Acting : Ask Me Anything (AMA) Wednesday 7/17 to Thursday 7/18- Using Social Media Content to Forge Your Own Path as a Performer and Creator by Ashley Ottesen

Hi, Ashley Ottesen. That's a lot of followers! Congratulations and congratulations on all your success! Thanks for having this AMA. What if I'm nervous about putting myself out there on camera?

Hey Ashley Ottesen - thanks so much for having this AMA! Glad you're with us. Question: How often do you post on SM and how do you come up your content? Thanks in advance!

Hi Ashley Ottesen Thank you for hosting this AMA. Do you have separate SM accounts? A public persona and a personal one for family and friends? Or do you just post creative content and nothing personal?

Appreciate you being here, Ashley Ottesen, and for all the support on IG in support of Filmmaking Club. I'm curious how you adjusted to the normalization (standardization?) of self-taped auditions.

Ashley Ottesen, I like the diversified concept! Content Creators as I've learnt, are exceptional individuals and I'm trying to remember! Q: Are there particular platforms and representations on the behalf of Content Creators, as they are very effective and uniquely creative in putting information and entertainment out there, on social media?

HI Ashley Ottesen - thank you for being here for this AMA. Your success is an inspiration. Actors aspire to have reps - an agent or a manager - do social media influencers have reps, and, if so, are they similar to acting reps? Thanks, again!

Hi Ashley Ottesen. Thanks for doing this. What are some of the pitfalls that come with filming content for social media that we might not be aware of?

Hi, Ashley! Thank you for hosting the AMA! For beginners, what would you say is the best equipment to start with? Do you have any specific recommendations?

Thanks!

Hi Ashley Ottesen - thanks for giving of your time and hard-earned knowledge. Can you share some best-practices when using linktr.ee ? And how to think about using it as a reflection of more than just you as an actress? [ also, what app are you using for your animations? they're awesome!]

Ashley Ottesen thanks for doing the AMA, Ashley. I hope you are well.

My question is about how a Director should work with a first time feature actor? What will they need, that more experienced actors probably won’t?

@maurice vaughan - everyone gets nervous when they try something new, because it's new, it's unfamiliar, it's maybe even slightly uncomfortable. But if you never tried something new, you'd never do anything. The hardest part is starting, it only gets easier from there. When you first start, expect to be kind of terrible, you'll get better as you go along :)

Leonardo Ramirez - I post 5 times a week, treating it like my job. It's helpful to have an ongoing series that you have lots of ideas for so you don't run out. Always be open to inspiration, and if you have an idea write it down immediately! Else you will forget it, I guarantee.

Suzanne Bronson great questions. I do not have separate accounts, I have one profile for each major social platform an I cross post my content to each one to reach different audiences. Anyone who wants personal stuff (and deserves it imho) has my phone number lol I like to keep most of my life private.

Richard "RB" Botto I've always been used to self taping as it was a standard practice in smaller markets. Many actors are annoyed by it, but I find them to be a blessing as I have small children who otherwise made getting in the room very difficult. I do miss the feedback that being the room would give you, but a self tape is incredibly convenient. It also helps that I have a partner willing to be my reader (he's getting better at it).

Tom Lapke - the algorithms. You'll twist yourself into knots trying to figure out how to appease the algorithms on each platform as I swear they are constantly changing. What would go viral before will suddenly get minimal views. So try to focus on the craft, the video. It's what you can control, otherwise you'll go insane. Also, have a thick skin when reading the comments, there can be a few people who just want to get a rise out of you. They aren't worth your time or energy.

Sydney S you can read all about that in my blog post. Short answer - your phone

https://www.stage32.com/blog/the-tools-needed-to-be-a-content-creator-3795

Sebastian Tudores great questions. I'm constantly thinking about boosting my acting career, and my link tree reflects that. I have all my social platforms listed (to combat fake profiles), my imdb, stage 32, and a tip jar (because you don't make much as a content creator for a while) I also am very passionate about helping others and currently have links for donations for anyone who would like to help refugees in the war. I've had links for the red cross etc.

Basically I found link tree to be an awesome tool for housing everything you care about in one place. Just be authentic.

Geoff Hall - a green actor is going to need confidence. They may pretend they've got it all figured out, but inside I know they'll be super nervous, because I once was that actor. They may not be used to taking direction, so I'd be very specific and clear. They need to know that you believe in them, that they were hired for a reason. If you have confidence in them, in turn they will have confidence in themselves.

Thanks for sharing your time with us today, Ashley Ottesen! It's so appreciated! Do you have any advice on the type of training actors should focus on these days or specific acting coaches that you recommend working with to develop certain skills?

Thanks for the answer, Ashley Ottesen. Should a content creator say "Don't forget to like, comment, subscribe, and share" at the beginning of the video or at the end? Or both?

Thanks so much Ashley Ottesen for your responses. I've learned quite a bit not just from your kind answers to my question but all others. I wish you all the best in all you do!

