Actors: Here's why you need to move to Los Angeles!

Happy Monday!

I hope that you're all having a productive start to a life changing week. Sorry it's been a while since my last post! I've been attending talent showcases, agency meetings, casting calls, scouting, meetings, the works.  It's been a busy and lucrative Quarter 3 for my company.

I want to touch up on a severely redundant question that I receive on a weekly basis. That question is why I can't (or choose not to) represent actors who are not already living in Los Angeles.  The answer is quite simple -- the roles and connections are here.

Los Angeles is the mecca of television and film. It's where 98% of all industry professionals choose to reside. It's where you need to be if you desire to take your career to the next level.

With that being said, here are a list of common head bangers that I receive whenever I encourage an actor to make the move.

  1. I don't have to live in Los Angeles, I can travel back and forth for auditions.
    Here's why this doesn't work. Say you do succeed and pay for a flight to LA. (usually ranges between $300-500 round trip.) You get out here, you land a great audition, and then it's time to go home the very next day. What happens if you're called back by producers midst your way home? Can you just fly back on the drop of the dime? Absolutely not. Hollywood doesn't work that way. You'll end up spending thousands of dollars on frivolous traveling that could be used towards actually living here. Even so, Producers look for reliability in actors within the vicinity.

  2. I'll move to Los Angeles once you get me work there.
    This one really gets to me. How does that work? Am I suppose to create a hologram of you and present it to casting directors hoping they like you? Yeah, sure a self-tape is great. But eventually you're going to have to come to LA and read for the people to hire you. Until you're in the 1% of A-List actors, you're not known enough to carry that kind of power.

  3. I'll be in Los Angeles for a week, can we set a meeting to discuss management?
    If you're not moving to Los Angeles within a short amount of time after, then no. I can consult you. I can't manage you. If you're visiting LA, your time should be spent attending showcases, networking with professionals, and auditing classes. Management should not be discussed at such an early stage.

So what do I recommend for actors who are not yet ready to make that big move?  Train consistently and land as much work possible where you're at! If you need assistance, contact your local SAG-AFTRA office for the right professionals in your area. Save as much money as you can because Los Angeles is definitely an expensive investment in itself. Don't come to LA green -- know the industry you're looking to conquer.

Overall, you want to see if Los Angeles is really a good fit for you.  Some actors move here and they find out quickly that the market is so competitive, they can't handle it. I've personally had a few clients quit because of this. It's a tough business.

Above all, focus on achieving your dreams and if you market and brand yourself the right way -- your time in Los Angeles will be worth it.

With love,

Chris Giovanni xx
chrisgiovanni.com
twitter.com/chrisgiovannii
facebook.com/chrisgiovannii
instagram.com/chrisgiovannii

What Actors Say vs. What Managers Think!

Every day I decipher through hundreds of casting submissions looking for my next star. Some emails range from 10 seconds, others may take me 3 WEEKS to make a formal decision. I can tell when someone is serious about the business just from the email they send in.

The following are some of the common mistakes most aspiring talent make in their casting submissions. Take notes and implement these tips with your next email!

You say: "Hello, my name is (insert name here), I am a model, actor, dancer, singer, photographer, filmmaker, designer, and gymnast.

We Think: Good God. This applicant has no idea what they want to focus on career wise. Possible lack of time management skills? Too much going on!
Solution: When sending emails to managers and agents, be very concise. If you're looking for a theatrical acting agent -- LOCATE THEATRICAL agents. "Hello, my name is ______, and I'm an actor seeking theatrical representation." -- cut and clean.

You say: "I've been landing all of my work on my own without the help of a manager and/or agent."

We Think:  That's great! Did you make your bed by yourself too?
Solution: This sentence is literally the equivalent of a person saying "Well, I went to the gas station and filled my own tank!" You fill your tank to get from A to B. That's exactly what self-submitting is. You're submitting for roles to get experience and credits to advance your career! Eliminate this from all casting emails.

You say: "I've been scammed before and I hope this is legit."
We Think: This applicant is damaged goods. If they're already doubting us, what is going to happen when we ACTUALLY sign them? Are they not going to take my direction out of the fear of being scammed?
Solution: The industry can become a very shady playing field. Always remember that you are never required to pay anything upfront for representation. As managers, we invest in you. We don't make revenue until you make revenue. 

You say: "If you submit me to projects, I am open to traveling to Los Angeles."
We Think: There are thousands of Actors in Hollywood. 

Solution:  Unless you're a world renowned a-list actor or booking super consistently, no manager or agent is going to take that huge of an investment. Auditions can be very unpredictable. You may receive 2 days notice, or even 30 minutes. Callbacks may be a week later or the next day. The money being wasted to travel could be used towards actually LIVING in Los Angeles. If you don't have the funds to move to Los Angeles at the moment, focus on saving right now and doing small student films. Managers can see your persistence and appreciate it.

