Bitter Bloggings from an Optimistic Actress: AWARD WINNING ACTOR
First of all, due to some feedback I have come up with a brilliant name for these posts about acting. If you want to hear about happy things that happen on set, please check out Confessions of a G-List Actress. Otherwise, welcome to Bitter Bloggings from an Optimistic Actress.
Hello all you actors. A little truth for your ear, eye and mind. Stop, collaborate and listen.
Recently, I helped with the casting process of a small short film. Partly this is in prep for auditioning folks for a few films I intend to try to fund and distribute. We got hundreds of submissions. Some great, some not so great. What became a theme, specifically with the less professional actors, was the term "AWARD WINNING ACTOR" or "AWARD WINNING ACTRESS" with one or more exclamation points after it. I think the number topped out at 8!!!!!!!! As we all know the louder and more vehemently you exclaim other people know you are a great actor the truer your talent, right? This means you can charge more, right? WRONG-O!
I kid you not we had actors claiming to have won Emmys, Obies, 48 hour film awards. It was insane.
We'll get back to this story momentarily.
Several times I have heard or seen these exclamations of these same actresses and actors talking about how they got asked for fan mail from a stranger. Lets be honest. If you haven't been paid more than $1,000 a day for a part these are likely a scam or something more dangerous.
Yes I too have been asked for autographs by random gentlemen, other story entirely.
If you have ever been to my website I do not list award winning actor. This must be because I haven't won anything yet. On the contrary. I have had my fair share of acclaim. My awards can be viewed on my webpage via twitter with a link to the article involved with said award. Why don't I tout my fame to the rafters? Because it has no bearing on my ability to bring a tear to the eye or a laugh from the belly. An award does not make the actor, and any actor who thinks a casting director is swayed by some of the piddling awards that were posted on home pages, has another thing coming.
In response to this I have talked to several casting directors, actors and agents asking when the term award winning should be used. The vast majority said there really was no time to even mention AWARD WINNING ACTOR. Most CD's find it pretentious, agents have no use for it unless you win something BIG, and directors know well enough that festivals can be highly political. A small group thought mentioning it under your resume or on twitter was fine. The less you have to toot your own horn, the better. From what I have gathered you can mention awards in a separate place on your website. So, who just took AWARD WINNING ACTOR off their website homepage because they won it at their local 48? National and international are okay to mention, but other than that, keep it small. The more they have to find out, the more interested they are.
Tell the Truth
Sadly there are people who think fudging their resume will make them more appealing. The six degrees of separation moves down to around three degrees or less in the acting world. Never claim to have won anything unless you actually have won said award.
Be Honest With Others
Okay, you have awards. Don't just type AWARD WINNING ACTOR on your IMDB like you've earned it. If you mention that in enough bold there might be a director who says, which award did you win? The next words out of your mouth had better be both impressive and true. And winning an award named after a guy named Oscar doesn't mean you won an academy award. Nor does buying one from the local shop.
Be Honest With Yourself
Yay! You got an award. While every award is a great honor, you have to know how to properly gauge what is worth mentioning. Best actor at an obscure lesbian film festival where they show maybe twenty films and you were one of only two males in the festival is not really worth noting in bold print on the front of your website. Especially if you choose to simply put award winning actor. So you won best scream at your local 72 hour horror film festival. Big Deal. It's not even worth the five minutes it will take to put it on facebook, twitter, and your website. It won't win any points with any casting director who will get you in a movie guaranteed to get you on that Academy Stage. It won't get you any clout with that equity house in New York. Any director who responds to Best Actor-Fancy Dance Film Festival Middle of Nowhere, Alaska is probably not likely to get you anything that will actually advance your career. Nor is that most improved award you won in your acting class from your teacher you are paying $500 a month to get more work.
Also, and I am annoyed I even have to mention this, if you were in a film that won an award, this does not mean you won the award. Being an extra in Silver Lining's Playbook does not mean you were nominated for an Oscar or Won a BAFTA.
