Just recently I watched 8 Mile—the Eminem bio film. The film is about rapper Eminem struggling to become a successful recording artist in Detroit by winning rap battles. It follows the exact same format that most “outsider young person struggles to find himself in a strange world” films (Step Up, Stomp the Yard, Drumline, Bring It) follow.

In the DVD extras, there is a section about filming the rap battles themselves.  Particularly, there is a story about how the film’s director and producers decided they wanted to have local rappers actually battle Eminem in order to get a more gritty realism.

The call goes out among the hundred or so extras who made up the crowd during the club and rap battle scenes. Three rappers, the ones who possessed the skills to top a real rap battle in the room, would then be put in the film as star actors featured battling Eminem. This was a chance of a lifetime for these actors who’d only been booked in very low paying extra jobs where their faces would likely never even be seen (see article on being an extra here). Here was a chance to be credited in a major motion picture, to have the camera right in your face and to be able to launch a career in acting.

Dozens of the extras tried out for the roles. Most were rejected out of hand, but quite a few showed promise. Eventually the contestants were whittled down and three lucky and talented ones were chosen. They were very talented too.

One by one, the rapper/actors/contest winners took their positions before Eminem to battle him. Although initially told to save his voice for the dialogue scenes and only to lip sync his comebacks against these rappers, Eminem couldn’t let the taunts in front of the packed room go unanswered. Impressively, true to his character in the film, he improvised clever responses to each rapper—clearly putting them in their place.

So what did we learn from this DVD extra? That Eminem is actually a very good rap battler? Yes. That’s what the film director wanted us to learn. But here’s what we learned that he didn’t want us to learn: After all of the contest—all of the hopes and dreams of each rapper in that room being placed before them—the promise of a starring role in a major motion picture. After winning the contest and being chosen as one of the three actors to battle the star; after filming the battle against Eminem and rejoicing, celebrating and telling all their friends and family about it; after the movie comes out six to nine months later, after all of the anticipation, after buying the popcorn and taking your seat in the theater….

Not a single one of those actors’ battles appeared in the film.  Every single one was cut. Every one. Those actors are not featured anywhere except in the DVD rap battle extras section. But at least they were featured there. Many actors find their roles, in fact, whole characters cut from movies. Where they expected a reel to show agents, managers, casting directors, or at least a credit for their resume, they may get nothing.

Some executive didn’t think the scene was necessary—one battle too many. Or it didn’t work—the lighting was bad, etc. For whatever reason, the film you starred in you no longer star in. The film goes on to be number one at the box-office—oh well, t least it got released. Hundreds of movies get filmed that never even get released.

Welcome to Hollywood. Such things happen here. They don’t always happen, but they do happen. The point is not to discourage you. The point is to make you aware so that, if it does happen, you don’t give up.

Good luck.

TRL

Early in the show this season, one young man, Andrew Garcia, performed a slow guitar rendition of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” that blew my mind, the judges’ minds and the rest of America’s minds.[HD] Andrew Garcia – Straight Up Acoustic Version American Idol Hollywood Round2 It was clear he was in a class all by himself. His performance was far beyond anything anyone sang to that point (and many believe since). It did not appear that any of the other contestants had even a glimmer of a hope of winning the contest. Other performers sang decent enough, but nothing of that caliber.

Then something happened… The next performance. Andrew did his style—the style everyone loved—but he did it with a more obscure and modern song that not everyone knew, Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar We’re Going Down.” Here’s the vid: Andrew Garcia Performance Sugar, We’re Going Down Fall Out Boy @ American Idol S09E142. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the performance itself. It was excellent. The audience loved it. The only problem was that Simon didn’t realize that Andrew did an original performance of the song (Here’s the original song video. So Simon, who commented first, canned it. He compared it to Straight Up and said this performance was so inferior. Kara realized it was an original arrangement, and gave Andrew credit for the risk, but she also agreed with Simon about wanting Andrew to do more songs like Straight Up. The rest of the judges followed suite.

What the judges all meant was that they wanted songs that were very popular, which would be understood by everyone to be rearranged and done in Andrew’s style. But Andrew didn’t get that. What he got was… confused.

The next week Andrew completely changed his style Where he had demonstrated so clearly that he knew exactly who he was as an artist in his previous performances he now seemed lost and confused about not only what to sing, but how. Gone was his guitar. Gone was his style. Gone was his melodic and powerful riffs. There he was singing Marvin Gaye’s “Heard It Through the Grapevine” and looking nothing like the powerhouse he was at the beginning. Check it out here. In fact, he looked like he had no idea what he was doing. How did he go from sure winner in to just another contestant?

How is an artist’s journey on American Idol a microcosm of life in Hollywood? First off, someone told them they had talent. Unless the contestant is just looking to be a clown on national television, he sincerely believes he has talent. One thing most contestants have in common is that someone somewhere encouraged them to pursue their gifts. It’s apparent in the early season try out shows that not everyone tells their friends the truth, but most of the singers who try out do have talent. So it is with any person who comes to Hollywood looking for a career in the entertainment industry. It is a rarity for someone to come here without a number of assurances that they have a special talent that should be in movies, or on records or that could make them rich.

In Andrew’s case, he had been singing and performing with friends, posting videos on You Tube and doing original arrangements and covers of popular songs for years. Check out some of his videos:
Sunday Morning beatbox cover (I’d like to see him and this girl do this exact version on the show.)
Michael Jackson Medley
Replay Cover.

