Mindset Artistry
Mindset Artistry Empowers Corporate Creatives and Fashion & Entertainment industry professionals to discover their purpose and achieve career fulfillment through inspiring content, personalized coaching, and a supportive community.
Mindset Artistry
Branding Your Artistry: Mastering the Business of Acting with Anastasia Edwards
Have you ever wondered how to craft a career in acting that's as resilient as it is rewarding? Join us as we chat with multifaceted Anastasia Edwards and dissect the importance of a business mindset for actors on the Mindset Artistry podcast. This isn't just about finding your light on stage; it's also about shining in the business realm. Together, we tackle industry obstacles, from the glut of talent to the harsh realities of Hollywood, and share how a strategic approach to your craft can be your greatest ally.
Carving out a distinct niche is more crucial than ever in a world where your name is your brand. We spotlight the power of personal branding, dissecting its role in standing out amidst a sea of talent. Whether it's identifying your unique selling point or ensuring your promotional materials reflect your true artistry, we cover it all. Remember, your brand is not a box but a launchpad for your career's trajectory.
As we wrap up the discussion on our virtual stage, we offer a standing ovation for aligning your 'why' with your professional path. Anastasia's insights pave the way for actors to approach the industry with a fortified sense of self and a clear brand statement. From branding courses that transcend borders to the vivid tapestry of personal experiences, we empower you to take control. It's about moving forward with clarity, building the right team, and staying true to your artistic vision. So, are you ready to play the leading role in the story of your acting career?
Follow us @AmandaDeBraux @JanelKoloskiOfficial @ActorAnastasiaEdwards
Ana is hosting a FREE "YOUR SPECIAL SAUCE" MASTERCLASS where she will cover:
3 MAIN PARTS OF YOUR BRANDING UMBRELLA that will shift your perspective on branding, what it REALLY MEANS & what it could do for your career.
2 MARKETING MISTAKES COSTING YOU JOBS… these are easy to solve and will finally get you out of "generic audition land" and book the work that matches YOU.
THE POWER OF YOUR STORY - so you can stop hiding and attract deeper connections in the industry where decision makers understand you as an actor and human being.
So you can FINALLY….
BREAK IN. BE REMEMBERED. BUILD A CAREER YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT.
It worked for actors from 14 to 73 in all the main (and small) acting markets all over the world aaaand it's FREE!
GRAB YOUR SPOT: https://actingcareercoachingnewsletter.lpages.co/brandingmasterclass/
There are 3 chances to JOIN Ana LIVE (NO replays!)
You can be in the same spot 5 years from now OR you can develop a strategy for the business side of acting that starts with BRANDING CLARITY.
"Through Ana’s branding, I have gained clarity on my career goals and have built an incredible team of reps” - Rebecca Rappoport Cole
Welcome to the Mindset Artistry podcast. This is Amanda DeBraux, a self-authenticity prosperity life coach and actor or actress per your reference.
Janel Koloski:And I'm Janel Koloski, a career and mindset coach and an actor as well. We are your hosts and we're here to flip your mindset, to teach you the artistry of what we learned, to keep your mind in check Over the course of our lives, we've taken on the journey of healing, living and being authentically ourselves as we successfully build our individual careers. This podcast is designed for you so you can discover your goals and courageously reach them at your highest potential, while being 100,000% yourself.
Amanda DeBraux:What you'll get from us is real dirty and a little well more like a lot of quirky.
Janel Koloski:Along with empathy edge and a safe space that holds hashtag no judgment.
Amanda DeBraux:If you're ready to build a mindset that is unapologetically you and excel beyond the stars, you're in the right place. We're so excited to have you here. Now let's dive in Hashtag, just say yes with myself and Janelle Kaloski. I am extremely excited about this episode because we're going to have two powerhouse coaches who are going to talk about career and how important that is to your branding, to your life and to the actor and the entertainment industry. So let me introduce our amazing guest, Anastasia Edwards. She is an award-winning Russian American TV film actress who has been on shows Chicago Fire, little American and Crisis. She is also a career coach for actors like you. She helps actors define their brand, assemble strong team and build industry connections with clarity, structure and a loving kick in the ass.
Amanda DeBraux:Now, I love a good kick in the ass for our clients, so I'm really, really excited. So, as we have indulged in this industry and it's so unpredictable, especially the past three years with the pandemic, with the strike how has looking at your career as an actor been so important? Looking at it from a business perspective rather than a creative, and I just want to be on set. I want to work and collaborate with actors and I want to just work on monologues and all those things. How has the business side really benefited you and propelled you, as well as your clients?
