Handling Rejection Like A Pro

The audition process is one of the hardest parts of life for an actor. The amount of times you don't land a role far outweigh the number of times you book a part. Learning to handle rejection and not let it eat away at you is something that each actor has to deal with in their own way. I understand this feeling because I do a lot of freelance work and trying to land a freelance gig is very much like an audition.

Here are some tips to help you deal with not booking a part as well as how to use the experience in the future:

• Accept The Odds - If you stop and think about how many times you will audition for parts, you will be looking for work more than you actually work. This means you will spend a good amount of time auditioning for parts and never hearing back from the casting director. Unfortunately, this is a fact of life in the acting world. You can either learn to move forward and realize you're not the top choice for every part or you can obsess to the point that it distracts you from focusing on your next audition.
• Be Excited About Auditions - As mentioned above, a good portion of your life as an actor will be auditioning for parts. If you want to be a working actor, this makes the audition process a very important part of your working life. Like any other job, there will be parts of your chosen profession that get you down on a daily basis. However, you should be thrilled if you get to audition on a regular basis. There are thousands of actors in Los Angeles who get submitted for a part but don't get called in for an audition. Be happy that you made the cut and have the chance to showcase your acting in front of a casting director.
• Don't Worry - Any tension you bring into the audition room will be felt by everyone around you. Be excited that you have the chance to audition for a part (no matter how big or small the role). Stay focused on the audition at hand and don't worry about booking the job. Doing your best in front of the casting director might not land you the part you auditioned for today but it might lead to new opportunities and jobs in the future.
• Breathe Deep - One of the big jokes about Los Angeles is that everybody is into meditation and yoga. While not everybody is looking into their souls to find peace, there is something to be said about taking the time to unwind. A regular routine of exercise, meditation, yoga and relaxing with friends can help you stop worrying about the little things and focus on the big picture AKA your career! 
• Patience - The majority of actors who move to Hollywood will not be an overnight success story. It takes time to make a name for yourself in Hollywood as well as develop your craft. The more you network with fellow actors and attend workshops, the more opportunities will come your way in the future.
• Don't Take It Personally - How many times have you read a character breakdown for an audition and been convinced that the part was written with you in mind? While you might see the character as being perfect for you, the director and producers might have another "type" in mind. You might even look like an actor they've already cast for another role. There is only so much you can do, and only so much that is in your control, when it comes to landing a role. There is no reason to take it personally if you don't match the type of actor they have in mind. 
• The Opinion Of One Person Is Not The Opinion Of Everyone - The fact that one person didn't like your audition is not how everyone feels about your talent. You have an acting range filled with skills that you don't always get to showcase in auditions. Don't dismiss any criticism you get in an audition but don't take it as a slight against your acting skills.
• Manage Your Expectations - It helps to enter any audition with realistic expectations. If you don't have much experience in drama or Shakespeare plays, don't be crushed if you don't book the part. Entering an audition with realistic expectations helps you keep everything in perspective as well as avoid feeling disappointed.
• Keep In Mind That Acting Is A Business - There is a good amount of art involved in acting but it's important to remember that acting is also a business. The producers of a movie or television show have to hire the actors they feel are the best fit as well as marketable when it comes to promoting the finished product. You can be a great actor but not fit the vision of the final product.

It's up to you to figure out how you deal with rejection as an actor. If you want to make a living as an actor, keep in mind that success is not overnight and you should be prepared for many auditions during your acting journey.

This actor has booked some roles and also been rejected for some parts.

Tax Deductions For Actors

It's that time of year! Tax season is here and everyone is trying to take deductions off their taxes in an effort to save money.  Not sure what deductions you can claim if you're an actor? Here's some tips to help you save money and perhaps even get a refund this year.

The first thing to remember is that actors are often considered "independent contractors" and not employees. For the purpose of your taxes, acting is your line of work/your business. As such, a self-employed actor can deduct expenses that are directly related to acting activities and are not extravagant when it comes to properly doing their work. In other words, the deduction must be deemed to be ordinary and necessary in the eyes of the IRS.

Some actors try to deduct everyday items like clothing, hair, makeup and gym memberships on their taxes. This is a very fine line to walk for many people because the use of the above items must be clearly defined by the actor. For instance, makeup for a photo session or a stage play can be deducted but not makeup bought for use during a normal day. Clothing is always an area that needs to be handled with caution. Even if an outfit was bought for an audition, clothes that can be worn to lunch or to the beach are not considered tax deductible. A gym membership is rarely deductible because it is considered exercise and not "research" or "training".

There are some items that count as "research". Some examples include movies, magazine subscriptions and books that keep you up-to-date on your profession. Movie tickets can count as research for your profession as well as some (or all) of your cable, Netflix and Hulu subscriptions.

How much money did you pay to your agent and manager last year? Any fees paid to your representatives or a PR firm are marked as business expenses. However, you do need to provide statements showing your payments as well as examples of the services they provided. Also, any fees you paid for acting classes, private sessions and casting director workshops can be deducted.

Be sure and keep a mileage book in your car as driving to auditions, agent and manager meetings, classes, rehearsals and paid acting jobs can all be counted as business trips. Also, traveling out of town for work can include some deductions. The expenses that only happen due to being away from home for the night can be deducted.

Did you mail anything career related last year? Expenses from Fed Ex, UPS and the Post Office that were a result of mailing resumes and headshots can all be deducted.

