That Acting Thing

MY TWO CENTS ON HOW TO IMPROVE ON NYC SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS

2010-08-20T01:16:00.001-07:00

I recently was asked for advice from a NYC CD whom I had the pleasure of attending one of his seminars focused on getting an agent. The CD wanted my input on how he could build and/or improve on his workshop format.

I was pleasantly surprised that he wanted my input but nonetheless I felt that this would be a good time to share some of my knowledge from my three years working as a full time working actor including the daily activities that I do to prepare myself for success in this industry.

Side note: Success can be defined in numerous ways and everyone has their own viewpoint on success. For me, in this business, my personal definition is steady quality work that allows me to not only be able meet my financial obligations in my own household but opens numerous creative outlets where I can perform meaningful work. In addition, to be able to grow and stretch as an actor is extremely important for me.

The email went as follows: "Per your feedback on seminars, I do find it beneficial using the format of the three weeks focusing on scene work and audition technique".

The areas where I would like to see more includes:

Business side
Establishment of a Goal system/ Progress report
Journaling

Business of Acting

One area where I feel there is a gap is the business of acting. I do acknowledge the cover letter writing, logos, etc however I feel that we can go deeper on the business side of things.

From my observation in our last seminar and a few others, there is less emphasis placed on the business side of things. For instance, it might help that aspiring actors know their type and brand…how they best fit in the marketplace. Of course, the industry has a way of telling you where you fall in the industry. A class that can best help the student sell themselves to the shoppers. This brings me to my next point one has to know who he is as a product and how to best sell that product. But you can't do this if you don't know your own product.

I myself went out and conducted a survey of male and female (s) age ranging from 10-90 years old. Dressed in neutral but presentable attire I would ask the respondents how old they thought I was and my occupation. I would then tally the results, taking their averages and voila I found the type and occupation that Joe public saw me.

We as the Actor is the product. Our presentation (dress, appearance, body), articulation, confidence should be worked on over and over. As you know first impressions are everything.

Establishment of a Goal system/ Progress report

I always found that the setting of goals and writing them down to be highly beneficial. In a class setting, you may have the students as homework write down on a large cardboard a large goal with a realistic date they would want to reach that goal.

I will use one of my past goal charts as an example.

The landing of national Film/ TV/ and/or Commercial by December 15, 2010

Now I write down all the action steps/ mini goals that I need to do in order to get to that goal. From beginning to end I write down each of the action steps I need to get to that goal. I set dates to make it more specific. This is a general outline of a former goal chart of mine not as specific as I would like but for illustrative purposes only:

Spiritual/ Physical/ Mental (Ongoing)
1. Morning prayer or meditation
2. Work out 5 days a week
3. Diet
4. 6 hours sleep

Training (February 10, 2010)
1. Acting workshops/ classes
2. Woolly Mammoth Theatre on camera acting
3. Voice classes
4. Body Movement classes

Marketing/ Business side (April 26, 2010)
1. Figure out your type for head shot preparation
2. New head shots
3. Order post cards/ business cards
4. Work on acting reel
5. Acting web site creation
6. Build resume
7. Get an Aftra/ sag job

Showcases (Ongoing)
Casting Directors (March 16, 2010)
1. Research
2. Mailings specific CDs
3. Invite to showcases/ performances
Local Exposure (Ongoing)
1. Theatre plays
2. Commercials
3. Industrials
4. Student films for reel footage
Obtain Agent for Both NY and LA (November 18, 2010)
1. Research agents according to my type and place in business both in NYC and LA
2. Mailings
3. Follow-ups
Join a Union (If you must) ( October 15, 2010)
1. Research SAG (pros and cons of joining)
2. Research AFTRA (pros and cons of joining)
3. Research AEA(pros and cons of joining)
BOOK A JOB IN A NATIONAL FILM/TV/And/ or Commercial (December 2010

JOURNALING

I would encourage students to journal and keep a log of their various acting activities. What have I done for my career today.
You may instruct students to do between 3-5 transactions a day towards their acting career. A transaction may be a acting submission, setting up a meeting with a CD, researching projects and/or directors, etc

Students then can read out loud at the beginning of class their transactions and more importantly how that particular transaction is leading them to their next mini goal.

OK. That's about it or my two cents.

I trust that this helps, xxxx and wishing you much success on your workshops/ seminars.

Cheers!

Omar

P.S. I am on track with my goals and slated to play a principal in SAG feature film project thus qualifying for union late September, early October

IS IT ODD OR IS IT GOD? OR IS IT SIMPLE LUCK IN ACTING AND LIFE

2010-01-28T21:31:00.001-08:00

It's been a rollercoaster ride these past couple of weeks…up and down…up and down. Well, that's the career I have chosen or is it life. OK, it's both.

Acting is such an unpredictable profession. Nothing is set in stone including monies. That's why I try to live a day at a time. If I start thinking too far ahead about my career I paint these imaginary scenarios…the "what ifs". What if I don't make it?, What if I don't get into a union?, What if my wife leaves me because of lack of monies?, What if I don't get an agent, on and on.

