Acting Advice – Assess yourself

Acting Advice – Assess yourself

If you’ve been following my blogs over the years, you know that in the beginning of the year I speak about the business of being an actor.

It’s February already. Do you realize the year is more than 1/10th over?  How are you doing?  Are you following your plan?  Do you have one?   I can’t tell you enough how important this is for actors. If you didn’t do this on your own already, I put together some questions and tasks that might assist in your process. 

Take some time and give attention to your goals, career, and the business of acting.

1. ACCOMPLISHMENTS – Review 2016
   1. What did you do this past year that you feel complete about?
   2. Jobs, experiences, list your accomplishments. 

1. GOALS – Make a list of goals that you would like to achieve this year.

Examples –

          To get/change an agent

          To get a manager

          To book x# of costars/guest stars

          Create a great reel for yourself

          Write a screenplay

          Perform on stage

          Create or collaborate on a Web show 

Make a list of the things that you want to happen to move you to your next level.  For some, you might not have absolute control over. Make your list so you have direction, intention, and a vision that you can focus towards. Make as many as you want, be reasonable, yet stretch yourself. 

1. ACTIONS – Make a list of things/tasks/actions that you can do over the next 6 months.  These are things that you do have absolute control over. Things you can be doing on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. This is a good time to examine your discipline, your habits,  your strengths, weaknesses, blocks, fears, – places that you might be avoiding.  Where are you putting your attention?

Examples –

Interview 5 photographers – and shoot new headshots

Read a play a week, – looking for material to showcase/produce.

Write x# pages per day/per week on your screenplay or play.

Send out 10 headshots/emails per day/week to agents/casting people

Make 5 or x# of business calls per day.

Spend x minutes/hours per day/week on casting sites submitting yourself.

Call 5 – 10 agents a day

Join an acting class; get involved in an acting community

Find a scene/ scene partner and shoot your reel.

Produce a play for you to act/ direct/write.

Produce a showcase.

Produce your own you tube video show.

Submit online every day.

Create or collaborate a web series

Your Acting Lifestyle

1. What is your routine, ritual, actions that you do on a daily/weekly basis?

Examples –

          Class weekly – more

          Other Acting workouts

          Check for auditions daily 

1. What do you do outside of acting that keeps you in the zone?

Examples –

          Yoga,

          Meditation

          Write in journal

          Support groups

          Volunteer         

1. What are you doing on your own to promote yourself and keep yourself inspired as an artist?

Examples –

          Theatre company, writing group, stand up, music, other creative outlets. 

Be creative, look outside the box. Choose things that feed you and nurture your creative talent, as well as make forward progress in your career. With all the talented people I’ve worked with over the years, structure and discipline are the most important element that people leave out. Don’t create too many distractions. You need to plan, make a business plan, with goals and actions that you can take, evaluate and adjust. Be accountable to yourself and invest with energy, time, talent, and drive. Take care.

Author: Fran Montano

Fran Montano - is the owner and Artistic Director of The Actors Workout Studio, located in the NoHo Arts District for nearly 30 years. It is one of the longest running small, intimate theaters and Acting Schools in the Los Angeles area. AWS was created to being a “home” for aspiring and working actors were the work not only includes classes and training, but personal coaching, career planning, networking, showcasing, and regular performing. His students range from beginning actors, accomplished actors who work regularly in film, television, and stage, as well as numerous working directors and writers. His style is on an individual basis and in his small, intimate classes, it’s like working with a private coach. His reputation is in finding and breaking actors blocks Fran’s background as an actor, in producing, directing and theater makes him an excellent resource for actors in Los Angeles, in finding their way both in their talent, and promoting their career. Visit www.actorsworkout.com for more information and a schedule of classes and productions