Stan Popovich is the author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods” – an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com/

Here’s a great interview with one of our Actors Connection Voice Over teachers Maggie Phillips.  Maggie has been a professional actor since she graduated from high school.  Although Maggie is also a member of SAG and Equity, her first union card was AFTRA—which she received when casted in a principal commercial role for a local supermarket in her home town of Philadelphia.  Maggie works in all three jurisdictions, but proudly speaks of AFTRA being her first and her parent union.

The Actors Fund Work Program (AWP) supports its participants in identifying and finding meaningful work to complement their industry career or for a new career.

The following is an interview with Maggie, conducted by Kathy Schrier, the Director of The Actors Fund Work Program.

Kathy Schrier:  How did you get involved in acting?

Maggie Phillips:  During my sophomore year in high school, I went on a field trip to the Philadelphia Academy of Music where Clare Bloom was doing A Doll’s House. Although our seats were in the heavens, when Ms. Bloom came on stage and did the tarantella-I was hooked.   I knew I would also be an actor.  During the rest of my high school years I acted in both straight plays and musical theater.  I also was committed to teaching from a young age, and went on to get a BS degree from Villanova University, majoring in theater communication education.

Kathy Schrier: I know you have committed a lot of time to your unions.  Why?

Maggie Phillips:  My dad was a union guy.  He worked for Ma Bell as a repair person, and was very active in his union.  I knew from a young age that workers needed representation and the importance of worker solidarity.   I also knew dating from my first AFTRA job, that actors are workers and also need a union.

Kathy Schrier:  How did you hear about AWP?  When did you come and why?

Maggie Phillips:  How did I hear about AWP-the way most of us do—through another actor!  I came to AWP in 2000 it was during the SAG commercial strike; of course this meant that I would/ could not take SAG jurisdiction work.  By this time, I had an established stage and voiceover career and quite frankly doing well financially. However, I knew that the issues that led to the 2000 strike were indicative of a changing business, and it would never be the same.    By 2000, cable had become a strong player in the broadcast industry, creating new union challenges.  Ironically, my dad’s union faced similar issues with the growth of wireless communication.  Since Regan fired the PATCO worker in 1981, we have seen a decrease in unionization in this country making it difficult for all unions, including the entertainment industry unions, to organize in the new economy.

Kathy Schrier:  What has AWP done for you?

Maggie Phillips:  Besides being an actor, I have also taught and coached acting, voice and speech privately, and on a secondary and college level.  When I first came to AWP, I thought I needed help on how to build upon that experience.  Working with my career counselor, I identified an interest in working with non-native English speakers, and took a course at Baruch College.  I was actually hired immediately after finishing, to teach English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) at Baruch.

Kathy Schrier:  I know that you did other work with your AWP career counselor and participated in the “On the Fence Group” tell me about that.

Maggie Phillips:  About four years ago, I was seriously thinking about leaving the business and becoming a speech therapist.  With support from my career counselor, I began doing research, and she recommended my participation in “On the Fence””-an Actors Fund workshop for entertainment industry professionals with established careers who are considering a full career change.    My participation got me “off the fence” and gave me a vigorous renewed commitment to the industry and my work as an actor.  Ironically, after my participation in On the Fence, I saw an increase in my acting work.

Kathy Schrier:  I know you have gotten work through AWP as a fair housing tester and working on local political campaigns.  What skills from acting do you bring to this work?  How has this work affected your work as a union activist?

Maggie Phillips:  The only people working for the Fair Housing Justice Center as testers are actors who are members and were referred through AWP.  As testers, we are “acting” as potential renters or buyers with a specific set of given circumstances.    Although all of my acting skills come into play—remaining calm and centered, staying in character, utilizing observation and listening skills, and improvisational techniques there is one major difference.  This work is not fiction and my ability to obtain accurate non-prejudicial information has given critical support to those who have been victims of housing discrimination.  Also, through AWP I have been paid staff on several local political campaigns.  What I like best about this work, is educating the public about the issues facing our city.  My strong communication and observation skills as well as my commitment to making New York City even a better place to live, has made this great complementary work to my acting gigs

I see all this work as an extension of my commitment to the labor movement.  I got involved in the union because I believe that actors need to have decent and fair wages, hours and working conditions; as a fair housing tester, I do similar work for those seeking housing.

