SO YOUR CHILD WANTS TO BE AN ACTOR

Welcome to the 10 Talent Blog/Vlog! A bit about 10 Talent; I am Sarah Matton, Founder and Director. For over a decade I have worked professionally in the field of musical theatre. In the fall of 2021, I expanded and brought on another Agent who has first-hand knowledge and experience in the Industry, Jessica Cvitkovic. We have worked together on stage, and now as a team at 10 Talent. We hope to provide tips to all Artists in the Industry. We hope you enjoy!

We get a lot of email submissions from parents who are very green and don’t quite know the ins and outs of this industry. Afterall this is a business, and it needs to be approached like one, no matter the age. Here are a few recommendations for parents who think their kid may be ready for the big screen:

1 | Sign your child up for Acting Classes. This is the absolute first step. Before you even entertain the idea of getting representation you need to get some kind of experience behind a camera with training. You also need to see if your child really enjoys it or if it’s a 5-minute fling.

2 | Make sure your Acting training is reputable. We look for ON CAMERA CLASSES on a resume. For those who are in the GTA, we recommend Armstrong Acting Studio, as they have children’s classes and Casting Directors know who they are. We can’t speak to every small-town acting school but please do your homework and make sure your coach has a professional Acting Resume.

3 | Have your Acting coach help piece together a resume. If you don’t have professional experience yet feel free to include Awards, hobbies, special skills, and training that applies to the industry.

4 | Get a decent headshot. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars because realistically you will need new headshots every couple of years as your child grows up, but make sure your child’s photo is current and accurate.

5 | Look for a reputable agent on the ACTRA website. There are some Agencies that specialize with Youth. https://www.actratoronto.com/agents-directory/. Remember, there should be no up-front fees to be represented. We get paid when you get paid through commission only.

What does this look like for you?
As your child is a minor, all correspondents will go through you. You will be the one to read the lines of a script off camera, edit the videos for self-tapes and upload the material. You will be the one to drive your child to call-backs, wardrobe fittings and will also be required to accompany your child on set all day. This is a huge commitment from the parents and can feel like another job. We notice there is a learning curve for all new parents, and it can take weeks or months to get the hang of it. Once your child has an audition or self-tape, it is expected that it will be done.

What does this look like for your child?
This industry can be very difficult because there is not a lot of feedback. Even when your child is doing great auditions but not booking the job, it can be very disheartening to them, and even make them want to give up. It is very important to have an ongoing conversation with your child so they understand that they may go in for 10 things and be lucky to book 1 job. Children need to really enjoy the process over the outcome, or they will grow tired of doing it.

a passion versus a career

Welcome to the 10 Talent Blog/Vlog! A bit about 10 Talent, I am Sarah Matton, Founder and Director. For over a decade I have worked professionally in the field of musical theatre. In the fall of 2021, I expanded and brought on another Agent who has first-hand knowledge and experience in the Industry, Jessica Cvitkovic. We have worked together on stage, and now as a team at 10 Talent. We hope to provide some tips to all Artists in the Industry.

This is a little bit of tough love for the Graduates of Theatre school this year…

When I entered the industry in my early 20’s I was proud that I was doing something I loved to do. Many people I knew were going to school without a career in mind and I knew I was going to be a dancer. Dance was my passion, and I was going to make it a career! The reality of this is when you make your passion your career, there will be things you don’t want to do, or things that make your passion less fun because it is now your job. You will have to say no other things in life. You will spend more time working on your craft than being booked and blessed. You will hear the word no, wayyy more than yes. At the end of the day, there is only so much you can control. You need to stay in your lane and stay SELF-MOTIVATED. This is regardless of what job is coming up or not. There needs to be a mental shift when you take your passion to the next level. Here are some important reminders:

1| No one is going to make you train. Not a teacher, not your agent, no one. If you don’t care the most about your career, why should anyone else?

2| There are endless reasons why this just isn’t a good time to take class (no money, too busy with a side hustle, family, etc.) There will always be a reason to hit the snooze button or why now is not a good time. Just be honest with yourself and your “why.”

3| The gold stars are gone. If you are waiting for someone to applaud you for going to class, don’t. This is a requirement of your job and most of the time there is a direct correlation with those who train and those who work.

Still want to stick around? Good. It’s time to get to work.

The Climate of the Theatre Industry

Welcome to the 10 Talent Blog/Vlog! A bit about 10 Talent, I am Sarah Matton, Founder and Director. For over a decade I have worked professionally in the field of musical theatre. In the fall of 2021, I expanded and brought on another Agent who has first-hand knowledge and experience in the Industry, Jessica Cvitkovic. We have worked together on stage, and now as a team at 10 Talent. We hope to provide some tips to all Artists in the Industry.

We are loving the opening nights, social media posts and seeing LIVE theatre with so many talented Artists. We are feeling cautiously optimistic about the future as we are all navigating the new normal. If you are still here, bravo. It has been a long hard journey and we are not there yet. We wanted to share a few things we have been noticing. We hope this will remind all the Artists out there that you are in the same boat and feeling the same feelings.

Artists are out of practice, and not with their craft, but with auditions. Everyone is overthinking! There are more worries about getting into the room, selecting material, and even choosing an outfit. The stakes seem so high because there are less auditions and less work. “God, I hope I get it” has reached a new level. We believe Artists are out of practice in hearing the word “No” 10xs for every one “Yes.” Because of this, things sting a little more. Please remember your value is not measured by your craft. It will take time to build up a thick skin again.

Theatre Truths (from our perspective):

1| Shows that are happening in 2022 have smaller casts. There are literally less jobs out there. Theatres are still being conservative and trying to be profitable. For many theatres, seats are not selling out yet.

