My newly published book "From Movie City to Music City USA" (My Journey Through Showbiz and how it Works)

I have just recently finished writing my newly published book entitled "From Movie City to Music City USA" (My Journey Through Showbiz and how it Works). I will share chapter one with you and if you're interested in reading more please log onto my website at www.randallrutledge.com and buy the ebook or preorder the print version which will be available soon not only from my website but from www.amazon.com as well as other online retailers however I had prefer people to purchase directly from my website. Thanks for reading my blog and I hope you enjoy chapter one of "From Movie City to Music City USA' (My Journey Through Showbiz and how it Works).

From Movie City to Music City USA
(My Journey through Showbiz and how it Works)


















RANDALL RUTLEDGE


Randall Rutledge
221 Cook Rd. N.W.
Calhoun, GA 30701
1-800-486-0054
www.randallrutledge.com








© 2008 Randall Rutledge
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America






This publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner Randall Rutledge, 221 Cook Rd. N.W. Calhoun, GA 30701

I dedicate this book to my wonderful wife Suzanne, and to my three sons Jimmy, Billy and Christopher, who are all the greatest inspirations in my life.





This book is also dedicated to those who have given their all in the pursuit of following their dreams, as well as their hearts.





























Preface


From Movie City to Music City USA (My Journey through Showbiz and how it Works) incorporates 25 years of my own personal experiences, as well as showing how the industry actually works from the legit to the not so legit. I have pursued all phases of the entertainment industry from acting to producing, and recording to writing. There aren't too many phases of this industry that I haven't tried to tap into and yet there are hundreds of areas of the entertainment industry that I haven't, which you will see, as you progress through this literary journey that I share with you.

Although to date I haven't made what everyone refers to as the “big time,” I have yet to totally give up, nor will I until the day that I die. At the same time, I also encourage any and all to never give up their life’s pursuit no matter what that may be. Many will travel by bus, train, plane, car, or simply walk and stick out their thumb to the world's most inexpensive and most inconvenient mode of travel “hitchhike” to get to Movie City or Music City USA just for a small piece, even smaller than a crumb, of the showbiz pie.

As long as one tries then one never fails. If you've seen the movie National Treasure starring Nicholas Cage, in one scene he explains that when Thomas Edison was trying to invent the light bulb someone stated he had failed 2,000 times, and Thomas Edison replied, "I didn't fail I just found 2000 ways how not to make a light bulb.”

So find your 2000 ways of how not to make it, and then find your one way to succeed and I'll meet you there.






Contents






Preface……………......xiii
Chapter One …………Discovering Hollywood
Chapter Two…………The Starving Actor
Chapter Three………..Screenwriting
Chapter Four…………Film producer
Chapter Five………….The Director
Chapter Six…………. .My Interest in Music
Chapter Seven………..Songwriting & Recording
Chapter Eight………...Poetry
Chapter Nine………....Scams and Bogus Contracts
Chapter Ten………….My TV and Radio Shows
Chapter Eleven ………Competitions
Chapter Twelve………Theatrical & Literary Agency Listings L.A.

Chapter One

Discovering Hollywood


My initial interest in the entertainment industry started when I was not more than six years old. A portion of a movie was being filmed on location in my home town of Calhoun, Georgia, a town approximately 70 miles northwest of Atlanta. That movie was entitled AThe Trail of Tears@ about the plight of the Cherokee Indians (Native Americans) starring country singer and legend Johnny Cash, whom I met while he was on the set filming. However, to my knowledge no other film has ever been filmed in my hometown, which is probably the reason I wanted to be in show business. Give you a little taste, take it away and you will always want more, isn=t that the way it goes.

For the next 14 years, being in show business was always in the back of my mind, but of course, you might say what mind. At the age of 17, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, and upon completion of my three-year tour of duty I relocated to tinsel town, better known as Hollywood, California, Movie City, USA. That day was January 22, 1982. I walked down Athe walk of fame@ dreaming that one day my name would be immortalized like that of the stars’ names already on the walk of fame, but that is all I was doing, dreaming. My name still is not on the walk of fame and with good reason. First, I’m not a celebrity, and second, I don’t play politics. But more importantly I would never expect a sponsor to lay out the kind of cash that it takes to get your name on the walk of fame. Now days it would cost $15,000.00 and Hollywood’s greedy rule on that is “no cash no name on the walk of fame.” The walk of fame is controlled by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Okay, enough of that nonsense let’s get back on track.


