselves and use their agent as their contact. Non-union talent must know if they don't work, the agent can't meet his own fixed business expenses. It is so important to keep in touch with an agent after your initial meeting. I can honestly say that I forgot eighty percent of the talent who read for me within a week if they did not keep in touch with me to inquire about future productions! It is the talent who keep in touch with me who get called back for the next audition. It is very helpful for you as a talent to use creativity and humor to market yourself to your agent. I read about one actor who, on his birthday, sent out a "Birth Announcement" to all of his agents indicating, "Date of birth: May 30, 1990; new category: 20-30, Caucasian male; No gifts please; Auditions accepted!" Agents are very upbeat, stress-filled, creative people. If you can make them smile during their workday, you will stand out in their minds!

(Continues...)

Excerpted from How to Enter the Business of Commercial Modeling and Acting ... Without Getting Ripped Off!by Stuart J. Scesney Copyright © 2012 by Stuart J. Scesney. Excerpted by permission of iUniverse, Inc.. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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