You won't need or be able to afford a publicist until you really get rolling, so you're going to have to be your own. Your main concern will be to become known within the industry - in a positive way. Before you publicize anything, ask yourself, "What am I calling attention to? How will it affect others' perception of me and/or my career?"
GETTING INTO THE TRADES
There are several columns in Dally Variety and The Hollywood Reporter that provide fertile ground for a little "planting" of your name. It'll take a minimum of effort and a postage stamp.
"Make it as easy to put in the paper as you can," says Ruth Robinson, formerly of The Hollywood Reporter. In other words, make proper submissions. And that starts with your agent. Ideally, he should submit news of you (getting cast, re-signing with him, etc. - see below), because the letterhead on his stationary will be more trusted. But if he doesn't, do it yourself. That's standard in this industry. The only no-no is duplicate submissions.
Start by reading the columns. Each has its own style and, if you're smart, you'll follow it down to the punctuation.
Where to submit what:
- Cast in a film or TV show? "Film castings" or "Telecastings," Daily Variety; and "Feature Casting" (for both TV and film), The Hollywood Reporter. (But be sure you aren't jumping the gun. If your part is one or two scenes, no problem. If the role is sizeable, check with the producer and/or publicity department before doing anything.)
- Cast in a stage production? Be sure the theatre sends a cast list to "Legit Bits," Daily Variety, and "Stage Notes," Hollywood Reporter.
- Traveling? "Who's Where," Daily Variety, and "Travel Log," Hollywood Reporter. Warning: burglars can read this and plan their next party.
- Signed with a new agent or personal manager?"Agents Alley," Daily Variety; and "Artists/Agents," Hollywood Reporter.
- Just tied the knot or added to the world's cast?: "Hitched" or "Births," Daily Variety; "Personal Data," Hollywood Reporter.
Finally, if you think this all sounds silly and self-involved, you're missing the point. As publicist Barbara Best says, "It really doesn't matter all that much why your name appears in the trades. Most people forget that. They just remember that they saw your name."
ADS IN THE TRADES
Are trade ads worth it? Depends. Getting your name before the industry is valuable, but trade ads are expensive. A one-fourth-page ad (about as small as you should go) run once in either Daily Variety or The Hollywood Reporter will seriously crimp your vacation plans.
Anyway, if you're thinking about buying any ad, ask yourself:
What are you selling?
"Joe Idle, seeking representation" only tells the world you can't get an agent. "Super-Peachy Agency signs Ginger Keeny" (almost always paid for by the actor, by the way), has some value. You're reminding the industry you're alive, flattering your new agent, and telling any casting directors who are paying attention where you are. But you can do this for free in the "agents" columns.
"See Prudence Prindle in 'Jeers'" might be of value if you've got a decent part. But, as theatrical casting director Ron Stephenson says, "Don't take out an ad for a one-line part,please"
How are you selling it?
Tacky, amateurish-looking ads are worse than silence in an industry that thrives on style and status. Your ad should at least be one-fourth page (graphics savvy might permit you to go smaller); be uncluttered; contain your photo, name and agent; and sport copy that is not negative, silly, needful or excessively braggadocios.
"Actors usually want to put review after review until nobody will read it," says an account executive for Daily Variety (who handles talent ads). "I always tell them 'short and to the point.'"
If you can't afford to have your ad done by a graphics house, the pros in the ad departments of both papers will lay out your ad at no extra charge, as long as it doesn't involve major artwork.
When/where should it go?
Readership is high on days when the production charts are published. That's Tuesdays for The Hollywood Reporter, Thursdays (TV) and Fridays (films) for Daily Variety.
Unless you're paying for a specific location it's a rare publication that will guarantee where your ad will appear. But, what the heck, ask. Good spots: opposite production charts or any major column, on the right-hand side of any page, even, in the case of Variety, near the crossword puzzle.
GROUP ADS
Did the critics positively warble over your revival of "I Never Sang For My Father?" Get the cast to split the cost of taking out an ad for the production. Include pictures and a rave or two from the critics.
USING THE BREAKDOWN SERVICES
The same Breakdown Service that publishes casting breakdowns and the casting directors guide offers other services as well:
- The "Go-Between": For a fee they'll hand-deliver your invitations and announcements to all casting directors; for another fee, to producers.
- Delivery service for shows/theatres: If you're in a show, and your group prints up an 8x2" by 11" flyer that includes the names of all cast members, the Breakdown Service will hand-deliver the flyer to agents and personal managers for yet another fee.
It's vital for the producer of an 99-seat theatre play to get someone who knows what he's doing to work on publicity, especially in regard to the critics. Notices should go out two weeks before you open, followed by phone calls a day or so in advance.
"I try to tell people we don't know they're opening" says one critic. "Usually an actor is assigned to do publicity who doesn't know a thing about it... very often 111 get a call on Thursday night saying, 'Are you coming to our show tonight?' and I answer, 'What show?" '
If a critic thought you were the cat's meow, there's nothing wrong with sending him a purring thank-you note. "That's no more than reasonable public relations," says Sylvie Drake, a drama critic for The Los Angeles Times. "My usual answer to thank-you notes is to tell the actors they have only to thank themselves... and the next time, if they get a bad review, they have only to thank themselves, too."
MAILING SERVICES
These services send photos and resumes as direct submissions for roles. They claim they're "selective," but casting directors tell tales of photographs arriving by the pile. Certainly these services vary in quality, but even without an agent you can do a lot of this work for yourself for only the cost of stamps and envelopes, and your photo will arrive by itself.
IN GENERAL
Strangely, publicity is often neglected by actors. Take advantage of their foolishness by filling the void with positive, upbeat and continuous mention of your name. Show business is synonymous with publicity.
