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[0:00] Jeffrey Dreisbach: It makes perfect sense. Actors only want to take classes that teach how to be successful. It's no wonder that there are classes out there that actors don't seem to be interested in taking. Now, one such class is called The Business of Acting. And it usually struggles with enrollment. I wonder why that is. There are many such classes that seem to be available to actors, but they typically struggle with getting the students to join. There's a reason for this, I think. Let's explore that. Let's find out why on this episode of Casting Actors Cast.

[0:49] Jeffrey Dreisbach: This is Casting Actors Cast. Jeffrey Dreisbach brings you insights and inspiration. Make a difference in your acting and your acting career. Here's Jeffrey Dreisbach. We're going to jump in right after this.

[1:03] Jeffrey Dreisbach: Well, hello, and welcome to today's episode of Casting Actors Cast. I'm casting partner Jeffrey Dreisbach with the McCorko Group in New York. How are you? Hope you're having a good day. Looking forward to today's podcast, sharing some information about those classes that you might not have thought of, or if you have thought of them, you said, yeah, no, not for me. We're going to explore that a little bit because I think there's value in all of the available stuff that's out there. But you have to be careful and you have to be prudent. And so what's something we're going to address and gonna kind of pull apart and see if there's something that can be discovered as a result.

[1:43] Jeffrey Dreisbach: But first, this is that moment of the podcast where I simply get to say thank you for tuning in. Please go to the website, Casting Actors Cast, all one word.com. There you're gonna find all kinds of cool stuff. One is a link to my book just out called Jeff's Jots, the Actor's Career Playbook. There's another link for a full course that you can take called The Art of the Audition through Creative Coaching Partners. There's also a form on that landing page that says dive into the talent pool. Now, if you fill out that form, it gives me your name and your email address. That's going to open up a whole bunch of stuff for you. One is a free book on doing voiceover work. The other is a 20-minute video called Casting Secrets, What They Don't Tell You.

So all kinds of really cool and interesting stuff there. Also on the website, you're gonna find Jeff's Jots, the blog, so that you can kind of follow along with each of the podcasts with the show notes that I use to present. So there's a lot of cool stuff there. Please consider being part of this really cool community that is growing exponentially. I could not be more excited to have you on board. So thank you so very much for that.

[2:53] Jeffrey Dreisbach: Also, my shout out to my good friends at Actor Connection. Check out ActorsConnection.com slash New York. All kinds of cool stuff happening online there. All right, let's jump into this subject. When we talk about lifestyle classes, um, I want to make sure that we have the definition clear for everybody. Lifestyle classes does not mean about you know puff puff, sip of martini. I love my lifestyle. No, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about those classes that are primarily offered for actors to get more information about how to be an actor and not about acting. It's about being an actor. It's about agents and managers and unions. It's about how to get an agent. It's about how to break down a script.

It's about all of those kinds of classes that don't directly feel like they're acknowledging you as an actor, but just giving you information about the acting career. I hope that that makes sense. And this presupposes that you already know the business. So that's why a lot of times actors don't choose to indulge in those kinds of lifestyle classes. You say to yourself, well, I I'm already an actor. I'm already in the business, or you know, I think there's like everything I need to know, I already know. And because you think that you already know the business, you decide that it's more important to work on the work, work on the acting and not the business.

[4:34] Jeffrey Dreisbach: I think that there are other classes that are out there, but are challenging for actors, and it challenges enrollment for actors because there are several reasons. Let's go through a few of them. One is self-tape. You know, doing a self-tape class. There are some out there that are available. In fact, I teach one at T Schreiber Studios on occasion. Um, and it's a really fun session. There are two sessions where the actor actually does the self-tapes, and I evaluate them at T Schreiber Studios. Something to check out. There's also classes on actor tax preparation. I know, right? It sounds like, oh, that's the last thing I want to deal with. There's also classes on understanding the union. I mean, there's just all kinds of those, what I call lifestyle classes, and the list goes on and on and on. And you know what? Let's take a look at some of the excuses for not taking those classes that I have heard from actors. They just don't see the value of it.

