Be In A Magazine!*

Happy Halloween Everyone!  I hope all is well in your neck of the woods and for our friends over on the East Coast try to stay dry and warm during these trying times - our thoughts are with you.  For anyone reading this blog, if you have yet to reach out to help our friends on the East Coast there is absolutely still time to help:  Text RED CROSS to 90999 or click  http://www.redcross.org/charitable-donations.  Just make sure you come back to this blog after you donate so you can read today's installment!

I've been receiving a lot of questions as of late regarding whether these new "magazines" which focus on pageant girls or "child couture" are truly career building opportunities.  I very well may ruffle some feathers with this statement, but my job is to ensure that my clients receive the best career advice and strategy possible - so the simple answer to this question is; "HELL NO!!"  Magazines such as Supermodels Unlimited or ANY Pageant based magazine or ANY "Child Model" magazine are geared toward praying off of pageant moms and stage moms who will do anything to see their daughter's photo in a magazine.  Just think about this for a minute and figure it out for yourself - YOU are paying for your daughter's photo to be in the magazine - regardless of whether the publishers tell you that your $500 or $750 or $1500 payment is going toward the photographer, or the hair and make up or for ad space in the magazine, YOU are still the one paying for the spot in the publication.  Use some common sense here.  The circulation of these "publications" is generally going to be low and limited to other pageant parents.  Think about who your target market is for getting your child's name (and photo) out there in the entertainment industry.  Do you want to market your child to other stage moms or do you want to reach agents, producers, directors and casting professionals?  Yeah, that's right, Option B.

Another point for why you should steer clear of these fake opportunities - because everyone in the industry KNOWS that these are fake opportunities.  You cannot put Supermodels Unlimited,  Child Model Magazine or anything similar, on your resume!  Should you drop that into a resume and send it to a casting director, they will know that you are gullible and desperate and it does not bode well for your child's career prospects.

One of my well known clients was actually given a complimentary spread in one of these "fake magazines" and I, as her representation, politely told them NO THANK YOU.  My reasoning was because, even though it was FREE to the very successful child star, it connects her with their graft, makes it look like she endorses them and perhaps even credits them for some of her success.  The truth is, that client's entire name recognition and success strategy came from my recommendations and her mother moved on all of them.  To allow a fake magazine to claim responsibility for her success would have been disingenuous at best - and fraudulent at worst!

So should you desire for your child to be featured in a magazine, steer clear of these newer publications that require you to buy space in the magazine, purchase a certain number of copies for distribution, or pay for any part of the shoot.  Reputable publications do not require any of these things and in some situations they will actually pay YOU for your story.  If you would like more advice on how to get published, become one of my amazing Action Takers and sign up for one of my upcoming events!  I love helping my clients receive press and it is ALWAYS exciting to see one of my success stories in print!

I hope you found this post helpful!  Be sure to comment and spread the word about this blog!  Post the link to your Facebook wall, tweet and yell it from the rooftops how much you adore my great advice!

Until next time,

Heather Ryan
The Ultimate Talent Mentor  

 

Agents, Managers, Mentors, OH MY!

Hey All!

Okay, the blog is starting to take form now and it seems as though I'll have enough words of wisdom to fill this blog three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of each week.  Thursdays are when my E-Newsletter comes out so be sure to sign up for that too at www.RyanTalent.com/Newsletter.html.  So subscribe to this blog, read religiously, then spread the word about how awesome my posts are to all your friends and family!

Moving on;  I got a question from Sharon in Mississippi regarding Agents and how they make money and I figured this would be a great topic for a quick blog post!

Sharon stated that she thought Agents didn't "make anything" until they secured you work.  To answer Sharon's question, first, let's back up just a smidge and talk about the differences between industry professionals.

Agents - Generally specialize in one area of the entertainment industry.  An agent may specialize in acting, commercial print work, high fashion modeling, commercial television, singing, dancing or several other areas in the entertainment world.  If you sign with an agent, they may charge you a small annual annual fee and they may ask you to use their photographer to secure your headshots.  Both of these services can be above board as long as they are not cost prohibitive.  For the most part, an Agent will garner between 10-15% of your earnings  from any job she secures for you in the entertainment industry; that is where they make the bulk of their money if they are a reputable agent.

