Backstage - frootfulTalent.com

Empowering your endeavours through others hard earned
experience and knowledge.

Parents Warned Over Drama Schools

We are always looking for interesting information to add to the Backstage area of frootful Talent and an article on the BBC’s news website about "parents warned over drama schools" caught our attention, as did a blog on the same subject from an Acting Coach in Scotland called Mark Westbrook. We suggest reading both articles, along with an interesting blog entry on The Stage website by Sarah about  "How important is going to Drama School?".

The article from the BBC, and intelligently considered by Mark Westbrook, centres around an interesting warning from the National Council for Drama Training (NCDT). Due to an increased number of reality television talent shows, it appears there has been a rise in drama schools that are not officially recognised. The NCDT warns that these schools are business operations aimed purely at making money, which is akin to gambling on success, unlike following a proper level of professional training.

The BBC article dates back to 2009 and is interesting because in 2011 the issues largely remain the same. Many companies hit by hard times will try to keep the market share they have by knocking new start-ups that are often born from a recessive period. A good many new schools are trying to gain NCDT accreditation and as such technically fall outside of the NCDT net, so they could be seen or at the very least considered to fall under the same warning - an interesting scenario.

What parents should consider is the validity of any training course, its merits, benefits to the individual and whether they can afford to send there offspring to such schools. As with any industry there will always be those that pray on the aspirations of others. It is the bad schools we should all be focusing on. Schools that have no background merit or track record. Simple common sense should prevail when looking at any drama course, training or coaching before engaging and spending good money.

As Sarah points out in her article of 2008, going to Drama school has no guarantees. In 2011, with an ever increasing base of un-employed it would seem that things are unlikely to get any better.  While training is crucial so is life experience. If you have the time and can afford it, working in your chosen craft for other young aspiring professionals with no financial gain is worth considering. Often a flat rate to cover expenses or a share of the monies taken is offered and is surely worthy of consideration - you only get out what you put in, and sadly that is not always true.

While no one can live on fresh air alone, a considered approach to your future is worth undertaking and sometimes hardship is needed before any reward is seen, or truly appreciated. Needless to say don't give up on your dream after all dreams are what drive us, and the art and skill of learning can help shape the dream into reality, with a little patience and a lot of perseverance.

Tags: , , Posted Under News items on 02.15.2011

Marketing and Advertising your Talent

In this article we will look at two elements (of course there are a good many more) that are crucial to the success of any business, and make no mistake this applies to anyone wanting a career in the world of show business too; they are marketing and advertising.

For a clear understanding of the differences visit Marketing vs. Advertising by Clicking Here

One element of a marketing strategy involves the creation and messaging found in glossy brochures. Like the ones you might pick-up when looking to purchase a new computer. Another element is advertising, which is the method used in promoting the computer to the widest audience possible – this also needs to take into account “Reach”, and the wider the advertising reach the better. Find our more about “Reach” on Wikipedia. Making sure people know all about the latest and most exciting computer, just launched with all the bells and whistles you can imagine requires a clever marketing and advertising strategy. Apple is very good at this whole process, from keynote speech to products in store.

Creating the right marketing material (also known as collateral) is essential to the way any business grows and sells its products or services. Marketing people are hired to ensure that the right collateral (product brochures, flyers, etc.) get created in conjunction with other key departments of the business forming a part of the overall business strategy and plan. Done well this ensures brand recognition and if luck and hard work prevails, brand loyalty is achieved.

The next step in getting exposure is through targeted advertising, making sure the newly developed collateral gets out into the wide world, is noticed by as wide an audience as possible (reach) and sells lots of the companies products or services – by no means an easy task or something that happens overnight.

You must consider how you market your talent and how you get the best possible reach to your target audience – those hiring. There is no difference between an Actor, Model, Singer, Dancer, Extra or what ever area of the industry you want to work within that this does not cover to some degree or other; in exactly the same way that any business must generate interest in what it has to offer. If you wish to be professional you must act as a professional, and take a business approach to the way you conduct your day-to-day presentation of your talent profile, building key collateral; Resume, Credits, Image Portfolio and Skills etc. If you can’t see this or elect to ignore it, you are highly unlikely to achieve your full potential along with all the satisfaction success brings – all of which you may well deserve.

Thomas Edison did not give up at the first hurdle he encountered when working on a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In fact it took several hundred attempts to uncover the right way to achieve his goal. This was done by perseverance, a determination to learn from previous attempts, a state of mind that saw each failure as learning how not to do something, and changes that over time resulted in success. Find out more about Thomas Edison on Wikipedia.