2| Not every show happening is right for you. Shout out to the ensemble dancers. Right now, theatres are casting smaller shows, and everyone needs to be able to cover. If you are a killer dancer, but the singing and acting chops are not equally strong, there are less opportunities right now.

3| For 2023, It looks like some theatres are going to bring back shows that were previously cancelled in 2020. There will be first right of refusal in some cases so there may not even be auditions for a show that is happening.

4| There are more requests for self submissions. All Actors should be subscribed to E-Drive with Equity and checking the submission requests of each theatre. Make sure you are in contact with your agent when you are self submitting. Agents don’t love the self submission requests, but respect what the Artistic Directors want to see.

5| It looks like the vaccination requirements are here to stay for the next little while (2023/2024???). For any Artist who is not vaccinated, unfortunately you are not able to be engaged in an Equity agreement.

This is not meant to crush hope but to help manage expectations. These truths are completely out of one’s control. But what can you be doing while you wait? Practice. Practice. Practice! Wouldn’t it be great if Artists organized an audition night and started putting themselves out there in front of their peers? Auditioning used to feel like second nature but now it is a foreign concept – especially in person. We see auditioning as an opportunity to bring your ideas to a character for a day. Make a strong choice. If it’s wrong, great. Be ready for the redirect.

Are you ready for an Agent?

Welcome to the 10 Talent Blog/Vlog! A bit about 10 Talent, I am Sarah Matton, Founder and Director. For over a decade I have worked professionally in the field of musical theatre. In the fall of 2021, I expanded and brought on another Agent who has first-hand knowledge and experience in the Industry, Jessica Cvitkovic. We have worked together on stage, and now as a team at 10 Talent. We hope to provide some tips to all Artists in the Industry.

Usually, the first thing that an Actor thinks about once they graduate Theatre or Film School is getting an agent, but not everyone is ready for an agent right away. If you are submitting to multiple agencies and not getting replies, here are a few reasons why:

1| Perhaps you need more training. Theatre school is incredible and has a lot to offer, but once you graduate, the training doesn’t stop. If you are pursuing film and tv, you should be taking film classes on a regular basis. If you are pursing Musical theatre, you should be taking singing lessons, etc.

2| Perhaps you need more experience. If your resume is made up of training, awards, and special skills, it may be time to do some leg work and get involved in your industry. Are you on Acting platforms such as Casting Workbook or Mandy? These platforms allow you to self-submit on Student films, and non-union projects. Are you following Casting Directors on social media to stay up to date on what projects they are involved in? These are a few ways you can book your own work to get started.

3| Perhaps you don’t know who you are yet. It is a top priority to know who you are as an Actor and what you bring to the table. Talent who submit packages who are interested in “everything” are difficult to categorize. This is not trying to put you in a box, this is needing to know where you THRIVE as an Artist. Where are we putting our energy and what are your very specific short- and long-term goals? This is also a great opportunity to figure out what sets you apart from who they already rep on their roster.

4| Perhaps you need to do more homework. General emails will get a general response or no response at all. How can you be more creative with your submission package to stand out? Maybe you need to rework your demo footage or get new headshots. If you don’t have professional headshots, a resume and a proper demo, your chances are slim.
*Tip* If you know actors who are represented, you can you ask what they did to get a meeting with your desired agency.

5| Perhaps timing isn’t on your side. As a smaller agency, we are very careful not to take on too many clients at once. If we just took on a new client, we will be focused on getting them up and running. There is a learning curve, and we don’t want to spread ourselves too thin.

DANCE INJURIES 101

Dance Injuries 101

Welcome to the 10 Talent Blog! After chatting with Chiropractor Dr. Stephen Gray, he gave us 4 tips on how to heal your body and not become “the injured one.”

YOU CAN CONTACT STEPHEN AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS BLOG POST!

Over the years, Dr Stephen Gray has seen performer after performer go through injuries forcing them to miss out on auditions, opening nights, or even inhibit themselves from showing off their full skill set of tricks, flips, and stunts! He has seen dancers slowly become labelled “the injured one” and how over time, it squeezed them out of the jobs and into a second career. What do you do when you are injured during a show? What do you do when you’re injured right during audition season? Below Dr. Stephen Gray outlines a few selfcare routes you can go, with the risks and rewards associated.

1| DO NOTHING

One old school mentality about physical injury is to always promote rest. There are definitely times when rest is the best option, but it should not always be the go-to response for physical aches and pains. For example, if you have a muscle knot causing the majority of your pain, resting is not going to undo that knot at all. To work through a trigger point like that, our bodies need mobilization and oxygen. This is often why I am prescribing exercises as a go to list for patients to use to find pain relief through movement. Sometimes, gentle activation of the muscle forces new blood flow, bringing with it fresh oxygen and nutrients and taking out carbon dioxide and waste/inflammation by-products. Listen to your body, but also listen to research that tells us to keep things moving. Remember, ‘motion is lotion’!

2| ICE/HEAT

Ice or heat? This truly is the ‘tale as old as time’. Here’s my take on this one: ice slows down inflammation and heat speeds up inflammation. This may sound over simplified, but by using this general rule, we understand how and when to use ice or heat. When we have damage in our bodies, our cells rupture in that area releasing the cytosol or the fluid in the cell. In this fluid are teeny, tiny chemical messengers called chemokines. These chemokines are released during the damage and then help signal cells involved in the inflammatory process (repairing, rebuilding, clearing up). You can see how these chemokines are very necessary when we injure ourselves. However, these chemokines also irritate free nerve endings, causing a lot of the pain associated with an injury. If we apply ice to the area, we slow down the inflammation process, so we get less chemokines irritating our nerves, however we slow down the repair process, too. If you simply want to decrease your pain, go for the ice. If you can stand the pain and the swelling isn’t too much, maybe skip the ice. Heat will most likely increase pain and is never my go to initially with an injury. However, after a few days, some heat actually helps that repair and inflammatory process out, so it may be worth considering. One warning with heat though is myositis ossificans. This is a condition where too much heat is applied to a soft tissue injury leading to the body laying down calcium in that injured tissue (aka growing a bone in your muscle). This is one reason I also warn not to use too much heat when dealing with a torn muscle for example.

