Would a call from Martin Scorsese make a good "stocking stuffer?"
Would having even just a few minutes on the phone with someone as accomplished as he is do anything for your career?
This time last year, that’s exactly what happened to a member of our Boost My Star tribe.
By doing what I’m about to share with you in a moment, she was able to get in touch with her idol, someone she would never be able to reach by “conventional” means.
See, if you’ve been around BMS for any length of time, you know that there’s something we believe in deeply: if you do what everyone else does, you end up where everyone else does.
And, that’s not somewhere you want to be, given that most actors are on their way out of the industry long before they even realize it.
Most actors never end up accomplishing what they set out to do in the industry or even get anywhere close to it.
That’s why it’s important to carve your own trail and do the things that no one else will do.
Fair warning, what I’m about to share with you is one of the most effective things you can do to move your acting career forward quickly.
So, if acting is more of a hobby for you, you should probably click off this page here.
But, if you truly want to be a professional, full time actor then this could truly be a game changer for you...
What I’m referring to is something you’ve heard me talk about before, but recently members of our Boost My Star tribe have put their own spin on it and have made it even more effective.
I’m talking about the Holiday Demonstration of Power Pack.
In case this is the first that you’ve heard about it, the Demonstration of Power Pack does exactly what it says: it shows your “power” (talent) to Casting Directors and industry decision makers. It’s what industry powerhouses like WME use to launch talent quickly.
What we’re talking about today is specifically the Holiday Edition, which is even more effective.
More on this in a sec...
The idea behind this is to combine a grand, attention grabbing gesture with the materials that display your talent.
Typically that comes in the form of a reel, headshot, and resume, but during the holiday season you have a lot more latitude.
Even during these “unusual” times, people are a lot more open and a lot more receptive.
First, come up with a list of people that you would like to get in touch with. Don’t be afraid to aim high.
You will see why in a moment...
While, you can send as many of these as you want, focus on the quality of the delivery versus the quantity.
For example, let’s say that you are trying to connect with a casting director that is in charge of booking for a project you really want to be a part of.
What most actors would do is tell their agent about it, and sit on their hands while their agent tries to get them an audition. Most of the time, they are unable to get the audition and that’s where it ends.
That’s where the Demonstration of Power Pack comes into play.
What if, instead of leaving it to chance, you were to do a Poinsettia drop off at the casting office, addressed to the Casting Director.
This is what makes the Holiday Edition so much more effective. Who says no to that?
Nobody! Regardless of who the sender is, no one is going to turn away a Poinsettia delivery around the holidays.
Instead of simply sending the flowers with a note, you deliver them yourself (perhaps with the help of a couple friends).
Remember, the gesture has to be a grand one so don’t deliver just one. Deliver a small forest of Poinsettias.
They’re festive, long lasting, and pretty inexpensive so delivering a dozen or more is very doable.
It would also help if you and your helpers were in festive attire.
An actor did just this, and along with the Poinsettias, they announced that they were there to deliver a “Holiday-gram” to the CD.
She eagerly came to accept the delivery and loved the silly song and dance.
At the end of it, when the entire office was in great spirits, laughing, and joking around, the actor introduced herself and told the CD that she was an actor hoping to read for the project, and handed the CD her materials.
She then respectfully told the CD that she wished her a happy holiday season, regardless of whether she had the opportunity to read or not.
Long story short, she got a call a few days later asking her to come back in and read for the project.
The holiday spirit allows you to have a lot of latitude, because people are a lot more open than at any other time of the year.
Even during these unusual times, you can still get creative with this and pull it off. Don't let it be an excuse. Let this be an opportunity to flex your creative muscle.
If you can't get in the building, what's to stop you from performing on the sidewalk outside their office and leaving the Poinsettias at the door?
People feel special when they receive something around the holidays and that hasn’t changed.
CDs will typically get holiday cards from colleagues but they are completely looked over by talent.
So, anything from you will immediately stand out.
If you are reaching way high and trying to connect with an A Lister, things change a bit.
Because they carry influence in the industry, they are remembered by everybody, so they get a ton of stuff.
What typically happens is that the A lister will task an assistant with going through everything, sending out thank you cards, and the assistant then gets to take everything home.
However, for the really important or unique items, they put together a list of phone calls to be made.
I've heard from several actors who've received phone calls from industry people they idolize.
Some were out of curiosity, others were a genuine thank you and nothing more.
Still, a few of them were an inroad to cultivating a relationship.
It may sound like a lot of effort to go through but what would you give to get even a few minutes on the phone with someone like Martin Scorsese?
What would it mean to your career if you had a couple minutes with the head of casting for a project you would love to be a part?
Stuff like this is what sets successful actors apart from everyone else. They don’t succeed in the industry because they are the most talented actors around.
They make it because they are willing to go against the grain and do what everyone else is unwilling to do.
The caveat is that, when you do something like The Demonstration of Power Pack, or even if you do something more traditional like a mail out, your phone will only ring if you have some kind of industry reputation.
Most actors think their body of work will suffice, but unless you have an extensive and impressive body of work, that won't be the case.
I get emails everyday from actors that have tons of credits, but they are struggling to make meaningful career progress and get to the next level.
If you build a reputation that is full of credits for your work as an extra and one liners, that’s where you are destined to stay, unless you start adding credits with more screen time, in more successful productions.
However, if you build an industry reputation that puts you on par with leading actors it can take the place of having an extensive body of work.
That’s where most actors go wrong. They take the long, hard road. Avoid their mistakes and do this instead.
Everyone loves to talk about social media and a thousand other things that, even though they may be important and useful now, will change over time.
Something that won’t change is that the industry has always been and will always be about relationships.
Industry professionals will only want to work with other industry professionals, not someone who does this as a hobby. They won’t invest time or effort into forging a connection with someone who may not be as serious about their careers as they are.
This is how you can show industry decision makers you are the real deal.
We always aim to finish the year strong, so we’ll be going much further into this and much more over the coming weeks.
Honestly, the entire year leads up to this, so don’t let this time of year pass by without making some kind of career progress.
Start with what I shared with you here.
Come up with a list of people you want to connect with and start brainstorming your grand gestures.
Have fun with it, get creative and let me know what you have in store. If you want to bounce ideas about this or anything else, remember I’m always only a comment or an email away.
I’m happy to help however I can, because I truly want to...
See you at the top,
Scott