Learn how to talk to your reps about your brand in this exclusiveElite Program BTS
One of the key features of our yearlong Elite Program is the opportunity to submit for and attend twice-monthly Spotlight Group Coaching Calls, hosted by one of our Expert Coaches, to receive personalized coaching on any topic.
Recently, one of our awesome Elite Clients, Freddie Kuguru, came to a Spotlight Group Coaching Call for guidance on how to best communicate his “Gold Medal Roles” to his reps.
Using the strategies in Get Rich In Your Niche(our branding/marketing course), he identified the roles for which he’s best suited, and created a Track Record Report and a Bookability Sheet (explanations of both below) to communicate them to his reps and casting directors. During the Spotlight, Coach Cecily helped Freddie develop a specific strategy to use these resources to communicate these roles to his reps.
Watch a clip of their coaching here to learn for yourself:
But if you’re first wondering…
“What the heck is a Track Record Report or Bookability Sheet?”
Great question!
Track Record ReportA spreadsheet that helps you SHOW reps – not tell – how bookable you are. It’ll give them a great idea on the roles that they should be pitching you on. AND, it’s not based on gut, it’s based on hard data.
Bookability SheetA 1-page document illustrating 3-4 of your Gold Medal Roles with headshots/screen shots that reflect their essence using breakdowns you see, breakdowns you’ve written or breakdowns of roles you’ve been cast in.
Here’s Freddie’s Bookability Sheet that he shared in the video:
If you liked what you learned from Coach Cecily and Freddie’s session, and you’re looking for a supportive, nurturing community of actors dedicated to building a sustainable and fulfilling career with the support of our Expert Coaches, make sure to check out the details of the Elite Coaching and Mastermind Program.
This story is a great reminder of why you should ALWAYS keep putting yourself out there and proves there is never a bad time for relationship-building.
In our latest How They Did It interview, discover how Matthew’s very first network TV booking was delayed due to the strikes, but ultimately led to a game-changing industry relationship.
He credits the confidence to make intentional, bold moves to everything he learned in the Elite Program alongside his work with Coach Eric and Coach Clayton.
It all led to him making an incredible connection at a film festival… and you won’t believe who it was!
If you’re looking for inspiration to put yourself out there, this interview is a must-watch.
👇 Click to see the full interview below and get excited to boldly build relationships like Matthew!
P.S. Many of our other Clients are also booking a TON right now on interim agreements and other union-approved work during the strike.
In the interview below, hear how Keri landed an LA agent and got her first series regular audition just two weeks after signing.
You’ll learn how she and Coach Farah harnessed Keri’s unique background to create a compelling “Tell me about yourself” response and curate a targeted agent list that helped her stand out, define her identity, and clarify her goals.
By transforming her mindset using the tools of our Elite Program, Keri finally achieved dreams she’s had since childhood.
She also shares advice for struggling actors: from consistency to clear goal-setting, she breaks down the essentials for your well-deserved success. You’ll walk away feeling empowered and ready to conquer your own challenges!
As fellow actors, we know the road to success can be tough, but Keri’s story reminds us that every step is worth it.
👇 Watch the full interview below and start rewriting your career story like Keri did! 🎉
Things are quieter right now because of the strike.
And if for some reason you have missed what is going on, please take a look at the WGA’s website, social media, and most recently, SAG-AFTRA’s statement of approving a vote for a strike authorization of the actor’s union.
Though things may be a little bit shaky, we can find our footing by connecting with those around us.
If you are interested in deepening connections or showing appreciation, I have a couple of free gives that can be shared. Everyone could truly take a little gift to feel better during these uncertain times.
1. Insight Timer – Free Meditation App
Find a short meditation on Insight Timer that speaks to you and the recipient. Share the specific meditation with them as a gift of breath, peace, and a moment of calm.
2. Share a memorable moment from your encounter
If you connected with someone in person while working or at an event you can send a note sharing the most memorable thing they said or did while you all were together. This is a great way to make someone feel special and help them connect YOU to a moment so they remember you. This works really great for follow-up emails, thank you cards, or to remain in touch with someone.
