My Agent Hates my Sundresses : Image Overhaul

There's this quiet, permeating blue that seeps through my windows in the morning at dawn.  It's not even a pure blue... it's this gentle combination of grey and azure.  I haven't seen it in awhile, toying with my curtains... until a random nightmare in which my manager turned into an angry power agent at Gersh drove me out of bed at 5:56 this morning.

So I walked around my apartment a bit.  Took in the loveliness of the way-too-early hour.  Downed some water to replace the Japanese sake still floating around in my belly from the night of networking before.  Pinched my belly to make sure I was indeed awake -- and Nightmare Manager wasn't going to storm through my door any minute. 

I have the strangest dreams.

So now I sit here with my coffee and yesterday's Hollywood Reporter (damn afternoon mail delivery), contemplating a few things.  I kinda feel like a lazy Studio exec who's sitting in her living room and nose-raisingly perusing what the trade papers say about the competition. 

But I'm not, obviously.  A studio exec.  I am perusing the competition, however.  Damn this chick who just got my "best-friend" role in The Emancipation of Ernesto.  Oh well.

So Awesome Agent and I met last Friday (I had to get her hard-copy headshots, so strategically I asked if I could just drop them off to physically get in front of her again), and she welcomed me with a hug.  "I'm very excited to have you," she greeted me, giving me a kiss on the cheek.  Not in a weird way -- but in a... welcome to the family kind of way.  This was coming from the woman a week prior had been like a contained bulldog (personality wise, in a GOOD way), who I felt a touch intimidated by.  Now the floodgates were down -- I felt part of the team.

We chatted for another half hour or so about a few different projects, and then a new subject came up that my manager hadn't really ever addressed before : wardrobe.  Wardrobe and "airs" within the audition room.  Awesome Agent spoke about wanting me to go in there with the confidence (not that I was being meek, but taking it up just a half-nothc), almost like I'd, you know, booked and worked as a series regular before.  Not cocky by any means -- simply confident and there to do my job, rock it, and leave.

Next -- appearance.  She evaluated the way I was going right now as "a unique pretty", versus more of a "generalized pretty".  I have on-the-longer side hair, which I feel works in some situations (dark genre indie film) more than it does in other (commercial auditions / stuff).  She spoke about doing a bit of cutting and modernizing, and potential lightening.  She wanted more makeup.  She wanted me going in as "hot" and "stunning" versus downplaying appearance, which I tend to do.  Loose the sundresses -- get some tight jeans and a simple top that accentuates the arms and some of the bust line.  We didn't address heel hight yet, but I think that might be looming.

I was half taken aback at all of the potential she's-thinking-about-them "alterations", and thrilled at the same time.  I've never had anyone TELL me this stuff before.  And -- while I respect and enjoy my own sense of style and dress and hair-wearing -- this is a business, baby.  And this agent has been in the game for a long time -- and seems to know what works and what doesn't.  And obviously it's in her best interest for me to book, now that I'm onboard.

I wonder if this slight change might be one of the more "final" in the factors that have kept me from nailing anything big yet.  Since I hooked up with Fabulous Manager at the end of last year, I've gotten in on some big stuff and received really strong feedback.  But I haven't booked any of these massive gigs yet (and I'm naturally hyper-over-way-too-ambitious).  Hmm. 

So the next few weeks might reveal a little bit of a different "aesthetic" to my auditions.  We shall see, we shall see.

I've also heard murmurs about this former ICM agent who is doing career consulting.  I might check that out, too.

Packing up the Sundresses, Ashley Avis

Comments

[susan]

Sounds exciting! (And like an excuse to shop - which is always awesome.)

Question: is the ICM consulting on a referral basis - like, would one need to be referred by an agent/manager - or is it available to whoever? If it is the latter and you're comfortable sharing the info, I'd be interested in looking into it...

[High Heels]

I don't know much about the world you are living in (but it sounds very interesting and I enjoy the commentary), but seeing the celebs and famous people on various blogs, your agent might be on to something. Seems every other girl photographed has on jeans, a showy top and some high heels. It's probably a look that talent scouts (dunno what those people are really called)are used to seeing and maybe want to see. I know you probably wish to go your own way as far as fashion and style but sometimes it might be best to go with the flow until you get your break. But what do I know?