Help My Career is in a Crisis! Part 1

Evaluate where you are

Understanding where you are in your career is critical when trying to attain success. It is important to evaluate where you stand against the grand scheme of things. In order to determine if your career is in a crisis and help you rise above the crisis, I would like to suggest a few guidelines I learned and follow, which also determines the basis from which I write. The following few guidelines could be used for anyone who is in the beginning, intermediate or advance levels of their careers.
First, make sure of what it is you want to be/do, without any shadows of doubt. Otherwise, you’ll waste years of your time. So do researches before you embark on the journey. Second, setting annual goals in the beginning of each year should be the first career objective you set for yourself. Please know, but do not dwell on the big picture (ultimate objective your striving for) when trying to make your dreams happen, or it can become overwhelming. In order to reach your career objectives, you should set smaller objectives, anywhere from 3 to 5 per month, to help you stay on course. When trying to reach the pinnacle of succession, it is important to have an accountabilities person or mentor--someone you can meet with weekly, biweekly, or monthly (I like to meet once a month, otherwise the meetings become overwhelming), who will discuss your objectives with you and hold you accountable for making them happen. Having an accountabilities partner helps you to stay focus on your tasks because you know that you have to answer to someone. Hopefully the person you have chosen to help you in your journey also can serve as a mentor and give you helpful ideas and aid in guiding your path.

Now, that I have listed the guidelines, let’s discuss and evaluate where you are in comparison to the grand scheme of things. Ask yourself these questions:

Where do I ultimately want to be?
Where am I now? Be honest with yourself.
I know that the truth hurt, but this is an opportunity to gage how much work you have done and how much you need to do, to get where you want to be. And, it’s true what they say; the truth will set you free.
How much time do I invest in my career? Daily? Weekly?
How much money do I invest into my career?
I will never forget when I came to the realization that while I invested much time to my career, going on auditions, practicing monologues and songs, etc., that I did not invest money into my career. Truthfully, it was disheartening to know that I invested lower than 20% of money into myself. I tried to skate around the “money thing”, taking the cheaper route. All that did was prolong my successes. I’m going to say this, and please listen to me and learn from my mistake. YOU HAVE TO INVEST IN YOURSELF! If you don’t, how do you expect anyone else to invest in you. Quit going for the cheaper headshots, cheaper reel, and cheapest vocal coach. You spend more money in the long run. DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. You get what you pay for.

Be honest with your self

Remember to be honest with yourself. No one else has to know of your realizations. Gage your performance level. Are you good, great or excellent? Are you AEA, SAG, or AFTRA ready, or should you wait to gain more experience. Do you need a few more film classes, comedy classes, voice lessons, and/or a vocal coach? Are you lazy, on again, off again, lack aggression, too shy, or trying to be something your not (leading actress vs. supporting vs. character actress). Should you be singing lead, or doing background? Are you trying to be Beyonce when you are the India Arie type, or are you trying to be Jay-Z, but have lived the life of Carlton, from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? The sooner you deal with who you are, the better, only then can begin to develop your strong suits. Embrace who you are and sell yourself! We are living in a time where you can turn on your television and see all types; big, short, tall, Black, Asian, Latino, freckled faced, big eyed, bald headed, gay and straight. HELLO PEOPLE!!!WE HAVE A BLACK PRESIDENT! If that is not enough to persuade you to be you, then I don’t know what will. You don’t have to put yourself in a box anymore. The more you embrace who you are and become confident with yourself, the more confidence other people will have in you.
Focus on your strengths-your strong suit.

Real talk:

I have always had talent, since I could remember, at least dating back to 11 years old, do I remember being dramatic and doing poetry and getting training, but I lacked confidence in self, and the skills I had. In my opinion, this slowed my successes down. I had to be honest with myself, in order to get to the next level of my career, but my lack of confidence was a huge thing that was holding me back.

Finally!

After, my bout with honesty, I can now say that I am aggressive, bold and confident of who I am, what I want, what roles I desire to play, what roles I can play, how many Oscars I want to win, and I am on the right path to bigger success.

