Bobby Reed

BobbyReed.blogspot.com

SuperMarketing for Actors 2011

Bobby Reed’s SuperMarketing for Actors 2011

BobbyReed.blogspot.com

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. AFTRA Show Sheet .............................. 1

2. AFTRA Education Series ...................... 1

3. Audition List ......................................... 1

4. Borrow (steal?) from the Best .............. 1

5. Call Sheets ............................................ 1

6. Casting Sites ......................................... 1

7. CD Workshops ...................................... 1

8. Coaches ................................................. 1

9. Cutting (Editing) .................................. 1

10. Database Management (How big is your list?) ................................... 2

11. Drops ................................................... 2

12. E-Blasts ................................................ 2

13. Headshot rollout .................................. 2

14. Headshots ............................................ 2

15. How Many Auditions Game ................ 3

16. IMDb Pro ............................................. 3

17. Interning .............................................. 3

18. Last Five Roles Game .......................... 3

19. Level Reading ...................................... 3

20. Marketing/Networking Groups ........... 3

21. Mentors ............................................... 3

22. Most Important Marketing Items .................................................... 4

23. Overexposure ....................................... 4

24. Plays & Showcases ............................... 4

25. Postcards ............................................. 4

26. Postcard printing ................................. 4

27. Pre-Meeting Research ......................... 4

28. Production Weekly ............................... 5

29. Project Tracking ................................... 5

30. Publicists .............................................. 5

31. Radio Shows: KCRW The Business ................................................ 5

32. Reading & Research ............................. 5

33. Reels ..................................................... 5

34. Referrals .............................................. 6

35. Representation: Agents ....................... 6

36. Representation: Managers .................. 6

37. Role Suggestion List ............................ 6

38. Room Reading ...................................... 7

39. SAG Conservatory ................................ 7

40. SAG Foundation ................................... 7

41. Search Engines ..................................... 7

42. Show Me Your Pics ............................... 7

43. Sides & Story Board info at Commercial calls .................................. 7

44. Signature Block .................................... 7

45. Social Media ......................................... 7

46. Student Films ....................................... 7

47. Submitting and Submission Services ................................................ 8

48. Television Actors ................................. 8

49. Trade Groups ....................................... 8

50. Trade papers ........................................ 8

51. Type Me! .............................................. 8

52. Voice Acting ......................................... 9

53. Website ................................................ 9

Bobby Reed’s SuperMarketing for Actors 2011

BobbyReed.blogspot.com

1

Union member, actor, producer, writer, marketing coach (full bio is at bobbyreed.com on the “Bio” tab), but additionally, I was the commercial agent at Howard Talent West, and a theatrical and commercial assistant at ACME Talent & Literary (in both New York and Los Angeles), and occasional intern at talent agencies Schiowitz and Defining Artists here in Los Angeles, so I have lots of agency experience to draw upon. My first role was Hansel in “Hansel & Gretel” at 6, and I’ve never looked back. I’ve been doing private marketing coaching for years (one-on-one and small groups, and more recently 100+ person condensed courses for AFTRA Los Angeles). I want to help clients/students who are well on their way to real acting careers. This material is really not meant for beginners or people considering going into acting.

This manual is mostly written in the first person; these are my experiences and impressions and techniques, so take it with a grain of salt. Take what is useful and leave the rest. There are no rules: that’s important to remember. If you read enough show biz biographies, you’ll see there are many different roads to a career in show business, especially acting. So many great performers were also directors and producers and writers (and in the case of one HBO series star, a production designer), so the fields are wide open for testing.

Also, if anything here is glaringly ridiculous, or you have better or different information, I’d appreciate hearing about it. We’re all in this together, after all, which is why I give this manual away for free (for now…); to help actors get better at marketing themselves, and to try techniques they may not have considered. I’ve tried plenty of things, and failed outright. Then I try something else, and it brings results. There is always a workaround. Take two, as it were.

I’ve been marketing since I was a wee lad, sending out flyers for my cabaret act in New York in the early 1970s. Hand typed and photocopied Avery labels back then. One by one. By the thousands. For years. This show biz thing is a very long term project. It takes most performers decades to establish themselves, all the while trying to improve the product: better acting, higher level films, nicer outfits, etc. It takes a lot of time, normally, to build a life in show business. Of course, you hear about overnight smash hits, but that is very, very rare. So many people are attracted to the fame and money, but really, that is not realistic. The real ones would do it for free. But getting paid is nice, too. Because great actors make it look so easy, many people think “why not me?” When you take a good, long, educated look at the performing business, you can see the reality. Just read Gloria Swanson’s Swanson On Swanson, or the Tod Browning biography Dark Carnival. You’ll read about the early days of Hollywood career building and wonder how these people did it at all. Failure after failure, they never quit. And it’s all there for the taking. If you earn it.