Example: Once, in a thank you note to the 3rd AD for an episodic television show, I quoted her morning greeting of “Today will be a good day” and told her I looked forward to hearing that each day. It was like my very own personal cup of coffee.
Notice the above example is specific, brief, and personal.
3. The Nudge – Free App for Outings
Sift through The Nudge to find a unique outing/ activity for them to check out during the industry’s downtime. Activities range from rooftops with free pizza to how to spend a weekend in Palm Springs. Cater your suggestion towards their preferences. How do you find out their preferences? Do some digging on social media, listen to interviews on podcasts that they have done, or find other ways through Career ACTivate’s Relationship Roadmap course.
BONUS GIVE!
Share a couple of unique tags that can be used on picket signs for the WGA Strike. This is a great way to show your support, personality, and creativity.
Example: “I saw you are in support of the WGA and I wanted to share a few tag lines you can use if you’re on the picket lines:
That’s your counteroffer?
No Words…
You want these pages then run these wages!”
Hope these unique gives are well-received. And have fun finding which one fits for you!
I know you work hard. So, every booking is a cause for celebration! Especially, when you get the gig on your own, without the help of your rep.
In cases like this, you’ve probably wondered…”Should I even bother telling my reps? I worked hard and booked this on my own. So, why should I give them a commission?”
In today’s vlog, Coach Eric dives into why you should consider looping your reps in, even if you booked the job without their involvement.
Yes, you’ll have to pay out commissions. But wouldn’t it be worth it if it meant thousand more dollars in YOUR pocket?
So, check out our vlog below and find out how to get more $$$ into the pockets of your entire team!
You don’t have to tell me that tax time can be dramatic.
Collecting paystubs, statements, 1099s and W2s takes a ton of coordination and time which, as you know, is always in short supply. It can be downright stressful. But sometimes tax time can be…surprising.
Just like every year, when my W-2s come in, I open each one and check it out. I’m pretty organized (spoiler alert: I love a good spreadsheet), so I’m pretty much up-to-date with my theatrical earnings. Commercial residuals can be trickier to know off the top of my head because of the different pay structures associated with each contract type. But I digress…
This year, as I was getting all my tax paperwork in, there were no surprises until I got to the paperwork for a commercial for which I’d been paid approximately $1,200. Shockingly, the W-2 was for just under $10,000. That meant that I was missing $8,700 in commercial residual payments!
Sadly, this is not an uncommon occurrence. In a 2018 story, The Hollywood Reporter estimated that as much as $315 Million in residuals could be going unpaid annually. Yikes!
It’s super important that you approach this situation from a CEO’s point of view. Stay professional, don’t jump to conclusions, be patient and diligent.
I immediately called the payroll company listed on my W-2 and was told by the very helpful accounting rep that commercial residual checks get lost in the mail all the time. Because they’re still using paper checks…in 2022!
So, how can you make sure all your hard-earned $$$ makes it into your pocket?
Keep scans/photos of all your contracts – all you need is your phone’s camera!
You can create albums in your phone’s camera app or offload them onto your computer. Just make sure you know where to find them at the end of the year.
Check your end-of-year tax paperwork
Match all your tax forms up to your paystubs/direct deposits – this doesn’t even require any math! All you have to do is match up the fields labeled “Gross.”
What if they don’t match up?
Request a Talent Earnings Report from the payroll company listed on your W-2 along with copies of the cashed checks. You can do this by email or by phone. I called and had the info emailed to me in less than 5 minutes. Easy-peasy!
Reach out to your reps and ask for a Client Summary Report. This will include the Gross, Net, Tax Deductions & Commissions paid.
Now what?
From here, you’ll be able to see if your agency received all of your checks.
If checks are missing or unaccounted for, reach out to the payroll company and ask them to cancel any missing checks and reissue them. You can also ask your agency to reach out to payroll on your behalf.