Kathy Schrier:  Any last comments?

Maggie Phillips:  What is great about AWP and the work it has provided to me it both complements my acting work in terms of scheduling flexibility, but it also allows me to utilize all my acting chops in work that I love and is important to me and the broader society.   All professional actors need AFTRA and The Actors Fund!

The Actors Fund is a national human service organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment.  The Fund is a safety net, providing programs and services for those who are in need, crisis or transition.  For more information call 212. 221 7300- or visit www.actorsfund.org.

Here are a few things you can do:

1- Ask yourself “Have I earned the right to be here? Have I invested in training, practicing, paid some dues, pounded the pavement, or have I just floated in on my good looks and charm here?  I’m sure the answer is that you have worked hard and taken a responsible approach to performing. So remind yourself of this before you go in for the audition or shoot.  ”I have earned the right to be here” needs to be your mantra.

2- How are you programming your subconscious before you go in? Are thoughts of past failure or success in the back of your mind prior to your performance?  Are you taking time to “see the ball going in the basket or out of the park” like an athlete does before a shot, or are you playing a record in your head that goes something like this “what if I mess up, what if I loose my train of thought, what if they don’t like me, what if my nerves get the best of me”?  Your “what if’s” can only be “what if I nail this”? “What if they love me”, what if I am the answer to their problem”, what if this goes wonderfully?”

3- Are you going in as a wishful performer or are you going in as a professional who has a job to do? A job that you know how to do, a job that you will do? It is your responsibility as a professional to know what you need to do, to only think of the job at hand, do your best at it, and then once you leave you can let your emotions out and vent all you want, but it is your responsibility to not bring it in the room with you.

4- Your homework before any audition or shoot is to think the right thoughts. You are the boss of your brain.  Only feed it positive food. Garbage in garbage out, good stuff in good stuff out.  I don’t care what nay-sayers say, positive affirmations work.  You have got to work on your own personal core confidence in your life in general before you will have it at hand in the audition room.  Napoleon Hill once did a study that showed 98% of people lack confidence.  This is a huge number. So you see we all struggle with it, but we don’t have to give in to it.  I work with famous performers, models, successful executives, entrepreneurs, and experts and I’ve seen them all doubt themselves when they get out of their comfort zone.  We all will always have that inner critic in our head, it never goes away, but we can finally decide not to take direction from it!

5- Be kind to yourself. Have definite goals, a definite purpose. Learn everything you can, know your craft, be yourself not what you think you should be or what you think others want you to be.

6-  And if you have any kind of faith, ask for confidence.

7- Think to yourself, would I rather be nervous in this audition room right now ( a little nervous energy, let’s rename it “excited energy” can prevent us from being lifeless, flat and dull by the way), would you rather be in this situation or running from shelling in Syria or at the deathbed of a loved one? I know that is a little harsh but think about it. I would choose the uneasiness of an audition any day over those other options.

8- Trust yourself

Patricia Stark brings her extensive experience hosting and anchoring over 25 different television shows to her Media Training and…read more

When you meet a client, how does that first impression guide you?

Before I take on a client, I usually meet with him or her to do an initial consultation, to determine whether I can help that particular client achieve their goals and get a sense of their essence as a person.  First impressions in our industry are very important, because as an actor you sometimes have less than two minutes to not only do your work in the room, but leave the room with an impression of yourself, hopefully, something strong, memorable and authentic. When I see a client for the first time, I cannot help but assess them – What kind of energy do they have? What would I cast them in? How do I categorize what they are wearing?  And ultimately, does their look, essence and the roles they play match up? Usually, there is some disconnect in one of these areas which brought them to me in the first place. My job is to help the client achieve clarity- that who they want to be and what roles they want to play- become inherent in their image and style.

When color took over headshots, did you see that as a major advantage, or has it become a competition between who has the brightest shirt on?

I do see color as an advantage, especially for actors pursuing film and television. The medium is in color and it makes sense that we can see actors as true to their likeness as possible. Theatre has more range, in my opinion, and therefore more imagination with look and how image can be altered. TV moves so quickly, from the casting to the shooting process, that there isn’t the same amount of time, it is more of a “what you see is what you get” kind of medium. Initially, I do think getting a color headshot was focused on popping bold colors to attract attention. And to some extent still, actors think if they wear a bright colored shirt, they will look better on camera and in photographs. This is not accurate and can be very distracting if it is not a color that makes the actor look their best. When I work with my clients, I do a specific color test to analyze what palette of colors truly make the actor look amazing and draw us to them personally, not just the color itself.