Anastasia Edwards:Yeah, well, just in full transparency, I've been on pause acting wise since October of 2022. So I've been on my little acting hiatus and really tapping into career coaching, which I'm finding more and more. This is my really my lane and I'm so happy there, so I honestly don't know if where it's heading in terms of my own acting career. It's definitely taught me a lot in terms of how to get started and the business end, but I am in conversation with actors literally every day, in addition to agents, managers and casting directors inside of my membership, so I have a lot of insight more on that versus from my acting, although, like, obviously just based on my experience, listen, I cannot, on one hand, I can you know I'm not going to sit here and be like oh, come on, you guys, everything's great. What you're worried about, right? Like, obviously we had a global pandemic, we had strikes, like you said, we have this fun deadline article that's causing a lot of chaos, saying pilot season is gone, series, regular roles are diminishing, budget cuts, supply demand, you know all that fun stuff that we cannot ignore, right? That's the state of the industry. Now the question is what do you do with it, right? How do you react to it. I'm sure you, amanda, speak on that a lot, right? You, how you react to a situation, whether it's a change or anything negative, says a lot, not just obviously, about your character, but, in my view, how long you will stay in business, right, especially like entertainment business, and how successful you're going to be. So, actors, oftentimes there's this big echo chamber of hysteria and, like, we like to complain and get together and everything sucks and the gatekeepers and the industry and this and this and that, and it makes you feel good in the moment, right, it makes you feel justified for your own lack of progress, it makes you feel less alone, but it doesn't really take you anywhere from there, right? So then the question is okay. So there's, this is a state of the industry. What do what do I do with it? Right, what do I do with it? And that's what we look at, the business side of acting. And so I just wanted to offer up a different perspective.
Anastasia Edwards:If we were to zoom out of the nitty gritty of the current state of the the union, right, and look at the broader perspective. For one, when was Hollywood entertainment business ever fair? Like, if you're looking for fair, that's not the industry. That's not it, right? It's at least fair to actors, right? If you look at supply and demand issue, there's so much noise about it. Come on, you guys. We, when did we ever not have a supply and demand issue? There are thousands of actors being submitted, hundreds auditioning, one or two get the job. That's the name of the game period.
Anastasia Edwards:Thinking about, oh, how difficult that is to make money as a working actor. When was it ever easy? We talked the one to 3% that are making millions walking red carpets. The rest of us are struggling to get union insurance right, the Saigato insurance, you know.
Anastasia Edwards:And then also, if you look at it from the business perspective, right Outside of the artistry and the craft and the, any business is going to adjust the model to, to, for profitability and to fit into technology progression. And I mean everyone is using it, I know in their business. In their business is everyone adjusting and moving forward. So I think it's just diminishing the grandiose-ness of it Like for me at least, allows me to be like okay, hang on a second, is it really that bad? Is it drastically like unprecedented? And by diminishing the hysteria I'm able to look at it logically, which is me right. That's what helps me to also break down the problem.
Anastasia Edwards:But then from there, just you know, make decisions that are more in alignment with my vision, versus making decisions out of scarcity and lack right, which a lot of actors operate in. I'm gonna get trapped, I'm gonna be blacklisted, I'm gonna be this right. There's this constant of like that puts us in a little box playing small right. So, on the business end, you know, I follow a lot of experts as I'm sure you guys as well right, casting directors and agents and managers that I love and respect, and a lot of them address the issues of the industry, which is important, but the they're soon like they're presumed solution to it Always comes down to go back in an acting class. Work on your craft, you know, work on your audition techniques, sharpen up your skill set, because you will need it, because, guys, times are rough, it's like okay, but if you can't even get into the freaking door to show them what you can do, why, that doesn't matter. I honestly think talent doesn't matter. And before your views go after me.
Janel Koloski:No, I agree. I've literally been saying that you to be talented and attractive enough. The rest is business, and then the craft is important. That's it.
Anastasia Edwards:If you have eyeballs on your talent, if you don't know how to position yourself, if you don't know how to talk about it, if you don't know how to build a team and build connections, you're gonna be the best in class for the rest of your career, being applauded and feeling good about yourself. This is it.
Amanda DeBraux:But yeah, think about it this way. Right, think about any brand in the world McDonald's, nike. What do they have? They have their one liner, their elevator pitch. They have a brand. When you think about McDonald's, you think about ba-da-ba-ba-ba, loving it. Right, you got Nike. Just do it. There is a brand and there's a reason why.