“The first thing anyone sees when they visit a talent website – looking for potential new stars - is your image(s). Do you really want to present yourself in any light other than the best?”

To many readers our points will be obvious, in fact it may annoy and frustrate some, but in reality many of you will often forget what should be one of your golden rules – what should be a given in the way you think – for working regularly and ensuring your booking sheet is full. Ask yourself - How do I get noticed over others, picked for work regularly and ensure this continues? What are the tools I need to advertise and market my potential?

The first thing to look at is the way you market the essence of you. A casting Director is presented with a series of images (part of your marketing collateral) that you have gathered together over time and consider to be your body of work, or if starting out a sample of your potential in image format. This all goes hand-in-hand with your Resume and list of credits.

When looking to build your portfolio (collateral) you need to be aware of unscrupulous individuals acting as agents that recommend photographers, strongly advising you to work with them, especially when they claim to work in harmony on your behalf - along with any other promised short-cuts to success. These individuals are very good at convincing and all too often very poor at delivering. If it seems too good to be true, is going to make you a success without much effort and all at a reasonable price – a good rule of thumb would be to walk away.

Now let’s be frank these individuals have only one interest and it is never going to be yours or your career. They give the whole industry a bad name; make everyone suspicious, which in turns spawns more distrust, damaging the greater number of industry professionals who are honest, hard working, have a passion for what they do and want to work for you in an industry they love too. The Government is attempting to do something about this at long last. There are independent bodies like NASAA that you should look-up as part of your research if you want to be an extra. frootful Talent strongly believes in working inline with the “code of conduct” found on the NASAA site and in time aims to become a member. However, we digress from the core of this article.

Nobody wants to shatter anyone’s dream or aspirations of success, but it is a fact that many of you reading this entry will never reach the success enjoyed by the likes of Brad Pitt, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and Elijah Wood – to name a few. BUT, yes there’s a BUT, you will never know if you don’t try, and don’t market yourself or advertise your talent!

A little time and research goes a long way when looking at Photographers for Portfolios to build your marketing collateral. Take time to find a photographer skilled in your chosen talent. If modelling is your thing, find a photographer that has a good track record in modelling and not photographing animals or cars! Ask around to see what they have done in the past for others, see whether any of their work is published and check locally (and online) for any complaints. Ultimately it is a judgement call you have to make, and if wrong, learn from the mistake and move on.

Collect any images you can from work you undertake, making sure you have the rights to re-publish and build this into your marketing portfolio. The importance of high quality photographs with a good range of looks is often overlooked. If a picture paints a thousand words why oh why do so many not take the time to provide prospective employers with anything but the best?

Here is a good example of what the right advertising and marketing can do: A young teenage beauty queen has become an overnight star sensation after landing the lead role in India's latest blockbuster... despite never having acted before.

Miss England contestant Amy Jackson, 18, has become the first unknown British girl to appear in a Bollywood film, starring as the heroine Amy Wilkinson in the film Madrasapattinam. Model Amy was hand-picked for the role by Indian director A L Vijay, after he had spotted a picture of her on the Miss England website.

Now let’s consider advertising. Earlier we mentioned how good Apple is at the very process we are covering in this article. They don’t restrict their advertising to one medium instead they cover as much ground as they can to get the best possible reach, in a logical and strategic way. This should be the same approach you take when promoting your talent.

The more advertising coverage you can get yourself the better your chances of getting discovered. Sign-up to as many websites as you can to advertise your talent. However, don’t waste money on sites that do not cover your skill or talents. Where possible and if the site allows – frootful Talent does allow this - link your profiles. What do we mean by “link your profiles”? If you have a Spotlight, Star Now, Casting Call Pro entry, Facebook, and or your own website, when you create a profile on frootful Talent use the options provided to link to each of your other profiles or websites. If possible and if the other sites permit link them back to your frootful Talent profile for maximum benefit. This will make a tremendous difference and is a technique employed by many savvy website owners for top ranking on the internet.

Large sums of money are spent each year by organisations with good products and services to get noticed. Every opportunity is explored to maximise the reach and get discovered by the widest possible audience. This does not imply that you need or should spend large sums of, it is more about creating a strategy to promote your talent and skills, wherever and whenever you can, to reach the widest possible audience.

A sound approach is to ensure you have some high quality headshots along with at least one full length photo. This will suffice to get you started. A portfolio can't be built in a day, but a selection of poses and looks can with careful planning, and is a good start in building your collateral. Aim for quality and integrity. Look at what others are using as their main images and emulate, especially if it fits in with your chosen field. NEVER get pushed into images that feel uncomfortable or include poses you don’t want to do. They will not help as much as you may be informed they will.

