David Gray:
HEY ACTORS! WHO WANTS TO STAR IN A PILOT?!
now that I have your attention. It's pilot season. What the hell are doing? It's just getting going. This could be your year. This could be your time. Work your asses off. Stay focused. Study, gym, study, create, study, eat right.... download extra scenes off of showfax.com just to work on. Don't hit the bars, save that money for wardrobe, classes, headshots, coaching. Have actor friends over to do play readings. There are wonderful 3/4 character plays out there by the likes of Mamet and Sheppard and John P. Shanley. that will constantly challenge you. Keep you sharp as a razor. Create a you tube channel. Create content for that channel. write a short funny short film about something that happened to you. Shoot it. Direct it. Star in it. Maybe it will suck, first time trying...it probably WILL suck. So what? Look at all you learned. Directing, writing, cinematography, not to mention character arc and development, dramatic structure...the list goes on. Hey! Maybe it DOESNT suck. Maybe you can grab thirty seconds of it for your demo reel. Maybe it goes viral on funny or die. You do know that when you are done you can submit to IMDB righ? Oh, you didn't know? Well you can. Now you have an acting, writing, and directing credit. All in a couple of weeks. So...what have you been up to the last couple of weeks? Kicking ass my friend, just kicking that ass. Never never quit. Keep banging on that door. Scavenge deadline.com, variety.com, zap2it.com...all the industry's websites. Be in the know. Send your against and managers food. Pizza, cupcakes, Starbucks cards. When they say only prepare scene three...prepare ALL of them. Anticipate direction. Remember actors, the most common note you will get will be to bring the scope of your performance up or down. It will look like this "let's do it again and....ummm...just....have more fun with it!" That means you were good but a drop stiff bring the scope up. Or, "take it down a little bit" well that means scope down. Obviously we know this. So why don't we prepare for it. Prep baby! Motor it up and down so your performance is ready. Then your transition upon receiving direction will seem effortless. Send your agents and managers food, baskets, gift cards, home made cookies. Develop relationships with casting directors. Help other actors prepare for their auditions. Look good, hair, clothes, body. Pay attention in class instead of playing on your phone. You do not absorb creative juju through osmosis, you have to want it. So want it. Want it so bad that you dont lay your head on the pillow at night without being able to answer the question "What did it do to further my career today?" And then do it. Got it? Good. Oh...don't forget to send your rep food.