Now that I was in Hollywood, I had to find out how to get an acting job like the other 80,000 want-a-be=s. Not so easy, as I quickly found out. But through meeting people who had worked in movies, I was told the best place to start was to do what is called Anon-union@ extra work or as they call it today being a background artist. Finally, after a few months in Hollywood I was booked on my first extra (background artist) job. That was on the movie AScarface,@ starring Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer, directed by Brian De Palma. I worked on Sound Stage 28 at Universal Studios, Hollywood. Very exciting, at least it was then, and what was I paid per day to be in the hit movie AScarface?@ Back then, I made a whopping $35.00 per day, which is about $4.37 an hour for a base of 8 hours, but I did make about $100.00 per day because of all the over-time on a daily basis. Trust me you will always get excessive overtime on any movie, TV show, or commercial that=s just the way it is.

If you are the type of person that gets easily bored, I suggest that you bring a book, a crossword puzzle, a board game, or a deck of cards to keep you occupied. It will be many, many hours of doing nothing but sitting around, and if you had to be up at 3 am in order to be on the set by 5 am, which in the industry is known as your Acall time,@ you can get some sleep once you are checked in and in the staging area for the background artist. You might be on a set for 18 hours and only be used in a scene for 30 minutes or less, but don=t complain as you are being paid, fed, and get to meet other interesting people that have something in common with you, working in pictures.

Okay, after I finished working on the movie AScarface@ I was booked on an episode of AKnight Rider,@ starring David Hasselhoff, and from that worked on an episode of AQuincy,@ starring Jack Klugman, in the wedding scene, where naturally Quincy gets married. Now that I was getting all of this background work, I just knew that it would not be long before I got my big break as a movie star.
You guessed it, to this day I haven=t gotten that break or I would not be writing this book. But don=t get me wrong, I=ve had a lot of fun working in movies, meeting a lot of the big stars personally, eating lunch with some of them on the set, and making and maintaining friendships with people I met while working on movies. And this isn=t even the tip of the iceberg, I have a lot more to tell you about, so sit back and keep reading as we journey through my experiences in show business. Should you want to pursue show business as a career for yourself, you will have something that I didn=t have, over 20 years of trial and error. Information on where to start, how to get that first job, how to tell the legitimate agencies from the bogus rip off agencies, (cause they are out there), con artists preying on your dreams waiting to separate you from your money and give you nothing but empty promises.

Now don=t get me wrong, for as in anything there are also those that are honest and have integrity, but, for the time being, let=s talk about those that don=t. First, one of the biggest scams in Hollywood is going to an agency that is suppose to be able to cast you in movies, T.V. shows, commercials etc., and the first thing that they want from you is $100.00 or more. Then they will say, "Do you have a portfolio?" If your answer is "no," they will have their photographer schedule you a photo shoot for a few hundred dollars more, usually starting around $500.00 or maybe even $1,000.00, and more times than none the photographer is not that great to start with. Now they’ve gotten more than a few hundred dollars out of you, and you haven=t even been booked on a movie yet to try to earn some of that investment back. A word to the wise, if you are trying to be an actor, you don=t need a portfolio in the first place as portfolios are for models not actors. Actors only need an 8 x 10 black and white photo known in the industry as a head shot. You will probably want to be shot in the head if you fall for one of these scams.


But, they=re not finished with you yet, now they will tell you that they can also manage you as an actor for an additional monthly fee. Wow! Great, you might think. You have a portfolio, a booking agency, a manager, and they even have acting classes that you can attend, for yet another fee, all this under one roof. How convenient everything is fee based naturally to the bogus agencies financial advantage and not yours. Will they be at the same address next week when you come back? Maybe, maybe not. If they are gone that means that some smart person figured out that they were a scam and started an investigation against their unethical business practices of using the entertainment industry as a front to extract as much money from as many unsuspecting people as possible. Or, they simply made tons of money from that location and decided to get out of Dodge before they were caught ripping people off.

