Yearly Meeting Recap for an Actor: The Year Ahead for Zach Louis

It's still close to the start of the New Year which means it is time for Zach's "year in review" meeting with his manager. Dana had to work so I was picked to go with The Artist to the meeting.

I know each actor has a different relationship with their manager but Zach always enjoys going to see his manager. We first met her when Zach and I visited Los Angeles in August of 2011. We were with a group of actors from Minneapolis (long story...Hi Craig! Hi Leah!) visiting various agents and managers to get a better idea of how the business worked.

DL (his manager) was the first person "in the biz" that we met on the trip. We landed at LAX on a Wednesday morning. We checked into our hotel and started our journey. The first stop was DL's office for a chat with the group and some insights into being a working actor.

She took notice of Zach and talked to me after the session. DL told me she was interested in talking to Zach one on one and that he should come meet with her if we decided to make the move to Los Angeles.

I thanked her for the kind words about Zach but I didn't think too much about it. It's not like we were really going to uproot our lives and move to Los Angeles.

Flash forward to 5 months later (January 2012) and Zach signed with her management firm.

Flash forward (again) to 2019 and our annual meeting with DL.

The meetings have evolved over the years:

• The first few years were all about getting Zach out there and established as an actor
• The next few years were focused on using the connections he built to continue his success
• Last year was focused on balancing his youthful look (Disney/Nick look) with the desire to move beyond that arena

This year, we discussed a few key targets for 2019:

• Build his social media following - If you are so inclined, you can check him out at: 

1. https://twitter.com/zachlouis4sale, 
2. https://www.instagram.com/zachlouis4sale/
3. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA7aUdiBGf8_4l7cJJYYE2w

• Work on writing packets for specific TV shows
• Prepare for a (hopefully) busy pilot season
• Get a plan together for comedy clubs he has not been able to play in the past because he was not 21 years old
• Follow-up on an opportunity with a NBC show that premieres later this year

The meeting last week was our 8th official planning session with his manager. We chat a lot during the year and touch base on various issues but it is always nice to sit down and make a focused plan for the year ahead.  It's also great to look back at the past year and see where we stuck to the plan and when we went in a different direction (as well as how that turned out for Zach).

He is excited for the challenges of this year. His manger is excited about the plans that are being put in motion. I am excited that I get to be part of the evolution of his career.

I am also looking forward to sharing his success stories with you in 2019.

The year has started strong for this actor.

What Should An Actor Do After Pilot Season?

The TV upfronts are over and the fall television schedules are set for the main networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and The CW).  While the upfronts represent a beginning for the actors who landed pilots that got picked up, this time of year also represents an ending for some actors.

The months of January-May are a busy time in Hollywood. A great number of actors move to Los Angeles during this time of the year for pilot season. Since the number of actors is much larger than the amount of available roles in pilots, the end of pilot season sees many of the temporary residents of Los Angeles head back to their hometowns.

Will they eventually return to take another shot at their acting career in Los Angeles? A good majority of them will say "Yes" when asked this question. However, some will go back home and never find a reason to try again in California.

What about the actors who didn't book a pilot but decide to stay in Los Angeles? What opportunities remain for them in the time between the end of pilot season and the start of episodic season in late summer/early fall?

There is plenty to keep you busy if you know where to look or if you want to create your own opportunities:

• Casting directors continue their work in the summer months because movies and commercials don't stop filming during this time period 
• There have been multiple auditions in the last few weeks for plays in Los Angeles so think about trying the stage this summer
• The time between pilot season and episodic season is a chance to update your resume, get new headshots and make sure your social media is an accurate representation of your brand as an actor
• Schedule meetings with your agent and manager to review how pilot season went and what you can do to prepare for episodic season
• Pull out that script you've wanted to complete and create a project that plays to your strengths
• Take an acting class or attend workshops in order to keep your acting skills sharp

Acting opportunities in Hollywood don't stop just because pilot season has ended for the year. It might take some extra effort on your part to find a project or a role that fits your skills. Just remember that it's worth the effort because you might find the part that kickstarts your career and helps you become a working actor.

