This week our Starbound Talent success story will feature Sarah Bomber. Upon doing my research for this update I got the chance to speak to Sarah (through email, but it was still addressed to me!) and she told me her story from when she came to Starbound to where she is now, in her own words!
Sarah first came to Starbound in 2008 as she says “a shy teenager”. She grew up in the Findlay area, in Ohio, with a very musical family and spent most of her free time taking lessons for singing, harp, piano, and others. Once she came to Starbound she says, she “was given the tools she needed in order to open up and become more confident through the safe and comfortable environment provided to learn and grow at Starbound”. This is where she feels she received the foundation that she needed in order to begin to concur the entertainment world!
Sarah then auditioned the same year for IMTA with a Sara Bareilles song titled
“Gravity”. I even got to hear her audition tape, and as we all know Sara Bareilles has a wonderful voice but in my opinion…Sarah Bomber’s version was sooooo much better than the original (sorry Bareilles fan’s just being honest here)! From that audition she was chosen to attend IMTA in New York City. Because of IMTA Sarah said “this was the first time I could see my largest dreams as a real possibility".
Being seen at IMTA she was able to meet a New York vocal coach, and agent. She then moved to New York for a brief period of time. While there she continued her high schooling at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy. After graduating high school she then attended Central Michigan University, where she continued her love of the arts, and began to work professionally in Music Theater.
Sarah has been in musical theater productions all over the U.S. Including Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, to name a few. She was also nominated for awards, and originated roles during her time at CMU. Sarah then graduated with her BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts), in Music Theater. Sarah is now currently the lead vocalist on the famous “Queen Mary 2” performing in 8 different shows. With solos included. She continues to pursue her dream of being in musical theater, and lives back in New York City.
We here at Starbound are very proud of you Sarah, and wish you continued success!
*PS..Can we get a discount on tickets? We would all love a vacation!
You have made the decision that you want to become a serious working actor and either snag an agent or audition for a role. So what is the next step that you need to take you may be asking? Making your self a casting/demo reel. This is essentially your advertisement to people showing all you are capable of doing in the acting world. Casting or demo reels are used to send to agents and or casting directors in order to grab their attention by putting selections of your highest quality material together in order to get them to want to sign and represent/cast you in a role. Casting/Demo reels are quickly becoming the most important part of professional casting submissions- even more important to some, than headshots and resumes. Many actors use clips from student films, independent films, web series, or privately produced productions to make their reel. But if you are just starting out it is acceptable to record yourself (or someone record you), performing various scenes. Below are a few tips and suggestions that you may find helpful in beginning your journey to making your casting/demo reel!
Do and Don’ts to Remember!
Casting Reel should be 60-90 seconds tops. No longer. You don’t want to do the entire scene or show your entire part from the play you are using…leave them wanting MORE!
Most of the time the viewer decides if they like you from in the first 10 seconds, so GET their attention and KEEP it!
Know your type (what types of characters you are best at playing (examples: Comedy, Preppy, Serious, Dramatic etc.) and focus your material in a way that highlights it. As your reel continues you can diversify and show your range.
If using more than one clip have each self contained, and run about 15-20 seconds depending on the amount of clips.
Label each individual clip; at the top of the clip
This way you will have a large variety of clips to choose from and the viewer can pick and choose which they want to see or send.
Make your reel easy for people to view; instead of emailing the intended person a huge email file they will have to download then load. Try making it a click-able link...this could be the difference between getting seen or ending up getting deleted.
Make your reel focus on YOU! Even if other actors are in the scene, avoid covering them too much.
At least 75% of your reel should cover you, they want to see your face, emotions, and how you convey yourself, and your body movements because as we all know these things can make or break a scene!
Have someone who has an objective eye (NOT your mother or other family members who think nothing YOU do can be wrong/different/better!) to help you edit to get to your final copy.
Make sure your reel is good quality (High Definition) and professional.
Finally, make sure your contact information is easily viewable in the video. You want them to be able to contact you without having to hire a decoder to decipher your information. After all that hard work you want them to be able to easily contact you when they realize you are the next SUPERSTAR!
