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I recently heard this comment from an agent. If I heard it
when I was starting in the industry, I might not have entered the business.

Not All Agents Understand the Industry

Starting an acting or modeling agency, does not automatically
mean that the agent understands how to run the business properly.

I recently heard about an agency opening up  in a small market.
Since I am always looking for more ways to find work, I decided
to submit my head shot as requested.

The agent responded by saying that she needed a head shot showing
teeth. That is not the look I like for my commercial head shot.

It is Not True That You Have to Show Teeth
to Create an Effective Head Shot

I like my look more with a closed smile. For my face
it is more interesting.

There was an ad I did that showed teeth that was
shot for Nationwide Insurance.

I sent it to the agent so she at least knew
that I did have teeth in my mouth.

Her reply was somewhat stern. She will only
work with actors who have “perfect” teeth,
so I should invest in invisalign and get my
teeth straightened.

Yes, I Admit, I Was a Little Angry

I explained to the agent that with the teeth I have
in my mouth, I had booked:
A recurring role on House of Cards
A week contract on Gotham
Worked on projects such as:
Mr. Robot
Philomena
The Wire
Halt & Catch Fire
Rectify
West Wing
Coca-Cola
McDonalds
Accura
Toys R. Us
Disney World
to name a few of the more than 1,200 projects I have booked.

Yes, I know there was a little anger in my response. But, I nicely told the agent
that I was not going to have work done to my teeth, so I won’t be able
to work with her. Really, not to accept an actor because his or her teeth
were not perfect. That is crazy.

And, I did wish her best of luck with her agency and hoped it was successful.

I imagine that if I heard those words when I first got started, it might have made
me think that this was not the right industry for me.

I am sharing this information with you to make sure you know that just
because an agent tells you something, it does not mean that it is correct
or that it makes any sense.

For people just getting started, they might think that having a perfect body,
perfect teeth, the perfect look is a necessary criteria in order to have success in both
the acting and commercial modeling industry.

Nothing can be further from the truth.
This was an editorial shot I did for Maxim Magazine.
They never would have hired a great looking person for
this photo. I was the funeral home director sizing you
up to estimate how long you will live.

Agents might say things you don’t want
to hear or like. But, good agents will give
you really helpful information.

There are others in the industry who are
clueless, but unless you understand and
really know the industry, you might not
know what is helpful and is simply misinformation.

Let me and others know if you received any
outlandish or incorrect information from
others in the industry.

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Can’t wait to talk again soon.
Aaron
P.S. Feel free to share this throughout your social media platforms.

Getting a 1 line audition can fool actors. What seems like an easy audition
can actually be hard.

Don’t Think That 1 Line is Always Relaxing and Easy

Sometimes the 1 line audition is very straight forward.

If you are the bartender and the star of the project
sits at your bar and you ask: “What would you like to drink?” Say the line
fast and easy with no emotion. All of the attention is on the star. Not you. Just say the words.

There are times when there is a lot going on in the scene and you need
to make smart decisions.

Are You Reacting to a Few People in the Scene?

If you are interacting/reacting to others in the scene, you need
to know how and why you are saying the line. What
is your relationship with the actor, actors. Where
should your eye line be while saying your line.

 

I recently had a 1 line audition. My character was not
interested in the other three actors conversation that
was taking place in a taxi. My line was “Now we are going to be late.”

I had no interest in what the others were discussing, and I said
my line looking out the window of the taxi. Not even looking at the others.

I got a call back, so I must have done something that
grabbed the attention of the casting director.

Even with a few words, in most cases, you still need
to prepare and study the scene the same way as if you were starring
in the project.

Learn more about auditioning by watching this acting and modeling quick tip:

Auditioning for a Feature Film

Let me and others know about your experiences with a 1 line audition.

Feel free to share this with all of your friends throughout your social media
platforms.

My New Acting and Modeling Quick Tips You Tube Channel

Subscribe to my Acting and Modeling Quick Tips Channel.
There are tons of great acting and modeling quick tips.

youtube.com/c/AaronMarcusActingAndModelingQuickTips

Take care.
Aaron

Do you have your head shot taken inside or outdoors?