Speaking of resumes and headshots...Those two items along with postcards and fees charged by sites like LA Casting can all be classified as "promotional expenses" and can be deducted from your taxes.

Any acting union dues you pay are tax deductible.

Finally, doing business on your phone can be written off on your taxes. Making business calls as well as buying a new phone can be tax deductions if you have the proper paperwork to show how you used them for business.

I hope the examples listed above help you save some money. Take the money you saved and put it towards new headshots or a publicist and make this the best year of your career!

This actor just finished his taxes.

Why Do You Need An Acting Coach?

One of the first steps to success as an actor is finding the right acting coach for you. Finding an acting coach that you trust and feel comfortable with can lead to a lifelong relationship. I've met many acting coaches who still do sessions with well-known actors because those actors who have achieved success still count on the direction and feedback of their coaches to help them with auditions and scenes in jobs they've already booked.

An acting coach does much more than simply recite lines and say "good" or "bad" to their acting clients. Here are some of the reasons every actor can benefit from having an acting coach:

• An acting coach who spends any amount of time with their clients will begin to learn their strengths and weaknesses. Once the coach is tuned into the skills of the actor, he or she can help the actor fine-tune their skills by working on areas that are lacking while making sure their strengths are kept in fine shape.
• Acting coaches help actors absorb the material to the point that it becomes second nature and natural. Strong character choices come from the actor feeling confident about the material they are performing.
• One of the best skills an acting coach can possess is making the actor feel at ease. Actors that trust their coach are more comfortable being open and vulnerable in front of an audience as small as one person and as large as the crowd for a Broadway play. Inspiring confidence and getting rid of any nerves before an audition or show are some of the best skills possessed by an acting coach.
• Acting coaches will go over every aspect of a scene. There is more to a scene that the lines spoken by the actors. What's the motivation of the character? What kind of clothing does the character wear? Is there specific body language that the character would project? What is the relationship of the character to others in the scene? What is the location of the scene and does that have an impact on the way the scene should be played?
• A good acting coach focuses on the individual actor and does not simply lump them in with a larger group. Even if there are actors working together in a scene, the coach is paying attention to each person and assessing their performance. There is rarely a "you guys did this or that" summary after a scene is over. The coach addresses each actor personally and gives detailed notes about the individual performances. 
• Are you feeling like you need some new audition material? Have you outgrown your "go to scene" or feel like it needs some freshening? Your acting coach can help determine if your standard audition scene can be revived with a few tweaks or if you need some new material that plays to your acting strengths. Once you have the correct material, the coach will help find "spaces in the scene" that showcase your skills.

The best acting coaches are the folks that used to be actors or are still working actors. They know the daily challenges and anxieties faced by those trying to make a living as a working actor. Isn't it better to have someone on your side who understands what you are trying to accomplish with your life? They also understand that acting is about individual choices and don't try and impose their idea of line readings on you. They might suggest a certain character outlook but they leave the final decision up to the actor. The coach is there to encourage and aid the journey of finding the essence of the character. Sometimes the best choices are the natural choices made by the actor. A good acting coach helps the scene play as "real" and not come across as forced and unnatural.

Unfortunately, you often get what you pay for when it comes to acting coaches. Be sure and do proper research before spending the money on acting classes and a specific coach. Choosing the wrong coach not only hurts your growth as an actor but it can also damage your bank account since you won't be getting a good return on your investment.

This actor has been blessed with some very good acting coaches during his career.

How I Spend My Time When I'm Not Writing About Acting And Hollywood

Besides spending my time writing about Hollywood, I do copywriting and PR for a living. My worlds intersect sometimes but there are many subjects I promote that have nothing to do with acting. I'd like to give you a glimpse into my world with some of my favorite business related conversations from the past 2 or 3 weeks. All of the quotes below are from people who sought me out for my PR or writing services:

• "I'd like you to represent me and help me get some speaking engagements. I've written a 5-volume book series about being abandoned as a teenager as well as my life in foster homes and drug dens. I'm thinking my presentation can conclude with a medley of my favorite Broadway songs performed by my line of copyrighted sock puppets."
• "The copy needs to speak to a 50+ female who might be a mother but could also be a cougar while still retaining her dignity after a night in the arms of her mid-20s co-worker. Do you think you can find the written voice for our line of weight loss snacks?" 
• "The event will be in June. If you don't raise enough money to reach your projected sponsorship goal, would you be okay with covering the rest on your credit card?"
• "I'd love to hire you but I'll need to take credit for everything you write so my wife won't know I didn't do any work on the project."
• "I was looking at your sample copy. It was really good but you wrote "practice" when it should be "praktice". (I'm not making that up!)
• "I'm thinking of holding the world's largest hamster race in DTLA on a Sunday morning. How much press can you get and can you ask the reporters if they would stand inside giant hamster balls?"
• "My book should be done soon and I need a press agent to help me promote it. I think there's an audience for a book on how standing on one leg can activate your psychic abilities."
• "I don't understand what public relations does for a client. Can you run a 3-month campaign for me for free so I can observe what you do to see if I like it?"

As odd as Hollywood can be at times, it's nothing compared to some of the weird questions and requests I see on a daily basis while working.  

Don't get me wrong...I welcome your business ideas and the chance to work together. There are just a few business proposals that amaze me every week!

This actor is always ready to work on his career.