Since about the end of November 2012 I have been telling everybody that I have a such a good feeling about 2013. And I do. I really feel that my acting career will reach a more professional level this year. Do I know exactly what that means? Well, no. I don't know if it means I will book a SAG indie film role, or maybe a local/regional/national commercial, or maybe even get a commercial agent, or hopefully all three. Or maybe something even bigger will happen. I just don't know. The things I listed are definitely my three big goals for this year. That much I can say. Of course, to accomplish those things I'm gonna have to step up my game a bit. Luckily I happen to have a plan;). Below are some things I am going to start doing this next year--in addition to auditioning, classes, showcases--to make sure I connect to every possible opportunity available to me in 2013. As you will see, a lot of it for me this year will be about "being" an actress.
#1) I will choose quality and be patient; never again will I look for the best "deal" when it comes to head shots, marketing tools, and classes. From now on I will only choose products and services that are good quality, actor recommended, and that truly fit my wants and needs. That means I will be spending more money but that's okay. When you are just getting started I do think its okay be more thrifty in your choices. The key is to know yourself and understand where you are in your career. For me, I have been consistently working in projects for the past two years, started booking paid jobs towards the end of 2012, and I am now SAG-AFTRA eligible. Because of those reasons I now feel justified in spending more money on head shots and printing then I have in the past. Of course this step may require patience too as it may take longer to save up the money needed; which isn't a bad thing as we should be thoughtful when choosing things for our careers.
I already put this new philosophy into practice when getting new head shots done last week and I have never been happier with my photos. It took months for the photographer and I to work out a weekend to get it done (she lives in a different state than me) but I knew she was the one I wanted so I chose to wait. It was worth the time and the money. Her prices are very reasonable to begin with but I still paid more than 3x what I paid for my last two head shot sessions. The difference in quality is amazing. Don't get me wrong; my previous head shots weren't bad at all and they certainly served me well for awhile. But my new photographer was able to capture my personality and essence whereas the previous one took pretty generic photos. The photos also just look better quality and she really knew what she was doing.
#2) I will be a social media butterfly this year. I started this step last year but I need to be more consistent. I want to update and share my Facebook page more, tweet more, connect with more like minded professionals, and be as attentive as possible to those who make an effort to connect with me.
I have to say I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Twitter. I love following other aspiring actors and creative professionals. I love getting constant advice directly from casting directors. I love that even a few casting directors have followed me back. I love getting emails that tell me I have new followers. And I love sharing my acting updates to so many people at once and getting support back. (And I used to think the whole concept of Twitter was absolutely silly. Guess the joke's on me. Hahahaha.)
I know that being on Twitter doesn't make me a better actress. And I don't think using social media is necessary in order to be successful. In fact many a-list actors I would like to follow aren't even on twitter and if they are they don't update that often. But these days for someone who is trying getting there name out there it might put you a step ahead of those on your level. I'm not only speaking of the professional connections, possible opportunities, and the sharing of one's brand, which are invaluable, but I am also speaking of the way a person feels when sending a tweet. Here's my theory. What we love about posting on twitter or Facebook is that we are reaching a large audience all at once of people who are supporting you, right? Admit it: when you are updating that status don't you feel a wee bit like a celebrity? Okay, I get that I am far from being famous but sending a tweet kind a makes me feel like I am. And I truly believe in the concept of "fake it till you make it." That feeling is quite encouraging. Again, it's all about fully embodying the life of a professional known actor and not just hoping to become one.
Here are a couple of great articles that really encouraged me when I decided to start using twitter. If you have been fighting the urge to tweet but still aren't sure if it even matters take a look:
http://marciliroff.blogspot.com/2012/12/why-actors-need-to-get-on-twitter.html
http://unscripted.backstage.com/2011/07/why-actors-should-join-twitter.html
#3) I will work on my craft more between acting jobs and classes. I have been very blessed the past couple of years in that I have consistently been acting in projects, but I know I need to hone my skills more during the down time. For instance, I should work on my monologues even if I don't need one for an upcoming audition. I would like to start making videos of some that I have chosen so I can play them back for study and post them for feedback.
#4) I will be more conscience of my health and appearance. Meaning I will work out more, eat healthier, and dress like a star:)
And:
#5) Sometime in the next couple months I will hopefully be switching from a full time position at my day job to a part time position. Let's face it; the more acting I do, the less and less happy I am at my job. If I am going to take my career to the next level, I need to be fully available during the day to audition for the bigger paying acting jobs. "The greater the risk, the greater the reward" and it is time for me to take that next step. Yes, this decision makes me a little bit nervous, but I know in my heart it is the right thing and that God will provide.