There are pros and cons to both types, so let’s start with shooting your
head shot inside.

Shooting a Head Shot Inside

When you shoot a head shot indoors, you have complete control over
the environment. Your eyes will not slightly close due to the glare.
Your hair will not move around by any wind blowing.
There will be no distractions with people watching, asking questions
or trying to get in the shot. It is simply so much easier to have your
head shot taken inside.

Here is a good example of an indoor head shot.
head shot taken inside

There are many things that I like about
this head shot taken by the New York
head shot photographer Joe Henson.

This indoor head shot, does not have
the typical white (or other color) screen
behind me. The background is completely blurred out.

You can’t see that the shot was done in a hallway.
My face jumps out at you with no distractions.
And, by not using a plain screen behind me, there
is more personality and warmth to the shot.

Shooting a Head Shot Out Doors

Although, it is true, there are more complications
when shooting outdoors, the head shot has a very
different feel than shooting inside.

I believe all actors should hire a makeup artist when
shooting their head shot.

It is a smart investment because you will simply
look better when you have a great makeup artist on the set.

The makeup artist can also keep an eye out to make sure
your hair is staying in place. If your wardrobe shifts or
looks bunched up they can make the adjustments.
Sometimes they will catch things the photographer might not see.

The actor needs to make sure that their eyes stay completely wide
open and not squint at all during the session.

The real advantage of shooting out side is that it will give
your head shot a very different type of feel than shooting
inside. Although, all of the background needs to be blurred,
still, we get a much more interesting look and feel when
shooting outdoors

Here is a good example of an outdoor head shot taken.

out door head shot taken by Joe Henson
out door photo taken by Joe Henson

Although I really like both head shots, I would say
that if I had to chose my favorite, it is the outdoor
shot.

Question for You

Let me know which head shot you like more and why.
Let others know if you had your head shot taken inside
or out doors and why you chose either option.

Video You Need to Watch

If you want to learn more about how to create an incredible head shot
that will grab the attention of industry professionals, you want to order
this video Create a Head Shot That Will Get You Noticed
I interviewed the great head shot photographer Joe Henson.

My New You Tube Channel

You want to visit and Subscribe to my new
Acting and Modeling Quick Tip You Tube Channel

If you want to watch tons of free – short acting and modeling quick tips,
this is the place you want to visit. You should subscribe and click the
notification button.

Feel free to share this article with your friends throughout your social media
platforms.

My goal is to build an amazing acting and modeling family where many people share
really helpful information with others in the industry.

Let me know if there are any topics you want me to discuss in a new Quick Tip.

Take care.
Aaron

After getting notified that you have a casting,
you begin working hard on creating an incredible home audition.

Audition Preparation

Have confidence in your audition

You research, figure out your character, understand
the changes and when they occur.

After that, you decide who the scene is about. If you
are auditioning for a TV show, make sure you watch a few episodes,
know the characters, pacing and type of show.

After that, you try and memorize the lines (if you can.) These are just
a few of the many things all successful actors do when preparing
to audition for a film, TV show or commercial.

If you do find out, it can make you so frustrated
You might not even know that your audition was deleted

But you do this –
and the casting director might delete
your audition without even looking at it.
Here is why.

Your instructions will also include the technical
aspects of the audition, including your slate.

This is why it is essential that you know how the
casting director expects you to slate.

Carefully read over the slating directions.
For example, sometimes the slate happens at the beginning or
at the end of the audition.

A slate is sometimes requested to be placed in a separate file.
Every casting director explains the angles needed during the slate.
They can vary from casting director to casting director.
Sometimes the slate will be shot close up and other times a
full body shot is needed and sometimes both are required.

Home auditions can feel like the instructions given when
writing a term paper.

You did everything asked of you,
uploaded and sent off the audition. Congratulations.

Don’t forget about this

Don’t forget about labeling your file correctly.

Do they want the file labeled as  Last Name_
First Name_Character Name_Agency_Height
etc…

Whatever is asked of you, always label it correctly
because casting directors will delete auditions not labeled
as requested.

Submitting a Head Shot?

