When someone says to me, "Oh, I'd love to be in acting" I immediately say "DON'T!" I suppose if you love being rejected most of the time, can deal with the constant financial feast or famine (with famine heavily outweighing any feasting), and can be comfortable with having any plans you've made constantly change because of auditions and such, then I suppose you could wear that cloak. But it is a fickle one at best, I tell ya.
I got my 'official' start as a paid actor back in 1990, I think...give or take a year, anyway. And there is as much a business side to the learning curve as well as the talent/skill side. When you're new at it or 'hungry', just about anything sounds good, and oft is the pressure to take pretty much what comes your way.
But you ultimately have to throw caution to the wind and look 'ahead of the curve' at times, asking yourself the tough questions as you consider taking or even pursuing the chance for certain jobs. And not just the job, but the contractual side of the shoot which includes how the client can use the image/footage, in what media, and for how long. Very important. For example, I would never do an ad for a cigarette company or an acting role where I had to smoke on camera - just a 'no can do' decision I made long ago.
One friend from Richmond, VA did a TV ad for a national insurance group in the late 80s...at the time, the $800 fee seemed like a lot and was most welcome, I'm sure. However, he accepted their terms that the shoot was a 'buyout', which means the company could do whatever they wanted with the ad whenever and wherever. For 10 years that ad ran sporadically across the US (usually late at night!), and he got nary a cent more for any of it. Great deal for the insurance group. Lousy deal for the actors. It pays to think long and hard beyond the almighty dollar being dangled in front of your face as you consider potential ramifications.
With that said, I accepted one and only one modeling job that was for 'stock' photography. Basically, the shoot entailed a 4-hour window with about 6 'talent', and we were told to bring a wide array of wardrobe selections. They put us in groups as well as alone, in party poses, wedding poses, casual poses, funny faces, laughing/smiling faces, you name it...the photographer paid for our fees up front and then created generic images that he put into his stock photography business.
From a client's perspective, if there is a preexisting picture that works for an ad campaign, it's cheaper to purchase a use for that image than it is to go through the time, money, and hassle of doing a full acting shoot. From the talent's perspective, you sign away all rights to the images and any further pay. This was probably a good 6-8 years ago I decided to do be a part of this Raleigh, NC shoot...I simply can't peg the year, but clearly I was thinner and had no graying temples at the time!....
Yep, I got an email from my agent's wife in Greenville, South Carolina who asked if I'd done any liquor store ad, as it just HAD to be me in the picture. I knew I hadn't, but I did remember the stock shoot and figured if it were me, that's where the picture came from. She said she's send a copy, and after a couple of weeks her 'tear sheet' arrived in the mail. That was me, alright, and one of the scenes from that day's shoot. About 6 years ago another similar shot showed up in a Nashville, TN Christmas sales circular, but I've long since lost that sheet...a former WLOS employee had moved there and seen it and sent it to me at the station, where I was working at the time.
I don't do buyouts anymore, unless there are extenuating (and safe) circumstances, and for good reason. Ye actors out there have to decide for yourself what works best for you. I've represented a lot of products, but this is my first liquor store - makes me wonder what will show up next...!
I got my 'official' start as a paid actor back in 1990, I think...give or take a year, anyway. And there is as much a business side to the learning curve as well as the talent/skill side. When you're new at it or 'hungry', just about anything sounds good, and oft is the pressure to take pretty much what comes your way.
But you ultimately have to throw caution to the wind and look 'ahead of the curve' at times, asking yourself the tough questions as you consider taking or even pursuing the chance for certain jobs. And not just the job, but the contractual side of the shoot which includes how the client can use the image/footage, in what media, and for how long. Very important. For example, I would never do an ad for a cigarette company or an acting role where I had to smoke on camera - just a 'no can do' decision I made long ago.
One friend from Richmond, VA did a TV ad for a national insurance group in the late 80s...at the time, the $800 fee seemed like a lot and was most welcome, I'm sure. However, he accepted their terms that the shoot was a 'buyout', which means the company could do whatever they wanted with the ad whenever and wherever. For 10 years that ad ran sporadically across the US (usually late at night!), and he got nary a cent more for any of it. Great deal for the insurance group. Lousy deal for the actors. It pays to think long and hard beyond the almighty dollar being dangled in front of your face as you consider potential ramifications.
With that said, I accepted one and only one modeling job that was for 'stock' photography. Basically, the shoot entailed a 4-hour window with about 6 'talent', and we were told to bring a wide array of wardrobe selections. They put us in groups as well as alone, in party poses, wedding poses, casual poses, funny faces, laughing/smiling faces, you name it...the photographer paid for our fees up front and then created generic images that he put into his stock photography business.
From a client's perspective, if there is a preexisting picture that works for an ad campaign, it's cheaper to purchase a use for that image than it is to go through the time, money, and hassle of doing a full acting shoot. From the talent's perspective, you sign away all rights to the images and any further pay. This was probably a good 6-8 years ago I decided to do be a part of this Raleigh, NC shoot...I simply can't peg the year, but clearly I was thinner and had no graying temples at the time!....
Yep, I got an email from my agent's wife in Greenville, South Carolina who asked if I'd done any liquor store ad, as it just HAD to be me in the picture. I knew I hadn't, but I did remember the stock shoot and figured if it were me, that's where the picture came from. She said she's send a copy, and after a couple of weeks her 'tear sheet' arrived in the mail. That was me, alright, and one of the scenes from that day's shoot. About 6 years ago another similar shot showed up in a Nashville, TN Christmas sales circular, but I've long since lost that sheet...a former WLOS employee had moved there and seen it and sent it to me at the station, where I was working at the time.
I don't do buyouts anymore, unless there are extenuating (and safe) circumstances, and for good reason. Ye actors out there have to decide for yourself what works best for you. I've represented a lot of products, but this is my first liquor store - makes me wonder what will show up next...!
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