Branding

There is a documentary on Netflix called "That Guy". It cracked me up because it is so true. It's about a ton of actors that had never been branded and they have been in the entertaining business for a long while.

Strangers would approach them saying, "I've seen you before... Where did I see you? Oh, I know your that guy on that show... What was the name of that show again? You played a.....? The actors always hated that because people would want them to list what shows they had been on. It didn't make them feel very good.

Stephen Mitchell, the author of Action/ReAction, talks about branding in his book along with many other topics. Branding is very important to your career. As we all know, Clint Eastwood's emotional brand is antagonism, Julie Andrews' is enthusiasm, Woody Allan is anxiety. The list goes on and on for the well known actors. If you do not know that it is important to get branded you will end up... That Guy or That Girl.

I don't know about you but I don't want people to know me as That Girl in that show. So I connected with Stephen Mitchell to learn more from him because I truly desire to go as far as I can in my career. He has a lot of gifts, one being... he is able to "brand" anyone who studies with him. By being branded, I know what roles I am best at playing. I know in our field as actors we just want to work... Nothing wrong with that but I want more than that so I decided to be coached by a pro. Now I go after the the roles I enjoy playing most. It really helps to have a focus on my acting career.

So if you are serious about your career and you're tired of the hit and miss roles you've played in the past. I highly recommend you get connected with Stephen Mitchell. Whether you are a seasoned, mild or a new actor it is truly worth investing in yourself. Get his book, contact him, study hard and be a stellar actor!!! Best to you.

Submitting for jobs with inadequate tools leaves you with no auditions or bookings...

I notice a constant stream of ads for a prime time show on television asking for actors to submit for principal roles and background. Someone I know of (starting out in this industry) has submitted countless times this year. And she never got called in, not even for background! So, I've been wondering why haven't they called her yet? She fits the role perfectly! So I asked her to send me the head shot, resume and full length picture that she sent to the agency. She sent it immediately!

I see why they haven't called her. This agency is a pro in casting and they will not give her a call due to what she sent was not a head shot and her resume was too hard for them to read, it was in sentences (will talk about resume format another day).

What needs to be done is we need to make it easy for the casting directors and associates. They work so hard... They go through SO, SO many head shots and resumes that they do not have the time to try to picture you in the role. If the role asks for a nurse from the 1800's don't send in a shot of yourself looking like a biker in the 80's. Have some common sense to fit that description to the best of your knowledge. You are only wasting there time and having hopeful ideas of being cast. I'm not suggesting to spend a boat load of money in costume but look the part best as you can.

Put effort and thought into what you are submitting for. My last blog was on getting a professional head shot and I really mean it. YOU NEED A PROFESSIONAL HEAD SHOT! If you can't afford one just yet, then save up money before you submit. Really think about whether you really want to work as a professional actor. Think hard... Because you'll need to invest time and money in your new business. Every business needs presentable tools to promote their business. You are selling yourself and your talents. You must treat your career as a business.

Now on the flip side of this story. Someone I know had submitted for a role she really wanted and knows she can play the role very well. The agency wanted to see a picture of her in elegance wardrobe. She said she didn't have one. That was the end of that conversation! This young lady was not pleased that casting couldn't just picture her in costume. They wouldn't even let her come in for an audition unless she took a picture in elegance wardrobe for them to review.

I informed her that casting does not have time for picturing you in elegance nor will casting try to convince their client that you could look the part. They really need to see it. So she got a friend to take her picture in elegance wardrobe and she sent the picture into the agency and she immediately got invited to audition for this role. And this young lady is so excited! Now, you see it really works! Do the right thing and help out casting and show them you fit the role don't make them guess because they simply won't! And take a guess who looses out?

People sometimes ask me...

People sometimes ask me, “How can I get acting jobs in my metropolitan area?” I tell them, “In lots of ways!” I live in the Washington, D.C. area. There are plenty of jobs for actors, models and voiceover talent. In fact, any city within corporate America has jobs for us in the entertainment field. Every organization needs to promote and advertise their products and services. We are the faces and voices on print work, posters and brochures and for screen work for television, film and websites.