Now just a little about one of the worse scams of all, directed more toward girls than guys, but the guys are hit with it at times as well. It is called the old Acasting couch" which means, for sexual favors they will promise you a big part in a movie, that they have nothing to do with in the first place, so definitely don=t fall for that scam. Never compromise your morals, or your money to anyone. If all they seem to be interested in is sex or money, more than likely they are trying to "scam" you.

So approach every situation with extreme caution, check out their references, see if they are franchised with the Screen Actors Guild, and make sure that they are bonded, as any talent agency in the State of California must have a $10,000.00 bond, as mandated by the Attorney Generals Office of the State of California. You can also check with the city clerk's office to ensure that they are a licensed business. If you feel that you have been taken by a bogus agency, you can file a complaint against them with the Better Business Bureau as well as the department of Consumer Affairs. If you still have any money left, file a law suite against them. If they owe you $5,000.00 or less, you can file a small claims suit against them for under $75.00. In addition, you can sue them for the maximum amount in small claims in the State of California for $5,000.00, but allow the court to decide what a fair settlement is for you. If you get all the money you paid them back, you not only win, but put them out of business so they can=t rip off anyone else, and they may even do some jail time for fraud. Always ask questions before you give your hard-earned money away. If a company is legitimate and has nothing to hide, they will be happy to answer any questions that you may have regarding their agency, and more than happy to prove that they are a legitimate and reputable firm.

Well, with that said, let=s talk about how to get legitimate work in the entertainment industry. As I myself had to do, the best way to learn the business is to start out doing, again as stated earlier, Anon- union@ extra work. The one major, legitimate casting company that can get you work in movies is "Central Casting." Their phone number is area code (818)-562-2755 (at least that was the number at the time I wrote this book). They charge a one-time $20.00 cash photo-processing fee, very different from $100.00 or more, and they do get you work. Now, they are very strict, as they have to be, for in the entertainment industry, as in any industry, reputation is everything, not just with extras but with the companies that supply extras to the industry as well.

Example, if they book you on a shoot and you accept the call, then don=t show for the job and don=t call, (which they classify in the industry as a “no call, no show”) I can assure you that you will never work for Central Casting again. Their days and times for non-union registration are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday weekly from 10:30 am to 11:30 am, ending promptly on those days at 11:30 am. They are located in Burbank, California and for more info call the contact number listed for central casting. As far as what a non-union extra is paid today, I believe it is $54.00 for a base of eight and overtime, time and a half, double time all that good stuff.
Another agency that I know of that gets you work in T.V. commercials, is "Background Talent." They can be reached at area code (818)-760-7090. They charge a monthly fee of $25.00 to be registered with them; however, they do get you work on T.V. commercials that pay anywhere from $85.00 to $125.00 per day and sometimes more. In fact, I worked two days on a commercial they booked me on and was paid $259.20 per day that=s $518.40 in two days, not bad and well worth the $25.00 monthly fee.

Here are some examples of other monies that I made working with Background Talent. From a Buick commercial I made $269.00 for two days; for two days on a SIEMANS commercial I made $255.00; for one day on a Perdue Chicken commercial I made $125.00; for one day on a Lipton Ice Tea commercial I made $150.00; I worked 5 hours on Fox Sports and made $125.00, that=s $25.00 per hour. I think you get the picture, with Background Talent you will work a lot, especially during the summer months when most commercials are shot in Los Angeles, actually all year long but more in the summer time.

I=ve also worked on the following movies, T.V. shows and music videos.

Film
Moving Violations
Tainted Love
Lap Dancing

T.V.
Quincy
Knightrider
Unsolved Mysteries
Power Rangers
Hollywierd (Wes Craven) Pilot


Music Videos
Julio Felony
Gravity Kills

Student Films
Don=t Mess with Granny
Frequency


And as I mentioned several T.V. commercials, so you can tell by now, I am no stranger to the entertainment industry.

