Jan 2007
How To Be A TV Star Newsletter Vol 3 : Issue 2 -
Compile A Contact List!
15/01/07 22:35 |
Self Promotion /
Marketing | Permalink
Welcome to the mid January Issue of the How To Be A TV
Star newsletter. Back at work or school yet? It can be a
shock to the system, but here at Plop Entertainment we
like to keep you enthused and motivated with a few special
pieces of advice. Read on!
Here are the upcoming topics in this newsletter:
* HOW TO COMPILE A CONTACT LIST
* PODCAST 2 AVAILABLE NOW!
* PERSONAL UPDATE
* SUMMER VIEWING
*****************************
HOW TO COMPILE A CONTACT LIST
Your contact list is your vital connection to the TV industry.
It will consist of anyone who can play a part in your future
employment. It will take you several months to compile so you
need to start NOW.
Who should be on your contact list?
You can start your collation of contacts by simply watching TV.
See last fortnight's newsletter for information on that task.
Make sure you record the end credits of your relevant TV shows
and note down the Network, Production Company and usually the
Executive Producer. From there, you can make a few phone calls
or - better still - a Google search.
How do I get in contact?
Essentially you shouldn't get in contact just yet. You are
only compiling a list that will act as your database when
you eventually get around to producing a showreel and need
to know where to send it. Simply make a few phone calls of
enquiry. Ask who is in charge of employing talent and what
the best way of communicating with that person would be. In
most cases you will end up speaking to a PA or receptionist.
Treat them with respect as they can ultimately determine
whether you get your information through or not.
Email or phone call?
Phone calls are best initially. Again, I repeat, you
are only performing the task of data collection - you are
not selling yourself just yet.
Who are the important people?
At this stage, you would want the contact details of
agents (to secure representation), casting agents (who will
want to meet face-to-face at some stage), network producers
and programmers (who are ultimately charged with the
responsibility of employing talent).
Keep your contact details in a spreadsheet or journal
and aim to make contact every week with someone new.
Stay tuned for advice in the next few months about what to
do with those contact details.
*****************************
PODCAST 2 AVAILABLE NOW
if you haven't had a chance to listen to our second podcast
on How to Watch TV for your TV Career,
click the link below to check it out:
/podcast
******************************
PERSONAL UPDATE
NICK ON HOLIDAY
The wife and I decided to go to Newcastle for a quick break
away from the big city. We figured it would be the last time
we holidayed alone for the next 18 years - with baby due soon!
Check out a few photos on my website:
www.nickpiper.info
*****************************
SUMMER VIEWING
Networks often make the mistake of thinking that viewers switch
off during the Xmas period. Big mistake! As an aspiring presenter
you need to monitor what's on over the summer. Why?
Well, often the shows that rated badly are screened. This is an
opportunity for you to see what went wrong. Most of the stuff is
rubbish but when there is nothing else to view on Xmas Day we
need to sit up and take notice.
Watching the mistakes of others may reveal some hurdles that you
can avoid. An example would be a recent game show here in Australia
called The Master. It was yanked very quickly from the TV schedule
when it failed to rate, but is currently being re-run. Watching
it is testament to how lazy a production can get: the props are
misplaced, the set is garishly lit, the presenter is a little lost.
All good lessons for you!
See you in a fortnight!
NICK PIPER
Nick Piper (Author / Presenter)
How To Be A TV Star Resources
Email: nick@HowToBeATVStar.com
Website: www.HowToBeATVStar.com
How To Be A TV Star Newsletter Vol 3 : Issue 1 -
Watch TV!
01/01/07 22:33 |
Get To Know The
Business | Permalink
Happy
New Year!
Welcome to the early January Issue of the How To Be A TV
Star newsletter. Hope you had a great vacation and a chance
to recharge the batteries! A fresh mind and approach will be
needed as the next few months will be very intense.
If you have rested adequately, then you should feel physically
and mentally sound and renewed. I know that Derrick and I
didn't stop over the holidays in order to bring you the best
in TV industry information and advice.
We are particularly proud of the new podcast so we hope you
get the opportunity to listen - click below to go straight
to the podcast! They are fortnightly, and Episode 2 is due
out on Tuesday - three days time!
http://www.plopentertainment.com/podcast
So let's get going!