Are your clients skeptical of the process at all? Do you get “Why do I need this?” If so, why do they?

Yes, I think in this business a lot of people prey on the gullibility of actors. They should be skeptical. Most of the clients that come to me know that something isn’t working; whether it is picking out a great audition outfit, prepping appropriately for a headshot session, or working on their image as a brand. They come to realize after a few sessions with me that their image is vital to working as an actor and communicating accurately what they are selling. What is an actor’s business card? A headshot. We are not just names on a card, but an image is associated with our name. Our image IS our product before people in the business can identify our work as artists. If you are confused about what your image is saying in the room, it’s time to do some homework, like any smart company would and devise some strategies about where you want to be.  I tell many of my clients, the one thing you can control in the audition room is your image…what do you want it to say?

If you are interested in working with Jessica, contact her at:
jessica@inherentstyle.com

When should an actor get new headshots?
You should get new headshots whenever your LOOKS CHANGE in a NOTICEABLE way. It is definitely time for new headshots when people start asking you what year your photo was taken or how much WEIGHT you have LOST or GAINED since having them done! Another common reason actors update their headshots is when they have a major HAIRSTYLE CHANGE or HAIR COLOR CHANGE. Younger actors tend to get new headshots more often as their looks change more frequently. CASTING people EXPECT you to LOOK LIKE your HEADSHOT and are often FRUSTRATED if you don’t. The last thing you want to do is make a casting person feel like you have WASTED THEIR TIME!

I’ve got a friend with a digital camera….can he take my headshot?
I’ve got a friend with a scalpel….can he take out your appendix?
Seriously….we all know that trying to be an ACTOR is one of the MOST COMPETITIVE professions that ever existed….way before the economy tanked! Getting GREAT HEADSHOTS is probably the most IMPORTANT INVESTMENT you can make in your CAREER. There are some struggling actors who spend over a thousand dollars for headshots!

CASTING DIRECTORS and AGENTS sometimes get hundreds of PROFESSIONAL headshots submitted every day and they can SPOT an UNPROFESSIONAL one IMMEDIATELY! You may shoot with a friend and THINK you have FOUND a HEADSHOT you can use. But I can almost assure you that the feedback you will get from INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS is that you NEED NEW HEADSHOTS! Don’t waste time, money and an opportunity to PRESENT YOURSELF as a PROFESSIONAL. Remember…you can’t make a FIRST IMPRESSION TWICE!

How do I choose a headshot photographer?
REPUTATION…QUALITY….PRICE…EXPERIENCE WITH ACTORS.
Nowadays…..a lot of people shop for things online. HEADSHOTS are most often SHOPPED ONLINE because the PRODUCT is what you see ON your COMPUTER SCREEN. Recommendations from fellow ACTORS and INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS is a great place to START. But the BEST WAY to get a FEEL for a PHOTOGRAPHER’S work is to VISIT and STUDY their WEBSITE! When visiting a headshot photographer’s website CONSIDER…..

• Are there TEN sample headshot photos or over a HUNDRED sample headshot photos?

• If there are a lot of headshot photos are the FIRST TEN IMPRESSIVE and all the REST go DOWN HILL from there?

• Is the STYLE of the headshot photography CONSISTENT or INCONSISTENT?

• Are there extremely BIG DIFFERENCES in the LIGHTING, BACKGROUND and COMPOSITION of the photos (what will you get)?

• Is there NO DIFFERENCE in the LIGHTING, BACKGROUND and COMPOSITION of the photos…(will you get the same pictures as everyone else)?

• Is the PHOTOGRAPHER someone who SPECIALIZES in ACTOR HEADSHOTS or really FASHION, CORPORATE, WEDDING, PRODUCT, SPORTS, LIFESTYLE, etc. and just supplementing their income shooting actors?

• Does the photographer CHARGE nearly or over a THOUSAND DOLLARS because they have sample photos of CELEBRITIES they photographed for FUN or as PUBLICITY photos and NOT as HEADSHOTS?