Amanda DeBraux:So, when you walk into these rooms, when you are talked about in the rooms that you're not there, what are they gonna say about you? What comes to mind? When your name comes up, when Amanda DuBois comes up, when Janelle Kalosky, when Anastasia Edwards comes up, what do they say? Do they go? Oh my gosh, those, they're great actresses, they're really brilliant, they know the business or whatever it is. They bring to the table something that we've never seen before. That is what we have to focus on on top of the art and I know it sounds overwhelming, because it can be overwhelming and Janelle and I talk about this all the time but if you think of it that way, it also makes it easier for you to go after the things that you want. So, anastasia, talk a bit about how branding is. It plays a part in acting in our career, because when we first start out, what is your niche Like? Are you the girl next door? Are you the villain? What?
Amanda DeBraux:do you stand with that now, with the industry changing so much now that we don't have pilot season.
Anastasia Edwards:Well, that's exactly why I think this conversation is so important, because if you're complaining about supply and demand, doesn't it then make sense to be specific and differentiate yourself in the sea of other actors? Right, like that argument doesn't make sense. It's like there's supply and demand issues who go work on your craft, so you're marketing yourself as I'm talented and I can do it all, which is if you're everywhere. You're nowhere, you're not positioning yourself in anything specific. And in terms of the business, you know there are three pillars, right, there's mindset, business and craft, and I think all three are equally important and we need to work on all three, ideally with coaches, ideally with all these things, or figure out what phase you're in. Right To me, I help with the figuring out the business piece and I tell clients, like, if your craft is not solid, don't even worry about business. In my view, because you know you can be, james Cameron can call you tomorrow. If you're not ready to deliver, go back in class. That's my view of it, right? So only worry about business when we have a foundation to build off of, to get eyeballs on your talent and skill set that you've already built. Right, foundation is mindset, is the foundation of everything. Right, if you're amazing in your craft and you know how to position and talk about it and everything else, but you're self-sabotaging, comparing, self-doubting, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You're either gonna be bitter and jaded and quit or you're just gonna be miserable in the journey of it and most likely, again, you're not gonna last. So all three of them are so, so important right Within the business umbrella, the business puzzle piece.
Anastasia Edwards:I broke it down for myself in four main categories Branding, marketing, team networking. Know what you're selling. Have a marketing that's aligned with it. Have a team, nationally and internationally, more soldiers in your army that bringing the numbers and driving the volume and the traffic for you and go directly to decision makers. Stop hiding behind agents and managers and waiting for casting directors to discover you. When casting directors are being cut, they're literally regional casting directors to save money. It's a business. They're getting cut right and they're also a middleman. They're a middleman between us, the talent, and then the decision maker. So the reason I start with branding, because to me that's a foundation.
Anastasia Edwards:The funny thing, what I'm hearing from a lot of again experts in the business is like, yeah, branding, there's a lot of pushback, there's a lot of resistance, like they're really getting hung up on the label of it, but they don't say no to marketing. So they're talking to the blue in their face about headshots and videos and my question to them is like how can you market something if you don't know what the heck that is? How can you market? Again, if you're marketing just talent and I can do it all, then you are in the sea of thousands of the actors and then the market is getting tighter and tighter. So that argument number one doesn't make sense for me. You cannot market something you don't understand.
Anastasia Edwards:To me also, branding is the. What it comes down to. The way I look at it is. It's not a limiting thing, it's an empowering thing. If I know what I bring to the table and I can talk about it, then that gives me confidence.
Anastasia Edwards:Because most actors operate in a way of am I good, do you like me? Am I good and do you like me? And they always kind of walk around like that with that energy right Instead of I can nail this, this is my bread and butter and this is what working actors would differentiate. A lot of working actors Like they know what they're good at and it's not something set in stone is break in, be rememberable, build a resume, build a buzz in the momentum and then expand. Charlie Staren started this hot bombshell, manipulative kind of girlfriend right and then she produced monster, completely transformed herself, got an Oscar, and now she's like a shaved head badass superhero Like you can do whatever you want. All you stay in the same lane, like Tom Cruise or whatever right. So you choose your own lane.
Anastasia Edwards:But in the beginning, in order to break in, to shine the light on your talent, we need to get specific. So to me, branding is an empowering thing. It's a necessary thing due to how the market is changing, and it's the foundation for you to market yourself. Build a team that's aligned with again who you are.
Anastasia Edwards:So many actors come to me that already have agents and managers and then they're not working and majority percent of the time is because their package is not aligned or their team has no idea what they bring to the table. So they're literally pitching them, even with the right package for the wrong things. And so I have managers sending me clients to help them with branding work, and oftentimes actors think I'm gonna go to agent and manager for them to figure me out and tell me what to do, and that's a big gap. I think we need to go to agents and managers already knowing what we bring to the table and the package to back it up and the connections and the momentum that we've built on our own to take it further. And so, to me, branding is the foundation of your team.
