If you’re acting in New York City, here are some updates for those looking for legit commercial representation.

Funny Face Today has just opened an on-camera division for film, TV and commercials called FFTV.  Marion Falk who was previously at Frontier Booking International for 7 years is heading the new office.

Christopher Freer has recently left Clear Talent and has opened up CMF Talent with business partners Joel Carlton and Michael Goddard.  This new office is representing actors for theater, musical theater, film and TV.

Plaza 7 has recently opened a NY office.  Francesca Francois-Grimaldi is heading that office that works in all areas.

David Cash has left Henderson-Hogan Talent Agency and is now at Nicolosi & Co. working in all legit areas.

In order to create, we all need three specific areas of support.  We need people, systems, and environments to support what we’re creating. I was at the conference in November, and I saw billionaire entrepreneur Barbara Corcoran speak. Her key piece of advice was to create a system for anything and everything you do more than once. Most of you already have systems in place and you just don’t know it, so think about something you do on a regular basis for your acting career.  I want you to then break that action down into small steps so that you can identify your system.  Once you know your system, streamline it; make it a little easier to follow.

We must have an environment that supports us.  I wrote the majority of my book at the Santa Monica Public Library because I was surrounded by people who were quietly working and free of distractions. So when it comes to your environment, do you have a clean, orderly space?  Is there a specific place in your home dedicated for your acting career? Are you aware of when you’re at your best? Are there certain colors that you respond well to, certain foods or scents that really speak to you?  Be sure that those items are in your work environment.  This will support your mental health, but it will also make you more productive.

Lastly, we need people to support us.  It’s been said that every top peak performer has six key people on their team.  Six key people, and it doesn’t matter who’s on your team; they don’t all have to be industry experts.  You could have a best friend or partner who’s really supportive.  Just really pay attention to who you’re spending time with and make sure that those people are supportive and reflective of where it is you want to take your career.  Now, if they’re not, I’m suggesting not suggesting ending friendships, but it’s time to now reach out and bring more people into your circle.  Maybe step out of your comfort zone and start surrounding yourself with people who know more than you do and who are more successful than you are.  This is how you get where it is you want to go.

Now take a look back at those goals that you identified in the beginning of this process and take some time to draw out a specific plan of action.  What resources do you need in order to accomplish the goals that you’ve identified?  What might be in your way and how can you overcome those obstacles?

I encourage every one of you to take some time to clean up behaviors or patterns that aren’t in line with where you want to go.  Where in your life can you get complete and what will completion of afford you?  From there, it’s time to build on your successes and create what’s next.  You can do this easily by relying on your values and making decisions from that place.

Respected as one of the entertainment industry’s leading experts, Dallas Travers’ book, The Tao of Show Business, has won over five awards including first prizes at The Hollywood Book Festival and the London Festival along with the National Indie Excellence Award. She has helped thousands of actors to increase their auditions, produce their own projects, secure representation and book roles in film and television. Click here to learn more about Dallas.

by Janet Wilcox

Want to perform in NYC?

First, remember you need to audition for a role that is right for you. Second, you have to have enough auditions to increase your odds of booking a job. Evaluate the kinds of parts you’re getting and see if you are likely to book these roles. If they aren’t a good fit, try to seek opportunities that are better suited to your talents.

Aside from that, examine your mindset. Are you focused on the work, or the worries? Sometimes actors sabotage their best efforts by censoring their thoughts. Doubt about your talent or your competition can hurt your performance. Make sure you commit to your character and don’t comment negatively on your audition.

Preparation goes a long way to assure success. Give yourself the time you need to be ready to give it your best shot. Make sure your technique is up to snuff by keeping it sharp in classes. A rusty instrument will not help with cold reads. Also, market your talents to increase your odds of getting more opportunities.

Finally, make sure you’re enjoying your life and not so desperate to get something that you can’t be creative. A good survival job that you feel comfortable with can help you patiently wait to land the perfect part. In addition, don’t be afraid to explore new opportunities such as independent films, webisodes, or volunteer projects where you may get a chance to stretch your talents and gain the confidence you need to perform well and book dream jobs in the future.

Mastering Monologues and Acting Sides is available for preorder on Amazon and allworth.com. The official release is October 4th. See monologues and scenes performed at the book signings. The New York Book Signing is October 22nd from 2:30-4:30 at Actors Connection, 630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1410 and the Los Angeles Book Signing is October 13th from 7-9 at Book Soup, 1818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood California.

R.S.V.P. for the book signing at www.janetwilcox.com.

Janet Wilcox is a voice-actor whose clients include E!, ABC, Lifetime, Kia, and AMC among others. She has worked as a writer, producer, and director on major promotion campaigns for HBO, A&E, and the History Channel. With Heyman Talent and the SAG Conservatory, she taught improv and voice-over workshops, and currently teaches a studio voice-over class at UCLA Extension. Ms. Wilcox also wrote, Voiceovers: Techniques and Tactics for Success.

In her latest post, Dallas states, “It is time to create some space in your life for all the new, good things to happen.”

Click here to read Dallas Travers’ second part of a three part series on creating a realistic strategy to help with your acting career.

Respected as one of the entertainment industry’s leading experts, Dallas Travers’ book, The Tao of Show Business, has won over five awards including first prizes at The Hollywood Book Festival and the London Festival along with the National Indie Excellence Award. She has helped thousands of actors to increase their auditions, produce their own projects, secure representation and book roles in film and television. Click here to learn more about Dallas.

If you’re looking for acting classes in NYC, be sure to check out our upcoming schedule by clicking on the Classes tab at the top of the page.