Create your own work

This will be short.

There is a catch 22 in Hollywood.

Basically, in order to work you need to be well known, and in order to be well known you need to work.

This is not 100% true, but it is true enough.

So here is my tip for the day:

Create your own projects.

I'm sure that you aren't the only actor that you know, so find someone from class, or your day job and shoot a scene once a month. Hell, make it a webseries and put it on Youtube.

Is it really that simple?

Well it can be.

Can you borrow a cheap camera? Does your computer have video editing software? Do you really have anything to lose?


SAG / AFTRA paperwork may slow you down if you are a member (although, I have heard rumor that you can't be penalized for performing in your own production without filing paperwork. But I don't know if that is true so check beforehand)

So can special effects and the like.

But if you think of it as practice, a chance to act once a month, with the option of publishing it if its good and the freedom to throw it away if it's bad; you will gain:

Reel footage
A knowledge of camera angles
An understanding about production and editing
And if you are lucky, perhaps a following.

So get out there and shoot something!

Edward

Google Alerts

The trouble with sending out postcards to casting directors is that for them to be effective they have to go out fairly often (every 2 weeks is ideal) and they have to give the casting director new information about you.

Now you can only send out so many postcards about your new class, new headshots, etc before you start to feel like you are reaching.

Here is where google alerts come in. Now You need a free gmail account for this service, so get one, if only for this service.

Go to www.google.com/alerts or google search the phrase "google alerts" and you will be taken to a free service that alerts you via email any new posts on the internet that contain your specific phrase.

So for example, I could list "Edward Gusts" or "Edward Gusts Actor" ( the quotes are so I don't get a notice every time there are wind GUSTS on Prince EDWARD Island) and google will let me know of any news items or videos that contain the phrase. This is especially helpful with small films you work on. Maybe you didn't know that your film "Dinosaur With Laryngitis" was accepted to the Rhode Island Dinosaur Film film festival; well now you do.

And you can postcard about it.

Edward