Janel Koloski:Yeah, go ahead. Oh yeah, I love all of this and it's music to my ears, because when I talk about this, I would love to know your story about how you arrived to this, because I started 16 years ago but then probably nine and a half years ago, I was going to give up completely. I was doing more modeling, hosting, pursuing, acting, but it's just, I was studying and all this. But you know, I'm pretty stubborn and part of me was like but I'm meant to do this. So I was like I'm going to give it one more year. I'm going to write down everything I can control. I'm going to see what I'm doing and I created a system. I'm like I'm not being consistent, I'm not treating it like a business and, of course, once I did, I've been working ever since, but a lot of people are afraid of this. I don't know how did you find it for yourself? And then also, what advice do you have? Because it's that thing of well, if I only present this, then I'll never work, because I can be anything.
Anastasia Edwards:Yeah, I hear you Well, first of all, I hated the idea of branding when I was starting out, I hated it. I was like what are you talking about branding? I worked in the conservatory to stretch my range, to show how different I can be from who I am and that's what I pride myself in. And now you're telling me I have to like put it in a. It's exactly how I looked at it, put myself in a box. And also, you know, I grew up in Russia.
Anastasia Edwards:I came here when I was 18, turning 19. I had a heavier accent. I had like I was hiding the fact. I was like, oh my God, I hope I don't. I sound American, look American, everything's American. God forbid, they know my background, they know my.
Anastasia Edwards:I wanted to blend in so bad, so nothing, that I was not tapping into my voice and my strength and that. And also I wanted to be everything and anything. And you know, I did everything that I was told to do. I got the headshots, I got the agents, or I couldn't get an agent for a while, right, and then I got, did all the classes and things were not moving. So then I was like hang on a second, what am I missing and the big gap.
Anastasia Edwards:What was missing is that the market is too saturated. It's not enough to just be. I am talented and I can do it all, especially when everything went online, so the more I started tapping into what I'm really good at as an actor and who I am as a person. So there's also a difference between an actor brand and a personal brand, and a lot of actors confused the two and I find that both are super important, especially right now in our business where literally this little iPhone thingy that you have in your hand can get like literally can launch everything for you. Like, forget about the monopoly of the big industries. If you could generate enough buzz, they will come and find you. So we're no longer in this way of like we can't do anything without casting directors or we can't do anything without agents.
Anastasia Edwards:I'm not saying to go completely against the traditional model but do that and right. And so the. And what's interesting? Because the actor brand and a personal brand, they can coexist if you sometimes are aligned and sometimes they're not. So, for example, for character actors the way I define character actors, if they're on the cast, both comedic relief and eccentric right, obviously, those very specific examples you know Jack Nicholson, you know Davido, obviously physically, but some people just energetically have this specific energy about them. Then their personal brand is very different. They're playing all the psychos and the goofballs and whatever, whatever, right. So it's important for them to know what their niche, what they is in the acting. But it's also, it's even more important for them to highlight the personal. So they know they're not a psycho and they stand for things and they're. This is what they believe in. This is right. And then for actors where the personal and the acting blends in, it's even more. It's also important because then they can amplify right. Because oftentimes with series regulars, they go back to your social media, oftentimes not to check on the amount of followers but to see are you that person? The authenticity in casting became more and more prevalent. Now they actually want someone who is disabled, who is gay, who is from Jamaica, who is right. So this idea of you creating someone completely opposite from who you are right, the Meryl Streep and the. The Marlon Brand oh, marlon Brand was actually very tapping into his specific essence, but I'm just saying it's gone. We have 24 to 48 hours. What are we bringing to the table? A special sauce, who we are right, our natural essence. So I had a lot of resistance towards it when I was starting out and when I started embracing it and actually talking about it and marketing myself in a way that makes sense to again me as an actor.
Anastasia Edwards:And also, you can't be blind to the feedback, right, like you can do what you want to do, like the big thing that I do with my clients when it comes to branding and the gap that I see with branding coaches. I mean, I've taken myself a bunch of branding classes and things like that. It's, it's not. It's coming from my personal experience and my clients and me educating myself on the topic and I'm constantly learning on the topic. The gap that I usually saw it's, it's one sided, it's either you collect all the feedback about who you are from others and just run with that right. And internally you're screaming and you're like this is not, no, I can do more and I can be more. Or you only go by what you want to do. So you're like I am the next Margot Robbie, right. And then so it's either one of those two.
Anastasia Edwards:And what I find it's the middle spot of the outside perception. You cannot be blind to it. This is a visual medium. The second you pop on camera, you open your mouth. People make decisions, opinions, right. So we, we have to take that in.