3| SELF MASSAGE

If you are out of town or unable for whatever reason to seek out care from a licensed healthcare professional, then you may want to consider some at home manual therapy. I think self-massage is great, although sometimes hard to execute at home, especially if you live alone! For that reason, I suggest doing a more active self-treatment using a small ball. I prefer a small, dense ball to a foam roller for muscle work at home, because it can get into more specific areas of tension, and I find it also pins muscles for active stretching more effectively. For at home use, I typically approach it from one of two perspectives. Am I trying to follow the tissue direction rolling with or against the fibres (effleurage versus cross friction)? If I can add active movement to my pass, even better. For most muscle passes, think of a way you can pin a ball between your body and the floor or a wall. From there, try to either actively work that muscle you are pinning or even better, actively use the muscle and roll the ball along the muscle tissue, simultaneously. If this seems too complicated, simply applying pressure to a muscle knot for 10-30 seconds without movement also has a lot of therapeutic value. If anatomy is not your thing, look up a muscle stretch on YouTube and then get creative with what you have around the house! You may be surprised at how much relief you can accomplish simply by rolling and stretching various muscles at home.

4| SEEK OUT CARE

There comes a time when getting professional advice is always the best option. Seeking out a licensed healthcare professional with the ability to diagnose in their scope of practice will definitely help cut out a lot of wasted time. The only way you are going to heal fully and prevent subacute or chronic development is by getting to the root of your issue. When you do finally seek care, make sure you get all your questions answered. When I see patients for the first time, not only am I getting to know them, how they move, and what their goals are from our time together, but I spend a lot of time educating and giving suggestions on how to improve function, endurance, relieve pain, and truly understand what their bodies are going through. Finding the right support when injured, from someone who also understands your craft makes all the difference.

When it comes to injuries as a performer, they are no joke. Injuries can lead to lost time training, working, and doing what you love. Next time you are feeling some physical aches and pains, listen to your body and treat your instrument with the same respect a pilot treats their plane, or a painter treats their brushes. For more information, please check out http://www.madetomove.ca or email hello@madetomove.ca.

BOOKING THE SOC Commercial

Sarah Sheps of MANN Casting shares some tips on SOC

This Blog is for every Actor who questions themselves, feels stagnant in their craft or is just interested in more training! We believe it always goes back to the training and putting in the work. We were lucky enough to get some insight from one of the busiest Casting Companies in the city. Sarah Sheps from MANN Casting shares some incredible tips to help book the SOC (aka Silent On Camera) Commercial:

YOU CAN FOLLOW MANN CASTING ON FACEBOOK

 

1 | Actors are confused about what to do for SOC. Can they talk? How much? Should other people be involved off camera if there are no lines?

YES- you can always talk (unless it specifically says do not). When you shoot the real commercial, you will be talking they just won’t be rolling sound. Try and make it as real and natural as you can. If talking to someone off camera helps, go for it – but this is not needed.

2 | Comedy for TV; A lot of Theatre Actors are really funny, and they get self-tapes but aren’t booking. Why do you think this is?

It is a crazy industry that requires patience. For commercials everything is so subtle so watch your tape back and remember the camera is right on you – very different then theatre – We are looking for subtle nuanced performances.

3 | Slate: What do you want to see? Close up? Full body? To the point? Personable?

Make sure you follow the instructions posted. Sometimes we need very specific information. It’s always great to see a full body shot.

4 | Setting: Do you want the real deal in a car or the blue backdrop?

Either is fine. Since we are self-taping in our home, we have the luxury of being in bed/cooking in the kitchen etc. – The most important thing is we see you, and for zoom recalls that you have a strong internet connection. Rule of thumb is if you can’t see the camera it can’t see you.

5 | How many takes if it doesn’t specify?

TWO- and always make sure you show some range. Sometimes it looks like you just uploaded the same take twice. We need to see variety and that you have range.
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Q + A with Acting Coach Jane Moffat

10 Talent interviews Acting Coach Jane Moffat

Welcome to the 10 Talent Blog/Vlog! A bit about myself… I am Sarah Matton, Founder and Director of 10 Talent Management. Over the past decade I have worked professionally in the field of musical theatre. I’m also the Co-Creator of the only temp agency for dance teachers in Canada, Quick Ball Change. I’ve been inspired to start a mini series blog to share my knowledge as well as speak to those who work professionally in the industry. This is just meant to be an informal chat so we can hopefully all learn something and I hope you enjoy!

This Blog is for every Actor who questions themselves, feels stagnant in their craft or is just interested in more training! I believe it always goes back to the training and putting in the work. I was lucky enough to interview Actor and Coach, Jane Moffat. I especially appreciated her tips on self tapes! 

YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT JANE MOFFAT AND HER CLASSES AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS BLOG POST!

 

Jane Moffat has been a professional actor for 41 years and an acting teacher/coach for 25 years. She studied acting at The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in Los Angeles and was fortunate to work with Lee Strasberg himself. She then went on to work and study at The Actors Studio in New York for four years. In 2008, Jane received a Chalmers grant to attend a Method Acting, Teaching and Directing workshop in Asolo, Italy to further refine her studies.
Jane is now based in Toronto where she continues to act and audition in the industry. “I love being able to bring back to the classroom what I do on set and to practice on set what I teach in the classroom!”
Jane’s approach to acting is influenced by Lee Strasberg’s Method and draws from other seminal teachers as well. “I focus on relaxation and emotional release in order to identify and act on impulse as well as some script analysis and imaginative work.”