Make sure you have a professional head shot. I do not mean a glamor shot. I mean a head shot that truly captures your brand (more on branding later). Go on Google and look at sites for photographers in your area. Notice that many photographers take adequate or even nice pictures, but just a handful of photographers seem to capture a brand. For example, you can compare other photographers with Joe Henson, the head shot expert from New York. Check out Joe Henson's site and see if you can see the difference between “good” and “expert” results.

A stellar brand head shot of you shows what you are selling and promoting to directors, producers, agents and casting directors. Grab your current head shot right now and look at it. Are you humbly proud of how it looks? Are you thrilled to hand it to entertainment professionals?  When you mail it out, do you expect good feedback and good results?

Your head shot (along with your monologue and voiceover reel) are your business cards in the industry. Work on your headshot now so that it raises your confidence.

I’ll blog about branding, monologues and voiceover reels another day... Until then, stay healthy and focus on your trade. Be disciplined and work on something on a daily basis in your trade to be better for the next day, next audition, next booking.

Shoot for the moon because if you miss you'll be a star!

Judy Go Wong as The Matriarch

Judy Go Wong on House of Cards

I've had the pleasure of working on House of Cards staring Kevin Spacey, one of the finest actors of our time. I can't think of a better ambiance in which to learn acting from those who know it best. He is a constant source of inspiration. The photo above I captured while watching an episode on my iPhone. And yes, that is me as a protestor on the show in Season 2. I hope you're watching it because I think it's one of the best shows on television.

Judy Go Wong talks about VEEP

Q: What was your experience working on VEEP?

Judy Go Wong: I have a feeling I arrived at an unusual moment in their production cycle. The assistant director said to me, "Today is an unusual day, hard day on set, its not usually like this. Sorry about that!". I took it in stride, just happy to be there and as my acting coach teaches, our job is to put the audience in the moment we want them to be in and not necessary advertise the moment that we as performers are actually in.

Q: What was your impression of Julia Louis-Dreyfus?

Judy Go Wong: She was very professional, as you might imagine, and fun to be around. In more ways than one she was the soul of the show. She made it fun for her co-workers.

Q: Are you a fan VEEP?

Judy Go Wong:  I was especially interested in how a certain style of presentation that originated in the British film In The Loop translated so well into an American TV series.

An Interview with Judy Go Wong

Q: How did you get started as an actress?

Judy: I got started as an actress by studying with Stephen Mitchell (author of Action/ReAction) and Cheryl Felicia Rhoads. I was brought up in front of the big screen in the "Big Apple". My family took me to Radio City Music Hall growing up and I was always fascinated with the movie stars performances. I just love entertainment.

       Q: What kinds of roles are you best at playing?

Judy: I'm best at playing educated, sophisticated, high society women who are bigger than life. They bring the show...

Q: What has been your best moment to date as an actress?

Judy: My best moment as an actress is when I was called to be in an FBI film. I immediately caught the film making fever and received a lead role playing a DC detective which led to being in House of Cards and VEEP. I've been working with the very best in our industry.

Q: Is there a director you admire and with whom you'd like to work?

Judy: Yes, the director I admire and would like to work with is Woody Allen. I liked Blue Jasmine very much because Woody Allen gets extraordinary performances from all of his actors and what Cate Blanchett did in Blue Jasmine is tour de force.

Q: Do you have a dream list of directors?

Judy: Robert Luketic, Donald Petrie, James Cox, Gary Sinyor, Cameron Crowe, James Mangold, Adam Shankman, Ben Stiller, David Silverman, Steven Spielberg, Clint Eastwood.

Q: What is your background?

Judy: I was born and raised on Long Island in NY. I had lessons on a non-stop bases, from ballet, tap, modern dance, piano, kung fu, voice the list goes on and on. My grandfather owned chains of Chinese restaurants on Long Island. I also worked in his restaurants in my spare time. It was nice growing up with all entrepreneurs surrounding me. It gave me a wonderful work ethic, business sense, the ability to dream and go after my hearts desires.

For further information contact:

Judy Go Wong 

703 618-8430

joyfuljudyg@gmail.com