How To Find Mentorship In The Film Industry?

A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself – Oprah Winfrey

Okay. The script is finished. Now what?

My mind was wandering for a few days as I pondered the thoughts of, “Do I go this route or that? Do I go left or right?” However, my wandering was brought to a halt when I’d received the Budget Top Sheet for my short film in my email inbox.

After going through it, I immediately thought about stopping the whole entire film project.

$35K! (OMG!!) How in the world am I going to get my hands on that type of money?!

I was a full-time employee and an MBA student at the time, so I knew I needed help and FAST.

I needed some sort of mentorship!

A guide.

But how was I going to find one?

I suddenly got the internal nudge to visit one of my favorite websites called, “The Theatre Lab: School of The Dramatic Arts” to see what courses they were offering. Surprisingly, they were offering limited, private, 1-hour coaching sessions.

So, I signed up. I later received an email from the Program Administrator, Bryce Sulecki asking what goals I wanted to focus on. (Umm. I don’t know. I’m lost). I ended up telling him that,

“I need a plan for a short film I’m trying to produce. I need a curriculum to follow”.

I’m all in at this point.

Bryce ended up pairing me with Brenna McDonough. A 35-year actor and author who founded her own studio called, “On-Camera-Training”. I reached out to her via email and we agreed on a time to meet via Zoom.

Two weeks later, we met. Full of nerves and anxiety, I told her that I have a script that I wanted to produce, how lost I felt, and if she could help me?

Her response: “Yes. I can help you. And based on what you just told me, yes, YOU ARE LOST. Here you are, you’ve made it to the top of the mountain, but you’ve missed everything in between”.

My response: (Complete silence). My heart started beating so fast and hard. I thought my chest was going to pop out of my body.

Her response (In Summation): “But, there’s a way to get through this successfully and you need to start by doing the following:

1) Fire your inner critic. Just do it. Slow down the voices in your head.

2) Throw yourself out there. Get in the company of other actors and film personnel and keep training.

3) Get out of your head. Most mistakes are made when you move too fast.

4) The more you repeat the better you’ll get.

She also mentioned that I needed a film headshot, resume, email signature, and to get involved with centers such as: Every Man’s Theatre, Arena Stage, The Washington Improv Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, and The Shakespeare Theatre. (Just to name a few).

Also, to get involved in classes such as: Improv, The Meisner Technique, Getting Started in TV & Film, On Camera Scene Study, Intro to Acting (Check), The Theatre Lab’s Honors Conservatory 1-year Program, Acting in Closeup, Voiceover etc.

As my coaching session continued, Brenna also mentioned to be prepared to bring your I-9 (Employment Verification Form or ID / Driver’s License).

And to remember, at commercial auditions – it’s all about the imagination. Make believe you’re talking to someone you know because the camera responds to personality and confidence.

Whenever you have a script, always ask yourself, who am I talking to? Why am I here?

It’s all about conversational reality!

As I tried to retain all the information, I changed the subject to UK actors. I mean, I wasn’t oblivious to their rising popularity in film and television in the United States.

I asked her what the difference was between English and American actors? She responded by saying:

“English actors train very young in theatre. They’re subsidized. They start at a preparatory school and have no interest in becoming movie stars”.

Wow!

At the end of the call, I definitely had more clarity about my next steps further proving the power of mentorship / guidance.

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The author is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions of failure to act related to the content in this article. If you need specific legal advice, consult with an attorney who specializes in your subject matter and jurisdiction.