As we keep moving forward in the world of entertainment, you have to keep up with the changes or get left behind.
Recently, a new course came out that teaches regular people how to make money doing voiceover work from home. Since this is a blog for actors, I have been very excited to tell everyone that not only can THEY do it- all without an agent- but that here is a course giving you a roadmap.
Some people were very excited, but other people, not so much.
I chose to interview a VOICE OVER PROFESSIONAL, who has booked several voiceover gigs, and let YOU decide if it’s something you’d like to pursue, or at least BUY THE COURSE and find out.
Randy Thomas is from Canada, and was actually a BUSINESS major in college
(One of THOSE guys, I figured)
And the book discusses being an actor from a BUSINESS point of view.
We’ve heard it before:
“Treat Your Acting Career Like A Business”
But what the hell does that mean?
Randy breaks down his “Marketing speak” into “actor speak” throughout the book so that I learned some of the paralells:
Here’s an example:
The business definition of a Marketing Strategy
A strategy designed to meet the company’smarketing objectives
by providing its customers with value. All the principles of the
marketing mix are related, and together establish the product’s
position within its target markets.
(Sounds like gobbledegook, doesn’t it?)
An artist’s definition of a Marketing Strategy
A strategy designed to meet your career objectives by providing
agents, casting directors, directors and producers with value.
All the principles of the 6P’s of Success are related, and
together establish your brand as an artist in the entertainment
industry.
(MUCH BETTER, Right?)
Did you hear any of that stuff while studying to be an actor?
Me either.
But that’s just at the beginning.
There were 2 things I really liked about Randy’s Book, and the first is that he adds “Life lessons” throughout the book, like one he learned while ON TOP OF HALLE BERRY:
Montreal, 2003… I am lying on top of Halle Berry… She
is only wearing underwear and a T-shirt… Halle’s legs are
wrapped tightly around me like a clamp… I am restraining
Halle’s arms over her head and by the end of the afternoon, we
are exhausted. And everything is caught on camera because
we are on set.
(The story is longer, and really good, but what I really liked about that chapter was the end of it)
I remember being on a high as Halle and I chatted in her
trailer after the shoot with her manager, Vince Cirrincione. I
also remember feeling helpless. Even though I was sitting in
the same room, Halle and I were on different planets and it
was frustrating.
Now, I would have been feeling helpless and frustrated for an entirely different reason, but this is where he goes into the “6 P’s Of Acting Success” and a diagram that kinda explains the problem with most actors careers:
In this diagram, he shows that most actors are only concerned with their “product” (their acting ability), but forget the other essential parts of owning a business:
Product- YOU are a product
Price- Earning a living
Place- Your Environment
Promotion- Managing Your Brand
People- No One Makes It Alone
Processes- Becoming Efficient and Effective
I’ll ask you again:
Did you hear any of that stuff while studying to be an actor?
Randy explains how these 6 things are NECESSARY parts of any business, but 5 of them are totally ignored by acting schools and acting classes- mostly because actors don’t know any better.
I really enjoyed the book (as well as getting a healthy-ass kicking of what I should be doing), but it was the final section which really hit home for me.
His PREDICTIONS.
Throughout the book, he talks about how much the industry has changed because of how few movies are being made, and how the shortage of projects trickles down and squeezes the beginning and mid-level actors.
If you want to be a professional, and have new goals for the New Year like I do, then I really suggest you click below and pick up a copy of Randy Thomas’ 6 P’s of Acting Success:
“You’ll never make it” she said, “You haven’t even been in anything…”
She was right.
My boss at my computer job was surprised when I told her I was leaving the stable, steady 9-to-5 job to be an actor.
What the hell was I doing?
Didn’t I know that most people never even get ONE paid acting gig?
But here I was quitting the “survival day job”.
To be an actor.
The thing is, I had learned a secret that she didn’t know about.
As you read this entire post, maybe you’ll find the courage to take the leap too…
How I Finally Got An Agent, Quit My Day Job, and Made A Living Acting On TV… And How You Can Too.
FROM: Bones Rodriguez- Actor, Author, Entrepreneur Born and Raised In New York City
Yes, you HAVE seen me on TV, and I do a ton of work all around the New York Improv and Theatre scene… Here’s my story (you’re going to want to share this) Dear Fellow Talented Actor,
You don’t realize this now, but in the next few minutes you’re going to re-think everything our teachers taught us about “The Acting Thing”…
If you’re anything like me, you got out of school ready to be a successful actor, and use your talents performing for eager audiences on TV, Film, or in the Theater.
