Kenney Myers

Author | Actor | Producer | Kickboxer | Entrepreneur

Acting

How to Be The Committed Actor That Everyone Loves to Work With

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So I was on set yesterday and came across something that in indie film (especially ultra low budget) has happened quite a few times to me.  We had a lead actor no show.  In this case we were able to power through and the director dutifully stepped up to play the part (which made for quite the challenge for her).  However, in many other cases this resulted in delays (usually several hours), last minute scene changes, and other scrambling.  Most directors and production companies seem to be used to these types of issues and they just power through them.  Which leads me to my point and that is that when you commit to a film (verbally or in writing) just commit to it.  Don’t just say you will do something and then cancel the moment something better comes along.  In the short-term you may have a better gig but in the long run word will get out and you just won’t get as many opportunities.

I guess it’s hard for me to relate to this because when I make a commitment to a production I honor that commitment (unless I am physically unable to for some reason).  So yesterday I also received a way better offer to be on an episode of a national TV show.  I declined because it wouldn’t work well within my other commitments to these ultra low budget productions.  You know what?  The director completely understood and was open to giving me another chance for a future episode (he was okay because I was honoring my commitments).  In the end, you have to be an actor that people can count on.  If another director or even your agent encourages you to break commitments, then my recommendation would be to break ties with them instead.

8 Ways to Simply Honor Your Acting Commitments

  1. Be easy to communicate with, check and respond to emails, texts, and other communication from the production team.  The more prompt you can be the better.
  2. Be on any conference calls or meetings that the director calls (again I have experienced this multiple times where actors just skip meetings).  Ironically, those that skip are usually the ones that complain about lack of communication.
  3. If you have rehearsals, be there.  Every chance you can show the director that you are easy to work with, reliable, and seeking direction for your role, the better it will work out for everyone.
  4. Confirm your call times with the director or production assistant and just be sure they know as soon as possible of any time conflicts so they can plan accordingly.  If you haven’t received the call sheet the night before your scene, contact them proactively to nail everything down.
  5. Show up before your call time to run scripts and just reduce the stress on the whole team (it’s way better to be the person waiting than the person everyone is waiting on).
  6. Show up knowing your character, knowing your lines, and just prepared to deliver.  Nobody wants to have to do tons of takes because you don’t know your part.  Do the work in advance and be ready.
  7. Don’t be difficult on set.  When you are on set it’s not about you it’s about creating the best production possible.  Don’t ruin that by being a pain to anyone.
  8. When you are done help clear out as best you can or at a minimum pick up after yourself and clear out after thanking the director and the whole team.

All of this really can be summed up by just being professional.  Filming is hard work whether it is an ultra low budget production or a major motion picture.  Show appreciation for what everyone is doing and try your best to just go with the flow.  Most importantly, just be present (physically AND mentally) at all times and you will be good to go!

 

 

 

7 Ways to Get More Auditions Every Week

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Let me start out by saying that I LOVE TO AUDITION!  Why?  I don’t really know I guess it’s just something you either love or hate.  I see each one as a new opportunity to reinvent myself and to sharpen my skills as I interpret a new script (which sometimes I admittedly do get totally wrong but that’s part of the fun).  It’s about testing your own limits and finding unique ways to deliver a performance that is memorable and that ultimately gets you the gig.  Of course, before you can audition though you have to find casting calls aka breakdowns and submit yourself or get your agent to do it for you.  I personally submit myself to dozens of opportunities every week and this article will detail how I find auditions for you.

  1. Backstage.com is a site that I am an on daily (usually multiple times per day).  They give you the ability to define searches that fit your profile really well.  You can restrict your search to just feature films and TV (or whatever you prefer) as well as how far you are willing to travel, paid v. non-paid, union v. non-union, and many more filters.  Make sure that you are applying only for roles that make sense for you and that you have a complete profile with lots of pictures, videos, and your resume to share with casting directors or producers.
  2. ActorsAccess.com is another site that I am on at least daily.  They offer fewer filters than Backstage.com but for one reason or another I book a lot of auditions through them.  You generally focus on a geographic region (Texas in my case) and the same rules really apply here.  Make sure you have a complete profile and that you have professional headshots and a resume to share with whoever is handling casting for each project.
  3. CastItTalent.com is a site that has some pretty big opportunities.  I’d say you are more swinging for the fences with some of these but there are smaller opportunities there as well.  I visit this one less frequently but do have a complete profile there and when I see a role that I am a good fit for I always submit.  I get an occasional audition from here but nowhere near the quantity that I get from ActorsAccess and Backstage.
  4. IndieFilmCasting.com is a free site that is great if you are into doing independent films (I enjoy these quire a bit).  Since it is free there is literally no downside at all to subscribing to their daily email that gives you more opportunities to find auditions (the more auditions, the more likely you are to book)
  5. ShortFilmTexas.com is another free site if you live in Texas that will allow you to stay on top of casting calls in Houston, Austin, Dallas, and throughout the great state of Texas.  I also subscribe to their email list to give me another way to stay on top of opportunities that fit my profile.
  6. FaceBook.com is a GREAT way to find audition opportunities.  Just search FaceBook for casting calls and you will find tons of hits.  In addition, you are very likely to find FaceBook groups that you can join that are in your area (or wherever you are targeting to get auditions).
  7. Keep networking as much as you can.  I try to always stay in touch with actors, directors, and producers that I have worked with on projects.  I genuinely want to know how they are doing and I’m always looking for opportunities to help them or make introductions for them which maybe some day they will be in a place to return the favor (if not, that’s perfectly okay).  I think this may be the best source of auditions out there.  I can’t possibly thank my friends enough for all they have done to help me stay busy.