During that time, he developed his style and he got used to performing. So when Andrew came to Hollywood, he had a sense of who he was. One of things that’s important for any artist looking for success here is that they have a real sense of who they are as an artist. As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs and articles, Hollywood is a marketing machine above all else. Hollywood markets human talent packaged in movies, music, television, books, and art.

The more clearly you know who you are, what your market is, and where you fit in, the more likely your chances of finding your place and finding representation (agent, producer, contract, label, manager) to help sell your talent.

Most of the comments contestants hear from the judges have to do with whether or not the judge “gets it” or knows how to market the artist. The artist who clearly performs a certain style with consistency is the artist that will most likely walk away with an album deal whether or not they win the contest. In fact, the highest compliment a judge can pay a singer on the show is to say, “I can see your album already.” That means they know which radio stations will play it. They know which producers to bring in to work with the singer. They have an idea of which established stars might want the singer on tour with them. They may even know how many records they can sell to the audience. Such an artist will also have a larger fan base as well because fans of a particular style will gravitate towards an artist that shows he belongs in that style.

But the artist who is inconsistent or lacking a unique style, or has a variety of styles will be viewed as “not ready,” “unprofessional,” “confusing,” “all over the place.” Even if a song is well sung, if their style is inconsistent, the judges will often complain of “not knowing what to do” with that singer.

Hollywood draws marketing lines very clearly. If you are a comedy writer, you must write comedy after comedy—not thrillers, comedies, actions, and dramas, which only confuses agents, producers, and show runners. As well, the stories you write must fit the genre and must have some uniqueness that is your signature as a writer. If you are an actor, you must know what type you fit and how people see you. You must present a consistent image to Hollywood in order for you to stay on the radar of casting agents. Your image must both fit in the genre you wish to work as well as be unique to yourself. The same holds true of directors—you must know which genre you do best and you must have a certain style that adds something to that genre.

Finally, Andrew discovered three truths that, despite his obvious and amazing talent, also affect nearly every artist in Hollywood: 1. Trying to please people can and will wreck your art. 2. What you have done in the past will not carry you forever in the future. 3. You will face rejection and criticism.

If Andrew is able to get back to his original style, he will have a chance at winning this season. But what has happened to Andrew is simple—he lost sight of his own unique style because he was trying to fit in with what he thought the judges wanted. If an artist does not yet have a style, it might work to push one on him (or actually—help him find a style that suites him), but generally an artist attempting to conform to anyone’s ideal beside his own usually kills his art. A person’s art is a psychological part of their being—much like their personality. Altering one’s artistic style generally kills creativity. In the end, the artist won’t be happy and neither will the producers or executives. Each time Andrew performed a slightly different style than his own, he felt uncomfortable, the audience felt uncomfortable and the judges criticized him harshly.

It is a fact that people in Hollywood, in attempt to figure out how to market you, may try to change you—be it an agent, producer, casting director or executive. Often an artist has a portion of something Hollywood wants to market—such as a look or idea, but the artist doesn’t have the full package. Hollywood wants to make money, so forcing you into a niche that may have a pool of customers hungry for product isn’t outside their purview. But generally, even if you succeed at faking it, your audience will sense you are disingenuous and you won’t last. But usually, it simply fails out the gate. When it fails, you fail, but Hollywood just moves on to the next artist. Much like American Idol, even though they told you it would work, when you fail, it’s not their fault—it’s yours.

Initial success in Hollywood can be both a blessing and curse—just ask Gary Coleman. If studios have made a lot of money from your talent in the past, they will want you to continue to provide that talent. Generally it does mean stereotyping or limiting an artist’s output. But it can also make you a victim of trends. If you “go out of style” your career will be dead for a generation—until your style returns. Jason Bateman, M.C. Hammer, and Neil Patrick Harris all caught the second wave of their careers.

Lastly, what’s most unfair about rejection and criticism in Hollywood is just how vague or opaque it can be. In Andrew’s case, the judges weren’t really clear about the problem in his performance. All they really meant to say was that they wanted him redoing more successful hits. “Straight Up” was a number one hit for Abdul, known by nearly everyone—and it was old. Andrew made it modern and cool and did what Hip Hop artist have done for years—repackaged already popular songs into something new. “Sugar We’re Going Down” was not a huge hit. No one could tell what Andrew was doing with the song because it wasn’t popular enough. And, because it is a current radio song, it isn’t ripe for remaking anyway. A simple comment to Andrew to “Stick with remaking older hits into modern songs,” would have given him all he needed, but that might have also shown Simon’s hand a little too much.

Hollywood doesn’t like to admit how much they’d rather repackage something than create something completely new. But marketing dictates that old brands with loyal customers sell easier (and cheaper) than new ones.

Andrew did, however, get advice that was fairly close to the target. Usually advice from Hollywood is much more cryptic if it exists at all. Rejections are rarely followed by explanations. You may well have been a contender for the role up to the last minute, but you won’t always know it. Or you may have been very close to representation or a greenlight but the fax machine broke or a new President of Production was hired. The point is that you must understand rejection is part of the game and that it will come. The next company you submit to may love you. So keep submitting.

As you watch American Idol, notice how one week the judges are in love with a contestant and the next week they may well turn their noses. Stick around because who knows what will happen the week after that—in that show or in your career.

You are desperate. You have looked for a job for months and found nothing. You called all your friends and family, searched job sites, applied at the unemployment office and still…nothing. You pray. You pray hard. “God please.” The baby suddenly cries and you realize you are out of milk. At the grocery store, you run into an old friend you have not seen in years. You chat about old times and life and mention your job situation and he tells you that he recently just spoke to someone who told him of a job that is perfect for you. It is exactly what you love to do. It is in your field and you are qualified. Furthermore, it pays more than you have ever earned and has benefits twice as good as your previous job. You can hardly believe it. If the baby had not cried right then, you would have missed this connection. Wow.

