Tech Tips as a Resource for Actors
Your talent agent sends you a text message on your cell phone. You read it and call her back. She wants you to meet a casting director on Thursday at 11 a.m. for an acting job. So you check the datebook on your Palm Pilot, see that you're free, and record the details of the appointment. At the same time, your talent agent sends the casting director a link to your website. When he has a moment, the casting director visits the site and browses through your four headshots, resume, and even watches both of your video reels. Finally, he reads some of your blog entries, and discovers your wry sense of humor will fit perfectly with the character he's seeking to fill for this particular acting job.
A fantasy? Not really. (Except, perhaps, for the blog part.) Let's face it: We're attached to more technology than anyone could have imagined five years ago. But what do you actually need as a resource for actors?
You want that acting job, so let's assess a few basics. A cell phone is a necessity, but choose your plan carefully. One that costs $70 a month for 800 minutes adds up to $840 a year, not including fees and taxes (or the cost of the camera phone), which could add another $100. That's nearly a thousand dollars. That's the cost of a good acting class, 18-20 really nice meals, or half a month's rent in Manhattan.
You can save money by limiting your minutes, buying local instead of national services, and choosing a basic receiver instead of one with color screens and a digital camera. If you're just starting out, see whether your folks will put you on a family plan. Some companies offer a large number of minutes each month to split among three or four phones. If Mom and Dad use it mostly for emergencies, you and your sibling can split the other 498 minutes per month. Otherwise, consider a longer-term (say, three-year) plan that offers a reasonable number of minutes and a free phone.
Next, email is essential. If you have a desk job, however, there's no need to pay for an ISP. Simply set up a free account offered by websites like Yahoo! or Gmail. While a Palm Pilot would be nice, consider using with a paper planner until you get that first nice check, then buy yourself a PDA as a gift. (Plus, you don't have to get a $300 model — the $99 one does much the same job.)
Finally, a computer makes an excellent resource for actors. If you need an upgrade, look for a basic laptop with a wireless card. That will let you take advantage of the free or low-cost "hot spots" in many cafes and coffee bars. And many new computers, both Mac and PC, include free rudimentary audio- and video-editing programs. (Or you can download them from websites like www.download.com.) If you have enough memory, you might even be able to create or edit your own reels.
So, put these tech tips together and get as much as you can to help your resource as an actor so you can find a great talent agent or read about a casting director, find photographers, auditions, open calls and get that acting job - all from the comfort of your own home or nearest coffee shop!
LINKS
Promoting Yourself on Video, CD & the Internet
Self-promotion must be as ever — present in the actor's mind as learning monologues, taking classes, and auditioning smartly and often.
Site Scene
Is your own website a necessary tool?
Turning Negatives Into Positives
Before DV and HD exploded onto the scene, independent filmmakers had few choices when it came to shooting and finishing their final creations.
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