IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS

QUOTE FROM LEONARDO DICAPRIO:

If you have the ability to convince somebody of something that you don't necessarily think is the case, it's a valuable asset. Not that I'm, like, a pathological liar, but we spend most of the day not fully being honest, you know?>>>>>> Leonardo DiCaprio

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

ADVICE FROM , OSCAR NOMINEE AMY RYAN; 

This is really the truth, they (directors>casting directors) want you to get the job. They want you to be the one, then their day is done. They want you to win.

They are on your side, they are 'not' against you. They have a job to do, to find the best person for the role.

And above all be patient. Six months can seem like an eternity when you're not getting those roles. Something better is around the corner, just be patient. Save

your ;money. Don't go buy $900 shoes. You're going to get there. BE PATIENT. 

You'e day will come.

Davis isn't just a brilliant actress known for her roles in "Thelma & Louise" and "A League Of Their Own," she's also just plain brilliant. Davis is a member of Mensa, which is a social organization for the top 2% of most intelligent people. She's also fluent in Swedish, is an Olympic-level archer, and plays the piano, drums, and flute.

Personally, me...WR....went to college for 9 years. I've taken that 'friggin'  Mensa test three times :(... and unfortunately didn't make it...three times.

So many actors of varying backgrounds are super smart, SUPER SMART.

Don't sell actors short, most are totally focused, well rooted in their goals. Just because you posses a high  IQ does not mean you are a 'natural' you still have to work at it.

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

STAYING POSITIVE>>>IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS AS AN ACTOR:

Going over your auditions immediately after they happen is a great way to learn and grow as an actor. It’s important to have a way of working that allows you to be specific and look step by step at what happened in the work and in the room. When doing this it’s also important to remember that it’s not just what didn’t work that needs your attention. To truly get yourself to the next level, you need to spend just as much time looking at and improving what went right. It is in our DNA as a species to remember the negative aspects of an experience more than the positive. It’s an important survival instinct, and we all have it. If our ancestors hadn’t remembered that a saber tooth tiger was dangerous and went to pet it instead of run, we wouldn’t be here. Survival as an artist though, requires an equally strong focus on the positive. How are you supposed to repeat and improve on what went right if all of your focus is on what went wrong? If what you want is to experience the confidence and freedom of the good moments again, you need to examine the causes and conditions that created them, and you need to do it with the intensity with which you would examine the causes and conditions of a less than satisfactory outcome.

It takes diligence to remember and learn from positive experiences, but if you don’t make the effort, the power of the more easily retained negative memories will take over and potentially color all of your experiences—including your next audition.

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

HOPE AND ACHIEVEMENT, YES?

Hope is NOT a strategy. It never has been. The truth is, the new year, right around the corner will pretty much be the same as the last one

unless YOU put something in place to make absolutely certain that it will be different.

Will 2017 be just another 12 months in your life, or will it be the year that turns your life around, the dream of being an actor or a model?

Will you simply cross your fingers more often, pray a little more, listen to others in the same boat you're in, or finally step out of your 

all too confining box?

I've written about this same thing many times before. If you keep on doing what you always did, you will always get what you always got.

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

A LITTLE HUMOR:

Funny Ode to Thanksgiving

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Not settle on your thighs?  :)

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

NOT IN ACTING...OR, MODELING>>>

When actors go on auditions, for parts, roles in movies or tv series, they do not get an award for showing up.

That does not go on their resume as an accomplishment.

You either get the part, or you don't. There is no in-between. Get hired, or go home, or better still move on to the 

next opportunity. There is always a next time, for those that are not just dreamers, but for those that have prepared 

themselves for success.

Second place means you lost. You weren't good enough,  or you didn't have the look.

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS  

DID YOU KNOW?

That our agency sent out over 12,000 casting opportunities to those talent that we represent, this year alone.

All the while our 'IN HOUSE" castings>>>the ones that are handled personally by out three casting directors also worked on

an equal amount. WOW, congratulations to us. In business in Atlanta for 37 Years. A+BBB rating. Have booked the leads in

several new TV series.