[5:43] Jeffrey Dreisbach: So as we talk about these classes for your lifestyle and not your acting, sometimes actors will say, well, self-tape classes aren't needed because my self-tapes are just fine. I do my self-tapes, I think they must look pretty good. I send them out. Maybe I've gotten some information from them. Uh, maybe I've gotten a callback or two. And so you don't really think that that's something you might not need. Let me just tell you, it's not true. There is all kinds of amazing information that is out there taught to you, giving you specific feedback on your work that is so invaluable, some tips and some suggestions. Now, because the nature of self-tapes is that you're isolating yourself. You're alone when you put this stuff together.

And you may not also be privy to seeing what others are doing. And so you just make the decision that I don't need to take a class about this. I already have a good idea about what should be done. Well, you don't know what you don't know. And so something to consider. And I'm not trying to pitch me doing the class or anything like that. I promise you I'm not. But I am saying you might want to consider getting the best kind of instruction that you can that's specific for your needs. And the best way to do that is to get involved in a class with like-minded individuals so that you can be supportive of each other, plus learn some amazing tips that are gonna make a difference in your submissions.

[7:17] Jeffrey Dreisbach: A lot of times actors moving on from there, they think that lifestyle class information is just all available on the internet. Oh, if I need to learn something, all I need to do is just look it up on the internet. Well, you know what I'm about to say. Yes, of course, everything on the internet must be absolutely true. Let me tell you, there are all kinds of uh people out there sharing all kinds of opinions and presenting it like they know what they're doing. You know, I'd be I would be remiss if I didn't say proceed with caution. Um, very, very important that. You might not think that it's important to take a class because any of that information is available on the internet and promise you that you're into a slippery slope at that point.

Unless you have a trusted source of information, be very, very careful about just deciding that someone says it on the internet makes it absolutely true. Now, I you know, I'm aware that I'm on the internet. I'm aware that this show is being shown on YouTube and on the Broadway Podcast Network, and I get it, I get it. You don't have to believe anything that I'm telling you, but just try to keep an open mind that there is some information out there that surprise might not be true.

[8:41] Jeffrey Dreisbach: I've got more coming up right after this. I think actors think in uh another uh way about classes and taking classes. Um, the the the logic goes something like this. Why would I spend money to learn about saving money? That makes no sense. So if I take a class on tax preparation that's supposed to save me all kinds of money, that's gonna cost me some money. So this doesn't make sense. There must be other ways to do that. Now I know sometimes classes can be a sacrifice. They're financially challenging for many, many of us, and I get that. But I also think that there's ways in which you can get the information without just deciding that everything you hear on the internet is free, but just finding out with uh asking the right questions of those people that you're working with.

[9:39] Jeffrey Dreisbach: Um, really kind of searching and doing a research project. Listen, I also think don't hate me for saying this, but there are ways in which you can get stuff to come your way without necessarily having to pay for it. Now, I'm not talking about lying and cheating and stealing, but I am saying putting that energy out there, some information is going to be available to you that you might not otherwise have. So don't get yourself stuck and not take an action because you think it is about spending money. Think of it in another way. Think of it as a learning opportunity and a growth opportunity. Think of it as an investment in yourself.

[10:25] I think another, um, I don't know, another dialogue that actors have about these non-acting classes is that all the information about actors is the same. Um, that there's this one size fits all approach to some of these lifestyle type classes. Um, I don't think that that's the case. And I think that there's some definite value in getting specific information tailored to what your needs are. And that can only happen in a smaller class kind of environment. Once you work together in a class environment, I think that that's great. But now you can tailor that information and ask the right kinds of questions that are going to be specifically helpful for you.

[11:15] I think the other times that actors kind of put themselves into the self-dialogue about not taking any of these lifestyle classes is many times. Actors will say, I want to be better at acting. I don't need to be a smarter actor. I don't need to like learn all of this stuff. I just want to learn what I know is going to benefit me the most. So the thinking goes. Well, you can understand that that's misplaced logic many, many times. That it's one thing to be an excellent actor, but an excellent actor who doesn't know how to get a job acting finds themselves alone. You know, you can do to be or not to be in the middle of the woods. But if no one else is there to hear it, how good is that, Hamlet? Okay, maybe that's harsh, but you know what I'm saying?