1 | What do you notice most actors are lacking today?

I would say that would be trust in themselves. It’s not about actors today in particular though. Trust is something I believe we innately have but when we try something and we “fail” enough or if we are shamed or misinterpret formative feedback as a shaming, then we start to watch, control and second-guess our thoughts, feelings and impulses. We no longer trust that we and our choices can be truly great.

2 | Common mistake Actors make walking in the room?

In my opinion the biggest mistake is not believing the people in the room are rooting for you! They want you to be the one! Think about it: you’ve been chosen to audition for a particular role by the person holding the audition-the casting director. That means they think you are right for the role. So you’re on the courts! The people in the room hope it works for both you and them.

Sometimes we don’t give the best auditions in which case you get a few more chances to prove yourself capable. However, MOST OF THE TIME it has nothing to do with whether you nailed the audition or not. It comes down to whether you look enough like the lead to be cast as their sister or son or whether you have blonde hair or dark curly hair. In some cases you just remind the producer of their Ex. and until you no longer remind them of their Ex. they’ll never cast you.

3 | The importance of a demo reel

Huge. You must have one. Sometimes casting happens off a demo! Because we are in the digital age it is easier than ever to get or make material for a reel. If you’re looking for representation and out of five submissions yours is the only one lacking a demo, the other four actors have an advantage over you and as we know, acting is a very competitive business. They get seen, you don’t. .

4 | What are some tips for a good self-tape

  1.  IF it’s a big shot at something pay for a coaching/self tape. I do this for folks all the time. It’s worth the money as you get a coach, reader and camera person all in one! On average, though I’d say you can do at home with your phone or tablet.
  2.  If you’re doing at home you still need someone to shoot it and read for you. Your reader ideally should be someone who reads well-can connect a little bit and can get through a scene clean. Your reader should not be so loud that it distracts from your audition.
  3.  If you are doing a lot of self tapes, go online and order a light with a stand and a tripod for your phone or tablet. It will immediately make your tape look more professional. Depending on the color of your walls you can also get a backdrop screen in mottled blue or gray like they have in casting studios.
  4. Shoot your audition tight from just above the chest and leave just a little room up top above the head. We should be able to tell the color of your eyes! Film the rehearsal and then play it back to check the level of the performance. When you watch it is the tone right? Is it naturalistic? Is it compelling? Then you can make adjustments before you do takes.
  5.  Know where the scene takes place and look around. You don’t have to eye lock the reader-it’s unnatural. I place an imaginary door on one side of the room and a window on the other and I find a place during scene to look at one or both. Different eye lines for different folks in the scene-make the reader the character you interact with the most and then choose where the others would be.

5 | How Do Actors learn their angles for film?

I’ve personally never been concerned with that. If you think you have a better side then you can try always to favor that side. The rest comes from experience. You start to become more aware of the camera (in a good way) and you do need that but in the beginning showing you are present and able to listen really well is more important. Rule of thumb is if you can’t see the camera it can’t see you.

6 | What are some things actors can do on their own to hone their skills?

Take class! Take technique class and scene study and on camera! My class is a combination. Also, read everything you can on acting and actors and technique and acting history-please! Watch films and great series-as a pro! You are watching to learn (and yes you can still eat popcorn ).

Everything you learn in class along with what you read and watch has to be implemented-constantly. Otherwise you won’t develop yourself and your artistry. .

7 | What courses do you offer that could be most beneficial for Film Actors?

I have an on camera scene study class Thursday night at 7 pm at Milestones casting. I also do a Method intensive occasionally. The next one will most likely be in October.

This class is a must if you find you watch yourself when you are performing, that you always feel the need to indicate feelings rather than actually be emotionally available and if you are chronically nervous in auditions or when performing.

7b | When?

The next On camera session starts October 3rd and folks can sign up anytime at https://janemoffat.org/

This class will fill up quickly as there are only 12 spots and a number of those who are in the current session will be signing up for the next one as well. So if you are interested I would suggest enrolling soon. I had a waiting list for September.

8 | What are your recommendations for Musical Theatre Actors who want to do commercial work?

Remember commercials are about look and personality. Look the part and have fun in the room. Don’t stress about lines. Learn them conversationally by doing out loud so you don’t surprise yourself when you open your mouth at the audition! If you blow a line nobody cares-it happens. They just want you to let it go and do another take. If it’s seen on camera only-no lines, then just go for it! But as though it were for real. .

9 | What advice would you give Actors who are up and coming?

Keep focused on the work. Nobody ever arrives. If you start thinking you don’t need to learn anymore, other people will pick up on that and it’s a big turn off. It will get in your way if you really want to be a fine actor ( and Human). .

10 | What advice would you give actors who you feel they have hit a plateau?

Question why that is? Get feedback on your work and auditions. You may have got yourself into a pattern and are not inspired.

If a plateau is about not getting bigger roles or auditions for bigger roles than it has to do with your acting. You have come up against your limitations-which is exciting because you can “fix” that by working in a class or with a coach privately.