So all that being said, hopefully by the end of the year I will be posting all the great new things I accomplished for my career:) I feel good about what I want to see happen this year and I think my goals are reasonable for where I am currently.
Thank you for reading and I wish all of you many blessings in your life and careers during 2013. Please feel free to post what plan on doing differently this year and what you would like to accomplish; I would love to know:)
Also, if you wish, please follow me by email, or here by clicking "join this site." It is much appreciated!!!
God Bless!!
#1) I will choose quality and be patient; never again will I look for the best "deal" when it comes to head shots, marketing tools, and classes. From now on I will only choose products and services that are good quality, actor recommended, and that truly fit my wants and needs. That means I will be spending more money but that's okay. When you are just getting started I do think its okay be more thrifty in your choices. The key is to know yourself and understand where you are in your career. For me, I have been consistently working in projects for the past two years, started booking paid jobs towards the end of 2012, and I am now SAG-AFTRA eligible. Because of those reasons I now feel justified in spending more money on head shots and printing then I have in the past. Of course this step may require patience too as it may take longer to save up the money needed; which isn't a bad thing as we should be thoughtful when choosing things for our careers.
I already put this new philosophy into practice when getting new head shots done last week and I have never been happier with my photos. It took months for the photographer and I to work out a weekend to get it done (she lives in a different state than me) but I knew she was the one I wanted so I chose to wait. It was worth the time and the money. Her prices are very reasonable to begin with but I still paid more than 3x what I paid for my last two head shot sessions. The difference in quality is amazing. Don't get me wrong; my previous head shots weren't bad at all and they certainly served me well for awhile. But my new photographer was able to capture my personality and essence whereas the previous one took pretty generic photos. The photos also just look better quality and she really knew what she was doing.
#2) I will be a social media butterfly this year. I started this step last year but I need to be more consistent. I want to update and share my Facebook page more, tweet more, connect with more like minded professionals, and be as attentive as possible to those who make an effort to connect with me.
I have to say I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Twitter. I love following other aspiring actors and creative professionals. I love getting constant advice directly from casting directors. I love that even a few casting directors have followed me back. I love getting emails that tell me I have new followers. And I love sharing my acting updates to so many people at once and getting support back. (And I used to think the whole concept of Twitter was absolutely silly. Guess the joke's on me. Hahahaha.)
I know that being on Twitter doesn't make me a better actress. And I don't think using social media is necessary in order to be successful. In fact many a-list actors I would like to follow aren't even on twitter and if they are they don't update that often. But these days for someone who is trying getting there name out there it might put you a step ahead of those on your level. I'm not only speaking of the professional connections, possible opportunities, and the sharing of one's brand, which are invaluable, but I am also speaking of the way a person feels when sending a tweet. Here's my theory. What we love about posting on twitter or Facebook is that we are reaching a large audience all at once of people who are supporting you, right? Admit it: when you are updating that status don't you feel a wee bit like a celebrity? Okay, I get that I am far from being famous but sending a tweet kind a makes me feel like I am. And I truly believe in the concept of "fake it till you make it." That feeling is quite encouraging. Again, it's all about fully embodying the life of a professional known actor and not just hoping to become one.
Here are a couple of great articles that really encouraged me when I decided to start using twitter. If you have been fighting the urge to tweet but still aren't sure if it even matters take a look:
http://marciliroff.blogspot.com/2012/12/why-actors-need-to-get-on-twitter.html
http://unscripted.backstage.com/2011/07/why-actors-should-join-twitter.html
#3) I will work on my craft more between acting jobs and classes. I have been very blessed the past couple of years in that I have consistently been acting in projects, but I know I need to hone my skills more during the down time. For instance, I should work on my monologues even if I don't need one for an upcoming audition. I would like to start making videos of some that I have chosen so I can play them back for study and post them for feedback.
#4) I will be more conscience of my health and appearance. Meaning I will work out more, eat healthier, and dress like a star:)
And:
#5) Sometime in the next couple months I will hopefully be switching from a full time position at my day job to a part time position. Let's face it; the more acting I do, the less and less happy I am at my job. If I am going to take my career to the next level, I need to be fully available during the day to audition for the bigger paying acting jobs. "The greater the risk, the greater the reward" and it is time for me to take that next step. Yes, this decision makes me a little bit nervous, but I know in my heart it is the right thing and that God will provide.
So all that being said, hopefully by the end of the year I will be posting all the great new things I accomplished for my career:) I feel good about what I want to see happen this year and I think my goals are reasonable for where I am currently.
Thank you for reading and I wish all of you many blessings in your life and careers during 2013. Please feel free to post what plan on doing differently this year and what you would like to accomplish; I would love to know:)
Also, if you wish, please follow me by email, or here by clicking "join this site." It is much appreciated!!!
God Bless!!
