Let’s get the semi-good news out of the way: Jamie Cepero the actor who plays Ellis, probably the most hated character on the show, is getting the boot. I say semi-good news because while I too despised him, it’s always sad to hear an actor getting fired. I not only thought he was a badly written character but I just thought Cepero was an awful actor. Maybe in another role he’d be fine but Ellis certainly wasn’t it.

The other causalities:

Raza Jaffery (Karen’s cheating fiance Dev) and recurring actors Brian d’Arcy James (Debra Messing’s husband) and Will Chase (Debra’s sometime lover). 

All 3 of those guys are great actors and it’s a shame they are being let go but I hope that new show-runner Josh Safran brings them back at some point.

via EW

Written by Dallas Travers, CEC

You’ve gotten clear on precisely what you want your representation relationship to look like. You’ve put in the time and legwork and researched a nice list of potential agents and managers.

Did you know there’s one more important step that most actors overlook when seeking new representation? That step is collecting referrals and recommendations from the people you know.

Hands down, the simplest way to get agent or manager meetings is through your relationships, but lot of actors are afraid to ask for referrals.

Maybe you don’t want your friends to think you’re taking advantage of them. Or maybe you just assume your friends don’t know any agents or managers. Or maybe you don’t know how ask without making it difficult for friends to actually refer you in the first place.

So how do you actually ask your friends for agent referrals?

Before we talk about what you should do, let’s take a moment to look at a couple common mistakes actors make when requesting referrals.

Mistake #1: “Can you refer me to any managers?” 
This question is too broad and overwhelming, and you may get suggestions that just aren’t a good fit for you.

Mistake #2: “Can you refer me to YOUR agent?”

You want to make it really easy for your friends to help you, and this request puts a lot of pressure on them.

Instead, try this quick tip to help you ask for referrals in an open, pressure-free way. After you have your target list of potential agents or managers together, email it out to your friends, industry connections, and collaborators to get their feedback.

Here’s what you’ll say:

I’m embarking on a new agent search and because I trust you, I’d love your insight. I’ve listed potential agents below. Before I reach out, I’ve got two quick questions for you.

1. What, if any insight do you have about anyone on my target list?

2. Can you think of any agent I should add to this list?

If you don’t have any insight, no sweat! Just let me know either way, so I can begin my agent-hunt by [set a deadline at least a week ahead from when you’re e-mailing them to give them time to respond].

Now you’ve made it easy for them, people will naturally volunteer to refer you rather than feel pressured to do so. Plus, you won’t miss anyone with valuable insight about your list that may feel unable to “refer”.

Respected as one of the entertainment industry’s leading experts, Dallas Travers teaches actors the career and life skills often left out of traditional training programs. Her groundbreaking book, The Tao of Show Business, has won over five awards including first prizes at The Hollywood Book Festival and the London Festival along with the National Indie Excellence Award. She has helped thousands of actors to increase their auditions, produce their own projects, secure representation and book roles in film and television.

If you’re ready to jump-start your acting career, get your FREE Thriving Artist Starter kit now at http://www.dallastravers.com

The show revolves around the murder of teenager Rosie Larsen and as the story deepens, we’re finding out that Rosie’s aunt Terry, played by Jamie Anne Allman also has some secrets she’s been hiding. 

I talked to Jamie recently and had a really fun conversation with her about the show and what it’s like on-set when you have to deal with such a depressing subject. She also talked about taking risks when you audition and had a perfect example on when she auditioned for The Shield. She took a chance, nailed it and walked away with a recurring role on that show.

At the end of The Killing‘s season, we’ll find out who killed Rosie and that will unfortunately end Jamie’s time on the show. But, you can soon check her out in the upcoming film, Any Day Now (which also stars Alan Cumming and Garret Dillahunt).

Want more of The Killing? Check out our interview with Eric Ladin!How far in advance to you know, like what’s going to happen on the show and for your character?

Jamie Anne Allman:  Well, for instance, I didn’t know that Terry was an escort. I was like, “Really?”

By reading the script?

Jamie Anne Allman:  Yeah. They do give you broad plot points. They have been very vague at times but ultimately, any questions that you have, they are there to answer them for you.  But, yeah, they’ll give you broad strokes about what’s going on in the next couple of episodes, and then they don’t elaborate necessarily but they give you a broad idea what’s going to happen.

Do you create a back story or did you create any sort of back story for the character?  I mean it’s got to be really hard for a show like this.

Jamie Anne Allman:  Yeah, because of the circumstances, I didn’t.  I made everything that was written personal to me, and that’s how I did it. It was hard to make a back story, because I didn’t’ know what I would be making a back story for.  I did do I guess a little bit of back story with the grieving family, because that was from the get go a through line about, you know, a child dies in the family and everyone is affected, and so I did do some research with people that have had children that have died at a young age and how that effects their family and different things like that.  But that’s the only constant thing that I’ve known about from the beginning.  So I have done a little bit of research there, I would say.

What’s it like on set, because in the show it’s always raining and the subject matter you guys are dealing with is just awful.  How is it hanging out on set?

Jamie Anne Allman:  When we have like intense scenes, I’m very focused and I don’t really talk a lot to people, like we’re there to do the work.  But as soon as your takes are done and you’ve been there for your other actor and you’re done, we really do joke around a lot.  I love joking around with the crew and the make-up people and everybody.  I love working with Brent Sexton and Michelle Forbes and the boys.  Those are the people that I have cemented with and bonded with the most.  We joke around and have fun with each other, you know what I mean?  You kind of have to, I mean it is some deep stuff sometimes, you know?

At the end of the season, we’re finally going to find out who killed Rosie Larsen.  Does that mean your story line end?

Jamie Anne Allman:  Yes.  The Larsen story line is ending. The Larsen case is ending and they’re not introducing a new crime in the finale.

Oh wow.

Jamie Anne Allman:  They were going to introduce a new crime but they had so much footage and, you know, so much information to cover in 47 minutes or something like that, they cut out Act 5 and they will no longer be introducing a new crime at the end of season two.

So, I just want to talk about your career a little bit.  How did you get your start?  Did you always want to be an actress?

Jamie Anne Allman:  Yeah, I’ve always been an entertainer and one of those kids that’s an entertainer with their family and their friends, more on the side of comedy and enjoying making people laugh, that has kind of giving me joy, so it’s kind of ironic or that I’m that I’ve been doing drama for over a decade. 

But, you know, my mom’s very supportive and was like, “You should try acting.” And I came out to Orange County from Kansas and lived with her for awhile and I was working at Jiffy Lube, being trained underneath the bay to change oil. [laughs]

Oh yeah?

Jamie Anne Allman:  Oh yeah.  And then my mom’s like, “You should move up there.” And I was like ‘okay’, so I moved up with some people that I’d met, up to Hollywood, and shortly after I was here, I started taking classes just to see how it went. I didn’t grow up –  I think I did one play when I was younger but just for fun. I wasn’t really into drama very much, like drama class.  I was in a drama class for a short period of time but it’s not like it was something I really thought about. 

Then I studied – and I still study off and on or do a play at Playhouse West, it’s on Lankershim, with Robert Carnegie and Tony Savant.  There are a lot of great teachers there.  And I feel like that’s kind of like my base, where I feel comfortable and can go back and do a play if I want.  I did a play on my hiatus from The Killing last time, Dogs Eat Dogs, with my husband, and it was really great.  I love doing theater.

Do you like auditioning?

Jamie Anne Allman:  You know what, I do.  Auditioning is a whole separate entity.  I feel like acting class is its own thing, auditioning is its own thing, on set is its own thing and publicity is its own thing.  There are all these different worlds that you have to mesh into one and make them work. 

Auditioning has been funny for me.  It definitely progressed over the years and I’ve had to overcome performance anxiety at times to where I’ve gotten in the room and I just froze up and couldn’t perform. And there have been times where I’ve felt really free and you know, like I could do anything in the room, and whatever it was it would work. And then I’ve gotten flack for going as the character, because you know, sometimes if it’s just a really intense character which is what I play a lot of times, I have gone in and I have to go in fully as that character, and I’ve booked the role.  Like, I booked The Shield that way.  I went in looking like a ho from the street, as if I was on drugs [laughs]. Like whacked out looking man, like, oh my gosh.  I went in as if I didn’t even know how to audition and I stood there as if I was a prostitute off the streets.  I had red make up around my nose so it looked like I’d been doing lots of drugs, red underneath my eyes, grease in my hair, nasty pasty white legs, shoes from like the 80s, short metallic nasty skirt and a tank top that was practically see through, no bra, mesh, nasty lady, and it looked like she was on drugs.  And, I booked the part.

Wow, that takes some balls.  Were you nervous doing that?

Jamie Anne Allman:  No, and that’s the thing.  When I first started I did ballsy shit like that all the time.  And I feel like, when people get offended or criticized by certain things, you get scared and take risks. I always say, I heard this somewhere, but if you don’t take risks, all of your friends will tell you that you’re really wise and you’re really careful, but you’re not going to move any mountains. 

And so, it’s like, I’ve been to auditions where I went in as the character and I did, I feel like, so well, that they actually thought I was a bitch, or they actually thought I was whatever, and I’ve had to call an apologize and be like, ‘I’m really not that person. That’s just what I needed to do to prepare today for myself, is to just be in that realm, and if you want to get to know me, we can go out to coffee and I’ll make you laugh for 30 minutes.  I’ll even buy you a latte.  Come on, now.’  You know what I mean?  It’s been a process. I just try to read the room and do my best with where I am.  I’ve even like taken off my shoes before to get comfortable and I’ve heard people have been offended about that.  So, it’s kind of a weird deal.  Kind of weird.

