The further lesson for you here is this; every one in this
business has their own agenda. If some one feels they can not
make money off you signing with some one, and thinks they can
make money off of you instead by not signing with that person,
and working with them alone, then they may try to talk you out of
that deal, even if that deal is in your best interest. So, not
only will jealous friends, family, or other aspiring models or
talent try to cut you out of trying and succeeding, other agents,
managers, lawyers, or instructors may try to cut out their own
competition, and try to steal you away, whether you realize it or
not, and even if they are inferior.
In families, I have seen jealous adult sisters or brothers tell
the other sibling they are ugly and should quit. I have seen
parents, miserable in their own failed lives, try to prevent
their children from having a better life then they had. And there
is of course, the overbearing stage mom, who in her 40’s or
50’s, secretly wants to be a star herself, and is only
using her child or teenager to get the glory they themselves
secretly want. They will go so far as to try and dress like a
child, running around in public half exposed, trying to upstage
their child who they secretly suppress.
Still, other parents, family, or so called friends, may try and
tell aspiring actors, models, or musicians to grow up, and get a
real job or career. The thought of struggling to achieve one's
dreams no matter how tough, may be foreign to them. Perhaps they
settled for mediocrity and conformity, doing what was expected of
them, instead of having a life of following their own true will
and bliss.
DO NOT LET OTHERS HOLD YOU BACK AND MAKE YOU
FAIL.
3) The third biggest reason models and talent fail in this
business, is for the simple fact that they are late, and also do
not answer their phone. This goes back up to point number one, of
treating this business as a career, and with the respect it
deserves. I can not tell you how many models or actors have
showed up to an interview with me at my office late. Many did not
even have the common courtesy to tell me they were going to be
late, or to apologize when they were. What happened to common
courtesy? Number one, NEVER BE LATE. If you are, at least have
the courtesy to call in advance as soon as you know you are,
and offer to reschedule, and be prepared to lose your opportunity
with grace and humility. If you are fortunate to still get in if
you are late, apologize and mean it. If you show up late to meet
an agent or manager, it tells them two things, one, that you do
not respect their time, which is money, and two, that you may be
late for an audition or job, which will make them look bad and
hurt their finances. BE ON TIME, which means BE EARLY. Allow time
for traffic and parking.
ANSWER YOUR PHONE. Too many models and talent
are mistaken in that they think it is their agent or managers
duty to always answer their phone call, instead of the other way
around. Most agents and managers are on the phone non stop,
calling producers and casting directors, handling castings, and
trying to get a hold of actors, models, or musicians that do not
answer their phone. Models and talent need to be reachable, and
answer their phone when their representation calls, at their
ability, not the other way around. Agents and managers do not
have the time or patience for phone tag. If you are not reachable
the first time, if there is some one else in that same firm that
can take your place, your name usually goes to the bottom of the
list, beneath all of the other people that are yet to be called.
If it happens enough times that you don’t answer your
phone, you will not be taken very seriously, and may eventually
be dropped. ANSWER YOUR PHONE at all times.
BE ON TIME AND ANSWER YOUR PHONE.