So I've been reading a book on 'your acting career' It says you should be doing something everyday that benefits your career, and everyweek and month...I'm just wondering what everyone else does and do you do stuff daily or only weekly or only monthly?

It depends, I mean it's not the same thing I do daily. But sometimes I'll spend only 15 minutes every few days on working on my posture or think about it (I tend to slouch a lot). I also try to read a play every week, work out 2-3 times a week (either dance or yoga or stage combat). I also am trying to discipline myself to be able to spend more time with my scripts so I try to sit down with them finding new things for as long as I can without just staring at it blankly.

It can vary really. Sometimes it will be actual study or practice or other times it might be observing people.

I love this question. If we all did work on our careers every day, the result, I believe, would be incredible.
I suggest that you don't count your work on yourself (haircuts, yoga, therapy) as work on your career. Nor should you count acting work (classes, reading plays, rehearsal). These things are of course very important and of course you must do them!! But when you think of working on your career, think business only.
SO, what can that mean?
Sending out blind submissions, thank you cards, postcards, clippings, etc./researching new agents, producers, casting directors, etc./Scanning the various casting sites for jobs and then submitting to the ones you fit/taking classes or workshops dealing with the business side of things/interning for a casting director/going to union mixers and events and screenings...
the list goes on and on....If you try and spend 15 minutes a day on this stuff (that's 1:45 per week) I believe you WILL see results....

I just wanted to bump this topic to the top of the forum because it is such a great question. Any more thoughts or advice on this?

I just took a great class called, of all things, "The Working Actor", and it was all about the business side and finding and making your own opportunities. The doing something every day for your business advice was offered there and it really does make a difference.

One thing that we did a lot of, and that I now continue to do, is make lists which I now constantly update. There are a ton of good ones: Directors, Playwrights, Theatre Companies, and Agencies That You Want to Work With; Jotting down the casting directors of films you saw that you loved; lists of indie film and off-B'way companies who are doing the work you want to do; Teachers and coaches that you hear good things about; Who is doing What; when the seasons run for various rep companies, etc. I have a file full of lists that I try to update several times a week.

I'm also putting a lot more time and effort into cover letters but I addressed that recently on another thread. It's all for the Business though, selling my unique product: Me.

I try to read a new play everyday. And I work on new auditioning material at least twice a week. And I work my butt off to pay bills basically. I don't have much time for auditioning these days, so Im doing everything to keep my skills sharp. I teach acting, and I take acting classes to maintain my life in art!

Great question!

quote:

Originally posted by SecondBanana:
I just took a great class called, of all things, "The Working Actor", and it was all about the business side and finding and making your own opportunities. The doing something every day for your business advice was offered there and it really does make a difference.

That sounds like a great class---can you let us know where you took it in case people want to check it out?

I'm always happy to plug a class I really enjoy but I worry about sounding like a shill. Since you asked, though...

The class was called 'The Working Actor' and it was taught by Cynthia Silver at the Atlantic Acting School. It focused strictly on the business side of things and covered goal setting, organization and personal management, developing contacts and identifying resources, headshots, resumes, cover letters, casting, making your own opportunities, and really got into the nuts and bolts of daily and weekly routines. It really made you ask, "What have I done for my business today?" Not your art and keeping up your skills, your business.

The class drew heavily on the personal experiences of its participants, and we were encouraged to set specific weekly goals to promote our business (us!) and support each other. Cynthia had some great guests in, who spoke about creating one person shows, starting a theatre company, commercials, and cover letters and personal management. The class bonded very strongly and most of us are still in touch with each other. I'm using stuff I learned in that class every day now, making my own opportunities instead of staring at the phone, and feel my personal course is much better charted for having taken it.

Well, Jackie, you DID ask And yeah, I really did love the class THAT much. There's a new theatre company on the block now because of it!

I completely understand not wanting to plug or dish on specific classes/photographers/etc. In general, I think that's the best idea, but I also don't want to restrict honest discussion and recommendations. We should be able to help each other with our own experiences!!
So, if anyone else has experienced a class or workshop that has helped you to examine the business aspects of your career, feel free to toss your comments into the mix.
For those in LA, The Actors Network focuses on a lot of these same things as the class Joe took.

Finally--I am hoping this forum--The Working Actor specifically--will help to get us focusing on the same thing's Joe's class did. I love talking about the art and craft, but if we can use this place to spark our focus on our business, we can all benefit!

How about working on your craft. Practice tongue twisters, download sides and videotape yourself. Get together with other actors and work on scenes from television shows and movies. A photographer I worked with lectured me about being a professional actor. Professional athletes and musicians are always practicing when they're not performing so why should it be any different for actors? That basketball player, Kobe Byrant, is really good but he still goes to practice everyday. A violing player for the LA orchestra lives in my building and I hear her practicing every day. If you want to be a PROFESSIONAL ACTOR you must behave like a professional.

There's no question that we should work on our Craft every day, too, whether it's rehearsing new monologues, reading plays, a voice lesson, doing our vocal warmups, exercising the acting muscles. I think this thread, though, is about doing something every day for our business. Let's start another thread about things we can do every day for our Craft. I'd be happy to contribute to that one too. Anyone?

Absolutely, we have to make parallel efforts...I think most actors are happy to work on their craft and resistant to work on their business. (I am, at least!)