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DO YOU NEED AN AGENT (OR MANAGER)?

DO YOU NEED AN AGENT (OR MANAGER)?
 
by Bob Fraser
 
THE ACTOR'S TOOL KIT #6
 
I recently got an email asking me, "which would be 
better to get my acting career going - an agent or 
a manager?"
 
 
Here's my answer: Neither an agent or a manager can 
"get your acting career going" for you.
 
The concept that a powerful man or woman can step in 
and help you skip all the hard work involved in starting 
your acting career - is a fairy tale. 
 
There is no short-cut to the top of show business (or 
even to the middle). There's also no Tooth Fairy, Easter 
Bunny or Great Pumpkin.
 
If it could be done that way, then agents and managers 
would simply pick out any actors - from the thousands of 
headshots they get every week - and turn them into stars. 
 
These people are pros - and they're not going to waste 
their valuable time, trying to accomplish what they know 
cannot be done.
 
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
 
Now, there ARE differences between agents and managers: 
 
An agent is a sales person for the product known as YOU. 
 
Sales people (agents) judge how well their business is 
doing by how much money they make. A good sales pro likes 
to make lots of money. If people aren't ready to buy your 
product (you) then a sales person won't make a lot of 
money selling it. 
 
Not surprisingly, agents are coldly business-like about 
this part. Until you've managed to get your career going 
yourself (making money as an actor) - don't expect any 
professional sales people to be very interested.
 
Managers are just what the word implies. The manage things. 
Mailings, bookings, transportation, job offers, publicity - 
the day to day business of YOU.
 
Keep in mind that in most markets, they are precluded, by 
law, from seeking work for you.
 
The top managers are usually the top managers because they 
manage very successful careers. The big boys (and girls) in 
the management game, are just like agents when it comes to 
money. They want to manage a going concern.
 
Believe me, If you have what they want - if you are a 
going concern with a name that you've made for yourself - 
they KNOW their managing skills will take you to a whole 
new level (making LOTS of money) and since they get a big 
chunk of a LOT, believe me - they WILL find you.
 
IF IT IS TO BE, IT'S UP TO ME
 
Here's the point I want you to keep in mind: As long as 
you continue to believe that your main job is looking for 
someone else to help you get your career going - you won't 
spend nearly enough time doing the crucial things you need 
to do ... to get your career going YOURSELF.
 
Looking for someone else to get your acting career going 
is a very bad tactic which always results in frustration, 
wasted years and, ultimately, failure to achieve what you 
want. 
 
If you don't concentrate on doing your part, now - it's 
quite unlikely you will build your business into something 
big enough to be noticed by a good agent or a good manager. 
 
In other words, by all means keep looking for a sales staff
and a management team - but don't neglect your business while 
you're looking.
 
And remember to keep "the store" open late.
 
 
"Reprinted from ACTOR'S TOOL KIT, the email course just for 
subscribers of Show Biz How-To, the free e-zine for actors. 
 
Get your own subscription at: www.showbizhowto.com
 
© 2007 Bob Fraser Productions All Rights Reserved"
 

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TELL ME A STORY

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TELL ME A STORY

by Bob Fraser

THE ACTOR'S TOOL KIT #5

One of the questions I get asked frequently relates to
something that most actors face ... interviewing with
agents, managers and casting directors.

Here's how a typical letter reads;

Dear Bob,

I met with an agent yesterday and the first thing she
said was "Tell me about yourself." So I told her what
my credits were, where I went to school, people I knew
in the business and so on. She didn't really listen.
She said she'd let me know. I already know. She's not
interested. What did I do wrong?

What am I supposed to say when they say, "Tell me
about yourself."

Signed, Frustrated

Dear Frustrated,

Whatever you do, DO NOT recite your resume, where you
went to school, the people you know and so on. Always
keep in mind the kind of work you want to do ...

STORY TELLING

In the case of an agent, you are interviewing a
prospective salesperson for your business. It's your
job to convince a thoroughly professional salesperson
(an agent) that representing your product (you) is
going to produce a lot of income.

An agent's income depends on finding, representing
and selling the best story tellers he can find. An
agent learns quickly how to spot the 'comers' and
ignore the 'wannabes.' The major criteria is this:

Is this actor a good story teller?

The observable reality? No agent can tell if you are a
good story teller unless she sees you telling a story.
That opening gambit - "tell me about yourself" - is an
agent's way of saying; 'tell me a story.'

If you don't comply with this request, agents become
like five year olds; 'tell me a story, tell me a story,
tell me a story.'

These repetitive requests come in the guise of: "I see
you went to Carnegie Tech." "So, you're from
Connecticut." "Oh, you worked with Woody Allen?."

When you hear this kind of thing it's just the agent
trying to get the 'test drive' started. They want you
to tell them a story.

KEEP THEIR ATTENTION

Okay, now that you know what's really going on, it's
time to discover what your response should be - the next
time you hear those words; "Tell me about yourself."

What you should do is simple ... TELL A STORY.

Go through your real life experiences and start
creating narratives about yourself. If you have to
bend the truth a bit to keep the interest up, then so
be it. Fiction is our business.