Just tooting our own horn a little.

Thanks to all of you.

wr

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

THE SEXIEST MAN ALIVE;  PEOPLE MAGAZINES

DWAYNE JOHNSON;

On his Instagram account, with a picture of the magazine, the man also known as Dwayne Johnson wrote: “This just means I’m still up at 4amtrainin hard, takin care of my babies, drivin my pick up truck and tellin a few dirty/nerdy jokes... extremely sexily of course.” So,what does the title mean to him?

“Remember, sexy isn’t something you try and be. Sexy happens naturally when you’re comfortable just being yourself. Trust me, I’m an expert at this.” Dwayne Johnson is in illustrious company: Last year’s cover man was soccer star David Beckham. Other recent sexy men include Chris Hemsworth, Adam Levine and Channing Tatum. The 44-year-old lives part time in Southwest Ranches with his girlfriend Lauren Hashian and their baby daughter.

Next up for the big man on campus: voice work in Disney’s “Moana.”

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

MARKETING YOURSELF:

 Identify a target audience, the print ad, the commercial, the film.

 

Understand your potential employers (ie casting directors, directors)  inside out. Do as much research as possible to help identify the product, the role, the period, and the skills, personality and knowledge they value highly. Use the job description, the role and person specification as a firm basis for their needs and try to work out how this role will fit into the clients bigger picture.

  

Know your USP:

 

The term USP (unique selling point) is often bandied around in sales and marketing departments up and down the industry.  This refers to the niche factor that makes a product or brand desirable and different from its competitors. In this particular case "YOU" Understand your own USP - it could be your quality training, or a unique combination of past experience and personal  skills. Once you’ve honed in on your USP, make sure you let those casting directors know it. And don't overload how good you are (reality) as opposed to how good you 'think' you are (conceptual possibility)  A casting director or director will see through that crap in a NY second.

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

ACTIVE VS PASSIVE; 

GO GETTERS VS SIT AND DO NOTHING;

Active people use the Internet to express themselves and learn about their world…passive people watch TV. Active people strategize their life plans and work to accomplish their goals…passive people wait for a miracle. Active people cook their dinner fresh…passive people microwave something frozen.Active people walk around a new city they are exploring…passive people take cabs.

Active people spend their lives pursuing their dreams…passive people have a midlife crisis. Active people don’t wait for opportunity, they create it…passive people need it handed to them. Active people blog, submit op-eds to their newspaper, and are influencers…passive people purely consume news. Active people make their own opinions on things…passive people let others make up their minds for them.

Active people are artists, writers, builders, influencers, trendsetters and decision makers…passive people just are. Active people volunteer, give calls to action, help others and make their world better…passive people complain. Active people make art…passive people negatively criticize it.Active people read and have an infinite thirst for knowledge…passive people haven’t read a book since college.

So are you an active or passive person?

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS

DREAMERS VS REALIST;;

“There are dreamers and there are realists in this world. You would think the dreamers would find the dreamers and the realists would find the realists but... more often than not, the opposite is true. You see the dreamers need the realists to keep them from soaring too close to the sun. And the realists... well, without the dreamers, they might not ever get off the ground.” — Modern Family

Before you had the chance to read the second sentence of the quote, you probably determined which one you are: the dreamer or the realist. I’m sure there are also a handful of you who will declare a combination of both. You know, the best of both worlds. It’s interesting; it seems the older you become the less you rub shoulders with the dreamers. Over time they become the minority. Early on in life the opposite holds true. Throughout childhood we are all encouraged to dream. Advised that there are no limits to what we can achieve. Reassured that if we shoot for the moon, we’ll land among the stars. Think back to the most common question you were asked as an adolescent,  FACT IS: MOST BEGINNING ACTORS AND MODELS ARE JUST THAT,,,DREAMERS. THEY PREPARE LITTLE AND EXPECT IMMEDIATE RESULTS. WHEN THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN WHAT DO THEY DO?  QUIT THAT'S WHAT.

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS

COCKY ACTORS, SOME SHOULD NOT GO THERE.