But I found out quickly that my teachers forgot one very important thing:
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF ACTORS:
Those who bring the check to the table, and Those Who GET THE CHECK In The Mail…
Which do YOU Want To Be?
Do you remember what it felt like to dream about your life and what “being an actor” meant to you? I remember, and I thought I was ready.
And Then…
REAL “ACTOR LIFE” HIT!
Everyone says that the Acting Business is tough, and that your chances of making a full-time income are slim because in real life, you need to be to make money while you build your dream career.
And that’s why…
95% of Actors Quit The Business Before They Turn 30 Years Old.
Because unless mommy and daddy are paying the bills, you’ll get a job, and by the time you’re done working, you’re too tired to focus on your career.
That’s where I was: broke, frustrated, and doing shows for my friends and family.
The SAME friends and family.
Sound familiar?
“It Wasn’t Supposed To Be Like THIS Was It?”
When did our teachers tell us that we would be doing all these things that have NOTHING to do with acting?
Waiting tables,
Temping at an office
Living with 5 roommates just to pay bills
Begging your parents for money
Never getting auditions because you’re too busy working!
We were taught that if we just continued to hone our craft and get “good”, then we would “be discovered” by someone right? This is the idea that’s shared everywhere.
But guess what- that’s not true! It’s Wrong!
In the real world, you need to support yourself while you hone your craft, and learn how to live as an actor- to be an actor.
And most people never make it.
If you’re like I was, you’re dreaming about sharing your gift, and getting the accolades you deserve. You’re working with some amazingly creative people, and doing work that inspires, fulfills, and entertains you and others.
Now imagine your fantasy financial situation- I’ll bet it is a comfortable life. I’ll bet you have a feeling of freedom – something you don’t have now. I’ll Bet Your Fantasy Acting Life Does NOT Include:
Begging some boss for time off
Hoping someone will switch shifts with you
Worrying about health insurance
Wishing you’d get fired, but terrified of it too…
But isn’t This What Our Teachers Taught Us?
“Take classes, get BACKSTAGE every week, and get a job waiting tables or bartending. If that doesn’t work in a short while, get more schooling, meet the right people, and maybe that’ll work. If not- teach acting!”
Don’t get me wrong, the teachers that have taught us how to ACT are great-
They Taught Us “How To ACT”, But Not
How To BE A SUCCESSFUL ACTOR
And there’s a big difference.
My friends who were far more talented than me, and had degrees from acting schools were starting to quit.
They were getting older, and they started saying things like “I just can’t stand being broke anymore”
I had a desk job myself, and I was about to throw in the towel too.
“I Was Broke, Frustrated, and Going Nowhere In My Acting Career…
-Then $20 Changed My Whole Life!”
You see about 11 years ago, I found a terrible little website that told me I could “make money online”.
It cost $1000, and I didn’t have it at the time, but I put it on a credit card because I wanted to change the path I was on.
There’s an old saying that “If you keep doing what you’ve done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve gotten”.
I was willing to change what I was doing because I wanted a different path.
I paid the $1000, and opened my mind.
I learned about selling other people’s stuff from that website, and tried to do what it said, but I lost even more money.
And then more.
But I wasn’t going to give up, and I learned more with each failure.
Until one day, I made $20.
I wasn’t working at a job (in fact, I was at rehearsal), when I suddenly realized that this little website I had made selling other people’s stuff made me $20 that day.
I shared the idea with some friends, but that was just the beginning!
I figured that since I could learn to make $20 in a day, that if I kept going, I could learn to make $200 in a day.
At first I only made a little, but I kept doing it until it became simple.
Then one day I made $1200 in one day just selling other people’s stuff on my website.
That was the day I Quit My Day Job, And I never looked back!
And Free from the Day Job, I could suddenly do ANYTHING I Wanted!
I wrote books!
I went on vacation!
I saved money!
I bought property!
BUT BEST OF ALL…
I STARTED MEETING AGENTS, GOING ON AUDITIONS, and BOOKING ACTING WORK!
Since I make money without a day job, I’ve been able to go on auditions, do shows, and shoot dozens of commercials. My IMDB is tiny, and I’ve done very little TV and film, but in my career so far…
I have managed to make almost $400,000 strictly from SAG acting work. Another $50k on stage.
I know- I can hardly believe it either.
My mom actually started telling people that I was an actor, (instead of being embarrassed) and proudly asking “Have you seen my child on TV?”
And my neighbors saw me on TV…
And they would stop me in the street “Hey! I saw you, and I told everyone that I knew you!”
You see, once I got free of spending most of my time trying to make money to live on, I could do what I ACTUALLY wanted to do:
I get to PERFORM all the time, and not worry about the money!
