Don’t Be That Guy: Pitfalls of Actors & Models to Avoid

A little disclosure: These tips are in no way, shape, or form a critique of any of the people pictured in this blog. In fact, if they are pictured or specifically mentioned, it’s because I highly recommend working with them :)

Remember your role

PC: @jaustinberry

And no, I’m not just talking about the character you’re playing ;)

I had a conversation with a friend recently who is an actress as well as a crew member and was asking her about her experience working on the other side of the camera. She has a plethora of experience working on both sides of the camera so she’s grown accustom to it, but there was a particular shoot that put a seriously bad taste in her mouth. I was stunned to find out that there was a particular person (I won’t say names of course) who was treating the crew very poorly, being rude and ungrateful to be there, and even going so far as to tell them how to do their jobs.

For the love of God, please don’t be that guy.

And it turns out that this was not an isolated incident… apparently some other crew that have worked with this individual before have known them to act this way. Yikes. Knowing these crew members, I can tell you, they are so incredibly kind, reasonable, have a good work ethic and are good at what they do. Not to mention, that individual must not realize the connections that these people have in the industry. Not only is it horrible because everyone deserves that kindness and respect… it’s also really stupid.

Even if you are the lead, just remember:

You are not the most important person in the room.

Every person on set from the lead actor to the director to the PA is important and a vital part of the production.

A group shot of some of our incredible cast & crew for @unliked_film, directed & written by @juan.m.lama and starring yours truly @juliejberry. Coming soon!

Let the actors act…

Unless a fellow actor specifically asks you for advice/direction, do not take it upon yourself to direct your castmates. This one really irks me. Let the director do their job. You are not the director. You are the actor, so act. Directing your castmates can often come off as condescending and rude and may not even line up with what the director wants. And if the director comes in and corrects the direction that your castmate gave you, that can be really awkward for everyone. Just don’t do it. There is a difference between brainstorming ideas with your castmates and just telling them what to do or how to act.

Also, say your castmate makes a mistake—don’t be the person to immediately correct them. Let the director direct. Chances are, they know what the action is but forgot it for this take because of nerves. Are you above making a mistake in the moment? Of course not. Don’t make your fellow actor feel bad, insecure, or self conscious. It goes back to the earlier point: Know your role. The best way you can help your castmate is by being supportive and encouraging.

BTS of the making of “CEO’s Untold Desire”, now playing on the Dreameshort App! LOVED working with this cast & crew! Featuring our director @natezoid, my castmate @michael_ticknor, our DP @chrisgraf.mov, and yours truly.

Double booking

Tourism campaign for Key West. PC: @kenneth.redding. MUAH: @artistrybybrittany. Wardrobe/styling: @atwstyling. Featuring @sanzdavid, @johaniii_, @_ilikelexx, @jc.stuart and yours truly.

Tourism campaign for the Palm Beaches. PC: @sonya_revell. MUAH: @artistrybybrittany & @suzanny_. Wardrobe/styling: @atwstyling. Featuring @mnewman68, @annemforget, @chrisfredma and yours truly.

I’ve known some actors & models who have really shot themselves in the foot in this area… like big time.

Imagine: Your hard work is finally paying off and after all the auditions, they have chosen YOU for the role! How exciting!

But then, a few days later, you find out you booked another job- woohoo! Except… both bookings are shooting on the same dates, and maybe the second one pays more. I would highly recommend that you politely decline the second job even if it pays more. Why? If you confirmed the first booking and then you go back on your word, you will likely burn bridges with not just that client but possibly your agent and/or that casting director. I’ve seen people lose out on lots of casting opportunities because of one mistake in this area. You have to be reliable as talent. If you show that you are not, you may have to deal with some harsh consequences. So ask yourself: is that one job worth it? Likely not.

At the same time, if you have spent any length of time in this industry, you will know how common it is for castings to overlap. It’s almost comedic how it’ll go from being silent one month to everything all shooting on the same few dates the next month. Trust me, I’m a girl who can empathize with your pain!

So how can you realistically avoid this pitfall? Here’s my advice:

Keep a running log of all the projects you are auditioning for. I’ve got a running log at all times and it looks something like this…

Since you don’t usually get a responses on projects you’ve auditioned for unless you’ve been put on hold (or you specifically ask your agent), I keep track of the no’s by marking through a project once I know I didn’t get it. For example, if I auditioned for the “commercial” listed above sometime in May, but it’s now June 2 and I was not requested for the callback, I would cross it out.

This especially comes in handy if you have a client asking for your availability. Using the table above, let’s say a print client asks to book you on 6/17. It’s 6/11 and you just found out that you got selected for the callback for the feature film which is tomorrow and you just got put on hold for the shoot dates. The print job is a good project but it conflicts with the film and is less money.

What do you do?

Seeing that you may be very disappointed to miss out on the feature if you booked it, you could try to refrain giving the print client an answer until you know about the feature. You could politely explain to the print client that you are on hold for another project and then periodically check in with your agent to see if there is an update on the hold. Then, the moment you know the outcome, you could update all parties and either confirm the film booking and politely decline the other booking, or if you’ve been released from the film, confirm your print booking. That way, your yes means yes, you’re still looking out for your best interests, you haven’t burned any bridges, and the worst of it is maybe your client had to wait on a response from you. If your client is unwilling to wait, you’ll need to weigh out your options and see if missing out on the print booking is worth staying open for the feature.

Let’s talk wardrobe… what’s your responsibility and what’s not?

Print campaign for Office Depot (ODP Business Solutions). PC: @kristyhorst.

There are certain items as an actor and/or model that you should always have. The main one is appropriate undergarments. As a woman, it’s best to have a variety of nude undergarments from nipple covers to nude no lining/lightly lined bras to nude push-up bras to no-show nude thongs. If you would like specific recommendations on ones that I have found useful and versatile, click here. If you’re attending a fitting, you should always bring a variety of nude, no-show undergarment options with you for any garment they may want you to wear. Leave the lacy, colorful bras at home ladies!

At the same time, there are plenty of items that are not your responsibility. (I’m hoping this frees some people from the burden of unfair expectations.) There is a wardrobe stylist for a reason- it is their responsibility to supply wardrobe. If they request you to bring items from your own wardrobe, bring options, but don’t feel obligated to supply items that you don’t have.

If there is no wardrobe stylist because it’s a smaller shoot, this is what I’d say: If a client is requesting a specific item that you do not have, it’s okay that you don’t have it. Just let them know and let them figure it out. It is not your responsibility to go out and buy it. It does not mean you are unprofessional. It just means you don’t have it. If you have to go out and buy it, the client should at the very least be reimbursing you for it (which should be worked out in advance).

With that being said, I will say there are some items that may be good to have in your closet if you are getting a lot of requests for the same items. In that case, it would be appropriate to add a specific wardrobe item to your collection, but it takes time to figure out what those items might be. I made a blog post specifically on this topic if you are looking for some good staples to add to your closet. Find it here.

The main point is: don’t break the bank purchasing a piece of clothing you’ll never use again to satisfy one client. It’s not your responsibility.