Did you catch the looks the other auditioners give you when you came in dressed like that?  I mean if I saw that, when I’m auditioning, I think I’d be completely intimidated.

Jamie Anne Allman:  Yeah, but if you’re going to step out on that cliff, and jump off, honestly… I was in the middle of believing that I was on drugs.  [laughs] I honestly didn’t give a shit.  And when people look at you and they’re staring at you  and it fits the character that you’re playing, then I just go on with my imagination and think, ‘Oh my god they’re looking at me because they don’t want to be around me because they think I have a disease. They hate me and oh my god, they’re looking at me.’ [laughter]  I will use all of it. Use it and move on. You know what I mean?

That is definitely the coolest story I’ve heard in awhile.

Jamie Anne Allman:  Oh, thanks man, that’s good. [laughter]

Over the parts that you’ve done, all your characters have this inner life to them.  Do you credit, you said you go to The Playhouse, do you credit that training? 

Jamie Anne Allman:  Yeah. Training, for me, I know some people don’t train, which is fine, I feel like whatever works for whatever person. For me, Playhouse West is very helpful and I feel like the foundation of who I am as an actor. 

And, also, life experience and then healing from life experience, like growing as a person has also helped me in my acting.  I sometimes feel like people that have had a hard life or some traumatic experiences feel like they can’t heal on certain things cause it’s going to mess up their mojo when they get on set, and they need to conjure up some kind of something to get to a certain emotional state, and I believe that your body remembers those things and if you have a vivid imagination you can go anywhere.  So, the more healing and growing you can do as a person also helps hopefully hour marriage and your career.

What’s your advice to actors?

Jamie Anne Allman:  My advice would be that the hardest thing to do is to hold on to who you are.  Hold on to your identity, because people will tell you if you do too many dramas, you’re not funny.  If you do too many comedies, you can’t do drama.  If you’re too short, you’re not going to be able to be a leading man. If you’re this way, you’re only going to be able to play athletic roles.  If you’ve only played certain roles than that’s all you’re ever going to do.  There are certain casting people that only see you for certain roles.  Whatever.  But, just keep doing whatever you need to do to hold onto who you know you are.  Whatever that is, it’s your identity, it’s who you know you are and don’t let other people convince you of who you are.

Michael Fassbender

In a revealing interview with GQ, Fassbender talks about his early experiences breaking into acting and how he has coped with his fame post-Shame.

Fassbender explains that he more-or-less fell into acting while he was looking for a way to express himself.  He says, “As a teenager, you’re searching for something that fits for you. I was pretty average at most things. I was just looking for something that I could relate to and perhaps excel in myself.”

His professional career started with a number of lows.  After being cast in the HBO World War II mini-series Band of Brothers, the film shoot lasted for nine months.  Those nine months, however, did not amount to much screen time for Fassbender, who says,”Blink and you’ll miss me.” 

He lived in Los Angeles during the following months and struggled in his auditions.  He says, “I wasn’t blowing them away in the audition room, that’s for sure.  I just didn’t feel settled or comfortable or confident.”

After moving back to London, Fassbender felt that 2007 was going to be his year.  He reveals, “There was something funny about that year.  I realized that year somebody left the door open. I’m kind of superstitious—I was born in 1977, it was 2007. I just felt something in my bones.” He ended up auditioning for Hunger, a movie directed by English artist Steve McQueen.  Fassbender felt a connection with McQueen, saying, “I was like, this guy is what I’ve been looking for for so long.  You’re looking for that guy or woman who’s really going to elevate you and push you in the right ways and really get something out of you that you wouldn’t be able to achieve yourself.”

Of course, after Fassbender’s full-frontal nudity in Shame there has been plenty of comments about his manhood.  Most of them are jokes about his, um, impressive size, and Fassbender is ambivalent about the comments.  He admits, “It’s fun to a point and after a certain point you worry that it kind of detracts from the movie. But there’s nothing I can do. I just have to laugh it off. I can. Pretty much. Because I take my work seriously but I can’t take myself too seriously. I’m in such a crazy privileged position—shit, this is the pinnacle of the dream when I was 17…. Nobody wants to hear really how difficult it is.”

Despite a stellar performance in Shame, Fassbender wasn’t nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars, something which many critics were shocked by.  He confesses he was surprised by his own disappointment in not being nominated, and explains, “At the beginning people [say], ‘You’re going to be going to the Oscars,’ and you’re like, ‘Whatever, doesn’t matter, don’t think so.’ But after a while it does penetrate. After a while you’re like, ‘Anyway, so I’m going to the Oscars…’ [laughs] And you start to believe it. And I did. I thought I was going. And then I found out I wasn’t and I was upset. I was very upset by it. The first reaction was ‘What the fuck…?’ It’s a vanity thing. It does become important to you. And it shouldn’t.” 

Nonetheless, he feels the experience was “A good little lesson” in priorities and getting an ego.  I’m not sure if that comes in handy in the same way with all of the positive comments about the size of his member, though.

In a conversation with Access Hollywood at the American premiere for the movie, Decker admits that during the audition process it seemed unlikely that she would land the role.

She reveals, “[I auditioned] five times.  On the fifth time, I actually met [director] Peter Berg and the whole time they’re like, ‘You’re not tough enough. We don’t think you’re tough enough to do this role.’”  She continues, “So they kept bringing me back, and I’m like, ‘This is torture to keep coming back.’  Then finally the fifth time, Pete made sure that I was tough enough, and he did and I got the role.”

Another newcomer in the film is pop star Rhianna, who Decker bonded with on set.  She says, “Pete was really big on both Rihanna and I being very deconstructed.  You usually see us like this — we’re dressed up, we have people work on us for hours. But [Pete] was like, ‘No, I want you guys with no makeup, covered in dirt, doing stunts, doing fight scenes.’ So, both of us had to train really hard. It was a blast.”

Decker doesn’t have any action roles lined up yet after Battleship, but it’ll be interesting to see if she’ll stick with varying her roles like fellow former model Charlize Theron.  She definitely gets credit for trying to diversify, though!

It was for a film that’s to be shot under the SAG-AFTRA New Media Ultra-Low Budget rules. Which means no pay. I have my own thoughts about actors not getting paid for their work but regardless of my feelings on that, I was still going to audition. The more you audition, the better you’ll be.

I read a bit further.

This is going to be the “FIRST EVER live-streamed, crowd-sourced feature film!,” it said.

What the hell does that mean? I continued to read:

We are LIVE STREAMING our entire production process, INCLUDING THE CASTING SESSIONS FOR PRODUCERS AND DIRECTOR (NOT THE PREREAD SESSIONS). This is the FIRST EVER live behind the scenes, sponsor supported project. In just the first 4 hours of streaming, the project had roughly 150,000 live views, is a featured stream on Stickam.com and has been #1 on the site’s Social channel weekly.

Actors who audition (and who book roles) will be part of this live concept, so we are looking for people who want to be on the cutting edge of new media and are comfortable in front of a live audience. We want to stress that we have no intentions to exploit anyone. This is a legitimately serious casting call for a REAL feature film. The audience will be giving feedback, but our director and producers will be filtering that feedback and I will be controlling the casting session.

So, if I’m to understand correctly, I go in to audition. That audition is then broadcast all over the internet for any schmoe to watch, comment on and critique?

Thank you, no.

Auditioning can be stressful enough. I don’t care who you are or who you’re reading for. It’s stressful. You put time and energy into the audition. You want to do your best and most likely, you will. Sure, you’ll have good days and bad, but hopefully for most of us out there the good will always outweigh the bad. But once that Casting Director invites you into the room, your heart will start beating a bit faster.

We understand that. So do Casting Directors, Producers, Directors, Agents and anyone else involved in this business.

Will Larry from Bakersfield understand that?

Do I want Larry from Bakersfield giving feedback on that audition? Why would I want to subject myself to Larry from Bakersfield’s feedback? And who is he to say whether I am good enough to get a part too?

Does Larry want me to go into his place of work and critique him? Probably not. I’m sorry, they’re calling it ‘feedback.’ But for some reason, with actors, this is deemed ‘ok.”

Who the hell is Larry from Bakersfield anyway?

I want professionals giving feedback on my work. I’ve studied far too long and spent a lot of time and money on my career and I’m not about to have my work crowd-sourced. I’m not about to have someone who’s favorite shows are NCIS, Two Broke Girls or Toddlers & Tiaras tell me whether I’m a good or bad actor.

And you shouldn’t either. Especially for unpaid work.

I’m cool with live-streaming auditions, don’t get me wrong. They do that for commercial casting all the time. I once had an audition and the director was watching me from a couch in New Zealand.

But no way in hell do I want my audition put online and crowd-sourced. No way in hell.

And they also write that it’s sponsored. So, as I audition and my face is on their live-stream site they are getting paid?

Look, I’m all for people wanting to fund their dream project and I’m all for creative ways for that to happen. But this isn’t they way.

No thank you.  

The twenty-nine year old California native also shared with Vulture how she got her start right out of college, juggling her acting gigs and jobs at a yoga studio. “I was very lucky to have a manager come and see me in a play while I was still in school and sort of pickpocket me and set me up with a commercial agent and a theatrical agent right out of college, so I was able to kind of hit the ground running auditions-wise right after I graduated,” she said.

