The Dream Management is a boutique talent management company based in NYC. The Dream represents all ages, ethnicities, and types for legit, commercial, stage, and corporate video.

The Dream's mission is to help actors be able to navigate through the crazy world that is the Entertainment business with confidence, motivation, and drive.

The Dream provides our talent with important, helpful, and motivational career tips through our YouTube series: Acting Career Tips, which can be found on Youtube or right here on this site. This is just one of the many helpful tools you receive from The Dream staff. We take pride in having a one-on-one relationship with each of the actors we represent. We can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and IMdbpro.

Owner and talent manager, Jenn Lederer, is a proud member of TMA (Talent Manager's Association) as well as NCOPM (National Conference of Personal Managers).

Email: info@thedreammanagement.com
Tel
646-450-4458

Subscribe to The Dream's Blog at Livin' The Dream

The QUICK FIX for Your Career...Could it BE?!

I'd like to discuss a 'Quick Fix' that seems to get actors all giddy with "THIS will make my career happen" excitement & hope.

What is this MAGICAL Quick Fix, you ask?
(drum roll pleeeeeease........)

THE UNION!!!
Yes, the all powerful Union that is, apparently, that Golden Ticket to success.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you HAVE to stop looking at each opportunity that you get as that 'big break' that will make everything else EASIER.

NEWS FLASH:  This industry is never going to get EASIER...so if you are hard at work looking for that magic potion...you may exit Stage Right, now.

Just as I have said before that getting representation isn't the missing piece, neither is being in the union!  They are both great things to have, but it always comes down to YOU and your PRODUCT as a whole, not just one little piece of it.

Being union (SAG, AFTRA, or AEA) can be very beneficial to your career...but the benefits only happen if the process has been organic & natural.  If you "buy in" and try to force the issue, then 9 times out of 10 you will look back on that decision and say "Oh...yea, that's not what makes or breaks me as an actor, is it?  Damn."

Personally, I only work with people who ARE NOT interested in that 'quick fix'.  When I see an actor searching for that, I know that they don't fully understand this industry yet.  They have a sense of entitlement written all over their face, and they can't help but say WHY NOT ME?!  I'VE PAID MY DUES, DAMN IT!...Now give me what I WANT!  (whether they know it or not, that is how they are being perceived...)

When you put such great expectations on one moment, or one goal..then you are almost always guaranteed to be let down.  Don't set yourself up for disappointment!


STORY TIME!
I recently had a discussion with an actor who was convinced that he should buy into AFTRA before the end of this month (March 2012) so if the merger with SAG goes through, then he will be a SAG member as well.  I was baffled that this was his plan...(this was someone with a resume full of student films & non-union featured background work) who had only been pursuing acting for a little under 2 years!
I couldn't help myself...I had to pick his brain and figure out WHY he felt this was the path he should take.

As the conversation continued, I found that he had a lot of the misconceptions, which I know a lot of other actors have as well regarding this 'Quick Fix' Union topic.

Let me take a moment to stomp out SOME of the MISCONCEPTIONS that are out there.

~ Agents prefer to bring on SAG member talent.
Do Agents & managers prefer working with SAG members?  Some yes, some (like me) enjoy the non-union types too.  Don't underestimate the amount of non-union work that is out there!
Also, Agents like to see SAG on your resume, because it SHOULD mean that you have the kind of resume that has EARNED the SAG membership!  (not that your bank account could afford to 'buy in')

~ You can only submit yourself for SAG/AFTRA/AEA work if you are in the Union.
FALSE FALSE FALSE!  You can 100%, ABSOLUTELY submit yourself, audition for, and be cast in a union production while being non-union.  You can begin earning vouchers & waivers until you become a union 'eligible' or 'must-join' member.  I represent some actors who are fighting tooth & nail to STAY a must-join, so they can continue reaping the benefits of all of the non-union work that it out there!

~ Being SAG will help you get in the door for auditions.
WRONG!  Being a talented, hard working actor is what will get you in the door.  Period.  (a reel doesn't hurt either :)


~ People in the industry look at you as a professional when you're Union.
WRONG AGAIN!  People look at you as a professional when you act as such.  And if anyone in the 'industry' tells you differently...I would question who the 'professional' really is in that conversation.

At the end of our discussion, the actor informed me that "Ultimately, I will do what I feel is best for my career."  THAT, I couldn't disagree with.

I fully support the fact that you should always be in control of your own destiny and do what you feel is best for you.  That being said, if you don't see a clear PURPOSE for that decision, and honestly can't say that you've EARNED it...then I can't help but think you are just wishing on a miracle, and hoping THIS will be the magical piece that will bring success to your career.

If finding success was easy, everyone would have it.  It. Takes. Work.

Before you make a decision, ask yourself...Have I earned it?  What do I expect from this?  What is the purpose of this step?
This is a quick & easy way to hold yourself accountable, and make sure that the decision is in the best interest of YOU and YOUR CAREER...not in the best interest of your EGO.  Careful, that ego can be a tricky little bugger!

That's all for now...
Livin' The Dream
~Jenn