Make-up & Wardrobe Tips When Working On Set
I just LOVE working on set! Shoot days are the best. It often feels like a reunion because once you’ve been in the biz for a while, you start to see the same folks. From the make-up artist, to the director and everyone in between – wardrobe, craft services, grips, audio, PA’s, etc. become familiar faces that you have worked with in the past. It’s always more comfortable when you have worked with many of the folks because you trust each other and know what to expect.
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of being apart of another commercial shoot. I can’t disclose any product details until the commercial airs, but I can tell you it will air on the Discovery Channel Networks (Includes TLC, Animal Planet, Discovery, etc). We had a great day and I look forward to seeing the finished product!
Let’s chat about a few things to keep in mind when working on set. There are many, so today, I’ll focus on make-up and wardrobe.
1. Come with a Clean Face - That means no make-up, none. Not even face lotion (can make your face greasy). Only come with make-up if they specifically ask for you to be make-up ready. Usually, for principal roles, the make-up artist prefers to work her magic. Otherwise, she will give you a baby wipe, have you take everything off and start over.
2. Bring your own Mascara - Germs can spread really fast, and using someone else’s mascara can get you an eye infection pretty quick. Always bring your own. If you forget, ask the make-up artist to use a fresh disposable brush (not the one that comes with the tube) to ensure its clean.
3. Use a Straw – When drinking water or anything else on set, use a straw. The make-up artist has been hard at work making your lips perfect. One sip without a straw will wash it all away. Most make-up artists and craft services usually have straws on stand-by, so just ask.
4. Once in Wardrobe, Don’t Sit Down – It sounds harsh, but wardrobe has spent a lot of time steaming or ironing your outfit, so don’t mess it up by sitting down. Depending on the fabric or the type of shot, they might allow it, but make sure to ask first!
5. Change or use a Smock at Lunch – If you get food or spill a drink on your on-camera wardrobe, that could cause some serious problems. Be really careful when you’re in wardrobe. When it’s time for lunch, slip on a different top or at least wear a smock to protect your clothing.
6. Give Everything Back – The clothes are for the shoot, not you. Make sure to give all clothing items back to the wardrobe stylist after the shoot. If you can keep anything, they will let you know, but its rare. Sometimes, they will let you buy the items if interested. Just don’t go thinking because you wore it in the shot, it’s now yours!!
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Networking Party?
Everyone is all about networking these days!! Especially freelancers like us 
But in the world of social media, networking has changed a great deal. But, should we consider the ways of the past? NetParty thinks so! NetParty hosts parties all over the country for people to meet face to face in the non threatening environment of a bar or lounge to mix and mingle with other professionals in your area. The crowd is mainly young professionals (21-45) who are looking to connect, network and advance in their career.
NetParty is all over the country, so check them out in your area!
Netparty Website
How do you network these days? There are so many websites out there and ways to find new contacts in every industry. Whats working and what isn’t getting you results?
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New PUSH MODELS Recruiter
Working as a freelancer, I’m ALWAYS looking for opportunities to pick up new gigs. In order to succeed as a freelancer, one must have a few core qualities, but also be open to new income streams. My goal is to gain valuable experience, work jobs in my chosen field and ultimately support myself as a freelancer.
Well, I’m very excited to announce my newest freelance gig!! PUSH Models has recently added me to their recruiting team!! My areas will include Georgia, Alabama and North Florida. If you are located in any of these areas and not working with PUSH Models contact me to get the application process started. I’ve worked with many promotional staffing companies and PUSH Models is one of the best (I wouldn’t recruit for them if I didn’t think so!).
Working events, on camera shoots, etc are great and I huge part of my freelance career. But, I look forward to a new opportunity that lets me work from home on my own time, in between crazy gig hours! There are many freelancers out there looking for additional income opportunities. What do you do in addition to events, promotions, trade shows or acting? Do you supplement with other jobs related to the industry? Or not related?
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Fun at the Track
Everyday is not always fun and games for a freelancer, but sometimes our experiences are REALLY cool! Last week, I had the pleasure of working at Road Atlanta for Mazda and the Skip Barber Racing School. The event was an open house for folks to see what the Skip Barber School has to offer. Myself and three other ladies had the pleasure of representing Mazda, who sponsored the event.
