I’ve been a subscriber of Bob Fraser’s news letter Show Biz How-To for a few years now and I’ve learned quite a bit from just his emails. Check out the email I received today! Thanks Bob! -Aurora
From Bob Fraser’s email:
As you know, one of my oft-repeated themes is “be nice.”
I don’t harp on this because I think you should be worried about
being’black-balled,’ or put on a list, or that toadying obsequious
brown-nosing is the way to go – I say this because being nice is
just very good business practice.
In fact, I’d say that good business practice (in any business) can be
summed up in 4 words.
Be nice.
Hustle.
Advertise.
People who follow this 4-word plan are usually successful.
However. Here it comes …
When other people are not nice, it does no good to keep silent about
their behavior.
Silence implies acceptance.
As anyone who is paying attention knows – there are more than a few
people in our business who are mean, selfish, nasty, crude, in-your-face
bullies.
Whether they work in casting, catering, crew … or as actors … these
mean people seem to be spreading.
Let me help you deal with these folks by giving you an insight: When
you run into a nasty bully, keep in mind that their entire operating
procedure derives from their own … FEAR.
Generally speaking, these jerks and jerkettes are fearful of being found
to be lacking in talent, or skills, or sufficient passion for the work … and
they are driven by that emotion in everything they do.
Fear is what compels them to put other people down. They are simply
attempting to make others fearful – so that they can cover up the fact
that they are incompetent.
And when we remain silent about this sort of asocial behavior, it spreads.
In my not so humble opinion – much of what is wrong in show business
these days (reality shows, nasty unfunny ‘comedy,’ bloody ‘entertainment,’
semi-porn and the general lack of class exhibited by some of our ’stars’)
is a direct result of this ’spread the fear’ behavior that we have come to
accept as the norm.
When this sort of behavior becomes institutionalized – as it seems to be
from the stories I hear – then everyone suffers.
The treatment of actors has never been wonderful – but the vicious ‘attack
mode’ being displayed by some ’staff people’ in our industry is truly reaching
serious proportions.
For some reason I can’t help but think of the rise of the Nazis … because,
frankly, if we don’t start speaking up, it will soon be too late.
In other words, all the ‘fear fascists’ DESERVE to be ‘outed.’
I know this ‘outing’ will take time away from gossiping about the latest
‘public disaster’ involving some young actor, pop star, or anyone named
Paris – but, I believe our very futures are at stake.
So, be nice – but don’t hesitate to be courageous if you happen to run into
one of these fearful philistines – they cannot continue their unacceptable
behavior if everyone knows what they are doing … and the reason they
are doing it.
In my experience, once they are ‘outed’ their power disappears.
However …
Do everything in your power to use humor to point them out – being upset,
frustrated, in high dudgeon, or whining about it, only gives them satisfaction
and they will continue their evil ways.
Nothing stops a fascist faster than being laughed at.
So plan your counter-attack carefully – look for an opening – and make them
the butt of a joke.
Believe me, this will cut off their power supply, cause them to wither up and
eventually they just drift away.
And that will provide you with enormous satisfaction.
Plus – a clever line will always be remembered – and you’ll get noticed.
Win. Win.
Have a splendid day and, as always …
Much Success,
Bob
Aurora_&_Summer