Author: Ally Zonsius

I started acting years ago in high school, which is a funny story for a different day. Today, however, is about my biggest career move yet: becoming a director. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed being an actor, but I had to be an actor first, to find where I belonged in this business. I spent years going to auditions, sitting in hair and make-up chairs, taking little gigs here and there, but something was always a little off. I would hustle like a maniac to get in front of casting directors, and I’ve been through more agents than I…

Since the previous article I wrote informed so many actors around me, I decided to continue my list of tips for actors. I have been in the business for over 4 years as an AD and Director while starting out way back when as an actor myself so I have always had a good view of both sides. See below for Part II tips! ŸLeave Your Hair and Make-Up Alone Once you leave the make-up/hair chair, leave it alone, don’t touch it. The look you were given may have been researched for hours during pre-production and the actor is the…

I have been directing and ADing various productions for the last 5 years. Each and every time I work with actors, I have a clear idea of who I would work with again once we wrap. Below are the reasons I like actors and why I would even refer them to another production. I hope this helps and is beneficial to both new and veteran performers. Reasons I would re-hire an actor: Ÿ1. Showing up on time, or hey…even 15 minutes early. Sometimes schedules are by the minute; a late actor can put a whole day off schedule. Most music…

Have you heard of the 48-Hour Film Festival? It’s a worldwide competition where filmmakers write, shoot, and edit a film in 48 hours. More info here: http://www.48hourfilm.com/ The reason I thought this might make a good article is because no matter what you do in this business, whether you’re an actor, director, or a writer, you always need material, which you created and/or contributed to. You need reels and samples to send to casting directors, production companies, etc. I recently competed in the 48-Hour Film Festival and it motivated and reminded me of how capable I am to create my…

This is something I have been learning more and more about as I steer away from my own personal projects and begin directing for companies and brands. It’s a continuous game of push and pull, and I would have liked to read this article a few years ago. Here are some things I have learned: Do your research. Both before and after you get the job, go to the website and watch past commercials or advertisements of any kind to see if they have a common theme. For example, if you were submitting a treatment to Axe, you would quickly…

I moved to LA like everyone else, to be in the entertainment business. I started out as an actor, fell for the production side, and after trying out different positions I discovered I was a pretty good AD. I didn’t know if it was my “forever career,” I just knew it was my “right now” career. I consistently worked as an AD for 2 years on various commercials, music videos, and feature films and most of the time it was pleasantly miserable. If you’re unsure of what an AD is, the best way to describe it would be the person…

If you are casting a big budget film, you should read another great article on this site. This is not for you. This is for the student filmmakers, the competitive spec types, and the people who are sitting on the couch one day and say, “hey, I want to make a movie.” The following are steps to casting your own project. Step 1: You should start with a script. Break down the characters and type out some descriptions. Some details would include age, ethnicity, personality, and hair color, amongst others. These descriptions are important, as it will be what you…

I can remember being told that ‘getting involved’ in grade school and college was just as important as getting A’s and B’s.  Back then, joining the debate team and marketing club was way more entertaining then any lecture, so sure, I got involved. CUT TO: EXT. HOLLYWOOD SOUNDSTAGE – DAY (A FEW YEARS LATER) I knew nothing or no one. It was the end of that cliché moment out of too many screenplays, where the protagonist decides to just go for it, and we see a smash cut directly to packing up the car and arriving in a new city.…

“We’ll fix it in post!”…I probably shouted this at least a hundred times while shooting my first feature. Let me back up a bit so I can make an attempt to defend myself to all the editors out there. I was graduating college and wanted to make a movie with all of my friends before we ran away to Hollywood to be big shots in the biz. I knew there was a director in me, and what better way to learn than to just do it? We threw together a script (more like a rough outline interspersed with lines of…