We've all heard it. Success as an actor is all about who you know. We tend to think that means unless Steven Spielberg is our uncle, we're screwed. Happily, we're wrong :)
Here's what it really means - your acting career depends on your relationships. You already know (I hope) that the notion of being 'discovered' is a fantasy. But so is the notion of being called in by a casting director you've never met for a great big role that opens the door to fame and fortune. The reality is that a career is built role by role over time, and the vast majority of those roles will be the result of opportunities you get through people who have known you and your work for years.
Which brings us to where we left off last week… You're ready to do one thing every day for your career that connects you to a person who can bring you closer to your goals, and you know what those things are and which you can do without anyone else's cooperation. So now you need to know whom you're supposed to be sending all these things to! The answer comes in three parts:
- Targets
These are people you haven't met yet who qualify as 'a person who can bring you closer to your goals.' This list is really important, because most actors feel like they need to know everyone - and that's just not possible. But it IS possible to know everyone who, say, casts premium cable dramas, or represents network sitcom series regulars. So your Target list comes from translating your specific goals into a list of people who can help you get there. Another way of saying it is that Targets are people you want to turn into Contacts. Which brings us to...
- Contacts.
These are people you already know. And by 'know,' I mean they've met you or seen your work in person. It could have been at an audition, a workshop, a class, a party, or the grocery store. It doesn't matter if it was 10 years ago, it doesn't matter if they remember… The point is, you could send them something that says 'we met at x' and you'd be telling the truth. The first meeting is the hardest part of a relationship, so you need every Contact you've got. Be lenient when deciding who counts as a Contact!
- Fans
These are like SuperContacts. Fans are people who - if you called and said 'Hi, it's Rebecca Metz' would say 'Hi Rebecca! It's so good to hear from you!' Fans are priceless, because not only will they think of you over and over again for work you're right for, but they can be great sounding boards when you have questions about classes, projects, representation, and all kinds of things. (For example, say you're looking for an agent, and you've researched your way to a list of 10 possibilities. Take the list to a Fan and ask whether they think each agency is a good fit for you, whether there are particular agents they like there, etc. You'll get invaluable insight, and they might even offer to give you a referral.)
The simplest explanation of a professional actor's job is to move people from 'Target' to 'Contact' to 'Fan.' How? By doing one thing every day for your career that connects you to someone on one of those lists.
You may have noticed that at no point have I mentioned being, you know, a good actor. So let me say it loud and proud - YOU HAVE TO BE A GOOD ACTOR. But if you want to be a professional actor, being good comes second, because they can't hire you until they know you; And it is your job - not your agent's or manager's - to make that happen.
So here's your homework… Build your lists. Write down the industry people who know and love you - your Fans. (It's ok if this list is currently short-to-nonexistent.) Find all of those notebooks and emails and scraps of paper from past auditions and parties and workshops, and figure out who you already know - your Contacts. Then do some research to figure out who *should* be on those lists in order to get you where you want to go - your Targets. Sound doable? It is. So go do it!