April 27th, 2020

April 27th, 2020

Unfortunately, I was unable to record today's Monday's With Martin meeting, but I've included the notes below.

Topics & Questions in the Meeting Included:

• Coronavirus strategy for actors
• How to build a VO studio for free
• How to get better auditions without representation
• Is it OK to submit to agents right now amidst Coronavirus?

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Coronavirus - you need to change your mindset and look into online work.

• Actors will be submit online more
• Actors must start filming their own scenes online
• VO actors are getting lots of work right now
• CD’s and Agents could become less needed eventually - these days, directors and producers are seeing they can do things without CD’s and actors are learning they can submit without agents
• Actors will always be needed.
• You MUST treat your acting career as a career, not  a hobby.
• This means investing and spending money on serious marketing tools
• This means spending money to market yourself (and learn how)
• This means not being afraid to approach total strangers and get rejected.
• This means judging your acting technique harshly to ensure it’s really natural and professional.
• This means treating your career professionally, and being reliable.
• The Coronavirus is what will separate serious actors from hobbyists because the hobbyists won’t do anything during it and will look for other jobs.
• The serious actors will figure out how to get booked up and make connections during this crazy time.

Time for Questions
Since this is the first meeting, I just have three questions I’ll be answering.
But if you have one, feel free to write it in the comments and if there’s time, I’ll try to get to it.

How can you build your own VO studio for free?

• Don’t buy expensive equipment.
• The key is making sure there is no echo or background sound.
• Use a closet or quiet room.
• Hang stuff and put blankets to deaden sound.
• You should be standing, not sitting, when recording.
• Record yourself and test it by playing it back in good quality headphones to ensure it’s loud a clear.
• Compare it to professional VO recordings which you can find online.

How can I make more industry connections that can get me auditions and possible work? Most of the work I get now is through self-submissions, but what is the trick to getting auditions without representation?

• CD’s hate being emailed by unprepared actors: unprofessional marketing materials, not right for the part, poor training, unprofessional or unfriendly.
• You need to go places, like live webinars, to become friends with people.
• You can also watch or read content from CD's online.
• Once you learn at least ONE thing from them, send them an email thanking them for what you learned, and make sure to mention where you learned it. Tell them that you’re using it for ______ and mention that you’ll keep them updated on how it goes.
• If they don’t respond, wait about 2 weeks.
• Send another email letting them know your progress and thank them again for what you learned from them.
• Then once every 4-6 weeks, send an email to keep them updated on your latest achievements OR to congratulate them on theirs.
• After the first month, you’ll be able to email them any time they are casting something you think you’re right for to ask if they have available slots for you to audition.

Is it OK to submit to agents right now?

• Yes, they have more free time and are looking to make their rosters stronger.
• This is probably the best time to submit to agents, according to numerous agents themselves.
• For more information on how to submit and land an agent, check out my course Land an Agent.

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Thanks so much!


​ - Martin