Myspace? Whyspace?

So, I uh... set up a Myspace profile today.

I know, I know... part of me feels like some weak poser trying get "in" with what the hip kids are doing. But really, how "hip" can something be when it makes the cover of Newsweek?

Actually, I did it for a couple of reasons. First, more than a few of the high school contacts I've re-connected with through sites like Project Alumni have Myspace profiles, and I thought it might be a way to re-connect with more of them. I'm such a "joiner," dontchaknow?

Second, and much more importantly, quite a few independent filmmakers are setting up Myspace pages to promote their work, and I'd like to be able to network with them. As is so often the case on the internet, something that started off as kid stuff is quickly becoming a communications network for underground industry. I'm not sure that creating this profile is going to get me work, but it's yet another way to promote myself to the future directors of America.

And, at this stage of my career, promoting myself is pretty important. As I go on more film, commercial and television auditions (auditioned for a Goodwill spot today, as a matter of fact... didn't fell like was 100% there, but I think I did creditable work), I'm becoming more and more aware of how important it is to have a diverse array of contact mechanisms at my disposal. I now check my email many times a day to see if my agent has sent me anything, or if a new casting notice has been posted on the PDXBackstage or Oregon Film Casting Society listervs. The cel phone is always on. Trish and I recently registered domain names for personal web sites to market ourselves with (trishegan.com and haroldphillips.net, to be specific... don't bother looking them up, though; there's nothing there yet). New headshots will be coming soon, now that I'm getting used to my new hair cut, and with them will be postcards that I can send to directors and producers.

Remember, the larger part of the term "Show Business" is "Business". In any business, your customers have to know how to find you before they even think about hiring you. I'm not saying that any of these promotional moves I'm making will get me work; I'll have to turn in a good audition and beat out the legions of competing actors for that to happen. If they help me to get that audition, or keep me in a director or producer's mind... well, then it's all worth it.

And don't worry, Rick Emerson, I'm not going to go all slutty like those "Myspace Girls" you were talkin' 'bout on yer stinkin' radio show today. I'll keep it clean (though I do have a photo posted of me without my shirt... see if you can find it. Just to clarify in case any of you go stampeding over to Myspace to look - she's rubbing my FOOT!!! My FOOT!!! Didn't any of you SEE The Waiting Room?? Yeesh!! What a bunch a pervs!!!)

-Harold