Alex, the writer. How I feel sometimes. :D
Dear Diary,
Here's my offering to you this week......
* First, a shout out to Stephen Campbell! Thank you so much for being a loyal reader. And thank you for your response to my website inquiry. I am discovering wonderful people everywhere. It's really amazing.
* My look this past week. Went to a SynergyTV event and wore this number. You can only see what I'm wearing on top but, people have been asking where I got them, soooo, here it is!
The jacket is from Zara....looks like Chanel. And the beaded necklace is from Shop Publik. I get compliments on this necklace EVERY time I wear it. It really is a statement piece. LOVE. I also wore skinny jeans from Seven jeans with my black Chloe boots.
* I'm gonna be experimenting with a new night time face mask for 30 days. As you all know, I don't have the world's best skin...yet. As an actress and performer, my face is my product so, I take care of it. I'm a product whore. There's a new product I went to a demo for. It's all natural and suppose to do wonders. I'll post a BEFORE picture with NO make-up, next week or so, depending on when I get it and see how it goes for a month.
* GIVEAWAY announcement! Didn't get a chance to make a video for this but, I got my winner! And the WINNER issssss...............Jade Williams from Kentucky!!! Congratulations lil lady! I will be contacting you for your info so I can mail you the two gifts....a signed copy of my life coach's brilliant new book, How To Be A Happy Actor In A Challenging Business, AND a signed copy (by me) of the horror movie I'm in 'Scary Or Die'. Hope you like scary movies...it's bloody, FYI.
Remember to keep dreaming.....BIG. There is seriously nothing you can't do. Believe in yourself and take steps day by day. That's it. I hope this helps you along your journey. Stay happy, always. That's rule #1...with life, career, love...with everything in life. I'm rooting for you. :*)
Now on to the main attraction.......
This one is for all the folks trying to get representation.
Believe in good old fashioned hard work and MAGIC, peeps. My approach is and has been a mix of both. Not one or the other. BOTH. It hasn't let me down. There's a quote I came across recently by Dr. Wayne Dyer....."I am realistic, I expect miracles."
So, here are some tips.
1. First thing's first......BELIEVE. Believe it's easy to find representation. Believe you're worth having the best representation for you. I think many of us have this 'idea' that it's hard to get an agent. That's exactly what that is...an 'idea', a 'story', a limiting belief you have created in your mind. Is it true?? No way. Let that go. It's easy.
2. Focus on one thing at a time. What do you want first? Commercial or Theatrical? Or maybe you have one already and you're just looking for the other. Whatever your situation may be, one thing at a time. It's about building. I focused on getting a commercial agent first, then when I got that, I had free time and energy to put into getting a theatrical. There's a Oprah Winfrey quote that I love, "You can have it all. Just not at once." It's not about hustling...it's about focused hustling. Don't worry, you'll get there, wherever 'there' may be.
3. Do your research. Get IMDBPro. Not sure how much this cost now but, it's worth it. You get to upload a ton of pictures and you'll have access to all the agencies and their info. Check out their StarMeter and check out their roster. How many clients do they have? Are their clients working? When I was looking, I didn't even go past the first two pages because I wanted an agency that was doing its thang. Do you want to sign with a high profiled agency or a boutique agency? This depends on where you're at with your career. Sometimes a boutique agency may be a better fit if you have a limited resume. Just because you're with a high profiled agency doesn't guarantee sh*t. I know friends who have signed with top agencies and they didn't go out at all....and they were eventually dropped. Your goal is to have a solid relationship with your agent and get work. Go with one that will give you the proper TLC you want. THIS IS YOUR CAREER.
4. No more mass mailing! Make a list of agencies you want to target. I suggest 5-10...don't get crazy. Again, it's not about hustling....it's about focused hustling. Zero in on what you want. It's a mental shift here. It's not about finding who wants you or get what you can get......who do YOU want? Own your power. I know, it can be a bit scary at first but, practice does make perfect.
5. Make sure you have a good head shot and all your accounts are up to date. If you're looking for commercial, make sure your LA Casting and Casting Frontier is ready to go. If you're looking for theatrical, make sure your Actors Access and IMDB is ready to go too. Time is money. Don't wait around to get an agent to help you out with all this stuff. That's your job. They can give you advice and guidance but, they don't want to babysit. Be ready!
6. How do you want to start contacting them? Hard mail? Phone call? Referral? Showcases? You have some options. This is where you need to step out of that damn comfort zone of yours and start reaching out. Put yourself out there and get out of your own way. Trust me, if it scares you now, it's a good thing. It means it means something to you. Once you take a step...it gets easier.
7. Keep at it. I learned in Dallas Travers's workshop about The Rule of 7. It takes someone (ex: agents or casting directors) an average of 7 times of hearing or seeing your name for it to 'click'. So, try the phone call, try the hard mail, try asking people for referrals, try showcases....try'em all. Also, the trick isn't doing one each once and saying, "Eh, I did it." Persistence peeps.
8. "But, I feel like a weirdo about being persistent!" Yeah, you know how many people think that in this town and do nothing because of it? So, guess who gets the job or the agent....yup, the persistent folk. I found my theatrical agent from a showcase. The agents there didn't discourage or encourage following up with them. Now imagine how many other actors chose to believe "they don't want to me contacting them" route and didn't follow-up......I did. I got two meetings and I was in the position to choose who I wanted to sign with. There is a professional way to approach every situation.
9. How can you be persistent like a Pro rather than like a weirdo? Detach yourself from the outcome. And remember that you're looking for the right fit for YOU. It's not up to them, it's really up to you. Once you realize you're worth a damn good agent and not just any agent....you'll attract that. So, not just any agent for you...ok??
10. Visualize AS IF. Act and start living AS IF you already have it. Remember, even when you have an agent, your job to get jobs isn't over. Getting you auditions and work isn't solely your agent's responsibility...it's yours too. You just now have help. If anything, doing casting director workshops will get you far. Start doing them now. Some people actually book jobs first, and then they have agents coming to them. Wow. There are no rules. Make up your own. It's fun manifesting.
What do you think??? Hope this helps.
Here's to a kick ass career.
with LOVE,
Alex
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