Talking about the value of target lists last week reminded me of something. Every time I book out with my agents & manager ("book out" is industry-speak for telling them I'm going to be out of town and therefore unavailable for auditions) I say, "… but if Spielberg calls, I'm available." For actors of a certain generation (ahem), 'Spielberg' is code for 'someone I would do anything to work with.'
We all have those people. The ones we respect and admire so much, we'd go to almost any length to work with them if the opportunity presented itself. You know the old actor cliche that the best way to book work is to buy non-refundable plane tickets… These are the people you'd fly back for, and they should be on your target list.
It might feel kind of silly to put someone like Spielberg (or Vince Gilligan or Tina Fey or whomever) on your target list; it's not like you're going to send them a postcard every few months or keep your eyes peeled for them to do a workshop. But adding directors, producers, and show runners to your target list does a few important things:
- It's like a tuning fork for your career. If your 'Spielbergs' are all big budget feature directors, check your goals, targets and contacts, activity, etc. and see if they point in the direction of those kinds of projects. If not, make some adjustments.
- It's helps your agent/manager understand your sensibility and career objectives. An actor who would fly back for Shonda Rhimes is very different than an actor who would fly back for Paul Thomas Anderson. It doesn't mean you're not interested in other kinds of projects, it's just a good reminder of who you are and where you want to go. I check in with my reps once or twice a year to update them on which people and projects are at the top of my target list, and it always leaves me feeling like I'm even more on the right track than I was before.
- It sends a powerful message to the Universe. We've all had the experience of hoping for something and then getting… Something else. That's the trap actors fall into when we think, 'I just want to work.' We mean it in the moment, but if you want nothing more than to be on 'Game of Thrones' yet only get called in for PBS Saturday morning kids' shows, you'll realize you want more than just 'to work'. I like to think of it as holding a specific cup up to the Universe. It's not a spiritual thing… More specific thoughts lead to more specific words, which lead to more specific actions, which lead to more specific results.
So carve out an hour this week to answer the question, "Who's your Spielberg?" (Most of my Spielbergs actually work mainly in television. But Spielberg is on the list. Because it would be really weird if he wasn't.) And once you have some names, don't keep them a secret... Get comfortable being specific with your words by sharing your Spielbergs in the comments!