The day started a little slow with heavy rain, but race fans were not discouraged! Hundreds of people showed up to experience four racing stations. Toward the end of the day, the ladies and I were given the opportunity to experience a few of the race stations ourselves. My favorites were the Hot Laps and Skid Pad.
Check out this video from the Skid Pad! *Disclaimer – there may be a bit of screaming, so turn he volume down a bit
What super cool job have you worked on lately??!!
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Qualities that Benefit Freelancers
To make a living as a freelancer, there are a few qualities one must possess. The freelancer lifestyle is very different from a regular full-time job. Nothing is guaranteed and one is constantly working from project to project. Here are a few characteristics that benefit every freelancer:
1. Self Motivation – No one. I will repeat – NO ONE will make you work as a freelancer. It’s up to you to get up every morning and create a to-do list, agenda or whatever you want to call it. The motivation to work and get going needs to be from within yourself. A person with no self motivation will not work enough to make a living. There is a constant need to be looking, applying and searching for the next job.
When you book jobs, you are also the only one who can complete task and follow through. It’s your job to fill out paperwork, review all related material, ask questions and become fully prepared to work the job. No one is keeping track of your progress, just depending on you to complete the task.
2. Organization – With so many companies and jobs on the horizon, it’s important to keep very organized. Paperwork, emails, dates, rates, location and job specifics will be changing on a consistent basis. Only you can keep every ball in the air and stay organized with each task. It’s very important to keep a detailed calendar because it will change and constantly evolve.
Keep a record of each jobs pay rate with the date. That way, you can keep track of who has paid and what checks have not arrived. Also, consider creating a file box or system to organize all receipts, mileage, travel expenses, etc. You will have a great deal of write off’s come tax season as a freelancer, but you must have record of each item.
3. Flexibility - Freelancers must have a flexible schedule. Jobs can arise at all hours, all days of the week. Even after booked on a job, you may be asked to change times or days around. We must be willing to work with clients in order to keep the gig and our paycheck.
Flexibility may also mean cancelling plans to work a job. A myth about freelancers is that we make our own schedule. At times, we do, but more often freelancers are at the mercy of the work. When work presents itself, freelancers must jump on it because work may not appear next week, get it?
What other qualities do you think benefit freelancers? There are lots out there and I would love to hear your thoughts!
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Yearly Goal Check-In
Today, I realized the year is about 1/3 complete, where has the time gone? As a freelancer, we must constantly evaluate our goals to see if we our on track for the year. What goals did you set in January? Was it a monetary goal? Maybe to land a more experienced position like a road tour manager? Or expand on money-making opportunities and find one more source of income?
Well, it’s almost May. Lets take a look and see how we are ALL doing so far. I’ll start….
Personally, I make lots of goals every year, but I’ll focus on my business goals here.
1. Annual Income Goal – I’m a little under from where I would like to be this year. Not too far off, but I need an extra push to squeak out a little bit more every month to make my goal a reality.
2. Speaking Role on BOTH a TV Show and Major Motion Picture – Negative on both so far. I’ve booked a few commercials and industrial videos this year, but no Film or TV yet. Good news, I’ve picked up my game by committing to training through an excellent acting coach. My skill level and Film/TV auditions have really improved. I still believe this can happen by the end of the year, but I must keep up the dedication and hard work in this area.
3. Make Random Day Job an Income Source – Negative again. I love to write, but the business woman inside wants to find a way to make money with this skill!! There are many blogs out there that do make money and there is no reason why I can’t learn how as well. I need to put a little more focus in this area (I currently not even trying!).
4. Write a Book – Progress on this one, yay! I’ve actually teamed up with a very knowledgeable woman who works with an excellent marketing company to put together a book. I can’t release any details at the moment, but we have gotten a good bit of the book written and are keeping each other accountable to meet deadlines. This goal (thank goodness) is actually on track!
What about you? What goals did you set out to achieve this year and how are you doing? I’m learning that accountability is one of the best ways to make progress with my goals. I would love to hear about what you’ve been achieving this year (or not achieving)! It’s not too late to complete the goals you’ve set out to accomplish.