How to Make a Casting Reel!
Get sides (aka Script)
Slate into camera -If the audition you are doing the reel for has their specific set of slate rules follow theirs.
Then turn head a little and look next to the camera
Deliver lines (scene)
Look back at camera when you are done with lines/scene
Person who is assisting with the scene/other character should not read lines exaggerated, but in a tone above mono-tone
When the script calls for direction (such as character closes door; take the direction but minimize it) so pretend you are closing the door or whatever the direction states, but NEVER turn your back to the camera even if in script.
Make sure you have a plain background/wall (no bright colors stick with neutrals such as white, cream, beige, etc.)
Wear solid color shirt with absolutely no logos, patterns, pictures, or other distracting things. Also make sure it compliments your skin tone
Appearance should be clean cut, nothing extravagant, look presentable!
*Last but not least… Remember the golden rule when it comes to Casting Reels: “No Reel is BETTER than a BAD reel”.
This past weekend Starbound Talent held auditions for the upcoming trip to IMTA Los Angeles. The auditions featured IMTA veteran, former Broadway and Television actor, David McCowen. David came to Starbound Talent all the way from New York for this special event. Mr. McCowen along with the extraordinary talent finders Starbound Presidents Wendi Davis and Justin Shivak held auditions from Saturday to Sunday hoping to find those special few.
Auditions were being held for a multitude of talents including singers, actors, dancers, and models, along with a new section at IMTA for songwriters to name a few. The purpose of this event was to find through auditions the many talented women, men, and children who reside here in Toledo and surrounding areas of Lucas County. Those who show superior talent are then chosen by Starbound to attend classes and hone their craft even further in hopes they will be ready to attend the annual IMTA Convention that is being held in Los Angeles this year.
Those wising to audition came to Starbound Saturday or Sunday. Participants were first shown a video with talent from IMTA who has gone on to become famous and able to work in their respective industries and make a living doing what they love to do. The video even featured a few stars from Toledo, Ohio such as Adrianne Palicki, Alyson Stoner, Olivia Stuck, and others that have came from Starbound Talent and have went on to star in blockbuster movies, television shows, print ads and more.
Then it was time to Audition! Seeing a mixture of emotions in the participants from nervous energy and anxious (mainly from the older ones) while the littler ones were ready to show out…in a good way. There were a few little kids who stood out to me, and who you could definitely tell were there because they wanted to and not because mommy or daddy “made them”. A little boy named Nathan who looked to be 5 or 6 walked the runway and ended with an “uhh why?” look and stance (I later found out dislikes modeling class which explained it all!). It came time for him to recite his commercial and he nailed it, and the cute voice only made it that much better. Then there was another little girl by the name of Gigi who even before she went to audition was giving facial expressions and looks that had me giggling to myself. Then this little girl got up to do her audition and the expressions her face gave let you know she loves to act. Then she exclaimed was the line “Chomp or Bite-Ohh I don’t know!” which only added to the cute factor.
Ok! I know it is starting to seem as if I am a little biased towards the children, but what can I say? Whitney Houston said it best; they are our future and so stinkin’cute!
Now… On to the others where we had a variety of ages auditioning, there were also a few standouts. There was a teenage boy named Chase who played a cover acoustic version of a song and had me, and everyone else swaying and tapping our feet in our seats. This young man had the vibe all the little teenage girls would love and I can see him one day performing and the girls going as the kids say CRAY! Also a young man by the name of Keyron who has done local shows around Toledo and who’s audition was very funny. Last but not least we had a young lady by the name of Moriah who was there to support her friend and was not planning to even audition. She ended up reading a screen test playing the part of the “airhead” exact and hilariously. Then she sang a song and her voice was very unique and calming. Just goes to show you never know when an opportunity or talented person may be.
All in all it was a very successful weekend and many talented people were found and chosen and will hopefully represent Starbound Talent at IMTA this upcoming January. Contrary to popular belief Toledo does breed talent!
So if you or anyone you know has that “IT” factor and has a talent you feel needs to be seen. Make sure you give Starbound Talent a call! We’d love to help you hone your skills and live your dream career. Make sure to follow us on Instagram @STARBOUND_TALENT.
