Latest / The Demia Avery Show / Are You Standing in Your Own Way? Talent Agent Maria F. Turner Tells All!

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Are You Standing in Your Own Way? Talent Agent Maria F. Turner Tells All! · The Demia Avery Show

• 0:03
  [music]
• 0:29
  >> Hey, hey everybody. This is Demia Avery
• 0:32
  with the Demia Avery Show the industry.
• 0:35
  And yes, we have another special guest
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  in the house. Now, there's a lot more to
• 0:39
  building an acting career than learning
• 0:41
  your lines and getting an agent. And my
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  guest today knows that better than most
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  with more than 25 years in the
• 0:48
  entertainment industry. She's helped
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  performers navigate the business, build
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  confidence, and prepare for
• 0:54
  opportunities. She's a talent agent with
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  Smith Young Talent Agency and the agency
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  whose roster has booked roles in major
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  productions including Atlanta, Ozark,
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  Black Lightning, The Resident, and
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  Homeland. But her work doesn't stop
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  there. She specializes in commercial and
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  youth talent. She's an entrepreneur. And
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  she's also a mindset coach who believes
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  that success in this industry starts
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  long before the cameras start to roll.
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  So, join me today on The Demia Avery
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  Show the industry. Please welcome Maria
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  F. Turner. Welcome.
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  >> Thank you. Thank you so much. It's I'm
• 1:32
  glad to be here.
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  Uh
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  Wow.
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  >> [laughter]
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  >> So much so much is going on, right?
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  >> I guess it is. Yes, it is. And we going
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  to get all into it. So, okay. So, first
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  off, Maria, you work with both
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  commercial and youth talent. So, I'm
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  curious. Have you ever had an actor come
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  to you with their heart set on one
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  particular part? And well, one
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  particular career path, I should say.
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  But you saw potential for them in a
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  completely different direction. How do
• 2:00
  you convince an actor to see something
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  in themselves that they haven't seen
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  yet?
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  >> I think I, you know, I really try to
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  teach my actors trust the process.
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  >> Mhm. Mhm.
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  >> Trust the process. I am the mom of a
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  child actor.
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  >> Okay.
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  >> So, you know, I've been on all sides of
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  the industry. Like, I was the mom of a
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  child actor, and then I was a I did
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  talent development, and then I did
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  management.
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  >> Mhm.
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  >> I did casting.
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  >> Right.
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  >> And now I'm a an agent. So, I have
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  touched through all the different
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  sections of the process.
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  >> Mhm.
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  >> So,
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  um you know, I just ask the actors trust
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  me. Like, you decided to come with our
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  agency for a reason.
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  >> Mhm.
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  >> And I've been doing this for a long
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  time, and let's just, you know,
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> process.
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  >> And then, you know what? E- And
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  everybody's process is different. None
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  is None is the same. So, somebody might
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  be like, you know,
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  they audition for something, and then
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  next thing you know, it's like boom, and
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  their career takes off. And then,
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  there's somebody that things have to be
• 3:16
  cultivated. Things have to be, you know,
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  um
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  you know, just kind of put together so
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  that they can succeed. And then, some
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  people it takes years. So, the process
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  >> Exactly.
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  >> could be different from everybody. And
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  like you said, just just trust whatever
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  it is, it is for you. What's they say?
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  What's for you is for you?
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  >> Right. Right. And that's true. Like, you
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  know,
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  when actors go on auditions, I tell
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  them, I'm like, you know, like you said,
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  what's for you is you.
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  Um and you know, you didn't get it,
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  guess what? There's a bigger and better
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  door about to open for you.
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  >> That's right. That's right.
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  >> there's that's that's how God works.
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  >> [laughter]
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  >> That's right.
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  Okay, so let's talk commercials cuz I
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  really want to get into this, too. An
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  actor might be perfect for a dramatic
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  television role, but can't seem to book
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  a commercial to save their life. What
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  are they missing or is commercial acting
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  like a completely different muscle that
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  they they got to have?
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  >> Totally different.
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  >> [laughter]
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  >> So, a lot of like just exactly what you
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  said. A lot of the very dramatic, book
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  those huge roles, just, you know,
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  they don't book commercially mainly
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  because commercials are quick.
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  >> Mhm.
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  >> Okay, I mean, they're quick. Like, you
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  know, they're what? 20 seconds? Like,
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  you know, maybe
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  30 seconds on TV or, you know, minute.
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  That like that's it, you know? So, you
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  have to hit it right off, you know?
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  People have to see your energy
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  immediately. They you can't work up to
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  it where more dramatic actors are
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  probably working up to it. Now,
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  comedic actors are usually good at
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  commercials
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  cuz they're just witty
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  >> got to do it right right then.
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  >> that punch, you know? Right. But, I just
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  find the dramatic actors aren't as great
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  with commercial I mean, my son was
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  to me more dramatic.
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  >> Mhm.
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  >> He didn't book a ton of commercials, you
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  know? And that's probably why because
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  you know, it was just, you know, you
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  can't lead up to it. It's so funny. I
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  have this one commercial I send people
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  when they're auditioning. And it's for
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  Nike.
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  >> Okay.
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  >> And it's like, "Just do it," you know?
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  And every actor wants to go,
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  "It's a feeling. It's a Like, just
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  >> All dramatic. [laughter]
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  >> I'm like, "This is not a movie.
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  >> Right. Right. Right.
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  >> Let's get to it."
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  >> [laughter]
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  >> And I can tell you over the years, maybe
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  three people have done it right.
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  >> Wow.
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  >> Like three people. Like everybody gets
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  on here and like, "I'm going to have my
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  moment." Like, "No, you didn't have your
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  moment."
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  >> [laughter]
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  >> You had your moment, but maybe not for
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  this.
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  >> for this commercial.
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  >> [laughter]
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  >> Yeah, so it's so funny how different,
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  you know, and I I send that same set of
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  commercials to different people cuz I
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  just like to see like who's going to put
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  their sauce on it.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> Cuz for me, like with the you know, you
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  have to put your own sauce on it and you
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  have to, you know, just
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  bring it and bring that energy right
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  away. You have like 7 seconds to bring
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  that energy. And then that casting
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  director is moving on.
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  You out of there. Like they're they're
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  looking at a lot of tapes, you know what
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  I'm saying? And if you don't have
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  something that's going to pop out, you
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  know, that's
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  >> It is what it is.
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  >> [laughter]
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  >> Well, okay. So, you work with young
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  talent and I have to ask this question.
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  Have you ever had a child walk in into a
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  room with so much confidence and
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  professionalism
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  more so than the adults? And what can
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  grown actors learn from kids?
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  >> Be yourself. Like just
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  stop trying to be somebody else. Stop
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  trying to compare yourself with other
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  actors. I mean, the kids are, you know,
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  they're not jaded yet. They're just I'm
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  This is me. They're take me or don't.
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  >> [laughter]
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  >> Take me, you know? And actors need to
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  have that attitude either
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  I'm for you or I'm not. Like just be
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  you. Whatever your sauce is, bring that
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  sauce. Like, you know, everybody's it is
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  a little different and just be you. Like
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  when you walk in that room, I want to
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  see you.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> You know, and I me being a
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  transformational
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  mindset coach as well, like I look for
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  energy. Like I am so all about energy
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  and if you walk in that room with a off
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  energy,
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  >> Mhm.
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  >> you know,
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> this might not be the person for me. I
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  do, you know, I get it and it's a mutual
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  thing. You know what I'm saying? I might
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  not be the the agent for you. You know,
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  I had an instance with
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  So funny. This guy, he sends a email,
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  you know, wants to submit to our agency
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  and so I explained to him what he needed
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  to submit for. I mean what he needed to
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  submit and
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  he was like, "Well, I sent you my reel."
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  And I was like,
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  "I got it. Thank you so so much for
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  sending me your reel." [laughter]
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  And then I said, "But I need you to do
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  your audition and send that back."
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  "Well, I did did did did did did and I
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  did this." And he's like,
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  "I'm not doing that.