Here are the upcoming topics in this newsletter:
* WATCHING TV AS A RESEARCH TOOL
* PERSONAL UPDATE
* SPECIAL QUOTE
*****************************
WATCH TV AS A RESEARCH TOOL
Start by Buying The TV Guide
Watching television for most of us is a hobby, a chance to
relax and unwind. But analyzing what is ON your television
is paramount to your place in the industry.
Let me explain a likely scenario:
You have been struggling over the last few years with your
current employment situation. You have been in an admin job
that you hate - before you know it, several years have passed.
Someone comments that you have a great face and an outgoing
personality - maybe you should try acting or television
presenting....
..you laugh it off but the seed has been sown. You start to
watch television with the growing idea that your future career
may be staring you in your face. You're too scared to tell
anyone in case they laugh at your outlandish ambition.
You start to investigate the possible places where you could
learn how to act or present. Before you know it, you have
signed up for a course and your career is gaining momentum.
This is the standard path to take - but here's an important
strategy to adopt in order to be more successful than most
aspirants, to get one step ahead before the journey has
even begun.
Buy the TV Guide and start to make appointments with your TV.
Grab a pen and start circling the following kinds of TV shows:
1. Locally produced shows that are shot and edited in your
local area or market;
2. Presenter-led shows that have a presenter/host/anchor (it
is no good watching 'Desperate Housewives');
3. Shows that suit your personality and demographic. Be honest
with yourself. Identify your age, genre and look. Compare it
to someone similar on television - if you are 16 years of age,
watching the prime-time newsreaders is pointless. Watch the TV
shows whose presenters jobs that you will be competing for.
4. Try to resist the temptation of watching for enjoyment. Watch
to analyse. Nothing too serious at this point, but enough to be
able to identify what your competition is doing, what you could
do better and what kind of presenter they would be looking for.
5. Note it all down in a journal.
That's all you need to do at this stage - nothing else. NO need
to plan ahead. Get a feel for what's out there, what's working
and what's not working.
SPECIAL TIP - some of us find it difficult to watch TV for long
periods due to our work schedule, so employ the use of a VCR or
DVD recorder. Record the shows you want to watch and have a
marathon viewing session over the weekend!
*****************************
PERSONAL UPDATE
DERRICK AND NICK IN STUDIO!
Hope you had the chance to enjoy the first podcast last month.
Derrick and I have had great fun recording the podcasts - and
we certainly hope you enjoyed listening. Feel free to pass on the
links and audios to any friends who may be interested.
/podcast
For more information on all our resources visit:
http://www.howtobeatvstar.com
Also visit www.nickpiper.info to have a look at some photos of
our serious and not-so-serious recording moments.
RADICAL FITNESS
Several presenters from our database have been in action this
month with the South American based fitness company 'Radical
Fitness' shooting their promotional video in the Inner West.
Well done to Elizabeth Williams, Fab Omodei, Josh Holt, Karolina
Velayuthen, Gail Fiteny, Lyndal Rogers, Iain Boyd and our own
Derrick Siu! The video will be available to view soon on the
Radical Fitness website - stay tuned for more.
NIDA
Another summer holiday period - here in the Southern Hemisphere
at least - means I perform my duty for one and all at the National
Institute Of Dramatic Art. I will be there for the first two weeks
of this month - will send you a report and a few photos at the
conclusion of my time there.
Anyone interested in what NIDA has to offer should visit the website:
www.nida.edu.au
*****************************
SPECIAL QUOTE
'Producers don't really know what they are looking for...until
they see it'
Paul Melville (Southern Star Endemol Executive Producer)
See you in a fortnight!
NICK PIPER
Nick Piper (Author / Presenter)
How To Be A TV Star Resources
Email: nick@HowToBeATVStar.com
Website: www.HowToBeATVStar.com
Welcome to the early January Issue of the How To Be A TV
Star newsletter. Hope you had a great vacation and a chance
to recharge the batteries! A fresh mind and approach will be
needed as the next few months will be very intense.