How do you start your audition? You slate! Slating is your way to introduce yourself to the casting director and directors. It is your chance to show your personality and show them that you are going to be great to work with. Here are instructions on how to slate!
Standing up straight
State your…
Name, first and last.
Age (optional for the mature actor)
Agency, Manager or Freelance
Make sure you are standing up straight and not moving and don’t forget to talk loud and clear. Make sure you enunciate clearly so everyone can hear your name. Add a “Hi, I’m" or a “Hello, my name is” and then your name. It is okay and recommended to pause slightly in-between your first and last name. If you are on camera make sure you are looking into the camera and not around the room. If not on camera, look at the people running the casting. Be friendly, not like you are reading a line. This is your introduction, have energy so that there is a light in your eyes. If they don’t like your slate, they probably won’t listen to your audition.
Before you perform your material, take a breath. This gives you a moment to get into character. Remember not to rush through your slate. The moment is all about you!
ABOVE ALL ELSE FOLLOW THE REQUIREMENTS OF ANY AUDITION!
A good headshot is important in the entertainment industry. A headshot is a professional photograph, where the face is used as the main focus to grab attention. Headshots are a way to promote yourself to agents, casting directors, or any auditions you may attend. The main goal of the headshot is to get you noticed and help get you work. It is important that you keep your headshot current with your look. It needs to reflect who you are now, if you have any changes in your look, you should get an updated photo. Remember the main reason for a headshot is to identify who you are, so be yourself!
Here are some tips for a great headshot:
1. The day before you have your headshot scheduled get enough sleep, drink plenty of water, and eat well. This will help you look and feel better while at the photo shoot.
2. The most IMPORTANT thing to remember is you need to look like your headshot. You want them to know it is you when you walk in the room. A headshot is supposed to be the best representation of who you are.
3. DO NOT wear too much make up. You want to go for a more natural look and be recognizable. You do not want your picture to look like it was from a beauty pageant.
4. Keep your clothing simple:
• Stay away from a lot of patterns and large logos
• Choose a color that looks good with your skin tone (no neon!)
• Keep jewelry to a minimal
• Do not wear all white, it can wash you out
• Pick a shirt that falls well on your shoulders and neck and that won’t be too revealing.
5. Try to show as much of your personality as you can. You want whoever is looking at your headshot to see how unique and authentic you are.
6. Your eyes say a lot about who you are. Try to really connect with the camera and show that you’re smiling with your eyes.
7. Mix up your expressions. Don’t just give one look. Show the different sides of you, so the photographer can capture the best look.
8. BE RELAXED. If you are nervous or worried, it will show, have fun and don’t sweat the small stuff. If you have a zit or blemish, it will get edited out of the photo.
Below are some examples of our actors headshots. All of the headshots were taken by Rick Luettke.
Have you ever wondered how casting directors choose actors? Well, if you know the answer to that question you can stop reading this blog now. We have asked this question to over a dozen casting companies and everyone has a different answer. However, we did find out that they eliminate actors immediately for a lot of different reasons and what they call “annoying behaviors/common sense mistakes”. We know that auditioning can be a frightening experience for most actors, so here are some common sense tips or don’t ever do this! We have also provided a demonstration to help you understand.
Alyson Stoner was born to be a star. When she first came to Starbound, she was young and spunky. Her firecracker-like energy translated into her dance routines and acting material. Her talent did not go unnoticed at IMTA. She was sought after by dozens of agents.
Alyson Stoner took her acting and dancing skills to Los Angeles shortly after competing at IMTA in New York 1999. She landed her first job acting on a Hallmark commercial. Soon after, she was seen dancing in a JC Penny commercial. Missy Elliott then cast her in the iconic role as the little girl in the pink jumpsuit and pigtails in her ‘Work It’ music video.