“But I definitely lived at home and worked at three different yoga studios at the front desk, and would do any job,” she continued. “I was doing student films, I was doing PSAs, I was doing really low-budget movies and just anything. And plays. And then actually that’s how I was able to quit my day job, doing theater in Ventura. While I was doing theater I booked Mad Men and so everything just kind of went from there. Very lucky, but also a lot of work was put in, and it was definitely a conscious decision to live at home so that I could work a job that didn’t pay very much but had super-flexible hours. I moved out a year ago.”

The actress also spoke about her busy schedule throughout the year while she pulls double duty as both Annie Edison and Trudy Campbell  of Mad Men.  “For about eight months of the year it’s pretty crazy when we’re in production on Community and Mad Men at the same time. The Mad Men schedule is shorter because they only shoot 13 episodes of that show and 22 of Community. Every other year the productions have only overlapped by like a month, but this year Mad Men got started so late, so the entire season of Mad Men was engulfed by our season of Community and they were just totally simultaneous. It’s mostly like I don’t have much of a life at all when we’re shooting the shows, which is fine, because I love everyone on Community.” 

Working both roles, Brie says that she has had to portray her famous alter egos on the same day due to scheduling.  “I’ve done both on the same day a few times, and it’s fun. Those are the days I think that I’m most excited and feel like it’s all happening, you know what I mean? It kind of is super fun. I do sort of think where I make … even though it’s seldom up to me. The days where I start on Mad Men and then get to go over to Community, to literally taking your hair down and letting it all out. The clothes are so restrictive on Mad Men, which is great, and they put me in character, and it’s very important to me when we shoot over there, but it’s like just such nuanced, focused work and dramatic work and incredible, so it’s kind of nice to start shooting there and then like cut loose.”

Aside from her well known roles in both TV series, Alison Brie is also starring in The Five Year Engagement with Jason Segel and Emily Blunt that is currently out in theaters.

Louisa recently starred in the SXSW hit, King Kelly and had a short film, Double or Nothing (written by Neil LaBute) premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. And as I was talking to her, she was getting ready to fly out to Seattle to film You Can’t Win, a project co-written, produced and starring Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire).

She’s previously appeared on Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Blue Bloods and last year’s great indie hit, Martha Marcy May Marlene.

King Kelly, which I saw at SXSW, got a great reception and the audience loved it and Louisa. The film is about an up-and-coming internet star (Krause) who strips on a webcam. When her car, that’s loaded with drugs, is stolen by her ex-boyfriend, Kelly and her friend head out on an epic streak of sex, drugs and violence as they try to get the car back. You should definitely check it out if you get the chance.

I talked to Louisa about how she got her start, King Kelly, You Can’t Win and how she got Neil LaBute’s phone number.  

You are in a pretty good place right now.  You had King Kelly at SXSW and then your short, Double or Nothing, written by some guy named Neil LaBute, I’ve heard of him, premiered at Tribeca.

Louisa Krause:  Yes, I know, I’m super excited, directed by my brother [Nathaniel Krause].

Yes, that too. 

Louisa Krause:  And I’m leaving tomorrow to go be in You Can’t Win, which is Michael Pitt’s producing it and he is co-writing it.  It’s an autobiography, Jack Black’s autobiography. Not the Jack Black that, you know, the current Jack Black, but the Jack Black of the 1890s.  Yeah, so I have a supporting role in that.

Nice.

Louisa Krause:  I know, I get to be Irish and I get to age.

From what age to what age?

Louisa Krause:  I would say like 15 years.  Yeah, 10 to 15 years. From like 20, early 20’s, like 24.  I’m actually 25 when he finds me.

Let’s talk about King Kelly.  So, the film was made from actual camera film footage?

Louisa Krause:  Yeah, well, we did shoot on iPhones as well as little Canon Elph cameras, to you know, be like an iPhone.  But yeah, shooting that movie, there was so much creative power because the DP would show us like what would be good to keep a shot steady or block out so we wouldn’t catch like the reflection of the camera in a car. But we really had like free range and a lot of times, they would have no idea what was – they’d be in another room, the director and the DP and we would just be doing our own thing in a bedroom, you know. 

That’s what my character was all about, you know, obsessed with becoming famous and she’s filming everything.  I mean it was as real as it can get.  We were our own movie crew. 

Did they say “Okay, we need you to show this” or was it just up to you? You could film whatever the heck you wanted?

Louisa Krause:  Oh, no, it was very clear and laid out for us.  But, I mean like, there’s only so much control.  If I’m in a room with somebody and we’re playing around and trying to figure out what would be best for my strip tease, there’s only so much that you can kind of block out, because we are humans and we’ve got these cameras and they’re extensions of our character.  But, we were, everything, all the scenes, everything was written.  It was very clear as to what was going to be happening, you know? Yeah, that was all very clear. 

But, we had a very clear, all of the scenes and all of the dialog, everything was mapped out.  But there was this freedom too, because, you know, I wanted to have fun.  Kelly’s fun.  Even the ability to have fun was given to me by that part.  You know, like, yeah, the mastermind behind that is Andrew Neal.  Yeah.

Let’s talk about Double or Nothing.  How did you and your brother, as you said is also the director, how did you guys get involved in this?  Because I know you did Neil LaBute’s play In a Dark, Dark House awhile back, right?

Louisa Krause:  Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Yeah, my brother called me up and he was like, “I’m doing my thesis project and I want you to be in it and I don’t know what it’s going to be. Are you going to be free to shoot?”  And I was like, “Yeah, of course.” When he was just an undergrad, I had worked with him a few times, and we grew up together doing theater, and he choreographed too when we were younger.  He would choreograph.  He is just like this incredible artist and I look up to him.  He choreographed a dance that I was in a long time ago.  I am just so thrilled that he is now a director because the world needs more great directors. [laughter]

I was like, “You know what, let me call up Neil to see if he has anything. Maybe he has written something that that you could use.”  So, I called him and he said he didn’t have anything, but he said, “You know what, let me see if something comes to me.  I’d love to write a part for you and let your brother…” — he actually met my brother at the In a Dark, Dark House premiere way back – so he knew he was.  So, I said, you know, your work will be in good hands.  And then Neil shot him the script and it was amazing.  Matt loved it and then the ball began to roll from there.  

That’s a good phone number to have, you know, Neil LaBute.

Louisa Krause:  Yeah, he’s a great friend.  I value quality work and I know he values quality work.  I think we both admire each other, you know?  He’s great.  He’s great.

How did you get your start?  You’re from Falls Church, VA.  Did you always want to do this? 

Louisa Krause:  Yes, I knew I was put on this earth to do this.  Oh man, let’s see, I got my start, I grew up in the arts and my parents really supported the arts.  I danced, I grew up dancing.  I’m actually, we are a quarter Okinawan.  My dad is half Japanese and that island over there dances. And also, their such nice people, like they’re just so jolly and happy – I feel like having that in my blood has really helped in this career. I just feel like having Okinawan Island blood in me has somehow helped in my career.  I don’t know how, but I know it has.  That’s so funny. 

Yeah, but anyway, dancing, and then I would always be singing and dancing around the house.  I was going the pro dance track at Washington School of Ballet.  My brother, too, danced with Washington Ballet and we were Clara and Fritz together and The Nutcracker. Then I did in high school, I had this incredible theater director, which was my first kind of taste of real inspiring theater and being my first real training.   I mean, we were exposed to great literature and I played such a wide range of characters in high school, that when I went to Conservatory for college I knew I was ready to do it and it was just time to go.  The faculty supported me and they were like go kid, give it a shot. 

So, I left early and got a job at The Ogunquit Playhouse in Aida, and that was my first professional job as a slave dancer.  I got my Equity card and then I got some film stuff and I got other great theater.  You know, I did Odet’ Rocket to the Moon and Dangerous Liaisons and then film wise, I was in The Babysitters, which was my first kind of bigger movie. It’s been picking up film wise for me, which has been really great.  It’s exciting to see. 

And also, I’ve been lucky that I’ve gotten to play a range of characters.  You know, I’m not limited, because I’m about to go do this Irish part where I get to age.  I’m like so excited.  I just think that’s rare, that’s rare, and I want to keep stretching, or not stretching, but keep transforming and playing all these different people.

When your agent calls you with an audition and you get sent the sides, what are the first things that you start to work on, start to focus on to get you prepped.

Louisa Krause:  Well, when an agent calls, first I will read the sides and then I read the script so I know like when I’m going through the script, I’m like, “Oh okay, here’s that audition scene.”  And then, I just think about the character in the specific scene.  It’s just being honest with words.  That’s what you do.  And having a sense of who you are saying those words, that’s what it is.  It’s being honest with the words and having a sense of who you are saying those words. 

I think that spontaneity is so important and instinct because that’s what’s alive and real.  That’s what’s happening in life.  People are — it’s action, reaction, not planned.  It’s not planned.  So you just have to throw yourself into whichever moment you’re performing and commit to the moment and listen and react and have a sense of who you are.  You get those clues from the script. And then also, who you think this other person is like taking on all of that.  It’s just, it’s really fun.  It’s very, it’s like we’re crazy, and we’re witches.

Oh, we’re definitely crazy.

Louisa Krause:  Yeah, we’re like mercurial beings. I love it.  I love it.

