Recently, I was able to save a bit of money up to make a voice demo. This is something I've wanted to do for awhile. In this highly competitive business, I think it's a GREAT tool to have. Rarely do actors submit their headshots/resumes via snail mail. Pretty much everything is done online.
A friend of mine, Katherine McClain, told me that she had a wonderful experience creating voice recordings through http://www.broadwaydemo.com/. So I gave it a try!
A lot of the music I had in my rep was really great, but I was looking to find a few new things to throw into the mix. I met with David Libby and Tina Marie Casamento before I did my recording because I knew they had an extensive library and would be able to help me find something new.
They not only helped me to go over my current rep to get a sense of what I wanted for my recording, but they also were able to find some new songs that really fit my personality and voice!
I returned on a few more occasions for voice coachings with them in preparation for my upcoming recording. (Personally, I HIGHLY recommend doing this, as you get a TON accomplished on your recording day!) Doing a few of these beforehand helped me to be more comfortable with the recording cuts to my music. It's a good idea to keep your songs to less than 2 minutes. Casting directors won't spend 5 minutes listening to you sing the same song. They simply don't have the time.
Tina Marie Casamento is also an amazing voice coach as well! She's very good with all styles of music and I look forward to working with her on audition cuts/etc. in the future! She gives you some wonderful guidance on the acting of the song and it sounds SO MUCH BETTER when you apply it to your recording!
David Libby is a great accompanist and he has some really fun musical ideas to apply to your music as well. He's very sensitive to the singers' needs and has probably played just about EVERYTHING in musical theatre...and if he hasn't, he plays it flawlessly on his first sight-read!
The day of the recording was really fun! Tina and David had everything set up, including an assortment of teas, water and anything else you would need for your recording! They allot a three hour slot for your songs. This includes instant editing on the spot with their equipment, etc.
Luckily, since I had run my songs a few times with them, Tina, David and I all breezed through the process! I had time to record 6 songs, which they told me was pretty much a record! :)
I had a wonderful time and it all went by so quickly!
In about a two week time frame, my Broadway Demo was ready to be seen/heard publicly! David was SO HELPFUL throughout the entire process! A page on the Broadway Demo website was created and included in their showcase: www.broadwaydemo.com/jasminespiess
AND David continued to follow up with me on the FREE embedded attachment they give you of your song clips so that you can put it on your personal website. Since I was revamping my website, he helped me to make a player that would best suit the look of my website, etc. He also offered the option of adding a performance video in the future, which was great!
For all of the services they provide, I really felt that I got way more than my money's worth!
From start to finish, I HIGHLY recommend BroadwayDemo.com!
To David and Tina: THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
:)
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Spotlight on Jagger Kaye and CastingsnClasses.com
For those of you in the business of acting, I always like coming across links of services that other actors use...Here is my Spotlight on Jagger Kaye and CastingsnClasses.com.
Industry Events/Affordable Acting Classes Through Jagger Kaye
www.castingsnclasses.com:
THE CLASSES:
I began taking classes from Jagger last June. His classes and events range from $25-$69 for a single class, which lasts around 3 hours. The more "expensive" (and you know it's SUPER cheap for an acting class) are his classes taught by people like Louise Lasser and David Vaccari. For workshops with more than one class session, classes vary and are usually around the $100 mark. The classes have a limited amount of spaces available, so you get personalized attention. You definitely get more than your money's worth, which is rare in this city!
The classes that Jagger teaches are great. He's very knowledgable about the business and he doesn't sugar coat it. The fact that he is a working actor and continues to book gigs also helps to back up his "acting teacher cred". Jagger really cares about his students and works to create a community that helps everyone get to the next level. I've seen great improvement in many of his students, myself included...
I liked his commercial class so much that I took it twice! He has a mailing list (that I HIGHLY recommend you join!) called ActorsFirstNY that lists a lot of casting notices you may have missed elsewhere and offers raffles for FREE STUFF that actors can actually use!
THE INDUSTRY EVENTS:
My favorite thing that Jagger provides are some FANTASTIC industry insiders that come in to do industry events with him.
