Brand is the buzzword that’s been floating around for years. It’s far simpler than everyone makes it out to be, but it’s one of the most important aspects an actor must identify to not only book jobs, but to create a career.
Brand is what separates you from every other actor in your type and category. Every actor has a brand, whether they are starting out, established working actors, or major stars. It is the reason everyone says, “He/she is always playing the same thing in every movie or TV show.” Exactly. They’re being paid to be their brand. The moment they step outside of that which makes them special is when the movie tanks or the TV show is a flop. Just think of your favorite actor. The roles that they play might be different, the context different, the story is totally different, the costuming takes you to a different world, and yet that same essence or air that you find so intriguing about your favorite star is always the same. Even Meryl Streep, who brilliantly plays a wide variety of roles, has a quality identifiable as pure Meryl.
One of the easiest examples I use when teaching is Sofia Vergara. Her brand? Sexy Loud Latina. Whether she’s doing a drama or comedy she will always be sexy, loud, and Latina. And yes, I know that she is a lovely woman and has many other positive attributes and great talent, but when you boil it down, those three aspects are the brand that we always expect of her.
READ: How to Build Your Digital Brand as an Actor
Just as Sophia has become known for her specific brand, so too should every actor. Think about it. Let’s say you are a brunette 26-year-old female. Would you rather a casting director say, “We need a mid-20s actor, maybe with brown hair. Call in a couple thousand and let’s try to find one.” Or “You know who would be perfect for this? Get me Amy Actress, because she does that thing that no one else does…she’s bold, and smart, and has that snarky edge. Perfect for this part.” No one is looking for generic.
So what if you’re not bold, smart, and snarky? How do you discover your brand? It’s so much easier than everyone makes it out to be. Think about going to an audition. You walk into a room and there are 25 other actors who are exactly your type and who should be dressed exactly like you. They have all been studying and doing all the right things to lead them to getting the same audition. So why should they hire you? Because you have that thing, that aspect of your personality that makes you you—your brand. It’s so easy to see in others, yet so difficult to see in ourselves.
That’s why I strongly suggest actors seek help. Casting directors, acting teachers, or consultants, like myself, are good sources for honest and realistic feedback. Just get out there and ask people. Ask you friends or coworkers to describe you in a few words. Ask your siblings, they’ll tell you the truth! In fact, when I work with actors developing their particular brands, I always ask what their sibling would say about them—and not the favorite sibling, but the one who’s going to say something negative. Believe it or not, the strength of your brand usually sits in those aspects that you feel aren’t your best.
Once you have developed, honed, and truly “own” it, your job becomes to translate your brand into every aspect of your acting life: headshots, slate shots, postcards, and most importantly, into your scene work and audition skills. Stop trying to be what you think they want, and begin showing that which is special about you. Show them your brand and begin to build your career.
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