Alyson’s big break came when she landed the role of Sally on Disney’s ‘Mike’s Super Short Show’. Disney loved the young actress and had her guest starring in shows such as ‘Suite Life of Zack and Cody’. Years later, Alyson starred on Disney’s ‘Camp Rock’ alongside Demi Levato and the Jonas Brothers. Alyson has broken into the voice over world as she voices ‘Isabella’ on the show ‘Phineas and Ferb’.
Not only has Alyson starred on the Disney Channel, she can be seen on the big screen in movies such as ‘Cheaper by the Dozen’ alongside Steve Martin. She also stars in the ‘Step Up’ series.
Between TV movies, TV series, Movies, commercials, and continuous dance classes, the busy superstar has now began her music career! Alyson started releasing covers on her YouTube channel while she was writing and recording her on original music. Alyson released her first single ‘Woman’ this year! She performed this single here in Toledo at the Lexus Rocks the Runway fashion show.
Currently, Alyson is performing her newest single ‘Dragon’ throughout the country on the ‘Girls Night In’ tour.!
Alyson’s talent and hard work has lead her to be the 16th most searched star on IMDb and lead her to have a major social media presence. Make sure you keep up with Starbound’s amazing alumni Alyson on social media as she takes the industry by storm!
Starbound’s group of teenage and adult actors performed exceptionally well at in NYC at IMTA. Each of them arrived to NYC with a determination to prove they were the best and with goals to start a career in the industry. By the end of the week, the group fell in love with the city and were even more excited to move forward with their acting careers.
Shirley came to us from New Jersey and was a part of the Starbound NYC team. She had been pursuing acting for a few years and was ready to take the next step and find an agent or manager who would represent her in the industry. She auditioned for IMTA and with the help of her acting coach, she was able to impress the judges and receive a scholarship to the New York Film Academy.
Abby, avid in her high school plays and productions, came to Starbound knowing she wanted to be an actress. Her love for the craft caused her desire for a bigger stage to grow. The combination of her workshops at Starbound and her high school stage experience prepared her for the big stage in NYC!
Kelly came to Starbound with no prior acting experience. Her family knew she light up in front of the camera. After auditioning with Starbound, her natural talents came to light. Kelly was able to increase her confidence in workshops preparing her to take on the stage in NYC.
Asia knew acting was her passion at a young age. This passion took her to Toledo School for the Arts where she honed her acting and dancing crafts. Coming to Starbound was the next step in her acting experience. She worked with Starbound in preparation for NYC.
Vince’s love for film and acting lead him to Toledo School for the Arts. After attending TSA, Vince found a talent for music as well. The combination of music and acting sent Vince throughout the country as he went on tour and acting gigs. Vince was able to encourage everyone in workshops and better his fellow actors while bettering himself. His natural instinct and passion showed as he competed at IMTA in NYC.
Lande had a craving for the entertainment industry that lead her to star in short films throughout the area. With aspirations to start a career in the industry, Lande auditioned for Starbound. Her talent and versatility were enhanced as she spent time in workshops. She was able to take NYC by storm once she hit the stage!
Jay’s outgoing personality and natural acting instincts brought him to Starbound. Honing his craft was no issue as he performed in workshops. In workshops, Jay was able to pick the perfect piece for his personality allowing him to shine on stage in NYC!
Anna’s spunk and sass showed when she auditioned for Starbound. After performing in workshops, she was able to show her versatility as she took on dramatic roles as well. Her talent showed at each audition she had in NYC.
Awards
Lande
Cold Read – 4th Place
Improvisation – 4th Place
Monologue – 4th Place
Singing – 4th Place
TV Real People – 4th Place
Shirley
Monologue – 4th Place
Abby
Improvisation – 4th Place
Monologue – 4th Place
Vince
Improvisation – 4th Place
Jay
Monologue – 4th Place
Anna
Female Young Adult Actor of the Year – Honorable Mention
Our Little Stars had an amazing time in NYC competing at IMTA! We had five amazing youth actors competing this year. Each young actor had to impress the judges, agents, and managers while standing out against 100 other kids in their division. With the training provided by Starbound Talent, each kid was ready to take the stage!