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  I'm not going to do that." I said, "Oh,
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  okay. No problem. Thank you very much. I
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  wish you all the best."
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  And off the email went. You trying to
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  get in my door.
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  >> [laughter]
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  >> IN MY HOUSE.
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  >> THAT IS TOO FUNNY. That is
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  >> It was so funny though, but you know,
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  though and the thing is is that type of
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  person, I'm not interested in working
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  with. You know what I'm saying? Like I
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  don't That's not the energy. Like I do I
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  mean my actors, I am all
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  I go all in for you. You know what I'm
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  saying? So it has to be somebody that I
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  want to work with. That I feel that
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  they're
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  good person, great energy, they don't
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  let their ego get in their way, you
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  know, because I tell people ego and God
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  cannot exist in the same space.
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  It's not room in
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  >> Right. Right.
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  >> So you have to be a good person, a kind
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  person.
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  That's just what I look for, you know?
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  And I mean even if you might not be your
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  you know, up your training, you need
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  more training, but if I feel like you're
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  just, you know, you're you're going to
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  listen and and do what I ask you to do
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  um to get there, I'm willing to take a
• 9:45
  chance, you know? You might not book for
• 9:48
  a minute, but it's okay because I see
• 9:51
  the potential and I see that you're
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  willing to go that extra mile to get it
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  done.
• 9:56
  >> Mhm.
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  >> And you know what I I was listening to
• 9:58
  you and you were talking about how that
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  the that guy's personality was crazy.
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  Let's just get that out of the way. He
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  was kind of crazy, but
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  being an agent, you have to deal with so
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  many different personalities, and I
• 10:13
  wanted to specifically talk about
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  because you talked about being a
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  a momager.
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  >> [laughter]
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  >> I don't like that word.
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  >> You don't like that word? A momager?
• 10:23
  Okay, so
• 10:23
  >> No, I'm just I'm just real sick.
• 10:24
  >> No, no, no, cuz look,
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  I understand why you would not like that
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  word.
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  >> [laughter]
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  >> You represent your child.
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  Your child. Okay, we'll go with that.
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  So, let's talk about parents for a
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  minute.
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  When you're representing a child, how
• 10:41
  much of your job becomes
• 10:44
  uh like managing mom and dad? And and
• 10:47
  where's the line between being a
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  supportive parent and becoming a stage
• 10:53
  parent?
• 10:55
  >> Right.
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  So, um one of the things I will say
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  parents should not manage their
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  children.
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  >> [laughter]
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  >> There are managers who are trained, who
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  are used to being in this business. I
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  remember when we first started, when my
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  son started, it was probably back in
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  2007.
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  >> Mhm.
• 11:14
  >> And I remember, you know, we we end up
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  going to LA because we had so many
• 11:19
  different agencies wanted him to come
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  on.
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  And my husband was like, "Oh, you should
• 11:25
  manage him." I'm like, "I don't even
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  know enough about the industry to manage
• 11:29
  him."
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  You know what I'm saying? So, I do
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  believe parents should be their business
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  manager, make sure, you know, their
• 11:36
  money's going in the right place, they
• 11:38
  have the the tools they need, the
• 11:40
  classes they need, all those types of
• 11:42
  things. But, as far as in the industry,
• 11:46
  I just don't believe parents should
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  manage their kids. I mean, some it maybe
• 11:50
  some it works out for, but you notice
• 11:53
  that sometimes you'll see when they get
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  to be teens or you know, what I'm
• 11:56
  saying? They just kind of like drop
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  their parents.
• 12:00
  You know, because all that time it's
• 12:01
  like they really couldn't say to mom or
• 12:03
  dad like, "Hey, you know, I don't really
• 12:05
  want you to
• 12:06
  to manage me."
• 12:09
  >> Like, okay, I know Now, let me tell you
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  something about me. See, I know for me,
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  if I had a a child that wanted me to to
• 12:18
  manage them and stuff, I still probably
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  would say no because I'm too protective.
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  So, not that you shouldn't be
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  protective, but I'm like that emotional
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  protective thing. And I even do that
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  with And sometimes that can hinder your
• 12:32
  judgement if you're too overbearing or
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  you're too protective. My child ain't
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  going to do this, my child ain't going
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  to do that. Or, you know, anything like
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  that. And I even recognize that even
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  with my sister, as old as she is, if
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  somebody says something that's not
• 12:48
  right, I immediately
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  Okay, so
• 12:52
  >> [laughter]
• 12:53
  >> You know, but that's just me. So, I can
• 12:56
  imagine
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  um
• 13:00
  I can't imagine it, you know,
• 13:02
  managing a child because you just have
• 13:05
  to take in so much. You so want it to
• 13:08
  protect them from everything.
• 13:10
  >> Right. Right. I do You know, and in the
• 13:12
  beginning, if your child has a good
• 13:13
  agent, there's no need to have a manager
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  or you, you know, what I'm saying? If
• 13:19
  it just start out, see where things are
• 13:22
  going. As they get busier and you have
• 13:23
  more things to juggle, then yes, you do
• 13:26
  need to bring a manager in to help you
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  juggle that professionally. And you
• 13:30
  know, I was a teacher for 25 years
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  before
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  >> [laughter]
• 13:34
  >> any of this started. So, for me, you
• 13:37
  know, I was used to parents, which is
• 13:39
  why, you know, Kristen Tate, who owned
• 13:41
  the agency, they were just like, "You
• 13:43
  got the kids."
• 13:44
  >> [laughter]
• 13:45
  >> Let you have the kids.
• 13:47
  So, you know, and I've been blessed
• 13:49
  because I've had a lot of great parents.
• 13:51
  I mean, you get some that just, you
• 13:53
  know, or can be overbearing. Um but it
• 13:57
  doesn't bother me because I get it, you
• 13:59
  know, I get they they think they know
• 14:01
  what they
• 14:02
  how things go, but you know, they might
• 14:04
  not. And so, therefore, it's it's fine
• 14:08
  with me. Like parents are pretty good.
• 14:10
  Like I don't really have horrible
• 14:12
  parents. Most of our parents, listen, I
• 14:14
  think sometimes the biggest thing I find
• 14:16
  with parents is they think they have to
• 14:17
  have 10 agents for their kids.
• 14:20
  >> Oh, okay.
• 14:21
  >> To make and they want to have a agent
• 14:23
  here, agent here, agent. And then they
• 14:24
  realize that, "Oh my gosh, I can't get
• 14:27
  all these auditions in or my child's
• 14:29
  feeling stressed now." Or, you know, so,
• 14:32
  you know, I'm just like, "Start out
• 14:34
  small. Listen to your agent. Like, you
• 14:37
  know, stop trying to have all these
• 14:39
  irons in the fire and you just got to
• 14:42
  the fire. You just put your marshmallow
• 14:44
  in."
• 14:44
  >> [laughter]
• 14:46
  >> And you're about to burn it.
• 14:47
  >> Right, right, right. You know what I
• 14:50
  wanted to get into also, the the mindset
• 14:52
  coach
• 14:54
  profession that you have. So, here's
• 14:56
  what I want to know. Can an actor be
• 14:58
  incredibly talented and still be the
• 15:01
  very person that is standing in their in
• 15:04
  their own success, in their way?
• 15:07
  >> Absolutely.
• 15:08
  >> What does that look like? Have you had
• 15:10
  that?
• 15:10
  >> So, it looks like one, they'll compare
• 15:13
  theirself to other people.
• 15:15
  >> Mhm.
• 15:15
  >> They're constantly like, "Well, I you
• 15:17
  know, I'm like this person. I can do
• 15:19
  this. I can do that." You know, and um I
• 15:22
  wonder how they got the part and you
• 15:24
  know that kind of thing. First of all,
• 15:26
  you're competing against yourself. Like
• 15:28
  just worry about you.
• 15:31
  Worry about that you know your lines,
• 15:34
  that you not just know your lines, but
• 15:36
  you know what that story is about. And
• 15:39
  when you go in that room to do your
• 15:41
  audition, it's a story you're telling.
