Struggling Actors: 3 Techniques to Start Booking Roles

As an actor, you agree that auditioning (either in person or via self-tape) and booking roles is both the most exhilarating yet hardest part of the job.

    As an undergraduate student at Northwestern University studying Musical Theatre and Film, along with working in the entertainment industry for six years, I have found two articles that are both insightful and motivational for your next audition. 

         In the article entitled “1 Distraction You Need to Avoid When Auditioning” (include a link to the article) published in Backstage by Natalie Roy, mentor and audition coach Roy describes the idea of avoiding self-judgement and trying to predict what the casting directors are thinking about you in favor or choosing to engage fully with the material and “play” in the room. One must avoid criticizing an audition in order to live fully in the moment and become the character in question. 

Source: La La Land “Audition Trailer” from We Got This Covered
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PyZBPEobFI

    This jovial perspective from Roy creates the question: but how can you be sure that you prepare and “play” the material in the way the writers intended? After all, having a joyous and exuberant mindset is only as valued as answering the needs of those sitting behind the table. 

    This is when an article entitled “The 1 Thing You Should Know Before Auditioning for TV” (include a link to the article) published in Backstage by Michelle Danner, becomes extremely helpful. Danner, a director and audition coach, claims that: “[y]ou can be the best actor in the world and bring truth to the scene you’re performing in an audition, but if you don’t understand the material you’re playing and if you don’t enter the specific world the story is set in, you’ll be at a loss and do yourself a disservice.”

     Danner goes into detail about how larger categories, such as “Medical Dramas” can be broken down into specific themes: such as “Grey’s Anatomy” dealing with both rare cases and light-hearted romantic relationships, while “ER” deals with straight, heightened drama without the same joking nature. Understanding these differences are crucial, in order to fit in the overarching arc and theme of the show and to ultimately book the role. 

   














 

Source: Grey’s Anatomy… from ABC News
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/video/greys-anatomy-cast-reflect-shows-iconic-love-stories-61398257  


 Based on my review of these two articles and my experience as an actor, casting director, and producer, I have developed three recommendations when thinking about booking roles directly from your audition. They are:

1.     Focus on You – it’s impossible to know what the casting directors are thinking, so it’s better to give it your all and live in the moment.
2.     Style and Tone – know and understand the material given to you for the audition, so that you can deliver it appropriately in the vein of current episodes.
3.     Come to Play – know your material well enough that you can adapt to notes and/or scene partners, don’t memorize it to the point of being stuck in your ways.
 
        This combination of being both free in the moment and expressing yourself while understanding the material’s overarching themes can be applied in both an in-person audition or via self-tape. And as the entertainment industry becomes more digital and more actors are becoming bi-costal and local hires across the country, it becomes even more important to produce a high-quality self-tape to match your level of acting ability. 

        Several materials have the ability to transform your audition. They are:

§  A portable blue Backdrop:

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§  A tripod with a Blutetooth remote to hold your phone while filming: 

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§  Lighting to mimic on-set angles:

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·       or, if you want to combine a phone tripod and lighting: 

·       
 

    So the next time you receive an audition notice, remember to bring your full self to the scene and focus on your work, not the thoughts of those watching you. Research the scene and show in order to understand the material, tone, and themes. And bring a child-like openness and energy to the room that is open to adjustments and willing to play. And if someone asks for a self-tape, know that the quality (and the acting) will impress every viewer. 

About the Author: Alison is a 22-year-old theatre and film actress taking the industry by storm in Chicago, New York, and LA. Known for her witty humor and vivid facial expressions, she is about to begin her senior year at Northwestern University, where she is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre, a Musical Theatre Certificate, Marketing Certificate, and Minor in Film and Media. When she is not in the classroom, she is auditioning for agents in several cities, working downtown Chicago, and keeping up a blog and YouTube channel. 

 My interview with Authority Magazine is out now! 

Follow me on Twitter: @alisonvandam 

Follow me on Instagram: @thatgirlalisonn

Agency Employees: Three Factors to Consider for Choosing A Programmatic Platform

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As a marketer, you know how programmatic advertising can increase profitability for your clients. As an IMC Masters candidate with interest in programmatic marketing, I have found two great articles that can help you pick the programmatic platform that is best for your agency.

Article 1: Makad, Sam. “8 Things To Consider Before Choosing a Best Programmatic Advertising Platform." The Next Scoop.

      In this first article, Sam Makad discusses the factors that he feels are important to consider before choosing a programmatic advertising platform. Makad highlights the benefits of programmatic tools, such as automatizing bidding, buying, and placement of digital ads. The article emphasizes the importance of transparency. Bot traffic is an issue for some programmatic platforms; thus, it is important to ensure that your advertisements are receiving authentic impressions. Makad continues by stating the underrated importance of a strong technical support staff. Much of the technology surrounding programmatic marketing is new, so technical support needs are often times abundant. It is important to ensure that your programmatic platform will have a reachable support staff so that you can best utilize the platform’s capabilities.

  https://frank.ai/how-to-do-programmatic-marketing/

Article 2: Deshpande, Indrajeet. “Top 5 Programmatic Advertising Platforms for 2020 and Beyond.” Martech Advisor.

The second article moves into specific platforms and their capabilities, tying important concepts into practice. In specific, Deshpande discusses his top five picks for programmatic platforms right now: SmartyAds, TubeMogul, Simpli.fi, MediaMath, and PubMatic. In the article, Deshpande breaks down the specific advantages for each platform. He highlights SmartyAds’ versatility, with display, in-app, video, and native capabilities across desktop and mobile devices. He acknowledges TubeMogul as a platform with great TV capabilities that compensates advertisers for fraudulent traffic. Deshpande points out Simpli.fi’s capabilities to import CRM data that’ll enhance audience targeting and MediaMath’s omnichannel end-to-end capabilities. Finally, he declares PubMatic as his favorite platform that offers solutions for both brands and publishers.

