Something really stood out this week. Something a respected manager told me, something I’ve began to realize myself. It’s nothing you haven’t heard before, but I’m just going to say it anyway: in this business it’s all about who you know. It’s all about the meetings, the lunches, the dinners. About the friend of a friend, and the uncle of that friend.
I used to hate the idea of it. I always pictured it as a bunch of silver spoon babies grown up into Armani suited businessmen sitting around a Beverly Hills table, insincerely kissing each others asses while commanding around the waiter. This is, obviously, not the way it is. Or at least, not the way it is for me, and I’ve been fortunate lately in meeting people.
I’ve met people who have been willing to reach a hand out for me, an arm even. People fangirling me to other people that have pull. And not once have I made an insincere connection. Not once have I done the very LA hi-what-do-you-do-what-car-do-you-drive talk. And still this week was promising…
To be quite honest, I was getting a little hopeless and impatient again. We’re now halfway into my stay in LA and up until last week I didn’t have any more meetings lined up. But then this week I just decided: what the hell, I can be moody and still do my work. So I sent out a bunch of e-mails and did a bunch of research. Not an hour later one of the agents I e-mailed called me in for a meeting. An hour after the that another meeting was set up.
So let me add those to the lists of this week, and let me tell you how it went!
Tape Drama Dialogue
Is it any surprise I haven’t done this yet? The camera is still in Hollywood, that’s the excuse of this week.
Research Best Postcards Printing Company
Argentum and Reproductions seem awfully expensive. VistaPrint has great prices, might try this one. I’ve used Vistaprint for my office jobs before (who knew they’d come in handy after all?) and the quality seems nice too.
Sign Up for Class at The Groundlings
Done! Starting the 25th of July! :D
Prepare Mailing Small Managers
I’ve done an e-mail mailing. I don’t think I’m going to be bothering with hardcopy submissions this month, I’ll wait and see how my meetings turn out first. Referral seems to be the only way to get meetings, and e-mails seem to be just as effective (which is 0.01% succes rate)
Prepare Additional Commercial Mailing
Not done yet. Scusi!
Write 15 Pages Screenplay
This is the cause of all my slacking, I’ve been completely engulfed by writing my screenplay and rewriting it and daydreaming up new scenes. I’m at page 48 now, and I’m just really excited by it, and keen to finish. I’m really quite arrogantly confident in my story, the American attitude must be starting to rub off on me..;P
Prepare Good Questions for Meeting With Huge Manager
I had the meeting yesterday, and felt oh so cool coming in the office in Beverly Hills and be able to say “I have a meeting with so and so at 3.” Yes, it wasn’t to sign me, and they didn’t, but it was quite wonderful to be able to sit down with one of the people in the companies I look up to, and see that they are cool and human too. Even though they have stars and Oscar winners coming over on a daily basis.
So anyway, I had a really nice little chat and was given the advice I started this blog out with: meet people. I was also recommend to take classes at Lesly Kahn, so I will sign up for an audit soon!
Meet with Agent
So I was called on Tuesday to come meet on Wednesday and I did. It was a small agency, and I read my scenes and it went great and guess what: they wanted to take me on! Now usually I would have typed this in Caps Lock with at least 200 exclamation points but experience has taught me not to do so quite yet. With the visa stuff, things are worth caps only once the deal is sealed. And also: I have another, very exciting meeting coming up next week, so let’s take a look at that list!
Week 7
- Sign up for Lesly Kahn audit
- Make additional commercial mailing
- Tape drama scene
- Research accent coaches
- Find better drama + comedy monologue
- Go on meeting with agency!
The last one is happening Wednesday and I’m extremely excited about it. I really hope that this is the one. It’s the biggest agency I’ve met with yet, and I just feel really good about them. This is the time to keep your legs and arms and toenails crossed, ladies and gents!
Love from LA!
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“It was a small agency, and I read my scenes and it went great and guess what: they wanted to take me on! ” Wat bedoel je? Dat zij weten dat ze een visum moeten aanvragen, daar ook al ervaring mee hebben, en bereid zijn om dat voor je te doen? (maar iets in je zegt dat ze het niet echt zo bedoelden? Of nog wat anders?) Heb je al een volgende meeting om je details te bezorgen die ze nodig hebben voor de visumaanvraag?
Veel succes!!!!
Hi Elke, het betekent dat ze er van weten ja maar dat ik nog moet zien of ze ook uiteindelijk echt doorzetten. Vorige keer was dat namelijk niet zo, veel agents die onbekend zijn met visa’s aanvragen vinden het uiteindelijk toch niet fijn.
I’ll keep anything crossed for you!
Good luck!
You rock and roll Dutch girl!!I’ll keep everything crossed for you!Good luck!Roberta from Rome
Everything bendable is crossed here too, :)
Lekker bezig! Het gaat met veel dingen inderdaad om de mensen die je kent. En dan moet je het denk ik niet zien als dat men misbruik van elkaar maakt. Maar open je mond in een gesprek met een nieuw persoon en bepaalde deuren kunnen voor je opengaan. En andersom werkt het ook. Want niet alleen jij hebt de mensen nodig, soms hebben ze jou ook nodig. : )
Stay focused, active and keep your eye on the prize.
Shanice, saw your ASA link and clicked to read – when it comes to headshots, a budget-price and decent quality one a headshot photographer I know uses (and I’ve used for lithos) is West Hollywood Print & Copy (http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/west-hollywood-printing-and-copy-los-angeles) – best of luck!
Also, don’t know if you get my feed, but please check out http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/3175/the-app and click ‘Like’ and/or Tweet (with #ShortsLucky13 & #TheApp) – I’m in competition with this 2 minute short to get screened at Virgin Picturehouse Cinemas for the next year and it’s a cool short with Melissa Suffield (Eastenders) – would mean a lot to me! Cheers from the UK, see you next pilot season. =)
Wow, so happy for you! You’re very beautiful and talented. They’ll sign with you!!!!
Can you name this agency? I’m just so curious)))) Or this is a secret for now?)
Wish you luck luck luck!!
Hi Nina, I’ll say the name of the agency once I’m actually signed :)
another place you might look for headshot reproduction is the actors photo lab in studio city – they seem to have fairly good prices, especially if you’re getting a lot printed off in one go: http://www.theactorsphotolab.com/
Hi,
just wanted to say that I love your blog. I’m not an actress and have no aspirations to become one, but it’s really inspiring how you just keep going. I wish you all the best and will be checking in here again :-)