If the plateau is about not booking. Again, if you’re not booking small roles it’s most likely your acting. If you have recently moved up to supporting lead and lead auditions congrats! But here’s the thing-you may now have a booking ratio of 1 out of 30 instead of 1 out of 3 because everybody you’re competing against is just as good as you or better and some of them may be more established. So then it’s a matter of letting go of the audition immediately after and making sure you have other things in your life other than acting or you will lose your mind waiting for a booking. I speak from experience. I now meditate daily and do spiritual! and personal development in the morning. I also volunteer with an environmental action group. I do as much as I can that is outside of the acting world now in my life so that when I am not acting don’t feel like I cease to be.

https://janemoffat.org/

 

Makeup for Stage with Kristen Peace

10 TALENT: Meal Prep

Hi everyone. My name is Sarah Matton and I’m an entrepreneur. Over the past decade I have worked professionally in the field of musical theatre. I’m also the co-creator of the only temp agency for dance teachers in Canada, Quick Ball Change. I’ve been inspired to start an mini series vlog to share my knowledge as well as speak to those who work professionally in the industry. This is just meat to be an informal chat so we can hopefully all learn something and I hope you enjoy.

YOU CAN WATCH THE FULL VIDEO INTERVIEW AT THE END OF THIS BLOG POST!

Today we’re talking about hair and makeup. This is part two of the prep series on makeup. And I wanted to talk with the best in the biz. She is so creative in all aspects of her life. She is generous and hilarious on and off the stage. And she is so busy and she has taken the time to chat with me so thank you so much and welcome Kristen Peace.

1 | Kristen did you go to school to learn everything you know about hair and makeup?

I didn’t. Not at all. For me I think being someone who was an artistic person. Someone who painted a lot, I’ve always understood colour and shape and stuff like that. So it’s something that’s just always fun for me.

2 | When you play roles like Ursula or Paulette from Legally Blonde, if you don’t get a makeup plot how do you know what colours to use and where do you get your inspiration from?

I’m actually someone who prefers not to have the makeup plot. I find when people who don’t know your face give you a plot, there have been times when I have looked at it and it has been wrong for me. It’s going to be wrong for me, wrong for my face, and you’re not going to be happy with it. I’ve been very lucky that I work with people who trust me. So that I can say hey, this is what want to do, I have drawn up a picture of it, this is what it’s going to look like and I can do some test shots for you tonight so you can see what it’s going to look like. Most the time I have people who are great and just trust that I will give them, the best products that I possibly can. Ursula being a cartoon, and being such a well-known cartoon, you want to be able to pull in aspects of that cartoon but at the same time you need your face to be seen. So knowing that I’m not going to be able to paint my whole body purple or grey, I need to be able to just then contour purple or grey around my face to make my face be seen bur just get an illusion that I am a different colour. So I painted just the points of my face. The contoured points of my face my hands, my collar purple, so you don’t have to do a full body so people can actually see your face. And Paulette, she’s just to me she was just so there. Paulette was who she was you know. I felt like I knew her so well. And she was that girl she was like “ya know she’s like I want to be really fancy, but I don’t know what fancy is. So I do know that purple and like green and like blue are like my favourite colours so I’m going to put them on my face. “

(Sarah) Amazing

(Kristen) So for her that was just her. She wants to be so beautiful, it’s just all too much. Too much!

3 | do you have a rule on lashes? Do you wear them for every show? Do you change the length depending on the character?

I find it does depend on the character; it does depend on the show. I would suggest for people to know the show that they’re in really well. If you’re someone who’s playing…you know I’m off the street for Come From Away, I walk in, I rub some of this off! Like I rub it off and go on stage. I would never ever put lashes on for something like that. I would never put lashes on for a play, unless I was playing some severely glamorous creature, which I’m not going to play. You know what I mean so I wouldn’t do that. But for things like Rock of Ages you wear lashes. You wear 80s you go big 80s makeup for that. For character roles, like Mrs. Meers, you know I had made sure I had very spiky spider lashes for that

(Sarah) And beautiful nails.

(Kristen) You have to decide what the lash is for the person and you have to decide the lash that is good for the face because sometimes some people put very heavy lashes on and it completely closes their eyes off and you’ve got to be able to see their eyes.

4 | What is your red lipstick that you wear?

I have it here! (laughter) I use L’Oreal Paris actually the “Blake Collection” if you can see.

(Sarah) Amazing thank you!

(Kristen) This one has a nice matte to it. It has a really good blue undertone, which is what I need. I need things that are darker thicker richer because I am very pale, so I need to counter balance that with a red lipstick that has a blue undertone. A red lipsick that had a yellow or orange undertone, something that was too pail, pinky, coral, I look very sick. I look sicky, so…

(Sarah) So know your undertones

(Kristen) You have to know what your undertone is and you have to know your undertone of your makeup as well.

5 | Is there anything else in that bag that you can’t live without for a show?

I’ve got a couple really good things. OK this…my go to foundation, You’ve got to get yourself some Kat Von D. Can you see it’s really shiny?

(Sarah) I’ve never seen that before.

(Kristen) It’s fantastic. Buy yourself a brush. You don’t have to go cocoa beans with brushes. Like people get these crazy brush kits, and then they don’t use them. They don’t use them! Get yourself a foundation brush, a blush brush, you don’t need much more than that. But the Kat von D foundation is so good for our business and it’s high coverage. So its something if you wanted to wear it day to day, if your someone who doesn’t like a lot of foundation, little bit of your moisturizer, your daily moisturizer, little bit of this mix it up on your face. Great. But for stage it’s high coverage, easy to colour and paint on top of and it’s also not going to melt off your face. You can’t sweat it off, it’s incredible.

(Sarah) And where do you buy it?

(Kristen) Sephora

(Sarah) Sephora. Perfect.

(Krsiten) Kat von D. Kat von D’s entire line is magic. Is great.

6 | Any advice you have for emerging performers for makeup?