I watched something interesting recently: Bette Davis on an old Dick Cavett show (on YouTube, of course) saying that, on average, it should take 15 years to make it in Hollywood. Hearing that from a pioneer like her carried some weight, needless to say. In my experience, and at the pace of my own career, that sounds about right.

Of course, when you’re marketing, the product you’re marketing better be worth the trip. We’ve all seen hyped movies, then the actual film is not so hot. I try to make sure my end product matches the level of push. I’m not always all that hot on screen: some takes suck, but in others I shine.

This advice is meant mainly for film and television work in Los Angeles. Although I’m from a New York theater background, living in Los Angeles since 1999 has given me these experiences, and I’d like to share them. I wish someone had handed me this document when I was new in Hollywood.

Green Note: I am hoping to keep this a green guide, by distributing it electronically only, as a

hyperlink-enabled, searchable PDF file (actually way more useful than a paper version). I don’t intend to print a paper version as of now, but that might change for future versions. There is already way too much paper in the world; I prefer my paper in its original tree form.

Bobby Reed’s SuperMarketing for Actors 2011

BobbyReed.blogspot.com

1

1. AFTRA Show Sheet

On this union’s website, they publish all the shows that are covered by AFTRA contracts, and there are lots of them. A very valuable source for targeting which shows you feel you are right for. You must have your password for their site to get this document. Well worth the trip.

2. AFTRA Education Series

Their Education Department sends out an e-blast every Friday afternoon, with a listing of upcoming free classes for union members. Be sure to get on that list. So many wonderful topics are covered, and their guests are getting better and better (I have taught my SuperMarketing class there a couple of times). I went to a casting discussion, and they had the top two NBC casting executives there (one from network and one from cable), speaking freely about all sorts of useful things.

3. Audition List

I keep a table (in Word) of all my auditions (see the Database Management section), the columns being: Project, Role, Source, Audition Date, Callback Date, Booking Date, Shoot Date, CD and Director. I keep the auditions in the same Word document as I do my full database, handy all in one place. Of course, you could keep two files. It’s from this data that I pull my annual booking ratio numbers. Just for fun, sort of snapshot of how I’m doing.

4. Borrow (steal?) from the Best

I’m always looking for marketing ideas I see being used, that I had not thought of. I get them in the mail, in e-mails, on web sites. Everywhere, lots of other actors have lots of great ideas; I just use them as I see fit. Many of them have ended up in this guide.

5. Call Sheets

Since productions send these to you as a PDF, they are easy to electronically file away and refer to later when you’re wondering who that great sound gal or make-up guy was. You can go back and look people up. Very useful.

6. Casting Sites

Of course, we all know about Actors Access, Now Casting, and LA Casting. Surprisingly, I have also gotten some interesting items from Craigslist, although I know it’s full of scams and “model” jobs that aren’t really performing jobs at all. But learning how to read those ads carefully,

and weed out the scammers, there are actually some genuine filmmakers in there looking for real actors.

7. CD Workshops

I loved them in New York, and I’ve used them here in Los Angeles a lot. Quick story: I was invited into a new one (now closed), but saw a woman who specializes in casting MOWs1 within the first couple of weeks of the workshop, she called me in, and I booked. Fast work, eh? Well, nice, but not necessarily typical. But they do work sometimes. Timing is crucial in these things, too, as in make sure the person you’re seeing is in production. Otherwise you’re just investing in the future, which is alright, too, but not as hot as if they’re currently needing fresh faces on a weekly basis.

8. Coaches

Dallas Travers2, Lauri Johnson3, Robert & Michelle Colt, Geoff Fairbanks, Shawn Tolleson, etc. There are armies of them, and I’ve pretty much been to them all. (I’m a coach, too!) They all have something to offer, they all have valuable information. Many of them have books for sale. It’s up to you, of course, if you want to pay someone to impart these nuggets. Many coaches offer free sample versions of their programs at the unions or in other venues. Perhaps you could find the information and techniques elsewhere, but it is handy hearing it all in one place. There are lots of books in the library on the “business of show business,” for free. Or stand in Samuel French and read pieces of books. Your call. Anytime a coach offers a free seminar, I go. I love free. Also, be sure to get on their individual blast lists, so you can stay abreast of their current offerings.

