debor009

I saw an article at Backstage a few weeks ago ( 4 Sites You Need to Be on Now! ) about using social media. I think it gives good general information, but I also think it misses the real purpose (and benefit) of social media for actors. It's not about the world looking at you (as in a fan page), it's about YOU building goodwill and relationships with those in the industry. Many actors I know bypass FB fan pages, for example, and instead have two FB personal pages: one for family under their birth name and one for colleagues under their professional name. (Yes, FB doesn't like this, but if they enforced single pages for actors they'd be losing a LOT of big name stars.) Why is this important?  Because you can talk to family about politics and religion, but making such remarks to people in the business can cost you work and connections. Examples: I recently found myself waiting in a studio side room with an up-and-coming actor who is currently starring in an action/thriller...

I don't often just repost an email, but David Patrick Green  of HackHollywood.com , has a particularly wise piece of advice this week that I'd like to share. For actors, dealing with career anxiety comes with the territory ( Here is a very funny spin on that at Buzzfeed ).  We are frequently told to keep ready headshots, business cards, a change of clothes, etc. and to be prepared to jump on a set at a moment's notice. When we don't, this is typical: One anxious actor wrote to Green that he'd "made a mistake last night. A personal manager of one of the biggest A-listers asked if I had a headshot and resume on me so he could have it for possible future opportunities. I did not have one on me!!! I usually do, but I did not last night. Mistake, yes. Career ending mistake, no, but possible missed opportunity." Here's how Green responded: "I actually think the fact you didn't have your headshot on you is a good thing. First, anything is good if yo...

I've been watching Directors: Life Behind the Camera , made in cooperation with the American Film Institute. The producers interviewed a long list of big name directors who talk about the art of filmmaking and their own careers in film. The first section is "you have to start somewhere," and what jumped out at me is how few of them said that they first went to film school to learn to direct. Not that there's anything wrong with going to film school, a good film school is terrific for teaching young filmmakers what they need to know, it's just that most of them started out on a different career path altogether. Then they fell into some aspect of filmmaking on the periphery and then....they met someone! And that meeting put them on the path to making movies. What it underscored for me is the importance of getting out where you can meet others in the business and where they can actually see you and talk to you (which they can't do on Facebook or LinkedIn no matte...