• 15:44
  That's what you should focus on. Because
• 15:47
  I don't think sometimes actors realize
• 15:50
  that
• 15:52
  you could go in there and do the great I
• 15:54
  mean a good job. Like
• 15:56
  just an excellent job.
• 15:59
  But that casting director is not the one
• 16:01
  to make the final decision.
• 16:03
  >> Yeah.
• 16:03
  >> Like they're not. Um you know, there's a
• 16:06
  whole lot of moving parts. And even the
• 16:08
  director, which I've learned because of
• 16:11
  of an incident with my son, like even
• 16:13
  the director doesn't have the last say
• 16:16
  all the time. A lot of times it's the
• 16:19
  producer, the person that's putting the
• 16:21
  money up.
• 16:23
  >> Yeah.
• 16:23
  >> And if they feel, well, yeah, that
• 16:26
  person is really good, but I want this
• 16:28
  actor because they have a million group
• 16:31
  you know, followers on Instagram.
• 16:34
  >> Mhm. That's true. That's true though.
• 16:37
  >> What are you going to do? Like it you
• 16:38
  know, you just So, you know, people a
• 16:41
  lot of you know, actors they do they
• 16:43
  want to compare theirself, they want to
• 16:45
  and you know, it's interesting because
• 16:47
  sometimes I'll look at that person that
• 16:49
  they suggest. And then you know, I go
• 16:52
  back to them and I just had this happen
• 16:54
  a little while ago.
• 16:55
  And that person said, you know, well,
• 16:58
  you know, this we go out for some of the
• 16:59
  same things and I can go out with
• 17:01
  and you know,
• 17:03
  and then when I went to look at the
• 17:04
  actor, I'm like, yeah, no.
• 17:08
  >> [laughter]
• 17:09
  >> Like but I but what I do is because I am
• 17:12
  a transformational I will say to them,
• 17:15
  are you willing to listen to me tell you
• 17:19
  the truth? Like do you Are you open to
• 17:21
  accepting the truth?
• 17:22
  >> Right. Right.
• 17:24
  >> Are you ready to hear this?
• 17:26
  Because some actors aren't.
• 17:27
  >> Yeah.
• 17:28
  >> You know, like they're not You know, and
• 17:30
  so I might have to tell them your
• 17:31
  training is not the same. This person
• 17:34
  has more swagger. This person has this.
• 17:38
  You know, these are the differences.
• 17:39
  Now, luckily my actors trust me enough
• 17:41
  to usually just say, "Okay, Marie, give
• 17:43
  it to me." Because
• 17:44
  >> Right.
• 17:45
  >> tell me, "You are so real." Like you
• 17:48
  sugarcoat it. I'm like, "You're adult. I
• 17:50
  don't have to sugarcoat it." No.
• 17:51
  >> Right.
• 17:52
  Right.
• 17:52
  >> in the wrong industry if I have to
• 17:54
  sugarcoat it.
• 17:55
  >> Now, isn't that the truth?
• 17:56
  >> You know, and not to be mean, but it's
• 17:58
  just like you have to be willing to
• 18:01
  accept, you know,
• 18:04
  being real, be the truth. You You really
• 18:06
  do. And although you might look like
• 18:08
  that person and might even walk like
• 18:11
  that person, but that person has
• 18:13
  something different that that
• 18:15
  director or producer saw, and it might
• 18:18
  not have anything to do with you.
• 18:21
  >> Yeah.
• 18:21
  >> You know, it's like it could even be the
• 18:23
  day.
• 18:24
  >> Mhm.
• 18:25
  >> You know, but it's just that you just
• 18:27
  have to move on. Go I just tell people,
• 18:29
  go on an audition and move on. As Brian
• 18:32
  Beagle, I remember him saying, the
• 18:34
  casting director, he said, "If you get
• 18:36
  an audition, you're already a winner."
• 18:38
  And it's so true.
• 18:40
  >> Yeah.
• 18:40
  >> It is so true because you think of
• 18:43
  thousands of people are coming into that
• 18:46
  casting director.
• 18:47
  >> Mhm.
• 18:47
  >> And out of all those people, thousands
• 18:50
  and thousands,
• 18:51
  they picked you.
• 18:52
  >> you.
• 18:53
  Mhm.
• 18:54
  >> They picked you. They saw something in
• 18:56
  you or something in your picture, which
• 18:58
  is another thing we
• 19:00
  Uh that
• 19:02
  it made them give you you an audition.
• 19:05
  So,
• 19:06
  >> Yes.
• 19:06
  >> stop. Like just, you know, go on
• 19:09
  auditions.
• 19:10
  Don't wait till the last minute to turn
• 19:12
  in your auditions because thousands of
• 19:15
  auditions are coming in as well. And um,
• 19:17
  you know, and just just trust that
• 19:20
  process once again.
• 19:21
  >> Yeah. Yeah, and you know what? It
• 19:23
  actually leads me to my next question
• 19:25
  because say an actor has been
• 19:27
  auditioning. They've been auditioning
• 19:29
  consistently for 6 months, getting
• 19:31
  callbacks, doing everything right, but
• 19:34
  they haven't booked a thing. At what
• 19:36
  point do you tell them to change their
• 19:38
  strategy strategy and what exactly would
• 19:42
  you have them change? Cuz I heard you
• 19:44
  you mentioned sometimes it could be
• 19:46
  their headshot. Am I correct?
• 19:49
  >> Mhm. Mhm.
• 19:50
  >> And what are some other things that you
• 19:51
  think that
• 19:53
  >> Yeah, sometimes it's, you know, they
• 19:54
  might not have
• 19:56
  many headshots up. Like I tell actors,
• 19:58
  I've gotten to the point now in my
• 20:00
  career I just tell them, I'm like, if
• 20:03
  you can only put two headshots up,
• 20:06
  >> Mhm.
• 20:06
  >> I'm probably not the
• 20:08
  agent for you.
• 20:09
  >> Mhm.
• 20:10
  >> Because you have to invest in you.
• 20:12
  >> Yeah.
• 20:12
  >> And if you're not willing to invest for
• 20:14
  that account that you need on Actors
• 20:16
  Access or need on Casting Network to get
• 20:19
  multiple pictures up there. And I don't
• 20:21
  mean, you don't have to have 20
• 20:22
  pictures, whatever. But you know, at
• 20:25
  least four to six pictures. I can't work
• 20:27
  with less than that. So, because I
• 20:29
  literally go through and look at the
• 20:32
  casting and look at which picture will
• 20:34
  fit that. I don't just say, oh, that's a
• 20:36
  theatrical here. Oh, that's a commercial
• 20:38
  here. Especially with commercials, like
• 20:40
  I need certain pictures for commercials,
• 20:42
  certain pictures for theatrical, and I
• 20:45
  need to have a choice.
• 20:46
  >> Yeah.
• 20:46
  >> So, you know, that
• 20:48
  >> or choices.
• 20:49
  >> Or choices. But and then the other thing
• 20:52
  when an actor isn't booking, you know, I
• 20:55
  look at too the timeframe. Like I had an
• 20:57
  actor who was not booking. And she would
• 21:00
  they turn she turned in her auditions
• 21:02
  and she said, oh my gosh, you know, she
• 21:04
  says, I don't know what's going on. And
• 21:06
  I And I so I had break it down like I
• 21:07
  had a really look at her auditions and
• 21:11
  say, "Hey, this is going on. This is
• 21:13
  going on."
• 21:15
  And another thing is you wait till the
• 21:17
  until the last minute to turn in your
• 21:20
  auditions every time. Like I wouldn't
• 21:23
  even reach out and say, "Oh, you know,
• 21:25
  your auditions do or whatever." Because
• 21:27
  I knew it would get turned in but it was
• 21:29
  the last minute. The moment she didn't
• 21:32
  turn it in the last minute, she booked.
• 21:35
  >> Wow. See?