What is your advice to actors?

Louisa Krause:  My advice is to persevere, definitely persevere, work hard, commit fully and in auditions, this is what I’ve told people: if you mess up at an audition and you’ve worked hard, go back, don’t be afraid to say, “Wait a second, can I go back?  This is so bad.” Like, don’t have fear. 

Keep going.  Persevere, commit.

Girls

“When I graduated from college in early 2010, I decided that I needed to create a calling card, some kind of business card that people can link to my name and face. So I did this “Mad Men Theme Song…With a Twist” music video,” she said. “I released it just as I moved to LA, and my agents got a call from Judd Apatow saying, ‘We want to make sure Allison auditions for this new show we’re doing with Lena Dunham. Please send her Tiny Furniture and the pilot and see if she’s interested.’ It was so crazy that he saw that video and somehow saw Marnie in me. So I watched Tiny Furniture and was just in awe. Then I read the pilot and it was love at first read.”

Recalling her trip to HBO, Williams, who is the daughter if NBC Nightly news anchor Brian Williams,  shared that she didn’t expect much to come from her audition when she first arrived in Los Angeles, spotting slew of talent all looking to land the part of Marnie Michaels.  “I actually really wasn’t sure I’d get it. I’d only failed at auditions before and it was my first one in LA. I just remember walking through that cavernous, enormous lobby of HBO and feeling like, I’m not big enough for this. And in the waiting room there were so many girls I recognized—fantastic actresses—and I just felt like, oh yeah, I’m just here to learn.”

Having met Lena Dunham’s friend, who Marnie is inspired by, Williams decided instead to approach her character from a different angle after talking with Dunham.  “I think that’s where my English major skills—if you can even call them skills—came into play because I was able to look at each episode as its own arc and then look at the season on a macro level as a whole arc. I could sort of see what was happening to Marnie and what she was making happen for herself. Marnie was actually written by Lena about one of her very good friends and I now know that friend and have spent a lot of time with her. Initially, I thought maybe I should just try to play that friend, but Lena was like, ‘No, now Marnie is you—it’s yours to craft and mine to write.’ And that was really fun.”

Girls was just picked up for another season.

He had been working steadily back home where he started as a model than transitioned to acting. He nabbed a starring role on the hit soap, Hollyoaks, and was there from 2006-2011. But, as he told me, he soon realized that there was “a plateau.”

“I could have happily have stayed where I was in the U.K.  I was doing very well.  I was working constantly,” he said. “There’s only so far you can go in the U.K.” So, he packed up and moved to Bever-ly. Or, Santa Monica, to be exact.

When he got stateside, he didn’t know anyone. He had a few meetings and by chance, met a manager and that’s when things started rolling. He was quickly cast in the feature Austenland opposite Keri Russell, Jennifer Coolidge and Jane Seymour and soon after, was asked to join the cast of the VH1 series Single Ladies which will premiere this summer. 

I talked to Ricky about what it’s like to come to LA after his years of success back home, the differences in shooting a show in the UK and the States and

For the full interview, click the audio link above or download from iTunes

Follow Ricky on Twitter! How long have you been in LA now?

Ricky Whittle:  I’ve been here for about, about 10 months on and off.  You know, with filming out of town and stuff like that.  But yeah, I’ve been here for about 10 months. I’m all settled in.  It has taken awhile.  The first two months — it’s hard to settle in L.A., and especially America.  You guys are very strict. It took awhile to get, you know, the visas through and the green card and things like that. And setting up social security.  You can’t get a social unless you have a bank account.  You can’t get a bank account unless you have got a social security. All your little circles and cycles and stuff and hoops that you have to jump through, so that you can eventually get settled.  But, once I did that, I was able to concentrate on work and the craft and basically starting again, because that’s what I have done, you know, after years of working in the U.K.  I had to basically say goodbye to everyone and everything and start again because you guys don’t really care about what we did in the U.K. [laughs]

You did have a really good career going on over there.  Why did you decide to try your hand here?

Ricky Whittle:  Because, this is the epicenter of the industry.  This is the hub.  This is where everything happens.  I mean, I could have happily have stayed where I was in the U.K.  I was doing very well.  I was working constantly and had been offered things.  I’d never auditioned for anything and never went into castings because I have a profile where people knew my craft and they knew what I was about.  They knew I worked hard and never rocked the boat and was always there on time and punctual and there to work.  So, stuff always came in.  You know, I could have been earning great money.  You get lots of free things.  It was fantastic. But, there’s a plateau.  There’s only so far you can go in the U.K. 

So, it’s always been a dream of mine – you can ask anyone in the U.K. what their favorite TV. shows are and they, especially the U.K. moms – they’ll say it’s Glee, it’s Entourage, it’s Grey’s Anatomy.  You know, they’re all American shows.  You guys really do know how to make TV and film, and so I wanted to be a part of that.  I have always been a massive, massive fan of American sitcoms and American film and I’ve always believed in chasing those dreams. 

I’d rather fail chasing those dreams than to sit back in the U.K. doing well, but always wondering what if.  I don’t think you should ever have to life with regrets.  You always regret the things you don’t do.  So, if it all ended tomorrow, and I go back to the U.K., it won’t be with my tail between my legs. It will be, “Well, you know what, I spent a good year. I had a feature film. I did a series of Single Ladies. I’ve been living by the pool and by Santa Monica Beach for a year, you know?  Don’t look down on me, I had a great time.”

Did you already come here with like an agent or manager, or did you just start out fresh?

Ricky Whittle:  I basically just up and left, to be honest, quite honest.  I came across and just set-up a few meetings and it was by chance, which is another reason I like being out here.  You can make it in this industry by putting yourself on tape.  I could have been in England and put myself on tape and auditioned that way. There are those fantastic stories, you know. The American dream does exist, you know, where you just happen by chance, and people do get picked up like that.  But, to be in the presence of people and then people’s faces, walking into offices and staying fresh in their minds. It’s a massive difference. You just meet people at parties and occasions and things sort of snowball from there. 

So, I was meeting a guy who was cutting my reel for me to send out to agents and he just said, “You’ve got this fantastic look, and I don’t want to be rude, but what are you?”  He’s talking about my ethnic appearance and he’s saying, “Because you could play black, you could play obviously British, you could play European, Indian, Arabic, Brazilian, you know, Latino.”  He was like, “You’ve got such a versatile look. I tell you what; you need to meet a friend of mine. He’s a manager.  He managed James Franco, Michelle Williams and Hillary Swank.” And I was like, “Sold.”  So, I went to meet him, and it was Ken Jacobsen, who I am obviously still with, and we just hit it off.  And so, I signed up with him.  I have seen a lot of other managers and agencies and things, but I’m very loyal, I’m very into gut feelings, and he didn’t give me the whole L.A. spiel.  Like, “Oh you’re going to be the next Will Smith, you can be this, and we’re going to get you this.”  I don’t need buttering up.  I like people to tell me how it is.  I like people who are real. And Ken was like that from the beginning.  He was like, “Well, we’re going to have to start you here, we’re going to have to work you into this, into that, and basically build you up.  Now, if something comes along, fantastic, then we’ll grab it with both hands, but otherwise, this is a long journey that we’re going to take together and I’ll be with you every step of the way.”  He said all the right things.  I stopped looking and it looks like we’re going to start a great, great journey together.

So, as soon as you guys joined up, how long before you started auditioning?

Ricky Whittle:  Well, to be honest, I came out here at the wrong time.  Because I did Dancing with the Stars in the U.K. and I was tied into a contract to go on tour so I actually arrived here toward the end of pilot season in March [2010], I think it was.  So, it goes quiet after there unless you’re obviously established or you’re already working, you’re not going to do much there.  But then, it was literally, I would have said a month or month and a half, six weeks, and I had picked up my first feature, which is Austenland, which hopefully should be out this year. 

And it was a funny story with that one.  The directors were actually out of town and so they required me to put myself on tape for the part.  My manager just basically said that, “Oh they do want to meet you, they loved your audition, they thought it was fantastic, and they want to Skype you.”  So, I brought them up on Skype and the first thing she said was, “Oh that’s what you look like.” I was like, “Pardon?”  And she was like, “Well, we got your audition tape, and what had happened is for some reason,” I mean I checked it before I sent it all off, but for some reason, it cut my head off and basically showed from the neck down to the groin. [laughter]  So, they said, “You know your abs look fantastic, your crotch was great, and your accent could be Caribbean.  Your accent was perfect, but we had no idea what you looked like.”  I was like, “Fantastic.  So, basically, my body got me this role.  Fantastic.  That’s good to know.”  It worked out well and I had to leave for the U.K. because that shot out on location in U.K.  Another little bit of irony there, because I came all the way to L.A. to shoot American TV and film and my first gig is on location back in the U.K.

I would’ve taken it in rainy Seattle, you know, Chicago in the winter, anywhere, but now they send me back home.

Tell me about Austenland.

Ricky Whittle:  Well, basically, Austenland is about an American woman who is obsessed with Jane Austen novels, and she’s constantly on the hunt for that perfect Mr. Darcy man, who obviously doesn’t exist.  You know, no man can ever match up to the fictional Mr. Darcy.  So, she reads up about this Jane Austen themed resort in the U.K. and basically sets off and stays two weeks in the U.K. looking for love.  My character, Captain George East, he is more of a flamboyant Jack Sparrow kind of character. He doesn’t quite fit into the type. He is quite funny.  He is basically, if you imagine an old school Days of our Lives, like Joey Tribbiani from Friends, Days of our Lives, that sort of school of acting.  So, he’s an old soap actor who thinks he’s bigger than he is.