Lay off of the contour and highlight. There is nothing wrong with your nose. There’s nothing wrong. I have never seen ay performer in any audition come in and I think “that nose.” I haven’t. Your nose is fine. Your nose is beautiful. Stop screwing around with your nose. I’m seeing everyone come in with these brown lines and white stripes. And that’s not what contour and highlight is for. It’s meant for still shots and its meant in specific lighting and its meant by people who really really, really know how to change the shape of your face for a still shot. It’s not meant for day to day, and it’s not meant for auditions and its not meant for stage. Because you can see it! It doesn’t matter how much you blend it, you can see it. And there’s nothing wrong with the shape of your face and there’s nothing wrong with your nose. You have a nice big full cheek, don’t try to contour in cheek bones, Why? You’ve got beautiful big full cheeks, live them.

(Sarah) Embrace your cheeks

(Kristen) Give me your big full chubby cheeks. I want it. That’s what people want. They want to see your face. Stop trying to change the shape of your face. Stop it. You’re beautiful the way you are. Stop it.

(Sarah) I think that is such good advice because it’s so popular right now to contour. You know social media there’s so many makeup artists so it’s all over.

(Kristen) It’s constant. It’s all over instagram. It’s fine. You want to do it for fun, you want to play with your face, you’re like “ I want to drag myself out.” Then one hundred percent do it. I love it. Like you have to do that, sometimes. That’s really fun. But when we’re talking about day-to-day and we’re talking about auditions and we’re talking about all that kind of stuff. Don’t. You don’t need it. And especially if you’re using it as some kind of tool to be like I need to change the way I look, I need to change the way I am. Because clearly I’m seeing on all this stuff on instagram and everywhere on Facebook that’s telling me there’s something wrong with my nose so I need to get rid of my nose and I don’t have clout cheek bones so I need to create…There’s nothing wrong with your face. Your face is beautiful it’s your package you were given to travel the world in. Use your package!

Top 10 Takeaways

#1 You don’t need school to be good at makeup.

#2 Know your character when choosing makeup.

#3 You need your face to be seen.

#4 Lashes depend on the show and the character.

#5 Know your skin’s undertone and the makeup undertone.

#6 Kat Von D is great foundation for stage

#7 Get yourself a blush brush and a foundation brush.

#8 There is nothing wrong with your nose!

#9 You don’t need contour for the stage.

#10 Use your package!

How to Wig Prep featuring Wardrobe Technician Katelyn Low

10 TALENT: Wig Prep

Welcome to the 10 Talent Blog/Vlog! A bit about myself… I am Sarah Matton, Founder and Director of 10 Talent Management. Over the past decade I have worked professionally in the field of musical theatre. I’m also the Co-Creator of the only temp agency for dance teachers in Canada, Quick Ball Change. I’ve been inspired to start a mini series vlog to share my knowledge as well as speak to those who work professionally in the industry. This is just meant to be an informal chat so we can hopefully all learn something and I hope you enjoy!

YOU CAN WATCH THE FULL VIDEO INTERVIEW AT THE END OF THIS BLOG POST!

Today we’re talking about wig prep with the lovely Katelyn Low. She’s a very good friend of mine. She’s done all the things, she builds costumes for Stratford, she builds costumes for set life and she is the best dresser you will ever get. So today Katelyn is going to show us how to do a wig prep!

Katelyn: This is a mesh band that you start with just to basically slick the hair back so you get can get a nice hard hair line.
And then usually I slide this back just so that you can see the hairline. Then the next step is to do pin curling. So to do that all you need are bobby pins, you can find them anywhere. And you take sections of your hair generally about one inch size hair piece like this, and if you wrap it around your fingers, I usually use two fingers and wrap it around, you can kind of twist it to form almost like a little rosette of hair like that. And I usually take your front pieces and attach them to the band so that your wig will actually have something to hold on to.

1 | Why do we pin curl?

We pin curl so your natural hair will stay as flat as possible when you are applying wigs on to your head.

2 | and is clean hair or dirty hair better for pincurls?

Generally speaking, to have dirtier hair is more helpful. Having clean hair of course is great but because your hair is conditioned it is very silky it will actually want to slide around under your wig a lot more so its better if it’s a bit dirty.

(Sarah) So my pin curls are going to be amazing pin curls.

(Katelyn) Yes, exactly!

3 | And do you like bobby pins or hair pins?

So when you’re pincurling, bobby pins, the ones I showed earlier, these guys, are a lot better to be making a pin curl with. They just hold things a lot easier. Hair pins are good for either styling usually, or if you are trying to hold your wig into place. We actually use other pins called geisha pins, which are very large versions of hairpins. And they’re very thick so if you’ve pin curled your hair correctly, you should only need four of those geisha pins to hold your wig in place. And I can tell you that once the wig goes on, you would just want to put those four pins right here just to anchor the front of the wig and then two back here where your nape is.

4 | My hair’s not that long because it doesn’t grow very fast, what if you have very very long hair?

If you have long hair, that’s ok you can still do this pin curling way to hair prep but there’s also other ways of wrapping your hair so you can still prep it for a wig to go on. There’s a version you can take almost dividing your hair into two sections, and then you separate it, twist the back and then you pull one side of your hair this way and the other side up. And you can flat pin it into place to try to keep the shape of the head.

(Sarah) I’ve seen some people French braid sometimes too.

(Katelyn) Yup! French braiding is also an option. It’s also pretty great because it also has something for the wig to pin it to as well. There are many different versions and everyone has their own choice in what they like to do. And of course sometimes after you’ve pin curled and you release your pin curls after a show or something like that, it will usually end up really nice and curly or if you’re going to opening or something like that or if you braid it will be crimped and so on and so fourth.

(Sarah) So do really good pin curls especially on opening is really good advice.

