What Is It? | Your Actor MBA

Pull up a virtual seat at the table. Watch and listen to a myriad of successful industry pros as they share stories, tips, and insider secrets in passionate, no-holds-barred conversations about what it takes to Master the Business of Acting.

What sets professionals apart? Our producers, directors, showrunners, writers, casting directors, agents, managers, publicists, stylists, image consultants, branding experts, acting coaches, money management advisors, and working actors will tell you.

Your 2011 membership includes:

11 unique episodes in a “dinner party style” discussion format with leaders in the entertainment industry.
Ongoing members-only message board discussions with Your Actor MBA hosts.
Detailed notes with resource links and recommended reading for each episode.
Immediately get full access to all episodes, notes, and forums for 2011.

Episodes topics include: Auditioning for Film, Short Term vs. Long Term, Technique and Training, Your Marketing Plan, Researching and Resources, Representation, Auditioning for Television, Money, Branding, Self-Producing, and Mindset.

What’s the nitty-gritty, episode by episode? So glad you asked!

Auditioning for Film: Join actor Breckin Meyer, director Mark Waters, and our hosts in a rousing discussion about auditioning for film. Why is casting like hosting the ultimate dinner party? Must you be off-book? How important is wardrobe? Get out of your head and into the 80th percentile with this essential overview to film auditioning.
Short Term vs. Long Term: Actors Blake Robbins, Larry Dorf, and Patrick Gallagher debate the merits of thinking long term, building relationships, and avoiding Bitter Actor Syndrome. Is there a magic pill? What does “book the room” mean? Learn five essential rules for getting—and staying—on the radar!
Technique and Training: What is a “green actor” and how does training fix that condition? Acting coaches Ivana Chubbuck and Sara Mornell go head to head about various methods of training, the importance of the script, and the power of a strong work ethic. Learn how to make fans in the room by controlling what you can control: your craft!
Your Marketing Plan: The Actors’ Network founder Kevin E. West joins our hosts to walk you through the essential ingredients in your marketing plan. Learn the right way to use social networking tools, discover the etiquette involved in marketing, and harness the power of researching to cultivate your target list. How long will it take for marketing to work? This episode answers that tough question and more.
Researching and Resources: Breakdown Services, Actors Access, CastingAbout, IMDb-Pro. Are you using these resources every day? Guests Blair Hickey, Brian Wold, Gary Marsh, and Yasmine Hanani detail how actors can execute a tier jump through research. No, it’s not sexy, but it’s “the edge” actors are always looking for.
Representation: Do agents Brandy Gold and Louise Ward always agree with talent managers Miles Levy and Paulo Andrés? Do they even agree with each other? When it comes to how you should build a career that causes agents and managers to want to be members of your team, these four reps get specific while sharing lots of laughs. Some of our most outrageous and powerful moments take place in this episode!
Auditioning for Television: Showrunners Jeff Greenstein and Jonathan Shapiro join director Jeffrey G. Hunt to discuss issues specific to auditioning for television. What’s the right way to “make a choice” that they will remember? What’s everyone thinking in the room? Learn how not to screw yourself, why the script is sacred, and all about the pilot casting process in this essential peek inside a process few actors get to experience firsthand.
Money: Join money experts Miata Edoga and Tim Dunigan, along with “thrival job” creator Zibby Allen, for a frank conversation about money and how to manage it. Is money sexy? What’s your financial baseline? Is it time to incorporate? How can you start saving right away? Do you care more about your credit score or your IMDb StarMeter ranking? Learn what’s important in this empowering episode!
Branding: Color guru Jill Kirsh and type specialist Mark Atteberry join our hosts to get specific about branding and how actors can use their actor brand to help build customer loyalty. How can actors type themselves (and why should they)? Why are first impressions so important in our industry? How can the color of your clothing change everything about how you come across? Find out right here.
Self-Producing: Blayne Weaver, Mark Gantt, and Vanessa Claire Smith are three actors who decided not to wait for permission to act. They created their own content and engineered major tier jumps for themselves in the process. In this episode, you’ll learn how to cast yourself, get your story told, know your audience, and live happily as a hyphenate. From permits to distribution, the details will inspire you!
Mindset: You can have everything else in place, but without the right mindset, you won’t have a lifetime of success. Join Anna Vocino, Colleen Wainwright, and Jack Plotnick to learn the importance of a healthy community, tenacity, and focus. What is Friend Shui and why do you sometimes need to do it? How can your choices ensure that the phrase “struggling actor” no longer exists in your life? Find out now!

Learn how to craft a business plan, develop your brand, audition like a pro, manage your money, and get better representation.

Looking for the next step in your career? This is it! Take that step today!