Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Business Card Providers

  If you read the previous post on Business Cards (and watched Sean Pratt's informative youtube video), you know there are several elements that should be included on your card: photo, contact info, and possibly "stats."  Besides being merely informative, a business card can also help you stand out from the crowd.  The main purpose of any business card, however, is to help the card-holder remember you and give the interested party a way to contact you in the future.

  I've composed a list of links to some of the more popular business card providers:

  • 4colorprint.com- This is a great site for getting high-quality cards made: foil printing, metallic ink, clear or frosted cards, etc.  It is a good deal for the money, but the smallest order is 500.  $$$
  • clearplasticcards.com- If you really want to stand out from the crowd, this site is top-of-the-line for awesome cards.  Get them printed credit-card thick with a frosted background for a big "wow" factor.  $$$$
  • www.greatfxbusinesscards.com- I like that this site has a 100% recycled option.  For under $20 you can order 100 cards (just $6 more to round the edges or $8 more to print on the back).  easy.  $$
  • www.professorprint.com- Although not as user-friendly as some of the other sites, you can choose to have your cards made of plastic or metal here.  (Choosing a version that will allow a color picture will cost a bit more)  $$$$
  • www.raisedconnection.com- This site doesn't offer as much freedom in the design-area (stringent pre-sets), but adding a photo is free and you can order 100 linen cards for about $15!  easy. $
  • www.uprinting.com-  I haven't previously used this site, but I am seriously considering it for my next order of performer cards.  For $20, you can customize 250 cards with colors, graphics and as many photos as you please.  (Get the back printed for only $7 more)  There is also options to get creatively cut cards (rounded edges, circles etc...), but that's a bit pricier.  super-easy.  $$-$$$
  • www.vistaprint.com- We've all seen the ads for "250 free business cards"... that is the claim to fame from this particular site.  Yes, you can get 250 "free" cards (plus shipping), but you will most likely want to upgrade your free version to include a photo and optimal, customizable designs.  Still a good deal for the money, but just remember, 250 cards is a lot- you might want to try a site that will let you order fewer before committing to a particular design.  super-easy.  $$
  • www.zazzle.com-  I personally love this site.  You can order as few as 100 cards at a time for as little as $16.95.  (More discounts for ordering in bulk)  There are tons of beautiful templates and you can customize everything- LOTS of font options, placement freedom, and as many photos/icons/uploads as you like.  super-easy.  $
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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Commerical vs Theatre headshots

Is there a difference between commercial headshots vs headshots that I would use for music theatre?

  Whether they are for theatre or commercial work, your headshots should always reflect YOU.  If you are a happy, bubbly, full-of-energy kind of person... your photos should reflect that because THAT is what you will be cast as (ie: big smiles and laughing).  If you are looking for more serious, drama work, perhaps your photo should be a bit more stoic.   Remember, there is no reason why you can't have a number of "looks" in your portfolio and choose the appropriate headshot for each audition.

  In my experience, I honestly haven't noticed any stringent restrictions on what casting agents prefer from your picture. A nice photo that showcases you -something to remind them of how they perceived you in the audition- that is all they are really looking for.  (I mean, if the photographer can capture your inner-beauty, all the better right?)

  As far as commercial vs live theatre, the largest trend would be color vs black & white (respectively).  For a while, there was a big trend on the West coast (primarily commercial) to get horizontal headshots made.  While this may help set you apart from the majority of the headshots passing over a casting agent's hands, I believe the vertical alignment is preferred because it will correspond more easily with your bio on the back.
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Sunday, September 19, 2010

Building a website

  There are many tools available these days for working professionals, and a great one for performers is a website.  From anywhere in the world, your bio, headshot, performance reel and so much more can be displayed and shared with potential employers.

  I've done quite a bit of researching to find an affordable and comprehensive website builder.  I've created a few websites over the years for various projects, and here are a few sites that you might find helpful:


  • www.bludomain.com- This is the site I used to build my professional photography site.  I found the setup to be easy to use and love the flash look.  Although this is not a free service (templates start at $50 with a $50 annual hosting fee- just over $4/mo, but I chose a $100 template and am happy with my site)
  • www.homestead.com- This site hosts for $5/mo (after the initial 30-day free trial) and appears to have many perks.  Besides a simple drag-and-drop design and thousands of templates, they appear to include some SEO, a hosted domain name and e-mails that are associated with your site.
  • www.showitfast.com- This site is geared more towards photographers, but it boasts the most versatility.  There are pre-designed templates or options to customize everything to suit your personal style. 
  • http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com-This site focuses more on "stores," but the same basic principles apply with any of these drag-and-drop websites.  They will host you for about $9/mo.
  • www.webs.com (formerly www.freewebs.com)- This is the site I used to build my performer page in 2007.  It is free and looks to be even more user-friendly than it was a few years ago... supplying space for video, photos and plenty of pages.  There are three upgradable options that will increase your storage space and leave you ad-free. 
  • www.wix.com- I have used this site a few times to build pages (most recently for a photography business and an informational page for natural healing).  It is another free site that has lots of perks: video, photo galleries, multiple pages and LOTS of customizing options- plus tutorials to help figure out any tricky situations.  I highly recommend this site.  It also has options to upgrade.

  I hope this list helps point you in the right direction!
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Friday, September 17, 2010

List of Cruiselines

 Over the past few years, I've had quite a few people ask me about working on cruise ships.  I say go for it!  It will only take one contract to know whether or not you're cut out for it, but few people actually regret ever joining a ship- it is an experience unlike any other!

  Here is a list of over a dozen cruise lines and companies to get you started.  (I've done the leg work, and the links should take you directly to the Entertainer contact information)

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Business Cards for Performers

  Many of you may have put in the effort to organize your audition packets with all of the necessary information: headshot, performance resume, performance reel and cover letters.  An audition packet is a powerful tool in the performance world, but a business card can be just as critical.  Although you may think it is a small and redundant piece of information, business cards can be taken with you everywhere- their mobility makes them an asset in unexpected networking situations.

  Sean Pratt is an actor based out of LA that gives valuable insight to how to prepare the perfect performance business card:

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