(Don't make up credits or relationships.)

For instance, let us suppose that you have only one
credit in a community theater production of "Sally Of
The Sawdust" - and you only had two lines as Cannonball
Bill. The beginning of your story might be something
along these lines:

"Well, I made my first entrance on to a stage in an
unusual way - I was shot from a cannon." (This is
what we in the fiction business call a "grabber.")

Now spin out a story where there's a little suspense,
a little joke, a little pay-off of some kind;

"One night we had an understudy who was supposed to say
one line after I got shot onto the stage. He was
supposed to say. "Hark I hear the cannon roar!" He was
pretty nervous because he'd never been on stage before.

"Anyway, when I got shot out of the cannon with a large
bang, the understudy was startled and he said, "What the
hell was that?"

Don't forget the drama! This is a scene you are playing
for the agent. Rehearse it. Practice it. Play it.

Tell a story that keeps the agent interested in the
outcome and you'll go a long ways toward convincing the
agent that you are a comer.

By the way, when I say create a narrative, I'm not
talking about lying - I'm talking about taking the
stories in your own life and making them memorable.

Dramatic! Hilarious! Exciting! Suspenseful!

Now practice telling your stories in such a way that
the agent can't wait for the next line. Believe me,
once you 'hook' an agent with a well-told story, you
will get what you came for; representation.

In other words, sell the salesman.

The same advice goes for casting directors. They are
the personnel department of the company you hope to work
for. The same idea applies.

Tell a story.

1. Get several good stories in your repertoire.
2. Practice telling them.

This is basic, bottom-line preparation. If you don't
have stories to tell, you are going to suffer through
a lot of needless rejection.

So the next time you hear, "Tell me about yourself."
you know all you have to do is be prepared to tell a
story. Make it a good story, practice telling it, listen
for the cue line and go.

Your positive results will soar.


"Reprinted from ACTOR'S TOOL KIT, the email course just for
subscribers of Show Biz How-To, the free e-zine for actors.

Get your own subscription at: www.showbizhowto.com

© 2007 Bob Fraser Productions All Rights Reserved"

QUOTES THAT WILL HELP YOU

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QUOTES THAT WILL HELP YOU

by Bob Fraser

THE ACTOR'S TOOL KIT #4

FAILURE & TRACKS

I'd like to pass along some words of wisdom from
seven very sharp people, who have all made their way
up the ladder of success by following their own advice
and probably the wisdom of each of the others.

First up is George Burns who made his living in 'on
the boards' for about 85 years (not a bad run), who
reminds us of the first law of success, in this
timeless classic:

"I'd rather be a failure at something I love ... than
a success at something I hate." ~ George Burns

This is crucial: You must love what you are doing if
you ever hope to be successful at it. Most actors do
not have a problem here. We all love it.

Next is Will Rogers, probably the most beloved
entertainer of all time. He reminds us that loving
it is not enough - all by itself - you also have
to do something about it.

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over
if you just sit there." ~ Will Rogers

Like all great remarks, this one cuts right to the heart
of most career problems. I don't think I'm talking out
of drama school when I suggest that most of us (actors)
have a long streak of lazy. It is something we all have
to work to overcome - I know I did.

TIME & FORWARD MOTION

The third important piece of advice comes from Milton
Berle, who spent his whole life in show biz (his mother
started taking him to auditions before he could walk).
He imparts another critical factor - a huge piece of
the puzzle:

"If opportunity isn't knocking, build a door" ~ Milton
Berle

This is about thinking outside the box and doing what
it takes to move things forward.

Then there is this brilliant bon mot from the typewriter
of the great playwright and screenwriter, Ben Hecht.

"Time is a circus ... always packing up and moving away."
~ Ben Hecht

Oh, yes, it goes very quickly - so the sooner you get
started the better off you are. Do something right now.
Well, finish reading this article - then do something.
Time is moving away.

Now, comes one of my favorites of all time - from one
of the classiest of the classic movie stars:

"Do your job and demand your compensation ... but in
that order." ~ Cary Grant

I love the fact that Cary Grant calls it a job and then
he ties it immediately to the money. For most of us, that
is really the ultimate goal - acting for a paycheck. Keep
that in mind every morning when you wake up.

By the way, complaining that it's hard won't make it any
easier. Making money will start to happen when you decide
that's what you want - and channel all your efforts in
that direction. Getting paid to act is a big step ...
onto the right ladder.

If you are willing to learn from a school teacher, here's
one who became famous as a humorist some 50 years ago.

"You must learn from the mistakes of others. You cannot
possibly live long enough to make them all yourself."
~ Sam Levenson

What this means in simple terms is read books, watch
biographies, make an effort to find out how others have
succeeded - then "copy" their successful strategies while
trying to avoid the pitfalls they stumbled upon, long
before you arrived.

THE HUSTLE

The great thing about copying others yourself is that
you will only copy those methods that fit with your
desires and needs. You won't be in the position of
having to accept someone else's version of success.
You can customize your plan for your own comfort level.

