Hi everyone,
I am doing a segment on my radio show tonight that gives tips on how to create a successful career as an actor/performer. I would like to know in your opinion what are the 10 dumbest mistakes performers make in their careers. I have a few of my own but I would like to hear the opinions of others.

Also check out some of my shows at: www.blogtalkradio.com/the-verb

In no particular order:

1. Do extra work in hopes of getting "discovered." You won't!

2. Show up on time. In this business, on time is late and EARLY IS ON TIME!

3. Take classes or hire a photographer based solely on name/"Guru" status. What might be awesome for some might not be for you. You need to audit/meet before making a smart decision.

4. Shake a casting director's hand when he or she does not offer it first. CDs meet so many people and the last thing they want to catch is a cold.

5. Not reading the contract. Too many actors don't read their GSAs, SAG Contracts, etc. carefully and start complaining and can't get out of their contract because they weren't smart about it.

6. Joining a union right away, especially when getting lucky with SAG vouchers. I see too many beginning actors make this mistake. As soon as they get their 3rd SAG voucher they join SAG right away and now lock them out of a lot of opportunities to build their resume and reel with non-union indie/student films. They also are unable to compete with the people who EARNED their SAG card. ONLY join when you HAVE TO!

7. Quitting their job thinking that the huge amount of money they've saved up will support their acting career. That money will run out faster than you know it. Acting is a full time thing and if you plan on seriously pursuing it, you need a FLEXIBLE survival job(s) or a business that can support your acting career. 9-5 jobs are more difficult to do with acting.

8. Not having a headshot and resume available. ALWAYS keep spare headshots, cut to fit updated resumes, and a stapler with extra staples in your car! And always make sure you have enough. Sometimes you never know when you need it for auditions can sometimes be unpredictable.

9. Not doing research before meeting an agent, casting director, actor, teacher, or scam. Knowing more about an agent or casting director will give you some material for your conversation with them, build better rapport, and can help you save time by knowing who to target. Of course always research any company before wasting your gas and time. You could always say no to a scam, but you cannot replace the time you wasted meeting with them.

10. Not being prepared. Self explanatory.

Moving to a major market unprepared. The scumbags patrolling NYC Port Authority are just waiting for you to show up with 100 bucks and no freaking clue. And don't even think about going to LA with no car and no way to get one.

Being too afraid to try at all.

Top 10 Dumbest Mistakes Performers Make in Their Careers:

1) The top dumbest mistake is Being Dumb!
Includes not knowing even the simplest of industry vocabulary.
(upstage, downstage, slate, scale, sides)
If you don't know something, do research, look it up or ask around until you get a proper answer. Everyone wants to work with intelligent people. Don't perpetuate the idea that actors are dumb and untrustworthy.

The rest of these are in no particular order (and I have lots more!):

2) Not getting training.
In this reality-show era, many people show up in town and think they can start an acting career just because they (think they) have a really great personality. Most of them don't think they have to learn how to act.

3) Being Unprepared (or underprepared). -- see #1 and #2
Also includes going to auditions without looking at the material, not making any choices, or knowing anything about the project (often including its title or the casting director's name).

4) Sending out sub-par materials.
Headshots that don't look like them, or are poorly photographed. Demo reels that are endless and/or look like they were made in a basement by teenagers and shot on a cell phone, and include bad acting.

5) Thinking that getting an agent is the end of the rainbow and that the agent will do all the work.
An agent only gets 10% -- they should only reasonably be expected to do 10% of the work.

6) They don't know how to spell! (or proofread). (see above: Being Dumb!)
Includes misspelling words, titles and people's names on their resume, and also misspelling the names of the agent or CD they're sending a correspondence to!

7) Having an unprofessional resume.
Oh boy, here are just some of the things this includes:
-Lying on their resume.
-Their resume is difficult to read. (They use fancy fonts, tiny print or distracting graphics)
-They don't have their resumes cut to 8x10
-Listing a Teaneck, New Jersey theatre as "Off-Broadway"
-Listing extra work (or listing extra work as "featured")
-Having lengthy resumes filled with absolutely nothing anyone in the industry has ever heard of.
-Not having their name AND contact number on their resume (and every other business correspondence)

8) Not taking direction.
Includes direction from directors or casting directors at auditions (where they give an adjustment and the actor ignores it and does it again the exact same way, usually the way they practiced it at home.) Also includes not following basic audition instructions -- bringing in a 5-minute monologue when they've asked for a 2-minute monologue, singing an up-tempo pop song when they've asked for a classic ballad, showing up at 4:00 when the audition was scheduled for 3:00. (Um, see "Being Dumb!" again.)