You finished that and then how long after did you book Single Ladies?

Ricky Whittle:  Well, I had a bit of a problem. My manager said he’d never encountered this before.  Normally he has a problem with his actors not booking gigs, and that wasn’t his problem with me. I was actually booking gigs, but my Visa kept causing problems, so I booked a couple of CSI gigs and Up All Night for NBC.   He was like, “You’ve got a 95% ratio for booking your casting. Anything I put you up for, you book.”  And so, for the Up All Night one, it was 8 o’clock in the evening, I was set to shoot the next morning, and at 8 o’clock in the evening Ken phones me up and says, “I’m sorry, buddy, we will have to pull you again. ABC won’t accept your Visa.” So, that’s when I made the decision that, you know what, if I’m going to do this properly I need to be on level ground here with everyone else.  I can’t have this affecting my work, especially with pilot season coming up.  So, I basically just applied for my green card, and as soon as that came through, an audition came up for Single Ladies and I was flying back to the U.K. because it was just coming up to Christmas, so I was flying out to the U.K. and he said, “Your audition is on Friday.” And I was like, “Well I’m flying Thursday, can I just put myself on tape?”  And he was like, “Yeah, yeah, sure, I guess that’s what we will have to do.”  So, I did that with my friends back home and sent it off and they said, “Yeah, it’s fantastic, they love it.” But, it was over Christmas, so you don’t really hear much over that period because everyone’s gone home, so I thought nothing of it.  I had left it at if you don’t hear anything then you just assume you’re onto the next project. 

As soon as I came back to L.A., the day I landed, Ken phoned me up and said that they want to see you in the office today.  I’m like, “Wow, okay.”  Went in, we read through the script and read through a scene. They sent that off again to the producers and they came back, I think it was the day after or that evening, and said, “We think you’re too young for the role, but we love what you’re doing and there are a lot of parts coming up that we think will suit you, so we’ll keep you in mind.”  And, in our industry, you just go, okay, fair enough.  That’s a blow off.  Okay, no worries, I understand.  And literally, I think it was about four days later, they phoned up and said, “Alright, we’ve got a part for you, you don’t have to audition, it’s yours if you want it.”  And Ken gave me the breakdown and I was like, “Yeah, sounds like fun, let’s do it.”  So you know, it came through and that’s been me since January through till June, I’m shooting that now.

Nice.

Ricky Whittle:  Yeah, I mean, it started off as two episodes, which became six and as I got there I spoke to the producer, Stacy Littlejohn, and she wrote me into the rest of the series right to the end, so, you know, it was a little part that just became larger.

In  Single Ladies, you play an American?

Ricky Whittle:  Yes, I play an American traveler.  Very cultured, very relaxed and very spiritual.

I was talking to Matt Lucas recently, and I asked him about his American accent. I asked him about his American accent he had to do for this movie he was in and he said he had to stay in dialect the whole shoot because the American accent was so unfamiliar to him.  How about for you?

Ricky Whittle:  Everyone is different, everyone is different, but for me, I like to, I stay in my native tongue for as long as possible. I’ll go back to my room just after make-up and costume, so once I’m ready, I will stick on YouTube and get into it.  I will go through my breathing exercises.  I will go through my vocal exercises I got from my coach and once I’ve got into that and I leave my trailer, I’m American.  Whether I’m talking to the drivers, talking to catering, my fellow colleague, you know, and that’s how I go.  I mean, my very first scene, the first scene, the first time I met Denise, was actually in the car on the way to set, and she was like, “Do you want to run the scene?”  Obviously, since I’ve gone through this process, I’m an American now, so I’m like, “Yeah, sure.”  So, we ran through the scene a couple of times, and so later on, she called me and she went, “Whoa, what’s with the accent?”  I was like, “Well, I’m English.”  She went, “Wow! You fooled me. I completely forgot that you were English.”  I was like, “Brilliant, that’s exactly what you want to hear.”

You have been on a bunch of series over in the U.K., and now you’re doing this one, are there any differences in filming a U.K. series and an American series?

Ricky Whittle:  [laughs] Yes there are.  Yes there are.  One of the things I noticed first, it was coming up to my 7 o’clock in the morning wraps.  It was early, early, early, early hours in the morning, about 1 o’clock, and I was like, “Okay, so when do we finish? What time are we looking to finish?”  And they’re like, “You finish when the scene is done.”  And I was like, “Really? Is that legal?” Because in the U.K., we will film for 12 hours a day. We will film 7 till 7, but that’s it.  Once 7  comes up, the tools go down and the crew are ready to go home, they’ve got families to get home to, and things like that.  So, if you don’t complete the scene, you come back another day and you film it then. 

Whereas over here, it’s literally, you go — you film until you finish that scene.  Which, I like because it draws a line under the scene and you can just focus on that and you don’t have to come back to it another day or get into the same rhythm you know.  But yeah, it does lead to some long days.  So, the hours are definitely different.

What’s your advice to actors?

Ricky Whittle:  I should be getting advice myself.  Well, in an industry full of no’s, just stay positive. From my experience and in the U.K., I only ever had really I think about two or three auditions. The rest was on reputation. You could be the greatest actor, but if you’ve got a bad reputation of being hard to work worth, being troublesome, being late, you know, you’ve got bad punctuality or you’re, you know, you need to be professional.  You need to stay positive.  And if you’ve got that reputation for being the hard worker, the person who’s always happy, smiley, knows their lines, then I believe that goes far. You know, you’re memorable.  You don’t want to be memorable for the wrong reasons because it can get you fired from jobs.

I’ve not myself experienced it recently, but I’ve heard of someone who’s recently just been fired off a TV show and a film for her attitude, and I just don’t understand it.  I’m like, you’re in a position where people would give their right arm to be in, and I don’t understand the logic in abusing that privilege and that honor, you know?  I just think you should be happy and feel blessed that you’re doing something that you love, because not many people who have the opportunity to do what they love.  I’m Peter Pan.  I’m staying young.  I’m playing make believe for a living.  I’m playing cops and robbers every day.  And someone pays me, it’s unbelievable.  I’d do this for free, don’t tell anyone. [laughter]  But, you know, I mean, I will always stay positive, and that’s the one thing I think you need in this industry.  Because like I said, there are a lot of nos.  You’ll get hundreds of ‘no’s and maybe one yes, but when you do that that one ‘yes’, just grab it with both hands, stay positive and enjoy it, you know.  You never will know when it’s going to end, but you never when it’s going to start, so just keep that positive attitude and it brushes off on everyone and people remember that.  They want to work with that again.

Written by Gywn Gilliss

First of all what is a network? How does that relate to being an actor?

“A network is a large group of people who communicate, are interconnected and work together as a system.”

If you create a network you double, triple, exponentially multiply your work opportunities a gazillion times. The more people who know you, like you, want to work with you, the more work you will get. Then, the process of submissions, auditions and trying to get work is reduced to zero. Offers come out of nowhere from people who know you, have been referred to you, have seen your work. It’s like virus marketing or the internet which is a humongous network. Career-wise you can then focus on just doing the work-a film, a play, a new prime time series.

You become a working actor, not an actor trying to get work.

So how do you build a network? How do you get a team of people on your side to represent you? Submit you for roles? Hire you? Create projects for you? Develop your career until you are at the top?

Here is a road map:

1. Create a database of people you know- maybe that’s only 10 at the moment: other actors, playwrights, directors, a few casting directors, agents you met through a “pay-to meet”, a personal manager, an acting teacher. Enter their names in a database with email capacity. There are many database email programs out there. We use Constant Contact. There’s also icontact, eweber, infusionsoft, numerous companies and software but CC is easy to learn, has 5 minute tutorials and is free for the first 2 months – while you try it out. Then, if you sign up, it’s affordable.

2. Grow your list weekly by meeting more agents, casting directors, writers, directors. Join organizations where you can network-NY Theater Meet-ups, AFI, Shooting People, Director’s Guild, AFTRA, SAG, AEA, NY Women in Film and TV, LA Women in Film & TV, New Dramatists Guild, theater groups, acting companies…anything that will allow you to meet more people in the industry. If you know 5 people you will probably NEVER get an acting job. If you know 50 you might get a call, an audition, a job once a year. If you know 500, you’ll get a job once a week!

3. Enter all the names of your contacts and check out the graphics, templates and usage of the program. It allows you to send out everything from press releases to holiday cards, download a photo into your personal messages (create your own stationary), design fliers, etc. Even if you are challenged on the computer-this is easy. It’s all done for you with a few clicks. Not too difficult.

4. Start by sending out a few – “Hi! How are you doing’? Just wanted to say hello and tell you what I’m up to…” messages. As it becomes easier, send out an announcement when you are in a show, when you book a commercial, get a callback for a film, are appearing in an under 5 on a Soap, to wish them a Happy Birthday, Happy Labor Day, Happy Thanksgiving…there are templates for every reason, season and you can design more to relate to your career progress.

5. When you have a new demo reel or a new website, send a link in an email so they can see your most recent accomplishment and work .This seems like a lot of fuss but it’s not any different than sending messages on Twitter, Facebook, or MySpace, only you are accomplishing a whole lot more. You are building not only your network of people who like you. You are building your career. Just like in the Tipping Point (a book you should read by Malcolm Gladwell) you suddenly have reached a critical mass- a list of 100 or 250 or more. Friends and Agents will forward your info on to other interested parties- Casting Directors who were looking for your type or tuned in to see you or Googled you when they were casting something. It all comes together. And you start working.