• Does the photographer charge only $99 but SHOOTS only UNDER BRIDGES, in PARKS and various STREET LOCATIONS because they have NO STUDIO or known address?

• CHOOSE a headshot PHOTOGRAPHER with a great REPUTATION…high QUALITY…reasonable PRICE and lots of EXPERIENCE WITH ACTORS

For more information on Bill Strong, check out his website at BillStrongPhotography.com

1. Best Picture: “The Artist.”

2. Actor: Jean Dujardin, “The Artist.”

3. Actress: Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady.”

4. Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, “Beginners.”

5. Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, “The Help.”

6. Directing: Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist.”

7. Foreign Language Film: “A Separation,” Iran.

8. Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, “The Descendants.”

9. Original Screenplay: Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris.”

10. Animated Feature Film: “Rango.”

11. Art Direction: “Hugo.”

12. Cinematography: “Hugo.”

13. Sound Mixing: “Hugo.”

14. Sound Editing: “Hugo.”

15. Original Score: “The Artist.”

16. Original Song: “Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets.”

17. Costume Design: “The Artist.”

18. Documentary Feature: “Undefeated.”

19. Documentary Short: “Saving Face.”

20. Film Editing: “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.”

21. Makeup: “The Iron Lady.”

22. Animated Short Film: “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.”

23. Live Action Short Film: “The Shore.”

24. Visual Effects: “Hugo.”

“The trends I see today in on-camera commercials are less copy, more improv,  as well as non-speaking commercials.  It used to be where we saw one person speaking for 30 seconds, now we’re seeing the one-liner or short scenario come into play.  Actors MUST be able to improvise and their facial expressions have become more important.”

“My pet peeves for actors auditioning for commercials are lateness, sitting in the wait room texting, speaking on the cell or having conversations with other actors when the actor should be preparing for their audition.  In the audition room, my pet peeves are actors not listening to the direction given.  You have to be ready to let go what you planned on doing and be able to make adjustments.  Your goal is to make strong choices and fully commit to them.  Better a bad choice, than no choice at all.”

Barry Shapiro
As Vice President and Casting Director at Herman & Lipson for 30 years, Barry Shapiro attends theatre productions & comedy showcases in New York City and around the country discovering new talent for their clients. Prior to being a Casting Director, Barry was a Producer for a top fashion commercial director, working with every top model in the industry. He also managed rehearsal studios for Broadway Shows. Barry also conducts acting workshops, directs comedy showcases, and attends model/talent conventions. In New York, Barry is one of the most sought after teachers for commercial technique.  Barry is a regular teacher at Actors Connection and you can view his upcoming classes and intensives here.

Funny Face Today has just opened an on-camera division for film, TV and commercials called FFTV.  Marion Falk who was previously at Frontier Booking International for 7 years is heading the new office.

Christopher Freer has recently left Clear Talent and has opened up CMF Talent with business partners Joel Carlton and Michael Goddard.  This new office is representing actors for theater, musical theater, film and TV.

Plaza 7 has recently opened a NY office.  Francesca Francois-Grimaldi is heading that office that works in all areas.

David Cash has left Henderson-Hogan Talent Agency and is now at Nicolosi & Co. working in all legit areas.

Click here to view the Merger Agreement.
Check out this story on Backstage as well for a full analysis.

In order to create, we all need three specific areas of support.  We need people, systems, and environments to support what we’re creating. I was at the conference in November, and I saw billionaire entrepreneur Barbara Corcoran speak. Her key piece of advice was to create a system for anything and everything you do more than once. Most of you already have systems in place and you just don’t know it, so think about something you do on a regular basis for your acting career.  I want you to then break that action down into small steps so that you can identify your system.  Once you know your system, streamline it; make it a little easier to follow.

We must have an environment that supports us.  I wrote the majority of my book at the Santa Monica Public Library because I was surrounded by people who were quietly working and free of distractions. So when it comes to your environment, do you have a clean, orderly space?  Is there a specific place in your home dedicated for your acting career? Are you aware of when you’re at your best? Are there certain colors that you respond well to, certain foods or scents that really speak to you?  Be sure that those items are in your work environment.  This will support your mental health, but it will also make you more productive.