Anastasia Edwards:But we also have to take in what we know about ourselves. Right, that we've lived on the planet earth for whatever many years. We know shit about ourselves, right? Can I swear here? I don't know. And then, and then where are we going? Right, like, what's the vision? And so to me it's the middle spot of all three that bring this cohesive sort of branding clarity. So, long story short, had lots of resistance until I saw I can't even get in the door if I'm not actually marketing myself in a way that's specific to what I bring to the table and what's been coming through on my end. And once I did like I, you know, I broke into network TV. I built six network TV got in, the union got agents. I'm based in Hawaii and Atlanta and Chicago and Los Angeles and again I see the value also in expanding your team. And it's hard to do those things if you cannot confidently talk about what you bring to the table.
Amanda DeBraux:I love everything about this. I know the the tingling in Janelle's body and brain is like a fire, because this is what she talks about quite often, talks about the name, and I feel like it goes through one ear and out the other. But it's also like you said, it can be very overwhelming because you actually have to sit down and ask these questions. You have to look at your brand, you have to be realistic and then you again integrating who you are with the brand versus and some people don't have to in the sense of, you know, I'm going to take it out, take myself out of the acting realm, that's fine too, but you really have to again make that decisive decision and and really run like, run with it and believe it and like, say, say it with your full chest is the same right, say it with your chest.
Amanda DeBraux:And I'm asking you and and like, for the longest time, make, especially if you're of a specific background, whether you know and every single one of us have a unique background, right, and you know you're Russian, so you get categorized as, like, the Russian actress. You know, you get casted as just the uptight mom in, you know, in those in that world, and then I get that kind of like a little bit of an attitude kind of girl, but she's sweet, but you don't know like we have and that's great. So it's like I always recognize too. Is that how do they first see you? Because that is probably what's gonna also get you into the room a lot quicker than you guessing and trying to be something different, and that is a part of the brand too. But yeah, you have something to say about that.
Anastasia Edwards:No, yeah, you have to take in that feedback because otherwise you're just not gonna have a career, right. So it's like, but if you only go by what you, but if you only go by that feedback and you shut yourself down completely, then most likely it's just not gonna be fulfilling enough. So it has to be somewhere in the middle spot. And I think what I find in regards to, like, essence and type and all these other things that I really like to dig deeper into, obviously, my classes, my courses, and is that at the end of the day, you will be known for your essence versus your type. Like I love Julia Roberts, I, since I was a kid, I probably watched anything and everything with her. I don't care if she plays a prostitute, if she plays an attorney, if she plays a mom, if she plays a love interest. I know what I'm going to get when I go watch Julia Roberts.
Anastasia Edwards:So I think in the beginning it's important to get to kind of sort of identify your bread and butter types is what I call it. But what's important is to identify your branding, your through line essence. That's like an umbrella that doesn't matter who you play in terms of status or in terms of the environment or in terms of the period world or whatever. That essence through line is gonna come across, and so we're. But we need to figure out what are your main sort of colors in your palette in order to identify that. And we have to simplify it enough to where we can market it, right. If it's too vague, so, like in the beginning, if you only lead with your essence, I am a corky da da, da, da da da. I kind of have an idea, but it's still not specific. So we need to bring in the type and the essence to really kind of put a bow on it, right. And then the personal side. It's kind of like adding more holistic side to it. And both of you guys are multi hyphenate and multi right, and I think there's more and more conversation in our industry in regards to that.
Anastasia Edwards:No longer actors are just stick to your one lane, like. People want to know like, yeah, like where did you come from, what do you believe in, what are you, you know, what are your skills at, what are your experiences, your life experience. They translate oftentimes in the TV film, right. So again, there's this craving and that's why actors get upset at influencers that they're just getting you know TV series right off the bat and all that stuff. It's because they have a relatable, understood, specific brand. Which means what it means guaranteed butts and seats in movie theaters. It means you know revenue and so many actors. You know social media is a free marketing tool. They don't even put that they're an actor in a bio.
Amanda DeBraux:Oh, my gosh, I know I went through that recently. I go through people's profile like you're an actor. I can't tell, but I'm curious. So can you give us an example of what you would say to a client and I want both of your feedbacks on this on, if your client was coming in, what would it be like, a through line that you would have them create and say Like what are some examples, so that you can kind of let other people ruminate through those thoughts and go, oh, that's a great example. Okay, let me start thinking about that for myself.
Anastasia Edwards:Yeah. So I'm not the type of coach where you come in and tell me, anna, what's my brand and I'm like here you go bye-bye, because you're more than that, right, you're more than just a quirky girl next door. Girl next door, by the way, is the most overused term, and quirky, what the heck does that mean? What? In which way are you quirky? Are you quirky because you're goofy? Are you quirky because you eccentric? Are you correct? So there's these terms that have been thrown around. So we get to work, which means we collect a lot of data.