In addition, whenever you submit a head shot, make sure you label
the file with your first name, last name and phone number.
Sometimes casting directors will simply delete your head shot because
they can’t see the name of the actor in the naming of the file.

Always, always, always, follow all of the specific instructions
very carefully. This will not guarantee you a booking,
but it will guarantee your audition will be seen.

If you have any audition hints that will help other actors,
share them here or on my facebook.com/howtomodel page.

Don’t forget, you can watch many more Acting and Modeling Quick Tip Videos on my You Tube Channel.

Most models don’t even think about asking questions before
agreeing to attend a go-see. They get get an email or text from their agent
with the details, confirm and attend.

Don’t Agree to Attending a Go-See Until

Before you confirm with your agent, there are some questions
that always need to be asked.

1. Who is the product for or what company will you be promoting?

If you don’t want to be associated or promote something, always
decline the invitation. It could be difficult for the agent to hear,
but if it is something that goes against your morals or beliefs,
let the agent know why you won’t attend.

2. Make sure you are available for both the date of the go-see as
well as the shoot date. Otherwise, let the agent know.

3. Ask how long the ad will run. Sometimes the booking
will be in perpetuity, meaning the client can use your image forever.

This could be a problem. If the ad is for a fast food restaurant, that could
prevent you from working for any other fast food restaurants forever.


If they are offering a big enough bonus then it might be worth it to you,
otherwise, you are taking a risk of losing future work throughout your
career.

4. Do you have any conflicts running.

If so, make sure you tell your agent. If
you book the job and don’t disclose the other booking,
there could be a lot of serious issues – even legal ones.

5.  What are they looking for

If you are a business person, I always ask, is this a guy wearing a suit,
sports coat and tie, khaki pants with a polo shirt?  Not everyone does
this, but I prefer looking the part, so when I walk into the studio,
people will automatically see me as the person they need to cast.

In another Acting and Modeling Quick Tip, I will share some of the secrets
and techniques models should use after arriving at the casting office
or photographer’s studio.

Share with others the questions you ask before agreeing to attend a go-see.

You Tube Channel

I have created a new You Tube Channel. You can see a lot of great
Acting and Modeling Quick Tip videos there.

https://bit.ly/2N18bZk

Share this quick tip and my You Tube Channel address
on your social media platforms and with your friends.

Aaron

You are booked for a job, excited about being on a set,
and have easy access to tons of food.

But, don’t eat this while working on a set.

You could feel like you are going to explode.

Aaron Marcus get's blown up in this commercial modeling job

It Takes Discipline

 

When you are a principal on a project, you will have access to
tons of food and people offering to bring you whatever you
want to eat.

It is nice to be treated so well, but don’t fall into the trap.

When you are waiting and waiting
in your trailer or around the set for many hours, it is
easy to eat the time away.

I remember one time having a huge Mexican meal during
a shoot. It tasted great, but by the time we started shooting
my stomach started talking. Actually, talking very loudly.

It was so embarrassing for me to have to do another take
because my stomach noise was picked up by the boom mike.


Stay Relaxed  and Avoid the Heavy Meals

I find that when I eat enough so that I am not hungry,
but nothing too heavy, it allows me to think more
clearly and feel sharper in general.

On my most recent shoot, I did not even have lunch. Instead,
I ate health bars, bananas, drank lot’s of water and some nuts
while waiting for my scenes to begin.

Those types of foods filled me up and gave me good energy.

So, when you are working, keep you mind and your body awake
and sharp and don’t be like the kid in the candy store who eats
everything he can get his hands on. It might not have a good ending.

I would love to hear if there are certain things you eat or avoid
while working. Share it with others so we can all learn from each other.

To be perfectly honest with you, I am a little uncomfortable about sharing this personal information about what change I decided to make in my Career. But, after some thought I decided that it would be helpful to others, so here it goes.

Your Type

It is crucial that both actors and models understand  their “type.” Without knowing how people perceive them (and I don’t mean who they are in real life), meaning what types of roles they are realistically going to be submitted for, then it is really hard to have success.