Oh, and it doesn=t stop there from 1983 to 1985 I also worked as an assistant casting director with Casting Unlimited (no longer in business), booking, you guessed it, Anon-union extras on feature films. I was also the set manager for the movie, ”Moving Violations” that starred Robert Conrad, Sally Kellerman, James Keach, who is the brother of Stacy Keach, Stacy being from the Mike Hammer fame. It also starred Tim Murray, who is Bill Murray=s brother, I=m sure that you all know Bill Murray. He was on Saturday Night Live and Caddy Shack and he is most recently known for the feature film Charlie=s Angels, the first Charlie=s Angeles film not the newest release, Full Throttle.

Enough of that, in 1985 I tried my hand at writing a screenplay, a way that would surely get me in the back door of Hollywood. I thought that by writing my own screenplay and writing myself a major part I could get in that way. Well I was wrong again, as Hollywood never knows what they want.

The script was entitled AWestbound 18 Wheeler@ a comedy about two truck drivers that go back in time to the American old west with their rig among the cowboys and Indians. It is a comedy, a cross between Smokey and the Bandit and Back to the Future 3. I was told by some of the powers that be in Hollywood that anything to do with westerns will never be filmed again, that the day of the western movie was over and completely obsolete.

Let=s see there was Dances with Wolves, Wagons East, Unforgiven, Pale Rider, Rustlers Rhapsody, Silverado, City Slickers, Tombstone, Young Guns, Young Guns 2, Maverick, and not only that what about the westerns made for T.V. in the 1980's and 1990's. There was Brisco County Jr., Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, The Young Riders, Lonesome Dove, The Magnificent Seven. Hell, they even remade the Lone Ranger, and on the T.V. show Walker Texas Ranger, they would go back in time to the old west talking about one of the most famous Texas Rangers of all time, Hayes Cooper.

The ANewton Boy=s" a movie based on a true story which starred Matthew McConaughey and Dwight Yoakam could also be considered a western. What about a western that aired just recently this year 2008 on the Hallmark Channel entitled “A Gunfighters Pledge,” which starred Luke Perry and C. Thomas Howell? However, according to that Hollywood major studio executive, no western would be filmed ever again. Studio heads and executives sometimes don=t know their butt=s from a hole in the ground. For as you can see, the western has still prevailed and withstood the test of time even from the day that Hollywood executive assured me that the movie western was history.

“West Bound Eighteen Wheeler” is not the only screenplay that I have written. I have three feature length screenplays to my credit, as well as one TV series concept. The other two films I wrote are entitled AKung-Fu-Shoes,@ naturally a martial arts comedy, and AThe Idol@ a horror film. The TV pilot is entitled "Bright Light City" about a bounty hunter who tires of chasing rednecks in the wilds of Georgia and moves to Las Vegas for a little more excitement. You guessed it, they are still collecting dust in my closet, but I will not give up, maybe one day I=ll be able to finance them myself and Hollywood can kiss me where the sun don=t shine, of course that=s my lower backside. I also have ideas for other movies that I will eventually write that I won't mention for now as they are not completed or copy written just yet and don=t want anyone to steal my ideas especially the powers that be in Hollywood.

That leads me to another point, protecting your work. The first thing that you should do after finishing something you have written is mail a copy to yourself and never open it in case you have to take someone to court for stealing your idea. You can also register your work with the Writers Guild of America for $20.00 as well as copyright it with the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. for $35.00 if you register online and $45.00 if you register with a paper form and mail it in to the Library of Congress.

Mailing a copy to your self is called a poor man's copyright and will hold up in a court of law in the event of a copyright dispute. Always protect your material, as there are thieves out there who have no problem stealing and claiming your work for their self.

The form that you need for screenplays, teleplays, and songs is referred to as the PA form, which means Performing Arts form. In the United States a work is basically copy written as soon as the creator has lifted the pen from the paper or in today’s advanced technology hit that last key on the key board. However I would strongly recommend that you not only copyright your work with the Library of Congress and register it with the Writers Guild and or Protectrite which can be found online at www.protectrite.com an online intellectual property registration company. I strongly advise one to use all these methods of protecting your literary work as you can’t be too careful with all the con’s out there that would love to do nothing more than attach themselves to your creation by way of theft.


In Chapter Twelve, you will find a list of current literary agents (current upon the printing of this book) as well as a list of S.A.G. (Screen Actors Guild) franchised agents for those of you who wish to try and approach one of these agents for representation as a writer or actor. All I have to say is good luck. Some of these agents will consider unknown actors and writers for representation, but they are few and far between.