This actor has booked a few roles since pilot season ended.

Career Moves Between Auditions

It was a slow week for auditions but a busy week for The Artist in moving his career forward. His acting related activities this week included:

• Signing up for classes at The Groundlings 
• Writing new material to use on stage 
• Open mic work at The Laugh Factory and Flappers
• Meeting with his manager to pick his new headshots
• Checking out a new (to him) comedy club in North Hollywood
• Determining the best program for editing videos on his computer
• Working with his manager to make 3 new demo reels (dramatic acting, comedy and stand-up)
• Driving to Palm Springs to support a friend appearing in a play

He is very excited about attending classes at The Groundlings as it will be a chance for him to get some long-form writing experience. He is great at writing jokes and constructing stand-up that tells a story throughout the set. He doesn't have as much experience writing sketches so this will be a good chance for him to work on that skill.

He wrote some new material this week for stand-up gigs. He can perform at a number of different venues now that he is 18 years old. There are some clubs around town that won't let comics go on stage until they are 21. However, there are venues that welcome comics that are 18 so he is doing research on their open mics to try and get on the radar of the folks who book the talent for those clubs.

Zach got new headshots last month and we finally had a chance to sit down with his manager and go over the photos. It's our job to pick 30 or 40 of our favorite shots and then take them to her office. His manager spreads them out on a table and removes them one by one until she gets to the 4 or 5 that she really likes. We came out of the meeting with a new main headshot and additional headshots for comedy submissions, dramatic auditions and a headshot for hosting open mics and other events.

It's late afternoon on Friday as I type this and his management team just sent me two of the new demo reels they've made for Zach. They look good and definitely showcase his range as an actor. This task might be something we can handle in the future since The Artist is checking into new editing programs. Until then, he has a good support system that puts together demo reels that should help his manager and agents get him noticed by casting directors this pilot season.

Even though he accomplished a lot this week, there is still plenty to do in the weeks ahead. The Artist is busy between stand-up, auditions and school (which starts again soon). Thankfully, he enjoys staying busy and chasing his dreams in Hollywood.

An actor who took care of business this week.

End Of The Year Means One More Meeting

Even though the entertainment industry is in holiday/vacation mode for the end of 2016, Zach had a meeting with his manager earlier this week to discuss plans for 2017.

I've always appreciated the fact that she insists her talent roster look back at the year that is ending in order to make plans for the coming year. It's a great way for Zach to see what he accomplished, what he needs to work on and to bounce around ideas for future projects.

The end of the year meeting (naturally) put me in a reflective mood. Some of my thoughts during the meeting included:

• We used to discuss "how to get on their radar" and now we discuss "we know the right people" and make plans based on those contacts
• Zach's confidence during the meeting was much greater than the kid that attended those meetings years ago
• The amazing amount of content options that have been created or seen incredible growth in the last 4 or 5 years (Netflix, Amazon, CBS All Access, Hulu, Seeso, Apple TV, Crackle, Snapchat, YouTube Red and many more that I am forgetting to mention)
• Zach's view expanding while also becoming more focused as he gains a better idea of where he wants to go with his career
• A grateful feeling for the personal and professional relationship we have with his manager as she has been a wonderful personal and professional mentor to Zach
• Being impressed by the way Zach was able to lead the meeting while I was only there to offer advice and be a support system 

There were some items on his action plan from last year that we didn't accomplish or didn't hit the desired goal. On the other hand, there were other opportunities in 2016 that weren't even on the list that Zach was able to run with and grow during the past year. Even though acting is a creative field, it is still very much a business and not something that should navigated without a game plan. After the meeting this week, Zach has a clear idea of what he hopes to accomplish in 2017. I'm looking forward to being part of the adventure and helping him achieve his goals from the meeting even as he keeps his eyes open for new creative opportunities along the way.

This actor is looking forward to a successful 2017.