Barbizon Blog

Manners Matter:  Manners you use around friends need to be a little more polished around others — like adults, job interviewers, teachers and strangers.  For example:

1.  Your friends could probably care less if you eat your salad greens with your fingers.  But if you’re out to dinner with your parent’s friends or your friend’s parents, you’ll look immature and out of place doing so.

2.  The way you sit in the food court may work fine on a Saturday afternoon, but when you are being interviewed for an after-school job, slouching is out.  Sitting up straight and attentively sends the message that you are interested in the job.

3.  You might tell a friend that you’re “pissed off” when she goes to the movies and doesn’t invite you, but using those words with your teacher will not make a persuasive argument for why that “C” should have been an “A”.

4.  You can nickname a friend “Skittles” because he raps worse than Eminem,but you shouldn’t do that to your grandma or the person who hired you for a job.

Sound off:  Can you think of a few more examples of casual vs. formal manners?  Be sure to Contact Us to find out more.

Do you remember being read the fairy tale Chicken Little when you were young?  In the story, the chicken is obsessed about the sky falling down and didn’t notice Foxy Woxy prepping for a nice chicken salad. There’s a little bit of Chicken Little in everyone.  Instead of focusing on what’s in front of us, we humans devote too much time to daydreams and thinking about everything but reality.  In many cases, it’s not sweet dreams but worrying or “awfulizing” that eats up our time.

Do you have the “What ifs?”  What if I fail the math test?  What if I never find a boyfriend?  What percentage of the day do you spending imagining worse case scenarios?  Optimism, in reasonable doses, is far more constructive than pessimism and it will inspire you.  But be careful.  Too much optimism and believing “nothing bad will happen” can give you a false sense of security.  Talking to a parent, older sibling, or teacher as well as going to Barbizon can help you develop a more positive way of thinking.

Here are Barbizon’s 12 Keys to Personality Plus Development. Try to accomplish at least one of these each week:

1.  Be wise about human relations.

2.  Don’t put off until tomorrow.

3.  Develop hobbies.

4.  Go places and do things.

5.  Become an avid reader.

6.  Broaden your circle of friends.

7.  Learn to compliment people.

8.  Learn to remember names.

9.  Maintain a sense of humor.

10.  Learn to show enthusiasm.

11.  Speak up.  Assertiveness can be fun.

12.  Learn to use gestures.

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Over the next several blog postings, we will be going over the five essentials to performing “your Barbizon best” in commercials or other acting roles: The essentials are #1~ Wardrobe, #2~ Memorization, #3~ Shooting Day, #4~ The Shoot Begins! #5~ Working on the Set.

#4~ THE SHOOT BEGINS! :

1. Set yourself up for the first piece of business you’re going to do and focus in on those lines. Do it just like you did during rehearsal.

2. The assistant director will usually ask for quiet, then tell the sound person to roll sound, and tell the camera person to roll camera or “roll tape” who will response with “camera’s rolling” or “speed.” At this point, the slate will be put in front of the camera and usually clicked to make sure sound and video are synchronized later on. The director may then ask for “quiet on the set” and then “action.”

3. At that point, you should wait a split second (called a “beat”) so your dialogue won’t overlap with the director’s “action,” then start.

Next week #5: Working on the Set. In the meantime, check out what Barbizon has to offer in their Acting Classes .

Over the next several blog postings, we will be going over the five essentials to performing “your Barbizon best” in commercials or other acting roles: The essentials are #1~ Wardrobe, #2~ Memorization, #3~ Shooting Day, #4~ The Shoot Begins! #5~ Working on the Set.

#3~ SHOOTING DAY:

1. Get the best night’s sleep possible.

2. Leave yourself plenty of time to get to the shoot so you don’t get frazzled because of a traffic jam. There are no excuses for being late.

3. Make sure you have everything you need for the day. You’ll need whatever wardrobe you’re been asked to bring, and your script.

4. Eat a good breakfast before leaving. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

Next week #4: The Shoot Begins! In the meantime, check out what Barbizon has to offer in their Acting Classes .

Over the next several blog postings, we will be going over the five essentials to performing “your Barbizon best” in commercials or other acting roles: The essentials are #1~ Wardrobe, #2~ Memorization, #3~ Shooting Day, #4~ The Shoot Begins! #5~ Working on the Set.

#2~MEMORIZATION:

1. Don’t make the mistake of not memorizing your part. When you show up on the set, know the script from start to finish - forward, backward, and sideways.

2. Know your lines really well because there are a lot of people on a TV commercial set and with all the distractions, your lines can be easy to forget.

3. An actor has a certain confidence when he or she knows that the lines are memorized letter-perfect. You’ll be better prepared to handle detailed blocking and complicated moves as well as end-of-the-day fatigue.

4. If there are any last minute script changes (and many times there are), you’ll be able to handle them if you’re confident that you know your words. If you harbor the slightest doubt that the copy isn’t etched in stone in your mind, those changes are going to throw you.

Next week #3: Shooting Day. In the meantime, check out what Barbizon has to offer in their Acting Classes .

Over the next several blog postings, we will be going over the five essentials to performing “your Barbizon best” in commercials or other acting roles: The essentials are #1~ Wardrobe, #2~ Memorization, #3~ Shooting Day, #4~ The Shoot Begins! #5~ Working on the Set.

#1~WARDROBE:

1. Wardrobe is usually provided so you may be called in for a fitting. Normally, though, the person in charge of wardrobe will have been given your sizes by your agency and there will be several outfits there to be chosen from.

2. Be as helpful as possible by bringing in anything you think they might need to complete your look.

3. Don’t be offended if the clothes they select are terrible. Their taste, or lack of it, may be quite different from yours.

Next week #2: Memorization. In the meantime, check out what Barbizon has to offer in their Acting Classes .

The term “The Model Look” can actually have two meanings. In the overall meaning, a female model can be a high-fashion look type, a junior look type, and commercial look type, even a tween-ingenue look type or character look type. Makeup, hairstyle, wardrobe, etc. are all chosen in accordance with what is considered appropriate for each look type. It is possible for a model’s look to change. Whether you want to be a model or just look like one, you will be able to develop your own unique style by understanding these different look types and by practicing them.

We also use the term “Model Look” to describe the total look of perfection. Barbizon can teach you how to achieve that look. The end result? Total confidence in yourself.

Here are a few Barbizon Tips for Good Health. Let us know what makes you healthy.

1. Start cutting back on junk food, adding more nutritional foods gradually.
2. Be very careful to avoid buying junk food at lunch. Don’t be afraid to pack a lunch. It’s better for you.
3. If you are eating more than 5 candy bars a week, cut out at least one. The same for soft drinks.
4. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet.
5. Walk everywhere you can.
6. Instead of TV or video games, go bowling, biking, or swimming. Stay active.
7. Go to bed at the same time every night.

You can find more tips on our website or follow us on Twitter.