Be personal! Agents, casting directors, producers and
artistic directors are constantly barraged by actors and would-be actors.
Make yourself stand out! Always take time for personal letters, thank-you
notes, invitations to opening nights, visits, or even a simple, personal
voice-mail.
Be creative! Use the imagination, wit and flare that you’ve
developed already as an artist to get yourself seen by the right people. It
is an art in itself. These important aspects of the business are integrated
into every class we teach.
Be prepared! Is your monologue ready if you meet someone
important TODAY?
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Have you learned how to make strong action choices
before you get to shoot that small scene?
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Is your resume up-to-date?
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Does your photo still look
like you?
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Did you see that artistic director’s last show before
the season auditions began?
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Did you get around to doing that TV
Commercial or audition course BEFORE that important call-back?
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Did you practice cold-reading? Can you analyse a scene?
[Hint: try our classes]
Be trained! The doors you want to open for you are
watched by experienced people who have seen hundreds, often thousands of
other performers. They can tell if you know what you’re doing. They seem
to know almost instantly when you make strong actor-type choices in scene
preparation. They can see if you have hours of on-camera time. You will get
that with experience, or by studying in a practically focused,
high-intensity acting class environment like the one we offer at Sears &
Switzer.
Be persistent! Talent is the light in the darkness, but
DRIVE gives it wheels. Not being defeated by NO is the key to YES!
Be Lucky! OK, yes you need luck... Strange, but our “luckiest”
students are also the hardest working and most dedicated performers.
Be inspired! Share your love of what you do, the joy of
performing and the inspiration of your art... everyone can feel it! Positive
performers find that the doors open more easily for them. At our studio we believe in learning through a positive
focus on what you do and what you need to do to improve your work. Find the
inspiration you need in our classes. They are always the right size for the
attention you need, when you need it.
Be organized! You need to write those letters, send that
picture, make those calls at the right time to the right people. It’s
easier to find a new agent in January when it’s slow than it is in June when
everyone in the business is crazy busy. That summer theatre will have
finished casting by April!
Be educated! Learn about the major playwrights. [You can
start in our scene study classes.] Know how a film director thinks about
actors. [Try a film class with us.]
Educate yourself about the business of show business. Use
the great resources of the city, from the AMIS Hotline to Theatrebooks, from
Theatre Ontario to ACTRA, from our colleagues in other Toronto Association
of Acting Studios to the shows of the busy Toronto theatre scene. Or just
ask us, Theresa and/or David. We teach every single class at Sears &
Switzer. Before we began coaching we were both busy actors, and we have
worked as directors, writers and producers in
theatre, film and television for more than 25 years.
BREAK THE RULES! Break out of your box... Make your own breaks…
When
actor XYZ lands that great role or that big contract we think “what a lucky
break.” BUT an overnight success very often comes from a lifetime of getting
ready for the breakthrough. Talk to us about how to make a break in career
direction. [You can drop by when we
have a regular scheduled class between 6:00 and 7:30 pm to chat.]