I’m talking about career coaching here, not acting coaching. Two different things, obviously.

9. Cutting (Editing)

Learning to cut my own footage was one very important lesson. I learned at the side of

1 Movies of the Week (Hallmark, Lifetime, etc.).

2 Dallas frequently offers one-hour teleseminars for free, where you dial in to a number with a code, and she gives a talk on one of her many techniques.

3 Lauri Johnson is the only coach I have seen in Los Angeles with actual current acting credits, which puts her at the top of my list. She walks her own talk, and has the credits and footage to prove it.

Bobby Reed’s SuperMarketing for Actors 2011

BobbyReed.blogspot.com

2

some great editors, just sitting with them and watching while they cut my early reels. Then I began playing with Windows Movie Maker (and a couple of other free programs on the net) and soon I was cross fading and adding title cards and scoring my own clips. You really learn a lot about acting and a scene’s pace when you cut it yourself. Also, obviously, a real money saver. Editing, which is usually priced by the hour, can add up fast (some editors offer a flat rate). And it takes a very long time. The more you tinker with a scene, the more you can tweak it. It can become an obsession!

I have not upgraded to the expensive retail versions of editing software (Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere), because my reels are usually short and simple, with just cross fades and some title cards, a few pans and zooms, and the sound effects and music. Boom. Done. Nice fresh product. No need for too many bells and whistles, but I may change my mind in the future.

See my section on Reels in this guide for more on this topic.

10. Database Management (How big is your list?)

This is really the most important part of this actor’s arsenal: without it, I have no idea who is who and what I did with them or what I sent to them.

I use a table in Word, but you can use Excel, or any number of database programs available. Up to you. Just make sure it’s easy to merge to labels for printing, and easy to extract the e-mail addresses if you’re doing a blast.

11. Drops

If I’m at a place like Casting Studios on La Brea, and there are multiple commercial casting offices all around the room, I’ll drop a pic in each basket, but I have not gone to separate offices and dropped pictures. I know some people do that (even going so far as to drop pics at studio casting offices, then they’re on a studio lot for some reason), and have gotten results, but I just don’t see it as very efficient. Especially nowadays, when most (if not eventually, all) submission action will be electronic. Theater still likes hard copies. I used one today. And you must have a few hard copies in your bag at all times. Most theatrical auditions want one, but a couple lately have passed on taking them, as

they’re using my electronic submission on a computer screen, right there in the room.

12. E-Blasts

I received one recently from an actor friend of mine, with the breathtaking slam dunk of two new TV shows and two reruns all airing in the same week! Wow. But he neglected to add any photos to the e-mail, so it was just words. Nice enough, but there should have been at least some type of production still on the message (please NO headshots, we all see each other’s headshots way too often; production stills ONLY). When blasting out information about bookings or air dates (here is a sample of what I e-blasted out for a TV booking I got in early 2011), include a pic, maybe the show’s logo, or the network logo. Something eye-catching would be nice. Just a message with words is so drab. Television shows and films do not advertise without images; neither should you.

13. Headshot rollout

These days, some headshot photo sessions will yield 600 (or more!) digital pictures, so that’s a lot to choose from. I pick the best 3 and print 25 of each. When those are gone, I go to the next best three; I don’t reprint the same three I just ran out of. Same with electronic posting: I change the pics roughly every 90 days or so, sometimes longer, using the other pics from that session. Eventually you run through the best ones, and then it’s time for a new photo session. At least annually, but I often do it more frequently than that, as I often get free photo sessions (through barter or photographers trying to build up their books SEE BELOW).

14. Headshots

Take them often, and try all sorts of photographers. They should really not cost over $300 for a few looks (say four), and I’ve gotten lots of photo sessions for free (the ads for these tend to be on Craigslist, sometimes Actors Access, when a photographer is expanding their

Bobby Reed’s SuperMarketing for Actors 2011

BobbyReed.blogspot.com

3

book4), especially when a filmmaker is also a photographer, and wants me to act in their film for little or no money, I can sometimes barter my acting services for a photo session. Most people are willing to do this if you ask nicely. Barter is a great way to get things in show business.