9) Being Rude, Pushy, Impatient, Unpleasant.
...In everyday life as well as auditions and work situations. Most of our colleagues have very long memories, and everyone makes a mental list of who they would want to work with, or work with again (even if they're not aware that they do.)

10) Hanging out with people who do not either empower them or support their dream.
(Or only hanging out with unsuccessful, bitter, complaining actors. OR, exclusively hanging out with other people in the industry.)

Thanks guys, I can see from this list that everyone is very passionate about those dumb mistakes and the people who make them.

Believing there is only one school, one method, one teacher, one way of obtaining your goals based on what others say, usually with an outreached hand to receive lots of your hard earned cash.

Also, comparing and despairing. Everyone finds their own path and their own way of working. You can never compare yourself to anyone but yourself.

Well, so much has been covered, including the most common mistakes so I will simply expand-

1. Snubbing people, be it at the gym, in class or anywhere. You never know WHO knows WHO and it really is a small town. Be gracious to those you meet out there. Drop the cool, aloof thing.

2. Going to auditions at private residences.

3. Going to any audition without telling people where you are going.

4. Forgetting morals, common sense and dignity for the sake of success.

5. Going to auditions and grabbing the reader. Hands to yourself!!

6. Thinking that you will be the one to WOW everyone and forgetting that 6000 people move to LA a month to do this and it is INSANELY competitive.

7. No showing at an audition. They say that at the average audition, there will be usually be a 40 % flake factor. 40 PERCENT!!!!

8. Using a headshot even after everyone including your blind neighbor of 80 years old has told you it's bad- and he isn't even in the business!

9. Being dumb.

10. Being dumb.

quote:

Originally posted by miss stone:
5. Going to auditions and grabbing the reader. Hands to yourself!!

Absolutely!

...Though I have a great story about assisting at a Broadway audition many moons ago. An actress was there to read with the actors (onstage) and in one of the scenes the stage directions said for the guy to kiss the girl. At that point in the audition scene, all the actors either hugged the reader or substituted some other small physical gesture, indicating the kiss. But in strolled 26 year-old Patrick Swayze to audition for the role and when it got to the kissing section, he grabbed the reader in a tight embrace and gave her a big smooch. It was a huge surprise to the reader (and everybody else), but she didn't mind at all. He didn't inevitably get cast (he opted to remain in "Grease" where he was playing Danny Zuko), but his audition was unforgettable and also the most honest one the entire day of auditions.

quote:

Originally posted by Broadway2Hollywood:

quote:

Originally posted by miss stone:
5. Going to auditions and grabbing the reader. Hands to yourself!!

Absolutely!

...Though I have a great story about assisting at a Broadway audition many moons ago. An actress was there to read with the actors (onstage) and in one of the scenes the stage directions said for the guy to kiss the girl. At that point in the audition scene, all the actors either hugged the reader or substituted some other small physical gesture, indicating the kiss. But in strolled 26 year-old Patrick Swayze to audition for the role and when it got to the kissing section, he grabbed the reader in a tight embrace and gave her a big smooch. It was a huge surprise to the reader (and everybody else), but she didn't mind at all. He didn't inevitably get cast (he opted to remain in "Grease" where he was playing Danny Zuko), but his audition was unforgettable and also the most honest one the entire day of auditions.

But of COURSE that is the exception!! Being grabbed by a weird, unfamous actor is in a different ballpark all together to being smooched by PATRICK SWAYZE!!!!

Thanks, guys. This is a GREAT idea for a column!

And thanks for all of the great responses you were all a HUGE help!

Great 10 Ten's!

Hey Broadway2Hollywood and Truthteller59, would you mind if I reprinted your list's on my website?

Lance
DailyActor.com: Interviews, Columns, Mailing Labels and more!

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