How To Take Your Career To The Next Level, On A Tight Budget

Ever where you turn, people are screaming, "We're in a recession!" I find those words in every other mouth as I walk through midtown, on the radio of every disc jockey as I am riding along the New Jersey Turnpike, and on the lips of every newscaster as I sit on my couch and surf the channels looking to catch a good episode of Gossip Girls. It has become hard to ignore the current economic conditions that we are living in and painful to face a brutal fact that we are living through bad economic times.

I am a strong believer in God and faithfully study the mind and how it works, so I have chosen NOT to participate in this recession, and am declaring daily that I am prospering and having good success within my acting career, in hope that my faith, coupled with the words that I speak, are willing continued prosperity my way. Make no mistakes about it, since I do not know how long and painful these economic conditions will be, I have come up with a few ways, as a back up plan, to continue to help build my career through potentially the worst financial crisis to date all the while continuing to at least maintain my savings account as well as build it!

To all my fellow actors, actresses and models, here's how to survive the recession and build a career simultaneously. Remember this is a system put in place to help you survive these financially crippling times, by limiting your output of money, while gaining knowledge, developing your network, and prospering within your career. Although, I have listed ways only for the particular groups of people above, I'm sure some of these suggestions could work for other entertaining professionals as well.

How to use what you know to learn, grow, and make money during this Recession

1. 
   
   Check Craigslist regularly to see if any photographers are doing TFP's. TFP means time for print. Sometimes you can find a photographer who is trying to hone their skills and is willing to shoot an actor/actress/model for no money, in exchange for time. Sometimes, you may even find an experienced photographer that is trying out his new, inventive ideas and he posts for models to pose while he perfects his craft. It's a great way for both persons to build their porfolio. And usually with no money exchanged.
   
2. 
   Check out free acting and business workshops. In these workshops, you can usually gain some business insight, or acting tips that can really go a long way in your career. The flip side is that the person leading the workshop or classes, will 9 times out of 10 pitch to you why you should take their 6 or 8 weeks class intensives or workshops. I do suggest however, that if you really like their teaching and techniques, that you should certainly take their class later when the economy has made a turn for the better and you feel safer spending your money.


3. 
   Sit in a drama book store and read acting and audition books, and take GOOD notes, then on your own time you can apply the notes.


4. 
   Go to networking events, pre-filming parties, or premeire's for upcoming films and get your networking game on! More than likely, you will be surrounded by many director's, actors, producers, and the likes with whom you can get to know, who can protentially put you in their next film, or stage play. (please visit my networking blog to be trully successful at networking).


5. 
   Look at trade papers to see what films/stage plays casting directors are auditioning for, go to acting studios where you know they hold auditions and check the doors to each studio to see what auditions are being held. Ask the person taking headshots what you need to perform for the audition and ask if you could get in on the audition. Sometimes, this will work, and sometimes it won't. Do not harrass the person for an audition! Also, Be prepared to wait.


6. 
   Ask if you can work as a reader at a casting directors agency. There, you can learn a lot of priceless information about the business of acting and the skill itself. They may even allow you to get on tape too! If not, you can pick up a lot of "tricks" that actors use, and most importantly, see what works at an audition and what doesn't. PRICELESS.


7. 
   Work as an intern for agents. You can slide your headshots in the pile for roles that you are interested in. Just be prepare to give a good audition! Also, you can get the inside scoop on which directors are doing what.


8. 
   Hang out at the SAG, AEA and AFTRA offices. Chances are you will meet people who know mounds of information about what is going on in these union communities. You also over hear a lot of conversations about upcoming auditions, parties, and networking events. Word of mouth goes a long way.


9. 
   Instead of buying sheet music, or acting books, use the library to copy the scores of your favorite songs, or copy pages of information that you find valuable and want to read and have handy.


10. 
    Lastly, research the lives of others who are doing what you want to do, well-known star actors and or people you may personally know that seem to be succeeding in their careers and follow their process step by step. This is a great way to succeed, and saving years learning from their experience and proven success.

TIP FOR THE DAY: Remember people, you pay for what you get! So, while these are great ways to continue growing while surviving this recession, you should by no means make this a way of life. Don't cheat yourself or your career. Always, think, act and be at the top of your intelligence when it comes to your career. And in order to do this, you have to invest in yourself first before anyone else will seriously consider investing their time and money into you.