You are overjoyed. You call the contact. It turns out to be a guy you know from school. You shoot the breeze and he invites you in for an interview. The interview goes swell. The second interview happens to be with a woman you met the previous year at a convention. The coincidence is mind boggling. She loves you. “You’ll be great in this position. I’ll call you in three days.”

Three days pass. Nothing. You call. They decided to eliminate the position to save money. Or worse, they decided to hire someone else. You are in the exact same situation as you were before, but now there is a tinge of pain.

“Serendipity,” noun-a chance meeting that leads to something good. “Errendipity,” noun-a chance meeting, occurrence or coincidence, thought to be something good, positive or lucky, that leads… to nothing.” Serendipity is based on an old Persian word for Sri Lanka: Sarendip. Perhaps its slight antithesis should be some unreal or imaginary place-like a mirage. Maybe the word should be “Mirageny” or “Miragenous”-when something you want appears suddenly and unexpectedly in your hand, then vanishes.

The home team is down by one point. Two seconds remain in the game. The press is on. The crowd screams. Your teammate snatches the in-bound ball and passes quickly to you at mid-court. You pivot. You jump. You shoot in milliseconds. Just before the buzzer. The ball arcs in slow-motion straight for the basket. The crowd holds its breath. It looks good. Your heart wants out of your body. The ball hits the rim. Bangs the board. Then the rim again…loops around…and around… and around…and… falls… out. Yes, out, not in. You lose! It was close though. So close. But you lose.

That situation calls for another word we need to create. It is not the same as “Errendipity” or “Mirageny.” Answers to prayers are called miracles. What is the opposite of a miracle? The definition of miracle is “a wonderful occurrence oft attributed to supernatural powers.” What would be an occurrence that appears miraculous, but turns out to be nothing? How about a “Nearacle” -almost a miracle? Or maybe “Miracal”-it looks like a miracle at first glace, but is not. Nearacles produce situations in which people sigh in disappointment. “Sighful” situations. Or maybe something like the opposite of awesome…”Naahsome.”

Life, of course, is full of such Naahsome, Errendipitous, Miragenous Nearacles. When you are trying to make it in Hollywood, exponentially so-the producer that was wild over your screenplay gets fired. The exec that green-lighted your film changes her mind. The label says you cannot do your favorite song. The star you were banking on becomes unavailable. A film similar to yours does bad boxoffice. The star who turned down the role you later booked decides she will do the part after all. Test audiences go boo-no release. Your script sticks in development. Turnaround. They do not renew the option. The suits do not like your rewrite. The label promotes another artist ahead of you again. The financing falls through. It rains in Spain on the plain and the price of rice in China goes through the roof.

The motivational speaker Les Brown says this: “A dream can be nurtured over years and years and then flourish rapidly. Be patient. It will happen for you. Sooner or later, life will get weary of beating on you and holding the door shut on you, and then it will let you in and throw you a real party.”

Les is probably right. But in the meantime, why not learn to thank God for our Nearacles and accept that they too are all part of the gift of life. They are certainly fixtures on the road to your dreams-especially if those dreams include making it in Hollywood.

Jeremy Piven plays talent Agent Ari Gold in HBO's Entourage

In part one of this article we discussed the agent’s job as a salesman of talent and what agents need from artists in order to sell them. We discussed the Hollywood marketplace and the delicate balance of presenting yourself to an agent as both “new and original” and “like another successful artist.” And we discussed how writers can get literary agents. In this article, we will take a look at how actors, models, directors, singers and musicians can find an agent to represent them to Hollywood or New York.

The methods of finding literary agents mentioned in part one work for actors, models, directors, and singers also, but the major difference is that these artists need to produce a reel (DVD-5 minutes or less) or a demo CD of their work. A reel consists of edited clips from movies, TV shows or commercials they have filmed or appeared in; photos, performances, or songs they have written. In addition, actors also require a headshot and/or resume. Reels are the calling cards of most performance and film artists. The reel should come after you have done some good work that you believe showcases your talent well.

Once you have one, a great thing to do with your reel is to post it online. YouTube and the related online film/video sites are excellent routes to exposure. Set up your own online presence, such as a blog or website, both inside social network sites and independently and showcase your reel there also. Make sure to include a link to this site on your headshot and business cards. Some musical artist and acting/writing teams (especially comedic sketch teams) create their entire act online, gain an audience and sell their product independently. Such artists are usually in a much better position to approach agents, if agents have not already approached them, because they have demonstrated a market for their art.

Perhaps the most unappreciated bit of advice from agents is that actors and models must know their type. One great way to figure this out, if you have not already, is to watch shows to see characters you feel you relate to or could play. Ask friends and family what type of characters they see you playing and what age range they believe you could pull off. When you know your type, get your headshots made to reflect that type. When you are unified in this way, agents will know how to best market you. Furthermore, they will know that you know who you are, which suggests that others will see you clearly, too. All these unities give an agent confidence to represent you.

What does it mean to be unified in your type? An example would be the actor who knows he has performed best in dramatic roles. He may be a funny guy by nature. He may have made people laugh. But most of the praise he has received has come from dramatic roles. Furthermore, he feels more comfortable acting dramatically. The headshot and reels this actor should get should highlight those dramatic elements. His headshot should look serious and dramatic-not charming, funny, silly or cute. The clips he chooses to include in his reel should also reflect that dramatic side. By doing this, he shows the agent a clear picture of an actor who knows who he is. The agent will have no questions about where that actor fits in and when a dramatic role comes for that actor’s type, the agent will think of him.