Let=s get back to what the tools of the trade of the actor are, an 8 x 10 black and white head shot, a bio and resume. You will need to get several duplicate copies that are called lithographs, which are nothing more than lithographic copies made from your 8 x 10 black and white glossy proofs. A lithograph also gives the actor the ability to make hundreds and thousands of submissions annually at a far lower cost than glossy prints. Another thing that you need is a resume, and naturally, if you haven=t worked in anything then you will not have a resume. As you begin getting work in movies, TV shows, TV commercials, music videos, as well as stage plays, you can then start building a resume.

A partial example of my resume is found on page 6 & 7. I will list my complete resume in it=s proper format so you can see an example of an actors resume. You will also need what is called a bio, which is a biography of yourself; I will include a copy of my bio so you will also have an example of that. Below is my complete theatrical resume.



RANDALL RUTLEDGE

Ht: 6'1" 221 Cook Rd. N. W.
Wt: 180 lbs Calhoun, GA 30701
Hair: Brown 706-624-1818
Eyes: Blue

Film Role
Scarface Nightclub Patron
Karate Kid School Student
Rhinestone Hari Krishna
Moving Violations Police Officer
Tainted Love Detective
Lap Dancing Club Patron
Most Wanted Police Officer

T.V. Role
Quincy Wedding Guest
Knightrider Car Race Spectator
Unsolved Mysteries Doctor
Power Rangers Carnival Patron
Hollywierd (Pilot- Wes Craven) Cowboy (Singing
Blue Suede Shoes)
Running Mates Texas Delegate

Commercials:
List upon Request

Music Video Role
Julio Felony Arresting Officer
Gravity Kills Husband arguing
With wife

Stage Role
Hostages Terrorist

Training:
On Set Experience

Skills: Firearms (Pistol & Rifle), Archery, Swimming, Roller Skating, Dancing (Non Professional), Bicycle, Football, Baseball, Volleyball, Soccer, Pool, Law Enforcement & Security Equipment, Military (3 yrs Marine Corps), Minor Stunts (Falls & Fights), Repelling, Bowling, Scriptwriting, Songwriting, Martial Arts (Blue Belt Tae Kwon Do).

That is my complete theatrical resume, now for my complete bio so you will have an example of how to do your own.

RANDALL RUTLEDGE

Born August 23, 1961 in Calhoun, Georgia a small town situated in the mountains 70 miles northwest of Atlanta. Randall=s interest in show business started in 1967 when a movie was being filmed in Calhoun at New Echota (a Cherokee Indian Museum). The movie was entitled AThe Trail of Tears,@ starring Johnny Cash, a real thrill for six-year-old Randall Rutledge. He also developed an intense interest in country music as well as rock from the 50's. His musical influences were Elvis Presley, Johnny Horton, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Sr. and Jr., Marty Robbins, as well as many of today=s recording artist, such as George Strait, and Garth Brooks, just to mention a few. His favorite actor is Clint Eastwood, but admires several actors' work, which has lead to his desire to also be an actor.

Randall enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on December 5, 1978 with two tours of overseas duty under his belt; a career in the military was out of the question. So, at the completion of his tour of duty with the Marines, it was off to Hollywood on January 22, 1982. After about a year, he started picking up extra work in major motion pictures such as Scarface, Karate Kid, and Rhinestone as well as T.V. shows, commercials, Music Videos, etc.

Between 1987 and 1994, Randall traveled from Las Vegas to Nashville and back to Los Angeles exploring all phases of the entertainment industry from acting, screenwriting, songwriting, producing, etc. He has performed in talent shows in the following country and western clubs: The World Famous Palomino Club (now closed), D.J. Ranch in Long Beach, California and the Cowboy Palace in Chatsworth, California. From 1983 to 1985, he served as an assistant casting director with Casting Unlimited in Hollywood. In 1987, he had a morning wake up-show where he impersonated various celebrity voices such as Mickey Mouse, Clint Eastwood, Jimmy Stewart, Yogi Bear, as well as various other character and celebrity voices on W.Q.M.T. an FM radio station in Dalton, Georgia. Also from January to February 1995, he wrote, produced, and hosted 6 one half hour entertainment variety shows entitled AShow Biz Highlights@ under his production company AWalking Thunder Productions@ on cable Channel 10 W.E.B.S., Calhoun, Georgia. Shortly after his sixth show, he decided to relocate back to Hollywood in pursuit of his acting and screenwriting career.