• 21:38
  >> I said, "Just think about it." I said,
• 21:40
  "They might have the first day or two
• 21:43
  they might have found that actor." And
• 21:45
  so unless if you're sending it in like
• 21:49
  15 30 minutes before
• 21:51
  >> Mhm.
• 21:52
  >> and you don't really blow them away or
• 21:54
  knock their socks off
• 21:55
  >> Right. They're going to go with with the
• 21:56
  person that they saw.
• 21:58
  >> they already looked at. So I just tell
• 22:00
  you know, like you don't have to turn it
• 22:01
  in right away because sometimes casting
• 22:03
  will send notes through and you've
• 22:05
  already turned yours in and you can't
• 22:06
  really correct it. But you know, I'm
• 22:08
  just like don't wait until the last
• 22:11
  minute because also I'm just like are
• 22:13
  you studying your lines longer? Like
• 22:15
  what's going on that it's taking you so
• 22:17
  long especially for a commercial. It's
• 22:19
  like what's going on that it's taking
• 22:21
  you this long
• 22:22
  to turn in your audition. The other
• 22:26
  thing about that is you know, you have
• 22:28
  actors who might not see their audition
• 22:31
  for a day and then they're like, "Oh, I
• 22:33
  don't have time." Well, you had time
• 22:34
  when the audition came through.
• 22:36
  >> Right. Right.
• 22:37
  >> You know, you have to keep track of
• 22:39
  that. Like that's your job. Like this is
• 22:41
  teamwork.
• 22:42
  >> Mhm.
• 22:42
  >> You know, we're a team.
• 22:44
  >> I think sometimes actors
• 22:47
  forget that. You know what I mean? They
• 22:49
  forget that it is a team effort. Now, if
• 22:51
  you had to say if you had an actor that
• 22:54
  is fantastic at playing like the best
• 22:57
  friend, the nurse, the neighbor but
• 22:59
  they're convinced they're leading role
• 23:01
  material. How you help
• 23:03
  someone see the difference between the
• 23:05
  roles that they want and the roles that
• 23:08
  the industry keeps keeps picking for
• 23:10
  them?
• 23:10
  >> You know, sometimes those actors I'll
• 23:12
  send if they haven't done it like
• 23:15
  one-on-one
• 23:17
  coaching.
• 23:18
  >> Mhm.
• 23:19
  >> Because sometimes they need somebody to
• 23:21
  tell them why they're not
• 23:23
  >> Mhm.
• 23:24
  >> getting that role. You know what I'm
• 23:26
  saying? What the difference is between a
• 23:30
  you know,
• 23:31
  under five actor versus a lead role.
• 23:34
  >> Right.
• 23:35
  >> You know, and just how it leads up to
• 23:37
  things. Like, you know, some actors want
• 23:38
  to come in and book a show a network
• 23:41
  show. It's like, you have no network
• 23:43
  credits or you haven't even done a under
• 23:45
  five on a network, you know?
• 23:47
  >> Right.
• 23:47
  >> So, it's like they they also have to
• 23:49
  understand there there are there are
• 23:51
  pecking orders. Like, I remember when we
• 23:54
  first went to LA, you know, my son would
• 23:57
  audition for Disney. And so, he might
• 24:00
  audition audition for two or three lines
• 24:03
  and three, you know, and it just build
• 24:04
  up build up until it was like, now he's
• 24:07
  auditioning for the best friend of the
• 24:09
  lead or, you know what I'm saying? Like,
• 24:12
  and then finally, like the lead. So,
• 24:14
  it's like, you know, there is a kind of
• 24:17
  an order in this industry and I don't
• 24:19
  actors don't necessarily see that. They
• 24:20
  just see people getting parts.
• 24:22
  >> Right.
• 24:23
  >> don't understand all the moving parts
• 24:25
  behind that.
• 24:26
  >> Right. Right.
• 24:27
  >> Um, you know, and what's what's going on
• 24:30
  and, you know, with the agency, with
• 24:32
  casting, the relationships, just
• 24:34
  everything. So, um, I just think, you
• 24:37
  know,
• 24:39
  what's for, you know, they have to
• 24:41
  understand that what's for you is you.
• 24:44
  Like, you know, it's for you if if
• 24:47
  that lead you may get, but you have to
• 24:49
  understand like until you get guest
• 24:51
  stars and recurrings, that lead may not
• 24:54
  come unless you're just that person
• 24:56
  they've been looking for. Just that
• 24:58
  maybe they want somebody quirky. Like I
• 25:00
  was watching a movie the other day and I
• 25:03
  have this actor that was, you know, the
• 25:05
  lead. He was a quirk like
• 25:08
  tons of people and agents probably
• 25:10
  walked by this guy cuz he just looked so
• 25:13
  crazy and quirky but he was just
• 25:17
  they that casting nailed that.
• 25:19
  >> [laughter]
• 25:21
  >> He was so good for that part. You know
• 25:23
  what I'm saying? So sometimes it's just
• 25:25
  like that part hasn't come along and
• 25:27
  like I tell people when casting keeps
• 25:29
  calling you in calling you in
• 25:31
  they're trying to find that role for
• 25:32
  you.
• 25:33
  >> Mhm.
• 25:34
  >> They do cuz some people say oh actors
• 25:35
  will say they don't like me cuz I
• 25:37
  haven't booked or whatever and I'm like
• 25:39
  >> Take the compliment. Take the
• 25:40
  compliment. They're trying to get
• 25:42
  something for you.
• 25:43
  >> They they are very interested in you
• 25:46
  getting a role if they keep calling you
• 25:48
  in.
• 25:49
  >> Yeah.
• 25:50
  >> You know, accept that cuz auditions you
• 25:52
  can't
• 25:53
  get jobs unless you audition. So
• 25:56
  somebody's calling you into audition
• 25:58
  just be grateful and I think that's one
• 26:00
  of the things is actors have to learn to
• 26:02
  be grateful for every single audition.
• 26:06
  There are no small parts.
• 26:08
  >> Yeah.
• 26:09
  >> We used to call my son the king of
• 26:11
  one-liners because
• 26:12
  >> [laughter]
• 26:13
  >> it would be one line and he'd go in
• 26:15
  >> But he got it.
• 26:16
  >> Right and then, you know, you never know
• 26:20
  if there's more lines cuz you only have
• 26:23
  a part of the script.
• 26:24
  >> Right.
• 26:24
  >> And think about it. You you were like oh
• 26:26
  no, I'm not doing that one line
• 26:29
  and then you find out you see another
• 26:31
  person who did do that one line and now
• 26:33
  they're in this movie or this show and
• 26:36
  they have a whole lot of other lines.
• 26:38
  >> Yeah.
• 26:39
  >> You ignored it because you thought it
• 26:40
  was too small.
• 26:42
  >> Wow. Wow. Now you know, I would do want
• 26:45
  to talk about the talent cafe because
• 26:48
  like you said you've helped develop
• 26:50
  performers as well. So what's something
• 26:52
  you see actors spending a whole lot of
• 26:54
  money on them that really isn't moving
• 26:57
  their careers for uh forward and and
• 26:59
  what should they be investing in
• 27:01
  instead, do you think?
• 27:03
  >> Um
• 27:04
  ooh, that's kind of hard.
• 27:06
  >> [laughter]
• 27:06
  >> You know what? But I can say, okay, and
• 27:09
  this was I think oh gosh, in the
• 27:12
  earliest parts of the Avery agency
• 27:14
  >> Mhm.
• 27:15
  >> and and I just hear people from around
• 27:19
  >> I would say headshots.
• 27:22
  >> Headshots
• 27:23
  is a big thing because yes, you want you
• 27:26
  want great headshots.
• 27:27
  >> Right. Right.
• 27:28
  >> want them to be professional. Um you you
• 27:31
  you know, you want them to be the
• 27:33
  standard that you know that that casting
• 27:36
  director is going to look at them, but
• 27:38
  you also get these uh outside
• 27:41
  photography people that have you
• 27:43
  spending money on with you stand by the
• 27:45
  fireplace.
• 27:46
  >> Right. [laughter]
• 27:48
  Right.
