The Business of Acting: Learn the Skills You Need to Build the Career You Want [Paperback]

Brad Lemack (Author), Isabel Sanford (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2002

Talent has little to do with who becomes successful in the business of acting. What can impact your chances for success more than anything else is learning how to be a smart, empowered actor.

The Business of Acting: Learn the Skills You Need to Build the Career You Want will teach you the four critical, pro-active skills every actor needs to know and to implement them to begin or to jump-start your career journey.

In The Business of Acting, you will learn how to generate professional opportunities; how to survive and thrive through the transition from student to professional performing artist; how to choose the right representation; how to partner with casting directors; how to have a head shot that really works for you; how the unions work for and against actors; how to conquer emotional, physical and fiscal fitness; how the laws of perception and behavior can impact a career; how to use publicity, marketing and PR in support of your career; how to create a personal business plan; and how to set realistic, achievable goals.

With a foreword by Emmy Award-winning actress Isabel Sanford, star of the long-running series "The Jeffersons," The Business of Acting has been called a "must-read" by Back Stage West.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Business of Acting is a must-read for any actor. --Back Stage West

The Business of Acting will benefit every actor. --CBS Radio

This informational book is a must for anyone who is currently a working actor or wants to become a working actor. --Dancer Magazine

About the Author

Brad Lemack established Los Angeles-based Lemack & Company Public Relations/Talent Management in 1982 after serving as a publicity executive for Norman Lear's Embassy Television. He is also a professor of performing arts and communication studies at the Emerson College Los Angeles Center where he teaches The Business of Acting and a course in entertainment and interactive PR.

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: Ingenuity Press USA (May 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971541000
• ISBN-13: 978-0971541009
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #997,522 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brad is the author of two books on the business of acting, his best selling first book "The Business of Acting: Learn the Skills You Need to Build the Career You Want," and his newest book, "The New Business of Acting: How to Build a Career in a Changing Landscape." The new book builds on the concepts introduced in the first book and teaches readers how to apply those (and many new) concepts to the new landscape. In the new book, Brad also teaches readers how to create and market their brands -- and, perhaps most importantly, how to create an Action Plan for career success.

Brad writes from years of first hand experience.

After a ten-year on-air and production career in Boston radio and television, Brad relocated to Los Angeles in 1980 to accept a position as a publicity executive for Norman Lear's Tandem/TAT Productions (later Embassy Television, now Sony Pictures Television), where he was responsible for the episodic and series publicity of the company's network hits at the time, which included "The Jeffersons," "One Day At A Time," "Archie Bunker's Place," "Diff'rent Strokes," "The Facts of Life" and "Square Pegs," as well as several after-school specials, syndicated programming and movies for television.

In 1983, he left that position to establish his own agency, Lemack & Company Public Relations/Talent Management (LemackCo.com). Since then, the communications company has established itself in the areas of and talent management and career development for actors, as well as entertainment, personality and book publicity, business and non-profit public relations, special event creation and production.

In 2002, Brad launched a publishing division of Lemack & Company. Under the imprint Ingenuity Press USA (IngenuityPressUSA.com), the company develops and publishes books for actors and for readers interested in the business of acting, entertainment and performing arts.

In 2008, Brad launched RerunIt, LLC, and serves as the company's President/CEO. The media production, licensing and Web content company owns and operates the entertainment and e-commerce Web site RerunIt.com, which features exclusive video packages and interview clips showcasing actors and media personalities who have helped shape and define American pop culture. Brad serves as the host for the collection of on-demand Webcasts available on the site.

He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Emerson College in communication studies and his Master of Arts in theatre arts and dance, with a concentration in performance for social change, from California State University, Los Angeles.

In addition to writing "The Business of Acting" and "The New Business of Acting," Brad also developed and edited the books "Acting and How To Be Good At It" and "Acting and How To Be Good At It: The Second Edition," by noted character actor and acting coach Basil Hoffman). He also contributed to the book of the musical "BARK."

Brad also hosts the Web TV series "Inside the Business of Acting," for the Virtual Channel Network (InsideTheBusinessOfActing.com). The series features one-one-one conversations with successful, working actors and other industry professionals talking about their career journeys, turning points and lessons learned along the way. The series is designed to help empower young actors in the journeys of their own careers.

Brad has been a member of the faculty of the Emerson College Los Angeles Center since 1995, where he teaches courses in the Business of Acting and in entertainment and interactive public relations. He is also an adjunct professor in the Elon University School of Communications's Elon in LA program.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the best book on acting I've ever read, May 12, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Business of Acting: Learn the Skills You Need to Build the Career You Want (Paperback)

This book has become an invaluable tool. It was easy to read and answered all of my questions. It has taught me more than my 4 years in college. I highly recomend this book!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars L.A. bound and empowered!, August 31, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Business of Acting: Learn the Skills You Need to Build the Career You Want (Paperback)

An actor friend of mine gave me a copy of this book as a going away present. I am moving from New York to L.A. to pursue a career in acting, in television, mostly. It was feeling a little overwhelmed about what I was getting myself into, but this book has helped me feel empowered about my decision. There is so much to having a career in this business that I never realy gave a thought to. I never learned in school the stuff that's in this book. I'm moving to L.A. in three days and I can't wait! This book has become my lucky charm. Thank you! :)

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book!, December 17, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Business of Acting: Learn the Skills You Need to Build the Career You Want (Paperback)

I have read a lot of books about acting, but this is the first book I have ever seen (and read) about the business of acting. I learned so much about the business that I did not know before. This book showed me how being a great actor is not enough to have a real career as an actor. I learned lots of new tactics about how to take charge and how to stay in charge of my career.

I have worked three times since I bought this book! Thank you!