How long does this process take? Depends on how actively you apply the concept and follow up with the system. Months, a year or two. Isn’t that better than staying in the same spot sending your resumes and post cards out and paying to meet one Industry contact at a time or having one audition at a time? Give it a shot!

Successful Marketing!

Gwyn Gilliss is the Founder and Executive Director of TAM, The Actor’s Market, a marketing firm for actors. They provide monthly FREE seminars/teleseminars, FREE weekly marketing tips as well as access to top photographers, graphic artists and videographers who provide every marketing tool an actor needs. Gwyn’s acting career spans several decades during which time she appeared on and off-Broadway, in classical roles in American Repertory companies in over 18 contract and recurring roles in Daytime/Prime time TV, Films and dozens of network commercials/V.O.’s. As the foremost Marketing/Career Coach she is available to work One-on-One with ready-to-succeed actors.

Hide Away: Directed by Chris Eyre (Smoke Signals, Edge of America) and an audience favorite at SXSW festival, HIDE AWAY is a stirring drama that follows the story of a successful businessman (Josh Lucas) attempting to resurrect his life. Entering an idyllic harbor as a broken and haunted man, he buys and boards the dilapidated sailboat, Hesperus. Disturbed at night by unsettling dreams of his past, the boat becomes a beacon of hope as he begins the challenge of bringing back the shine to the tarnished vessel–and to his life.

Director: Chris Eyer
Cast: Josh Lucas, Ayelet Zurer, James Cromwell, Casey LaBow
Writers: Peter Vanderwall

In Theaters: May 25th   

Eleven-year-old Lilla Crawford will play the title role in the musical that will open in fall 2012 at a Nederlander theatre to be announced.

“Oh, my gosh, it happened! My heart just stopped,” said Crawford, when she heard the news. “I thought it would be so cool just to be a part of Annie, but to actually be playing Annie is a dream come true!”

Crawford made her Broadway debut in 2011, playing Debbie in the closing cast of Billy Elliot on Broadway. She was featured in a workshop production of Craig Wright’s Melissa Arctic. She has also performed in 14 shows with YADA (Youth Academy of Dramatic Arts) in her native Los Angeles.

“We fell in love with Lilla from the moment we saw her,” producer Arielle Tepper Madover said. “When she is in the room you can’t take your eyes off her. She has a gorgeous voice, is a terrific actress, wonderful dancer and a sweet girl. She is everything that we could have ever hoped for in an Annie. We are so happy to have met her and think everyone will fall in love with her the way we did.”

 The production will be directed by three-time Tony Award® winner James Lapine and choreographed by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler.

Written by

Well, pilot season’s pretty much over.

Upfronts (where networks officially announce their 2012 lineup) are gearing up, and so the 2012 pilot season is winding down. I’ve talked to a lot of actors and the response I usually get is that it was a quiet year. Yeah, there’s that one friend who always had 5 auditions a day, but for the most part, many actors have found themselves with slim pickings. Naturally, this is the time of year when the largest exodus of actors head back to “the Midwest” or “East” or wherever.

How about you?

My belief is that if you’re taking the time to read another article, then my guess is you’re not packing it in and we want to congratulate you. You’re persistent, and persistence is what separates the haves and the have-nots in Hollywood. In fact, let’s talk some more about power of persistence.

On April 6th, 1909, US Navy Engineer Robert Peary reached the North Pole. That’s an amazing feat, but what’s even more amazing was that he reached it on his eighth attempt! That’s right – Admiral Peary had failed seven previous attempts to reach the North Pole!

Now, I want you to think about this for a second. It’s the early 1900s. You have limited resources and limited technology (no GPS). When you begin, it is winter and it is cold. Freezing temperatures below zero, biting winds, and only fur to keep you warm. Months of planning and preparation finally come together – and you FAIL. Many people told Peary to give up, but he was undeterred, so he set out a second time… and FAILED AGAIN! And again and again and again and again and again until he finally reached the North Pole!

Your acting career may feel like a desolate, freezing wasteland, but don’t give up. History is not full of people who tried and succeeded perfectly on their first try. No, history is full of people who failed over and over until they stopped failing and achieved greatness where anyone else would have quit long ago. President Calvin Coolidge wrote:

“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

If you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing, that’s ok, you’re not alone. That’s exactly why The Lyndon Technique and TLTaccess were created! We can help you figure it out. Yet even if we handed you the keys to Hollywood, it still takes persistence to carve out a long-lasting career and persistence is something we can’t give you. You have to have that all on your own.

But that’s the best part: you can have that all on your own. YOU are in control of the most important part of becoming a working actor.

Amy Lyndon is the Founder and CEO of The Lyndon Technique, The 15 Guideline Map To Booking Technique that has helped thousands of actors get into the top 1% of the industry. With over 20 years of experience and clients in the USA and abroad, Amy provides proven insights found nowhere else.

To get a FREE MONTH of access to her Member’s Only Business and Booking site, click this exclusive link: www.TLTaccess.com/freemonth

Jessica St. Clair

The two star, created and co-write the show about best friends who live on opposite sides of the country. When Jessica is overnighted divorce papers, Lennon convinces her to return home to Brooklyn and back into the apartment they used to share. It doesn’t take long for the girls to fall into old habits: movie marathons and late night girl talk sessions – none of which is good news for Lennon’s live-in boyfriend, Joe (Luka Jones, Upright Citizens Brigade) who tries to be understanding but begins to feel like a stranger in his own home.

Jessica St. Clair performed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York and Los Angeles, was in the hit Bridesmaids and was last seen in Wanderlust. On television, she’s starred opposite Megan Mullally and Cheryl Hines in In the Motherhood and has had guest-starring appearances on Parks and Recreation, Weeds and United States of Tara.

Lennon Parham is perhaps best known for playing the supporting role of Abby Chase, alongside Jenna Elfman on the television series Accidentally on Purpose. Some of her other guest roles include Parks and Recreation and How I Met Your Mother. Parham is also an alumna of Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) Theater where she performed for nine years. Her one-woman character show, “She Tried to Be Normal,” ran in New York and Los Angeles and was selected for the Montreal “Just For Laughs” festival in 2009.

I talked to both Jessica and Lennon in a conference call recently where they talked about the show, how the work may, in fact, kill them and their time at UCB!

Best Friends Forever airs Wednesdays at 8:30/7:30c on NBC

How did you initially get involved with this show?

Jessica St. Clair: Well Lennon and I met about 10 years ago at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York.

Lennon Parham: We we’re doing improve comedy back in the day. We were on separate teams. And then we both came out to LA for various and sundry acting gigs. And we sat down one lunch and it was love at first sight essentially, came up with our first television idea.

Jessica St. Clair: And we wrote – before this, we wrote a pilot for HBO that was similar scene. It was about best friends who where you know so in love with each other that perhaps they are having trouble making other friends. And then we – went that didn’t go to pilot, we ended up pitching to NBC a version of the show in which we – one of us was moving back in with the other one. And finding that they had – have a live-in boyfriend now that we have to deal with, so that’s how sort of that came about.

But Lennon and I have been performing together for about 10 years now.

What were some of the biggest challenges for the 2 of you in bringing your characters to live on screen for the show?

Lennon Parham: Actually the process for us has been pretty seamless because we are drawing from our real experiences as bet friends and sort of getting inspiration from our relationships with our other best friends.

Jessica St. Clair: I think the problem will be when it airs and all of our best friends call us and say why did you use that story in our show? That will come later. But for now it’s been great.

Lennon Parham: There will be some tense Christmas dinners.

Jessica St. Clair: The other thing that’s really nice is the way Lennon and I since we began as improvisers. The way we write our scripts is we improvise. And then we tape record ourselves and then we transcribe it. And then we write – that becomes our first draft.

Lennon Parham: So essentially we have the idea for the scene and we act it out in our tiny writer’s office.

Jessica St. Clair: Or in our living room.

Lennon Parham: Or in our living room when we didn’t have a writer’s office and record ourselves.

Jessica St. Clair: So we play all the parts. And Lennon actually plays most of the male parts. And I’ve got to say, she can get – she can say some really romantic things.

Lennon Parham: It can get really pretty heated – pretty heated, Pattye. Our husbands are very disturbed sometimes when they get home from work. They were like, “you wrote that. That lives in your mind.” I’m like, “yeah, say these things to me.”

I’m interested in the challenges of juggling all the different roles. In fact, you guys are acting and writing and proofing and doing all the things that you’re doing.

Lennon Parham: The most work I’ve ever done in my entire life. And I taught a high school.

Jessica St. Clair: We might be piles of dust at the end of this experience. But we – you know what, we kind of felt like you only get this chance once really. It – to kind of have your vision come to life. And so we decided we we’re going to leave it all on the floor.

Lennon Parham: Yes. And we had our fingers in every patch for sure.

Jessica St. Clair: Our husbands haven’t seen us in six months. But you know, it just – absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Lennon Parham: I sent – I sent my husband a picture of myself yesterday, remember.

Jessica St. Clair: You know, we had a binder that Lennon and I have been keeping for 4 years which are all old rip outs of that Domino Magazine, remember that lovely magazine, RIP. And we just had ripped out what we wanted our dream TV apartment to look like. And so you know the set designer was like, “wow, this is more research than most people can think.”