• 27:49
  >> You know,
• 27:49
  >> They can get a movie headshot.
• 27:51
  >> Right.
• 27:52
  >> [laughter]
• 27:57
  >> I think that
• 27:58
  that for me was one of those things
• 28:00
  like, okay, you shouldn't be spending
• 28:02
  your money on this, but maybe you
• 28:05
  should, you know, get a get a quality If
• 28:07
  you're going to spend the money, get
• 28:08
  quality headshots. Don't
• 28:10
  >> Exactly. So, this is my This is my thing
• 28:12
  about headshots.
• 28:14
  >> Mhm.
• 28:14
  >> I tell people there are photographers
• 28:17
  >> Mhm.
• 28:18
  >> who look at you and take a picture.
• 28:21
  >> Mhm.
• 28:21
  >> And there's photographers
• 28:23
  that look at you, see your essence, and
• 28:26
  take the picture.
• 28:27
  >> There you go.
• 28:28
  >> Mhm.
• 28:29
  >> It's a difference.
• 28:30
  >> Yeah.
• 28:31
  >> Like you I you know, I've seen so many
• 28:33
  headshots. Like sometimes I'm like, oh
• 28:35
  my god, just send me 20. I don't I can't
• 28:37
  look through 100 headshots.
• 28:39
  But the thing is it's it there's a
• 28:42
  difference. And so, you know, spending
• 28:46
  like I just had somebody just do head
• 28:48
  shots
• 28:49
  their first head shots literally look
• 28:52
  like school pictures.
• 28:53
  >> Yeah.
• 28:54
  Yeah.
• 28:54
  >> And you know, I'm like, "No, this looks
• 28:58
  like" and and so many actors come in
• 29:00
  with pictures that look like a school
• 29:02
  photo.
• 29:03
  >> Mhm.
• 29:03
  >> But I you know, I guess teaching that's
• 29:05
  my reference is like it just looks like
• 29:07
  a school photo.
• 29:08
  >> Right.
• 29:08
  >> Sit on the chair and they click your
• 29:09
  picture.
• 29:10
  >> Your senior picture. Your
• 29:11
  >> [laughter]
• 29:11
  >> senior picture.
• 29:12
  >> Right.
• 29:13
  So, I want to see your energy, your I
• 29:16
  don't want to see dead eyes. Like I just
• 29:19
  want to see just
• 29:21
  you ooze off that picture.
• 29:23
  >> Yeah.
• 29:23
  >> Um so, you know, that's what actors and
• 29:26
  and I tell actors, "Do your research.
• 29:28
  Like look at
• 29:30
  head shots." I mean, you even have to
• 29:31
  look at head shots for your skin tone.
• 29:34
  >> Mhm.
• 29:34
  >> Because you have some photographers that
• 29:36
  are very good, but if you're a darker
• 29:39
  skin person and they don't know how to
• 29:41
  light you, you're screwed.
• 29:43
  >> Right. I I get that totally. But do you
• 29:46
  remember I don't I don't remember how
• 29:48
  long ago it was. It was a young lady
• 29:51
  that was trying to get Tyler Perry's
• 29:54
  attention.
• 29:55
  >> Yes, the billboard.
• 29:56
  >> that?
• 29:57
  >> Yes, the billboard thing. I was like,
• 29:59
  "Okay, honey,
• 30:01
  in my opinion,
• 30:03
  I don't think you had to go that far."
• 30:05
  >> [laughter]
• 30:06
  >> Yeah, see stuff like that, that's just
• 30:09
  way too much, okay? Showing up like at
• 30:12
  every party or event or whatever,
• 30:15
  spending tons and tons of money just
• 30:18
  hoping you'll meet this person. I mean,
• 30:20
  yes, network, I agree. Network, but not
• 30:23
  to the extent of being crazy about it.
• 30:25
  >> Right.
• 30:26
  >> You know what I'm saying? I mean, it's
• 30:27
  just like, you know, if you're working
• 30:29
  background, like don't bother the lead
• 30:32
  actors and things like like know
• 30:34
  etiquette, you know what I'm saying?
• 30:35
  Have
• 30:36
  >> Right.
• 30:37
  >> Because you know, they think, "Oh, yeah,
• 30:39
  if I walk next to him and I'll say
• 30:40
  this." And no, leave him. Because the
• 30:42
  other thing is, especially with, you
• 30:44
  know, lead actors, they're like in a
• 30:46
  zone.
• 30:48
  You know? And when you start trying to
• 30:50
  talk to them and do all that, you're
• 30:52
  messing up their flow. Like, they're in
• 30:54
  a zone. So, don't do that. Like, you
• 30:56
  know? It's But, I would say, um yeah,
• 30:59
  those uh actors that just
• 31:02
  don't spend a ton of money on
• 31:05
  >> Yeah.
• 31:05
  >> going to a million events. Even classes,
• 31:08
  like, know which classes are for you.
• 31:11
  Ask, can you audit a class? Because
• 31:13
  maybe that person is just not the
• 31:15
  teacher for you.
• 31:16
  >> Right.
• 31:17
  >> You know? It's It's nice to hear that
• 31:19
  all these people had success with that
• 31:20
  person. That's great, cuz that was their
• 31:22
  person. But, it might not be your
• 31:24
  person. So, you know, just know like
• 31:28
  what
• 31:29
  what type of their techniques, that the
• 31:31
  things you want to learn, you know? And
• 31:33
  it gets to a point where I just tell
• 31:35
  people, you know, you can take so many
• 31:36
  classes, but then sometimes you just
• 31:38
  need to invest in that one-on-one
• 31:41
  coaching, where they can break it down
• 31:43
  and tell you exactly what you're doing
• 31:45
  right and doing wrong.
• 31:46
  >> Right. Right. And
• 31:49
  when you And it's a fair trade-off, too,
• 31:50
  cuz when you think about it, okay,
• 31:53
  I would prefer you to, instead of going
• 31:57
  to all these events and and maybe by
• 31:59
  chance
• 32:00
  >> Mhm.
• 32:01
  >> get the opportunity get that opportunity
• 32:03
  that you dreamed of,
• 32:06
  I would rather you spend your money on
• 32:08
  getting a quality coach.
• 32:10
  >> Yes. Exactly.
• 32:11
  >> I mean?
• 32:12
  >> [laughter]
• 32:13
  >> Yeah, absolutely.
• 32:14
  >> Something that's going to further your
• 32:16
  career, give you the best chance
• 32:18
  >> Right.
• 32:19
  >> of getting that.
• 32:20
  >> Right. Right. I I agree. I would say,
• 32:22
  invest in quality coaching.
• 32:25
  >> Mhm.
• 32:25
  >> Um you know, and just, you know,
• 32:29
  if your phone is janky, you might need
• 32:31
  to invest in a [laughter] better phone.
• 32:33
  Cuz, I mean, that's the blessing of it
• 32:35
  now, is like, you can use your phone to
• 32:37
  do a very good audition. You know, make
• 32:39
  sure you invest in your backdrop.
• 32:42
  >> Yes.
• 32:42
  >> You know, like it it I don't want to see
• 32:45
  a wrinkled sheet.
• 32:46
  >> [laughter]
• 32:48
  >> So, you know what I mean? Now cuz it's
• 32:51
  so affordable. I mean, you can go on
• 32:52
  Amazon and you know what I'm saying?
• 32:54
  Like
• 32:55
  So, I would just say those are the
• 32:57
  things like just minimal equipment. Like
• 33:00
  you know, backdrops, your lighting is
• 33:02
  good.
• 33:03
  >> Yeah.
• 33:03
  >> You know, those are the things. Your
• 33:05
  sound is good. Like your reader and you
• 33:08
  know, people also have to understand
• 33:09
  your reader is by the camera.