My Type

I know that if I walk into a room with strangers and I ask them what is my day time job, I know what people will say. Most people think that I am a:

Doctor
Lawyer
High School Teacher
Psychotherapist
Politician
Etc…

What I have come to learn is that I give off a presence of someone they trust, like, feel comfortable with, are willing to share personal information with, etc…

What I am really like is irrelevant (although, I do see myself as a nice/caring person!!)

But the point is, I know how I am viewed and what types of roles I will be submitted for.

That knowledge helps me understand how to create my head shot. It has to reflect that image and those types of emotions.

Aaron Marcus Head Shot

This is a guy who you would submit for the types of roles I just mentioned.

Learning Your Type

Understanding your type is just one many
things I help people with in my
Private Online Mentoring Programs

Without this information it is hard to have success.

My Change

I have noticed that my biggest bookings
like, House of Cards, Gotham, Mr. Robot
Fishbowl, Halt and Catch Fire, to name a few
have come when my hair was gray and longer.

So, I decided to keep my hair that way. It is a major
change to my normal look, but I want to test it out
to see if this helps bring in even more auditions
and bookings.

I will keep you posted and let you know how my
experiment is working.

So, when you see me next, I will definitely look different.

Can Your Clothes Make or Break an Audition?

Click here to watch this video.

Let me know what “type” you believe you are.

Feel free to share this throughout your social media pages.

 

My New You Tube Channel

You should subscribe and click the notification
button on my You Tube Channel.

You will find a lot of great Acting and Modeling Quick Tip Videos.

Take care.
Aaron

There is a fine line between pushing an agent too far but also being proactive and taking care of yourself.

I recently was asked to audition and have the video sent back to the agent by the next day.
I worked really hard at understanding the material, who my character was, what the character wanted to get out of the scene and try and memorize the lines best I could.

After two takes, I was very happy with the read. I edited the audition and uploaded it to the agent.

Follow Up

With the program that I used to send a large file (wetransfer.com) I can always see if the video was downloaded. Generally, agents don’t want you to contact them asking if they received the audition. That is because they would be spending half the day just responding to all of those who sent in videos.

For the agents I have a personal connection with and respect, I might ask them if they were happy with the audition.

Not only will I receive helpful feedback, it is also a way for me to know that they got the video.

What Happened This Time

I contacted the agent to ask if she was happy with the audition. She told me that she downloaded the video, but could not open it. That was so weird. I never had this issue before. She asked me to re-send it to her. I did.

I contacted here again. She still could not view the audition. Honestly, I was getting frustrated. I would have hoped that the agent would have contacted me to let me know she was having issues viewing the video.

Since I knew the problem was on her end, I asked her if I could send the audition directly to the client. She agreed.

The End of the Story

The client got and was able to open and view my audition. I booked the job.

I was very happy about having the job, but honestly, I was not happy that I had to work so hard at making sure the client could see my audition.

My Point

Sometimes we have to be proactive and push to make things happen. There can be a fine line between upsetting the agent but also making sure that we take care of ourself.

Read More

You can watch another helpful video.

What to Say to An Agent When Work is Slow

Watch More Videos

You can see ton’s of great videos on my new

You Tube Channel

 

Many actors believe that when they say or hear the last word, the audition is over.

This is not a smart way to audition.

Actors should always audition in a way that helps
the casting director and the director believe that
they are watching the scene take place
during the actual shoot. Although you are not on
a set or sound stage, you need to make
your read as convincing and realistic as possible.

Don’t make people feel uncomfortable during your audition

When you have people loving your audition and then abruptly end the scene on
the last word in the sides, it takes people out of the moment of enjoying
the read and makes them feel uncomfortable.
It is a bit of a jolt to the system. It has the same effect as when someone
jumps into an ice cold lake.

How to End Your Audition

When you listen to a great song,
the music takes you to an interesting place in your life. A powerful song
will allow you to feel specific or multiple emotions. If the song moves you,
it will also take you out of reality for a few minutes. It is
a wonderful and powerful feeling and experience.

You will notice that it is rare to hear a song that ends abruptly.
As you were taken someplace special through the music,
the artist generally wants to gently ease you through this powerful
moment and smoothly bring you back to reality by having
the song fade out.

This allows you to still hang onto the emotions you were feeling. And,
with this type of slow ending, you will find that the emotions will stay with you longer.
That is what you want to do for every audition.