Randall has written three screenplays AWest Bound 18 Wheeler@ an action adventure comedy western about two truck drivers who travel back in time to the old west with their rig. A horror film entitled AThe Idol@ about a stone Voo Doo Idol with evil powers and the ability to cause death and destruction once removed from it=s neutral zone; AKung-Fu-Shoes@ a martial arts comedy about an everyday average guy who receives the AKung-Fu-Shoes@ from a Shaolin priest which makes the lead character become an extraordinary martial artist. AKung-Fu-Shoes@ has been approved and contracted by a broker to pursue funding. Randall will also be producing as well as acting in AKung-Fu-Shoes@.


Randall=s most recent accomplishment is writing 30 country and western songs, 5 of which he has produced and recorded in Nashville, entitled ANon Stop Flight,@The Orchid or The Rose@, ABig Money Blues@, Love=s Coming Up When The Sun Goes Down@ and APromises.@ The other five songs on his CD were written by such singer songwriters as Ronnie Dunn of Brooks and Dunn. His CD is currently being distributed world wide via the internet as well as other distribution outlets. He is one of the most played artists in Europe on country radio as well as nominated Songwriter of the Year 2001 by the Tennessee Songwriters Association International. He is also a voting member of the Academy of Country Music as well as the Country Music Association, and is also a BMI songwriter / composer.

Randall is also writing the first draft of nine other screenplays, and has co-produced a TV pilot that is a musical variety show entitled AThe Street Singers Singing in the Streets.@ The pilot was created and directed by 7-time Emmy award winner David E. Durston and co-produced with Jack Damon formerly the character Doctor Brown from the soap opera General Hospital. The show was awarded the Silver Award July 2000 at the Philadelphia International Film Festival / International Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers Inc.

Randall has also hosted his own TV show in Las Vegas on K.Y.R.K. TV Channel 35 entitled ALas Vegas Singers Roundup@ which he also created. He also hosted his own radio show in Las Vegas on K.L.A.V. 1230 AM entitled ALet=s Talk Country Music@.

To sum Randall up, he is a very versatile talent and knows all phases of the entertainment industry well.

That is my bio that you may use for an example but a word of warning if you haven=t done it then don=t put it on your resume or your bio as the industry will know if your resume or bio is legit or bogus. And, now an example of my entertainment industry experiences bio.

Randall Rutledge
Entertainment Industry Experiences Bio

1983-1985 Assistant Casting Director, Casting Unlimited Hollywood
1987 Morning wakeup show W.Q.M.T Radio, Dalton, Georgia
1995 Produced and hosted six 1/2-hour entertainment variety shows entitled AShowbiz Highlights@ on W. E. B. S. Cable Channel 10, Calhoun, Georgia.
1998 Produced 1/2-hour musical variety TV pilot AStreet Singers"
2000 Won Silver Award for "Street Singers" at Philadelphia International Film Festival
2000 6th place winner GGM Song Contest 2000 for original song "Non Stop Flight"
2001 Produced and hosted karaoke format TV show, ALas Vegas Singers Roundup@ Las Vegas, on K.Y.R.K. TV, Channel 35
2001 Produced and hosted independent country music radio show, ALet=s Talk Country Music@ K.L.A.V. 1230 AM, Las Vegas
2001 ALas Vegas Singers Roundup@ awarded Best Musical Show on K.Y.R.K. TV, Channel 35
2001 Nominated Songwriter of the Year, Tennessee Songwriters Association International.
1999-2001 Wrote half of the material on a 10-song country album - currently released
2002 Transportation Captain on (feature film) entitled "The Drop" starring John Savage and Sean Young.
2003 Signed promotion contract as Artist and for my album with Capitol Imaging Group, New York.
2003 Signed Recording Contract with Infinity Music Group

2004 Non Stop Flight Re-Released on Infinity Music Group Label

BMI Affiliate Songwriter
Voting member - Academy of Country Music
Voting member - Country Music Association

I have written three feature films and one TV series concept. One project is completely packaged and I am pursuing funding to produce the project myself. Above are examples of my resumes and bios, but as I stated make sure that you put accurate information in your resumes and bios. Those in the industry will know if you are lying and can verify your resume and bio if they choose to do so, not that they will or have the time, but keep it honest just to be on the safe side. Here are the two headshots that have either gotten me work and or auditions or both.


