Dave Courvoisier's Blog

Bob Fraser has written an article that — as far as I’m concerned is a MUST READ for actors, voice-actors, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and whiners in general.  I gleaned it from an online forum for voice-actors, and re-purpose it here for your benefit.  It’s good.  Thanks, Bob, for setting the record straight.

By Bob Fraser

I get hundreds of emails a week … and most of them are
lovely. Many actors write to say thanks for an article or a tip – and those
letters are a joy to receive.

However, I also get letters from some actors who seem to
think that I am the answer to all their problems.

They KNOW I can help them achieve a career… if only I
would.

Some samples:

“Hey Bob, look at my new headshots online and pick out
the best one. When I win the Oscar for best actor, I’ll mention you.”

“Please send me the names of the REAL agents who are
willing to make me into a movie star.”

“I have an idea for a show I can star in. If you get it
to the right people, I’ll split the profits with you.”

 “I know I need a manager to get my career started. Send
me a list of good ones are, so I won’t get scammed.”

 Let us cut to the chase …NO ONE ELSE is going to make your
dream a reality

FOR you.

 The bottom line is (and always will be) this: If you are
unwilling to do the hard work – it just isn’t going to get done.

 If you continue to believe that someone else is going to
come along and take the steps needed to get you to the top FOR YOU – well,
welcome to Fantasyland.

Whatever you do, don’t wait for me or `later.’

One of the first (and most important) things I talk about in
my acting career  courses is the
absolute necessity of doing the legwork & homework yourself.

 As long as you live in a world where someone else is going
to do the work it takes to get you going in the acting business – you aren’t
going to move forward. And you’ll probably get hurt financially or otherwise.

 In fact, it is this ‘help me’ mindset that those scammers
are looking for. When a scammer meets an actor who believes it is possible for
someone else to MAKE it happen – he knows he’s landed a sucker.

 This belief in a one-step process (or a secret”back
door,” or a short-cut, or an easier way) is what gets most actors in
trouble.

 When you think all you have to do is ‘convince’ an agent to
represent you and you’ll be on your way – you’re just asking for trouble.
Scammers, calling themselves “agents or managers” are ready to pounce
on any actor who thinks this way.

 Real agents can’t be “convinced.” They make their
decisions based on their assessment of how much money you can make as an actor.
If you aren’t making any money, don’t expect a legitimate agent to be very
interested – until you take the steps yourself … and start making money.

 If you just up and move to Hollywood or New York (Vancouver,
Mumbai, Chicago, London, Rome, Sydney, etc.) without a solid plan of action -
in the hopes that you will meet someone who will help you achieve your dream -
you are going to be an unhappy camper. Scammers in these cities (and other
major markets) are always on the lookout for brand new, uninformed, suckers. If
you arrive in town with this mindset, they will spot you, trap you, and take
your money. They’re good at it. They’ve been doing it for years.

 The absolute truth is that there are dozens of steps (and a
lot of them are difficult) that you MUST TAKE ON YOUR OWN – if you ever expect
to make your acting career dreams a reality. Here are just a few:

 You must learn how to get a good picture. This isn’t a
matter of finding a good photographer, it’s a matter of learning what you must
do in front of the camera to make a great picture happen … no matter who the
photographer is.

 You must learn the ‘culture’ of show business and work
within that reality.

 Most actors think this will “come naturally” and
find themselves, five years later, still working at a crummy job and trying to
‘make it’ in their spare time.

 You must take care of yourself – yourself. 90% of actors
don’t have a sugar daddy or a family who will take care of them as they pursue
their dreams. Somehow, successful actors make it a point to ‘take care of
business’ by themselves.

 If you need a ‘keeper’ to take care of your career for you -
then your prospects are dim.

 You must also make a lot of decisions: You will have to
decide the budget for your business.

 You will have to decide whether your new ‘friends’ are for
real – or out for your money.

 You must decide what will make you the happiest…. and I’m
just skimming the surface.

 If you think that you will get where you want to go by
finding other people who will do the hard part for you – well, you will find it
difficult (if not impossible) to move forward in any meaningful way -as long as
you think that way.

 The idea that your first order of business is to find
someone else to ‘make it happen’ for you …is a major mistake.

 A MAJOR MISTAKE.

 Correcting this mindset is the main reason I produce my FREE
newsletter, SHOW BIZ HOW-TO. Not to plug the newsletter too outrageously, if
you want to know what all the REAL STEPS you must take to have a
professional acting career – subscribe.

 Did I mention it’s free?

 http://www.showbizhowto.com

 And you really should take some time out of your busy
schedule to read the biographies of successful actors. Almost every success
story has the elements (steps) that ACTUALLY lead to a career in show business.

 You should read David Mamet’s books – and K. Callen’s books
- and Stanislavski – and Michael Shurtleff, Allan Miller, Lee Strasberg, Judy
Kerr, Bonnie Gillespie, Mark Brandon, Michael J. Wallach …Well, it’s a very
long reading list.

In other words, there is lot of homework for you to do. A
dream without work to make it happen, remains a dream.

 You can’t spend a dime of the money you make in dreams. Is
it easy to do it all this work on your own?
NO
Is there a shortcut
NO.
Is there another way?
NO.
You MUST do “the hard part.”

Agents, managers, connections, etc. are people who will come
along AFTER you have started succeeding on your own.

 There are 3 critical behaviors you MUST make into habits …
in order to start being successful on your own:

You must be willing to learn. = INFORMATION

You must be willing to work at it. = HARD WORK

You must be willing to stay at it. = TENACITY

 You don’t need an agent, a manager, a teacher, a coach, a
photographer, a friend, a lover, or asugar daddy to take these first steps on
the way to your destination.

 In fact, if you wait for somebody else to do the hard part
for you, you’ll be waiting a long time… like forever.

 If you want to be a professional actor – you must get the
information, do the hard work and be willing to keep at it – ON YOUR OWN. In
other words, (outrageous plug follows) …YOU – MUST – ACT!

 * * * *

Bob is an actor, writer, director, producer and show-runner
on such hits as Full House, Benson, The Love Boat and others. He is also the
author of You Must Act! Virtual Career Mentoring on CD-ROM, Nail It! -
Delivering The Hypnotic Audition ..and Headshot Secrets Revealed … The Acting Career Courses
on Your Computer. He’s been a regular columnist for NowCasting.com, ActorsLife.com,
and many other sites. He’s also a featured speaker at AFI, SAG Conservatory,
Equity Library Theatre, UCLA, USC, Actors Creative Network, Film Industry
Network, Women In Film, and many more. You can subscribe to his free newsletter
especially designed for actors – Show Biz How-To – by going here:

http://www.showbizhowto.com

Or visiting his blog – The Show Biz Blog

http://www.theshowbizblog.com

You can check out his acting career courses at the following
sites:

http://www.youmustact.com

http://www.hypnoticaudition.com

http://www.headshotsecrets.com

CourVO