If you have rested adequately, then you should feel physically
and mentally sound and renewed. I know that Derrick and I
didn't stop over the holidays in order to bring you the best
in TV industry information and advice.
We are particularly proud of the new podcast so we hope you
get the opportunity to listen - click below to go straight
to the podcast! They are fortnightly, and Episode 2 is due
out on Tuesday - three days time!
http://www.plopentertainment.com/podcast
So let's get going!
Here are the upcoming topics in this newsletter:
* WATCHING TV AS A RESEARCH TOOL
* PERSONAL UPDATE
* SPECIAL QUOTE
*****************************
WATCH TV AS A RESEARCH TOOL
Start by Buying The TV Guide
Watching television for most of us is a hobby, a chance to
relax and unwind. But analyzing what is ON your television
is paramount to your place in the industry.
Let me explain a likely scenario:
You have been struggling over the last few years with your
current employment situation. You have been in an admin job
that you hate - before you know it, several years have passed.
Someone comments that you have a great face and an outgoing
personality - maybe you should try acting or television
presenting....
..you laugh it off but the seed has been sown. You start to
watch television with the growing idea that your future career
may be staring you in your face. You're too scared to tell
anyone in case they laugh at your outlandish ambition.
You start to investigate the possible places where you could
learn how to act or present. Before you know it, you have
signed up for a course and your career is gaining momentum.
This is the standard path to take - but here's an important
strategy to adopt in order to be more successful than most
aspirants, to get one step ahead before the journey has
even begun.
Buy the TV Guide and start to make appointments with your TV.
Grab a pen and start circling the following kinds of TV shows:
1. Locally produced shows that are shot and edited in your
local area or market;
2. Presenter-led shows that have a presenter/host/anchor (it
is no good watching 'Desperate Housewives');
3. Shows that suit your personality and demographic. Be honest
with yourself. Identify your age, genre and look. Compare it
to someone similar on television - if you are 16 years of age,
watching the prime-time newsreaders is pointless. Watch the TV
shows whose presenters jobs that you will be competing for.
4. Try to resist the temptation of watching for enjoyment. Watch
to analyse. Nothing too serious at this point, but enough to be
able to identify what your competition is doing, what you could
do better and what kind of presenter they would be looking for.
5. Note it all down in a journal.
That's all you need to do at this stage - nothing else. NO need
to plan ahead. Get a feel for what's out there, what's working
and what's not working.
SPECIAL TIP - some of us find it difficult to watch TV for long
periods due to our work schedule, so employ the use of a VCR or
DVD recorder. Record the shows you want to watch and have a
marathon viewing session over the weekend!
*****************************
PERSONAL UPDATE
DERRICK AND NICK IN STUDIO!
Hope you had the chance to enjoy the first podcast last month.
Derrick and I have had great fun recording the podcasts - and
we certainly hope you enjoyed listening. Feel free to pass on the
links and audios to any friends who may be interested.
/podcast
For more information on all our resources visit:
http://www.howtobeatvstar.com
Also visit www.nickpiper.info to have a look at some photos of
our serious and not-so-serious recording moments.
RADICAL FITNESS
Several presenters from our database have been in action this
month with the South American based fitness company 'Radical
Fitness' shooting their promotional video in the Inner West.
Well done to Elizabeth Williams, Fab Omodei, Josh Holt, Karolina
Velayuthen, Gail Fiteny, Lyndal Rogers, Iain Boyd and our own
Derrick Siu! The video will be available to view soon on the
Radical Fitness website - stay tuned for more.
NIDA
Another summer holiday period - here in the Southern Hemisphere
at least - means I perform my duty for one and all at the National
Institute Of Dramatic Art. I will be there for the first two weeks
of this month - will send you a report and a few photos at the
conclusion of my time there.
Anyone interested in what NIDA has to offer should visit the website:
www.nida.edu.au
*****************************
SPECIAL QUOTE
'Producers don't really know what they are looking for...until
they see it'
Paul Melville (Southern Star Endemol Executive Producer)
See you in a fortnight!
NICK PIPER
Nick Piper (Author / Presenter)
How To Be A TV Star Resources
Email: nick@HowToBeATVStar.com
Website: www.HowToBeATVStar.com