Acting

Since my appointment as delegate of the Mexican National Chamber of the Film Industry (CANACINE) for the State of Quintana Roo, also known as the Mexican Caribbean, I have become familiar with the phenomenon screen tourism. In fact, screen tourism is becoming one of the key elements in policy making for the audiovisual industry in Quintana Roo, which includes what nowadays can be considered Mexico’s most important beach tourist areas. In this article I will explain what screen tourism is, h...

As actors there are certain things that are completely out of our control period. We've been told, time and time again, that our successes and fate in film or TV are a heavy dose of talent, timing, effort, connections and further luck. Some of those ingredients in our success pie are out of our control; however, some are in our control and we can do on a daily basis to ensure our careers moving forward. These are five tips that I do daily to ensure my success as an actress and as a human;...

My name is David Banks and I’ve booked over 100 national commercials. I was a featured guest at Film Con LA and was asked how it’s seemed so easy for me to book spot after spot and what’s my magic touch. How it’s easy? That’s quite funny. Although it may appear like I have some kind of “magic touch,” my current method never fell into my lap. It was derived from MANY years of hearing no after no after no and having no clue how to remedy the situation. Rather, it came from studying the situati...

Sometimes, someone comes along who suddenly propels you into an inspirational state that you never felt before. I worked with someone called, Shibu Thomas, who wrote a screenplay and asked me if I would become script consultant and editor. I read the script and edited it for him, but the story was so intriguing and so clever, I was happy to continue to help him work on it. He then made pitches to producers and received great feedback, he had very good written critiques from professionals in...

Want Success? Stop Listening to the Hollywood Narrative! Is it just me, or does it feel like Hollywood is set up to make you fail? Obstacle, after obstacle… Rejection, after rejection… It’s *almost* not even worth trying. and I can say ‘almost’ because those of us who still believe in the magic of our dreams, have a passion so strong that we are going to go for it, despite all of the hardships we hear about. If you are one of those people, like me, I want you to really listen to what...

Trying to monitor multiple things at once is challenging in your acting career: Casting directors, agents, casting calls, release dates, project greenlights, series renewals & cancellations, the list goes on and on. Even if you are an avid reader of the industry trades- Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, etc- you can miss some things that might be of interest. There have been many times when I saw a submission notice, or an opportunity, only to have missed a deadline, or know that hundreds of o...

Happy Sunday Creative Army! First of all, congratulations to all of you who have already participated in our monthly Introduce Yourself Weekend! Thousands of connections have been made between entertainment creatives and professionals from every corner of the globe. Whether you are a long-time member, or brand new to Stage 32, take a moment to pop over to the Introduce Yourself Lounge and say hello before the end of the weekend.  First up, Variety has a great series called "Actors on Actors"...

It’s the tedious but oh-so-necessary maintenance of being in this industry: online presentation. Just as we once toiled over the formatting and tone of a resume and cover letter, so now must we polish our profiles. Selling ourselves can be exhausting, but look at it this way - your Stage 32 profile is your invitation to play! We all love what we do, and we love meeting people that make the experience magical. Here’s your chance to set the tone for your fantasy-project-made-real! So, pour your fa...

Have you ever felt stuck? Or wondered why you can't progress in certain areas of your life? Why do things you want desperately elude you? The answers to these questions might be hidden in your writing. Manifesting Manifesting is all about sending out and receiving. But...as I have, you might have wondered why some things aren't coming to you. Things you want so dearly. How You Affirm Matters One reason for it not working, might be down to how you are transmitting. If you send out: I W...

I’m always eager to find helpful insights for navigating life. Stoicism has been experiencing a resurgence of late, thanks in part to books like A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy and to Ryan Holiday, whose books and Daily Stoic emails have made the ancient precepts relevant for contemporary thinkers. Stoicism is a philosophy about finding happiness in the “now” moment. It’s about controlling your emotions and the thoughts you think to maximize your life experience. It’s a...