So, I’ve been part of a Career Accountability Group for a few years now. What is that, you might ask? Basically, it’s a group of actors that come together monthly to hold themselves and each other accountable to doing the business and career work that is easy to ignore, neglect, or otherwise put off. Each member has a partner in the group, and partners check in with each other weekly. The group meets monthly to discuss our accomplishments for the previous month, share goals for the upcoming month, talk about news, share resources, and ask questions. Honestly, I find it absolutely invaluable.
Our group started as part of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, but has since spun off into its own independent entity. I’m pretty proud that we’ve managed to keep it going. Then again, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that a group of professional actors devoted to their craft and dedicated to doing the work have been able to keep up the commitment to the group each month.
I’ve decided to post the accomplishments and goals I shared at today’s meeting on here as another form of accountability and goal-tracking. Also, at the risk of sounding all mystical-magical-woo-woo, there’s just something about saying things out loud and putting them out in the universe… Good things seem to come from doing that.
Now, without further ado:
My Career Accountability Group accomplishments for the past month, and my goals for the upcoming month:
Last month, I…
- Checked in w/ my accountability partner 2x (once in person)
- Uploaded my new headshots to Actors Access, Casting Frontier, and LA Casting
- Had 2 auditions
- Shot 2 practice self-tapes
- Did four weeks of audition technique classes with Kurt Koehler
- Had coffee w/ my agent
- Had 8 coffees w/ friends and industry peers
- Scheduled coffee w/ my mentor
- Attended 3 industry/networking events, including
- r/FilmIndustryLA meetup @ Idle Hour
- Hollywood Fringe Office Hours @ The Broadwater Plunge
- Participated in a reading of Truly Outrageous, a new musical premiering at this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival
- Got offered a role in the new play Hitchcock Lane, a show at this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival
- Determined what Theatre Unleashed is doing for Fringe this year
- Signed up to do the 48-hour Film Race with Hold For Plane Pictures
- Watched 14 episodes of TV shows I’m tracking and researched the artists and production teams involved
- Went to the gym 1x
- Decided my Instagram “brand” and set a posting schedule
- Revised the pitch deck for my web series, Feeling Good
- Wrote two new pages for an episode of Feeling Good
- Posted to Instagram 6x
- Reformatted my acting resume
- Re-launched my actor website
- Re-formatted my blog
- Ordered my pro passes to WonderCon and SDCC, and secured a hotel room for WonderCon
- Created our travel budget for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Speaking of Practice Self-Tapes, here’s one of the two I shot this month. I think you’ll quickly see why this material speaks to me.
Okay, that’s accomplishments. Now, let’s talk goals.
This month, I will…
- Go over my notes from last month’s coffees and distill them into actionable items
- Check in w/ my accountability partner weekly (at least once in-person)
- Check in w/ my reps weekly
- Have coffee w/ at least 4 contacts, including my mentor
- Have coffee w/ my reps
- Shoot 2 practice self-tapes
- Research scene study classes
- Research improv classes
- Write and post 2 blogs on my website
- Post on Instagram at least 3x/week
- Work out 3x/week
- Do the 48-hour Film Race
- Upload new demo clips to casting sites
- Watch 10 new episodes of TV shows I’m tracking
- Finish writing and revising the scripts for the first season of Feeling Good
- Begin preproduction on Feeling Good with a goal to have cameras up by end of March/early April
Our next group meeting is Tuesday, March 21st. I’ve got a lot to do between now and then. Tick tock.
So what is this web series I keep talking about?
Well, I’ll show you. Last year, I shot a proof-of-concept for a class I was in at The Second City.
This is a rough version of Episode 2, so if you feel like you’re missing some context, well, you are.
To put it simply, Terence (me), is trapped in a time loop where he keeps reliving his Best Day Ever.
And while it’s a wonderful day, he would really like to, y’know, get on with the rest of his life. At some point.
The plan is for the first season to go six episodes running three to four minutes apiece. Four-person film crew, three shooting days, two actors, one location, zero budget.
What could go wrong?
By the way, if you read this blog, and you see me sometime this month, please ask me how the series is coming. I want to get this thing done, but it’s a big project. Every bit of motivation helps.
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