Based on my analysis of these two articles and my expertise as an IMC student, I have three recommendations to consider when picking the programmatic platform that best fits your agency and its clients’ needs.

•         Capabilities Drive Success - Determine which programmatic advertising platforms have the most features that are relevant to you and your clients.

•      Ensure It’s Affordable - Figure out which platform is most affordable for your company.

•         Integrate Social Capabilities - Recognize which programmatic advertising platforms have capabilities compatible with the social networks which you advertise on.

By following these action items, you will be able to choose a programmatic marketing platform that best matches the needs of your agency and clients. Following these action items will ensure that you choose a programmatic platform that is easy to use and drives profits.

About The Author:

     

Lukas Stachtiaris

Candidate in Northwestern University's IMC Masters Program

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Marketing Execs: 3 Recommendations for the Crossroads Between AI Deployment and Traditional Business

AI is one of the biggest new trends in marketing and has allowed for unprecedented success in both small and large businesses. As a junior integrated marketing and communications student at Northwestern University the importance of this technology on the future of marketing is clear. Today we will look at two articles showing the importance of AI and how it is one of the most important developing technologies.

Roberta Kwok of Nature.com In her article, Junior AI Researchers are in Demand by Universities and Industry, points out how industries are beginning to emphasize the importance of AI technology. Over the past year doctoral graduates who have added AI expertise to their Linkedin has increased by a staggering 66%. This shows just how important understanding AI is to the modern business landscape. The article then profiles professionals who make it very clear that everyone should do what they can to be mentored in the future of AI technology.

https://www.p3multisolutions.com/digital-marketing-platform-is-now-transformed-by-a-i/

David Roe of  CMS Wire emphasizes the importance of human capital when deploying AI for a business in his article, AI Deployment Depends On Human Skill Too. The article also makes note of the importance of people to use AI morally and encourages that to be at the forefront of AI thought. This is a very human perspective and requires real people to think about when and how it is ethical and moral to use AI in business. The article concludes by describing real human skills, such as Understanding peoples strengths, to be able to more successfully deploy AI.  

Based upon my understanding of the two articles and what i have learned through IMC at Northwestern I recommend these 3 actions to ensure you are making the most out of the potential AI can bring.  

• AI is Revolutionary -  AI is rapidly expanding so new AI trends can revolutionize a company and grow its profits immensely.

• Stay Cutting Edge - Keep up with the cutting edge of technological development as it can give you that edge in business.

• AI is people driven - With all the technology that is being emphasized remember that real people are at the heart of any business.

The next time you are looking at revising your market strategies, think about how better integrating AI can allow more efficient business functions.  

My name is Jesse Meyler and I am a junior at Northwestern University studying Psychology with a minor in International Studies and pursuing an Integrated Marketing and Communications Certificate. I am a member of the football program at northwestern which has allowed me to explore my passion through marketing within the athletic space. However, I am looking to branch out and pursue different marketing areas in my future career. You can contact me through Twitter or Linkedin.

IoT Device Owners: 3 Must-Do’s to Protect Your Privacy

Almost every new device or appliance on the market today connects to the internet.  While these devices can make our lives much easier, they also collect huge amounts of private, sometimes-sensitive data and expose us to cyber attacks.  As a consumer of such devices and a digital marketing student at Northwestern University’s Medill IMC program, I have found two articles that will inform you how to protect your household in the IoT age.

In an article from McAfee titled 5 Tips to Protect Your IoT Devices, consumer security expert Gary Davis outlines five of the most important steps tech consumers should take to ensure their safety.  Davis goes into detail about the definition of IoT devices, explaining what differentiates them from normal devices – the fact that their main purpose is to perform offline tasks.  He then explains some of the history behind IoT security breaches, namely the Mirai attack of 2016.  With the context of cyber attacks being on the rise, Davis finally delves into his list of tips.

In a very similar article on the Hubspot blog, titled IoT Security: Why Experts Are Scared -- And What You Can Do to Protect Yourself, staff writer Clifford Chi provides his perspective on the current state of security in IoT.  Chi does a great job of providing real-life examples of how we use IoT everyday, but he also utilizes some eye-catching statistics.  For example, IoT has made it possible for our refrigerators to order milk for us, but the criminal IoT compromises have also increased by 600% this year.  Chi then looks to the future to predict some future risks and suggest ways in which companies could improve their security.  This article, just like the previous one, ends with a list of recommended action items for IoT users.

After reading these articles and with my experience from Northwestern, I have decided on the three most important takeaways for IoT device owners.

·      Know Vendors’ Motivations - When you buy a device, consider who is making the product and what they intend to gain from you using it.  Some companies will overlook your personal security if it means they can profit off of your data.

·      Diversify Your Passwords - It’s the oldest tip in the book, but having matching usernames and passwords on all IoT devices can leave you susceptible.

·      Separate Your Networks - It is safest to separate your personal, work, and device networks.

As you're using your IoT devices, think about these tips to ensure no personal data is leaked.

Oliver Hodgetts is a senior at Northwestern University studying economics, marketing, and history.  He enjoys following trends in technology and plans to work as a consultant in Chicago after graduation.

You can connect with Oliver on Twitter or LinkedIn.