Anastasia Edwards:So it's not just Anna's opinion on what you are. We look at. There's a whole system. The framework that I walk actors through, but essentially the broader framework of it is, is that we look at the outside feedback. We look at and there's ways of collecting that outside feedback of the perception that we cannot ignore. We look at what we know about ourselves to be true, right, so we literally write it all out. We look at.
Anastasia Edwards:Even oftentimes people say don't ask friends and family because they're biased and they don't know. Yes, but they also know us inside and out. They know the good, the bad and the ugly. We know when we're being a bitch and stubborn or we're this or we're naive, right? So that's also an important Pete, like what you know about your personal inventory, so your previous casting history, or just like external perception, internal data, and then the vision. Because if can you get away with you know, quirky girl next door, if it's working for you, sure, but if, like, then you have to ask kind of bigger questions like where am I going? Because, also a lot of actors, then they get stuck in these co-star land, right, like, yes, you get super, super specific and it breaks you in the door and the coast are level, but then it doesn't allow you to grow a career. And so that's where I find that you know you become more known and so the type sort of goes away. Your theme, your through line, your essence stays consistent. So where are you going? And then we're looking at, like what kind of career you want to have, what kind of stories do you want to tell, what kind of impact you want to make, what worlds do you build, right, like, so it's deeper questions.
Anastasia Edwards:But if we're not tapped into that vision, then it's easy to get sort of too buried in the. You know, like you get excited about the first couple of coasters. And then you're like, yeah, but that's not what I got into this industry, like I didn't get into this industry to be a quirky girl in the next door and say one line and get out Like I want to have an artistic voice. And, granted, that artistic voice may not come to life through, you know, disney and Paramount right now, but there are a lot of incredible independent filmmakers that are higher tier, that you can connect with and build the vehicle and visibility and buzz around the vision that you want to share. Right, that also taps into your essence. So, to give you like a quick version, essentially I don't give you your brand. We discover it together because it has to feel aligned and good to you, because that's when it then becomes labally and we explore that together.
Anastasia Edwards:The thing is that I, the more and I'm sure you guys can relate to this to like the more we coach, the more we customize the process. At least that's what I found for me, right, like I remember in the beginning, I, when I was starting coaching, I just wanted to give a solution. So bad, I'm like you come to me a problem, there you go Right. And the more we coach, the more I see actors with different backgrounds and situations and beliefs and resistance, and so my ideal coaching scenario is when we brainstorm stuff together and we come to a solution that feels aligned versus you like well, but Anna said, and then you just sort of like kind of like a robot or it can work for you for so long, but then when Anna's out of the picture, you don't know what you're doing right. So so that's why we brainstorm the stuff together, we customize it and we test it out. I'm a big proponent for testing it out. There's no black and white.
Amanda DeBraux:Yeah, that's brilliant, no right.
Anastasia Edwards:Yeah, you have to test it out.
Amanda DeBraux:You get just like creating a new product right, you got to test it out in the field, but what would be like a one liner that can get you and a client, or the client and you came up with that has propelled their career in the way they actually want to like.
Anastasia Edwards:Yeah, so there's a tagline and then there's a branding statement. Right, it's all in the way how we articulate. Yeah, so there are different ways, right? Some people do the cross celebrity comparison, some people do like just essence based. So again, I customize the process based on the actor. For some we identify the through line and we go into types. For some we just run with, like I think I'm trying to you know, it's always like you put me on the side it's like who, what, when I'm trying to remember like a line, so like I have a client who always plays essentially sophisticated, irresistible bad boys, and it doesn't matter if that.
Anastasia Edwards:So the sophisticated talks about the status that he often plays and it's not always true for every actor. For some it's fluid, for some it's irresistible. He has that charm and that flirt and it doesn't matter what character he plays at, that charm just plays into it. And there's an edgy kind of badass bad boy care and the bad boy, that bad boy could be a lawyer, that bad boy could be a boyfriend, that bad boy could be like it doesn't necessarily mean love interest, because he essentially plays that in like variety of different ways. So that's just like a quick, you know, but I also have had clients who we did the celebrity cross comparisons and the celebrity cross conferences. Comparisons could be tricky because some industry people love it and people industry people hate it. Right can come off cringe like I am the next person to talk about that. But I think what's important is to talk about the essence right, like the, you know, like the eccentric cork of this celebrity needs the eccentric right. So so, in my view, as far as our how to articulate your brand, it's good to have several ways of articulating it so that we have an expanded version of it on the website and an EPK and we have another, perhaps a quick one, in the email, in the email signature and then in a pitch to a filmmaker versus an Asian manager is going to look different.