The "What ifs" do nothing good for my mental, physical and more importantly spiritual faculties. Then if I start dwelling on the past, the failed audition, the foot stuck in the mouth with a new casting director, the missed opportunities, the mishap on the set, etc All this leads to not only my number one enemy as a working actor, but also leads to my detriment of being a balanced human being. I am talking about FEAR.

Fear not only prevents us from advancing spiritually as human beings but hinders us as well in our profession of acting.

So, my personal remedy of keeping FEAR at bay is twofold: 1) taking things a day at a time, and 2) prayer.

After shooting my last commercial I had been absorbed in memorizing these lines for an upcoming mock trial. I am reading for three characters and this is the first time I am working with this client so I want to make a great impression. My Motto: Please the client and they will call back for repeat work

At any rate, aside from the constant memorizing and the mood swings due to a new diet I started ( Yes, I lost 10 pounds so far, 30 more to go) I have put more energies in my spiritual development. Prayer has been instrumental in my sanity especially trolling from audition to audition. Every time, I prayed and set aside quiet time first thing in the day. It has proved to be quite centering and I am given new strength and drive.

I generally do a general prayer for my wife and others but I do sneak in at the end "well, God you know my heart…I need a break in my career etc. But if it is your will, God, not mine.

Every single day of the week I prayed I was given some sense of peace. It also helps to get out myself. Human beings are generally focused on themselves and the Actor takes that self centeredness to the extreme "It's all about me, me, and me" I personally find by focusing too much on my problems/ issues that I am constantly restless and irritable. The solution for me was to get out of myself. I know it's a tight rope walk trying not to be too self absorbed as an actor but for me it's a must. Prayer is the first step and getting out of myself. Then somehow in the cosmos there are whispers and I can even get a prayer answered. Sometimes the prayer is immediately answered and then there are times it takes longer…much longer. However the prayer is always answered as long as I stay open and willing.

Power of Prayer testimonials

Day1: I had been complaining to the world about a web site developer who had not complied with our contract in the setting up of my actor's web site. They did put something up but TRUST it was not something I wanted the world or more importantly industry players to view. I was actually filling out a bank fraud form to get back my monies when I get a random email in my box from a list of 40+ disgruntled customers who were outraged about the service and treatment by said web site developer. These individually had banned together demanding the web site developer to comply with contracts. A few minutes after that, there was an email from the developer apologizing for everything and trying to make things right with everyone. Moreover, the developer sent a personal email to me saying that she would personally be working on my site and will make up everything.

How about that! I really didn't want to go through this whole banking fraud form

Day2: I was bummed out because I did not get an audition slot for a major national theatre audition in NYC. I should not have been so bent out of shape because submissions opened in Sept 09 and I submitted on January 2, 2010 one week before closing of submissions. I prayed not about that but my general prayer for peeps. Afterwards, I get a phone call from a representative of the audition saying" Hi, Mr. Bah…this is not in the norm but an actor will not be able to fill their slot and we decided that we would like you to fill the actors place" Whoa…I was blown away because I knew that there had been a few thousand submissions and for me applying so late to get a slot all I could think IS IT OOD OR IS IT GOD???.

Of course the next day or two, being the ungrateful spiritual child I started to complain again "But I need a paying gig, a national gig, a gig with visibility, etc"

I then get a call out of the blue from an auditor who I auditioned for at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston Salem this past summer. The auditor hailed from a prominent theatre company in NYC which had a distinguishable celebrity board. She asked my availability for a read and eventual contract in a show. The read (being held in NYC) would be held the night before my audition the following day in NYC. IS IT ODD OR IS IT GOD???

DAY3 I had been freelancing with my manager in NYC for the past year. He got me some great high profile auditions but I did not book. I was worried he would drop me after this trial period. So, I decided to let go of this and commit it in a prayer. I then received an email that my manager wants to sign me for a year contract…to please call the office to set up an appointment. I immediately called the manager and said that I would love to sign however I had to figure a time to get up to the City. I knew I would be in the City for my stage read and audition on the 13^th and 14^th but that was the weekend. My manager is a family man and weekends are off limits. Monies are tight and I need to economize on my trips to NYC.

Wait a minute…whoa, wait a minute the auditor for the stage read said that I would need to come to the City for a day of rehearsals. How perfect I can have my meeting with my manager and then go to rehearsal. That worked out nicely. Man IS IT ODD OR IS IT GOD

Now we can say that all these experiences are coincidental or luck but these are a tiny, tiny, tiny fraction of similar experiences via the power of prayer.

To the atheist and agnostics…Even if you are pissed at GOD or do not believe in a GOD…it never hurts to believe in something bigger and outside of yourself. I know that on my own human will power I cannot manage the rollercoaster of life. I do know from experience if I get out of myself and trust something or someone bigger than myself, things start to happen or at least I am given a piece of serenity. There are days I do not want to pray and I just do an "As If". Yea, God I am upset and mad and really don't want to pray but I will pray in spite of myself.