15. How Many Auditions Game

I monitor all my auditions, so on an annual basis it’s interesting to know how many times you’re going out in a year. Then I compare the number of bookings and I get an audition-to-booking ratio which sort of lets you know how you’re doing, generally.

16. IMDb Pro

The most important research tool actors have. As of this writing, for the price of membership, you can add 100 photos and your reel (only one). Also, in terms of photos, I try to use mostly production stills, with only a couple of headshots thrown in; I think IMDb is about the work done, so shots from movies and TV shows look best. Red carpet, too, if you have them. I would NOT add theater photos (I’ve seen it done); not really the place for those. Also, be sure to take advantage of their “Vanity Link” feature, and add it to the signature block of all your outgoing e-mails. And be sure to link your web site to your IMDb profile.

Your StarMeter ranking is a fun number to watch and use, but remember: you’re up against every actor who ever lived, dead or alive (and porn!), so the number can be misleading. Then some weeks there’s a person you never heard of (or someone who just died) in the Number 1 spot. Still, it’s fun to watch your number rise (hopefully) over the years.

17. Interning

I began interning at New York and Los Angeles talent agencies in the 1990s and it was very, very valuable. Did I mention how valuable it was? I learned how and why the system worked, where before that, I had only a vague notion of the complete system, and my place in it. When I worked at Acme in New York, it became a paying job when the theatrical agent and the owner (in Los Angeles) had a parting of the ways, and I was the last man standing. The

4 I would make sure that the photographer has a physical address and a web site with lots of work samples before going to a “free” photo session.

owner said to me: “You know the clients: submit them!” So I did, becoming the de facto agent without the actual franchise. Very nice experience. A real example of right place, right time.

18. Last Five Roles Game

Write down and really think about the last five roles you played. I don’t mean small roles (“your table is ready…”); I mean substantial acting roles. How are people seeing you? Does it match how you see yourself on screen? I find that producers and directors sometimes see me quite differently than I see myself, so there’s education in there. I like to do this exercise in a group, then ask the group if they see the individual actor as the roles that they say they have done. Try it with a group of your actor friends. See if they see you as you see yourself. It can begin a nice dialogue about roles and types.

19. Level Reading

Be realistic about your own level in relation to the industry. Are the roles you’re going out for above, below, or at the correct level for your skill and place in the industry?

20. Marketing/Networking Groups

Start one! I did. In New York, I met an ambitious woman on a set once, and we decided to start The Bookers Club in my basement. It went from a couple of actors to 18 at our last meeting. We just got together monthly and talked about tips and tricks as marketing actors, and shared ideas and coffee. It’s always a fun and low cost effort. Actually, it was free, except for the coffee.

Here in Los Angeles there are some wonderful operations, chock full of information like Kevin E. West’s The Actors’ Network and others. I joined this group when I was new to the market in 1999, and made some terrific friends and really got a lay of the land about how and where Hollywood worked. This is not New York, and to be guided for a while is very valuable, and a BIG time saver.

There are many other networking and marketing operations; ask your friends who they like and trust.

21. Mentors

It’s important to find people who can help and guide you on the way up the Hollywood food chain. Also, on the way down, but that’s not in

Bobby Reed’s SuperMarketing for Actors 2011

BobbyReed.blogspot.com

4

keeping with the positive attitude in this Guide. Many people at a higher level than you are more than willing to give a little guidance along the way. A cup of coffee, a phone or e-mail chat go a long way to imparting information.

22. Most Important Marketing Items

My tools have changed over the years: it used to be a burning passion for the frequent postcard in the mail to everyone in show business. Now, not so much; much less often. I now prefer the electronic message, without paper, postage or hours of label printing. Also, I can’t stress enough the power of consistency and longevity. That guy is still at it??!! Amazing. When I see people I’ve worked with in the past blasting out new projects and material, it’s a great feeling. Over the years, the career builds and grows.

23. Overexposure

I have some colleagues who post their every acting move on Facebook, at least every few minutes sometimes: script reading, submitting (!), shooting, make-up, etc. Personally, I try to be a bit more judicious in my posts, putting up fresh clips and stills (from actual work) rather than my every move in my every day. I just think it’s classier. But that’s just me. If you watch TMZ or any of the fan-based entertainment shows, some A list actors never appear there (unless they are promoting a new project). I like that method. You do not hear their personal business being broadcast. Really, no one cares.