[12:08] I think actors also say to themselves, you know, I'm a creative person, and I find it really hard to embrace all of those business concepts, all that stuff I'm supposed to know makes my head explode. And I'm a creative person, so it becomes more challenging for me to learn this stuff. Guess what? I get it. I really, really get it. You're talking to somebody who barely passed high school math. And suddenly here at McCorkle Casting, I'm doing the books. I'm doing the contracts and I'm negotiating. I mean, it's crazy that you never know what's going to happen. But I think that there should be a way in which you can embrace those business concepts rather than pushing them aside.

[12:50] So here are some reasons for thinking about taking those classes to help you and not necessarily help your acting. You need to help you. Number one, I think self-tapes can always be better. I get hundreds and hundreds of self-tapes sent to us at McCorkle Casting. And for specific projects, sometimes people are sending me their self-tapes just as wanting feedback. I wish I had time for that. I just don't have all of the time for all of the material that's being sent to me, and I apologize for that. But my job is just taking me out of being able to be as helpful as I want to be sometimes.

[13:25] Oh, by the way, speaking of that, if you're listening to this, why don't you consider sending me a self-tape? I'm gonna take one of those self-tapes and I'm gonna put it live on the air and give an evaluation live. So if you don't mind having your self-tape taken a look at and being critiqued by me live on the air, please do so. Go to the website or the email address, castingactorscast at gmail.com and send it to me. Send me the link, and of course, make sure I get permission that I can share it on the air. But that is a way in which we can all together make some interesting discoveries because I think there's always a better way. There's always something that can be done to tweak that self-tape to make it stand out, to make it interesting, to make it compelling for the viewer.

[14:14] Moving on with some reasons why, I think that there are aspects of the business that are not readily available online. There's just you're just not going to be able to cut through all of the noise to get to that specific information that you want. And a class that is well researched, hear me about that, need to be well researched, not just necessarily online, although some online classes are great, especially if you can have a Zoom class or something like that, then that's that's cool. But the certain very specific, nuanced information about what it is to be an actor is only available through those kinds of classes that are targeting those specific subjects.

[15:06] I think we also have to accept, uh, we don't have to, but I would suggest that we accept the mantra that it takes money to make money. I always believe that if you invest in yourself, that it does have dividends. So I get the money and it tight it's tight for everybody. I get that. But there's still a way, there's still a method by which you can start saving. There's still a method by which you can find out is there free information that might be helpful to me. And that's kind of investing in yourself. I think will have definitely have some dividends.

[15:46] I also think you can tailor your needs to the available classes. In other words, asking yourself what would help me the most. For example, I need an agent. You know, I could spend a lot of time on how to get an agent and online and just kind of receive information. But you know what? Maybe it'd be a good idea to talk to somebody who has an agent. Maybe it's a really good idea to think about a class with an agent who can tell you their strategy, what works for them when they are working with their talent. Doesn't that make sense?

[16:21] So if you know what your needs are, and you might not know, you might not know what you need, but if you keep an open mind into those subjects that you feel in your gut that could really benefit from an actual class, don't think of it as a lifestyle class. Think of it as an investment. I believe it's really important that you give equal time for your acting and equal time for your business. To me, it just simply makes sense. It's because you are creative that learning new information about the business is definitely expanding your success model.

[17:06] Consider all the available options so that the balance between you and your career are equally valuable to moving forward on your journey. Having some classes under your belt for your good acting and staying sharp and keeping yourself feeling creative and moving forward is fantastic. I recommend it. Second thing, you need to do equal weight to those things that will help you in your career. I mean, one thing is the podcast. If you're listening to these podcasts, I couldn't be more excited for you because I think that the information that you're getting on is, and I'm not trying to be like ego out here, but it's really useful.

[18:06] Um, it's really good information. And so I think that doing those kinds of things for yourself can make a difference, both in your acting, of course, but in your acting career as you continue to move forward. All right, I got a little, you know, got a little over the top excited about all of this. But I hope you found this helpful. Please let me know. My email again, once again, is castingactorscast at gmail.com, the website, castingactorscast.com. Check out Jeff's Jots, check out some past episodes. Make it a structured environment for yourself as far as the business of the business is concerned. Plus, there's some amazing classes that are out there that you really should consider because it could have an impact on your future.

[18:59] Thanks so much for tuning in. I'm Jeffrey Dreisbach. As you know, this is Casting Actors Cast. Please don't forget to review, like, and share Casting Actors Cast. I'm Megan Grace Martin Us.