• 33:12
  So,
• 33:14
  So, like they shouldn't be so loud. Like
• 33:17
  you know, those types of things that you
• 33:19
  know, people need to know when they're
• 33:21
  first starting out. I mean, hopefully
• 33:24
  you know, actors that have been doing
• 33:25
  this for a while know that. But yeah, I
• 33:28
  just see that a lot that happens. You
• 33:30
  know what I'm saying? But yeah, I would
• 33:32
  say invest in those things. I mean,
• 33:34
  there's not a lot they but the headshots
• 33:36
  is key cuz that's all we have to get you
• 33:38
  in the door.
• 33:39
  >> Right.
• 33:40
  >> The training is key. That's what we need
• 33:42
  to get you in the door. So, those are
• 33:44
  the two things I would say invest your
• 33:46
  money in.
• 33:48
  You know, before you try to like show up
• 33:50
  at And I mean, you do need to network. I
• 33:52
  mean, network can help. You know,
• 33:55
  networking can help. But you know, it's
• 33:57
  just I wouldn't spend a ton of money on
• 33:59
  that and then you don't really have the
• 34:01
  right training or coaching or things
• 34:03
  like that.
• 34:04
  >> Right.
• 34:05
  >> You know. And even understand like with
• 34:07
  agencies, you know, people submit and
• 34:10
  then they feel bad or we go to showcases
• 34:12
  and we might not pick a certain person.
• 34:14
  But they have to understand that, you
• 34:16
  know,
• 34:17
  maybe we have
• 34:19
  five of you on our roster. Or you know
• 34:21
  what I'm saying? Like we have actors we
• 34:23
  don't want a ton of people that look the
• 34:25
  same on our roster.
• 34:27
  So, we have different areas that we um
• 34:30
  have to fulfill on our roster in order
• 34:33
  to be successful. I tell people
• 34:35
  sometimes, especially with commercials,
• 34:36
  it's like a car dealership. I need one
• 34:38
  of every kind.
• 34:39
  >> [laughter]
• 34:43
  >> So, you know, I need a lot of people,
• 34:45
  but it's different people. Like, you
• 34:47
  know, now I'm looking for older people.
• 34:49
  You know what I'm saying? Like, it just
• 34:50
  depends. It you know, so it's not it's
• 34:53
  not anything against you. It's just that
• 34:56
  this is what I need. You know what I'm
• 34:58
  saying? And so, that's what I'm looking
• 34:59
  for and I don't want to waste your time
• 35:01
  of, you know, not going out because I
• 35:04
  have
• 35:05
  other people that I know are going to
• 35:06
  book and I don't send you out. So, you
• 35:08
  know, you just have to
• 35:10
  >> Love it.
• 35:11
  >> I just think actors sometimes just
• 35:13
  overthink.
• 35:14
  >> Mhm.
• 35:15
  >> You know, I know it gets frustrating cuz
• 35:16
  you can get a ton of no's before you get
• 35:19
  a yes. I mean, a ton.
• 35:21
  >> Yeah.
• 35:21
  >> And sometimes it has things you can
• 35:23
  change and then sometimes there's not,
• 35:25
  you know? Sometimes it's just I mean, at
• 35:28
  one point
• 35:30
  they might want blondes. At one point,
• 35:32
  they might want redheads. At one point,
• 35:34
  they want brunettes. So, you know, if
• 35:36
  you have the opposite hair color, you
• 35:38
  don't get called in. Like, there was a
• 35:40
  time like I anybody had blonde hair, I
• 35:42
  could not get them in a door. And they
• 35:44
  were great actors.
• 35:45
  >> Yeah.
• 35:46
  >> But you could not get them in the door
• 35:47
  because that's not what they were
• 35:49
  looking for.
• 35:49
  >> Yeah.
• 35:50
  >> So, it's it kind of ebbs and flows with
• 35:52
  the different things. And I think one of
• 35:54
  the things actors should invest in is
• 35:57
  looking at the trade. You know,
• 36:01
  now they're videos, not so much, you
• 36:03
  know, like Deadline and things like
• 36:05
  that. But keeping up with that and
• 36:07
  seeing how the times are changing, you
• 36:10
  know? Keep up. Go to the SAG website.
• 36:13
  Learn, you know, what the rates are,
• 36:15
  what the the different things that are
• 36:17
  going on. Like, you know, SAG is is
• 36:20
  going to tell you all the different
• 36:22
  things and trends and whatever. And
• 36:24
  those magazines, Deadline, all the you
• 36:26
  know, look at those. Yeah. Things, you
• 36:29
  know, follow certain people on Instagram
• 36:32
  that come up every day, you know, and
• 36:35
  tell us about what's going on in the
• 36:38
  industry like when a vertical short form
• 36:40
  start popping up.
• 36:41
  >> Yeah.
• 36:41
  >> You know, and then the other thing is
• 36:43
  don't always chase the money.
• 36:46
  >> Mhm.
• 36:48
  Yeah.
• 36:48
  >> Stop chasing the money. Like literally,
• 36:51
  if you're in this business for the
• 36:52
  money, I would just I might suggest it
• 36:55
  is leave now.
• 36:56
  >> Right.
• 36:57
  You might as well just go ahead and stop
• 36:58
  now cuz it's going it may be a minute
• 37:01
  before that that happens. So.
• 37:02
  >> Exactly. Right. It may it will come, but
• 37:05
  you you can't think like you're going to
• 37:07
  start today and like next week you're
• 37:09
  going to be this.
• 37:10
  >> [laughter]
• 37:11
  >> Yeah.
• 37:12
  >> You know, big lead actor or whatever. I
• 37:15
  mean, sometimes it might happen cuz you
• 37:16
  might just be that quirky or strange
• 37:18
  person that they were looking for, but
• 37:20
  rarely does it happen, you know.
• 37:23
  >> It it just doesn't.
• 37:25
  >> Mhm. Well, awesome. But, Maria,
• 37:27
  you've been giving us so much great
• 37:28
  advice, some great nuggets here, but I
• 37:30
  do want to put you on the spot a little
• 37:32
  bit. So, we're going to play one of my
• 37:34
  favorite games, okay?
• 37:35
  >> Okay.
• 37:36
  >> It's called yes, no, or it depends.
• 37:39
  >> Okay.
• 37:39
  >> So, I'm going to throw out some
• 37:40
  questions that actors find themselves in
• 37:43
  and you can only start with one of the
• 37:45
  three answers, yes, no, or it depends,
• 37:48
  okay?
• 37:48
  >> Okay.
• 37:49
  >> [laughter]
• 37:50
  >> All right, here we go. An actor has
• 37:52
  50,000 Instagram followers, but can't
• 37:55
  act their way out of a paper bag. Can
• 37:58
  that social media following still get
• 38:00
  them booked?
• 38:03
  >> It depends.
• 38:05
  >> [laughter]
• 38:07
  >> And you can tell the reasons why you
• 38:08
  think that way, too. So, if you need to
• 38:10
  go
• 38:10
  >> So, it depends on what they're looking
• 38:13
  for. Maybe if they don't need that actor
• 38:15
  in a commercial and they don't have to
• 38:17
  talk. [laughter]
• 38:21
  They might book it. You know what I'm
• 38:23
  saying? Or that it's a small brand and
• 38:25
  they're just looking for more people to
• 38:28
  see that commercial or whatever. Yeah,
• 38:31
  or you know, they just might need you as
• 38:34
  the sidekick that's not saying much
• 38:37
  next to one of the good actors.
• 38:40
  >> [laughter]
• 38:40
  >> Oh my god. You know what that reminds me
• 38:42
  of? I'm going off a little bit. A long
• 38:44
  time ago, I was in this musical and I
• 38:48
  played Rosa Parks. Mhm. I played that
• 38:51
  role so well only because I didn't have
• 38:53
  to say nothing.
• 38:54
  >> [laughter]
• 38:54
  >> See?
• 38:56
  See?
• 38:57
  >> It was a It was a starring role, but I
• 38:59
  didn't have to say a doggone thing the
• 39:01
  whole time.
• 39:02
  >> Yeah.
• 39:03
  Right?
• 39:03
  >> [laughter]
• 39:04
  >> I love it. I love it.
• 39:05
  >> So, it depends.