Anastasia Edwards:But the big thing with articulating it is that it has to be backed up by your materials. If you say you are the next I don't know sophisticated, resistible bad boy, and then I see something completely different, actually hurting yourself, but in my view, like you cannot, If you, when you can say it, explain it, you understand it yourself better and then it gives you clarity enough to then build branding and package around it and then there's a branding statement which to me, is different. So the branding statement to me is like what do you bring to the table right now as an artist? So that's when you can say you know, an award-winning Russian, american or whatever your ethnicity is right, an actor and producer with an extensive theater background and corporate experience. You know, like, whatever it's like, it's a summary of like your and with personal branding. I recommend choosing like three lanes and it usually taps into either your experience or background or beliefs or that you gonna talk about and be known for.
Anastasia Edwards:And I think the idea of personal branding becomes more and more important because you guys know that this is the handsome comedian Matt Rifle, ruffle, whatever guy I'm butchering his last name super, like, hot, like funny. Yeah, matt Rifle, yeah, matt Rifle, right, right, right. And he was in the comedy scene from ages until you know, he got on TikTok and he had this base of, like you know, screaming and girl fans that literally made Netflix to offer him up a show, right? So that's what I'm saying, like, if you create enough of a base that people understand who you are and what you believe in, what you support and what you good at, those people will come to you so, but oftentimes actors are hiding, they're not visible, and oftentimes it's because we don't know what we bring to the table or we don't want to be that actor Like we're still again, there's this big separation between us as an artist and us as a business, and in a current environment we can no longer separate the two.
Janel Koloski:No, you can't in any business, and I keep reminding people, it's a fashion and entertainment industry. You are deciding to be in an industry. If you don't worry about making money, then you can do things that you won't be paid for, but if you actually want to make a career out of it, you have to pay attention that it is a business and an industry that you've entered into. Oh my gosh, you're all these great gems. As Amanda will say, we only have a little bit of time left. I'd love to know more, and you've been sharing tidbits about like the special sauce and what you have to offer our listeners. You've like workshops coming up?
Anastasia Edwards:Yeah, and I just want to piggy-bone off your point, I want 100% agree. If you just want to be an artist with a big A right, there's like you can act without making a living out, like there's communities, theater, there's student films, like just be an act, just enjoy. But if you say you want to make money from your artistry, we have to look at the business side. So I completely agree with you. Yes, so one of the pillars that I coach on obviously is branding is the foundation of everything. So my private roster is currently full and I have a membership, but it's outside of those two things. I have a branding course that I launched last year because branding has been the number one thing that actors were coming to me for over and over and over and over again.
Anastasia Edwards:And like I said, a lot of agents and managers are starting sending me people to help with that, and so I am doing a free masterclass, a webinar, for actors. So we're gonna essentially break it down, what I call a branding umbrella, what branding means, so we can talk about type, essence and the personal, and there's gonna be plenty of examples. So you know how I just blanked on a bunch of examples. There's gonna be a plenty of examples that I'm gonna literally walk you through my clients and they're like kind of like the framework that I coach on. We're gonna address the marketing mistakes that I see actors make over and over and over again. There are two really big ones that literally costing you jobs you guys like those that are listening and I'm gonna tap into the personal story, the personal brand aspect, because that's not really talked enough about and I think that both are equally important. So those are the three main sort of things that I'm gonna touch on the masterclass and it's completely free.
Anastasia Edwards:I have clients from 14 to 73, us, uk, canada, australia and I'm telling you like, no matter the age, the ethnicity, the background, the system works. It's worked for me, it's working for my clients, so I just wanna get more eyeballs on it and share it with more people. So I would love to those listening come in and check it out and whether you decide to invest in the branding course with me or not, you will 1000% get a lot from the masterclass itself. I hate those webinars where, just like a sales pitch throughout the whole thing, like you will actually get the value and if you wanna take it deeper and further with me, there you go. So I'm excited to share it and thank you for giving me the platform to share that.
Amanda DeBraux:Absolutely so. When is it and how do they sign up?
Anastasia Edwards:Yes, so the link I believe would be shared, hopefully right in the show notes. It's a. I think it's a WW branding masterclass. I'm gonna mess up the link. It's a long link so I hope you guys get to like click on that thing in the show notes. The dates that's a good question. It's in March. I think it's 20th, 22nd and 24th, but I might be messing up the date. So I hope you guys back me up on this and everything.
Amanda DeBraux:Either way, in the show notes you'll have it.