Add a Few Seconds to the End of Your Audition

Always add a second or a few seconds to ease your way out of the scene.
Just like a great song that has moved you and allowed you to stay
in the moment, allow those watching you to have the same feeling of
gently easing them out of your read.

Watch this video to see a great example of how this done.

Auditioning for a Feature Film

Here is a helpful video that will help you get ready when
auditioning for a feature film. Click Here to Watch

Share Your Experiences With Others

Let others know if there are any audition techniques that you find helpful.
Leave your comments below.

Send This to Your Friends

I create this videos so that others can learn from my 30 – plus years
of being a full-time actor. Feel free to share this on your social media
pages.

Visit my youtube.com/howtomodel page to see hundreds of other helpful
videos. Subscribe and click on the notification button so you will always
be notified when a new video has been uploaded.

Many actors who are getting started question whether they should be doing extra work. And, if they accept extra work, can it be listed on their acting resume?

I am an “Expert Writer” for Backstage Publication.  In this article 
I share the pros and cons of doing extra work. And, even though I
I tell people never to list extra work on a resume, there is one exception.
When you read the article, you will see the exception to my rule.

I am always interested in hearing other points of view.  So,
let others know if you have found extra work helping or hurting
your career.

If you have done extra work, did you get a chance to
watch and learn from some talented actors? Did you learn more
about whose who on a set? Did you get the chance to network
with other actors?

Feel free to share this article and let me know if there are
any topics or questions you want me to answer.

Talk soon.
Aaron

After returning from a TV commercial audition, I heard a number of actors reading the copy in a way that just does not work.

There is one key issue that I find many actors make when auditioning for a TV commercial. There is a real myth as too what actors should do during the audition.

If You Aren’t a Spokesperson
Don’t Sell During Your Read

Don’t sell the product

In this video you will learn the one thing that many actors do during a TV commercial audition that kills their chances of getting booked for the job.

Share with others if there is a technique you use that you find helpful for TV commercial auditions. Share it below.

You have my permission to share this video on your social media platforms.

Let me know if there are any topics or questions you want me to cover in a future video.

Check out hundreds of videos on my Acting and Modeling Quick Tips Channel on: youtube.com/howtomodel

Looking forward to talking again soon.
Aaron

I recently had the opportunity to audition for a pilot.

I spent about 3 hours preparing for my home audition.

There is no 1 way to prepare for an audition, so I want

to share 4 things I did that helped me prepare and give a read

that I was very happy with.

Audition for the Camera Secrets

To learn more ways to audition for the camera, you
want to watch this video – https://www.howtoactandmodel.com/audition-for-camera

I was fortunate to interview Ryan Williams, who has directed
actors such as Jodie Foster, Jake  Gyllenhaal and many others. He talks about:

• What to do once you received your audition sides
• Step into the waiting area – now what you should do
• Special techniques to use during your audition
• 3 things you need to do during an audition
• What you can do to impress a casting director
• How to always and never walk out of an audition
• And so much more.
Use this link for more details – https://www.howtoactandmodel.com/audition-for-camera

 

Great Way to Hold Your Sides During an Audition

Just to make sure you know, the sides is the short portion of the script
actors read during their audition. Some people make a huge mistake
and hold the sides down in front of them.

Watch this video and learn a great way to hold your sides during your read.

If you have some ways to prepare before your audition, please
share them below so others can learn from you.

Youtube Channel

You can see nearly 200 acting and modeling quick tip videos when you Subscribe 
to my You Tube Channel.  youtube.com/c/AaronMarcusActingAndModelingQuickTips

Click the Notification button, and you will be told when
I post a new video in my Acting and Modeling Tips Channel.

 

Share This Vlog

Feel free to share this vlog and my You Tube Channel
youtube.com/howtomodel
throughout your social media platforms.

Looking forward to talking with you again soon.
Aaron

Watch Out For This New Scam

Those of us in the acting and modeling industry know that this can be a hard business. What makes it even harder is when unscrupulous and simply heartless people do and say anything to us in order to steal our money, hopes and dreams.

