Go See The Dark Knight

Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker will serve as a serious kick in the ass to anyone who likes to call themselves an actor. RIP Heath. What a God damned shame.

Apathetic actors kinda take on the AMPTP

The entire industry is anxious about a potential SAG strike. That is, the entire industry except almost every actor I talk to. I am consistently surprised by how little my fellow actors know about the current state of negotiations between the Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) and the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Perhaps it's because there's very little difference between a strike and no strike for most actors - less than 5% of SAG members are employed on sets at any given time. Still it's very difficult for SAG to exert leverage in negotiations with the AMPTP when so many of its members are ignorant and apathetic to what is going on.

To bring everyone up to speed:
Every three years SAG (and just about every other creative union WGA, DGA, AFTRA, etc.) negotiates a new general contract with the AMPTP which ensures a specific base level of pay and other financial, medical, and pension benefits to performers.

SAG has a number of points it is trying to negotiate, but the most significant come in the form of jurisdiction over and residuals in "New Media" or as SAG President Alan Rosenberg recently coined it, "Now Media". The reason for this is simple - the internet is the next big distribution platform, SAG missed the boat on DVDs and now wants to ensure that its members will be fairly compensated for the use of their image in the form of new media residuals. Residuals are payments to actors for the rebroadcast of tv shows and films - they are vitally important to the livelihood of the average working actor at the Co-Star/Guest-Star level.

The current contract between SAG and the AMPTP expired on July 1st. At that time the AMPTP issued SAG its "Best, Last, and Final Offer". The contract proposed by the AMPTP essentially follows the template established by the DGA 6-months ago. Both the WGA and now AFTRA have ratified similar contracts. This contract would essentially lock SAG out of future made-for-internet productions (SAG jurisdiction would start at $15k min productions) and prevent actors from receiving significant residuals for the ongoing use of their image.

SAG has said that they don't want to strike, although many suspect they take this position because they aren't certain they can get the 75% of the membership to vote 'Yes' on a strike authorization ballot. Regardless of whether SAG is striking, film production has essentially shut down because insurance companies aren't willing to issue completion bonds until SAG and the AMPTP have a signed contract.

There has been a lot of other drama and hullabaloo surrounding these negotiations (search: AFTRA vs SAG) but what is clear is this: if SAG is not successful in negotiating a better contract than the AMPTPs most recent offer, it is unlikely SAG members will ever see internet residuals on the scale they are used to in traditional media. That is to say: in the long run it will be just that much harder to make a living as a film/television actor.

For ongoing coverage of the SAG/AMPTP negotiations I can't recommend Nikki Finke's "Deadline Hollywood Daily" enough.

My 8-Week Goals

Step 1: My 8-Week Goals (To Be Completed By 9/11/2008)

• Awesome Apartment: My apartment will be simplified so that I have ample space for all of my things and nothing feels cramped. My dependable sublet-tenant will feel welcome and at home.
• Mucho Money: I will leave the country with an abundance of money – and return with more in the bank.
• Badass Biceps: I will tone up my arms, chest, abs, and legs to the point that I’ll want to sing “I believe in Miracles. You sexy thang!” when I look in the mirror.
• Confident Craft: I will shoot the “Around The World Project” with confidence, ease, and grace.

Step 2: Potential Obstacles

• Awesome Apartment
• I won’t start my subletter search soon enough.
• I’ll want to keep a lot of my stuff because I might need it someday.
• I won’t investigate storage because “it’s an unnecessary expense”.
• Mucho Money
• I won’t budget my time well and thus won’t complete my freelance projects before I leave for Thailand.
• I won’t work as much as I need to while I’m in Montana.
• I won’t watch my spending because I’m earning.
• Badass Biceps
• I won’t work out because I don’t like the gym.
• I’ll wait until the end of the day to work out and then be too tired.
• I’ll be over-ambitious and then crap out.
• I’ll put everything else as a higher priority.
• Confident Craft
• I won’t work on my craft outside of class because “I’m too busy.”
• I won’t know enough about the film to feel at ease.

Step 3: Solutions & Strategies

• Awesome Apartment
• I’ll send out emails to everyone ASAP and simply explain that I haven’t emptied my apartment completely yet.
• Anything that I haven’t used in over 2yrs won’t be used because I don’t know enough about it – so get rid of it.
• Research the closest storage facilities and see what they will charge for a very small space.
• Mucho Money
• I will set specific deadlines for my work and attach dollar amounts to them.
• I will pay all of my bills ASAP and then remind myself that my money is for a very specific and important goal: traveling around the world without attachment to back home.
• I will discuss my need to work with Emily before my trip and set specific afternoon/evening hours. I will work at least 5-7 hrs/day.
• Badass Biceps
• I will do calisthenics.
• I’ll do my work out as soon as I wake up every day.
• I’ll start small and add one rep each day.
• I won’t let myself do the other work until I’ve taken care of my body.
• Confident Craft
• I will carve specific times into my week to work on craft wherein I’m not allowed to do anything else.
• I will research my locations and let that fuel my character work.

What Tasks Will I Complete This Week (To Be Completed by 12am 7/24/2008)?