What that actor does not want is the agent to be confused about whether the actor will work in a particular role. If one clip on the reel is funny or silly and the other dramatic, the agent will not fit the actor in either category at all. As discussed in part one of this article, think “spork.” You do not want the agent seeing you as a spork or a foon. How often do you prefer to use a spork? An artist, in order for an agent to see how to sell him, must be either a fork or a spoon. An artist who presents himself as a multi-purpose entity will only get called when a multi-purpose role is available and may even be overlooked then.

(One side note for actors-January through the end of February is pilot season in TV. Most theatrical agents are extremely busy at this time and it is not the best time for an actor to submit to them, but it is a great time to get ready to submit.)

Knowing your style, voice and genre holds true for musicians and directors, too. If you can play Country as well as Soul, pick one. Do not send your CD to an agent with both genres on it unless you do not want to hear back from her. If you decide on country, dress country in your photos, etc. It’s not hard if you think of marketing yourself to a particular audience. You can not appeal to everyone, so don’t try.

Directors have to know what stories they can tell. You must chose a genre and stick with it. Your reels must focus on the type of films you make best whether comedy, drama, action, horror; whatever you do best showcase only that one style in your reel. Make sure you clearly convey your ability to tell stories on film. And of course, if you’re a comedy director, your reel better be funny.

The best method for models to find an agent is to post your photo set online at one of the legitimate model search agencies. A little research will quickly reveal which ones are legit-the ones with proven success rates. These sites are viewed by legitimate modeling agents and usually charge a set fee to post your photos (less than $150). You only need to register with one, as the same agents look over each site. With a good set of photos (see the sites for examples) you may find your phone ringing soon.

As with literary agents, make sure to utilize the protection offered by the various guilds. Each guild (except fashion modeling, which has no guild at the present) will have a list of agents that are signed to those guilds. You can insure that the agent you submit your material to is a real agent and not someone looking to take advantage of you by submitting only to signatory agents of the various guilds: Screen Actor’s Guild (SAG), American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), Director’s Guild of America (DGA), Writer’s Guild of America (WGA), etc. There is a thriving business of fake agents and producers who make money taking advantage of unsuspecting aspirants. The best way to avoid these cons is to use only agents approved by the various artists’ guilds. You may also want to avoid larger agencies right off the bat. New artists can get lost in larger agencies.

Referrals can come from anywhere and are the best method of making sure your reel, headshot and resume are seen. The more work you do, the more people you will meet and the more chances you will have for getting a referral. Make sure to post your reels online and pursue as many legitimate chances to showcase your art as you can. Networking helps, but it usually requires a pretty close relationship to gain an agent referral through networking. Most people in Hollywood are barely holding on to their own agents, so you may find them reluctant to refer you unless they are not only very impressed with you, but very secure in their own career.

A good option for referrals is any casting director, producer or other person who has been impressed with your work. Mentioning to such a person that you are looking for a good agent and asking whom they would recommend could get you the name of an agent they trust. That agent is then more likely to consider you if you mention that producer’s or casting director’s high opinion of the agent. This is not considered a referral but a suggestion, yet it is legitimate, easy to get, and will likely result in the agent considering you.

Finally, entering competitions, film festivals, posting your reel and your work online and regularly submitting to agents is the day-to-day work of advancing your artistic career. Always do your art. Whatever you do, do not wait for an agent. Produce your own play, CD or short film. Many people have found their way into the business by doing so. If you do your art well and consistently, agents have a way of finding you. And remember, getting an agent is not the end of the road. Even after you land an agent, you must always work at marketing yourself, meeting new people and doing at your craft. Waiting around for your new agent to call usually results in you having a shorter career than you planned.

The usual route to finding a talent agent involves sending out headshots or reels (if you are an actor or model) or query letters and screenplays (if you are a writer) or query letters and reels (if you are a director or producer) or CDs (if you are a musician).

The key to being represented as an artist is for an agent to be convinced that he or she can sell you. Most agency rejection comes, not because of a lack of talent, but because an agent cannot clearly see how to sell the artist. This is the central hurdle artists need to overcome.

What does it mean for an agent to believe he can sell you? It means that he clearly sees where you fit in the business. He must either know someone looking buy what you are selling or he must believe that he can convince someone to buy you because you represent a type that is in demand.

What many people do not understand about Hollywood is that it is not just about talent. You may be a very talented actor, writer, director, or even a strikingly beautiful model, but that does not mean an agent will believe he can sell you. What is important to understand is that the agent’s job is a marketing job. They would do well to change their names from talent agents to marketing agents. The best way to understand what an agent looks for and how they do their job is to look at how other products are sold in other industries.

Many artists pride themselves on being different, new, or innovative. They have written a screenplay like no other. They have a style like no one you have ever seen before. From a marketing perspective such newness can spell disaster. How hard is it to get someone to buy something they have ever heard of before? And how expensive is it to get people to know and understand something brand new? Will it work? Does it last? Who can fix it? Will it be around in the future? Does it do what it claims? Is it worth my money? Why buy that when I can buy the one I have used for years? If it is so great, how come no one ever thought of it before?

One example I recently came across was in Bed Bath and Beyond. I was standing in line with my daughter and saw there was an item on display that claimed to replace dryer sheets. From all appearances, it was a small pink rubber ball with little dull spikes on it. It claimed to last for years and to save hundreds of dollars in fabric softener. They were selling a set of two for $9.95.

