Weekly Tip - Scott Powers
The New Year is here. So take a few minutes to play in the park in the cold and come back. Now’s the time to do a review of your career – a quick Tune-Update of the necessary components that make your career tick:
Headshots. Do they still look like you? In the current style? Color? Do you have enough? Are they reproduced in continuous tone at a quality repro lab?
Resume. Is it up to date? Does it look as professional as your headshots look? Trimmed to size and attached to your resume with double-sided tape.
Communications. Do you have a reliable voice mail/answering service/pager/cell phone? And always on – and your bill paid? Are you able to return phone calls within 60 minutes? Your competition can!
Finding your Way. Be sure to have maps: NYC, subway and bus. AND a well-fed Metro Card.
Your database of agents/managers/casting directors/photogs/production houses, etc. Is it current? Is it in a usable format to make records, print out labels, send out cover letters? Many computers come with such a program; we find ACT a good one to use.
Are you current on the latest “reference points” of our industry. (“I want a such-and-such type.”) This includes the latest styles and trends in commercial copy, episodic TV and movies. Yes, do some serious TV and movie watching. Agents, casting directors, managers and photographers do the same thing for the same reasons!
Appearances Count. How current and presentable is your wardrobe? A good wardrobe doesn’t have to cost a fortune – just choose wisely. And your body? Gotten a little flabby over the holidays? You know what to do! And good physical health helps make good mental health, too.
Who Loves You? How’s your support group/network working for you? Assess this with an objective eye. Go through your names piling up in your Outlook Express. It doesn’t hurt to clean house once in a while. Have a balanced life – and that includes “normal” activities and “civilians” in your life as well!
Attitude. Make it happy! Always ask yourself, “What kind of signals am I sending out?” Having the right attitude plays a much larger part in landing the job than many people realize.
Training. Are you current? You can’t get tomorrow’s jobs with yesterday’s training. And what about your Monologue(s)? Are they current? Do you even have a monologue? Do you have two contrasting ones? Remember -- that great monologue you’ve had for the last 5 years might not be the most representative of you today. Or do you need a good polishing up of what you have?
NOW is the best time to get started, that’s right – before the sun goes down.
Headshots. Do they still look like you? In the current style? Color? Do you have enough? Are they reproduced in continuous tone at a quality repro lab?
Resume. Is it up to date? Does it look as professional as your headshots look? Trimmed to size and attached to your resume with double-sided tape.
Communications. Do you have a reliable voice mail/answering service/pager/cell phone? And always on – and your bill paid? Are you able to return phone calls within 60 minutes? Your competition can!
Finding your Way. Be sure to have maps: NYC, subway and bus. AND a well-fed Metro Card.
Your database of agents/managers/casting directors/photogs/production houses, etc. Is it current? Is it in a usable format to make records, print out labels, send out cover letters? Many computers come with such a program; we find ACT a good one to use.
Are you current on the latest “reference points” of our industry. (“I want a such-and-such type.”) This includes the latest styles and trends in commercial copy, episodic TV and movies. Yes, do some serious TV and movie watching. Agents, casting directors, managers and photographers do the same thing for the same reasons!
Appearances Count. How current and presentable is your wardrobe? A good wardrobe doesn’t have to cost a fortune – just choose wisely. And your body? Gotten a little flabby over the holidays? You know what to do! And good physical health helps make good mental health, too.
Who Loves You? How’s your support group/network working for you? Assess this with an objective eye. Go through your names piling up in your Outlook Express. It doesn’t hurt to clean house once in a while. Have a balanced life – and that includes “normal” activities and “civilians” in your life as well!
Attitude. Make it happy! Always ask yourself, “What kind of signals am I sending out?” Having the right attitude plays a much larger part in landing the job than many people realize.
Training. Are you current? You can’t get tomorrow’s jobs with yesterday’s training. And what about your Monologue(s)? Are they current? Do you even have a monologue? Do you have two contrasting ones? Remember -- that great monologue you’ve had for the last 5 years might not be the most representative of you today. Or do you need a good polishing up of what you have?
NOW is the best time to get started, that’s right – before the sun goes down.
posted by Dominique Jackson @ 10:47 PM
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