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?
Have you learned how to make strong action choices before you get to shoot that small scene?
Is your resume up-to-date?
Does your photo still look like you?
Did you see that artistic director’s last show before the season auditions began?
Did you get around to doing that TV Commercial or audition course BEFORE that important call-back?
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.]
Sears & Switzer