If you are like me and want to stay busy with auditions then you have to put in some work to make that happen.  In addition, I highly recommend that you stay as targeted as possible with the opportunities that you submit to.  I don’t think it helps you in the long run to become known as the person that will submit to anything.  I think if you really feel you can play the part given the brief description (aka breakdown) then go for it, but otherwise move on to the next opportunity.  The last thing you want to do is waste a casting director or producer’s time (they will most likely remember that).  The key to getting more auditions is staying on top of them and submitting your information as early as possible in the casting process.  Be diligent and of course be on time and never bail on an audition without a very good reason that you communicate in advance.  You definitely want to be an actor they can count on to show up and deliver a professional audition.  A good reputation can go a long ways!

Whirlwind Acting & Loving Every Minute

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Earlier this year I had the pleasure of working on a movie called Junkie you can see the trailer here The Official Director’s Cut. This was the first of several projects that I have completed or will be involved with in 2016. I wanted to give everyone that follows my blog a quick breakdown of what I have done.  I’m really looking forward to doing more!

  • The Gate – I started off as an Executive Producer for The Gate.  I had a supporting role as well but other commitments stopped me so my good friend and coach Kevin Garcia stepped in and killed it!  This is an action packed short that is in the process of becoming a feature film if all goes well.  You can read about it here on deadline and watch the video here The Gate – Madison Films.
  • Junkie – This is a feature film that stars Christian Kane, Anna Easteden, James Duval, Eve Mauro, and several other excellent actors.  This was filmed in Sacramento (which I really enjoyed) and in this one I played Sonny.  Sonny has some anger management issues and has a strong passion for breaking things (any thing or person will do).  You will be able to watch this one soon in theaters or online (I’ll let you know).  We are already working on Junkie 2 with an even bigger cast and crew!
  • Styx Series – This one was a bucket list type of engagement.  I flew over to beautiful Valencia, Spain to take part in an innovative international TV series.  In this series the cast comes back in each episode as a different person or character and it’s a bit like a modern Twilight Zone.  The episodes we filmed in May starred Santiago Segura, Jesus Lloveras, Ruslan Alov, Ana De los Riscos, Johnny Melville, Gary Anthony Stennette, and Mari Cielo Pajares.  I can’t tell you too much about this production but I can tell you it will blow you away.  I’m looking forward to going back to Spain to film more episodes in the future and to see all the great friends I met filming on location.
  • Jax in Love – This is the brain child of an incredible actress, Rakefet Abergel.  She put together a very talented cast including John Gammon, Ben Kacsandi, Larua Wiggins, and many more.  We filmed (my scenes) at the Four Aces Movie Set in Palmdale, CA.  That is an iconic set where quite a few music videos and films have used.  It’s an incredible place if you get the opportunity to visit.  This film is going to really surprise you with several twists and turns making it a thrill ride.

Coming soon (booked for 2016): The Choice is Yours, Endeavor, Knocking on Heaven’s Door, Pranksters, A Dare to Remember, The Perfect Night, Junkie II, and more episodes of Styx.

I am really enjoying the variety of projects that I have been working on and going to auditions (or sending in video auditions).  What’s amazing is it gives you an opportunity to challenge yourself in new ways with literally every project.  The opportunity to meet new people and collaborate with such incredible talent is also one I am very grateful for.  If you are involved with any of these projects, I thank you!  I also owe a huge debt of gratitude to all my friends and family especially my wife Jolene for all the support.  I couldn’t do any of this without all of you!

5 Things You Don’t Know About Acting in a Movie

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We just wrapped up filming JUNKIE, a feature film starring Christian Kane, Anna Easteden, Eve Mauro, and directed by the great Tim Russ.  I play a character by the name of Sonny Cole who is a thug/bad guy that wreaks havoc on others beating people, tying them up, shooting them and much more.  The filming completed in 14 days which was ahead of schedule and incredibly efficient.  Here are just 5 of the many things that you may not know about acting in a movie:

  1. You do A LOT of hurry up and wait.  Your call time (when you need to show up) is usually hours before you are going to be in set for various reasons.  You have wardrobe, makeup, and you just never know when scenes may have to be shot out of order.
  2. It is exceptionally hard to get all of the makeup off that they put on you.  So I’ll admit that I know very little about makeup (shocking right).  I ended up having to get the assistance of my 17 year old daughter to remove all of the makeup after each day of filming (okay just the first day or so).
  3. Unless you are doing something totally wrong you really don’t get a lot of coaching as to what you need to be doing in your scenes.  I ended up getting a lot of information from the stunt/safety coordinator to make sure I pulled off all of the violent scenes as realistically as possible.
  4. It takes a village to make a movie.  We had all kinds of crew members helping make the magic behind the scenes with multiple camera men, makeup, wardrobe, and actually quite a few visitors on set.  Anyway, they work long and hard hours making sure that everything is perfect.
  5. Most of the actors are just like you.  With a few exceptions you would have no idea that you are talking to someone that has made dozens of movies with huge names.  They are all about their craft and honestly having fun and enjoying their work as much as possible.

So this is just a taste of some of the things that are interesting to know about acting in a film.  I have several more films and TV shows lined up for 2016 and I am going to attempt to blog about some of my experiences as time permits.  I’ll also be posting a lot on twitter @kenneymyers and on my official FaceBook page.

Above all else being on set and acting is a blast!  I’m thoroughly enjoying it and hope more than anything that you enjoy all of the productions whether they are in the theater, TV, or netflix.  Stay tuned…