Performance Capital

Vernon Aldershoff and Michael Coppola in Serpentine: The Short Program. Vern has been in three of my four films, while Michael was in my first.

In this industry it’s all about building a brand. It’s when to say yes to a project and when to say no. And while we all like to get paid for our services, there are some things that transcend remuneration and that’s awareness. When I’m approached about a project my first consideration isn’t money it’s about building my brand.  I always ask myself if this project is going to help build towards something bigger down the road.

Kim Gordon and Paul Lussier in Justice is Mind.

Yes, there are plenty of “exposure only” opportunities. There are many times I’ve said yes to these types of projects because I knew it was going to be another building block on my brand. I knew by doing it, I was either going to get some great exposure, tape for my reel or some other solid representation of my work that I would be proud to promote. But of course not all these projects are the same. Like those with a narcissist director who is only interested in promoting their own agenda while ignoring those that helped along the way (they’re called actors and crew).

When I set out to produce a project I’ll be the first to say that sometimes they don’t pay much, but what the actors and crew get in return is sizable promotion in addition to a copy.  From traditional to social media, if someone is going to throw their hat in my ring, it’s important that I bring them as much promotion as possible. Everyone knows the deal from the start and you are either on the same page or you aren’t.

As some have noticed, I tend to work with the same people. We see this all the time in the industry. A producer or director that has their reliable stable of actors and crew they can count on. Of course, we always expand our network with each project. There were some outstanding actors I worked with last month at the Naval Justice School that I hope to work with in another project.

I believe this is why when some projects are announced (particularly independent films) most of the key parts are already taken. It’s not because a director isn’t interested in new talent, it’s because limited resources means they need to be able to count on tried and true talent on both sides of the camera. This is where building a reputation is just as important as awareness. Some years ago it was a culmination of awareness and reputation of national TV appearances that eventually led to a starring role on a network TV show.

If you’re going to choose one of the hardest industries to break into, I think it’s important to build your brand to be known for something.  Because once you are known for one thing, you can build it into another.

Career.