Anastasia Edwards:Yeah, it's March and so far I'm not really genuinely planning on doing any replays, so I really hope for those listening will be able to catch me live, and it's at the end of March, essentially.
Amanda DeBraux:Yeah, what would you like to share for anyone out there who may have an inkling of doubt or hesitation or fear around the next steps and their career as an artist and actor in this industry? Actress.
Anastasia Edwards:I think just shut off the noise for a second and just ask yourself do I still wanna do it, why do I still wanna do it and what do I wanna do with it? Like, I think we often lose a why? Right, as we get busy being busy and all these opinions and the noise, and we turn around. And who are we doing this for? Sometimes we're doing it because we're just spent 10 years doing it, sometimes because we're so, and if you find that you know what, I don't really want it as much it's just not anymore than it's okay to leave and then come back. I have so many clients who in their 50s and their 60s I have a 73 year old client who said Tyler Perry is waiting for me and she just flew to like I was like amazing, so it's never late. I just wanna say this idea of like TikTok, tiktok, that's all bullshit that we put in our head. Right, there are no time limits. So ask, have this honest conversation, and if the answer is yes, let's fucking go right. Then we're looking at okay, what's the game plan? Where are we going and why are we going? What's the intent? Right? Why are we taking this casting director workshop? Why are we getting these headshots? Why?
Anastasia Edwards:And my big thing is for actors to again take agency in the business, knowing what you sell. Have a strong package. Build your team nationally and internationally. It's more and more projects on Netflix are international and more projects are being cast out of regional markets. Build your team and go directly to decision makers. Don't call up showrunner producer yet. If you're like, know where you're at and what you can offer, right. So it's a beneficial relationship. But you cannot play small if you want to have visibility and impact in this business. So I'm very big on that. Like, stop playing. If you want it, let's go right, but if you like, do I want Take a break.
Amanda DeBraux:It's fine.
Amanda DeBraux:Yeah, we've all taken a break at a certain point, like you said, and I love that because Janelle like drills the why Know your, why know your, why For everybody who's been having the audience member from us from the beginning until now, confirmation y'all, as Janelle has always been saying, the why.
Amanda DeBraux:Recognize the why you're doing it and be honest with yourself. And, like I say, it's like, tap into your inner self, understand where you are. Because if you're going into those rooms not knowing your voice, and how can you voice your brand, how can you voice the fact that you want to be an actor? You know how many times I and the reason why I said that was because I struggled with it for so long and now I walk into the room like I am a Bronx Spicey gal, you know, and that's who I am and I don't apologize for it, even if I stumble and like I did earlier, and I'm like, yeah, that's me, I'm a human, get over it. We all have that and it's okay. And it took me a while, too, to understand that it's okay.
Anastasia Edwards:So, yeah, and no one is confident 100% of the time. That's all an illusion, right, it's just. But taking action will allow you. And I just want to speak to, because what you said is to the. I think if the reason this industry feels unstable for a lot of actors is because we are unstable and financially, so we put the pressure on our arts to deliver and time we putting the pressure, I have to make it by blah blah blah time, and if I don't make blah blah blah money, I am not a real actor. So but if that's why I like what you guys talk about multi hyphenate in the business and everything is like, if you are financially secure and you have all the interest in life and you know what you bring to the table, you just you relate to yourself differently, you show up differently, you talk to people differently, and so I think a lot of this instability comes from the internal, like just instability as a human right. So there's this broader kind of.
Janel Koloski:It makes you more confident. Like Amanda, I don't like to be afraid of anything, but it doesn't mean I'm fearless, it's just that it's there and then I do whatever and I'm like, oh, not afraid anymore. Survive didn't I, amanda? And I have this podcast. I was pissed because there was some casting directors where I was so afraid of, which I know is silly, but it doesn't matter. So I was like let's just talk to them and ask them these questions that were you know, and obviously fine, and yeah. And then the multi hyphenate creative is important, because it's like you just gonna put your whole life on hold and not do other things you enjoy, not working in an industry that you wanna work in, and other capacities. I just don't know. You gotta make sure that you're working industry. You wanna be in making those connections, doing what you love, using all your talents. Because you know, amanda and I wanna do a lot more TV and we're doing steps, but you don't know when that's gonna happen, so you can do all this stuff on the way. You know it's good.
Amanda DeBraux:Oh, Amanda. Yes, thank you so much. Thank you so much for joining us on this episode.
Janel Koloski:Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Mindset Artistry.
Amanda DeBraux:We hope you found our stories and tips motivating and helpful.
Janel Koloski:Be sure to follow us here on Spotify for more episodes to help you master the art of your mindset.