When we see something like that we can have different opinions. Some of us will buy it based on the novelty of it-we like new things and want to try them out. If they work, great; we will tell our friends. If they do not, cool; we may or may not tell our friends. But the vast majority of people will only come to buy or use a new item after it has been proven-after a few demonstration ads on TV or a segment on the Today Show where some expert claims the dryer ball to be the greatest thing since hamburgers. Over time, more may come on board if the new thing proves to be better than what they are using. That is why when dryer sheets first came out, they mailed them free to millions of people to try in their own homes. Through actual experience, they won people over.

New and different to an agent is very much like the dryer ball. Will it sell? How long? What is the market? How do I sell it and where? What are the risks to my reputation for recommending it if it is not a hit?

If, however, an item is similar to known successful brands, there is more faith the item will sell. That is why there are tons of MP3 players on the market. The Ipod may have been the first and may still be the best selling, but the fact that people know there is a market for Ipods or vampire book or coffee chains, means the chances of developing more and more to reach different segments is possible. Make your MP3 player hold more, costs less, play more formats, etc, and you can steal off a bit of business from Apple.

But, on the other hand, if your MP3 player costs the same, holds the same, and does the same as Ipod, why would anyone bring yours to market? The only reason would be if there is such a demand that Ipod can not keep up. Such is the case with the Twilight Saga. People can read books faster than Stephanie Meyer can write them. So to fill the gap between her releases, there has sprung up a slew of teen angst vampire love books all over Barnes and Noble. Some of these “sagas” have four, five or six books in the series already. They sit on the shelves next to Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, awaiting the wave of dedicated vampire love story reading girls and ladies to crave again. They are designed similarly to the Twilight books, but promise a bit more sex, more abs or more grit. They take place in college instead of high school, or in the office, or a hospital. You get the point. They are “like Twilight, but different enough to stave off lawsuits.” Likewise, an actor who fits the same type as Taylor Lautner, Keira Knightley, or Natalie Portman could more easily get booked based on the number of films made for actors of that type and the fact that Taylor, Keira and Natalie can not possibly do all those roles themselves.

An agent looks for a client in the same way that any marketer looks at a product it wants to sell. That is why fourteen agents passed on Twilight before one finally accepted it. Twilight was the first rule breaker to get though. Afterwards, every agent went looking for something like Twilight-that is, until the market flooded. Once it floods, being able to sell “another teenage vampire love story” becomes difficult and all the agents go on to the next thing.

So, how do you apply this information to help you get an agent? Let us tackle this by craft. Each discipline has its own angles that lead to agents.

If you are a writer, write the best screenplay you can in the genre you enjoy writing the most. Then write another in the same genre. Many writers make the mistake of thinking the way to impress Hollywood is to show their versatility. In reality, it is a surefire way to confuse an agent and even lose representation if you already have it. Agents and studios need to know who you are and what you do. You either do comedy, drama or action, romance, adventure, etc. You do not do one for one script and another for the next. Being a one trick pony keeps the agent from being confused when he is talking about you. Agents can sell forks and they can sell spoons, but they can not sell sporks or foons because no one buys them. No one buys them because films cost too much money to experiment with. So choose your genre carefully because, if you make it as a writer, you will be writing that genre for a while.

Next, get your screenplay out to agents, producers, and contests. Your agent and producer list can come from the Writer’s Guild of America West (WGAW), which can be found on their website. The WGA lists shows agents and producers who are open to receiving unsolicited screenplays. You can send copies to them and follow up with emails and phone calls. Placing or winning a well respected writing contest will also open doors for you to connect with agents, lawyers, producers and other executives. Such connections can lead to referrals and it is always easier to get an agent via a referral.

Referrals are the best way to get an agent and referrals can come from anywhere. A friend of a relative could get someone to read your screenplay. If you studied writing formally and impressed your professors, most likely early referrals will come from them. A producer who liked your work, but did not feel it right for their company might be willing to refer you to an agent. Or you could hire a lawyer to represent you and he could recommend an agent. All of these are legitimate ways to be referred to an agent.

In the meantime, it can help to start a blog and put your writing out into the world. Get people interested in your stories and perhaps even write for a web series. Doing so can grab the attention of agents who browse the web looking for talent regularly. With the advent of the web and blogging, you can create and instantly publish your stories to a world-wide audience and demonstrate your marketability if you are having trouble convincing agents to rep you. And like the free dryer sheets in the mail, giving away some of what you have can show the quality and style you bring to the table as well develop your fan base.

Although many of these methods apply to actors, models, musicians, and directors as well, we will take a look at those artists in the next article as they have other unique needs to address.

If you live in any city with a significant amount of filmed production, chances are there is a casting office dedicated to casting Extras for movies, TV and commercials.

Extras, also known as background talent, perform as part of the setting of any production. In any movie, TV show or commercial set in a public place, there are people in the backgrounds of those scenes that are being paid to be there. If they are doing their jobs well, you may not even realize they are present, but the person who passes in front of camera in such a way that you can barely make out the color of their coat is an extra. That person was told to walk in front of that camera at that time and that person was paid to do it.

The great thing about being an extra is that the main requirement is that you look like you belong in the scene—you don’t have to act, sing, dance or speak any lines. If your scene takes place in a park, all this is required is that you look like someone who might be in a park. If your scene takes place in an office building, any look common to such offices is fine. “Look” generally means clothing. That means to book parts you will need to have a variety of different wardrobes. If the movie is set in the 70s, clothing from that period is necessary, etc. The more clothing styles you have, the more jobs you will qualify to do.

