“If you want to make movies kid, you first have to go just a little bit insane…then you go a lot insane…” Those words were uttered (slurred a bit) by a 9 am whiskey, trodden director on the set of one of my first indie films and it has been one of the most useful industry insights I’ve ever received. 

It’s crazy how inspiration and insight come from the oddest of places sometimes. Some people call it grace, others coincidence, I like to think of it as synchronicity: the universe aligning itself to fit your desires by placing events, circumstance, and people in your path at the time you need them. 

There I was sitting on a rock in the middle of a field covered in food dye (ultra-low budget stage blood) and wondering what I was thinking when I took the gig. It was 2 hours after call time and the director was nowhere to be found. This is especially problematic on an indie set where the director is also the AD, cinematographer, writer, producer, special effects, 2nd lead, and everything else on set! 

I wanted the credit on my resume but after a few days of putting up with this guy, I wondered if the movie would ever be finished. 

Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? 

So, it started just like any other day off. I was wandering the streets of NYC and wound up in Central Park. It was a beautiful day and tons of people were coming and going in every direction. That’s one of the greatest things about the city: the energy (cliché but true). 

To preface this story, I want to first state that I’m a big believer in synchronicity. I believe I found myself in exactly the place I was supposed to be at exactly the time I was supposed to be there. Trusting in synchronicity means that I also trust my gut instincts without question, almost always. 

So when I walked by what would, to every “normal person” in the world, seem like a private conversation, I trusted my gut when I felt I needed to lend an inconspicuous ear. 

Call me crazy (I may not disagree with you LOL)! 

I took a seat next to that young couple and innocently eavesdropped on something that changed my worldview. After listening to her boyfriend complain about not being cast in yet another production, this wise young lady snapped and said

Dear grasshopper, 

I told you about Weinstein months ago… 

Not directly, but his downfall is part of a much larger event. At the dawn of ScottyLeaks, I exposed the Hollywood Cabal. What you see happening is a symptom of a much larger, systemic issue. 

Look at it this way. The allegations against him, were proven multiple times beginning decades ago. It was an open secret in the industry. Which begs the question: why now? 

When he was untouchable for so long, why did Weinstein fall so suddenly? 

Complacency has killed more careers than anything else on the face of the planet. Think about it… 

You start working a few days a week, and all of a sudden, you’re working more than you have in your life. Where do you go from there? Do you keep pushing for bigger and better things? 

Probably not. I know, I can hear you mentally screaming the opposite but stick with me for a sec. 

When you start working more than you ever have before, a couple of things happen: you are now busier than ever before, this leaves less time to work on your career, and you have already shattered a glass ceiling. 

What now? 

It was 1955. Two eager, ambitious psychologists sat in a poorly lit and by their own account, creepy, office at UCLA. They were working on what might be the biggest help to your acting career. 

It happened largely by accident. They didn’t set out to create this for actors. They intended to create a model that would make it easier to decipher group dynamics and interpersonal relationships. 

It’s called The Johari Window. 

Chances are that you have never heard of this concept, grasshopper, and you have certainly never heard about in this way. We’ll come back to the Johari window in a moment. 

First, we have to go discuss the job of an actor… 

How do you feel today grasshopper? 

Seriously, how is your day going? The way you answer that question speaks volumes. More on that in a bit… 

We’re living in interesting times. That may just be the understatement of the day. LOL 

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, by now you know that the Kardashian clan is growing. That’s right Khloe is pregnant! Relax, this isn’t TMZ, so we won’t be breaking out the Big Book of Baby Names and thumbing to the letter K. 

There are more important things afoot. 

If you’ve been around Boost My Star for any length of time, you already know that I like to keep negativity as far away as possible. The news app on my iPhone has finally had it catch up to me though! 

(Side note: if you know how to block CNN, FOX, etc. on the app, let me know in the comments below PLEASE!) 

“Rocket Man” is everywhere these days, isn’t he? Far be from it to try and dissect international politics. I have absolutely no interest in doing that, but in my recent news binge I noticed something fascinating. 

If you have a trained eye, you may have noticed it too… 

The people that grab headlines most often are inherently skilled in “Media Optics.” If you think that this has nothing to do with you and your career, guess again. 

Think of it on a different scale. 

Whatever happened to the values of the industry? Whatever happened to the fairness and equality? Instead of spreading love we’re spreading animosity. 

It’s leading us away from unity. It’s feeling like I’m walking on the boulevard of broken dreams. 

There comes a time when we must heed a certain call. When the world comes together as one. We are the industry… 

If this release offends you grasshopper, it’s probably because you know that you’re doing the things I’m describing. 

For most of our careers, we actors tend to operate as a warm body, with the ability to memorize a few lines, for hire. We hang out our “actor’s shingle” and go out hat in hand hoping that someone, somewhere will be so kind as to bestow a role on us. 

Anything will do: one liners, cat food commercials, “you name it, I can do it!” That’s the starving actor’s motto… 

And therein lies the problem! I don’t have to tell you that actors are in one of the most competitive industries in the world. We don’t have the luxury of playing supply or demand, or do we? 

I want to talk about someone that was able to exert total control over the marketplace and force it to bend to his will.