On frootful Talent a 321 x 321 head shot will provide you with a good "Featured" image on our home page. Black and White is timeless and can add drama too, but is not essential.

With images in hand think about your resume and credits. If you have no credits at this time put the effort into your resume. Focus on covering your background and training to date. Take a look at the actors and actresses categories on frootful Talent to get an idea of what to do when starting to build your profile.

Take the time to register (no previous experience is required to be an extra) today with frootful Talent, also on any other appropriate websites. Be honest with your skill sets and abilities. Build a strategy for success and plan to act on it. Keep refining your skills to enhance your talent and above all promote yourself in the right light.

Make sure you have a good agent and or manager. Be mindful of exclusive agreements with agencies, agents or managers. It is not that exclusive agreements are bad but exclusivity implies you have something they see as being useful and beneficial to them, or in some cases they simply want to tie you into their business. If you sign-up to an exclusivity clause do you get exclusive time or 100% of the agent or managers effort on your behalf? In other words what do you get in return, is it tangible and fair? Ask, am I limiting myself by taking this route or is this a highly reputable and well established organisation that can get me to where I want to be?

Despite the fact that there are many thousands of hopefuls (we avoided using age here as age is irrelevant to ambition) everyday looking for work, it is not wrong to take a business like approach to your career choice by professionally voicing your opinions or concerns.

In conclusion; do  build a sound marketing strategy as outlined earlier and promote your talent where ever possible. Find a good agent, agency and or manager to help you, and above all remain positive as you are likely to receive many set-backs along the way.

Tags: , , , Posted Under Wise words on 10.17.2010

Two Modelling Agency Directors Banned

Two former modelling agency Directors have been banned from running an employment agency  following action taken by the Employment Agency Standards inspectorate (EAS).


Ifran Khan of Islington, London, ran Platinum Models and was banned for seven years whilst Michael Brown of Malaga, Spain, ran Target Models and was banned for five years. Mr Khan operated Platinum Models from an address in Canary Wharf. Target Models traded in the Holborn area of London. Both judgements are effective from 1 August 2010.

The Tribunal heard how Platinum Models breached the law by:

  • charging fees to models before any work-finding services were provided;
  • repeated failures to provide the EAS investigators with the information they requested and obstructing the investigators in the exercise of their enforcement powers;
  • not operating a client account as required by the relevant regulations; and
  • issuing terms of employment to models that did not comply with the relevant regulations.

The Tribunal also heard how Target Models breached the law by:

  • deducting commission fees from payments due to models and charging a commission fee to hirers booking models;
  • holding payments to models for longer than 10 days;
  • failing to provide records that showed they recorded details of job requests from the hirer, records of booking details from the hirer, a copy of the terms issued to the hirer, or copies of applications from models;
  • paying money received on behalf of models into the business account rather than the client account; and
  • only issuing very basic terms of employment to models that did not comply with the relevant regulations.

EAS brought these cases under the Employment Agencies Act 1973. New regulations that protect workers come into force on 1 October 2010, which tighten the restrictions on the charging of up-front fees in the entertainment and modelling sectors.

Edward Davey, the Minister responsible for employment relations, said:

“Unfortunately there is a history of exploitation in some parts of the modelling sector by unscrupulous agencies but these verdicts should act as a warning signal to them.

“We will take action against rogue recruiters in London, and across the country, who flout the law and undermine the vast majority of agencies who play fairly.”

Click Here to be taken to NDS

Posted Under News items on 08.2.2010

What's in a Name

A perofrmers names is as important as their talent.  Where possible it is best to start out with the name you will utilise for the rest of your career.  This may be your real name or a stage name and with the exception of a few artists it should never change, always be used, and presented exactly as you want the public to know you - not a variant that changes every couple of months.

Reasearch your name in the industry, if it is not unique you may have to change it.  David Walliams is a good example of a clever twist to his real name.  If you are unable to use your real name try to  think of something that you like, fits your personality and will be remembered.

A performer will often have to use a stage name because their real name is considered unattractive, dull, unintentionally amusing, difficult to say/ spell, or because it is used by another notable individual or because it projects an undesired image.

Sometimes a performer may use a name that is unusual or outlandish to attract attention. Other performers elect to use a stage name in order to retain anonymity and privacy.  You can find out more about Stage Names on Wikipedia.

You might be surprised to know that in the commercial world it can take companies many years and huge sums of money to get a brand name recognised, something that comes to mind ahead of any other competing product or products, which people will purchase becuase of the trust in the name.   This should be your objective too, the first name that pops in to the casting directors mind when a new production is being cast.  Whenever anyone sees you perform you want them to remember you by name as well as for the skill and talent you show when performing, if you are in an audition your name is the one you want to stick and above all get selected.

