ShowBiz Sundays at The DRAMA BOOK SHOP.

. . . A New Series of Career Development Workshops for Actors

Just west of that city block long neo-gothic work of crisscrossing iron girders (the Port Authority Bus Terminal of New York City), The DRAMA BOOK SHOP on W. 40th street, has started holding monthly workshops on the various aspects of the business of acting: $20-$30 for two hours -- perfect: inexpensive and just enough that I can easily absorb in an area I find dauntingly large/overwhelming.

Today was: Effective Pictures and Resumes:
Panel:
Casting Director, Andrea Shane, Shane/Goldstein Casting
Agent, David Krasner, Bloc NYC
Photographer, Jared Slater, J & J Photography
Make-Up Artist, Jeanne Slater, J & J Photography
Resume Consultant, Annie Chadwick, Up-To-Date Theatricals

A career consultant, casting director, agent, and representatives of photographic services specializing in, or exclusively devoted to, headshots, comprised the informal panel. Very interesting -- it's all part of something one can't really know enough about.

Some role definitions:

Agents - (the first order sellers) represent and recommend actors to...
Casting Directors - (the second order sellers) who decide if an actors is right for a role based on their resume and headshot (and agent recommendations). They are the audition "gatekeepers," scheduling actors in auditions for...
Directors and Producers - (the buyers). They hire the actor (pay the casting director for their service), and the agent gets 10%.
Actors - products/commodities.

Some observations -- Resumes:

1. Assume a person looking at the resume will only give it 30-40secs.
2. Therefore, put the most memorable/impressive performance credits right at the top, shows and roles likely known to the person (agent, casting director, director)
3. Training - best/most interesting/impressive training only : performance credits take precedence.
4. Special skills - anything and everything interesting and potentially useful: surprising number of casting decisions in TV and film are made from the "special skills" section, e.g., one casting director was hired for an action game project where all the computer animated characters would be based on motion capturing actors in various scenes and scenarios. They needed anyone with military training, and so this casting director pulled up all her files w/anyone said they had military training, and all where hired for this very high profile, well paid professional job.

Idea: Summarize/highlight the most important/impressive credentials right at the top of the resume. This should be in an area of focus (e.g., theatre, or film), perhaps followed by a secondary area of focus, followed by training, i.e., a "mini-"resume right at the top.

In sum: the resume should reflect 1) who I am, 2) what I do best, 3) what I'd like to be doing . . .

. . . This above all: to thine ownself be true (Polonius, 1.3, Hamlet).

Some observations -- Headshots:

The headshot artists had a lot to say, but they kept coming home and hammering away at the following points:

1. Find and interview photographers with whom I feel very comfortable.
2. Bring in lots of outfits, 4-6 changes, but everything should be personal, clothes that mean something to me. Personalize everything.
3. Know myself, know my "type." This is what I want to project. This is the basis of casting.
4. Don't' go cheap. Be prepared for a session in the range of $400-$500, but only every few years.

Next Month (March): Mailings & Contacts