(Katelyn) Exactly. Yes Perfect. If you’re pinning for the first time it does usually take a while, so give yourself lots of time, and then as you get more experienced doing it, you will find ways of doing it a lot quicker.

5 | Is that you think your best advice for new pin curlers?

I’d say so.

(Sarah) Leave lots of time.

(Katelyn) Leave lots of time to do this for the first few times you do it.
It’s a lot harder to do it on yourself than it is with someone else is doing it.

(Sarah) Its very nice and relaxing.

(Katelyn) ok so this is kind of what a pin curled head looks like, and then once your done pin curling, we usually use another net or cap to cover all the curls so that they stay compacted and they don’t affect the wig that’s going on top. So in this case we usually just take something like a piece of fish net or nylon or something like that.

(Sarah) That is my beauty and the beast hair net.

(Katelyn) It’s a little used but that’s ok.

(Sarah) It’s vintage.

(Katelyn) So Sarah if I can get you to get your thumbs up for me, ya. Just stretch it right on top of the pincurls like that. And again just pull this up so it meets the hair line. And to hold something like that in place we use smaller pins just like this.

(Katelyn) You kind of grab a piece of the nylon like that with the pin, and then you tuck it underneath all of the prep so that everything stays under. And again I don’t use too many of these, just enough for it to stay in place do about 4 or 5. And sometimes there’s an open area here at the top depending on the cap so you just kind of fold it closed. And there you have it A wig prep!

(Sarah) Ta-da! Thanks Katelyn! Now we all know how to wig prep.

Top 10 Takeaways

# 1 “Dirty” Hair is better for a wig prep.

#2 Give yourself lots of time when starting to pin curl.

#3 Start with a mesh band.

#4 Slide it just over the hairline.

#5 Divide Hair into 1-2 sections to make a rosette shape.

#6 Use bobby pins for pin curls.

#7 The better your pin curls, the better your hair looks after.

#8 Cover the pin curls with a nylon cap that holds everything together.

#9 Use hairpins to secure wig cap, which will keep pin curls in place.

#10 You only need 4 geisha pins to hold a wig on (take care of your geisha pins!)

How to Meal Prep On + Off Contract with Greg Pember

10 TALENT: Meal Prep

Welcome to the 10 Talent Blog/Vlog! A bit about myself… I am Sarah Matton, Founder and Director of 10 Talent Management. Over the past decade I have worked professionally in the field of musical theatre. I’m also the Co-Creator of the only temp agency for dance teachers in Canada, Quick Ball Change. I’ve been inspired to start a mini series vlog to share my knowledge as well as speak to those who work professionally in the industry. This is just meant to be an informal chat so we can hopefully all learn something and I hope you enjoy!

YOU CAN WATCH THE FULL VIDEO INTERVIEW AT THE END OF THIS BLOG POST!

Today we’re talking about meal prep and I’m so lucky because today we have Greg Pember. Greg and I have done multiple shows together and I think he’s the perfect candidate to talk about meal prep because not only does he represent health and balance in his life but he also commutes to most of his shows so that takes extra time and meal prep. So thank you so much Greg!

1 | Are you as good when you’re not on contract?

I try to keep my dietary restrictions pretty consistent whether I’m in a show or whether I’m not. It’s honestly just easier that way.

1b | How intense is your diet? Do you have a cheat day or do you feel you have to work out more…If there’s a cookie in the green room do you always eat it?

Oh, I’ll have the cookie. (laughter) Ya, I would identify as a pescatarian. So mainly I have a vegetarian diet and I’ll eat fish once in a while. And actually what I’ve been trying to do over the last couple months is this thing called intermittent fasting. And what that looks like is you limit the hours of digestion for your body throughout the day so I try to not eat before one o’clock or two pm. And then from 2pm on until to when I fall asleep, I just eat as much as I want. And the idea is that when your body is not busy digesting food, it’s able to take care of other things that it wouldn’t be able to so such as your immune system. And it’s suppose to help bring you more energy so I’m trying it out and it’s working out really well

2| Have you always been good in the kitchen and meal prep or did you have to learn as you go?

I’ve always loved cooking ever since I graduated college back in 2010. So because I’ve always liked to cook, it’s really helpful because then it’s not a chore for me to meal prep. I mean some days it is but I always try to do most of my prep on the day off, which is typically Monday. So usually Mondays consist of grocery shopping, and cooking at least one or two pretty substantial meals.

3 | You do contracts out in Calgary sometimes. Do you find it harder and are you as diligent on doing proper meal prep?

Ya, I find it takes a little bit more planning. When you’re staying at someone else’s house, it’s not your kitchen right? So you don’t really know what kind of tools they have. You know for me I use a lot of garlic in my cooking and I have to make sure I have the garlic there. So it just takes a little bit more planning, but I would say that I’m actually quite good at you know being pretty diligent about prepping my meals rather than going out and spending money every day.

(Sarah) Ya, I’m not as good when billeting out because I don’t have all my spices and I never take all my spices with me.

(Greg) Well that’s the thing right! Especially if you’re going to Calgary, you’re flying out there right, you’re not going to bring your stuff (your go to stuff). So ya, you kind of have to get a bit creative, but it’s still doable. Very doable.

4 | Speaking of your meal prep and how it takes longer, what are your go to meals?

Well I like to do stuff that is hearty and filling. But also very nutritious. So I like to do stuff like chilies. I like to do curries. I like to do fried rice. So rice dishes are definitely a go to for me because they are filling, easy to make and you can put whatever you want in them right. And so I like to do that, I like to cook…I do a lot of cooking with lentils, with chickpeas, so stews are great for that. Curries are great for that. I make this really good bolognaise sauce. But instead of meat, it’s lentils. So it still has that kind of texture to it, and really high in protein. So it’s just about finding that balance. It takes time and it takes listening to your body right? My motto is eat when you feel like eating, and what your body’s asking to eat right. So when you’re listening to that, you’ll know if you’re getting enough protein or not because you’ll feel it. Your energy will shift. But, for vegetarians, there’s tons of options. A lot with tofu. I cook a lot with chickpeas, with beans, lentils, and then I’ll have fish now and then too.