Lennon Parham: Yes. The way we also laid out our schedule was a little more friendly to the sort of writer/performer model which is the way that the Always Sunny Guys do it. So there’s a writer’s room that happens independently of production. And you write everything. In a perfect world, you finish writing everything before you go into production which of course we did – we were perfecting it the morning that we were, you know of the shoot you’ve seen.

But we had a two months in a writers room with our writing staff. We tried to get as much work done as possible there. And then we go into the shoot, we cross forwarded everything. So we shoot all six episodes kind of out of order like based on location.

Jessica St. Clair: And for a budget. You know – we squeezed a lot more out of the budget that way.

Lennon Parham: Right. And that enabled us to be you know be in the writers room for the full time. And then be on set the full time.

Jessica St. Clair: And we tried when we were on set to really just be actors at that point and stop…

Lennon Parham: And producers…

Jessica St. Clair: And stop being writers which is hard.

Lennon Parham: And now we’re in the edit room piecing it all together. But the other thing is we have – we have an amazing support staff and our crew was like knock it out of the park amazing. And everybody was there for the right reasons. And everybody was working harder than they should have had to, based on how much we were all getting paid. But people were passionate about the project and I think that’s why everybody was working so hard.

Jessica St. Clair: It has sort of an Indy movie fell to it. Everybody just like pitched in.

Lennon Parham: Or like a community theater Summerstock production of Narnia or something.

Jessica St. Clair: Just because everyone really cared about the show, it was really – Lennon and I would cry at least once a day and we were – because we were so touched with how people were going that extra mile. It was really special.

I want to ask you guys about UCB. How did you guys initially get involved? And how do you think I guess the experience and training has helped you?

Jessica St. Clair: Yes, well, it’s given us our careers. I mean we would have – we would literally not be here today without the UCB.

Lennon Parham: No.

Jessica St. Clair: And that’s the truth. I came – I came to the UCB a year after I graduated college because a friend of mine that I performed – I did improve comedy with in school was taking classes there. And that was when they – when they had just opened their first theater on 22nd Street. And so there was only like 60 people in the theater. Now there are – how many people in level 1?

Lennon Parham: It’s the largest long form training center in the world now.

Jessica St. Clair: So at this point, there was 60 of us. And we used to have to go out on the corner in Washington Square Park in the freezing cold and pass out…

Lennon Parham: Flyers.

Jessica St. Clair: Flyers hoping that homeless people would come see us perform. So…

Lennon Parham: If they wanted to use their $5 for a show versus dinner.

Jessica St. Clair: Yes, versus dinner. We talked and they did. But – and it was also in an old porn theater, so people used to come in looking for other things other than comedy.

Lennon Parham: Then they would get hooked by your (unintelligible).

Jessica St. Clair: So at any rate, that’s – and I – it was basically like going to grad school for comedy. You just – you learned everything you needed to know about being a performer but also about how to be writer. And so I started doing improve. And then I would write sketch show. And from writing sketch shows is how I got the courage to write my first pilot.

Lennon Parham: I moved to New York. I moved to New York to be an actor. And I started talking class at Second City because I had gone to college with a Mr. Jack McBrayer who you might know from – as Kenneth from 30 Rock. And he (unintelligible) college went to Chicago and did Improve Olympic in Second City and I lived in Chicago one summer and saw him do that. And he was like, “Lennon, you need to do this.” So when I moved to New York, I sought out Second City. While I was at Second City, I met 2 amazing ladies who are still my friends today, (Leslie Midel) and (Molly Praser) who were on a Harold team at UCB.

And essentially they said if you want to perform regularly, you need to take classes at UCB. So it was through them I heard about it. And then I started taking classes. And by level 2, I was hooked. There’s a real like sort of respect for comedy culture that – that grows there and that – and intelligence that I had not seen in a lot of sketch comedy that I really appreciated.

And it was pushing me and it became a community. And then it became a family.

Jessica St. Clair: They also have a real interesting thing where you at the beginning especially, you interned so that you could get your classes for free. And so you were cleaning the bathroom and doing all these other horrible tasks. But you were there at the theater at least 4 night a week.

Lennon Parham: Seeing the shows.

Jessica St. Clair: Seeing the shows. So like when I interned, I remember the night that I – Tuesday nights was when (Tina Fey) and (Rachel Dratch) had their sketch show. And I was like blown away. I memorized every line in the show. And I was like this is what I want to do. So we had real mentors there, (Amy Polar) and all of these UCB ( Matt Walsh) and (Matt Betser) and (Ian Roberts). They gave us our first jobs.

Lennon Parham: Yes. And it was sort of while we were there that everybody started to breakout on the Daily show and the Office. And now NBC Thursday night’s covered with UCB people. And every other commercial has UCB people in it.

Jessica St. Clair: Yes. It’s exciting. But it really is like a family. We love each other in a way that I think like a lot of actors feel very – it can be a very lonely experience because it’s just you going to auditions. We never had the feeling because we always had each other. And even if you don’t have a job, you know you can go perform on Friday nights and – to a packed house and. it’s a really great feeling.

Lennon Parham: And it give you your chops. It develops your work ethic. And – and so that you don’t ever want to settle for anything less than the funniest thing you have.

Written by Dallas Travers, CEC

Have you ever seen a role in the breakdowns that you were a perfect match for but – for whatever reason – you didn’t get an audition? Have you ever seen a breakdown and thought to yourself, “Man! This is precisely the kind of work I do best! What can I do to land an audition?”

I’m guessing that as an actor, you’ve got a nice arsenal of marketing tools you use to acquire auditions, secure meetings, and land bookings. You probably have headshots and postcards. You might have a one-sheet, a castability sheet, a reel, and a website as well.

But do you have any pitch videos?

It’s competitive out there in the acting world and you must stay one step ahead of your competition. You’ve got to arm yourself with the tools you need to maintain your leading edge. Pitch videos are one of those tools.

Think of a pitch video as a 30-60 second mini-reel that showcases you performing a very specific character or role and doing it really, really well.

The video might be a clip from a film or TV job you worked, but it can also be simple audition footage if the sound quality is solid, the lighting looks good, and your acting is fantastic.

• If you have representation, your agent or manager will love having short, specific video clips that match the essence of whatever roles they might be submitting you for.

• If you don’t have an agent yet, pitch videos will help you make audition request calls, self-submissions, and meeting requests easier than ever.

• If you’re tired of booking the same characters over and over again and want to branch into new acting territory, pitch videos provide you with solid evidence of your expansive acting repertoire.

How to Create Your Own Pitch Videos

1. Start With Your Go-To Roles

What 3-5 types of characters do you most commonly book? Once you’ve put your list together, select scenes or audition sides that match those same characters. You can use sides from auditions you’ve had in the past, jobs you’ve booked, or scenes you’ve worked on in class.

2. Fill in the Gaps

Think about the acting strengths that you haven’t had a chance to showcase on the job yet. Maybe you’ve got comedy chops, but until now you’ve only worked on dramas. Maybe you can cry at the drop of a hat, but don’t have footage to prove it. Or maybe your Cockney accent is spot-on yet you’ve only ever played American roles.

Whatever the case may be, a pitch video showcasing your yet-to-be-noticed bookable skills will help both you and your agent can use your pitch video as a selling tool to show casting all that you’re really made of. Select 1-3 scenes or audition sides that speak to these strengths and shoot a few pitch videos.

3. And… Action!

After you’ve selected your scenes or sides, it’s time to shoot. I recommend keeping it really simple. Pitch videos are all about showcasing YOU, so don’t worry about fancy editing, complicated set-ups, or even finding a scene partner. Instead, invite a fellow actor to serve as a reader off-camera and shoot your pitch video just like an audition. Here are a few how-to tips on shooting at-home auditions.

Need some help shooting your pitch videos? Check out www.speedreels.com or www.createyourreel.com in Los Angeles, and www.actorintro.com in New York for awesome and affordable reel production.

Try to keep each pitch video at less than one minute long. The purpose of each video is to simply act as a teaser to pique casting’s interest in order to get you in the audition room.

4. Post Your Pitch Videos Online

Once your videos are shot and edited, you can upload them onto your Actors Access account so they’ll be at your fingertips every time you or your agent submits you for work. While you’re at it, let the world see what you’re made of. Why not feature your pitch videos on your personal website and share them through social media as well?

One last thing about pitch videos…it might take some time and effort to get all of your videos in place, but it’s worth it. Once they’re set up, you’ll feel more confidence in your ability to land more auditions more often because your marketing arsenal is fully stocked.

Respected as one of the entertainment industry’s leading experts, Dallas Travers teaches actors the career and life skills often left out of traditional training programs. Her groundbreaking book, The Tao of Show Business, has won over five awards including first prizes at The Hollywood Book Festival and the London Festival along with the National Indie Excellence Award. She has helped thousands of actors to increase their auditions, produce their own projects, secure representation and book roles in film and television.

If you’re ready to jump-start your acting career, get your FREE Thriving Artist Starter kit now at http://www.dallastravers.com

by Emily Grace

All of these celebrities are doing it: Pitt, Clooney and Damon. Kristen Wiig, Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph and Amy Poehler. The Coen Brothers. Judd Apatow.

Why aren’t you?

What are they doing, you ask?  Working with the same people again and again.