Managers - Managers tend to earn 15-20% of your earnings for everything you do in the entertainment industry, regardless of whether they personally secured the job for you.  This is because managers are different than agents in that they MANAGE every aspect of your entertainment career.  They can submit you for castings in all things entertainment industry including modeling, acting, singning, dancing, etc.  Managers do a great deal of work to help steer your career in the right direction and handle pretty much EVERYTHING for you.  You CAN have an agent or even more than one agents AND a Manager.  You cannot have more than one manager.  Again, managers could have a small annual fee and they could help you obtain your tools of the trade, but these should not be outrageously priced to the point where their entire income is being made off their client's purchases. 

Publicists - A Publicist generally earns a set fee every month for which they are under contract with you.  Publicists will help you garner and handle media relations.  A good publicist can cost several thousand dollars a month but if you are fielding a lot of media, they are worth every penny! 

MENTORS - This is what I do!  I help guide my clients through the entertainment industry with strategic career planning.  Although I used to do traditional Agent and Management work (depending on the needs of the client) I found that I am truly skilled at mentoring through teleseminars, live events, groups and one-to-one coaching sessions where I help clients focus on their strategy and create out-of-the-box plans for their (or their child's) career in entertainment.  I help more people achieve success faster, more efficiently and more cost effectively by offering my services en-mass through my various programs.  There are many mentors and coaches in every walk of life - I just happen to be REALLY good at mentoring in the entertainment industry and my clients have enjoyed ENORMOUS success by simply taking my advice and acting upon my recommendations!  If you are interested in pursuing any of my fantastic programs, be sure to visit my website at www.RyanTalent.com.  Please note, however, that I am ONLY interested in working with true Movers and Shakers who are dedicated to getting off their booty and working as hard as I do to make them successful.  If that's you, by all means, look me up!  

So, Sharon of Mississippi, I hope that helped answer your question!  We will cover this and many other topics in my Free Consultation Call on Thursday, November 1st.  If you have yet to sign up for this great opportunity, be sure to do so on my website at www.RyanTalent.com/BeDiscovered.html.

Talk soon!

Heather Ryan
The Ultimate Talent Mentor

Casting Calls are Calling!

Good Day Mates (it's cold here, so I'm channeling my inner warm Australian)!  So far in this Blog experience, we've been fortunate to receive a string of questions from inquisitive stage moms and aspiring actors & models as of late, so thus, this blog is dedicated almost entirely to answering your questions.  If this is acceptable reading material for you, be sure to keep those questions coming. Otherwise, I'll have to start making up questions and answers before too long - or I could just go on bizarre rants like so many others in the entertainment industry.  Perhaps that is what I need to put my name recognition over the top?  Ah, time will tell ... time will tell.

So today's question comes to us from Betty of West Virginia.  Betty asks:

Q.  How do I find casting calls for my daughters?  
A.  Betty is a Go-Getter and should be commended!  She has DECIDED to DEDICATE her time, energy and some finances to the pursuit of a career (or at least some experience) in the entertainment industry for her daughters and now she wants to take the next step!  GOOD FOR YOU BETTY!  You are already following the advice I give in my Five Part Teleseries, "D.A.N.C.E. Your Way Into the Entertainment Industry" - check it out on my website at www.RyanTalent.com if you haven't already - AGAIN - TOTALLY WORTH IT!

Okay, so now that Betty has taken the first big steps (The "D" in D.A.N.C.E. stands for Decide and Dedicate), she needs to take action on the "A" portion of my D.A.N.C.E. system - which is ADVOCATE.  There is NO BETTER ADVOCATE in the world than you when it comes to your child's talent and career in the entertainment industry.  You are her biggest cheerleader, you are her number one fan and you are the one who is going to ensure that she has the most opportunities possible. The most immediate way you can Advocate for your child's success in the entertainment industry is to PUT IT OUT THERE that she is pursuing this career.  Contact local casting directors, Agents, Manager, Producers; tell all your friends and family, keep your eyes peeled for auditions and casting calls that fit her demographic on publicly advertised websites (as part of my teleseries, I give you all the best and worst sites to visit in your  pursuit).