You may still be getting your footing feeling like the badass boss that you are. Fear may sneak in because you don’t want to make waves with your agency or feel accusatory. But remember: this is business. The CEO of any other small business would feel empowered to take care of their finances and you can, too.
It’s up to you to make sure you get every cent of your badass boss paycheck. And you will be a more well-respected business person when you do!
So, what would you do with $8,700 unexpected dollars? Tell me in the comments below.
We’re in the middle of pilot season. Popular myth: NOW is the best time to focus on booking a series regular.
With the right marketing, an awesome rep, and a little luck, any actor can land a regular role on a new series, so that’s what you should focus on, right?
Wrong. Booking a series regular just might be the worst thing to focus on this pilot season.
What’s A Realistic Booking Ratio? 2020 Audition Stats from 2 Actors
It’s time to check in on 2020’s audition statistics. You may be asking yourself: How much did the pandemic affect other actors’ audition numbers? Did I have a good callback ratio? What about my booking ratio?
If you’re not keeping track, you may never know. We recommend tracking your auditions, callbacks, avails, bookings, etc. because “what gets measured gets improved.”
Commercially:I had 73 auditions, 11 callbacks, 1 avail, and 3 bookings.
Theatrically:I had 24 auditions, 2 callbacks and 4 bookings.
“2020 was the busiest year for me in my 10 years pursuing acting in Los Angeles. It was my first time auditioning for exciting things like Grey’s Anatomy, Selena (Netflix) and an Amazon short film. When I read all of this back to myself now I am excited, proud, and a little shocked!
I guess the reason why I have a habit of glazing over these wins is because I am not yet making a living as an actor. BUT if Leah from 5 years ago were to look at this list of accomplishments she would be super duper impressed… So I realize that I AM progressing and making strides in my career. I am continuing to work toward my goals and I understand that income is not the end all be all for me (although it is part of the overall goal). Money is NOT the reason I am an artist. I don’t know why I tend to equate success with income, but I’m shifting that mindset, dammit!!!
As my year 1 in the [Elite Coaching & Mastermind] program comes to an end I am very happy I joined. I’m am grateful for this community for sharing your experiences and knowledge! Thank you for again [Coach] Rachel for your excellent guidance, inspiration, and kick-assery! Thank you Jona Xiao!”
Edward Hong
@cinnabonmonster
Total Auditions for 2020: 201Theatrical: 158Commercial: 43
“I’ve been chipping away at this acting career for a decade now and thus it goes without saying that I’ve been doing this manic audition tracking for the 10th year. So here it is, the 2020 Acting Track List, Pandemic Edition with the stats and observations that follow:
THEATRICAL OFFERS1/31/20 – Date Night (Ensemble, Occidental College Staged Reading)5/21/2020 – Fumblewinter (Ensemble, Zoom webseries)7/16/2020 – How’s The Store? (Lead, Company of Angels (CoA) Zoom Performance)9/30/20 – A Pretty Good First Draft (Lead, Horror Short Film)10/3/2020 – A Christmas Presence (Lead, Zoom Performance)
THEATRICAL VOICEOVER BOOKINGS6/26/2020 – The School Nurse (Guest Star/Recurring, Netflix Dubbing)
THEATRICAL VOICEOVER OFFERS2/23/2020 – Kingdom (Recurring, Netflix Dubbing)*** This follows from my first booking with this gig on its first season **3/14/2020 – Escape from Evil Town (Recurring, YouTube Dubbing)
COMMERCIAL
AKA Talent AgencyAuditions: 34CB: 7Straight to CB:Avail: 1Booking: 1.5
COMMERCIAL VOICEOVER BOOKINGS8/25/2020 – Real Hype (Commercial)
THEATRICAL OBSERVATIONS
* As to be expected, theatrical on-screen/theatre auditions plummeted to almost nothing for 2020 thanks to the pandemic. While I was aware that things were better for other actors, there were more pressing things to be concerned about than just being an actor.
* The voiceover realm was not affected whatsoever in terms of audition opportunities but this year I was unable to book something for my VO agent alas. But if I did get any opportunities, it was through referrals and gigs I got on my own.