Back to my story, after several weeks of weeding through actors resumes, reels, and headshots all parts were cast. You want to know among those claim to be award winning actors? None. He actually started pitching anyone who said AWARD WINNING ACTOR on their site homepage because, to be honest, they seemed to be the less talented and capable. I suppose they were too busy celebrating their awards to bother learning how to act.
I know several women who claim best actress awards and they were in a festival where they were the only woman. Be careful throwing AWARD WINNING around. It can make you more trouble than you're worth.
Hello all you actors. A little truth for your ear, eye and mind. Stop, collaborate and listen.
Recently, I helped with the casting process of a small short film. Partly this is in prep for auditioning folks for a few films I intend to try to fund and distribute. We got hundreds of submissions. Some great, some not so great. What became a theme, specifically with the less professional actors, was the term "AWARD WINNING ACTOR" or "AWARD WINNING ACTRESS" with one or more exclamation points after it. I think the number topped out at 8!!!!!!!! As we all know the louder and more vehemently you exclaim other people know you are a great actor the truer your talent, right? This means you can charge more, right? WRONG-O!
I kid you not we had actors claiming to have won Emmys, Obies, 48 hour film awards. It was insane.
We'll get back to this story momentarily.
Several times I have heard or seen these exclamations of these same actresses and actors talking about how they got asked for fan mail from a stranger. Lets be honest. If you haven't been paid more than $1,000 a day for a part these are likely a scam or something more dangerous.
Yes I too have been asked for autographs by random gentlemen, other story entirely.
In response to this I have talked to several casting directors, actors and agents asking when the term award winning should be used. The vast majority said there really was no time to even mention AWARD WINNING ACTOR. Most CD's find it pretentious, agents have no use for it unless you win something BIG, and directors know well enough that festivals can be highly political. A small group thought mentioning it under your resume or on twitter was fine. The less you have to toot your own horn, the better. From what I have gathered you can mention awards in a separate place on your website. So, who just took AWARD WINNING ACTOR off their website homepage because they won it at their local 48? National and international are okay to mention, but other than that, keep it small. The more they have to find out, the more interested they are.
Tell the Truth
Sadly there are people who think fudging their resume will make them more appealing. The six degrees of separation moves down to around three degrees or less in the acting world. Never claim to have won anything unless you actually have won said award.
Be Honest With Others
Okay, you have awards. Don't just type AWARD WINNING ACTOR on your IMDB like you've earned it. If you mention that in enough bold there might be a director who says, which award did you win? The next words out of your mouth had better be both impressive and true. And winning an award named after a guy named Oscar doesn't mean you won an academy award. Nor does buying one from the local shop.
Be Honest With Yourself
Yay! You got an award. While every award is a great honor, you have to know how to properly gauge what is worth mentioning. Best actor at an obscure lesbian film festival where they show maybe twenty films and you were one of only two males in the festival is not really worth noting in bold print on the front of your website. Especially if you choose to simply put award winning actor. So you won best scream at your local 72 hour horror film festival. Big Deal. It's not even worth the five minutes it will take to put it on facebook, twitter, and your website. It won't win any points with any casting director who will get you in a movie guaranteed to get you on that Academy Stage. It won't get you any clout with that equity house in New York. Any director who responds to Best Actor-Fancy Dance Film Festival Middle of Nowhere, Alaska is probably not likely to get you anything that will actually advance your career. Nor is that most improved award you won in your acting class from your teacher you are paying $500 a month to get more work.
Also, and I am annoyed I even have to mention this, if you were in a film that won an award, this does not mean you won the award. Being an extra in Silver Lining's Playbook does not mean you were nominated for an Oscar or Won a BAFTA.
Back to my story, after several weeks of weeding through actors resumes, reels, and headshots all parts were cast. You want to know among those claim to be award winning actors? None. He actually started pitching anyone who said AWARD WINNING ACTOR on their site homepage because, to be honest, they seemed to be the less talented and capable. I suppose they were too busy celebrating their awards to bother learning how to act.
I know several women who claim best actress awards and they were in a festival where they were the only woman. Be careful throwing AWARD WINNING around. It can make you more trouble than you're worth.
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