Nobody asks “Are you still TRYING to be an actor?” when you’re making money!
But I knew that I wanted to share this with more actors; serious ones, committed ones, actors who understand that there is sacrifice, investment, and learning involved to know about this stuff too!
I can’t be the only one who wants to be FREE, right?
So Now I’ve Put Everything I Learned Into A FREE WEBINAR VIDEO:
Instead of being asked “What Restaurant do you work in?”, you’ll be able to proudly say that you are a FULL-TIME ACTOR, because you chose to learn the things that took me literally YEARS to learn:
Learn why so many actors fail, and how to avoid their mistakes!
Figure out how to beat the odds ‘ and get the edge over your competition
Take Control over your time and learn to put your acting business before the “money chase”!
Discover why Bartending never creates a successful actor, because they work against each other!
Create a Successful Plan to support your life while you increase your acting exposure!
Destroy Self-Sabotaging Behaviors that leave you broke and unable to perform!
And So Much More…
Stop Waiting Tables, Waiting To Be Discovered, and Waiting For A Miracle-
Just one nugget of information can completely turn your life around and put you on the path to living the life of your dreams- I know because I am living it right now!
Click below to get your spot, and know that you CAN do it!
If you want to ditch your day job and be a full-time actor, then watch this.
Did you know that Tobey Maguire TURNED DOWN the offer
to audition for Spider-Man when they asked him to?
Why would he do that?
I’ll tell you in a minute but first:
Surprise!
An early Christmas gift for the first 250 of you!
*************************
Many of you know that I wrote a health book “Half Assed Health”, and I just opened an email from my friends Joel & Josh from BioTrust Nutrition.
It said that they wanted to reward the first 250 of my readers to visit the link below with a FREE 30-count bottle of their brand new breakthrough “metabolism-igniting” supplement, Metabo379™… with ZERO strings attached!
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I know, I know- I’m totally using the Tobey Maguire thing to tell you guys this, but really- Actors go to the gym, I go to the gym, and I love their stuff, so it’s relevant.
I was like “Ok guys, what’s the deal?” and it turns out that they just need testimonials and people to try it out. Since they knew I had the book, they figured they’d have e send it out.
Pretty incredible, as this is absolutely an extremely valuable, premium product from them, and I know the research behind it is pretty powerful, and completely SAFE, without stimulants.
*************************************
The reason I brought up Tobey Maguire is that at first,
his agent thought he was too “nerdy” and skinny
to get the part for Spider-man.
So, they said no…
AND THEN HIT THE GYM
and months later, by the time the producers were closer to actually choosing the actor,
he had bulked up, burned fat, and looked a lot more like a superhero!
This story kinda blew my mind because I would think that they would just hire him, and then have him go to the gym and bulk up AFTERWARDS.
But it just shows that you have to be the part WHEN YOU AUDITION.
That’s why I like booking jobs where I feel like I’m “hardly acting” because I’m already LIKE the characters I like playing.
So- if you want to play super heroes- you had better hit the gym NOW!
If you want to know more about the Fat-Burner- read below:
The rest of this email is from them:
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Listening to my story may help you know what to expect when you get the call for that big network sitcom audition. Enjoy and Share with those who have the desire too!
If I look familiar to you, it’s because I’ve been doing commercials and stage here in New York for over 15 years full-time.
I’ve stuck with commercials because I like smiling, and making people laugh.
For whatever reason, I have been kinda down on playing the “street wise” Latino cop or a “street wise” light-skinned black bad guy, and it just bores me when every Latino/Black character has “the ghetto” as his background, and all of that.
Besides, there are other people who will do a better job at it.
Me?
I’m smart, funny, and I speak Manhattan English.
I went to The Bronx High School of Science, and I write books and own my own online business.
I’m just saying- “Julio’s gang member #2” is a bad fit.
It’s just not who I want to play, and yet it seems like that’s all anyone is writing for my “look”.
Now to be clear, if I want to change that, then I should get writing; but that’s not what this post is about.
It’s about that I went in for my first NETWORK TEST for an ABC Sitcom, and I loved it!
Just like when I got called back for my first national commercial, my family got all excited for me, and I had no idea what to expect.
Now that I’ve done dozens of commercials, when I don’t get called back for one it’s like “Hey- WTF?”
But I really went in knowing very little to this experience.
For example- did you know that for sitcoms they negotiate and sign all the contracts BEFORE the final audition?
I had no idea!
I also found out that now I have a “quote”- that’s when you have a price tag! Ha!
