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Case Study: Catherine Lynn is a conservatory-trained actress who relocated to Los Angeles from North Carolina.  From the moment she arrived in L.A. Catherine began hearing she had to establish a “brand”,  something that was never mentioned in drama school. Catherine struggles with the concept.  Does this mean she must choose comedy over action, both of which she loves?  Is she stuck with the bob hairstyle she chose for ease of care?  Even her name: Catherine Lynn- (she dropped her actual last name: Glick)- feels like a lack of branding, and a betrayal of her heritage.  Catherine laments: “Can’t I just act? And, can someone please make sense of this branding-for-actors thing?” Can we? Let’s get into it.

Jerome Jeremy graduated drama school in Chicago, made a decent living for a number of years doing a combination of live theater, tv commercials, and occasional episodic and film acting work. Always eager for the advice of other professionals, Jerome was strongly advised to make the move to Los Angeles, where (he was advised) the opportunities would be exponentially greater.  He didn’t find that to be true.  Jerome is an avid Clubhouse user, His number one question is: “How do I know if my work is good enough, and competitive with others in my category? I hear Mark & Stuart K talk about ‘evidence of greatness’; how do I know what that is? And in other rooms, they tell me I just have to keep at it, wait my turn, and keep studying. Who is right?”  Is there an answer to Jerome’s question? Or are we all just speculating and guessing? Let’s get into it. 

Sylvia is an actress from North Carolina. She went to college and moved on to get her MFA from a prestigious college acting program.  After school she moved to New York City and landed a bi-costal agency.  She got busy and did a number of plays.  She made the transition to commercials, film and television and was able to make her living as an actor.  A great job took her to Los Angeles, and she decided to stay. Her momentum came to a bit of a stop in the new city.  While her agents in New York were passionate about her, it seems the Los Angeles crew did not see the same magic.  The auditions slowed down as did her income.  Sylvia took a day job which got in the way of some of her opportunities.  Now Sylvia is confused.  What did she do wrong?  Maybe she should have stayed in New York. How can she fix it? Let get into it.

Case Study:  Gleason is an actor in the UK.  He graduated drama school in London and did a few plays around the country.  He has an agent in the UK but goes out mostly on commercials and small films.  He longs to be in the United States and getting shots at the movies and television shows shooting in the states.  He has made a few trips over here and taken acting classes and taking a few meetings.  He doesn’t have a green card and he is mostly getting the “Call us when you can work” excuse from reps and producers.  His dream is America.  What should he do?  Lets get into it.

Case Study, Russell T. Russell Russell is a very talented actor, born and raised in the Los Angeles area. To hear Russell tell it, his challenge is that he is a good looking white male, and he has heard repeatedly that  “white is out”.  Not to mention the fact that his naturally blond hair puts him in a category he has been told by his agents cannot be sold. On auditions, Russell sees fewer and fewer of the ‘usual suspects’ he once competed against. Instead he sees a new crop of “ethnically ambiguous” actors, and he has begun to feel hopeless.  What should Russell do? Dye his hair? Change his name to something ethnically flavored? Should he move to a role behind the camera until his type comes back into vogue, or should he militantly stand and protest the changes he hears are taking place? 

Here is another Case Study.  Sinqua has had his theatrical agent for a few years.  He signed with them right out of school and they have the power to get him in the door.  He gets out regularly and has even managed to book a few things but he can’t really seem to get into a groove and put together a nice string of jobs.  He also feels a bit trapped in the one and done episodic world.  He feels he auditions well and gets some call backs, but not enough to feel like he is in the game and making progress in his career.  He has asked his agents and gets a luke warm response with a lot of, “I don’t know why you aren’t booking” and “there is a ton of competition out there” responses.  He can’t make a living doing what he wants to do and this career is starting to feel like a hobby.  Can he do anything to shake it up?  What is he doing wrong?  How do you break through to the other side?  Let’s get into it!