24. Plays & Showcases

Sometimes they work, sometimes not so much. I’ve been nominated and won awards in some, and in others they were just terrible. But you never know. Also, when I was new to Los Angeles, theater was the best place to make new friends, since the time spent with these other actors was more than a couple days on a movie set, so you could really get to know people. If you want theater, New York, Chicago or London (or the amazing American regional theater scene) are the places to be; really, Los Angeles is not the place to focus on the stage.

25. Postcards

Mailing (paper) and e-type, two different kinds. Also, never send an e-mail message (as an actor) without adding an e-card to the signature block, which must include your photo (remember, your image is your currency), or

better yet, several photos (production stills only, no headshots) like the sample included here (this is one of many different e-cards I use).

It’s easy to make your own e-card in Word , PowerPoint, or some other layout program (I make all mine), and if you’re stuck on how, check YouTube for an instructional video. I’ll bet it’s there. Just add the pics and some text. Voilà. E-Cards for blasting. Test it first by e-mailing it to yourself before blasting it all over the place. Make sure it looks right. Most e-mail programs allow you to insert an image (usually a JPEG file) into a message.

26. Postcard printing

I have used GotPrint in Burbank, and VistaPrint in [somewhere in the Midwest?], both are great. There are probably others around, but those two are my choices. If anyone finds better prices, I’d love to hear about it.

27. Pre-Meeting Research

I tend to look everyone up on IMDb, Google and YouTube. Facebook, sometimes, but not always. But I want to know someone’s credits and track record when I’m meeting them. I do it before auditions (in most cases), but I would ALWAYS do it for a callback, just to see the level of the folks who have expressed interest in me. Also, I occasionally get approached directly (when someone has seen something that I’ve done), and in those cases I always do my research on what they have done. I also check the cast lists of their current or previous projects, as I sometimes know the people they have worked with in the past. In a couple of cases, I’ve contacted the cast member who I know, and asked about the person I’m about to meet, for an opinion. As time goes on, you find out how really small the Los Angeles film community is. The same folks pop up over and over again.

Bobby Reed’s SuperMarketing for Actors 2011

BobbyReed.blogspot.com

5

28. Production Weekly

I used to get a newsletter by this name, but now I just look at IMDb’s production listings: some things are pre-production, some are optioned. It seems to have all the data in one, tidy place. When they’re in pre-production, and it looks like a large project that might be using my type, I’ll e-mail a pic + res to the producers. In the early stages, there may not be a casting person attached to the project. If it’s really big, I’ll add it to my tracking list (see below) and add a reminder to my calendar every couple of weeks to keep my eye on how it is developing.

29. Project Tracking

This is the way I try to keep my eye on projects that are coming down the pike, usually big films with large casts, and possibly using character people like me. The important thing is to keep checking the public information on a project, like when they add cast or a casting office. They will give a clue as to the scope and speed of the project. I figure that if the producers have seen my material, and then my pic shows up in the regular agency submissions, there may be an advantage. Or not. I figure it’s worth the price of an e-mail, which is $0.

30. Publicists

I have had friends who hired them, especially when these particular actors had several projects in the pipeline. But once I had lunch with a publicist and she quoted a monthly fee of $2,500, which was not in my budget at the time, and since then I’ve not run across any. When an actor gets to a certain level, I’m sure they’re very important. But I think it would take LOTS of projects coming down the pike (TV series regular or recurring role, a couple of BIG movies, Broadway show, etc.) to justify that sort of expense. I’ve heard of $125 a week for someone to write press releases, then $10,000 a month at the very top end of the spectrum. There are probably prices at every level in between.

31. Radio Shows: KCRW The Business

This is a priceless resource for industry chat and information. Free, easy, and they archive them all for listening whenever you get around to it. Hosted by Hollywood Reporter Managing Editor Kim Masters.

32. Reading & Research

Every Monday morning you should read both Bonnie Gillespie’s The Actors’ Voice and Mark Sikes’ The Casting Corner columns on Actors Access. Very useful information, and their archives contains hundreds of past articles, so when you run out of reading material, go back and read every word they ever wrote. You’ll learn plenty. All free.

Also, try to read a Hollywood biography at least monthly. You’d be amazed at the stories of how stars and working actors came up through the system. Very inspirational and informative, and you see there are many ways up. Also, it enriches your knowledge of how the system used to work, and how it has evolved. Like any business, it has changed a lot, and continues to change constantly. But some things never change.

Every time I’m on a set I learn about some new machine or technique that I never heard of. The learning part is such a fulltime job.

