Do you know your type? Do you know how important it is to get this down when you’re first starting out? Defining your type (or your look) AND knowing your unique essence or the vibe you give off when you first walk into a room is critically important to getting you off on the right foot and onto the road to success. Yes we are all actors and can take on the persona of just about any character however when you’re first getting started it’s best to start with what comes most naturally to you and being the best at that before stretching yourself into bigger, juicer roles. So let’s break this down a bit, shall we?
Your Look
Your look, or how you look, is your type. Because, in a nutshell that’s what type is, it’s what you look like. Nothing more complicated than that. What you want to ask yourself is who do you most look like? Are you the nerd? The cheerleader? The mom? The funny fat guy? The Ken doll with the 6 pack abs? The hot blonde? The lawyer/judge? Be honest with yourself. The bottom line is you want to see yourself through the eyes of a casting director so you can get booked. Take your ego out of the equation. When casting directors get the breakdown for a new production they are given general types for each role. This helps them to start categorizing who they need to see. There has to be some order to who they call in for each role. So when you look at yourself in the mirror what type could a casting director call you in for? Don’t worry about how good of an actor you are and that you could do all the types…you have to look at your physicality and then figure out where you fit. The bottom line is you want to get booked! Right?? So it’s just your visual that you are assessing, not how good an actor you are and that you could pull off all different roles. Who are you from the second you walk into the room?
Your Essence
Next you want to assess your essence or the vibe that you give off when you first walk into a room. What is that natural born quality that makes you uniquely you? Are you commanding to the point that just walking across the room people take notice or are you the quieter type that tends to blend in? Are you naturally funny or maybe a natural born flirt. This part is really important because you want to tune in to how people see you, as best as you can. Not how you see yourself. Because, remember the casting director is making a quick decision the minute you step into his/her office based on partly your essence. If you can determine your look and essence then you can start honing in on those roles that are looking for your “type.”
To make this easier let’s use the example of the hot blonde. It’s fair to say that both Jenny McCarthy and Pamela Anderson fall into this category however their essence, their vibe when they first walk into a room and start talking, is completely different. So much so that they would not be suited for the same roles. Pamela Anderson is best for those steamy, stripper type roles while Jenny McCarthy is best suited for the hot blonde in a slapstick comedy. See the difference?
A long-term, successful career is a series of small successes strung together. Knowing your type early on will help you hone in on the roles that are right for you which will lead to more bookings which will serve to boost your self-confidence which ultimately feeds into your success early on. This part is especially important. Ignore the importance of knowing your type or simply getting it wrong could have you toiling away for years with little or nothing to show for all your time invested. Oh and in case you wondered…I’ve discovered I’m the upscale, mature older woman.
Til next time…Victoria