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 (I'm sure you're included) says, “He/she is always playing the same thing in every movie or TV show.” Exactly. That's what they're being paid to do. They're being paid to be their brand. The moment they step outside of that which makes them special and/or unique is when the movie tanks or the TV show is a flop. Just think of your favorite actor or actress. 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 Sophia 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 so many other positive attributes and great talent, but when you boil it down, those three aspects are the Brand that we always expect and want of her.
Just as Sophia has become known for her specific and unique 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-20’s actress, 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…they are searching for unique and special, but it is up to you to show them.
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. What are you bringing to the party that they are not? Why should you get the part? All those actors are talented. They have all been studying and doing all the right things to lead them to getting the same audition as you. So why should they hire you? Because you have that thing, that aspect of your personality that makes you uniquely you…that special something that only you can bring to a role…your Brand. It's so easy to see in others, yet so difficult to see in ourselves. This is why I strongly suggest actors seek help…and not from your mother, girlfriend, or roommate, they tend to tell us everything we want to hear. 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. After all, do you think Sophia proudly listed Loud Latina in her “Special Skills?” And yet that is what we have come to love about her.
Once you figure it out...once you have developed, honed, and truly “own” it…it is your job 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 unique and special about you. Show them your Brand and begin to build your career.