Sorry the photo's did not attach to the sample chapter for this blog, but one is the same as I have on the site of me dressed like a cowboy.




However keep in mind and I am only going to speak very briefly on this, the casting director is normally the one that makes the decision from your headshot submission if you get an audition for a part in a movie etc. But what I have found is a lot of them do not seem to be able to visualize you in the role of a Wall Street banker if they only see a headshot of you as a cowboy. So due to their lack of vision, make sure that you submit a headshot that is as close to the role as possible that you are pursuing.

Now let=s talk a little about acting classes or as they like to refer to themselves as Acting Workshops. Do you really need an acting class? Well, that is totally up to you as an individual, but I think that they are a waste of time and your hard-earned money. The only advantage to an acting class is meeting other people that have the same interests and dreams that you do and occasionally get to kiss a pretty girl in a scene in acting class, or maybe for the girl a handsome guy, but that is about all you will get out of acting class. All the acting workshops that I ever audited, the only thing I saw were acting coaches who were not known named actors themselves. Most of them were want-a-be actors, who like me, never made it, so now they think that they can teach you how to become a star in the next blockbuster movie.

For the acting classes that teach kids, it=s an expensive baby sitting service so you and your spouse can go out for a couple of hours, but outside of that they are pretty much useless in my book. (What do you know this is in my book.) First, no agents, producers, or directors are ever at the acting classes to consider any of the acting students for a part in a movie or TV show etc.

I audited one particular acting and modeling workshop once out of curiosity. One of their telemarketers called me so I basically went for a laugh. I also think it’s pretty bad that an acting school has to use telemarketers to try to drum up business. If they were any good at all, their reputation would be all the advertising that they need. The company was John Robert Powers and they were not to happy with my critique of their agency. One of their so-called directors stated that they had to pay the agents to come in to consider their students for a part in a movie, commercial, or TV show, which is a violation of SAG (Screen Actors Guild) rules. No legitimate agent can charge any up front fees, whatsoever, to consider representing an actor. It is also a violation of the California State Attorney Generals Office for a licensed agency to charge an up-front fee. They are allowed to charge 15% commission only when they have booked you on an acting job. The same is true for a literary agent, they can=t charge you a reading fee if they are franchised with the Writers Guild, but we will talk more about that in a later chapter.
This goes back to what I was saying before, you are far better off working as an extra (background artist) at least that way you are being paid and not paying someone else every week or month to be in class. It is like the old saying, which holds so much truth, experience, is the best teacher.

If you do extra work, it still does not mean that you are going to become a star or even get a SAG card. Even if you do become eligible to join the Screen Actors Guild that still does not guarantee you work it only guarantees specific pay and benefits when you do work. All it means is that you are working on a real movie set with the lucky few that are known as actors if it is a major studio film or production. There are a lot of independent films where everyone is in the same boat as you, trying to be discovered as either an actor, producer, director, writer, etc and although these films sometimes do not pay and never get distribution I would recommend that you work on one of these productions before going to an acting school. They will give you what they call copy, meals, and credit, which simply means you will get a copy of the film, are fed everyday, and your name in the credits for lending your talent to the production. If you had a starring and or supporting role in the film, you would have an actors reel at no cost to you that you could submit to agents and casting directors, to show them what you did on film.

That leads me to another way to spend your money, there are many companies out there that will charge you a lot of money to have an actors reel made so you can shop it to agents, directors, producers, and casting directors in hopes of being discovered and getting your big break. Not that the reel isn=t needed now days, but be careful who you have shoot your actors reel. If the quality is not that great and if you don=t catch their attention in the first couple of seconds your reel will go into file # 13 (the trash can