Don’t Get Fooled By This New Scam

Scammers know how to size us up

I received  an email from someone who
said that he heard my voice over reel (from a
legit web site) and he wants to book me for
a job.

The person did not give any specifics about the job.
I immediately knew it was a scam from the vagueness
of the email.

Instead of deleting the email and moving on with my
life, I decided to play along to learn how the scam
was run and share it with others.

How to Avoid the Scams

Seeing how people scam actors and models
allows me to share this information with others.
I help others from getting ripped off
and having their hearts broken and hardened.

My First Question

I started the investigation process by asking some
specific questions to see how he would respond.
I asked, if is this was a Union job (SAG-AFTRA.) I wanted to not only
hear the response, but more importantly, I knew that the response
I got would tell me right away if it was a scam.

If it were a real SAG-AFTRA booking, he would know all of the
proper rates and the rules/regulations that are required for a
Union bookings.

Of course, he told me that it was a Union job. However, when he
told me how much I would be paid, it was not in line with Union fees.
My feeling of being 99.9 percent sure it was a scam got raised to 100%.

Even if you are not in the Union you can easily find out about rates
by visiting the SAG-AFTRA web site. The rate list is available to anyone.

Here is How We Get Ripped Off

It is easy to be injured by scams.

The guy told me that this voice over job would pay $1,120.
He did not clarify how it was being used (radio, TV, documentary, etc…)
or how long it would be used. He simply gave me a flat fee.

Then he said that the client would pay him half up front, which he would
then forward to me, and then pay me the full amount after the job was
completed.

There was no talk about where the voice over job was going to be recorded
or any details about the job – except for the fee.

Here is How They Get You

Here is How They Get You

In order for this guy to pay me half of my
fee upfront, he needed my banking information.

I thanked him for the offer, but told him that I was too
busy to take on other bookings right now.

Make sure you never give out any banking information to
people. We still receive checks through the mail.

There have been smarter scams that I have witnessed.

Here is a vlog teaching you about another scam I experienced.

Avoid This Acting Scam

If you have ever received information about a scam, please share it here
so others can learn from you.
Aaron

If you are fortunate enough to book a Union TV commercial
and get a check that is labeled Holding Fee, do you know what that means?

 

Love getting residual and holding fee checks.

To help explain this important term, let me give you some background information
about how actors and models get paid for SAG-AFTRA TV commercials.

The Union (SAG-AFTRA and Holding Fees)

There are many complicated formulas that go into figuring out
how much actors get paid when doing a Union commercial.

Here are just some factors that can determine how much you will earn
from working on a Union TV commercial

Is it a local spot, where it is only airing in one area?
Is it a regional spot where it might air in 2, 3 or more states.
Is it a national spot (which is what all commercial actors dream to book) where it is airing throughout the United States
Or is it a “Class A” commercial meaning it’s airing during a specific show
that airs during prime time (think Superbowl or any prime time TV show)

This Was a National TV Spot

This was originally a national modeling ad for AT&T.
They liked my work and asked me to audition for the National TV spot as well.

So happy to book this job. For the TV spot, they spent over $10,000
just building a huge can that I actually needed a ladder to get in and out of.

Not Sure About the Rules – It Can Get Complicated

TV commercial fees can get complicated

Except for the Class A TV commercials, principal actors in TV spots
get paid every 13 weeks (as long as the spot is running.)

That check will include the session fee
plus the units for the city or markets where the commercial is airing.

What Are Units?

The fees change and you can check out the SAG-AFTRA web site to
get the latest details, but we earn around $22/unit. Every city has
a specific amount of units attached to the city. The larger
the market, the more units it has.

The 3 largest markets in the United States are Los Angeles, Chicago
and New York.

Booking a National TV Commercial is so Exciting

It is very hard to book a national TV commercial, but I know
people who have earned $250,000 from one spot.

Now, if the company decides that they no longer want to run the TV
commercial, then the actor stops receiving their “residual checks.”

Holding Fee

If the company decides that they either are not sure if they are going to
air the spot again or know that they want to air it at a later date, the
talent will receive a “Holding Fee.”

That means that the TV commercial is not currently airing so the actor
will receive the session fee, but no units.

