Talent Agency Pet Peeves. In this installment, Talent Agent Pet Peeves #9: The “I CAN DO WHAT ROBERT DE NIRO and JACK NICHOLSON CAN DO” School of Acting video reel.

Talent Agency Pet Peeves. In this installment, Talent Agent Pet Peeves #9: The “I CAN DO WHAT ROBERT DE NIRO and JACK NICHOLSON CAN DO” School of Acting video reel.

Hey, I don’t believe in ghosts. But whenever I see a video of an actor trying to say “You talkin to me? Well there aint nobody else here…” or “You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth,” I start to shiver.

Why?

Because next to that actor with 3 weekend workshops of acting skills under their belt, spewing out lines from classic films, I see the GHOST of DeNiro and Nicholson, standing there, dwarfing and belittling this neophyte’s performance. It’s cute when your 6-year-old says “use the force for good, Luke”. It’s anything BUT cute when a first year acting student pulls lines from Obi-Wan Kenobi while (in the agent’s mind) the actor stands next to the holographic version of Alec Guinness.

Don’t go to a gunfight with a sword.

And don’t go to an agency rep with a video of you doing Nicholson, DeNiro, Pacino or Brando.

In fact, don’t take any iconic performance and use it in your video reel. It brings up ghosts for agency reps and Casting Directors. And the actor almost always invites a negative comparison.

To sum up, unless you are Dana Carvey, Kevin Pollack, Darrell Hammond, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Jay Pharoah, their understudies, or working on your impressions to get on SNL, please stop imitating your heroes and start using less iconic scenes for your reel.

Unless you want to end up like Carl, below, in GHOST, leave these iconic images alone.

https://youtu.be/oBRJwiFzJy0

Sincerely,

Ross Grossman
Director
Affinity Artists Agency
Licensed, SAG/AFTRA/AEA/WGA/DGA/AFM
PHONE: 1-323-525-0577

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A Talent Agent talks about shows he lives for....

Hi all,

Wanted to take a moment to tell you all that we are in the New Golden Age of Television if you havent figured it out yet....

Television has never been so exciting, intriguing and dare I say it...yes...sexy.

Combining these facts: the feature film industry has become such an expensive prospect, and fewer films are made every year in the USA, 

The films that are made must almost guarantee the investors a return on their investment thus mandating a 'crowd pleasing' film that relies on historically proven formulas.

Television cable channels and internet channels have exploded so that there is an unquenchable need for great creative content  (content is now the new word for art ;0) )

So for any actors or writers who still have some antiquated notion that the small screen is somehow 'less than' the silver screen---put a fork in that idea...its done.

With this in mind I will offer you this Talent Agent's personal 'CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT EPISODE' Television Favorites list.

******
This week, let's start with the new HBO Series by the Duplass brothers called TOGETHERNESS.  
LETS KEEP THIS SHOW ON THE AIR, PEOPLE!!!

Mark Duplass plays Brett Pierson, sound composer and husband to Michelle (played with complex subtle emotions by Melanie Lynskey).
Amanda Peet once again turns in a top notch performance, this time as Tina, Michelle's beautiful but absolutely spiritually lost sister.
Steve Zissis is an absolute inspiration as Brett's best friend and aspiring Hollywood actor, Alex Pappas.

What a fantastic show....

The writing is real. The show portrays the struggle to remain in love and energized in a long term relationship--certainly ground that's been covered before but here the characters are both so strong in their craving to figure it out, you can't help but root for them. Of course their are temptations and obstacles to this. The couple truly love each other but the thrill is gone and they dont know how to get it back. 
Anybody relate? 
I know I do.

Another major dramatic thread here is the path taken by Alex, Brett's best friend. Ready to chuck his life in LA and give up his Hollywood dream, Alex stays just a few more days before he plans to drive his belonging filled UHaul back to the midwest. In the process he falls in love with Michelle's sister Tina. Unfortunately his love is not returned but something about Alex causes Tina to question her shallow LA values.

Peter Gallagher turns in a wonderful performance as a Hollywood film producer and EVERY role is superbly cast by Jeanne McCarthy and Nicole Abellera of McCarthy/Abellera Casting.

Come on people, comment on this so we can keep this show on the air! Its been renewed for a 2nd season but it doesnt hurt to show your support.
(Your comments keep the subject relevant so that search engines pick up on the fact that people are talking about the show!  

TOGETHERNESS people!


Ross Grossman
Director
Affinity Artists Agency
Licensed, SAG/AFTRA/AEA/WGA/DGA/AFM
PHONE: 1-323-525-0577

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/company/co0085304/ 
IMDBPRO: http://pro.imdb.com/company/co0085304/ 
WEB: http://www.affinityartists.com 
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FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/AffinityArtistsAgency 
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A Talent Agent's Prayer Part IV

A Talent Agent's Prayer Part IV
Lord, grant me the patience to explain for millionth time that an agent is only as great as a talent's great pictures,great reel, and equally active hustle. i.e. Help Me To Help You!

See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1B1_jQnlFk


incerely,

Ross Grossman
Director
Affinity Artists Agency
Licensed, SAG/AFTRA/AEA/WGA/DGA/AFM
PHONE: 1-323-525-0577

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/company/co0085304/
IMDBPRO: http://pro.imdb.com/company/co0085304/
WEB: http://www.affinityartists.com
WEB: http://www.affinitytalent.com
FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/AffinityArtistsAgency
LINKEDIN: http://www.linkedin.com/in/affinitytalent
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/affinityartists LIVE EVENTS MODEL JOBS: http://tinyurl.com/SIGNUPFORMODELJOBS  

Affinity Artists Agency actor CAMILLE SANDERS appearing tonight on LIFETIME in Dolly Parton's A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS STORY (with Bryan McKnight)!

Affinity Artists Agency actor CAMILLE SANDERS appearing tonight on LIFETIME in Dolly Parton's A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS STORY (with Bryan McKnight)!

Hope you're watching Affinity Artists Agency actor Camille Sanders as MARY LOU MEMPHIS in Dolly Parton's 'A country christmas Story' tonight on LIFETIME (with Brian McKnight and Mary Kay Place)

http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/a-country-christmas-story/video

Camille Sanders plays an antagonist character.(Sweet facade,evil intent) who is competing with the main character to win a major music competition. Camille Sanders currently has a single charting on European indie country music charts.She plays piano, guitar, fiddle and writes her own music...Taylor Swift, watch out, objects in rear view mirror may be closer than they appear!

For more info on Camille go to http://pro.imdb.com/company/co0085304/

Sincerely,

Ross Grossman
Director
Affinity Artists Agency
Licensed, SAG/AFTRA/AEA/WGA/DGA/AFM

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/company/co0085304/
IMDBPRO: http://pro.imdb.com/company/co0085304/
WEB: http://www.affinityartistsagency.com
WEB: http://www.affinitytalent.com
FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/AffinityArtistsAgency
LINKEDIN: http://www.linkedin.com/in/affinitytalent