• 39:06
  >> It depends. Okay. So, let me go to the
• 39:08
  next question. Okay, a parent tells you
• 39:11
  their 6-year-old is going to be the next
• 39:13
  Denzel Washington. Should you believe
• 39:15
  them?
• 39:18
  >> And no.
• 39:19
  >> [laughter]
• 39:23
  >> Oh my god. That is
• 39:24
  >> Mainly because I deal with kids all the
• 39:26
  time and I just tell I never forget when
• 39:30
  we
• 39:32
  before we picked chose our agent
• 39:35
  and one of the we were at a showcase,
• 39:38
  one of the other agents said, "I'm going
• 39:40
  to make [clears throat] you the next Bow
• 39:42
  Wow."
• 39:43
  And so [laughter]
• 39:44
  >> Okay.
• 39:45
  >> I said walked away and said, "I don't
• 39:47
  want to be the next
• 39:48
  I WANT TO BE the next [laughter]
• 39:49
  Adrienne Caulton Turner." Like, you know
• 39:52
  what I'm saying?
• 39:53
  It was so, you know,
• 39:56
  just
• 39:57
  Now, if you want to say your baby
• 39:59
  they'll be a the next superstar, okay,
• 40:01
  but
• 40:03
  to be the next whatever, like no. Like,
• 40:06
  you already are like inviting a identity
• 40:10
  crisis into your child.
• 40:11
  >> Right. Right. That's true. That's true.
• 40:15
  >> Right. Like, why am why why am I not
• 40:17
  good enough? Why do I have to be Denzel
• 40:19
  Washington? Denzel Washington is an
• 40:21
  amazing actor, you know, but this like
• 40:24
  no, like just be you and who you are.
• 40:27
  >> then you're like, "Great, now I got to
• 40:29
  figure out how to to be as good as
• 40:30
  Denzel Washington." Yeah, they kind of
• 40:32
  set them up for some Yeah.
• 40:33
  >> Right, yeah, they're setting them up for
• 40:35
  failure.
• 40:35
  >> [laughter]
• 40:38
  >> Okay, all right, let me go to the next
• 40:39
  question. An actor books a national
• 40:41
  commercial for a product they would
• 40:43
  never use in real life. Should they take
• 40:46
  the money anyway?
• 40:48
  >> Yeah.
• 40:49
  I mean, you know, you're not for
• 40:51
  commercials
• 40:53
  you're not going to always
• 40:55
  do a commercial for a product that you
• 40:56
  use, you know what I'm saying? Like I
• 40:59
  The only time I would say maybe don't
• 41:01
  take the job is if you know, you're
• 41:04
  vegan and you're going to have to eat
• 41:06
  meat.
• 41:07
  >> Right, [laughter] right, right.
• 41:08
  >> It's It's a burger commercial. So, oh,
• 41:11
  that's right, I was supposed to answer
• 41:12
  yes so yes, my answer was yes.
• 41:14
  >> Okay, okay.
• 41:16
  >> kind of or maybe it was it depends.
• 41:18
  >> It depends. [laughter] Okay, no problem.
• 41:20
  Okay, we have a couple more. An actor
• 41:23
  gets offered a role playing 20 years
• 41:25
  older than they actually are. Should
• 41:28
  they take it even if they're worried
• 41:30
  about being typecast?
• 41:33
  >> Mhm.
• 41:38
  Ooh.
• 41:40
  >> That's an interesting question cuz I can
• 41:42
  see I can see both sides to that.
• 41:45
  >> Yeah.
• 41:47
  Like I guess
• 41:52
  I have a lot of it depends.
• 41:54
  >> [laughter]
• 41:55
  >> That's okay. That's all right.
• 41:57
  >> Because
• 42:01
  I mean, if if you're an actor and you
• 42:03
  haven't gotten any parts
• 42:06
  >> Mhm.
• 42:06
  >> I I just don't think that one you paid
• 42:09
  playing older for this one part is going
• 42:12
  to affect your whole career. Yeah.
• 42:15
  >> Yeah.
• 42:15
  >> You know what I'm saying? Like it's an
• 42:16
  opportunity.
• 42:18
  So, you know, I know
• 42:20
  actors sometimes have
• 42:23
  things about You know, I I I guess if
• 42:25
  they're established actor, maybe that
• 42:27
  would affect their role. But as a new
• 42:30
  actor, no, I would
• 42:33
  Yeah.
• 42:34
  >> Yeah.
• 42:34
  >> It depends on the actor and it depends
• 42:36
  on
• 42:37
  the role.
• 42:38
  >> I wonder if And And let me know if you
• 42:41
  agree. I wonder if you could do like
• 42:43
  Okay, so they're playing something
• 42:44
  somebody that's a lot older, but maybe
• 42:47
  they if they're afraid of being
• 42:49
  typecast, maybe their headshots should
• 42:51
  look a lot younger afterwards. I don't
• 42:54
  know.
• 42:55
  >> Yeah, I mean and I I mean it's acting.
• 42:58
  Like I I don't know. I think we got to
• 43:00
  get out of our head
• 43:01
  >> Right. [laughter] Right. Right.
• 43:03
  >> you know, for instance, okay, Denzel.
• 43:05
  Denzel wants to play a old man and they
• 43:07
  make him up to look like this old man.
• 43:10
  It's acting.
• 43:11
  >> Yeah. That's true.
• 43:12
  >> I'm going to say yes.
• 43:13
  >> Yes. Okay. Okay. Two more.
• 43:16
  A child actor tells you they don't want
• 43:18
  to act anymore, but their parents say
• 43:20
  they're just going through a phase.
• 43:22
  Should the child get the final say?
• 43:26
  >> Yes.
• 43:27
  Absolutely. Matter of fact, I tell my
• 43:29
  parents
• 43:31
  that from time to time to check in with
• 43:33
  their child.
• 43:35
  >> Mhm.
• 43:36
  >> Like do a check. Because I notice a lot
• 43:38
  of times when if they start younger and
• 43:41
  they become teens and then it's like a
• 43:43
  choice between uh
• 43:46
  sports and especially, you know, it
• 43:48
  could be girls, boys, but but between
• 43:50
  sports and doing acting, sometimes they
• 43:54
  might want to do the sports thing and
• 43:56
  not the acting thing. And a lot of times
• 43:58
  it's hard to do both if they're in
• 43:59
  competitive sports. Right. So, I always
• 44:02
  tell parents check in because, you know,
• 44:06
  we went to LA for 10 years. Like, I quit
• 44:09
  my teaching job, whatever. And my son
• 44:11
  got to 11th grade and he was like,
• 44:14
  "Yeah, Mom, I don't think I want to act
• 44:16
  anymore. I just want to go back to
• 44:17
  regular high school." Cuz because I home
• 44:19
  schooled him.
• 44:19
  >> Okay.
• 44:20
  >> Mhm.
• 44:20
  >> And I listened cuz that's what he said.
• 44:23
  Now, he was also into music and, you
• 44:25
  know, that's what he does now, music.
• 44:27
  >> Mhm.
• 44:27
  >> But, um which is was worked out great,
• 44:30
  you know, but he wanted to go back to
• 44:32
  high school and then he decided to, you
• 44:33
  know, he wanted to go to college and for
• 44:35
  music. So, you know, you have to we're
• 44:38
  kid our kids are not ours. They chose
• 44:41
  us.
• 44:42
  >> Mhm.
• 44:42
  >> And so, we're here to guide them through
• 44:45
  life, make sure they're safe, make sure
• 44:48
  on their path, that they're doing what
• 44:50
  they want to do as long as it's not
• 44:51
  anything is going to harm them and that
• 44:53
  we should really listen to them because
• 44:56
  I think that's how a lot of actors end
• 44:58
  up in trouble and doing things they're
• 45:00
  don't need to do is because somebody
• 45:03
  didn't listen to them. And you know,
• 45:06
  yeah, you know, actors make money and
• 45:08
  some of that money, you know, you'll
• 45:10
  probably have to use if you move to LA
• 45:13
  and you got to pay for apartment and
• 45:14
  things like that, but your goal should
• 45:17
  not be depending on your child's money,
• 45:20
  which is why a lot of parents don't
• 45:22
  listen and will keep doing it.