• General
• I will program all of the below tasks into my calendar, forcing myself to make time to complete them.
• Awesome Apartment
• Draft email about apartment, include pictures, and send to friends.
• Put away my laundry.
• Do a load of laundry.
• Take one bag of clothes/stuff to The Good Will
• Mucho Money
• I will pay all of my bills and credit card debts.
• I will complete the Maxon freelance project.
• Badass Biceps
• I will do the following exercises every morning:
• Plank: 30sec + (# of Days)
• Squat Lunges: # of Days
• Bicep/Tricep Isometrics: # of Days
• Pushups: # of Days
• Situps: # of Days
• I will go running on Friday
• I will water ski in Montana
• I will walk/hike in Montana
• Confident Craft
• I will rehearse my scene for acting class.
• I will write one blog post / record one video based on A.C.T.’s training

A 4-Point Structure for Setting 8-Week Goals

Step 1: Write Your Goals

A goal is: SAGE. Specific. Achievable. Genuine. Exciting. Have fun phrasing your goals, and really take the time to imagine yourself at the end of them – that glorious vision is what will pull you through all of the steps along the way.

Step 2: What are some potential obstacles?

You know yourself and you know your gremlin. Where do you anticipate difficulty for each of your tasks?

Step 3: What are some ways around those obstacles? What’s the solution?

How will you break through these obstacles? Are there any limiting beliefs that are preventing you from achieving what you want? The easiest way to deal with an obstacle is to side-step it, perhaps there’s an easier solution than you think.

Step 4: Next Steps or What will I do before next check-in?

The Power of Goals

There is a palpable danger in actually writing down your goals for others to see - you run the risk of accomplishing them. Even the simple act of generating goals and committing them to paper (or email, or blog) can generate enormous amounts of resistance. However, once you master your resistance you'd be surprised at how many things can be completed with seemingly little effort.

The following is an email I sent to my friends from the Sage Creative Career Co-Op in celebration of the end of our latest 8-week goal cycle.

Tomorrow is day that all of our 8 week goals come due. I’m happy to say that I have essentially completed all of them. Thanks to all of you for helping create this structure and providing me with some much needed accountability. Here’s the rundown.

1) IN PROGRESS - I will meet with two more agencies and secure representation.

I’ve met with one agency and turned them down. Earlier today I got a phone call from RPM looking to setup an interview for representation. So while I haven’t secured representation I have been offered it and have another opportunity coming up.

2) COMPLETE - I will go into my agency interviews confident in my ability to book commercials and act on a film set.

While I’m not yet a pro from Dover, I fee way more confident in my abilities in the auditioning room than I have in the past. I’m sure this will continue to improve as I finish up Level I at A.C.T. It really is solid training, thanks for getting me into class Richard & Dava!

3) COMPLETE - I will have a 32" waist. I will eat healthy food that tastes great and keeps me energized. I will achieve my goal by participating in activities that I enjoy.

I found some great health buddies - my parents. We've been staying in touch via email and we've all managed to improve our health. I’ve now got a 31.75” waist (Down from 33.5"/34") and I’m eating far more fruits and veggies than I have in the past. I fell off the healthy eating wagon a bit once I hit 32" but once I get through the remaining 2 for $5 Ben & Jerry’s in my fridge I’ll be golden.

How are you all progressing towards your stated goals? Now would be a really great time to reflect and re-evaluate.

The Beauty of Audacity

From an environmental standpoint Los Angeles simply shouldn't exist. There are far too many people to be supported by the annual precipitation of this semi-arid climate - let alone the endless green lawns and Beverly Hills gardens. So says Emma, a friend who visited from out of town. Given her credentials, a BS from MIT and a MS from Princeton in some sub-category of Environmental Sciences, I'm inclined to agree. But even she admitted "I really like it here. I will be coming back." I think she got caught up in what is truly beautiful about LA - the sheer audacity of it's existence and persistence.

What is perhaps most surprising to someone visiting LA is that it pretty much is everything it purports to be in films and television. The walk of fame, Mann's Chinese Theater, the Hollywood sign, club goers, all-night diners, and rows of palm trees all exist and are readily accessible. It's a little surreal. Walking by these landmarks seen time and time again in fictional narratives can make it feel like you're floating through a storybook landscape.

Even seeing coked out hookers and tatooed gang members can be a reassuring experience - "Look ma! It's exactly like in the movies."

As I approach my one-year Los Angeles anniversary I'm so grateful to have friends visit. They help me to see this place with renewed awe and optimism. No matter how "bad" my days get, working for myself and being able to laze away a Sunday on the beach beats just about anything else out there.

Facing Resistance

The War of Art is Steven Pressfield’s treatise against resistance – perhaps I should reread it. The scarcity of my indicates that I’m facing some pretty serious resistance. Here’s the deal: I have doubts about pursuing a career as film/tv actor. As I round the bend of my first year in Los Angeles I find that I’m not nearly so far along as I hoped. I expected to have an agent and to be going out on commercial auditions – I don’t and I’m not. To have set my sights on what I believed were realistic goals and still not reach them is doubly frustrating. I don’t post because I don’t want to admit my perceived inadequacy in a public sphere. That and I don’t feel qualified to proffer too much advice lest I become “the blind leading the nearsighted into blindness”. I’ll see what I can do to stem my surging cynicism and get back to you with something a little cheerier.

Some mantras to get me through this:
“And this too shall pass.”
“An acting career in LA is a marathon not a sprint.”
“It’s the journey not the destination.”
“What good is success without struggle?”