You say: "When I was born, I had 3 cats, 2 dogs, and 1 parrot. One was name Eric, One was name Mark, One was name...."

We Think:  Is this applicant looking for a manager, or a friend?
Solution:  Eliminate the life story and needless information. Managers have hundreds of submissions to get through and your story only take away from your talent. Get straight to the point and attach your casting material.

Here are various tips to make the best of your casting application:

  • Proof read your email and make sure your links are active. When you sign a contract with CGEM Talent, you become a direct representation of me and my organization. Evaluate your email before submitting. Make sure all of your links work! If your HTML links are invalid, I usually don't bother to ask you to resend.

  • Resize your pictures. Most agents and manager restrict submissions to a size of 2MB or smaller. Be prepared for emails to bounce back. Play it safe -- keep all photos between 800x1200 at most.

  • List notable references in your casting email. I'm not saying go on a name-dropping spree, but a few helpful references never hurt anyone!

  • Provide your FULL contact information! E-mails are great, but there are times I might need quick clarification with an applicant. List every possible way to communicate with you.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions!

How to get television network credits without a talent agent or manager?

in ,

Hello Actors!

We’re approaching the end of 2017 which marks the beginning of a very intense and busy season ahead of us. As many actors scramble to work with their reps in preparing for pilot season — there are twice as many who do not have any form of representation for guidance. So often, unrepresented actorsare met with a very common “roadblock” heard from most industry professionals:

“You need network credits and a competitive resume.”It’s almost become a catch 22 for actors. You “can’t” get network credits without having a talent agent or manager in Hollywood. Wrong. As a Hollywood Talent Manager, I’m going to provide you with tips of how you can DO the work and get booked.

Start building your connections. Hollywood is a very small community. Once you’re in, you will see the same faces over and over again. That person needs to be you. Attend every event that you possibly can. FREE SAG foundation events. Charities. Don’t just attend the events and sit in the back. Physically introduce yourself to that industry professional. Use call-to-action statements: “I look forward to working with you.” Etch your existence into the mind of that casting director or producer.

Engage on social media. Social media has definitely increased the amount of accessibility actors have with industry professionals. Take time to research and created a targeted list of industry professionals you’re looking to work with. Ask yourself key questions: Are they on instagram or twitter? What shows are they working on? Does this align with my vision as an actor? Most importantly: What is a common icebreaker that you share with that professional? Anyone that follows my social media knows that I’m a huge fan of Disneyland. Some actors have used that as a great topic of conversation to engage me with. That one conversation led to them being signed by me at CGEM Talent.

Think like a talent agent. Talent agents are very busy making sure that their clients are all prepared and ready for submission. It also helps to be SAG or at least SAG-E. Look at your material and ask others to help give you feedback, too. A successful actor has great headshots, solid acting clips, and also submission pitch notes that make them stand out. For example, if the role calls for an athlete — you go into detail. (5 years of College Basketball Experience, Starter, etc.)

Casting Directors respect those who can sell themselves professionally for the acting role. They may even keep you in mind for a future role that you DO NOT have access to!Be in the know of television projects being developed. In order to stay up to date, you must know which shows are being produced and when. Following entertainment sites such as The Hollywood Reporter, IMDB or Deadline will help you to keep track of what is current. This method will also help you to target casting directors and producers for relationships. Booking through relationships happen often in this town.

Warning: The following bonus tip is a secret which requires flawless execution after a fewnetwork credits. This is a method that can be used to help you get a theatrical agent. Please be cautious and selective as to who you do this with. Seek recommendations from industry professionals for stellar theatrical agents.

When an actor is ready to be booked by production, representation often receives what is called a “deal memo“. A deal memo is a summary of what the actor is to be paid, billed as, etc. If a talent does not have any form of representation, the deal or contract is sent to them directly. Build a personal relationship with a great theatrical agent and ask them to assist you with closing the deal. This should be a targeted talent agent on your list — someone you REALLY want to work with.

This next step is where YOU become the agent. It’s time to go in for the pitch:

“Hello,

My name is Chris Giovanni, I’m an actor located in Los Angeles.

We’ve maintained consistent communication over time and I’ve been really eager to work with you.

At this time, I currently have an offer for a (insert co/guest/etc.) star role and really need assistance in negotiating my deal. I would be honored if you can look at my resume and see if joining my team would be beneficial to you and your firm.

I look forward to working with you.”

As a talent manager, I’ve used this method multiple times in getting my clientssigned by theatrical agents. It works and provides an incentive for the agentto believe and work hard for the client from the beginning.

Pilot Season is coming and most of you are ready to hit the ground running. Use these tips at your discretion and change your life for 2018.

If you have any further questions, feel free to comment or email me personally (contact@chrisgiovanni.com)!

Thank you for reading!

Chris Giovanni, CGEM Talent

http://cgemtalent.com

http://instagram.com/chrisgiovannii

http://twitter.com/chrisgiovannii