Another great information source is Alex’s Info which is Alexandra Raines’ free newsletter, usually comes every weekday morning.

33. Reels

This could be an entire book by itself. Some wisdom dictates that it is better to have no reel than a bad or weak one, but in this day and age when a headshot is just not enough, and almost everyone and their cousin has a YouTube video up, to not have some scenes ready for viewing pretty much knocks you out of the running. It would be very hard to be taken seriously as a film actor without nice, fresh footage. Did I say fresh? Yes, not 10 years old. Two-to-six months old is fresh.

This is a life-long, career-long commitment in the information age. We are our clips. It will keep changing as you get better material, and replace the older, weaker scenes with hot new stuff. You will see your progress as a screen actor, too, if you look back occasionally at the older stuff.

Think about it: if you were casting something, wouldn’t you want to instantly watch a bit of an actor’s abilities, quickly, 10 seconds tops, and BOOM, you can tell if you want to bring them in or not. It is today’s language of performing: you must have some footage or it just screams newbie amateur. Reading credits on a résumé is nice, of course, but it’s not the real

Bobby Reed’s SuperMarketing for Actors 2011

BobbyReed.blogspot.com

6

thing. Nothing speaks louder than a tasty, short scene with you at your dramatic or comedic best.

Watch as many reels as you can; that should give you a taste of what is out there.

Make some fake scenes: write it, cast it with your talented friends, cut it well (keep it short and focused on what YOU do best), and throw it up there. Everyone knows someone with a good HD camera. If you don’t, you are not properly connected, so get properly connected now.

Also, watch at least two reels from other actors daily. Try to watch someone close to your type and age, just to see what the market looks like. You’ll quickly learn what flies and what dies. Then you can apply that to your next editing session. You can flip through reels on Actors Access, or just Google “actor reels” and thousands will pop up. Watch them all.

Great editors are Quick Nickel (Robert Campbell5) and Gullifer Editing (Jason Gullifer). Both these guys have sites (they are friends of mine, so this is their plug), but of course, there are many editors in Hollywood. I’m sure you know some. Or learn to do it yourself (see the Cutting section of this guide).

I have noticed one BIG glaring problem with several reels lately: they begin with a group scene, and I can’t tell who I’m supposed to be looking at. Especially war clips. There are several soldiers, and you can’t tell which is the actor whose reel you’re watching. Best to start a reel with some solo scenes and lines, to establish the owner of the reel.

Another thought: don’t mix genres. Do not put commercials and theater on a film and television reel. Those things do not belong on a theatrical scene reel. Sometimes an industrial can look like a theatrical scene, but be sure it does.

I have grown fond of the short “stand alone” scene rather than a lot of larger compilations. Or keep it themed, like :50 comedy and :55 drama samples (each with about three scenes). Still, my main reel (called “Acting” on my YouTube Channel) is 2:03 for those who really want a full dose of what I do. I also left a couple of older reels up there, but when they start to look tired, I’ll remove them.

5 Robert won an award from Backstage West as Best Los Angeles Editor in 2008.

34. Referrals

I often get requests for the film trades (hair, sound, gaffer, publicity, etc.) so I keep a big list in Gmail. Itemized by categories, it’s easy to blast out a request, to the people on the list as well as the person doing the requesting. It’s a great way to give back and stay connected. Remember, if you suggest someone for a job, they may possibly suggest you for something in the future.

35. Representation: Agents

The last couple for me here in Los Angeles have been great, but it’s a very personal and delicate match. I feel that, when the time is right, the correct person appears. That’s just my take on it. I’ve rarely gone out seeking an agency. I have, certainly, tried to get an agent’s attention, as in when I was in a play with a gal who’s agent was very well known and prestigious. I sent him links to my clips, and we had a short e-mail dialogue, but it never evolved into a business relationship (P.S. he did NOT come to see the play we were in, which is what I was hoping for). But at least I know he’s aware of my work. I know many actors send out mailings, but I can’t imagine getting an agent except through referrals, never blind. I would only go with someone who represents someone I know. I probably would not do business with a stranger. It’s easy to check on people’s reputations and track records in Hollywood.

36. Representation: Managers

I’ve used managers since I was 17 and first in New York theater. I have always found them extremely useful, as they have access to jobs that the agency sometimes does not. It just happens. A manager will submit you on something that the agency missed, and vice versa. Rates are usually 15% of gross, but I think it’s worth it to have a team watching all angles. And they are your voice, when someone needs a phone call about something or other.