THAT'S MY TAKE!

Diet progress report: As of today, January 28, I am 197 lbs and the goal is 167lbs by June 2010

Industrial Audition for the US Courts

2010-01-20T12:08:00.001-08:00

I woke up today feeling a bit groggy. I knew that I had better motivate as I had an audition at 11:30am at the US Courts for an industrial. Playing a convict no doubt, although that is really not my type.

What time is it again? Glancing over at the clock. The clock reads 9:30am…I am thinking to myself can I buy more time. Need sleep. I stayed up until 4am watching the movie GAMER. It had one of my favorite actors John Leguziamo and the star was Gerard Butler. Of course you had the rapper want to be actors starring as well. It wasn't bad… at least it was decent entertainment. I would give it a 3.5/5 rating.

Motivate Omar, Come ON! You have an audition.

Got out of bed and then went into full mode because it dawned on me all the things I needed to do prior to an audition including:

Prayer/ meditation
Warming up my voice (Vocal exercises)
Stretching
Breathing
Reading a newspaper out loud
Breakfast

Of course, I had to shower and Iron my dress shirt. I usually do the clothes preparation the night before but I was exhausted. By 10:15am I was ready to leave the house head shots, scripts and all. Not feeling too anxious. Actually I usually don't get nervous…I audition so much. For me its just another job interview. I just make sure that for on camera audition that I BE ME and remain as natural as possible. I had a problem in the past of being too theatrical and animated. This is why I stopped doing theatre auditions…I just wanted to focus on TV/Film auditions aside from the money factor I am not at the stage where I can easily go from one type of an audition (theatre) to a film/ TV audition. The difference is between the external and internal.

I arrived on time at 11:15am for the 11:30am audition at the Federal Judiciary center near Union station. I was greeted by a jolly freelancer PA who was rather talkative. Stay focus Omar and be pleasant I would think to myself.

After security check I walked down into the audition room. I was greeted by 6 auditors. The room was dark and just had cameras on a table with a microphone. The auditiors asked me to slate my name which I did with a big smile. I then asked if they had any special instructions regarding the character, the auditors said no.

So I read and it went smoothly. I was composed and natural. I was pleased because at least I met that objective. The auditors seemed very please b/c I asked them if that's how they wanted me to read. They said that was fine it was on point.

That was painless. I thanked the auditors and made my quick exit.

The Ceremonious or Unceremonious first blog of That Acting Thing

2010-01-16T22:43:00.000-08:00

I have been pondering this whole blog thing for some time...especially when it comes to my acting career. Watching Amy Adams in Julia and Julia create this blog centered around a or should I say "the" Julia Child's cookbook, got me thinking about writing down my adventurous journey of my acting career.

I have had this blog thing though on the shelf for sometime. I mean I am already irked by the Facebook, Twitter, Linked In sites (though I am registered). Just the whole privacy thing and why do I want everyone knowing my every day moves. This is why in my infinite wisdom I have decided to act upon the blog thing. Believe me it was a back and forth thing. One day I am like OK, lets do it and then a few hours later "No, this is stupid...don't do it you idiot everyone in the world will see.

Yes, folks its all about me, me, me, and me. This is why I am doing this blog thing in the first place. Oh yes, I can tell you its therapy to get out all my frustrations but that would be A LIE! A LIE! I tell You. No, seriously or maybe not so seriously I am doing this for my crazy acting career. Its the TRUTH!, the TRUTH, the TRUTH, I tell you. I mean after all, in my profession its constantly about me, me selling me, the product, me talking up me, the product to the buyers, its me asking if I look slimmer after two days of dieting, its me when I ask how do I look on camera, its me when I ask what you think of short, black bald men, its all about me, me, and me I tell you. So, now I am going to do something for once just for me, myself and I.

So, I stopped procrastinating and decided to act upon my thoughts sometimes not always the best thing. I mean, don't get me wrong I don't think that all my thoughts are garbage...it's just that sometimes out of impulse I leap before fulling assessing the situation which at times results in being one big awful bang!

I can't help it, I am just that way. When I say "that way" I mean a risk taker, throw caution to the wind kind of guy, a gambler, a spoiled revolutionary, a I don't give a shit, lets do it type of guy, "lets just see if it sticks on the wall kind of guy, a I may get a break kind of guy, a man of persistence mixed with a splash of stubborness. OK, so you know what I mean and the kind of mindset your dealing with...don't answer that!

This is why after years working in practically every industry/sector from the private sector (ExxonMobil) to the public sector (White House, US Trade Reps office) to non-profit (anonymous) to multi-lateral banking (The World Bank) and even the entertainment industry (TV production, The Price Is Right, Dennis Miller, Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, The Young and the Restless to name a few) that I have chosen in my infinite wisdom the most crazy, unpredictable, but rewarding, high rejection rate profession of acting.

You now ask me why? and I respond to you because I am crazy! Also because of the aforementioned personality traits that I possess. With all said, I welcome you to my first blog entry of That Acting Thing.