But let's take it a step further.  The "N" in my D.A.N.C.E. program stands for NETWORK! Get out there and NETWORK, Betty!  Make those connections with industry professionals that will help expand your ability to get your daughter's name out there, build her resume and get her to the auditions and hopefully, JOBS, that are right for her.  Notice, I said INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS - NOT Stage Moms.  Industry Professionals include Talent Agents, Managers, Mentors (like me!), Casting Directors, Producers, Coaches, Instructors, and the like.  These are the people who will HELP you be successful.  Professionals such as myself WANT you to succeed.  We are NOT your competition and when one of my clients succeeds, it is a feather in my cap!  Not only am I NOT jealous of your accomplishments, I am PROUD and want to tell the world of your success!  Generally, stage moms, pageant moms and even some family members and "friends" DO NOT WANT YOU TO SUCCEED!  Remember, when you garner advice from other stage moms, you are asking YOUR COMPETITION for advice!  You would NEVER see a football coach make his way to the other team to ask for advice - so why would you make that mistake in your daughter's career?

Zig Zigler once said, "The only taste of success some people will ever get is by taking a bite of you".  Remember this when you are seeking networking opportunities - and focus only on Industry Professionals who can help you obtain auditions, casting calls and jobs.  In many cases, ONLY Talent Agents and Managers receive casting calls so even though there are several places to go on the internet to find publicly advertised jobs, finding great help is absolutely KEY to being truly successful in this industry!

We took the long way around to answer Betty's question, but I'm pretty sure we got there!  Remember to check out my website and sign up for my FREE Teleconference call on November 1st.  We'll talk about this and other topics that should help you break into the entertainment industry and avoid the pitfalls experienced by oh-so-many!  You can register on my website at www.RyanTalent.com.

Until next time,

Heather Ryan
The Ultimate Talent Mentor

Headshot Madness!

Hello Again!  I've made it through the first blog post and am now heading into the second of this oh-so-fascinating series on all things Entertainment Industry Related!  If you're new to my blogs, be sure to go back to my previous blog and/or visit my website at www.RyanTalent.com to learn about me, my work and what you stand to gain from following these amazing writings. 

We received a question via e-mail from Lori of Indianapolis, Indiana (fantastic Navy Memorial and American Legion Headquarters, but otherwise, politically scary for a left leaning loonie like me). Lori's question is: 

Q.  Where can I get a photo shoot taken? 
A.  Ahhh, Lori - you are a wise Young Jedi Master!  Because Lori knows that not all headshots are created equal and not all photographers can create a good headshot to represent you in the entertainment industry!  So to answer this question, first, we need to back up and talk about WHY you need a good headshot and what the are differences between headshots, comp cards and portfolios.

A Headshot - is an absolute necessity for all actors and general entertainers in the industry.  A headshot is the 8x10 photo representation of what you or your child looks like that you (or your agent/manager) sends to casting directors.  Headshots should absolutely, positively, without exception, LOOK LIKE YOU!  If the headshot is of your child DO NOT, under any circumstances, use a pageant photo.  Even a "natural" pageant photo, meaning light retouches and light make up with colored background, accessories and colorful wardrobe IS TOO MUCH!  A casting director wants to see what you (or your child) is going to look like should they come into an audition or should they land a role for whatever they are casting.  Even though a great number of jobs can now be submitted electronically with digital images, you STILL NEED hard copy, physical 8x10 headshots to take with you to casting calls and to submit for jobs with bigger production companies who do not accept digital submissions.  If you are purchasing headshots for a child, YOU DO NOT NEED Hundreds or thousands of hard copy headshots.  Since the photo needs to look like the child as they are right now, at this moment, you will need to update them often - so do not buy more than 50-100 reproductions at any given time - unless your child is a superstar and is using her headshots to autograph for fans - which is something entirely different. 

A Composite Card (comp card) - is generally used for models.  Comp cards will be a composite of 3-6 photos of the same model in different outfits and with different looks squished down to a 5x7 card stock hard copy with your (or your child's) statistics printed on it.  I personally do not work in a lot of comp cards as I do not do a ton of work with clients who only wish to do commercial modeling jobs.  If you plan to SOLELY do modeling jobs, these are your best bet, but you should probably also move to New York and secure a job as a waitress part time to help sustain you while you pursue a career in just the modeling industry.  Which leads us to the next point ...