37. Role Suggestion List

This is a good idea to give to new representatives (if they don’t know you too well) to be sure you’re all on the same page. If you see yourself as something, and the agent or manager does not, it’s worth a discussion. Also, this works the other way around: if they see you as something that would never occur to you, then talk about it.

Bobby Reed’s SuperMarketing for Actors 2011

BobbyReed.blogspot.com

7

38. Room Reading

If you walk into a casting session and they’re laughing, laugh along. If they look like they just had a fight, shut up. Keep your eyes and ears very open when you walk into an audition chamber, and sense your place in it. A very useful skill for meetings, too.

You can also read a set in the same way. When I’ve walked onto TV shows as a day player (co-star) you can immediately sense if it’s a happy or unhappy set, and how their day is going. Check it out very carefully when you first arrive. Take the temperature of the set. Same goes for films, but they usually go a lot slower than television shows.

39. SAG Conservatory

Located up at AFI on Western, this operation offers annual membership to union people and workshops throughout the year. I think it’s $25 annually, but check their site for the info.

40. SAG Foundation

Just watched a live stream of a “Pilot Season” seminar with casting people and reps, which was totally wonderful. Their Video Gallery is chock full of recorded seminars, all free for the viewing. You don’t even have to be a union member. Completely open website. I’ve been to many of these events live, which is fun to see and be seen, a little schmoozing, but if you can’t make it down there (and you must be union to go in person, usually) then you can watch online.

41. Search Engines

When you type your name into Google or Bing, your stuff better pop up immediately. If not, and your name returns someone other than you, find out how to get your ranking up!

42. Show Me Your Pics

When I’m at auditions, I try to look at other actors’ photos and résumés, just to see what other people are up to. Sometimes people like to share, sometimes not.

43. Sides & Story Board info at Commercial calls

Always take the storyboard, if it’s available for the taking. Take it home, scan it into your computer, and keep the PDF linked to that audition listing on your database for future reference. You never know when it might come

in handy. And you become familiar with the way ad agencies write boards. The language of commercials, as it were.

44. Signature Block

Make sure the signature block of all your outgoing e-mails contains a link to your IMDb page, your web site, and your YouTube Channel. Also be sure a photo is in there. Obviously, your friends will remember who you are, but when you’re writing to people in the industry, it’s a quick and easy way to remember who is who. People e-mail me things, and I don’t quite remember who they are, then have to look them up on IMDb, and say “OOOh, her.” It’s better to have it right there in the message, from the start.

45. Social Media

YouTube, Facebook, etc. Very important these days, obviously. My YouTube Channel (BobbyReed1) holds all my reels and clips in one tidy place. They are also all on my web site, but those are now mostly links to YouTube (rather than have the file reside on my web site’s server, which is what I used to do), and it’s easy viewing no matter what platform you’re using to watch.

Craigslist (not a social media site, by the way) is somewhat useful, as I’ve found filmmakers looking for actors, and they actually have some credits and known work out there. And I was in a film once where the background actors were from Craigslist, and were being paid $50 cash to show up for a supermarket scene I was in, so you can actually find paying jobs there, although it was extra work.

I also booked a film narration job from Craigslist, so it does have actual acting work. But beware of the scams.

As far as Facebook is concerned, I post new clips and photos up there, but no film jobs have ever come to me through that site. But I think an actor needs to be there, just to be in the community. Everyone promotes all their products there. Plays, movies, standup comedy, sketch, etc.

MySpace is used mainly by music people, I think. I don’t see many actors with material on that site. But, if it’s free, why not cover it. But I think MySpace is on the way out.

46. Student Films

AFI is technically a school, but I must say that some of the best movies I have made, with

Bobby Reed’s SuperMarketing for Actors 2011

BobbyReed.blogspot.com

8

the best roles, have come out of AFI. Really, do anything you can to get in their projects. They have relatively huge budgets and the quality is stunning. Get up there as quickly as you can.

I have heard that AFI casts first from the records of The SAG Conservatory up there (I think they keep a photo binder) but I’ve been cast (six times) through the regular Actors Access breakdown, or referrals from filmmakers who have used me.

USC has been very good to me, too. Lots of footage and experience and in a couple of cases the students have gone on to pro jobs and called me and booked me, years later, for their real work. So it pays to meet and work with the next generation of film professionals. Though most will not move onto the real Hollywood community.