Some examples  names that many pepole the world over will know but not necessarly always be fans of  (simply because we all have different likes and dislikes) are; Madona (fantastic performer and great talent, but not everyones favourite),  Stephen Fry (a genius and very clever talent, but for some too intellectual).  We could write pages and pages on this subject alone but we hope you get the point.

So when you think of your name up in lights or in any hall of fame would you imagine it being written as Binky Tornado - Pro Actor?  No, it would simply be Binky Tornado.  With this in mind when you think about how your name appears in; credits,  autographs, magazines and any other format make sure it is consistent.

When you create your profile on frootful Talent, Spotlight, IMdB, Star Now, in The Stage or any other medium make sure you keep it consistent - simply enter your real or chosen stage name, nothing more and nothing less.

Treat your name as something important and special. It identfies you as unique to anyone else in the industry, and it is the key thing next to your talent that will have casting agents, directors or anyone else in the business thinking of you first. There is evidence that the right name can increase call backs, so if you want to work on a regular basis you might put more stock into the way you present yourself in future and above all how you see that name being presented.

If  you are not 100% sure that your given name can be used you should check with Equity, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and other industry professional bodies first.  You can also check using any popular search engine too.

There are plenty of random name generators that can be used if you really can't make up your mind. Simply enter "stage name generator" or "screen name generator" or a variant for your specific talent  in any of the top search engines to find sites that will create a name for you.

Tags: , Posted Under Wise words on 07.4.2010

Being There - Some Tips for Extras

The life of an Extra or now days in a modern and often mad world of political correctness "Support Artist" can be rewarding for those wanting to be involved in the business, and if you are lucky to work as a featured artist, financially rewarding too.

Working as an extra is a good way to get paid in your spare time and requires no acting experience. Whilst there are those who have dedicated their lives to becoming professional extras, in reality the purpose of an extra is to bring the production to life in a way that could not happen without any background action. With this in mind it is clear that the role of an extra does not require in depth acting experience. Simply do as directed when on set and you will be fine.

Unfortunately, waiting is a big factor in the role of a film or TV extra, so what should you do when on "the bus", and during what is often a very long day where you may or may not get picked to do your stuff?

Here are some simple ideas:

  1. Pack a small (cabin sized) suite case with the following;
    1. Take you own knife, fork and spoon if you hate eating with plastic cutlery
    2. Pack an apron and plenty of tissues. Nothing worse than getting food on you if you are in a period costume, and this could be a wrap for you with no repeat calls
    3. Ensure you have any medication or other items you need in the case
    4. Pack a book or two, cards and anything else that will help pass the time of day
    5. If permitted a personal music system (trying to avoid brand names here) helps to pass the time, one with a radio is even better and earphones that don't blast everyone else around you should be used
    6. If the production is modern pack a selection of other clothing, even shoes, to maximise your chances of getting picked
    7. In winter make sure you have something to wrap around you to keep warm
    8. Learn to cat nap a great way to catch-up on sleep and pass the time until you get called
    9. Make sure you turn your mobile phone OFF
  2. Mingle with other Artists, a great way to find out about other work
  3. Be on time and do what your asked (told), when asked
  4. Don't get all starry eyed and act foolish around the talent, chances are you will not be asked back if you upset someone or get noticed for the wrong reasons
  5. Do get noticed for the right reasons
  6. Don't get a reputation for being difficult or late. This damages your chances and your agents. This is a sure way to cut your time in the business to an end

If you have any special skill or talents make sure you promote them.

Do you have a car or other vehicle that may be used in a TV or Film production? Make sure it is included in your profile as often these jobs pay good rates. Note: We are adding a section for this to be included in your online profile and searched for by assistant directors and casting agents.

Depending on the amount of projects that we have, and of course the number of people required and on our books, it might be a while before you get your first job as a film or TV extra. It could be even longer before you get your second call. Work is fairly allocated and will be allocated first to those who are reliable with an online profile that enable us to quickly check the requirements for the production are met. Some people might get work every few weeks, others every few months. This is to be expected. It all depends on where you are, and what the industry is looking for.

As we like to keep our Backstage entries short we will revisit this subject again over the coming months.

Tags: , , Posted Under Support Artists aka Extras on 06.19.2010

Pink Taxi Cab!

Mark and the team at Turnstone Casting have been very busy since our re-launch on Friday 4th June, 2010.  This hard work and dedication has started to bare fruits.  You may have seen on the home page "Notice Board" an item for a Pink London Style Taxi cab for an immediate UK production.