A Portfolio - is also specifically for models.  You can see some amazing examples of portfolios and the different photos and tear sheets that fill their pages by watching the show, "America's Next Top Model".  When building your portfolio, you will want to have many looks shot by many photographers to show your diversity and ability to morph into whatever the photographer's vision may be that particular day.  Again, should you desire to pursue JUST a modeling career, you should start building your portfolio with TFP shoots (you don't charge the photographer to be their model and they don't charge you to take your picture) to see if this is your cup of tea.  You will take your portfolio with you to all your "Go-See" appointments - where you literally GO, SEE the client who needs models.  

So where do you get a good headshot and what do they cost?  Seek out a photographer who can take a clean, clear photo of just YOUR HEAD (hence the name, headshot).  Big accessories, colored backgrounds, loud clothing and heavy retouches should be avoided at all costs.  If you are in Tiny Town, USA, you may be served just fine by a photographer who takes traditional Senior Portraits or Wedding Photography - but if you have a choice - ALWAYS go with an experienced photographer!  Remember, your headshot is a representation of YOU to people who are hiring for jobs in the entertainment industry.  If your headshot looks cheap, like you shot it with your iPhone and had it blown up to 8x10, you will look like a cheap newbie to the casting director and you will NOT book the gig!  If you have an agent or manager, they will be able to point you in the right direction for good photography - and some may even have a photographer on staff to help get you started.

The NUMBER ONE, BIGGEST FALSITY that I hear regarding headshots from people who are brand new to the industry is - "My Agent Should Pay for Headshots (comp cards/portfolios) for ME, not the other way around".  THIS IS A COMPLETE MYTH!  There aren't many agents or managers in the world who will spring for headshots for their clients - for several reasons.  First, Who in the world has that as a line item in their company's budget?  It is very cost prohibitive for smaller agencies to invest in headshots FOR their clients and the larger agencies are large for a reason - because they are smart with their money.  On occasion they may offer a "test shoot" but don't expect to get away with paying absolutely  nothing for items necessary for YOUR career.  Which leads to the next reason why this is a MYTH.  If YOU are invested in YOUR career, you are more likely to pursue your career with fervor.  You will go to casting calls, go-sees, auditions, jobs, etc. if you are on the dangle for a few hundred bucks for photography and reproductions.  If your agent pays for your headshots, they are the ones who are on the hook for the expense with absolutely no guarantee that you will ever do anything in the entertainment industry - hence no guarantee they will even recoup their costs.  So, long story short - Don't Hold Your Breath that your agent will ever pay for anything FOR you - it is not their job or their responsibility!  If a stage mom tells you something different than what you just read - THEY ARE EITHER LYING OR THEY ARE IGNORANT TO THE REAL WORLD!

So I hope that helped, at least a little, answer Lori's question.  Just remember that if you have the choice, go with a photographer who specializes in headshots and try to secure the copyright so you may reproduce the photo with a headshot reproduction company.  A good photo shoot could cost as anywhere from $100-$300 but it will be well worth the expense if YOU book the job and the kid with the iPhone photo was laughed out of the audition!

Until Next Time,

Heather Ryan
The Ultimate Talent Mentor

The Ultimate Blog!

A Resounding THANK YOU to anyone taking time out of their busy day to read this Blog!  In the past I have made half hearted attempts at Blogging but found that I lack the attention span that it takes to stay dedicated to the cause.  My hat goes off to the main character, Julie, of the hit movie, "Julie and Julia".  Not only did she work her way through Julia Child's entire Joy of Cooking book, she also BLOGGED about her experiences for an entire year!  Her dedication eventually paid off because not only was she able to compile those well earned thoughts into a book, she sold the movie rights and her experiences were portrayed by the gorgeous Amy Smith!

So I'll just put it out there right now - should this blog actually garner my attention for longer than fifteen seconds, and is consequently made into a book and movie - I want some hottie starlet to portray me!  Preferably a stunning, but slightly overweight, thirty something actress who is amazing at acting but has yet to be recognized for her astounding ability.  NOT Jennifer Anniston.  Jennifer Anniston is quite possibly the most overrated actress in Hollywood, so if she is even remotely considered by the casting department for my role, I'm going to be royally pissed and turn into a psycho.  Trust me, it will not be pretty!  But I digress.

