You have no acting credits, professional or otherwise, to your name. Well  you’ve lived right. So, in my books you have life experiences that you can draw into your performances to make them more authentic. In the business we often refer to these as “Special Skills”.

Your special skills may get you the job! They may also rule you out of getting the job, but that's better than being hired, then showing up on set and not able to perform.

So what are “Special Skills”? Quite simply it’s the life skills, physical experiences and abilities you have acquired or developed in non-performance areas that can and will enhance your performance. For example; if they need a juggler for a circus scene, they don’t hire someone to act like a juggler, they hire someone who can juggle, and juggle very well if in fact the character is supposed to be a good juggler. If you don’t juggle, and the character your auditioning for is supposed to be a bad juggler, then you might be perfect. Do you follow me?

List your special skills. Do you play hockey? How well? Can you roller blade? Do you juggle? Do magic tricks? Can you fence? Are you a competitive swimmer? Can you cook? Are you’re a trained chef of a comfortable home cook? Can you and hand toss pizza dough? Have you waited tables? Can you rock climb? Do you surf? Board or body surf? Are you a yodeler? Are you a professional dog walker? Have you run a video camera? What kind? Have you supervised people? Can you drive a forklift?

Also list…

List your allergies. You’re not going to be happily biting into 50+ burgers for a fast food commercial if you’ve got a gluten intolerance, playing the bee keeper if your allergic to a sting, or selling the latest peanut butter if you have a peanut allergy.

List your fears and phobias. For example, I list no “arachnoids or reptiles”… I’d freak! Unless of course that’s the real reaction they want, but I certainly wouldn’t be calm or comfortable. But again, if that’s the reaction they want my character to have, then I might be perfect (it would certainly be real!). You might list a fear of heights or flying lest you be harnessed for a flying scene or stunt effect.

Do you have a valid passport? List it (Just list "Valid Canadian Passport" and do not list the passport number). Why? If the shoot starts in Hungary, day after tomorrow, they want to know you’re good to go.

Do you have a work permit or visa permitting you to work in another country? List it.

Can you drive standard? How well?

Regular cigarette smoker? Cigar smoker? Strict non smoker? Ex smoker, willing to smoke for the shoot? List it.

Do you have a Driver’s license? What class is it? You may not be comfortable (or allowed) to play the “bus driver” or the “18 wheeler truck driver” if you can’t drive the vehicle even a few yards for a shot.

Do you see where I’m going?  If you’re starting, even if you're experienced, a wide and diverse list of special skills can make you an attractive talent to an agent.

LTD!

Kev