THIS IS A BUSINESS - YOU ARE A PRODUCT
You are just opening your business and you have a general idea of how to "run" it, as described in the overview of ACT II. But what product is your business selling? YOU are the product, of course: an actor, with skills and an image to go with them. You need to figure out EXACTLY what "type" of product you are, what to call yourself, what kinds of work create a demand for your product, and use research materials to be prepared to market your product. Some actors are many types, and their "product" can be sold in multiple areas. How do you begin to decide on which area of the industry to concentrate? Most actors have one or two areas that stand out as a good fit (musical theatre, comedy, classical, commercials, etc.). I suggest exploring all the areas of the industry for which you feel your type is best suited, until you begin to get work in one of those areas, or you become increasingly more enamored with one area over another. It is so hard to predict where my clients will make their first breaks that I have stopped guessing and have stopped limiting them. I try to expose them to all areas of the business, and promote all of their various strengths, with the hope that - sooner than later - they begin to work in an area that leads to more work in that particular medium. Now, let's concentrate on defining yourself as a product.
|