The purpose of this blog is to discuss all things entertainment industry - with a slant toward children and pageants.  If you are not familiar with my work, be sure to visit my website at www.RyanTalent.com.  I've been so very fortunate to help build and develop some of the biggest names in the pageant and entertainment industry.  By following my strategies and advice, my clients have enjoyed success in everything from Reality Television to original songs available on iTunes to movie roles and even scripted television parts! I have been active in the entertainment industry for over twenty years and began helping clients build their career strategies in 2008.  If you want to learn more about my business and how you can become one of my mentoring clients, be sure to visit my website and sign up for my next Conference Call, Live Event or you can always just purchase one of my Tele-Seminar Series products!  TOTALLY WORTH IT! 

So let's move on to the first topic of this blog!  We received this question from Laci of Tiny Town, Oklahoma. 

Q.  "How do I get my girls involved in modeling when I live in an itty bitty town?"
A.  FANTASTIC QUESTION LACI!  Let's just start by saying, It's NOT easy breaking into modeling, acting, singing - whatever your chosen field in the Entertainment Industry.  But then again, NOTHING worth doing is EVER going to be easy!  If it was easy, it would not be as desirable a job and it surely wouldn't pay as much on the top end of the business - because - it was Easy!  So the very FIRST thing you need to do in your quest is DECIDE (I talk about this in great detail during my "D.A.N.C.E. Your Way Into the Entertainment Industry" tele-series).  DECIDE how important it is for you to pursue this industry for your girls.  Do they enjoy being in front of the camera or acting or dancing or WHATEVER it is that you find is her niche?  It may not seem like this is a big step, but taking that first step to DECIDE that you want to pursue the Entertainment Industry is a Gigantic Leap.  Know that at last 90% of the people who dabble around with the idea never take that LEAP and truly make the commitment.  The VAST majority of folks who ask me to help their child(ren) break into the entertainment industry not only want Opportunity to Knock, they want Opportunity to come in, cook dinner and clean up afterward.  Opportunity WILL NOT present itself to the point where you are being pursued so diligently - and if anyone tells you that their child has been pursued in such a manner - THEY ARE LYING (unless you are talking to Brad Pitt or Will Smith)!

Once you have DECIDED that you want to pursue this option for you or your child, you have taken a BIG leap and should be commended!  But the journey has just begun!  Once you have passed the first hurdle of getting off your butt and making that decision, you must next DEDICATE to the pursuit.  Seeking out opportunities, going to auditions, building a resume and/or portfolio and/or body of work takes Dedication and could very well take many years, lots of travel and a sizable chunk of change.  This point is especially applicable to Laci of Tiny Town and anyone like her.  Work in Entertainment for you or your children in a teenie, tiny town is going to be harder to find than if you were located in Los Angeles or New York.  Your level of dedication will dictate how successful your girls are in their modeling careers.  The farther you are willing to travel for go-sees, auditions and jobs, the better luck you will have finding jobs.  Also, the more you THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, the better your chances for success.  This is where a fantastic coach or mentor (such as myself) can prove incredibly helpful with building strategy as well as creating and pursuing non-traditional opportunities.  But, this takes DEDICATION.  If you only want to stay local and are not willing to get the necessary tools such as headshots and comp cards, you are not going to get much, your level of frustration will max out, you will get frustrated and most assuredly throw in the towel before too long.

So, Laci of Tiny Town, my first, most important piece of advice for breaking your girls into modeling is to first do a little soul searching and DECIDE if you are willing to DEDICATE the next several years of your life to ensuring your girls will take advantage of every opportunity that comes along.  Once you do that, it won't matter if you're in Keokuk, Iowa or Long Island, New York.  There are few things that can stand in the way of a Super Motivated, Ultra Dedicated Mama!

Remember, I go into great detail about this topic and many more during my conference calls and teleseminars.  The next FREE Consultation Call is coming up next Thursday, November 1st at 4 PM Pacific (California) - which is 5 PM Mountain, 6 PM Central and 7 PM Eastern.  I invite you and anyone you know who is interested in learning how to break into the entertainment industry to sign up for the call through my website at www.RyanTalent.com.  The registration is free and the call is free but the advice is PRICELESS!

In my next blog post, I am going to tackle building your child's resume and securing USABLE headshots and/or comp cards!  Be sure to spread the word about this blog to all of your friends - post it on your Facebook wall, send the links in e-mails, tweet, WHATEVER!  The best way to keep my ADD at bay is to know that I am helping someone with this brain purge - so I welcome your Feedback, Comments and Questions!

Talk soon,

Heather Ryan
The Ultimate Talent Mentor