"crystallize your goals."

as mentioned in my previous post, i wanted to take some time to write out my goals for june  - august 2013.
i've always made dream boards and the like but there's something about not only writing down your goals but how you'e going to go about achieving said goals, that i feel holds you more accountable.
*holy run-on sentence, batman.
it's like paul j. myer once said:

crystallize your goals.

make a plan for achieving them and set yourself a deadline.

then, with supreme confidence, determination and disregard for obstacles and other people's criticisms carry out your plan.

so, i present to you my goals (aka. dreams with a deadline) for june - august 2013:

1) sign with a new agent!
it's no secret that i am unhappy with my current representation.
complaining and whining about the situation i was in did nothing to better it.
i found myself in the same spot...with elevated blood pressure.
so, i've decided to start taking the steps towards finding better representation.
last month, i had a consultation with one of toronto's top acting coaches.
after our meeting, that the acting school will help me get in contact with bigger, better agents in the city.
having their support is amazing and i can't wait to start the process.

2) book my second union project!
one step closer to full union status!
**i'm just going to throw this one out there - DEGRASSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!

3) attend the mandated workshops for ACTRA apprentices
this one's pretty self-explanatory.

4) contact YEAA and start attending meetings (network, network, network)

those are basically all my goals for the time frame mentioned above.
i just want to audition regularly!

because the relationship between the number of auditions and the number of bookings is a positive correlation - the more you audition, the greater the likelihood of you booking something...

pray for me.

xoxo,
TA

how dare my last blog post be on may 7th?

i've always been the worst at keeping up with diairies/journals/blogs/the kardashians, etc.

but i will try and be more diligent with this blog starting...now.

anyways, from my last blog post, i have some updates for you all - i've decided to kill two birds with one stone and cross of the items off my goals for march - june 2013 list as i update.

so, without further ado...

i) book an actor or SOC role (or two) on a union project  
at the end of last month, i booked my first actor role on a union project!

i also got thisclose to booking a recurring role on a episodic here in the city...

when i got word that i got a callback with the writers and the producers, i was like:

when i got word that i had in fact not booked the role, i was like:

the CD later sent me a note saying how i was fabulous and how i've grown so much as an actress in the past year and to be discouraged, and i was like:

"no, it's totally fine.
thank you for the opportunity."

i was just about to crawl under a rock and fall further into the abyss that is rejection when i got the most amazing email from my wonderful sister.

(i loved it so much that i actually wrote it out in it's entirety and read it often to keep my morale up.)
a little excerpt:

you don't know what amazing, wonderful, incredible reason there is why you didn't get that role. 

you have know idea what's coming, but whatever it is, it's going to be AMAZING. 

i know it!

after reading her email, i was like:

"you right, you right."

i'm now ready and anxious for the next audition that comes my way. 

ii) contact ACTRA toronto as soon as i receive my first union credit and begin the paperwork needed to become an apprentice
i'm now happy to report that i am an ACTRA apprentice member!

*i don't know who this baby belongs to, but i love him!

iii) as soon as you're all set up with ACTRA toronto, contact YEAA and start attending meetings - set up connections!
i'm slacking on this one...

iv) continue practicing and working on my craft in the downtime - get together with contacts, watch movies, practice cold reads, etc. 
i've signed up for a week long workshop with the director of one of toronto's more prestigious acting schools.

v) and lastly, don't get discouraged!

so, yes.

that's bascially what i've been up to in a nutshell.

since these were my goals for march - june 2013, i should probably create a list of goals for june 2013 - august 2013...

until next time.

xoxo, 

TA

love me some will smith.

obviously, will smith is a phenomenal actor.

his resume speaks for itself.

but, he's also been known to drop some serious words of wisdom.

i found this compilation video on youtube of some of his best inspirational quotes that i'd like to share.

my personal favorite?

his theory on talent vs. skill:

"the separation of talent and skill is one of the greatest misunderstood concepts for people who are trying to excel, who have dreams, who want to do things, talent you have naturally. 

skill is only developed by hours and hours and hours of beating on your craft.

i've never really viewed myself as particularly talented.

where i excel is ridiculous, sickening work ethic.

you know, while the other guy's sleeping, i'm working.

while the other guy's eating, i'm working.

there's no easy way around it. 

no matter how talented you are, your talent is going to fail you if you're not skilled.

if you don't study, if you don't work really hard and dedicate yourself to being better every single day, you'll never be able to communicate with people - with your artisitry - the way you want...

it's really that simple."

that master william <3

xoxo, TA

"keep calm and be patient" - goals part dos

"people with clear, written goals accomplish far more in a 

shorter period of time than people without them

can ever imagine."

i'm well aware that i've already written a blog entry on the importance of setting goals.
but apparently, i didn't write them down effectively as i've had absolutely NO AUDITIONS this month...

*dying.

i've been checking in with an actor friend of mine who has very similar specs and she, too, has had no auditions this month.
so, i guess that's a consolation.

since i have so much downtime, i decided to re-visit my goals for 2013 and perhaps, focus my attention on the time leading up to the summer months (which i'm hoping and praying will be busy).

i present to you, my goals for (the rest of) march - june 2013:

i) book an actor or SOC role (or two) on a union project  

ii) contact ACTRA toronto as soon as i receive my first union credit and begin the paperwork needed to become an apprentice

iii) as soon as you're all set up with ACTRA toronto, contact YEAA and start attending meetings - set up connections!

iv) continue practicing and working on my craft in the downtime - get together with contacts, watch movies, practice cold reads, etc. 

v) and lastly, don't get discouraged!

until next time.

xoxo, TA

goals are dreams...with deadlines.

"our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must

feverently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act."

- stephen a. brennan

(you'll quickly realize that i, "toronto actress", LOVE quotes!)

this particular blog post is pretty much self-explanatory - my goals for 2013.

i think it's important to write down any goals one may have as it gives you a clear focus on what you want to achieve. it is only then that you can then formulate a plan of attack as to how you're going to go about achieving said goals.

so, with all that being said, here are my GOALS for 2013:

i) book union gigs - an actor or SOC role on degrassi, la complex (*this list was written before the show was (unjustly) cancelled), hannibal, port hope, beauty and the beast, saving hope, rookie blue, cracked, MOW, feature film, etc.

ii) obtain FULL ACTRA MEMBERSHIP - i've come to realize that if one wants to be taken seriously in this industry, union status is a must!

iii) join YEAA - network! network! network!

iv) self-tape for projects in the US - i need to start taking advantage of my dual-citizenship...ness.

v) immerse yourself in the acting world!

vi) keep training! 

vii) diversify your special skills.

now, on to the HOWs:

i) coaching prior to auditions, isolating myself for an hour before auditions, arrive at least 30 mins early;  relaxation exercises, use nerves to benefit (ex. practice lines after doing jumping jacks so you're used to increase heart beat, etc.)

ii) goes back to #1 - don't forget about ACTRA classes for additional credits!

iii) as soon as you get (i) and (ii) under control, THIS!

iv) movies at the TIFF lightbox, film festivals, watching inside the actor's studios, etc.

v) classes and privates at lewis baumander's, john riven (*keep emailing), second city...

vi) keep horseback riding, sign up for silks class, take dance classes, etc.

hopefully writing down these goals and the creation of my vision board (i will post it in a later entry) will help me remain focused on my goals and the steps i need to take to achieve them.

xoxo

TA