Hello beautiful people!
Let’s tell ’em about ourselves!
Here’s how.
Start by reviewing your brand work. We’ve done enough of it in this program alone that even if you’ve done nothing beyond the minimum here, you’re good to go to answer this prompt. Ask yourself whether you’re the type who shares a lot or leaves some things out. Think about how much a story your credits, your footage, your web presence, your headshot already tells and decide how to fill in the gaps using tidbits about your real life.
And don’t stress about how “real” it really is.
For example, one of my masterminders is not a mom. But she is the on-site landlady for a building filled with a couple dozen 20-somethings. Think about how many times a week she is “being a mom.” She’s calming nerves. She’s handling emergencies. She’s collecting rent. To top it off, she volunteers at a dog rescue in her spare time. She holds these pups to make them more adoptable. She cleans cages. She even manages the volunteer schedule! Such a mom! So, when she responds to “So, tell me about yourself,” she does so from a position of storytelling… and the stories are all about her nurturing life outside of acting. This confirms what her resume and demo reel already display: As far as casting is concerned, she’s a mom!
Another of our students was doing her pitch in an in-person SMFA class. She led off with, “Well, I’m from New York…” but there is *nothing* New York about this actor. She feels like she grew up on a farm and probably rode horses, had outdoor chores, and considered the act of going off to college to be the scariest leap of her life since it would expose her to people outside her immediate family and small town for the very first time. We told her as much during the pitch feedback portion of class and she got very caught up on the whole, “But I don’t want to lie,” thing. This is a biggie for some folks. (Not for Keith. Ask him how old he is. He’ll answer differently every time and it’ll never be the truth.) The way we fixed this issue was simple: Leave out where you’re from altogether! If you feel you have to disclose such information, try, “I was born in New York but I was raised with Midwest values…” because this is true! And while a large part of New York State does line up with that, it’s not where our minds GO when we think “New York” for the most part. So once she mentions “Midwest values,” she’s steering us to the right vibe for being able to understand her.
No need to say, “I’m an only child” if you’re not simply because you come across as a loner; just don’t mention your family! If you’re asked about it, feel free to say, “Surprisingly, I’m from a big family! I think that may be why I like taking so much time to myself…” to explain the vibe. Note that it doesn’t make you unfaithful if you take off your wedding band at casting sessions if your primary castability is as a swinging single! Of course, you can disclose that you’re married if you’d like, but you needn’t lead with it if it’s only going to confuse the buyer about how to cast you. If you’re really struggling with this, put the onus on someone else by using phrases like: “People have told me I come across as…” or “I’ve been cast as…” until you get more comfortable with owning the words that follow outright.
Remember, with every word you use in your pitch, you are equipping others with the words THEY will use when they pitch you. (Tweet it.)
Is it any mystery why people use words like badass, brilliant, generous, supportive, empowering, or — the number-one most often-used phrase about me after a coaching call — “I always feel so much better after I talk to you. Like I can do this! It’s so simple now” when talking about me? No. No mystery. These are words I’ve purposefully woven into my brand, my “about me,” my self-talk *and* my talk-about-myself language out in the world. This work is all about “dropping breadcrumbs down the path” for how you’d like others to see you, talk about you, and GET you.
I say this not so that you’ll turn this into a harder bit of work than it is! I just want you to be sure you understand its power. 🙂
Today’s work: So… tell me about yourself! Shoot yourself answering this prompt, upload the vid, pop the link in below, and have fun with this! I promise, it’s never going to be easier than we’re making it right here in this super-supportive environment designed to do exactly this kind of work safely and with positive, constructive feedback! It’s not gonna suddenly BE easier elsewhere if you don’t build a muscle for it now. And this task isn’t going away. So… hop to it! What can you tell me about the human behind that most castable brand of Next-Tier You that helps me know exactly how to cast you next?!?
’til tomorrow… stay ninja!