By paying a holding fee, the actor can’t do a TV commercial for a competing
company because they are still being paid for the spot. This holding fee
check will continue to be sent every 13 weeks.

Conflicts

There are times where you can receive a “holding fee” for a TV spot
and still do an ad for a similar product.

I once had a 2 year exclusive contract for a hotel chain. I could not work for
other competing hotels.

I was asked to do an ad for a small local hotel. My agent asked the client
if they viewed this small hotel as competition. They did not and I was allowed
to do an ad for another hotel.

Don’t make the mistake that some actors and models make by accepting a job
and not revealing the truth when asked if they have any conflicts running.

You could not only lose representation with your agent, you could be held
financially responsible for all of the money spent on producing a TV spot
that can’t be used.

So, now you know what “holding fees” are all about. Hope you start getting
those checks. And, better yet, start getting residual checks because your
TV commercial is running.

You can see many other videos if you Subscribe and Click the Notification
Button on my youtube.com/howtomodel page. The Channel is called
Acting and Modeling Tips Channel.

Always love to hear your comments both here, on You Tube as well as
on my facebook.com/howtomodel page.

 

 

Sometimes we run into really bad experiences with agents. This happened to me a while
ago.

I want to share it with you so that you handle this type of situation better than
I did.

Like with many things in this industry, even after being a full-time actor for more than 30 years, I am still always learning.

Have Great Communications With Your Agent

Not communicating with your agent?
Both you and your agent need to hear each other

Sometimes we don’t communicate well with our agent.
It is crucial that you are able to have clear and comfortable
conversations with your representative.

Like with any relationship, it takes two people
to work at making these conversations happen.

As you will see when watching the video, there are some
specific things that both actors and models should do to make
sure they know exactly what the agent wants and needs
in order to offer the agent exactly what is needed for
the talent to have success.

Subscribe
If you have not done so already, subscribe to my Acting and Modeling Tips Channel so you can learn new things.

Click the Notification button
so you will be notified every time I post a new video in my channel

Share 

If you ever ran into a tough situation with an agent, share your experiences below or on my
facebook.com/howtomodel page. This way many people can continue to learn and have
even more success in the acting and modeling industry.

I look forward to talking with you again soon.
Aaron

If you are an actor or model and finding that work is slow,
what should you say to your agent to make things change?

First, keep in mind, that everyone has slow periods throughout
their career. If you happen to be fortunate enough to be a series
regular on a show that runs for years, or you are booking movie
after movie, then you are probably in the 1 percent category.

Most of us will have slow periods on a regular basis.

So, knowing that it happens to everyone, what you need to learn
is what to do so you don’t feel depressed and give up.

Frustrated About Not Booking the Job

Here is a Great Idea

When you watch this video you are going to
see that there are some very specific things you
can ask your agent to make sure that things
get resolved and auditions start happening again.

“>

Share With Others

Let others know how you have gotten
more auditions/bookings after a slow spell by sharing it
on facebook.com/howtomodel

How to Get Work on Your Own

Learn how you can start getting more work
on your own.
https://www.howtoactandmodel.com/blog/how-to-be-proactive-and-book-more-jobs/

Subscribe to My Youtube Channel and follow me on Instagram

You can see a lot more videos when you subscribe and click on
the notification button so you will always know when a new video
is posted.

Get additional information on instagram.com/aaronrmarcus

Don’t forget, feel free to share this on your site or on your social media
platforms. These are created to help people around the world have more
success.

Can’t wait to talk with you again soon.
Aaron

Sometimes it feels like someone is out to get us and make life as difficult and frustrating as possible.

I recently was in a situation where I had 4 possible job opportunities that all feel on days where I was not available. Part of the time was while I was giving workshops out of town and the other dates were over the weekend when my son was getting married.

Sometimes This Business Can be Frustrating

Frustrating but fun job

As a full-time actor and commercial model for over 30 years now, I find that there are times where every possible audition or job has be turned down because of previous commitments or other bookings.  And, then there are times when it seems like things just work out perfectly and one project happens just as another is finishing.

In the acting and modeling world, you have to understand that things seem to even themselves out. I have had 2 bookings for the same day, and it just so happened that I was able to do both. Those are amazing days. And, then there are times where nothing seems to work.