5 | Where do you get your recipes?

Well, a lot of them were kind of handed down to me from family members and then from my boyfriend Scott, he’s a fantastic cook too so we kind of share recipes. But I’ve gotten recipes from friends, I’ve recipes from you! (laughter) I have recipes from other people. Because I like to be pretty creative in the kitchen, I’ll usually look up a recipe and then just kind of do it in my own way. Modify.

(Sarah) Depending on what you have in your kitchen?

(Greg) Exactly and depending on what I like you know?
(Sarah) If I have three ingredients in my fridge, I will put those three ingredients into pinterest and see what meals come up.

(Greg) You look at the fridge and think “oh I can’t make anything,” but then you actually can because you just need to get a little creative.

6 | What are your go to snacks in rehearsal? We have a long day 10-6, what are your snacks?

I like to eat hard-boiled eggs. They’re really easy to make, and you can make a ton of them at once. You just keep them in the fridge. They’re high in protein, high in calories so they give you lots of energy. Easy to transport. So that’s one of my go tos. Nuts are great too. I like to make smoothies. I like to do anything with hummus. Veggies and hummus, crackers and hummus. Ya I would say Costco is a great place to get a ton of groceries for a good amount of money. You know?

7 | Speaking of, because I always like to talk about money, how much do you think you spend on groceries a week to eat healthy and properly?

Well I would say that between my partner Scott and I, we probably spend anywhere between $100 and $140 together a week. At most we’ll be spending $70 each a week.

(Sarah) That’s actually not too bad because I probably do $100 by myself if I’m being honest.

(Greg) Yup. And where very lucky because we eat the exact same kinds of foods. So we just get a lot of what we love. Like, we’ll walk away with 5 flats of eggs. (Laughter) because we know we go through them. Right?

We definitely treat ourselves too. We usually go out for dinner maybe like once every two weeks. And I’ll usually go out for lunch when I’m in a show, I’ll go out for lunch once a week as a treat.

8 | If somebody wants to start eating healthy or prepping for rehearsals or shows, what are your recommendations for something that’s easy/not too difficult for someone who doesn’t know their way around the kitchen?

I really love making fried rice. Because you get to make the sauce however you want. It’s rice base, so you just cook the rice on it’s own and then you fry whatever veggies you want all in a pan. Mix it together, add whatever sauce you want. I do a really simple sauce that’s delicious and easy. It’s just peanut butter, soy sauce and hot sauce. You just mix it pup and pour it in, so you’re getting lots of protein as well. I think that fried rice is my favourite go to because you can make a ton of it at once, and fill it with whatever veggies. I put tofu in it, I put nuts in it so it’s hearty, healthy and it gives me lots of energy.


9 | any advice you’d give to someone who wants to eat healthy or someone who wants to start thinking of taking care of themselves to maintain being in a show?

Greg: Ya for sure. Well I think first and for most, hydration is huge. I think it’s really really important. I think that we forget as performers how much we’re sweating, and I think that any way we can replenish our electrolytes, replenish our hydration its so important for our energy levels and to stay health . Especially in the cold months, like today it’s minus fifteen outside.
My advice for someone who is just starting to cook on their own and prep meals is I would say to find that one or two recipes that you really love to make, like food that you really love to eat and that’s easy for you to make so those are your go to so that after maybe doing them for maybe a couple weeks you don’t have to look at a recipe any more so it’s second nature its not as much planning its just second nature and you can just do it. You have to make sure that you love it too. You love the food and you love the taste of it.

(Sarah) I used to do lunch competitions with Judy Kovacs, we would see who brought the best lunch, it would inspire us

(Greg) I remember that

(Sarah) And also you inspire the other person, you’re like oh, that’s really good I’m going to try that!

(Greg) Ya!

(Sarah) It’s kind of good if more people in your cast are on the same page, because it kind of keeps you inspired. I know Kayla James taught me about a grapefruit with cinnamon

(Greg) mmm ya, anything you can get excited about is key because you don’t want it to seem like a chore and sometimes it will be, but it can be really fun it can be really fun and you get to get creative and put your health first at the same time.

10 | Are you really good at drinking water?

Greg: Yup! I drink a lot of water. One of my tricks is the first thing I do when I wake up is I chug a big glass of water before I have coffee before I have anything. Just chug a big glass of water.

(Sarah) That’s a great idea that we can all probably implement into a morning routine.

(Greg) when in doubt, drink more water.

Top 10 Takeaways

# 1 Stay consistent with eating habits.

#2 Prep on your day off so you are set for the week.

#3 Make things like chillies and curries: Filling! Easy! Healthy! Cheap! Large amounts!

#4 Pay attention to what your body needs to keep energy levels up.

#5 Share recipes with friends! #GetCreative

#6 Eat snacks rich in protein such as hard boiled eggs and nuts.

#7 Stay on budget while eating healthy.

#8 Try Greg’s fried rice recipe with an easy sauce such as hot sauce, peanut butter and soya sauce)

#9 Drink Water.

#10 Get excited and inspired about cooking!

About 10 Talent

We are a talent agency representing Canada’s finest talent in theatre, film, and television. A member of TAMAC and the EIC, 10 Talent recognizes what it takes for artists to succeed from first hand experience. We are passionate about helping our talent reach their potential, and we will do whatever it takes to aid in their success.

E: info@10talentmanagement.com

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