I recently got to meet and do a scene for Steven Carr, who most recently directed "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" and has also directed "Daddy Day Care", "Dr. Doolittle 2" and more... Steven has a GREAT personality and I hope to work with him in the future! It was great to get the feedback of a Hollywood Director on my work and know that I'm going in the right direction.
I know there are a lot of other industry events out there where actors can meet casting directors and I know that many times they are a LOT more expensive than Jagger's classes...
The thing that sets Jagger apart is the personal attention he gives to each and every one of his students, as well as his industry guests. At other events you go in, give someone a headshot, grab some commercial copy to read and go in and meet the industry guest.
At Jagger's events, you have to take his Commercial Intensive Class as a pre-requisite (so you're familiar with the copy)...
For his events you go in, you give someone your headshot and resume...Then everyone sits down in a class and he tells you what to expect from the event and the guest. Jagger then takes people in groups of 5 into the room to do the commercial copy they've picked and gives them constructive feedback before they meet with the agent/casting director.
After everyone has gotten the chance to practice their copy with Jagger, he invites the agent/casting director into the classroom and the students are able to ask questions in an open forum. Then...one by one...each student gets 5 minutes with the agent/casting director to go through their scene/commercial copy and ask questions or get direction from the guest.
It's a great opportunity for the actor and for the casting director.
I have taken many classes and events with Jagger and continue to do so. I will be taking his voiceover class, taught by Diana Lote of CESD and I will also be taking a Shakespeare Workshop for three weeks in May.
Thank you, Jagger!
Industry Events/Affordable Acting Classes Through Jagger Kaye
www.castingsnclasses.com:
THE CLASSES:
I began taking classes from Jagger last June. His classes and events range from $25-$69 for a single class, which lasts around 3 hours. The more "expensive" (and you know it's SUPER cheap for an acting class) are his classes taught by people like Louise Lasser and David Vaccari. For workshops with more than one class session, classes vary and are usually around the $100 mark. The classes have a limited amount of spaces available, so you get personalized attention. You definitely get more than your money's worth, which is rare in this city!
The classes that Jagger teaches are great. He's very knowledgable about the business and he doesn't sugar coat it. The fact that he is a working actor and continues to book gigs also helps to back up his "acting teacher cred". Jagger really cares about his students and works to create a community that helps everyone get to the next level. I've seen great improvement in many of his students, myself included...
I liked his commercial class so much that I took it twice! He has a mailing list (that I HIGHLY recommend you join!) called ActorsFirstNY that lists a lot of casting notices you may have missed elsewhere and offers raffles for FREE STUFF that actors can actually use!
THE INDUSTRY EVENTS:
My favorite thing that Jagger provides are some FANTASTIC industry insiders that come in to do industry events with him.
I recently got to meet and do a scene for Steven Carr, who most recently directed "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" and has also directed "Daddy Day Care", "Dr. Doolittle 2" and more... Steven has a GREAT personality and I hope to work with him in the future! It was great to get the feedback of a Hollywood Director on my work and know that I'm going in the right direction.
I know there are a lot of other industry events out there where actors can meet casting directors and I know that many times they are a LOT more expensive than Jagger's classes...
The thing that sets Jagger apart is the personal attention he gives to each and every one of his students, as well as his industry guests. At other events you go in, give someone a headshot, grab some commercial copy to read and go in and meet the industry guest.
At Jagger's events, you have to take his Commercial Intensive Class as a pre-requisite (so you're familiar with the copy)...
For his events you go in, you give someone your headshot and resume...Then everyone sits down in a class and he tells you what to expect from the event and the guest. Jagger then takes people in groups of 5 into the room to do the commercial copy they've picked and gives them constructive feedback before they meet with the agent/casting director.
After everyone has gotten the chance to practice their copy with Jagger, he invites the agent/casting director into the classroom and the students are able to ask questions in an open forum. Then...one by one...each student gets 5 minutes with the agent/casting director to go through their scene/commercial copy and ask questions or get direction from the guest.
It's a great opportunity for the actor and for the casting director.
I have taken many classes and events with Jagger and continue to do so. I will be taking his voiceover class, taught by Diana Lote of CESD and I will also be taking a Shakespeare Workshop for three weeks in May.
Thank you, Jagger!
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