Welcome to Habit #5 in our Series of the 7 Habits of Highly Successful People as pertains to ACTORS.

5. Seek First to Understand– Then to be Understood!

This is really cool to pull through the lens of an actor and I have three specific directions I want to go with this.

Direction 1– SUBMISSIONS

Direction 2- CHARACTER HOMEWORK.

Direction 3- REPS

So let’s start with Submissions. I would guarantee that EVERY Casting Director I know would tell me that they get many actors who are wrong for the role for every breakdown they release. Every single one. WHY? Because often actors aren’t seeking to understand before they try for the job.

In order to UNDERSTAND a project, you need to explore all known details carefully. You need to LISTEN to what is needed before you spend any time creating. I know sometimes this can be tricky because breakdowns don’t always include a lot of info, but you need to take what IS included very seriously.

For example, if a breakdown says they need local hire for a project and they are looking for people with fluent Spanish, and you KNOW you don’t have a place to stay in that city, you don’t have money for a flight AND you haven’t tried out your Spanish since JR year of high school– DO NOT SEND A TAPE. The details that production knows are important to them are in those directions. Don’t assume that you are an exception to a rule– because the more people who assume they are, the more frustrating it is for casting to sift thru everything and every part of the process suffers.

Ok so part 2– CHARACTER HOMEWORK. When you approach your scene and begin to make choices, you need to mine your section of the script and your character description for clues about who this person is and what they want. This is tricky without reading the whole script (always read the ENTIRE script when given the opportunity–it doesn’t always come up but take it when it does) but do your best.

Look for patterns in the way they think/speak, look for what actions they are playing, try to determine their ideal outcome in each moment, etc. You can’t make thorough choices until you have done this work as an actor. Once you have done this work on your script– then you SEEK TO BE UNDERSTOOD. Make choices that clearly show your character’s wants and desires so that your performance is believable to casting AND to an audience.

And part 3– REPS. In order to get an agent, you need to understand what an agent NEEDS from an actor to get them audition appointments. Without an understanding of an agent’s process, you can’t be sure that you are providing them with all the necessary tools they need to do their job.

What are those tools?

A resume ready for work at the next level. A picture that places them in the right worlds for what casts locally. Training that they can trust to represent the agency on set. Quick correspondence for fast audition turn arounds. Solid communication skills and work ethic for when things get busy– or to help things GET busy when they are slow.

You need to understand why all this is needed and have it at the ready in order to get an agent to understand that you are ready for Rep!

Find this blog helpful! Don’t forget to check out the earlier ones in this series!

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven