Author: Amanda Goodman

Happy New Year readers! Even if you’re reading this article in July, after the fact, you’re still experiencing the world of the future versus living in the past. And if you’re reading this article in the year 2067, my question to you is: Do hoverboards actually hover now? If it is a new year, regardless of what month you’re reading this, it’s time to think about how to change and/or move your career forward, right? That is true in many ways. But when actors, writers, directors, and other creative types make advancing their careers their top priority, I ask; What…

Another year is coming to an end, and we as artists reflect on the year we’ve had in the industry and plan for what we hope to achieve in the new one. It’s arguable that as a creator, you never really take a vacation. For me, this is mostly true. Even on holidays, if not at work or writing something on my laptop, there’s still a part in the back of my mine that’s actively working on some creative project. It’s just who we are. We’ll sleep when we’re dead? What’s good about that is that it means we’re using…

Recently, I directed my first official short film, “Cori’s First Horror Movie”, and it was an amazing experience. I’ve directed/produced things in the past such as comedy sketches and plays, but this was my first time putting together an entire piece that I wrote, directed, and starred in for film. And, I discovered in doing so, that my least favorite part was the “starring in” aspect. Although I do love acting, being in front of the camera this time wasn’t the most satisfying aspect of this project for me. In going through the stressful, yet rewarding, process of making a…

Ah, the dreaded block. It’s a two word term that writers and storytellers of all kind know well: Writer’s Block. It can come in many forms. Sometimes it comes at a story’s pivotal point. Where does the hero go next? Which character should die next and how gruesomely funny can I make it? (Or maybe that one’s just one of mine). Sometimes the blocks are in dialogue; you can’t quite figure out how a character speaks or if one line seems to run into the next, or sounds unrealistic. Or how about the most dreaded block of all; the blank…

Let’s be real. Or “reel” if you’re a film buff. Acting is just as much a business as it is an art. I also happen to believe that the art is just as important as the business. However without the understanding of the business of this thing we call show, success may not be imminent. Many actors are blinded by the idea that success as an actor means being famous and lots of money. While I don’t know anyone who’d say those things are detestable, they should never be your “goals”. How you get to be a healthy, successful, and…

Actors spend a lot of their time dreaming about other worlds. We do our best to find ourselves within the mindsets of different characters, and to bring them to life. We also spend a great amount of time trying to get inside of the minds of agents, casting directors, and writers. We want to know what they want, who they want, and why aren’t we the answer to their equation? We invest money into making sure our business (ourselves) is in tip-top shape. Sometimes these investments pay off in the form of commercial work and equivalent money making endeavors. We…

Do you hear that? It’s music indeed, and it’s in your head right now. What is it? Perhaps it’s your inner score guiding you through each moment of your life. And how do you use this towards your career? Listen to it. It may sound wacky, but if you score your life, it can fuel your ability to do what actors should do: Tell Stories. If you’re like me, someone who grew up driven by the heartbreaking and motivating music behind the movies, then you understand how this tool might work. I’m calling it a tool because I believe it’s…

You’ve been studying your craft for years, put in the time and money towards representing yourself the right way, perfecting your audition skills, and have a network of supportive people around you. So why then, would you accept anything less than you deserve for those skills? It can be very difficult in this industry as a struggling artist to negotiate what you deserve for your time. If you’re starting out and don’t have a huge resume of professional credits, it’s easy to lower your standards for the type of work you’re willing to accept. But I think you should evaluate…

One of the biggest things being done in the industry nowadays is creating original work. Even big movie stars have their own production companies so that they can make the movies they want to make. Of course for non-movie stars, actors and writers need to go through a much larger and collaborative process to get their stories told. But even if you’re not Brad Pitt or Reese Witherspoon, you have an extremely powerful weapon at your disposal when creating original content; Yourself. Everyone has a story to tell; even the mailman. In fact, go out right now and ask him…