* This year brought about an explosion of Zoom performances and though it was rough in the beginning, it was a delight getting to meet so many amazing artists through this strange realm where I’ve done more readings and performances than I can count. The ones listed here are the ones I got paid for, hence them standing out.
* I did not renew my Actor’s Access account for my reliable source of self submissions because I wanted to prioritize safety over work, especially if safety can be questioned for major high-profile jobs, then it would be even more so for the indie ones. Don’t regret this choice whatsoever.
* The horror short film was a unique one where it was mainly through our experience with the Make a Wish – A Short Film festival run that we got to work with fellow horror filmmakers we met along the way. Though filming it in October was certainly a risk, especially with my comment above that indie filmmaking poses its challenges with safety, it was something I was grateful nonetheless.
COMMERCIAL OBSERVATIONS
* This year ironically was the best year I ever had in the commercial realm. The Apartments national booking kicked it off at the very beginning, my UPS one got its contract negotiated after 21 months, and at one point in this year, I had three nationals running at the same time, two of which I’m still under holding for (UPS once again and Universal Studios). And for the first time in my life, I was finally able to pay off my lingering credit card debt that I’ve carried for YEARS. It was, without a doubt, an extremely fortunate and privileged position to be in.
* This is also the year that I’ve experienced being a COVID actor backup, which is a strange purgatory position where you technically booked the job, you’re just not the main actor. And in my case with the M&M’s gig that would be my last booking of 2020 (thus reflected by my 1.5 booking), I was considered the primary a few days after the booking until I was demoted to secondary the day before costume fitting. Sucks but in the end, getting paid for 3 COVID tests, a postponed half session fee, and a session fee to basically spend 5 hours in the car while you’re on set isn’t exactly too bad.
OVERALL OBSERVATION
* As to be expected, theatrical on-screen/theatre auditions plummeted to almost nothing for 2020 thanks to the pandemic. While I was aware that things were better for other actors, there were more pressing things to be concerned about than just being an actor.
* The voiceover realm was not affected whatsoever in terms of audition opportunities but this year I was unable to book something for my VO agent alas. But if I did get any opportunities, it was through referrals and gigs I got on my own.
* This year brought about an explosion of Zoom performances and though it was rough in the beginning, it was a delight getting to meet so many amazing artists through this strange realm where I’ve done more readings and performances than I can count. The ones listed here are the ones I got paid for, hence them standing out.
* I did not renew my Actor’s Access account for my reliable source of self submissions because I wanted to prioritize safety over work, especially if safety can be questioned for major high-profile jobs, then it would be even more so for the indie ones. Don’t regret this choice whatsoever.
* The horror short film was a unique one where it was mainly through our experience with the Make a Wish – A Short Film festival run that we got to work with fellow horror filmmakers we met along the way. Though filming it in October was certainly a risk, especially with my comment above that indie filmmaking poses its challenges with safety, it was something I was grateful nonetheless.”
What About You?
Do you keep track of your audition statistics? Do you review them at the end of each calendar year? Let us know in the comments below!
P.S. Looking for creative, effective ways to generate a lot more auditions? Then you need to check out some free goodies at this link: Valuable Freebie for You!
“You’re doing everything right.” That’s what 30+ year veteran casting director Patrick Rush said to one of our Elite Clients when she asked for advice on booking her first co-star.
Patrick generously shared his time and thoughts during a Q&A with our Elite Clients and now YOU can get in on the action! In THIS video, you’ll discover:
*The best way to put casting at ease when you’re in the office
Check out Patrick’s intriguing thoughts on casting below:
Whether you’re currently stuck in “Co-Star Hell,” or you’re planning ahead for the future, you can implement the strategies Coach Melody lays out here to make sure you have forward momentum as you keep booking.
… So I realize that I AM progressing and making strides in my career. I am continuing to work toward my goals and I understand that income is not the end all be all for me (although it is part of the overall goal). Money is NOT the reason I am an artist. I don’t know why I tend to equate success with income, but I’m shifting that mindset, dammit!!!