Most extra’s faces never appear on camera. If your face appears on camera, you are considered a “featured extra” and will earn more money—as well as a Screen Actor’s Guild voucher for your work that day. Receiving three vouchers (or being asked to speak even a single line of dialog) grants you the right to join the Screen Actor’s Guild under Taft-Hartley. Membership in the guild doubles your pay as an extra. There are, however, more jobs for non-union extras than union extras. So being in the union, although it has perks such as health insurance and higher pay, doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll work more.

In general, you bring your own clothes. You stand where they tell you to stand (called your “mark”).  You do what they tell you to do (called your “blocking”). And you keep quiet. In a few days you’ll receive a check that represents at least $8/hour. The minimum salary you can be paid for up to an eight hour day is $64. That means, even if you only work three hours, you still get $64. The base salary for extras who are members of SAG (Screen Actor’s Guild) is currently $134 for up to eight hours of work. And the base salary for AFTRA (Association of Film, Television and Radio Artists) extras is currently $99 to $134 for up to eight hours of work and varies depending on the show. In addition to your day salary, you will also be paid overtime should you work more than eight hours. An average workday for an extra is twelve hours.

If you’re over 18, but you have the ability to look 18 or younger, you can make a lot of serious money as an extra. Many movies, TV shows and commercials revolve around high school aged kids. The problem with working with people under 18 is that their parents must also be on set and special permissions must be signed. So teenagers in film are usually portrayed by adult actors. The same goes for extras. Extras who are able to portray 18 years or younger can earn over $50,000 a year.

When the camera is not on, you may enjoy the same free craft services (prepared meals and refreshments) as other known actors on the set. Besides enjoying the craft services, you may get a chance to mingle with the director, get to know the producer or other actors and maybe even get invited to a party at one of the star’s homes. But make sure you don’t initiate any of these conversations with the stars. Speak if you’re spoken to, but otherwise, keep quiet. Nothing makes an A.D. (Assistant Director—the person in charge of extras on the set) more nervous than having one of his employees offend the star. Violating the pecking order can and will get you fired. So don’t take pictures. Don’t swoon over stars. And stay out of the way.

So how do you become an extra you ask? It is actually quite easy. There are about thirty-five extra casting offices in Los Angeles. There are at least ten in New York and a few in other states. They can easily be found with a Google search. On top of the physical casting offices, there are dozens of online casting offices for people who live further away.

In most cases, you either sign up in person or submit your photo and fill out an extensive questionnaire to explain what special abilities you have and how you prefer to work. The agencies generally require a fee of between $10-25 to register. Anything more than this, such as being told to have headshots done with a particular photographer or being told to give any other money, is suspect. The questionnaire is to help identify any special talents or abilities you have. For instance, if a film requires extras to be in a swimming pool, the casting office may choose only those who indicate ability to swim and who are willing to appear shirtless or in a bikini. Special talents like juggling, doing handstands, gymnastics or dance moves might be required for extras appearing in films featuring such scenes.

The casting agency wants to know if you can drive a motorcycle, drive a car, do stunts, appear nude or partially nude, speak a foreign language, operate a crane, throw knives, or any other skill a filmmaker or screenplay may possibly call on. But it isn’t necessary that you have any of these abilities. In fact, being an extra requires only three major skills—the ability to show up on time, the ability to endure long waits and the ability to do what you’re told.

The job of the casting agency is to announce jobs that are available for actors. Generally your job is to call the agency’s line in the evening and listen through a host of positions or call the agency to let them know you’re available to work. The agency will let you know if they have work for you and, if so, your “call time” (the time you are due on the set). They will also let you know what type of clothes to bring and who to see once you arrive.

Once on the set, you will check in with the A.D. and he/she will explain what they want you to do, where to wait, and any other directions you will need.

Contrary to what you might expect from being around movie or TV stars, working on a production set has been described as the most unglamorous job there is. Long periods of downtime are best spent with a book or in quiet conversation with other waiting extras and actors. And most times, if a big star is on the set he or she is surrounded by their own people all the time so it’s not quite hobnobbing. But if you possess the ability to be on time, endure long periods of waiting, and do what you’re told, you may find work as an extra any time you need a little extra money.

No we’re not going to the opening tonight, but she did insist I drive by the theater to see her comrades camped outside. They’ve been there all day (some probably all night). They must be the first in the seats to see it. She wanted to be with them—wearing her New Moon shirt, gushing over a guy who, only a few years ago, she didn’t even notice when he was in movies. Amazing to watch as new stars are born.

I want to write something that big so bad. I want to have teens and their parents and grown people who should know better camped outside the theater talking about which is their favorite character. As one now successful actor I interviewed in my book said, “I remember, years ago, I was in Gelson’s Market with only a couple bucks in my pocket when in walked this big movie star. I said to myself, ‘That’ll be me one day.’”

There’s something much deeper about this movie phenomenon we are experiencing.  Stephanie Meyer took the traditional characters of vampires and werewolves and turned them into the Capulets and the Montagues. She then took a pale, blood-sucking, night crawling, serial killer and turned him into a diamond-skinned, superhero with a powerful love Jones for the only girl in high school whose mind he can’t read.

High school? What’s Count Dracula doing in high school? Seriously, this guy is a couple hundred years old. So what if he’s young looking? What kind of perv is that? I mean, when I was 17 I thought I was too mature to date 16 year-olds. This is a guy whose obviously never heard the words to Steely Dan’s Hey Nineteen—“We got nothing in common. No we can’t talk at all.” And that guy was only 15 years older than the young girl he was considering.