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StaffConnect – Talent Portal from an Australian Brand Ambassador
This week has turned out to be a “Websites Talent and Agencies Should Know About” series! Please welcome, Jeremy Jacob, creator of StaffConnect. The website has proved to be successful in Australia and is now launching in the states. Let’s hear what Jeremy has to say about StaffConnect and its services.
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During my time as a promo boy in Australia I’d used a few online talent portals, and never once had a positive experience. There was always some problem with not being able to upload photos, not being able to complete some report, and the whole experience just seeming like extra work!
After graduating from university with a degree in Computer Science, one of my old agencies asked me how hard it would be to make them a talent portal. I told them easy, I’ll make it for free, but you have to pay me to use it… They agreed, and a few months later – StaffConnect was born!
2 years later and StaffConnect is the most widely used online software by promotions agencies in Australia, and became international a few months ago, landing in New Zealand.
So – what did I do to make this portal better than others?
- Pictures are automatically resized on your computer before they’re uploaded – meaning you don’t have to manually resize individual pictures or wait for slow uploads
- Invoices are created automatically and receipts for expenses can be added.
- Public model profiles are generated – making it easy for you to be promoted to clients
- iCal links are available, so your shifts can be synced with you smartphone’s calendars
- Added a social element, so that managers and staff who may not work together often can still stay in touch and see what each other are up to.
- Allow staff to view, apply, confirm and request replacements for shifts online – and view all information like who they are working with and their contact numbers.
Those are just benefits for staff – many more features exist which benefit the administrators, saving them a lot of time and making their jobs less stressful.
Because this system was made by myself it is very easy and quick for me to make changes, as I know it like the back of my hand. Anytime anyone gives me an extra feature they’d like, whether it’s an administrator or a staff member, chances are I’d add it within the week.
If you’re interested in learning more about StaffConnect, check out this video.
Who thinks their agency could benefit from something like this? Who thinks their agency has a better system? Would love any comments or feedback!
Thanks and happy promoting!
Jeremy
About the author:
Jeremy Jacob is a 27-year-old Entrepreneur. He worked for various promotions and modeling agencies while studying Engineering and Computer Science at university in Perth, Western Australia. After a short stint as an engineer in the mining industry, Jeremy began travelling the world whilst programming on his laptop and starting various internet projects. His current mission is to get StaffConnect out to as many promotions agencies around the world as possible.
Anyone wanting to get in touch, you can connect with Jeremy on Facebook.
Check out Talent Envy!
As a freelancer, I’m always looking for new opportunities to find jobs and connect in the industry. Talent Envy is an online community of industry professionals. As talent, it may be a good place to look for jobs in your area and create a profile to help promote yourself. The website features both talent and agencies, so it’s a great place to start networking! Talent Envy features a variety of creative folks, including…
- Spokesmodels
- Models
- Promotional Talent
- Actors
- Bartenders
- DJ’s
- Professional Athletes
- Specialty Talent
- More….
The goal of Talent Envy is to support its members by finding talent and jobs. It also creates an outlet for self promotion and overall great work.
In the marketing world, Presentation is Everything. So, thankfully, the site offers a Composite Card Generator and Resume Builder to help you promote yourself effectively and professionally.
You can Apply Now for a complimentary membership at www.talentenvy.com (limited time). But, be sure to use quality images (no self portraits from your camera phone), add your Work Experience and at least a two paragraphs in your About Me section.
Click here for an example profile!
Who already has a profile with Talent Envy? What do you think about the website so far? I would love to hear your feedback!
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Road Tour Series: Traveling When In a Relationship
Please welcome once again, Edwin Goitia, the road tour specialist! Check out his Facebook Group – Super Promotional Rockstars.
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Being on the road might be a blast and one can be worry-free, especially when they are single. Long-distance relationships can make a relationship challenging and calls for extra TLC. After years of traveling on the road for different periods of time while being in a relationship, I have learned some tips and tricks that can make your significant other be on their toes as if you were always there next to them.