In business it’s what is called the Know-Like-Trust Factor.  And it’s the secret sauce to going from auditions to offers.

World renowned speaker and best selling author Zig Ziglar says,

“If people like you, they will talk to you. If people trust you, they will do business with you.”

Professionals at every level of the entertainment industry, when given the choice, will hire someone they know, like and trust – from a-lister’s all the way down to a first time student filmmaker.

When it comes to your acting career – it’s time to stop chasing after random audition opportunities just for the sake of getting into the room.   Create long-term relationships to establish the know-like-trust factor, and you’re well on your way to being hired over and over.

The know-like-trust principle is simple to understand.  The more people know, like and trust you, the more likely they are to hire you when you’re a good fit for the project.  No rocket scientist required.

The biggest question actors tend to struggle with is where to find the people to connect with in the first place.  It’s actually a lot easier than you might think.

So let me walk you through how an internet connection and a little bit of detective work can get you started on the road from auditions to offers.

Get clear about the kind of work you want to be doing

“I just want to work.”  You’ve said it.  I’ve said it.  We’ve all been there.  It’s a lot like saying “I just want a boyfriend.”  Without some standards, you’ll end up with a real douche that makes you miserable.  Girlfriend (boyfriend?) you deserve way better!  Don’t be so desperate you’ll take any old acting job that comes along, no matter what.  Get yourself some standards!

What kind of work do you want?  Is it indie film?  Do you want to be paid?  How about an imdb credit?  If you’re looking to book tv credits – what kind of shows are best suited to your strengths?  Sitcom?  Single camera comedy?

Spend some time getting clear about the work you are most passionate about.  When you know what you want to be doing, it will lead you to the people who can hire you for it.

Just like the gps in your car – you need a destination before you get the map.  Know where you’re going in  your career in order to choose the best plan of action to get there. 

Do your research

Great, you’ve got a direction!  Now it’s time for some detective work.  Who hires for the kind of work you want to be doing? 

In the entertainment industry directors, producers and casting directors often refer to their “wheelhouse.”  Meaning they are attracted to certain kinds of projects.  Your job is to begin identifying specific people who’s taste, style, body of work, and projects are similar to your own “wheelhouse.” 

Great tools for this research include:

• Film festival websites – what better place to research independent filmmakers, directors, producers and casting directors?
• Casting about – this is a fabulous research tool for finding who is casting what in both New York and LA (that includes tv, film and theatre)
• ImdbPro – The go-to database for pretty much anyone in the entertainment industry
• Social media – you can directly connect with so many filmmakers, casting directors, and other industry pros, it is truly mind blowing

• Google – never underestimate the power of a plain old google search

(Want to see exactly how easy it is to find filmmakers online?  Get this free video for step-by-step instructions)

Make a list of specific people you want to work with

Once you’ve done your research, you want to choose a handful of people to build long term relationships with.  Your best bet here is to choose people who are accessible to you.  Sure, working with Judd Apatow or George Clooney may be a viable goal for you, but neither of these guys are readily available to build a relationship with.  Focus on people who you can find current contact information for – that can be an active social media profile, an office address, or email.  

Keep this list small.  The bigger the list, the harder it will be to manage.  Start small.  You can always expand once you get the hang of it.

Connect with your people

The key here is when establishing a relationship, focus on how you can help the other person, not the other way around.    Shoving your headshot in someone’s face is going to be a turn off. 

Is the filmmaker you want work with doing a kickstarter campaign?  Help them spread the word.  Did a casting director contribute a great blog post?  Let them know how helpful it was to you and then retweet it.  The more you focus on being of genuine service to someone else, the better know-like-trust factor is established.

There are various ways to begin long term industry relationships with specific people.  Here are a few possibilities:

Film Festival Screenings

This is a powerful way to connect with specific filmmakers.  You know they are going to be there, and you can bet they will take kindly to someone who appreciates their work.  Plus that in-person connection is a big plus.

Social Media

Everyone is on social media, from celebrities to casting directors to filmmakers, producers and agents.  If the people on your list are on social media, connect with them there.

Can’t make it to the film festival to catch that screening?  I bet your filmmaker has a twitter account.  Connect with them there.  In fact, help them spread the word about their screening or trailer or kickstarter campaign.  What a great way to begin a relationship – by being of service to someone else, rather than asking what they can do for you. 

Workshops, events and panels

Is someone on your list giving a talk, having a class or sitting on a panel?  Go there!  Meet them!  Afterwards, tell them what you enjoyed about their presentation. 

Follow that in-person interaction up with a thank you card in the mail.  Check them out on social media and tweet about what a great talk they gave.

These are all great ways to begin that first connection.

Follow up consistently

Once you’ve started the initial relationship, you have to keep it going.  Communicate consistently with the people on your list to build the know-like-trust factor.

In addition to continuing to support your new industry relationships, be sure to keep them informed about what’s up in your career too.  Remember that a relationship develops over the long term.  Know-like-and-trust doesn’t happen over night.  It is a process.   Be persistent in your efforts.

Focus on the stuff that gets results

Many actors put their attention in the wrong place.  They hear about an audition, then they push-push-push trying to get seen for it.  If your first interaction with a casting director, filmmaker or producer is you trying to land an audition, you’re probably too late.  They are going to give auditions (and offers) to actors they already know, like and trust.  The likelihood of someone taking a risk on an unknown talent when they are on a tight deadline to cast an important role is very small, if it happens at all.

The more time you spend focusing on building strong industry relationships and upping your know-like-trust factor, the better off you will be.  When the people you want to work with know very well who you are and what you are capable of as an actor, soon enough you will be the actor getting called in, and in some cases getting a direct offer without having to audition at all!

Want to learn how to find filmmakers online?  This free video will show you the exact step by step, so you can get on the road from auditions to offers.  Hurry!  It’s only online until April 9th.

Emily Grace helps actors get in the driver’s seat of their career with marketing plans that get results.  She is an award-winning actress, a writer and producer.  Want to hear more from Emily?  Be sure to sign up for her weekly newsletter full of useful tools to navigate the entertainment industry at www.emilygrace.tv

Synopsis: The Canyons is a contemporary thriller written by Bret Easton Ellis (Less Than Zero, American Psycho) and directed by Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Affliction, Auto-Focus). The Canyons documents five twenty-something’s quest for power, love, sex and success in 2012 Hollywood.

The shoot will take place in LA with shooting dates starting July 9, 2012 – Jul 31, 2012.

Union/Rate SAG New Media and open to non SAG members as well.

Casting by:  Mary Vernieu, CSA, Venus Kanani, CSA, Michelle Wade Byrd

Seeking:
Christian (M) – 24 – 27
Tara (F) -  24 – 27
Ryan (M) – 24 – 27
Gina (F) – 24 – 27
Lindsay (F) – 30 – 31

For more information, click here

However, in an interview with The Huffington Post Klein reveals that it’s not that he didn’t want to star in the American Wedding, he wasn’t asked.  But Oz is back in American Reunion, and he talks about returning to his most famous role and how he’s fared elsewhere in the movie industry.

When asked if he thought of turning down American Reunion out of spite after being left out of American Wedding, Klein indicates otherwise.  He says, “Never. No, there’s none of that. Not with this franchise. That’s not who we are. That’s not how we got cast in these movies. These movies to me, personally, are incredibly special. As not only a willing participant in these movies, but also as an audience member. And I cherish my moments in the American Pie franchise and I’m really grateful that I get to be a part of it. Because back in 1998 when we made the first movie, we were all just hoping to get a summer job. And then American Pie did well and all of us were ushered into acting careers based on the success of the very first movie.”

But even though Klein didn’t turn down American Wedding, there have been roles he has had to turn down, but not many.  When asked whether he has ever regretted turning down a role, he says, “I don’t know, man. I guess I’ve thought about that once in a while. Except that my career really hasn’t worked that way. In the movies that I’ve been a part of, I’ve kind of scratched and fought and kicked to be a part of. There’s a certain thought process about actors that they are in Hollywood and they sit around pools and get suntans and just get offered jobs… There are those one-percenters that get to make their own calls. For me, I’ve always been one that reads a script and has been ready, wiling and able to go out and fight for parts. And some of the parts that I haven’t gotten, when I see those movies, I always watch them and go, ‘Yeah, I can see why I didn’t get that.’”

As a result, Klein realizes that not every role comes down to who is the most talented.  He says, “And it’s acting for the camera. And the truth is, as a human being, I bring what I bring. So if they need a blond and I happen to have brown hair, then that’s what they needed. Hey, maybe they needed blue eyes and I have brown eyes. I mean, we get that specific here in Hollywood. So I would be silly and incredibly naive to believe that this was simply a talent competition. Because it’s not.”

But of course, sometimes the auditions do come down talent, as one can see from the infamous audition Klein did for Mamma Mia, which appeared on YouTube.  He later did a Funny or Die video to poke fun at himself.  He explains, “So an audition that I had done years ago for Mamma Mia, somehow, was put on to the web. And it’s a horrible audition. And I took a chance — I can’t sing! I don’t know why I was in there. But I took a chance! It’s a musical — let’s see if I can give it a shot. And, you know, the way that they put it out there, it gets taken out of context and all that kind of thing. It was really a dreadful audition.”

Total Recall

Director: Len Wiseman
Cast: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, John Cho, Bill Nighy
Writers: Kurt Wimmer, Mark Bomback

In theaters: August 3rd, 2012