When you think carefully about it, some people are seemingly born thinking they are a gift to the world. So, take those conceited personalities, give them mega-stardom, and imagine just how cocky they become. While Hollywood is full of humble stars, it’s also filled to the brim with many who are about as arrogant as they come. This questionable personality trait becomes obvious following reports from those who have worked with them (or even sometimes, simply encountered them) and from the way they speak in interviews and on social media. Some even snub other celebrities who they think they’re too good to interact with. And vanity throughout Hollywood — that in itself would be a list of at least 1,000 names. But from where we’re sitting — not having to directly deal with these people in person — cockiness in Hollywood is something entertaining to hear about. Once Will Smith declared himself as the best actor in the world. (to say the least he should be a little cocky) Jennifer Lopez won't even acknowledge the presence of her staff, seeing herself above such a compromise. >>>>>>And then there are those that get one blankety blank speaking role or sometimes something even smaller and invariably push themselves 'right out of the market'>>>>>>Happens almost daily. Too bad, so sad, some of these actually have talent but very little humility. 

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL ACTOR, AND WHO PAYS FOR THAT?

Skills Needed to Become an Actor

Becoming an actor is more than just pretending to be someone else; it takes a finely tuned skill set to make a living as an actor. These skills include:

Creativity and Imagination: Actors must be able to convincingly portray the feelings and motives of their characters, in order to portray them in the most compelling way.  And of course 

you are going to need training, real training and NOT SOME $$$$$ MODELING SCHOOL.

Versatility and Adaptability: Actors require the ability to learn quickly and adapt to a director’s interpretations.

Memorization Skills: Actors need excellent memorization skills, as they must memorize lines for an audition, and before filming begins or a show opens. It is not uncommon for an actor’s lines to be revised at the last minute, and actors must be able to memorize those changes on short notice.

Physical Stamina: Actors need enough physical stamina to endure working long days, such as when filming a television show or movie, or when doing live performances (which may include several performances per day).  They must also often work under hot stage or studio lights, and do so while sometimes, wearing heavy costumes, and must be able to overcome those conditions during their performance.

Physical Coordination: Oftentimes actors must have enough physical coordination and dexterity to perform predetermined, sometimes complex, movements with other actors in a scene.

Reading Skills: When auditioning for roles, an actor must be able to read a script and properly interpret how a writer has described their character.

Speaking Skills: In order for the audience to understand them, actors must be able to pronounce words properly and speak clearly, all while projecting their voice.

AND GUESS WHO PAY'S FOR ALL OF THIS TRAINING....YOU DO THAT IS EXACTLY WHO. DO RESEARCH. DON'T LISTEN TO OTHER WANNABES.

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

MARKETING YOURSELF......'TOO'.

In many ways trying to make a name for yourself for anyone,  isn’t all that different from searching for fame under bright lights of Hollywood Boulevard. Hollywood is built on advertising and self-promotion. Even the iconic Hollywood sign was originally an advertisement for a housing development called Hollywoodland. Yet, it still towers over Tinseltown more than 60 years later.

However,  acting, where success relies on relentlessly placing yourself in front of the right sets of eyes, self-promotion was,in the beginning,  was not favored by many of Hollywoods Big Time agent.  Preferring to focus on their business rather than stepping into the spotlight themselves. However, in the increasingly saturated modern startup ecosystem concentrating, on your personal image and social proof on social media is becoming essential to draw the attention of those who can push your career, your qualities, to the next level. Actors, any entertainer for that matter has to build a network, and much of the legwork is done by themselves personally and not as simple as pitching the ball to their agent and then sitting back and waiting. There are so many avenues available to actors on all levels, but in particular those with budding careers. You have to be 'seen' you have to pay attention. Listening to sage advice and not just blabber from someone else trying to do the 'exact same thing'. Look, at those Social Media lanes as well. AND MOST OF ALL,, WORK ON SKILL LEVELS. IT MAKES NO SENSE TO TRY TO MARKET SOMETHING THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE THERE, OR HAVE A MARKET VALUE. WHEN YOU FINALLY GET THAT BIG TIME CHANCE, DON'T BLOW IT. AT LEAST KNOW THAT ALTHOUGH YOU MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN IT. AT LEAST YOU WERE READY...>>> YOU CAN BET THE OTHERS WERE AS WELL<<<

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

MAKES PERFECT SENSE, DOES IT NOT?

"IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DO IT,

MARK TWAIN...

So, true. The secret to getting ahead is simply 'getting started'

Quit just dreaming and just do it.

See you on the other side.

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

NATURAL TALENT VS PLAIN OLD HARD WORK/

CREATIVITY IS A NATURAL TALENT AND CANNOT BE TAUGHT!

THIS MISS-PERCEPTION IS ACTUALLY VERY CONVENIENT BECAUSE IT RELIEVES EVERYBODY OF THE NEED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT

FOSTERING CREATIVITY. IF IT IS ONLY AVAILABLE AS A NATURAL TALENT, THEN THERE IS NO POINT IN SEEKING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT

CREATIVITY.

THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE NATURALLY CREATIVE DOES NOT MEAN THAT SUCH PEOPLE WOULD NOT BE 'EVEN MORE CREATIVE' WITH SOME

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND CERTAINLY NOT LEAST 'TECHNIQUES'. NOR DOES IT MEAN THAT OTHER PEOPLE CAN NEVER BECOME CREATIVE.

THE ACTING PROFESSION, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE JUST BEGINNING IS FRAUGHT WITH THOSE THAT BELIEVE IN THE HEART OF THEIR HEARTS,

THAT THEY ARE READY RIGHT THIS MINUTE WITHOUT THE NEED OF ANY FURTHER TRAINING. THEY CAN COMPETE WITH PROFESSIONALS

AS THEY ARE.

THIS MY FRIENDS MAY BECOME THEIR 'FAMOUS LAST WORDS'.

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

WORLD HIGHEST PAID ACTORS;

• #1 Dwayne Johnson, $64.5 M. more.
• #2 Jackie Chan, $61 M. more.
• #3 Matt Damon, $55 M. more.
• #4 Tom Cruise, $53 M. more.
• #5 Johnny Depp, $48 M. more.
• #6 Jennifer Lawrence, $46 M. more.
• #7 Ben Affleck, $43 M. more.
• #8 Vin Diesel, $35 M. more.

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

SKILLS FOR ACTING? REALLY?

Acting Skills. In order to effectively portray a character in a play, film, TV show or other production, you'll need to have a nuanced set of skills to communicate effectively, both to an audience and to the directors or producers you wish to work for.  And not you, nor anyone else on the planet comes by this 'naturally'.

Sure you have amateurs that are more talented than the next person, but when the job, the budget and someone's job is on the line, another actor that had those exact same 'natural' talents that you have but took it to a different level.. UP not DOWN. This is going to be the one with the job, making the big bucks.

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

MYTHS ABOUT ACTING?

One myth about acting is that it is a young person’s profession. While it’s true that movies and TV shows feature people in their 20s, many times older actors have an easier time landing roles in markets like Los Angeles Atlanta and New York. There are so many young people trying to make it that those older aspiring actors, feel defeated before they even start, So they don't. Besides, outside Hollywood and New York City, and the Atl, many professional acting jobs are parts in local commercials and corporate training films, and now in Atlanta big time movies. Directors want actors who look like people you see everywhere you  go. —in other words, like ordinary people. Extras can earn $75 to $150 per day, while principal work can pay $600 or more per day, while SAG scale is upward of $900 per day and many times more if you can land a recurring role (not necessarily seen everyday)

Do not get discouraged before you even begin.

