Become a WORKING Actor in 7-Days for less than $5 Per Day!
What Is Success?
I don’t think success can be measured. I think success is defined by your expectations, aspirations, and attitudes towards reaching them. I also don’t think success is ever an end result, because no one ever reaches a junction and decides to stop trying. That seems to be the way of things. It’s rather like evolution.
Take these daily tips and make them a part of YOUR creative evolution!
DAY ONE – Make a Plan
In order to achieve anything, you have to know exactly what you want to achieve. Here is a simple process that will help you to work that out.
A) Make a list of things you worry about regarding your career (Things that are NOT working)
B) Divide the list into two categories:
1. Concerns you can do something about
2. Concerns beyond your control
C) Cross off the things that you cannot control and STOP TRYING TO CONTROL THEM!
D) Beside each of the items that you can control, include an action item. For instance, if you’re concerned about an impending deadline, make a list of all the things required to get the project completed.
Make a commitment to attack everything within your control and be intentional about not worrying about the things you can’t.
92 percent of the things artists worry about are beyond their control! Keep the 8 percent that you can control and are working, under control!
COST: FREE!
DAY TWO – Up Your Profile
As an actor, it is your duty to create your own Corporate Identity. Corporate Identity is a combination of color schemes, designs, words, etc., that a firm employs to make a visual statement about itself and to communicate its business philosophy. For an actor Corporate Identity includes, Headshots, Resume, Post Cards, Business Cards, You Reel, Your Email Signature.
A) Spend today defining your own Corporate Identity, what is your Philosophy?
B) Explore creative way to consolidate and market who you are as an actor.
Rocket Propelled Ltd offers a free site for you to post your reel to aggregate potential interest. Post your reel at:http://www.facebook.com/rocketpropelledltdreels
COST: FREE!
DAY THREE – Put Yourself on Tape
Whether you have an audition or not, you should be putting yourself on tape on a DAILY basis.
A) Find sides or a script or transcribe a scene from your favorite movie.
B) Get a fellow actor to rehearse the scene with you.
C) Tape the scene and then teach yourself how to upload that file and create an email attachment AND clickable link.
There are a number of groups of actors in LA who do this together, one of my favorites is ARC or “Actors Rising Club” who meet once a week, rehearse for an hour and then tape the scenes. Check them out: http://www.meetup.com/Actors-Rising-Club-ARC/
COST: FREE-$5 (ARC charge a small admin fee)
DAY FOUR – Grab a Snack
The film business in LA is all about “who you know” and yet many actors in LA don’t spend ANY time on building relationships. We all love to work with our friends regardless of whether we’re Steven Spielberg or Joe Mo (an undiscovered, upcoming actor in LA), it’s a good idea to start making friends in the business NOW, who knows who the next Neill Blomkamp will be?
A) Make a list of people you know, or have access to, who seem to be a couple of steps ahead of you career wise or are knowledgeable about something you aren’t, for example Producing, Make Up, Casting, putting yourself on tape.
B) Take one of these friends/assets out for Coffee but make sure when you approach them you make the meeting about them and your interest in their experience. If they think the meeting is going to about you and your needs, chances of them standing you up are pretty high. No one wants to go on a “one sided date”!
Please remember to follow up on the meeting without stalking. A “thank you for your time and I hope to work with you soon” will suffice and it leaves the ball in their court and you free to move on to the next potential “date”.
COST: $5 (Two cups of Coffee)
DAY FIVE – Become Informed
A wise man once said, “Knowledge is Power”. If you want to be at the top of your game you need to know EVERYTHING about the business and particularly focus on shows, or feature film styles that you are right for. If you want to be on a show or work with a particular director you need to be more informed than they are. Do some homework!
A) List the shows/ directors you are interested in.
B) Find out EVERYTHING about them.
There are tons of free resources available:
COST: FREE!
DAY SIX – Learn From The Pro’s
I am always surprised when I come across an actor who says they “don’t like the classics”. There is a very specific reason why certain actors become famous and movies flop or make bank and those reasons are discoverable in both the classics and recently successful films. At least once a week an aspiring actor should:
A) Download and read a currently successful script:
Available under our “Tool For Success” column at www.rocketpropelledltd.com
B) Rent a classic or go to a movie:
I recently discovered this cool, fun upcoming offer http://t.co/DcQEnQbh
COST: FREE – $4.99 (Movies available from Netflix, Apple TV)
DAY SEVEN – Take a Break!
“Acting is a question of absorbing other people’s experiences and personalities and adding some of your own experience and personality.” – Jean-Paul Sartre
An artist needs to live and be alive and that requires you to be out in the world.
A) Make an achievable “bucket list” of (non-acting) things you’ve always wanted to do and have NEVER done.
B) Do one of those things TODAY!
Hike, surf, play the trombone, bungee jump, fly a remote Helicopter, take up Archery!
Here is a good place to start: http://discoverlosangeles.com/play/activities-and-recreation/activities/100-free-things-to-do-activities.jsp
COST: FREE-Infinity!
As you wrap up your 7-Day program, acknowledge yourself and then, for next week – PAUSE, CONSIDER, REPEAT!
STOP WAITING FOR THE PHONE TO RING. You and only you will stand in your way, make excuses, blame others, procrastinate, try and control things you can’t and self evaluate until you finally realize that you are the only one responsible for where you are creatively right now and you’re ready to change.
Author: Russell Boast
Rocket Propelled Ltd 
Thanks for caring Russell. Solid advice.
Thank you, Russel! That will be my action plan, I am bookmarking this page.