But alas… love.

But since when do werewolves actually turn into giant Wolfwolves?  What is this? Do silver bullets even work anymore? Vampires have superhero powers? They can come out in the sun? They don’t drink human blood? They don’t turn into creepy bats? They can’t be killed with crosses, holy water and garlic? They don’t have fangs? What the hell? Are they trying to put Blade out of business?

I think I understand why my daughter is on Team Jacob. I think Jacob represents, for girls, the best of both worlds. On one hand, you’ve got this cute boyfriend with a great body that everyone thinks is hot. On the other, you’ve got this big shaggy dog to protect you. Girls and their fantasies.

The point of this blog is for writers and film makers. The Twilight Saga represents the best of all worlds for the Hollywood movie machine and at the same time manages to be fresh, new and young.  Vampires are among the most produced characters in Hollywood. From the dawn of moving pictures, vampires have creeped across the walls of theaters. From Nosferatu to Dracula to Blade, the basic makeup and character of vampires has remained unchanged.

What Meyer’s did so brilliantly—and if she is to be believed from her interview on Oprah, so accidentally and luckily—is figure out how to combine genres in a commercially viable way. Romance/Horror/Fantasy/Adventure.

BUT…  Good thing she wrote it as a book. If she’d pitched it as a movie or screenplay before it was a successful book, no one in Hollywood would have touched it. How do I know? Because Nosferatu came out in 1921 and no one touched it since—not successfully anyway. I should say not seriously. There may have been comedic takes on vampires or werewolves that did pretty good, but they didn’t change the nature of those archetypes.  This is a prime example of a movie that only got made because of the book.

Hollywood will happily film a successful book, video game, TV show, stage play, fairy tale or an endless number of sequels, prequels and remakes; but when it comes to putting millions of dollars into original stories movie studios, more often than not, pass.

What’s that say to you about your new, original story that no one’s ever seen before? If no one’s ever seen it before, don’t expect Hollywood to make it.

But sell it as a book first or turn it into a successful stage play, and if you’re sales figures back it up, Hollywood will come to you.

Please tell me what you think. Do you agree? Disagree? Did I miss something? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Thanks for reading.

Good Luck,

T.R. Locke

One of the actors I interviewed for my book, “I Followed My Bliss to Bankruptcy—What I Wish I Knew Before I Moved to Hollywood” earns a reported $250,000 per week for his considerable skills learned through his years of experience. Most of those years passed with barely a livable wage from his craft.

“For one period of time, about three years, our family survived because on my wife’s income. She was out working while I cared for our child. You can start to question what you’re doing wrong and what’s going on. I would do well on an audition, but couldn’t get to the next level.”

Three years. Things have only recently changed.

“I got a stint doing recurring roles here and there. I have friends who became huge stars very shortly after arriving here. We worked together in New York doing Broadway. We came out here together and acting success happened for them much quicker. It just took longer for me. Other very talented friends still have not broken through.”

And that’s how it is. Some make it right away and others labor on for years.

In my book, I chose to interview celebrities and successful Hollywood artists to see what they knew that others who hadn’t succeeded did not.  They knew what it was like to succeed and they understood the demands on the life of a successful actor, writer, singer, producer, director, etc. I chose to interview them anonymously because I wanted them to feel free to be completely honest–neither afraid of hurting someone nor being retaliated against by someone later.  (In hindsight, I could sell a lot more books if I hadn’t promised that anonymity, but I believe the honesty gained improves the quality of the information.)

One thing they all agreed it took to succeed was a tenacious unwillingness to quit.  The realities can be pretty grim for artists in Hollywood. Here one is surrounded by the successful, the wealthy; the ones with the power to make movies, music, or headlines everywhere they go. It might sound glamorous to tell your friends you were on set today with Megan Fox or Will Farrell, but when the difference between what they are paid to be there and what you are paid to be there is millions of dollars, and your not sure if you will be able to pay your rent tomorrow, it can be hard to bite the bullet and keep pushing forward towards your acting success. Hope, in Hollywood, is a skill set you must possess.

Acting success also doesn’t come to those who can’t take rejection. Rejection for an actor can feel very personal. After all, it is the actor who stands before the casting director speaking her lines. It is this same actor who then hears “Thank you!” in the middle of her sentence and is escorted out past the next young thespian who looks enough like her to be her sister. According to this TV star, acting success is about business and rejection is part of the business.

And contrary to oft taught belief that success in Hollywood is all about who you know, according to this star,

“It’s not really about who you know, but being in the right place at the right time. It’s about being steadfast. You come in, do the job. Most people who make it are just lucky. They have the look the casting director is looking for—so the casting director takes whatever talent the actor has. Most times what the actor has lends itself more to celebrity than to talent.”

That explains a lot. When he first arrived in Hollywood, this actor counted among his fans the hugely successful TV producer Steven Bochco (Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blue, LA Law). Although that relationship led to occasional roles on Bochco’s shows, it didn’t lead to constant employment or stardom.  This actor’s journey in Hollywood went from bit part to small recurring role for nearly 20 years before he finally had “the look.”

That quote might even explain why many get into the business of acting—seeing some actor in a movie and thinking, “I can act better than that.” That may be true, but will you be at the right place at the right time? One thing is clear, the more auditions an actor goes on, the more chances she has for making it eventually.

Here’s another great nugget of truth he shared,

“L.A. is not really about acting. TV is a producer’s medium. Film is a director’s medium. Actors have no real control. Sometimes you do a take and you think you did it well and the director wants you to do again in a different way. So you do. They may use the take that isn’t how you wanted to do it. But it’s their decision. Once you understand and know your place, you’re cool.”