Communication Is Key
When on the road, nothing kills a relationship more than a lack of communication. When we are in our hometown and see our loved ones more often than when on the road, it’s easy to be lackadaisical about occasionally calling or texting that special person. When we are on the road though, we must make a conscious effort to check in with those dear to us to ensure that all is well and that you are thinking about them. Say “hello”, ask them how their day is going, whatever to show that you are making a conscious effort to communicate with them. Heck, jump on Skype and chat there as if you were right next to them. Seeing each other smile and reading their emotions versus just talking on the phone can work wonders. Tip: Remember to keep things interesting and don’t make a phone call or text message seem like a habit or worse, an appointment.
Surprise Them
Sending a gift, personal note, or even just a nice gesture can go a long way. E-cards are also a great way to express our thoughts and feelings to a significant other. The element of surprise speaks priceless words in more ways than one. The best part about it? Like they say, the best things in life are free. Don’t worry about spending too much, especially if you are on a budget. A simple note or email can suffice just as much as an expensive gift.
Keep Them On Their Toes
Words are extremely powerful, and, like a picture, can hold a thousand meanings in a glance. Enticing the other person with quick, little text messages such as “Just thinking about you” or “Wait till I’m done traveling, we’ll be on the beach in Costa Rica, on white sand, hearing the waves crashing” can ignite feelings of passion and desire beyond our wildest dreams. Driving an emotional spark can reignite a couple’s passion for each other, over and over again, and keep the relationship interesting. Do this here and there and things will never get old. Tip: The key is in consistency.
Show Them You Care
The key to keeping any relationship interesting is to always try new things. Show your other half you care and are thinking about them in between activations and long highway drives by sending them a text asking how their day was, what is new, and even how the family is. Sometimes, the time we take apart (depending on the couple) can play to your advantage by giving you both time to reflect, have more time for hobbies, reading, writing, etc that can “sharpen the blade” on the relationship. By showing appreciation for the other person, encouraging them to follow their dreams and desires, and being a team player in the relationship, the everyday road warrior can keep the fire hot between themselves and their significant other.
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About the author: Edwin J. Goitia is a 23-year-old entrepreneur and event marketing specialist from the Windy City of Chicago, IL. Having been involved in the industry for over 5 years now, Edwin has toured for the past two years and managed various events for 4 years. He has worked in liquor/beverage, auto, festivals/outdoor events, guerilla marketing, sampling, and more. His mission in the event marketing is to educate field reps on professionalism and how to be business-minded on the field.
Taking the Plunge for Advancement
Working as a freelancer in the event marketing industry can certainly be a tricky business. There is no guaranteed salary or advancement. You pretty much have to be a serious go-getter to find jobs, get booked and eventually get booked on higher paying gigs. To succeed in this business, you must put yourself out there and take a few risks. If you are a “safe” person, you may want to reconsider your career choice. A 9-5 is predictable and steady . Working as a freelancer in the promotional world is not!
With that said, from time to time, you may find a marketing gig that is some-what steady. Maybe it’s every weekend, an 8 week to 8 month program, you land a tour, etc. It’s great to find these gigs and breath for a bit, knowing that you can cover your bills as long as it lasts. But, let’s face it. Their WILL be an end to this job. You are a freelancer, working on a project, that will eventually come to an end. So, don’t get too comfortable.
Sometimes getting comfortable is what holds us back from advancement. I fully support taking lower paying jobs to gain experience. But, if you remain in that lower paying job for too long, you will be missing out on better, higher paying jobs that you are now qualified to work! It can be scary to quit something that is comfortable, but you will miss out on other opportunities and the possibility of making more money in less time.
If this is you, I want to encourage you to get motivated! Brush up your resume, start networking and begin the process of searching and applying for higher paying, more stimulating gigs. I’m not saying quit your steady weekend promo today, but you can start seeing what other options are out there. It’s possible there is another steady weekend gig that pays better and you didn’t even realize it. Or, there are one or two jobs per month that would pay you more than the steady weekend gig and you could gain a weekend or two for yourself.
I know it’s scary, but if you don’t start looking, applying and taking a few risks, you will never reach your potential and advance. You will be forever working the same boring job just wondering what might have been.
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