Sisters Dana and DesireeMcCreary came to Starbound in March with nothing less than energy and excitement. Both sisters loved acting and excelled in Starbound’s workshops. After seeing their progress, Starbound noticed that they were ready to take on NYC and perform for the agents and managers at IMTA.
Nikki Johnson auditioned for Starbound’s ‘Actor of the Year’ contest in February. She was just a few points away from making the top 10 but she didn’t let that discourage her. Soon after, Nikki started workshops at Starbound. Her spunky attitude showed in class and it was obvious that she had pure talent. This talent and positivity lead her to IMTA in NYC!
EvanBoyers joined Starbound after performing in his school’s winter play. He loved every minute of it and craved more! Evan auditioned for Starbound and was immediately accepted to attend IMTA in NYC. His talent spoke for itself and his love for acting helped him shine in every workshop.
Johnny’s lip sync to the song “Uptown Funk” secured him a spot in Starbound Talent’s IMTA group in early December. His charisma carried over into his acting workshops and material. Johnny’s dedication to workshops allowed him to excel on stage at IMTA.
Our kid actors were decorated in awards by the end of the week! Congratulations to each of our talented youth actors for a week well done at IMTA!
Awards
Dana
Child Actor of the Year
Kids Spot - 2nd Runner Up
Monologue – 4th Place
Screen Test – 1st Runner Up
Theatrical Head Shot – Winner
TV Real People – 4th Place
TV Scene – 4th Place
Nikki
Cold Read – 4th Place
Kids Spot – 4th Place
Screen Test – 4th Place
TV Beauty – 4th Place
Evan
Male Pre-Teen Actor of the Year – 2nd Runner Up
Male Pre-Teen Model of the Year – Honorable Mention
Cold Read – 4th Place
Commercial Print– 4th Place
Fashion Print – 4th Place
Jean Runway – 4th Place
Kids Spot – 4th Place
Monologue – 2ndPlace
Fashion Runway – 4th Place
Screen Test – 4th Place
Swimwear Runway – 4th Place
Theatrical Head Shots – 4th Place
TV Beauty – Winner
TV Real People – 4th Place
Johnny Salameh
Male Pre-Teen Actor of the Year – Honorable Mention
Male Pre-Teen Model of the Year – Honorable Mention
Beauty pageants are created to celebrate women and their achievements in beauty, style, education and philanthropy. The winners receive an abundance of awards and gifts along with scholarships. The pageant participants raise money and awareness to help them to reach the top, so when they are showcased for their beauty they are also seen as hard working intelligent individuals.
When a contestant takes the stage she is in full smile. With a natural gaited walk, shorter stride, arms moving naturally, stiff head position moving side to side, to ensure everyone sees her smile, while moving gracefully across the stage. She is classy, friendly and full of life. This is a wonderful platform for all ages of women to gain recognition and to win a prestigious title.
Fashion modeling is not about winning, it is a job that you can make a living doing (extremely comfortable living). The height requirement is 5’8” however the preference is 5’10”. You would need to secure a modeling agency to be able to have a successful career. Every model agency has their own idea of what type of looks they feel work.
When walking on the runway as a high fashion model you need to be a hanger that is carrying the designer’s outfits. The emphasis is always on the outfit and not the model. The models job is to sell the items she is wearing. The walk is a natural gait with long strides and a arched back. The arms can move naturally by sides…slightly or they can be behind models back stiff or moving side to side. Head position is straight ahead with a regale look in the eyes. The facial expression is usually a fierce look. The reason models are not smiling on the runway is because it’s not about them; it’s about the clothes! If they were smiling everyone would be looking at their face and not the outfit.
These two events should never be compared to one another because they are in no way related. One is not better than the other it is a personal preference.
Starbound Talent’s success story and IMTA alumni Don Money has been thriving as an editor and actor in Los Angeles. Saturday August 6th, Don has a new movie “2 Lava 2 Lantula” premiering at 9:00PM on the Syfy channel. We asked Don about his latest project…
Starbound Talent -Tell us what your new movie “2 Lava 2 Lantula” is about.