I think there are something like 22 film schools in Los Angeles, so there are lots of students with lots of projects, and they need you.

Sometimes it’s a challenge getting your footage, because they abandon the project, leave school, run out of money, etc. But on average, they deliver.

Here are a couple of anecdotes: one young lady cast me in one film and produced another I was in, and I find out her mom is one of the biggest casting directors in Hollywood. True story. So you never know who is watching your student films. Here’s another: worked with a kid at USC, years later he calls me for a cameo in a web series, then someone sees me in that web series, and books me as a series regular in another web series. So you just never know where the connectivity will lead. Work begets work. I know you’ve heard that. It’s amazing, when the phone rings, and they say “hey, I saw you in ____________ and I’d love to talk to you about ____________.” Love that, the sweet spot of connections.

47. Submitting and Submission Services

Actors Access, Now Casting, LA Casting, Casting Frontiers (commercials), Casting Workbook (new). We all know these pay services.

Also, when you are asked for a pic & res directly (without going through a submission service, as in Craigslist’s actor ads) combine the pic (or multiple shots) and the résumé into one PDF file for easy transmission (the photo is page

1, the res is page 2). I have seen people attach three or four files to an e-mail, when you can combine everything into one handy PDF (below is the photo I currently use: a three-shot composite). Obviously, it’s simpler for the

receiving party to open one file. Much easier. If you don’t know how to create and manipulate

PDF files, find out now. There will be a YouTube video with instructions for you.

48. Television Actors

One of the best things I’ve found recently was EmmyTVLegends.org. It has thousands of LOOOONG interviews (3,043 to be exact, as of this writing) with TV stars who tell you how they got to the top, and in many cases, stayed there. Many are old timers, so you get an amazing sense of the beginnings of the television business. Just amazing. They tell all. Definitely worth a few hours of viewing. Some of the segments are long, so sit back and relax and enjoy this educational glimpse into history. And it’s not just performers; 17 other professional categories are included in the interviews. Amazing resource. It’s also the TVLEGENDS channel on YouTube, seems to be the same clips.

49. Trade Groups

Women in Film, Film Independent (FIND), there are lots of them. Use Google in your city, and join as many as you can, then go to the meetings and schmooze!

50. Trade papers

Be sure to read Variety, Hollywood Reporter, IMDb Pro (yes, it has lots of news), Deadline Hollywood (web), etc. Also Backstage West is good for an overview, but is not meant for anyone but newbies. The real industry news is in the first two publications.

51. Type Me!

This sort of goes with the chapter about Last Five Roles, but you get the idea. Ask other actors how they see you, and if it does not match how you see yourself, well, that may be worth some examination.

Bobby Reed’s SuperMarketing for Actors 2011

BobbyReed.blogspot.com

9

52. Voice Acting

I use an M-Audio mic and Audacity to make my audition MP3s for my voiceover submissions. I submit on commercials, games, narration, etc. All through my voice agent, and now my manager has added a voice person, so I’m covered on both fronts. Audacity is very simple to use and the software is free on the web. Also, Audacity is very good at editing the music tracks that I use under my reels and clips. You can adjust volume, texture, looping, lots of adjustments can be made to a music track or the all-important SFX that you add under a scene to kick it upstairs.

53. Website

Naturally, I use bobbyreed.com, (when web sites first appeared, I dreamt of my name dot com) but you have lots of choices for yourself. The .com extension is no longer that important; many of my friends use .net, .biz, .tv, etc. It really makes no difference. You just have to have a place where people who are interested

in casting you can go to see the whole story. My server is Network Solutions (because that’s what my friend Leon used, remember, referrals are everything), but Go Daddy and others are very popular. Ask all your friends with web sites who they use. Then inspect at least five new sites a day to get a feel for what other people are doing, and design tips. Note: there are hoards of site designers out there (and you can easily pay someone to design your site), but I’ve heard so many horror stories of trying to get changes made to your site, and the designer is not available, or takes too long. Not good. Your site may have to change on a dime, with a new credit, new production stills or clips, etc. It’s best to use a hosting service with plug-and-play template programs, so you can edit your own site. It’s easy. Do not be afraid.

Blogspot or Wordpress are free, and lots of actors use them as their site. Also LA Casting offers web sites, but you have to be a paid member. I think Now Casting does the same thing. And there’s a new one called Casting Workbook.