Commercial modelling

Commercial modelling is the largest area of modeling in the industry. Commercial models carve out extremely successful and lucrative professional careers by appearing in advertisements, magazines and catalogs. A commercial model is just about everything there is except Fashion Modeling and most times (outside of NY) much more. Why? Because of usage fee. That means the ad may run for weeks. months and sometimes over a year. Whereas Fashion modeling is usually over with soon, maybe as soon as the paper comes out or the show is over with. This is exactly why actors also do commercial modeling. Like Home Depot for example, a couple buying a lawn mower that they will use/run for the entire season and not just one or two days. Or say a Jack Daniels poster or billboard that they use for maybe a year. That could pay thousands of dollars. And you ARE NOT going to see any one that looks like a New York fashion model buying a lawn mower at Home Depot.

Totally unrealistic. You have to know your limits and your possible market.

Preparing

It may take years of practice to develop the skills needed to be successful as an actor, and actors never truly finish training, much like athletes.  They work to improve their acting skills throughout their career. Many actors continue to train through workshops, rehearsals, or mentoring by a drama coach. Every role is different, and an actor may need to learn something new for each one. For example, a role may require learning how to sing or dance to a certain extent. Or, learn about a different era in time. These take dedication and NOT just a passing interest, or having read a couple of articles on the subject.  I can promise you when you actually go to the audition, perhaps the one that could change your life and lifestyle, that there are going to be those with a little more 'focus' and 'preparation' than a passing interest that show up as well. Many aspiring actors begin by participating in school plays or local theater productions. In television and film, actors usually start out in smaller roles or independent movies and work their way up to bigger productions. BUT THEY DO SO WITHOUT LISTENING TO A BUNCH OF ''NO RESUME' ACTORS DISHING OUT ADVICE.  Be sure this avenue is right for you and then go about doing something about it.

Johnny Depp Start Up

Edward Scissorhands. Captain Jack Sparrow. Raoul Duke. Mort fuxxxxxg Rainey. All legendary roles that probably wouldn't be quite as legendary had they not been played by Johnny Depp.initially, Depp had no intentions of being an actor. When he was younger, his mother gave him a guitar as a gift and he had his sights set on being a rock star, and even ended up performing in various garage bands. Eventually, Depp dropped out of school to dedicate more time to his music. When he tried to return, his principal actually advised him against doing so, and to follow his dreams instead  Despite having the world's coolest principal, his hopes for a career in music began to dwindle. Depp married a make-up artist who introduced him to Nicolas Cage, who told the young hopeful to try acting (advice we continue to offer Cage to this very day). Instead, Depp divorced the make-up artist, probably because she introduced him to Nicolas Cage.  

YEAH, SO WHAT HAPPENED????

Then one day, for no discernible reason, Depp accompanied a friend named Jackie Earle Haley to an audition for a horror movie about an ugly janitor who kills children through their dreams.

It was there that Wes Craven spotted Depp and asked him to read for the part of the protagonist's boyfriend who dies in the most vomit-inducing way possible. Depp nailed the audition and went on to become an iconic movie actor, while his friend was doomed to roles like hippies, smelly perverts and smelly psychopaths."The lesson? If a friend asks you to drive him to an audition, fxxxxg do it."

Starving Artist

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

THE STARVING ARTIST:

J-Lo. Denzel,. Bono. 50 Cent. Alicia Keys. Jerry Seinfeld. Clint Black. Mikhail Baryshnikov. Jennifer Aniston. It may seem like a diverse list, but all these folks have at least one thing in common: They're performing artists. Performing artists do just what they advertise: they perform. Whether it's live or on film or video, they act, sing, play music, dance, tell jokes, or otherwise entertain us. While other artists, such as writers, sculptors, or painters, are focused on creating or producing things like short stories or paintings, performing artists channel their talents into performances that entertain, amuse, provoke, and delight. Because of the fame and fortune accorded those who succeed in Hollywood, on TV, in theater, and in concert halls, untold millions are drawn toward careers in the performing arts. Very few succeed financially (the notion of the "starving artist" is well founded). Only those with determination, talent, discipline, and luck manage to find careers in the performing arts in which they love may reach the success of those above, but many, many create and maintain a very nice lifestyle. How many times did they hear "Act, you're kidding right', your butt's too big?" or, "Well good luck, you are the 'wrong' ethnicity." I''ll bet those naysayers wish they had the back account of anyone of those guys.