• 45:24
  >> Mhm.
• 45:24
  >> Um you just got to pivot like and say,
• 45:27
  "Okay, well, this is, you know," and
• 45:29
  hopefully you put enough away that if
• 45:31
  you do have to pivot. And that's what I
• 45:33
  My advice to parents is, you know, if
• 45:35
  you had to up and uproot your life
• 45:38
  >> Yeah.
• 45:38
  >> and you know, for this that, you know,
• 45:40
  you put money away for them, money away
• 45:42
  for, you know, that that you if you do
• 45:45
  have to just move back wherever you have
• 45:47
  to move,
• 45:48
  um you have you're able to do that or
• 45:51
  get a job. I mean, I had to quit my job.
• 45:53
  So, I didn't have a job [laughter] with,
• 45:55
  you know, and have to schlep him and,
• 45:58
  you know, from place to place and, you
• 46:00
  know, home school and things like that.
• 46:02
  So, it does that all that you have to
• 46:04
  live somewhere. So, it requires we had
• 46:07
  two households, you know. So, yeah, I
• 46:10
  just tell but parents have to listen to
• 46:13
  their kids. Please listen to your kids
• 46:15
  because they will grow up to be a much
• 46:17
  more mature, healthy person.
• 46:21
  >> Absolutely. [laughter]
• 46:22
  Absolutely.
• 46:22
  >> If we listen to them, and that's that's
• 46:24
  our job is to listen to them and because
• 46:27
  they're not going to always want to take
• 46:29
  this career all the way into their adult
• 46:31
  life. You know, they they have their
• 46:33
  whole life. So, just, you know, don't
• 46:35
  get so wrapped up into what's going on
• 46:37
  that we don't listen and we want it to
• 46:39
  continue. And you know, sometimes kids
• 46:41
  are fickle. You know, and you know, I
• 46:44
  remember one time my son said, he wanted
• 46:46
  to play soccer and then he went two two
• 46:48
  practices and said,
• 46:50
  "I don't want to play soccer." I said,
• 46:52
  you know, after I paid like 300 for him
• 46:54
  to be in this crazy soccer. I said,
• 46:56
  "Well, let me just say, you're going to
• 46:57
  go to five practices
• 47:01
  >> [laughter]
• 47:01
  >> You're going to you're going to kick
• 47:02
  some. You're going to kick something.
• 47:04
  I'm going to make a good decision about
• 47:05
  it. So, you know, sometimes you might
• 47:07
  say, "Okay, well, let's just, you know,
• 47:09
  give it a few more months or whatever."
• 47:12
  But you like at least put a time limit.
• 47:14
  Well, we got to listen to our kids. Like
• 47:16
  we have to listen to them because I
• 47:18
  mean, many of them chose to be in here.
• 47:20
  Some did and make sure it's your kids.
• 47:22
  Like that's why I talk to the kids
• 47:24
  before I pick up kids.
• 47:27
  Because I want to know it was their
• 47:29
  decision and not their parents.
• 47:31
  >> Yeah. Yeah, that makes a lot of
• 47:33
  >> Because when it's a parent's choice, it
• 47:36
  most of the times it doesn't [laughter]
• 47:37
  work out well.
• 47:39
  >> It doesn't work out. I mean, the kids
• 47:40
  get all crazy if they, you know, so I
• 47:43
  totally get that. So,
• 47:45
  all right. So, last question.
• 47:47
  Um an actor says, "I don't believe in
• 47:50
  having a backup plan because that means
• 47:52
  I'm planning to fail." Do you think
• 47:54
  that's a healthy mindset?
• 47:57
  >> No.
• 47:59
  Have a backup plan.
• 48:02
  >> [laughter]
• 48:03
  >> That is not healthy.
• 48:05
  I mean, you know, I knew my son was
• 48:07
  into music.
• 48:08
  >> Yeah.
• 48:09
  >> And so, you know, then it was
• 48:12
  interesting cuz I had him go into be
• 48:14
  like tutored by math and it was at
• 48:16
  Starbucks and all these, you know,
• 48:19
  people are there, college students,
• 48:21
  having the conversations. He would get
• 48:22
  out, you know, come back in the car and
• 48:24
  he's like, "Ta-da!" And I'm just like,
• 48:25
  "Did you get any work done?"
• 48:27
  >> [laughter]
• 48:29
  >> And then, but that sparked it for him to
• 48:34
  want to go to college.
• 48:35
  >> Okay.
• 48:36
  >> You know, and like he went to college
• 48:39
  >> Yeah.
• 48:40
  >> and for music technology, and now he is
• 48:43
  like literally traveling the world
• 48:45
  working with artists and being an
• 48:48
  artist. So, you know, like their their
• 48:50
  lives pivot, too. So, you know, actors
• 48:54
  should always have a backup plan. It's
• 48:56
  not setting up for failure. And not only
• 48:58
  that, is you can do more than one thing.
• 49:00
  >> Mhm.
• 49:02
  >> You know, I'm a transformational mindset
• 49:04
  coach. I teach people how to work online
• 49:08
  and digital marketing.
• 49:09
  >> I always
• 49:11
  consider my life in chapters. I say,
• 49:13
  "Oh,
• 49:14
  the next chapter."
• 49:16
  >> I call myself the pivot queen cuz I had
• 49:18
  to, you know, be a teacher and pivot to
• 49:21
  that and then pivot to the, you know.
• 49:23
  So, you know, you have You don't want to
• 49:25
  be a one-trick pony.
• 49:27
  >> [laughter]
• 49:27
  >> Yeah.
• 49:28
  >> Have other interests. You should always
• 49:30
  because, you know, acting, I mean, it
• 49:32
  has time periods where you might not
• 49:34
  book anything.
• 49:35
  >> Right.
• 49:35
  >> You know, and so what are you going to
• 49:37
  do? Like, you know, yeah, you can study
• 49:39
  and train, but, you know, you still have
• 49:42
  to make money or whatever and, you know,
• 49:45
  study, go to school, do, you know, just
• 49:47
  have other interests. Like, and you know
• 49:51
  what? Having those other interests helps
• 49:53
  you to be a better actor. Having
• 49:55
  different experiences, you bring that
• 49:58
  into your acting. I always teasing the
• 50:00
  kids. I was like, you really need to
• 50:02
  know how to make your bed because what
• 50:03
  if you get a role and you have to make
• 50:05
  your bed and it needs to look real.
• 50:07
  AND THEN THE PARENTS ARE LIKE, YES.
• 50:09
  >> [laughter]
• 50:10
  >> THAT WAS SO FUNNY. They're like, yes.
• 50:13
  I'm like, and wash dishes. Like, you
• 50:14
  need to know how to do that. That needs
• 50:16
  to look [laughter] real.
• 50:18
  >> Awesome. Lorraine, yeah, thank you so
• 50:20
  much. This has been such a great
• 50:22
  conversation and I think one of the
• 50:24
  biggest takeaways today is that being
• 50:26
  successful in this industry isn't about
• 50:28
  just about talent. It's about making
• 50:31
  smart decisions, knowing your business
• 50:33
  and sometimes getting out of your own
• 50:35
  way. So, thank you so much for joining
• 50:37
  me today and sharing your experience and
• 50:40
  insight with the actors. Thank you so
• 50:41
  much.
• 50:42
  >> You are welcome. Thank you for asking
• 50:45
  me.
• 50:45
  >> [laughter]
• 50:46
  >> You're so welcome and to everybody
• 50:47
  watching, remember your acting career is
• 50:50
  a business, but it's also a journey. So,
• 50:52
  keep learning, keep growing and don't be
• 50:54
  afraid to make adjustments along the
• 50:56
  way. To be a Avery, this is Damia Avery
• 50:58
  show the industry and we'll talk to you
• 51:00
  next time.
• 51:01
  >> All right.
• 53:39
  >> Mhm.