Here is my favorite exhortation by one of the great
humorists and writers of more contemporary times:

"Contrary to popular opinion, the hustle is not a new
dance step ... it is an old business procedure." ~
Fran Lebowitz

Okay, I slipped in a writer who isn't really in show
business, but please listen to Fran. Our business is
an old business. It's a darn good idea to use that old
business procedure to succeed at it.

Let's review:

Love it.

Do what needs doing.

Build your own door.

Start immediately.

Keep that paycheck in mind.

Learn from others.

Hustle.

And here's one I really like:

"Try, try again." ~ McGuffey's Reader

Hey, I got a million of 'em.


"Reprinted from ACTOR'S TOOL KIT, the email course just for
subscribers of Show Biz How-To, the free e-zine for actors.

Get your own subscription at: www.showbizhowto.com

© 2007 Bob Fraser Productions All Rights Reserved"

ACTING LIKE YOU'RE A BUSINESS

ACTING LIKE YOU'RE A BUSINESS

by Bob Fraser

THE ACTOR'S TOOL KIT #2

OUR REAL BUSINESS

Too often we actors get so caught up in the sub-atomic 
details of our 'inner lives,' our insatiable desire to 
perform, the lengths to which we will go - to satisfy 
that itch, our financial distress, and our recent lousy 
experiences with the business - that we tend to neglect 
our REAL interests. 

Take it from an old fish - who has traversed these 
waters for 4 decades - in real life, it is an absolute 
necessity to view your acting career as a business. A 
small business to be sure, but one that has the real 
potential to grow into a rather large small business.

And, as naturally as putting on weight follows Krispy 
Kremes and Coca Cola, we must conclude that in order 
to have a successful small business, we are probably 
going to have to learn some skills that will help us 
in ... 'Anyone? Anyone? - Bueller?' ... BUSINESS.

It is very important to really understand the concept 
that your business is very much like any other small 
business.  The first concern of business is to develop 
a large group of satisfied customers.

Here's where some actors come a cropper. Other actors, 
production companies, agents, managers, casting folks ... 
they are the suppliers, sales people, distributors, co-
contractors, and marketing people. 

My friends, they are OTHER businesses, with whom you 
hope to do some joint ventures. 

These other show biz folk are NOT your customers. The 
actors' customers are called "the audience." 

Forget this (or argue with it) at your own risk.

CUSTOMER BASE & PUBLIC RELATIONS

The bigger the customer-base we bring to the table, 
the more our business is going to flourish.  Which 
brings up the second rule of sustaining a "going 
concern:" 

Keep improving the product. You are the product ... 
the rest is self-explanatory. 

Public relations, sales, advertising and referral 
business contacts are four fundamental areas that also 
must be attended to. These things are what bring you 
new business. They are all important to sales. You 
will probably have to start out doing these things 
on your own.

Public relations is mainly about being nice. Charming. 
Memorable - in a good way.

SALES 

When it comes to sales, here are a few important 
concepts:

Be dependable. Why do you think you hear "It's 
dependable" on so many commercials? Dependable (on 
time, off book, in the zone) is a big part of the 
sales pitch. 

Deliver the goods. Delivery is another big advertising 
pitch for good reason. 

Be easy to work with. This is a good beginning, but the 
key phrase you want attached to your efforts is: "A JOY 
to work with."

ADVERTISING 

Since advertising is a scientific enterprise, your 
headshot and resume (and your online presence) can 
be tested for effectiveness - so you should test. 

For instance, direct mail advertisers (who mail 
unsolicited sales pitches) consider 3% a minimum 
effective return. It follows that we should consider 
our unsolicited direct mail the same way. If you are 
not getting called in 3 times for every 100 headshots 
(or other mailings) you send - maybe it's time to try 
another headshot or mailer.

Test.  Which means you have to keep accurate records. 
Like sitting down and counting and listing and math and 
stuff. I know - yuck. But if you don't do it, who is 
going to do it for you?

Referral business contacts. This is the sole reason to 
act without getting paid. Student films, equity-waiver, 
and actor-collective productions are okay, IF you are 
meeting and working with people who are better than 
you are. If you are the best in the group, it's 
probably time to move on.

The best way to make business contacts is to be 
involved in your own life and your own business. Like 
love, business contacts will come to you in the 
strangest places. You will meet people at the gym - 
the museum - the produce section - the Krispy Kreme 
store... 

THE RULES

Try very hard not to be anxious, or grasping, or needy - 
or - just like with love - you can 'go too fast.'

In the final analysis, you will have to handle the 
elemental business things of your acting career - or 
they won't get done. All you have to do is be nice, 
dependable and a joy to work with. You'll also want to 
become an advertising number cruncher, a memorable 
collaborator and paying attention to your customers - 
all while still having an outside life. 

If this is not how you naturally behave, and you can't 
(or won't) develop these habits - well, there are other 
businesses where being nice and a joy to work with 
aren't that important - like ... morgue attendant. 

Just kidding. I know you. I know you'll pay attention 
to business. 


"Reprinted from ACTOR'S TOOL KIT, the email course just for 
subscribers of Show Biz How-To, the free e-zine for actors. 

Get your own subscription at: www.showbizhowto.com

© 2007 Bob Fraser Productions All Rights Reserved"