Don Money - 2 Lava 2 Lantula" is the sequel to "Lavalantula" that aired on Syfy last summer. It is an action/comedy/create film, and in this one, Colton West (played by Steve Gutenberg) is an action movie star & America's hero (after he fought the creatures off and saved Los Angeles in the first film) - he is back on the set of his latest movie and life is good - that is until the lavalantulas show up again. This time they erupt in Florida where his step-daughter is, and he must once again battle the creatures in order to save his daughter and the entire state of Florida. Gutenberg's "Police Academy" cast mates Michael Winslow & Marion Ramsey reprise their roles and we've also added Eric Etebari (2 FAST 2 FURIOUS, WITCHBLADE, THE LINCOLN LAWYER), Jimmy Bellinger (LIV AND MADDIE), Josh Sussman (GLEE) & Martin Kove (THE KARATE KID) into the mix along the way. And the film is littered with pop culture movie references & homages all throughout like SCARFACE, JURASSIC PARK, MIAMI VICE, & DR. STRANGELOVE just to name a few, so the film is a lot of fun to watch!”
Starbound Talent -You had the opportunity to edit this movie as well as play a role in the film. Was it hard to edit the scenes that your character acted in?
Don Money - This time around it wasn't really. In the movie, there is a bit where the Army's Colonel Jester (played by Martin Kove) sends a squadron of fighter jets into the skies to lure out and attack the mother of all spiders - the "Gargantulantula" - a Godzilla-sized spider that threatens to destroy Miami. I play a fighter pilot that is the leader of the squadron. It's only a couple small scenes and it was pretty simple to shoot, and it wasn't that complex of a sequence to edit, so even though it was myself, it was pretty easy to put together. If I ever have to edit something I am in, and I have a bigger role, that is where it gets tricky for me because as an artist, I am always my own worst critic. In those cases, it's usually better for me to team with another editor who cuts everything together first, and then I come in to polish it after that. Going through hours of my own dailies is the worst!
Starbound Talent -This film is airing on Syfy. What are some of the challenges of editing a Syfy film?
Don Money - Syfy films are a lot of fun! It's one of the reasons I wanted to edit "2 Lava 2 Lantula". The thing with TV movies though that differs from theatrical films is the pace of the story telling and the placement of certain moments in the movie. In a two-hour movie, you only get about 85 minutes of that to tell the story, it unfolds much quicker, and you have to take into account the commercial breaks, which many times are placed in very specific places within the film. So you need to edit with that in mind, as well as also knowing that after it airs on TV, the movie goes on to live on DVD or VOD in seamless form (without the commercial breaks), so the overall edit of the film and the way you are telling the story must also work with the breaks removed, so you have to know how to balance that.
Starbound Talent -What are some of the challenges of acting in a Syfy film?
Don Money - The acting challenges of a film airing on Syfy aren't really any different than acting in anything else. It's about making strong acting choices that are honest & truthful and making sure you are being as organic as possible with the material. And with "2 Lava 2 Lantula" it's, part of what makes it so fun and funny is playing everything in a truthful way, but at the end of the day, the catastrophe that everyone is trying to deal with is a bunch of lava-breathing, fire-spitting spiders, one of which is the size of a professional sports stadium, so it ends up being really fun and funny to watch.
Starbound Talent -Do you have a favorite memory of working with Steve Guttenberg and the rest of the cast?
Don Money - Steve Guttenberg was so awesome to work with, both as an actor and on set! This movie really works, and it's totally because of him. He sells this character the whole way through in an organic, charismatic, & funny way that only a handful of actors can do. He's been around for so long and in so many memorable, iconic characters & films, it was so great to see him work in person and to see who genuinely nice of a guy he was. This movie was not easy to make, it was shot in 12 days, very long hours, and in multiple locations & states, and Steve really was our emotional cheerleader along the way. He always made sure to stay positive, and to thank everyone on set and tell them how great a job they were doing, and how talented they were, all the way down to the PAs. He kept everyone's energy up and you could really tell that he loved his job and loved this movie, and I think it shows onscreen through and through.
Make sure you tune in to watch “2 Lava 2 Lantula” on the Syfy channel this Saturday at 9:00PM and check out the teaser below!