Lastly, we need people to support us.  It’s been said that every top peak performer has six key people on their team.  Six key people, and it doesn’t matter who’s on your team; they don’t all have to be industry experts.  You could have a best friend or partner who’s really supportive.  Just really pay attention to who you’re spending time with and make sure that those people are supportive and reflective of where it is you want to take your career.  Now, if they’re not, I’m suggesting not suggesting ending friendships, but it’s time to now reach out and bring more people into your circle.  Maybe step out of your comfort zone and start surrounding yourself with people who know more than you do and who are more successful than you are.  This is how you get where it is you want to go.

Now take a look back at those goals that you identified in the beginning of this process and take some time to draw out a specific plan of action.  What resources do you need in order to accomplish the goals that you’ve identified?  What might be in your way and how can you overcome those obstacles?

I encourage every one of you to take some time to clean up behaviors or patterns that aren’t in line with where you want to go.  Where in your life can you get complete and what will completion of afford you?  From there, it’s time to build on your successes and create what’s next.  You can do this easily by relying on your values and making decisions from that place.

Respected as one of the entertainment industry’s leading experts, Dallas Travers’ book, The Tao of Show Business, has won over five awards including first prizes at The Hollywood Book Festival and the London Festival along with the National Indie Excellence Award. She has helped thousands of actors to increase their auditions, produce their own projects, secure representation and book roles in film and television. Click here to learn more about Dallas.

It is often said that you do ninety percent of the work and an agent does ten percent because that is the amount they earn from your bookings. Too often actors believe that an agent will do everything for them. That’s just not true, especially in this day and age.

I interviewed agents for my new book, Mastering Monologues and Acting Sides: How to Audition Successfully for Both Traditional and New Media. Industry experts point out that actors need to be very proactive with marketing even if they have an agent. You have to still constantly market with your website, postcards, and perhaps a newsletter.

You and your agent are a team. The more you can help your agent promote you, the better you will both do. You must always be very honest and professional. Show up on time for auditions or call if you run late. Prepare your part and be ready to perform. Take direction well and don’t ever have a bad attitude. Don’t bad mouth your agent if you’re not getting auditions. Evaluate what you might be doing wrong first. Find out if the industry is slow. Also, dress properly for the audition and always have good hygiene.

Aside from that, also know who the players are in the casting office. Be aware of who is casting what project. If you find something that is right for you, tell your agent.

Be toned and ready for any call. Keep up with classes or coaching sessions so that your skills are sharp. You don’t have time to tune up for an audition that happens the next day. Know that you are getting the right kind of coaching for each specific type of casting call as well. For example, you may need a different coach for theater than for on camera.

Send any follow up postcards to casting people to thank them when appropriate, and don’t forget to thank your agent too. Understand how much your agent works for you to get your auditions and appreciate it. Keep the lines of communication open so that you are both happy and can both prosper.

Mastering Monologues and Acting Sides is available for preorder on Amazon and allworth.com. The official release is October 4th. See monologues and scenes performed at the book signings. The New York Book Signing is October 22nd from 2:30-4:30 at Actors Connection, 630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1410 and the Los Angeles Book Signing is October 13th from 7-9 at Book Soup, 1818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood California.

R.S.V.P. for the book signing at www.janetwilcox.com.

Janet Wilcox is a voice-actor whose clients include E!, ABC, Lifetime, Kia, and AMC among others. She has worked as a writer, producer, and director on major promotion campaigns for HBO, A&E, and the History Channel. With Heyman Talent and the SAG Conservatory, she taught improv and voice-over workshops, and currently teaches a studio voice-over class at UCLA Extension. Ms. Wilcox also wrote, Voiceovers: Techniques and Tactics for Success.

First, remember you need to audition for a role that is right for you. Second, you have to have enough auditions to increase your odds of booking a job. Evaluate the kinds of parts you’re getting and see if you are likely to book these roles. If they aren’t a good fit, try to seek opportunities that are better suited to your talents.

Aside from that, examine your mindset. Are you focused on the work, or the worries? Sometimes actors sabotage their best efforts by censoring their thoughts. Doubt about your talent or your competition can hurt your performance. Make sure you commit to your character and don’t comment negatively on your audition.

Preparation goes a long way to assure success. Give yourself the time you need to be ready to give it your best shot. Make sure your technique is up to snuff by keeping it sharp in classes. A rusty instrument will not help with cold reads. Also, market your talents to increase your odds of getting more opportunities.