To go with the Pink Cab we need a pretty size 18 and above female aged 20 - 30, to drive the cab for the production.  The artist originally booked has suffered an injury resulting in this requirement in the next two weeks.

If this is something you can help us with  CLICK HERE to get in touch.

Thanks to everyone for their feedback on the registration and entry creation pages.   Changes were made this evening that should make this process easier, some enhancements are ongoing so please be patient with us.

Tags: , , , Posted Under Behind the scenes on 06.7.2010

Marie Secures Spot with Birmingham Royal Ballet Company

Marie Turner

Congratulations to Marie Turner for a secured spot performing Swan Lake with the Birmingham Royal Ballet Company.  This is a great start for Turnstone Casting and frootful Talent and one of many projects that are underway.

Marie - We all wish you much success and look forward to seeing your latest photo shoot too.

Tags: , , , , Posted Under Performers on 06.4.2010

Did you Know - Elijah Wood

Elijah Wood

Elijah Wood, star of the hit movie Lord of the Rings, started his career in television commercials?

Find out more about Elijah Wood at Wikipedia

Elijah is #16 in the Top 50 Child Stars find out more at YouTube

Date of Birth

28 January 1981

Birth Name

Elijah Jordan Wood

Nickname

Elwood, Lij and Monkey

Height

5' 6" (1.68 m)

Mini Biography

Elijah Jordan Wood was born on January 28, 1981, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Warren and Debbie Wood. Elijah has an older brother Zack and a younger sister Hannah Wood. At an early age Elijah showed an ability for entertaining and wowing audiences. His mother decided she would take him to Los Angeles for an Annual International Modeling and Talent Association convention. He quickly landed himself an acting job and soon after began appearing in commercials and in small parts on television. His first major part was appearing in Avalon in 1990. His acting career blossomed from this point, and he began appearing in films such as Paradise (1991), Radio Flyer (1992) and Forever Young (1992), with Mel Gibson.

Elijah has proven that he is a strong performer with great Talent. With an interesting career (discover more Biography facts at IMDb) Elijah went on to work on what has been called the biggest project ever to hit the movie screens of the World, the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Elijah Trivia

Melissa Joan Hart wanted him to play the male lead in Drive Me Crazy (1999) because she thought it would take some of the pressure off her in her first leading role. However, she was told that he looked too young next to her, and the role went to Adrian Grenier.

Parents' names are Warren and Debbie Wood.

Elijah has an older brother, Zack Wood (b. 1974), who works in video games, and a younger sister, Hannah Wood (born 7th October 1983).

He was the first recipient of the NATO/ShoWest Young Star of the Year Award.

He heard about the Lord of the Rings trilogy while filming The Faculty (1998). Immediately, he realised this was the chance of a lifetime. Director George Huang, a personal friend of Wood's, filmed his audition tape for the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. He shot the scene from different angles which were cut together for the video. They sent the video off to New Zealand for director Peter Jackson and a few months later, he had landed the part.

Smashing Pumpkins is his favorite band.

He owns one of two prop rings used in "Lord of the Rings." The other went to Andy Serkis, who played Gollum.

He plays piano.

He became a child model when his mother wanted him to burn off excessive energy.

Two of his favorite books are "The Hobbit" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

Considers Frodo Baggins to be his best role to date.

He is the first member of the official "Lord of the Rings" fanclub.

In the original book "The Lord of the Rings," Frodo is 50 years old when he leaves Bag End, which makes him the oldest of the four lead hobbits. Elijah is actually the youngest of the four actors in the movie..

Each of the nine Fellowship members got the same tattoo: the number nine written in Elvish. Elijah's is on his pelvic bone on the right side.

Has a visible scar, under his eyebrow, which he aquired during the filming of Green Street (2005)

Favorite food is fried artichoke hearts dipped in ranch dressing. During the filming of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), he found a small restaurant that served him artichokes.

In 2005, started his own record label.

His favorite music groups include Smashing Pumpkins, The Stone Roses, The Beatles, The Sundays, Black Sabbath, Verbena and The Beach Boys.

Some of his favorite actresses are Liza Minnelli and Vanessa Redgrave.

Elijah is of English, German, Austrian, and Danish descent.

Personal Quotes

"I won't change and my perspective won't change. I want to continue my life the way I live it, and I'm not going to let anything stop me from doing that. It isn't all about acting. There's a lot more to life than Hollywood." [comment on celebrity]

I think being different, being against the grain of society, is the greatest thing in the world.

Tags: , , Posted Under Did you know on 06.4.2010

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