Who would have thought that? A director, no doubt. Of course film is the director’s medium. That why director’s get to call it “a film by” and get their names above even star’s names. Yet it’s unlikely an actor would expect to have his best work discarded because the director or producer preferred the take where the actor looked less than his best.

The interview with this great and wise talent went on for much more in the book, but the last piece of advice I’ll share from him here now is this:

“Young actors don’t realize this, but acting is one of the most unglamorous jobs there is. It’s one of the most fickle. There are some great rewards, but this is a business. The things you think they look at, they don’t. It’s really a war of attrition. You stick around long enough, you’ll work. If you come here looking for all the perks and accouterments, then you’re in it for the wrong reasons because you really have no control over those things.”

Great truth to keep in mind as you look for your acting success in Hollywood.  For more from this and other interviews with successful writers, directors, actors, singers, film and record producers, to help save you years of frustration and to encourage you on your Hollywood journey , please check out my book. I guarantee you’ll be glad you did.

Good Luck.

T.R. Locke

From a screenwriter in a forum:

“F The Rules…

…Is an idea swirling around in my head these days, despite being relatively new at this (I started writing a year and a half ago). I notice that people respond to my scripts when I ignore the rules (by rules, I don’t mean format), yet when I consciously employ them, I fail…miserably.

I’m beginning to think that I may be one of those guys who cannot abide by rules, at least consciously. I’m beginning to feel that, for me, they are somewhat of a creative mouse trap. Do I know them? I can’t say that I know all of them, I know that if I were to be generally interrogated (I meant questioned), that I could point to various fundamentals, but I’m beginning to feel that my brain isn’t hardwired in such a way where The Rules facilitate my best work.

So…”F’ The Rules?”

Strike you as a crazy idea? Why or why not? Anyone relate to this?

The short answer: It’s okay to “F” the rules when you no longer need anyone else to buy your script or anyone’s money to make your movie. Here’s my thoughts on this question: If you F the rules; the rules F you back. And if you’re not established yet, they F you without protection, and then discard you like a spent whore. The good thing is, you can wash up and try again.

My experience says this is not so much related to your style or skill as a writer, but to the realities of the Hollywood marketing engine. Your breaking the rules might result in a very good story, but it won’t sell. So you’ll have a great screenplay sitting on your shelf, waiting for you to get humble and change it or to finance and film it yourself.

Everything is subjective in Hollywood. No one knows what will work so everyone is paranoid. One of the only things prodcos, studios and those with the money believe they understand is rules–what a screenplay should look like, three act structure, how it should be marketed to which demographic, etc… If you want to make them more paranoid, change one of these elements. They are skiddish enough, they will be absolutely terrified if you F around with the rules.

The artist in me says, “this is bullshit! ” And it is…to the artist in me. Although, when I think about it, I’m not a fan of the avant-gard, so maybe I don’t actually like when the rules are broken either. But if all you had to impress were other writers or readers, I could at least understand it. But the name of this particular game is not “Great Stories,” it’s “Show Business.”

In tennis, they call it a low percentage shot. F the rules if you want. But do so at your own peril.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

T. R. Locke

“Two production companies requested my screenplay two months ago.  I’ve heard you should give them around three months. I waited two months and then sent a follow up. “Thanks for reading any feedback would be appreciated.” This was last week. Is it usual for them not to write back at all? They asked for it and I know they got it, would they not take the time to send “not for us” email?”

—-Waiting

I saw this question on a screenwriting forum and knew there were many people who’ve had this experience and need to hear this answer.  So here it goes:

Been there many, many times. What happened to the Prodco? What’s worse is when they call you back, have you in for a meeting with the President of Production and talk about how much money they want to pay you… then disappear—never to be heard from again.

In my book,  I talk about this being a “gap event”. I describe gap events as times when you’re flying high following some great news and then suddenly experience major disappointment. See, if you’re walking down the street and you fall, that’s one thing. But if you’re flying through the air and you crash, that’s much worse. At least it feels much worse emotionally.

So to answer your question, this happens all the time. No, they won’t necessarily take the time to respond with a nice email. Why not? Well, the reasons are too many to name, but they range anywhere from they don’t like your script to the president of the company married Eddie Murphy and divorced him a few days later and is now no longer emotionally stable enough to oversee production, so everything has been put on hold. Really? Really. I wish I was joking. But that last event cancelled many deals in Hollywood—including one of my own.

Production companies are some of the flakiest companies around. They start up anytime someone decides they want to get into movies and they last as long as there’s money to keep the phones on. Anyone can call themselves a producer in Hollywood. There is no licensing, no rules, no oversight, no accountability. Even legitimate companies have many problems with seeing projects through. If your project does not become the pet project of one person whose going to champion it through the process, it will get lost. And yes, that’s even true if they loved it.

So what do you do? You recognize this is the way the game is played and you buckle down for the long run. What? You send your script out to other production companies, agents, managers, etc. You keep sending it and you keep calling and you don’t put your hopes all in any one basket—even if they have you in to their posh Hollywood office, serve you a cold glass bottle of Voss and tell you you’re a genius.  Until the contract is signed and the check is cashed keep selling your stuff.

And one other thing: don’t let this reality discourage you. It is what it is. Sometimes a better story comes along, or an important actor shows up with a different project. Anything can distract a producer—even a drug habit or his own money problems. I wish I was in your shoes. I wish I knew this before I moved to Hollywood.

Good Luck,

TRL