Finally, make sure you’re enjoying your life and not so desperate to get something that you can’t be creative. A good survival job that you feel comfortable with can help you patiently wait to land the perfect part. In addition, don’t be afraid to explore new opportunities such as independent films, webisodes, or volunteer projects where you may get a chance to stretch your talents and gain the confidence you need to perform well and book dream jobs in the future.

Mastering Monologues and Acting Sides is available for preorder on Amazon and allworth.com. The official release is October 4th. See monologues and scenes performed at the book signings. The New York Book Signing is October 22nd from 2:30-4:30 at Actors Connection, 630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1410 and the Los Angeles Book Signing is October 13th from 7-9 at Book Soup, 1818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood California.

R.S.V.P. for the book signing at www.janetwilcox.com.

Janet Wilcox is a voice-actor whose clients include E!, ABC, Lifetime, Kia, and AMC among others. She has worked as a writer, producer, and director on major promotion campaigns for HBO, A&E, and the History Channel. With Heyman Talent and the SAG Conservatory, she taught improv and voice-over workshops, and currently teaches a studio voice-over class at UCLA Extension. Ms. Wilcox also wrote, Voiceovers: Techniques and Tactics for Success.

In case you do not know, according to the academy’s website, “the majority of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, which honored excellence in more than 75 categories, are dedicated to key technical disciplines and behind-the-scenes crafts essential to television production — including art direction, cinematography, hairstyling, makeup, music, picture editing, sound editing and mixing, special visual effects, stunts and more.”

Four acting awards were also given and the winners were:

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Loretta Devine for ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Gwyneth Paltrow for Fox’s Glee

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Paul McCrane for NBC’s Harry’s Law

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Justin Timberlake for NBC’s Saturday Night Live.

For more information about the Creative Arts Emmys, click here. The 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards will air live on FOX Television from at the Nokia Theatre LA LIVE in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 18.

In her latest post, Dallas states, “It is time to create some space in your life for all the new, good things to happen.”

Click here to read Dallas Travers’ second part of a three part series on creating a realistic strategy to help with your acting career.

Respected as one of the entertainment industry’s leading experts, Dallas Travers’ book, The Tao of Show Business, has won over five awards including first prizes at The Hollywood Book Festival and the London Festival along with the National Indie Excellence Award. She has helped thousands of actors to increase their auditions, produce their own projects, secure representation and book roles in film and television. Click here to learn more about Dallas.

In her latest post, Dallas states, “For artists in particular, it’s essential that we tap into a feeling of completion in order to be able to create everything we’re capable of.”

Click here to read Dallas Travers’ first part of a three part series on creating a realistic strategy to help with your acting career.

Respected as one of the entertainment industry’s leading experts, Dallas Travers’ book, The Tao of Show Business, has won over five awards including first prizes at The Hollywood Book Festival and the London Festival along with the National Indie Excellence Award. She has helped thousands of actors to increase their auditions, produce their own projects, secure representation and book roles in film and television. Click here to learn more about Dallas.

Click here to visit the official movie site of The Help and learn more about the film. If you are looking for a good summer read, click here to order the book from Amazon.

If you haven’t heard of the book or movie, watch the trailer below!

If you would like to learn a little more about Paul, click the links below to read his blog entries!

So you want to do voice overs?

A word (or two) on voice over reels.

How to begin your career in voice overs.

A big mistake…

Respected as one of the entertainment industry’s leading experts, Dallas Travers’ book, The Tao of Show Business, has won over five awards including first prizes at The Hollywood Book Festival and the London Festival along with the National Indie Excellence Award. She has helped thousands of actors to increase their auditions, produce their own projects, secure representation and book roles in film and television. Click here to learn more about Dallas.

Click here to read about Roz sharing what it takes to be a “fit” actor.

Click here to read Roz’s experiences working with Halle Berry and other actors.

Click here to read about Roz’s experience with Pulitzer Prize winning playwright August Wilson.

Click here to learn more about her excellent acting course.

Currently, Kromer is working on the HBO series Treme (recently picked up for a 2nd season) for HBO, the Comedy Central pilot Black Jack and just wrapped casting the first season of the new series Lights Out for FX. They also just finished casting on the feature film Red Tails for George Lucas starring Cuba Gooding, Jr.

Haven’t seen Treme? Check out the trailer below. Click here to learn more about the on-camera intensive.