I am not saying to be frustrated. We are human. That is a normal feeling. But just understand, that there will also be times when things just fall into place.

Also, this is a good situation to be in. That means that people are wanted to audition you and or hire you. It can sound good to be able to say, “Sorry, I am already booked for that date.”  It makes you more desirable and it let’s others know that you are talented and wanted.

So, when you have to turn something down, that can be seen as a good thing.

If you ever had to turn down a project or audition due to previous commitments, how did you handle it? Leave you comment below or on my facebook.com/howtomodel page.

Other Places

Don’t forget to  subscribe and click the notification button on my Youtube.com/user/howtomodel channel. I have great videos there.
And follow me on my instagram.com/aaronrmarcus page.

When you are reading a script, sometimes you will find writers notes. A question that I hear a lot is whether an actor should pay attention to the writers notes. Absolutely. Always pay attention to them.

But, the real question is, should you follow the suggestions.

NOT NECESSARILY

You are not a puppet for the writer

You are not a puppet for the writer

It is your job as an actor to make the decision as to how
to play the character.

You should read what the writer has to say,
but then decide if that makes sense for your
interpretation.

DOES THE WRITER’S NOTES SUGGEST YOU SCREAM?

Maybe that is what you believe your character should do, but perhaps
instead of doing what everyone else is going to do, you decide to hold
in that excitement, feel it, have that energy shoot our of your eyes,
but not have that big screaming moment.

So, it is completely your choice to follow or not follow the
suggestion from the writer.

If you have experienced seeing the writers notes, let us know what you did.
You can post it on facebook.com/howtomodel and also on the bottom of this page.

DO YOU HAVE TO MEMORIZE YOUR LINES FOR AN AUDITION?

 

Not Sure if You Have to Memorize Lines for an Audition?

Watch This Vlog

By watching this video, you will learn if you have to memorize your
lines for an audition.

I don’t believe when people say that in order to have success in the acting and modeling industry it is all about who you know. I actually believe the saying should be “Who knows you.”

Take a moment to get to know people while working on a set

That is why, if you are working as an extra on a film, TV show or even on a TV commercial, I think that it is really important if people know who you are. And, it makes for a much more enjoyable day or days when people on the set including the P.A.’s (production assistants), 1st AD, 2nd AD, (assistant director), makeup artist, wardrobe folks and even crew members know who you are.

When you show up on the set for a second day of shooting, and if you are one of hundreds of extras, and the P.A. who is checking you in says your first name and asks how you are today, it feels very welcoming.

The other reason for getting people to know who you are is because you never know where people are going to wind up in the industry. Maybe the P.A. today is going to do casting tomorrow, or maybe even direct a project. When you are remembered as someone who is great to work with, that can go a long way in helping you succeed in the future.

I got a great booking by doing this.

A  few years ago I worked on a really fun print job. I spent some time talking with the creative director on the set. Just let week, she had suggested that a producer contact me to audition for a host on an Infomercial. I sent in the information requested by the producer and booked the job. This all happened because I spent the time getting to know someone on a set.

Let others know.

If there is something you have done on sets that you found helpful, please share it here so others can learn from you.  You can also post your ideas on my facebook.com/howtomodel page.

Feel free to share this with acting information throughout your social media platforms. It is great having a large community of actors and models trying to help each other. It is a great way to run a business.

Look forward to talking again soon.

Aaron

I just did something that I knew could either be good or possibly bad for my career and for me personally.

This is something that I generally tell actors not to do, but I decided to take a gamble and give it a shot.

Doing This Could Get You in Trouble

Sometimes you need to take a gamble in your acting and modeling career
You don’t want to get locked out of auditioning with casting directors

After submitting your head shot and resume to
to a casting director, you don’t want to call the
casting director’s office to see if they received
your materials.

Having said that, I saw a last minute notice
about a booking that would last 6 or 7
days and it was starting very soon.

When you watch this video, you will learn what
I did and why.

It was a gamble, and I believe you will find this
interesting and helpful.

If you ever took a gamble, let us know what you did
and how it turned out.

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