I was kinda used to getting what the JOB paid- but at this level, it’s what YOU are paid.
That’s cool, huh?
So, I was very excited when I heard that the casting director at ABC was “looking for me” because she called the only number she had for me- my commercial agents.
When I went in for the first audition, I knew the part was good for me- a boss of a marketing office who was a little sarcastic, but a little dumb too, mixed with a lot of animated enthusiasm.
Kinda like me.
This is my “Business” Smile
Of course, the actual breakdown for the character was for a 50’s Male Caucasian, but hey- I listen to Phish so… close enough.
The truth is that I have on more than one occasion booked the role meant for a caucasian guy, and this smart casting director knew that.
I stumbled over the lines at first (I’m an improvisor), but then had a really good, fun, funny take. I prefer to make stuff my own rather than try to fit some strange thing.
I left, and tried to forget about it- she’s called me in before, and I had heard nothing.
But then two days later, my commercial agent called again-
“Bones, they want you at ABC for a Network Test”
“Wait- whut?”
So- I suddenly had to call a legit agent who I had been freelancing with and tell her “Um… I need to get a time for ABC for a Pilot… you want the commission on that?”
They were very happy to get that call.
Then I found out that they needed some more stuff- – Where’s your reel? – What’s your quote? – Do you have a twitter following? – What NAMES have you been working with?
“If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing BADLY at first!”
But this is all great, because you don’t know what you don’t know, and the only way to learn is to BE THERE.
Of course, I have known for a while now that I should have a more professional reel, and that I should be working on more film and TV.
But this made it hit home.
Anyway, I spent the weekend texting with my agent, and signing contracts in between doing shows for Freestle Repertory Theatre, and doing an event for actors in NYC.
It was very weird.
In fact, when we were negotiating my “price tag”, the number that was agreed upon was kinda disappointing.
I remember saying to myself “Gee, That’s It? It hardly seems like a lot to live on for a year, but I guess for my first show, I can’t expect too much”
I was ok with it, and I knew I could make it work.
Then I found out that what I thought was for the year was actually PER EPISODE.
Much better.
On one hand, I was at a brunch for actors telling people that I have been full-time for 15 years, and that I teach actors how to quit their day jobs.
I often get cornered in these events because people really want to know how I can help them make money without trading their time for it, so they can also be free to pursue the artistic life without worrying about how to pay for it.
I usually just send them to see my video.
But I wasn’t very focused on everyone’s questions because I was all giddy about my “network test”. I kept having crazy dreams of stardom immediately interrupted by nightmarish visions of being thrown out for being a hack.
On the other hand, there were other more experienced actors there who knew it was just another audition. To them, it was just the first in what could be a long line of others.
So, I got my lines down, made some choices (but as an improvisor, can change anything at anytime!) and went to the final audition.
I printed out my handy Pre-Audition Psyche-up page that always works, and MAN it hyped me UP:
“You are there to RESCUE THEM from their boredom!”
“They need what YOU have!”
“They are LUCKY that they are about to get a FREE performance!” etc. etc.
I walked around outside a little before and SANG, skipped around, and thought GOOD thoughts. I went into the bathroom and talked to myself in the mirror!
When I got there I was PUMPED and ready.
The writer and I had a conversation the day before, so I felt like I knew the guy who was face-timing in, but then of course was the camera…
my BEST friend.
They were just putting me on tape for the producers, and that was fine.
I had a great audition, lots of laughs and giggles from everyone, and I felt great.
The writer was thrilled that I could add anything (I’m an improvisor!) right on the spot, so he had fun with me too.
I went home knowing that I had done my best, that I gave them what was available, and that the rest was up to them.
A VICTORY.
There’s very little worse than leaving an audition feeling like you didn’t get it together, or that you were just terrible.
I called my friends and told them it was a waiting game.
3.
days.
of.
waiting…..
Yikes.
As you know, I didn’t get the gig, which is totally fine (professionals know that you gotta play the numbers), but I felt great about the whole process.
The people over at AppleComedy made this video, but I guess they haven’t heard of me, or how I help actors actually MAKE MONEY instead of starving, begging, or stealing AppleTV from their parents.
Most actors I know are pretty smart people, but they’ve kinda resigned themselves to this whole “Starving Artist” thing, and they don’t realize that we are in a BUSINESS, and therefore have to learn how to BE in business.
But most actors?
Nah- they’d rather cry broke, and then buy beers all weekend, and wonder why they aren’t getting anywhere.
I wrote a book and make courses to teach actors who actually WANT to break this mold, and WANT to learn new skills and create a different life for themselves.