It was disorienting to see you in a different context - it took me a solid moment to figure out why you looked familiar - I KNOW this woman! WHY do I know this woman?!! What can you tell us about your production strategies/publishing schedule? Do you try to be regulated, or is it a bit more chaotic? Also: Thank you for keeping your content apolitical - it's so nice that you provide your audience with a comedic escape from all that strife and vitriol!

Eon C. Rambally forgive me if I'm not fully understanding your question, there are representatives who only cover social media, they work to get sponsorships, brand deals and brand ambassadorships for their clients (the best way to make money as a content creator) in terms of platforms I enjoy the most? That would be YouTube, it tends to treat its creators better

Sam Sokolow there are social media managers who are skilled at obtaining brand deals for content creators. As I am an actor, my representation is focused on acting work. I do have a manager who has offerred to help with social media in addition to regular acting work, we are both learning how to go about that. I'm not the best to ask about making money on socials, I just create (awkward laugh)

Ashley Renee Smith great question! I am constantly training, at least once a week, sometimes more. I highly recommend a scene study class. Every actor will say Stansislasky or Meisner or Uta Hagen etc etc are best, my advice is find what works for you. Look into different styles and methods, watch shows and plays not just for entertainment, analyze the actor's choices. I recently took a workshop with John Markland called Jungian Technique which was all about accessing your active imagination to help with character development. It was MIND BLOWING and I recommend his classes to everyone. Be advised, they are quite expensive sadly. I saved up, and it was money well spent to add to the tool box.

Maurice Vaughan figure out what works for you. Try saying it at the beginning, at the end or maybe not at all. There are many creators who don't even have a sign off. Do what feels right to you and stick with it :)

Ok, thanks, Ashley Ottesen. These answers are helpful!

Brian Swenlin first off, thanks for watching! I greatly appreciate you giving me your time. And to answer your questions, I do try to keep a schedule. If I don't have a schedule I get nothing done and stress ensues. My schedule is as follows:

Monday - Filming (3 sketches) Editing (1 sketch to be posted that day at noon)

Tuesday - Edit 1 sketch from Monday

Wednesday - Filming (2-3 sketches) Editing as many of them as I can

Thursday - Catch up on missed editing

Friday - Editing in the morning

My husband gets home from work wearly on Fridays so we use that time as like a lunch date, my family is always my first priority, which makes summers difficult to get anything done with my children being home from school. I also try to keep a consistent posting schedule of 12pm eastern M-F

Finally, have grace with yourself. It's taken me 4 years to really take a true break. I'd have a day off here and there but not a thorough recharge. Content creation needs to be fun. If it's not fun that's when you know you need to step back and recharge. (There's your very long winded answer lol)

...or, one might say: There's my very "thorough, thoughtful, and much appreciated" answer. :)

Thanks Ashley Ottesen! It's the answer and confirmation I was looking for! The AMA and commentaries is just great and informative. Best!

Ashley. Thanks for the AMA. How does your Social Media presence effect the kind of roles you get offered? You have a lot of funny content. Does this put you in a box for mostly being consider for roles in the comedy genre?

Okay, since no-one else is jumping in here, let's talk community, collabs, and carrots!

COMMUNITY - How much interaction have you had with the rest of the social media content creation community? Now that you're in The 2 Million+ Club, has that opened doors for you? Did Mr. Beast teach you the Social Media Elite Secret Handshake?

COLLABS - Have other creators reached out? I'm pretty sure I've seen you do bits with other creator/s, right? How does that come about - is it something you care to keep pursuing?

CARROTS - And, uh... do you like... carrots? Sorry, I don't know... I just needed a third thing that started with the letter "C". ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Ashley Ottesen thank you, Ashley. Noted. That’s good advice about confidence.

Ryan Little I used to worry about that a couple years ago but oddly enough I still only get called in for dramatic roles, so I guess I had nothing to worry about. And as for the box, Matthew McConaughey was in the rom com box for a while until ihe broke out in all his talented glory. There's nothing wrong with being in a box for a bit while you're growing as an actor, eventually you'll break out of it into a whole new world.

Brian Swenlin Community - fairly little actually. I'm quite an introvert and get shy when reaching out to people. I've not had the pleasure of joining the MrBeast secret handshake club, yet. Doors have opened, but few and far between. Some creators seem to skyrocket while others have a gradual incline. I'm in the latter group.

Collabs - I LOVE doing collabs. It can get rather lonely playing all the parts so when I have an opportunity to be with another actor in any way it truly is a breath of fresh air to have their energy. With collabs comes the difficulty of scheduling and relying on other people to get their footage to you in a timely manner. Sometimes your scene partner gets really busy and that brings a series you were working on together to a halt. 'Ces la vie. I'd love to continue working with other creators, preferrably in person.

Carrots - I never liked carrots, probably why I now have vision problems.

Thank you Ashley for answering my question!!

Ashley Ottesen "have all my social platforms listed (to combat fake profiles)" great point. And thank you for the answer!

That's helpful to know, Ashley Ottesen - thank you!

You're amazing, Ashley Ottesen! Thank you for taking the time to answer everyone's questions!

Is this thing still on? I just noticed you had a merch shop. Mind telling us how that came about and the challenges that come with pulling that together?

Brian Swenlin the merch came about because the audience asked for it