Dionne is a 30 year old actress in Los Angeles.  She moved here after graduating from a small liberal arts college in the Midwest.  She got with a small theatrical agency and started to book a few co-stars a year.  She did theater around LA for no money but really felt a part of the acting community.  An agent saw her in a show and wooed her away from her agency.  The agent was a bit more aggressive, and Dionne managed to add a few more co-stars to the resume.  She booked her first guest star role after about 5 years and with the rate of auditions coming in was never able to really get any traction.  Her agent got her a few more co-star auditions and she managed to book a recurring co-star as part of the squad room on a cop show.  Now she is 8 years into her journey with 10 co-stars on guest star and a recurring role on her resume.  The only auditions coming to the table are more co-stars.  Does she take them and make a small living as an actor?  Should she say no to the co-star auditions and hold out for the guest stars?  Will there be enough guest star auditions to make it feasible?  Is this the way to build a career?  Lets get into it.

Today we have Keio - Keio has been in Los Angeles for two years, having moved from the Austin market after a dozen jobs in Texas.  He recurred on a series.  Did a couple small roles in bigger movies shot in Austin and did a fair share of local commercials.  His Austin agent sent him to an agency they were affiliated with in Los Angeles and Keio has kept working the last two years in LA.  He has a few commercials under his belt.  One that has allowed him to not need a survival job.  He has done a few co-star roles on network television and just did his first guest star for a show on Netflix.  He is happy with his agency, but is wondering if it is time to add a manager to the team?  Trade up to a bigger agency?  Stay the course?  Let get into it.

Anna is a 32 year old actress from New Jersey.  She moved to New York City right after high school and got her first agent, a commercial agent, from a showcase she did at her acting school.  The agent got her out right away and she actually booked her first audition.  A national network commercial for McDonalds.  This got her a SAG card. (It was just SAG at that time)  She went on to book two more commercials in her first year. A regional bank spot and another network commercial for Pepsi.  She was able to give up her waitress job she had gotten upon arriving in the city and was even able to save a bit.  The commercials kept coming over the next few years and by 25 she was working 5 to 10 spots a year and making a good living as an a commercial actress in NYC.  She changed agents midway through her run and went with one of the bigger agencies and that seemed to work out well as her income increased from better negotiations and a contract to be the spokesperson for a chain of regional furniture stores.  Her career was going great, but now Anna wants to expand into the film and television world.  Up until now she has made some halfhearted attempts to get a theatrical agent, but to no avail.  Her commercial agency has a strong legit department, but she can’t seem to get them to take a chance on her.  How does she break through?  Does she have what it takes to work in that part of the business and why won’t someone give her the chance when she is a proven money maker?

Michael is an extremely talented 28 year old actor, relocated to Los Angeles from his hometown of Akron Ohio. Michael is well trained and educated.  He attended a reputable drama school and even got a real NY/Hollywood showcase after graduation.  He knows that if he wants to build a career in film and television, LA is the place to be. He is shocked at the tremendous difference in the cost of housing and living expenses in Los Angeles, but is committed to his craft and his dream of becoming g a working actor. His advisors have all agreed that finding an agent is Michael’s highest priority. He has acquired headshots, resumes, and a list of reputable agents. He has done repeated mailings, including postcards and invitations offering free tickets to the theater piece in which he is currently starring – but few have responded. The two meetings he has been offered went well, but he has received no offers to sign. Michael is discouraged, weary, and, to be honest, angry; and has actually uttered the words “I can’t get an agent.” Despite an avalanche of well meaning advice, Michael is still asking “How do I get an agent?”  Let’s get into it.

Cynthia is an actress from NY who has moved to LA.  She got an agent and has had a steady stream of activity from her agency.  She has gotten new headshots and has met with her agent and they have chosen a new picture.  After a bit of time the activity has started to slow down.  She feels she has given good auditions and there were a handful of casting directors that have been calling her in.  Now the auditions have slowed to a trickle and she is befuddled and doesn’t know what to do.  Should she get new headshots?  Change agencies?  Go into the retail shoe business?  We have some thoughts, Lets get into it. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollywoodbrasstalks/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/HWBrassTalks