I have Launched a brand new BLOG!!!

www.TheDeanWest.com

Hey everyone!   If you have been following me here you can tell I haven't updated new blogs in a while!   I just launched www.TheDeanWest.com and I would love for all of you guys to go over to the website and subscribe!

I will be writing brand new stuff and maybe even updated some of the blogs on here!

I truly appreciate all the support!!

Thanks

DeanWest

BUILDING A BASIC RESUME

The Resume - one of the top things on an actors business tool list: headshot, resume, reel.  Therefore, let me start with saying this: when we decide to be an actor, we are doing more than just art.  If you are working or want to work more, then you better be doing more than just art!  You are starting a business and selling something!  You are the employee, the salesman, the marketing team, and last but not least, THE PRODUCT.  That's right, you are selling YOU.
The resume is the review list.  It tells the professional interested in hiring you what you have done, who you have trained with, who you have worked with, and who has hired you.   It should give us a feel for your strengths.

Now, of course, there are a few tricks to the trade: (1)how to market yourself best, and (2)how to play to your strengths. :)  Mind you, I can't give all of those away here; not because I don't want to, but because the specifics of them depend on you.  However, I am including a basic structure.  There are some built-in tools that I can't explain and give away; but you will benefit automatically by using the structure.  Overall, it is an industry standard resume.  It tells casting you know what you are doing, or you are getting some help and training.  The right structure can go far, even without a lot on it.  I say this because I know some actors are wondering that exact question.  How do I get something on my resume???  That question has so many variables: where you live, what you do, what your friends do, are you ready to be auditioning in the first place?  First and foremost, get started with finding an acting coach - Super important!  Start training.  Find friends and/or other actors that like shooting movies.  Start playing!  Start shooting your own things!

Resumes are like acting, personal.  To have the strongest resume possible, it has to be tailored to you, your personality, and strengths.

LINK to Basic Resume Structure.  It will be at the bottom of the page.

I Quit!

I quit!   I am over acting, and I never want to do this again.

Every actor that is anything in the world of actors has had this thought.  This can be a tough world, and I cannot tell you how often getting out of the industry all together crosses ones mind.  Those who make it aren't always the best of the actors at the time.  They may not be booking because they are the best for the part.  Some actors make it because they never quit. They were no longer a new face. They were the option that is deserving or that casting knows they can count on.  If this industry truly doesn't make you happy anymore, then quit; and do what makes you happy.  If you feel frustrated, sometimes a break is in order; but if you have a passion for what you do and it makes you happy, then don't give up.  Tough, hard, and disappointment can be things you learn from.  Sometimes you need to clear the mind and the focus.  Sometimes you need to just be.  Just sit there.  Often when frustration sits in, I choose to take a day to myself. Do something "brainless", shut up that brain, and stop letting your thoughts run your life.  You are the observer of those thoughts; and that gives you the right to ignore them.  Understand that attachment to things or your career can hurt you. Work hard, focus, and plan on achieving; but don't form so much attachment to an outcome that it breaks you if you do not achieve it.  Happiness should not rely on anything but you.  Breathe.

%50 Perfect!

My acting coach use to always say, "You are %50 perfect every time if you can just simply talk and listen."  Well, guess what?  Majority of people are not listening to you when you speak with them.  Majority of people are else where in their mind, or thinking about what they would like to say when you are finished yammering on.  Here is a read about Mindful Listening..

MINDFUL LISTENING

A great time to practice mindfulness is when listening to others.  By remaining completely present to what they are saying and avoiding the tendency to be distracted by our anticipated responses or judgements we can notice subtle cues we would normally miss.  Paying full attention to the person you’re talking with allows the best quality of communication to happen and also avoids what’s known as ‘communication anxiety’. The practice requires ‘on the go’ introspection to ascertain whether you have become distracted or preoccupied with thoughts and judgements.Similar to formal mindfulness training, simply bring your attention back to mindfully listening as soon as you discover you’ve been distracted, without any further internal dialogue about your distraction.As Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh suggests, “The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like FLOWERS.

“When your attention moves into the Now, there is an alertness.It is as if you were waking up from a dream, the dream of thought, the dream of PAST and future.
Such clarity, such simplicity. No ROOM for problem-making. Just this moment as it is.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

Energy is in everything

The more we understand how our world works, the more we are aware of.  The more we are aware of the more we are what is called Enlightened.  Understanding how our Body, mind, and spirit work allows us to create real life inside these imaginary circumstances more freely.  It allows us to let go of all of the labels, and rules we have grown up with that we no longer need.  Becoming more and more enlightened allows us to do away with the BOX..  We no longer need the safety of those 4 walls.  When we understand we are infinite and ever expanding we are free to Create without judgment or guilt.  We no longer worry about others judgements of us either.  

Nothing is Solid -Here is what Quantum Physics tells us.

Intentions go a long way.

Actors- It is our intent that can make a scene great. It is our intent that can cause us to radiate energy to the other actor.. The content is only there to guide you, not confine you.

LET IT FLOW

As actors we tend to think of only the outcome.  In our careers, in our scenes, ect.  Stop.  Our journey is 4 times longer, and 4 times more important than what we get out of it.  The time you spend learning, growing, training, and exploring who you are and what you think is a powerful and enlightening experience that can hold more to gain than actually being successful.   Adjust your thoughts of success, change your perception.   All
ow everything in life to be success.  Appreciate the growth you make each day and allow the flow of positive things to come our way.  When we start giving ourselves a hard time we stop, or slow down that flow of energy.  Open up and allow your talents and creativity to flow all the time.  Let go of the old habits that tie you down.  Struggling is ok, suffering is ok, and not knowing what to do, is ok.  Those are the things that force us to grow.  As a coach and a student of life, I try to stay humbled and always in the mind of a student.  It is ok to not know everything.  It is ok to listen to and allow yourself to learn.  Be open, be free of judgment, and question everything.