Why Actors MUST Twitter

Intro Uno (ADD actors can skip this)

Take a trip down memory lane if you will when you first heard about a little somethin’ called “Myspace.”(Believe me there’s a point to the history lesson)

Our “Myspace” was something almost magical. We were able to email, post, pictures, and comment (which in and of itself was nothing too spectacular.) The magic came when we it all worked together, in one place, and did so simply. Yes, Myspace was once infinitely cool. I too once boasted thousands of friends, and a regularly produced teen angst filled blog. (With 30,000 subscribers, which I would die for if they followed me here). Needless to say, I was very content connecting with my friends around the digital water cooler. Then the great migration occurred.

A “Facebook” appeared on the scene for those of us that grew tired of the psychedelic tween Myspace profiles, and lured us into its simplicity. I’ll admit I was hesitant at first. It look a little too simple, and we were able to make more genuine connections. No longer was it about the amount of friends you seemed to stockpile, but rather the quality of the relationship that you shared with friends from long ago or not so long ago. But there came a time when we wanted something easier, faster, and more personal then…

Intro Dos (ADD actors should start here)

Twitter fluttered its way into our hearts.

It has become the newest social network to have all the social media experts raving about its revolutionary ramifications, as if we hadn’t heard the same thing regarding Myspace’s ability to super target advertising to a demographic. Aside from all the mass media press, the Ashton Kutcher punk’n of CNN…

What has Twitter done for you? Better yet why MUST actors Twitter?

Excellent question! I’m glad you thought to ask it, and I thought to answer it, and even post a blog about it. Nifty how that works out. Anywho…

I’ll give you five good reasons why…

1. Easy

Seriously, who doesn’t have the time or energy to post ONE SENTENCE every once and a while? Remember, Myspace required that you fill out a lengthy amount of information? Or that Facebook pushes us to suggest friends, and reconnect with everyone in our address book. Twitter? Twitter is content with co-existing with you and all you have to feed it is your name, a picture, a one sentence bio, and a link. Who can’t do that? Twitter is elegant in its simplisity, and forces us to get creative about offering value. Don’t believe me? Sign up, and you’ll be done in less then three minutes.

2. Competition Light

Although, you may be fatigued to hop to yet another social networking site your acting competition is not. Twitter is getting inundated very quickly and seems to be bursting at the seems with techies and pop culture commentators. However there is very little actual creative workers mining and providing a unique actors experience. Believe me I’ve looked. So Why should you be on twitter? Do you really want to fall behind your other actors that are slowly jumping aboard?

3. Real Time News

Twitter has become the place to go for live news, and I’m not talking “Live from the television studio…” I’m  talking “Live from the wing of the airplane that is down in the Hudson.” Twitter is also giving you news about acting workshops, agents, webseries news/castings, and overall film production. Twitter should be at the top of your stack if you are seeking to be the actor in the know. Or you can read the articles at THR.com the following day. Up to you.

4. Fanbase

Myspace has become the home of many musicians, and even a few of them have gone on to international appeal (Arctic Monkey’s). Linkedin is the place where I am able to build my business leads, and generate more business from the corporate world. Facebook I consider the local pub where I go and hang out after work, and is my digital frat house. BUT TWITTER….Twitter is where I live my life hour by hour, and a majority of people would agree with me on that. Twitter allows you to maintain an instant and intimate relationship with your fans. Naturally, Facebook fanpage gives you a bucket to fill, but Twitter allows people to funnel themselves where they would like. Its like a each tweet could be your own personal billboard along the digital highway. Too much? Perhaps…

5. Mentorship

Where twitter allows you to connect “downstream” with those people who may be either learn or use you in some capacity it also allows you to learn something or be  apart of something larger. I am very happy to say that I was one of the first ten friends of Ashton Kutcher, and was able to assist him setting up his account in the wee hours of the morning. Now I follow with earnest interest what he does on a day to day basis at Katalyst HQ, his company. A very unique experience where I was able to be a “mentor” of sorts, if even for a brief moment to help him get his bearings in the Twitter world, and now I have become a fan and simply observe. Simply put, Twitter allows you to reach out to people and connect with those people whom you would normally not.

On another occasion, I happen across Steve Agee of The Sarah Silverman Show. I had recently become a stark raving fan, and asked him several questions which . Surprisingly, he answered! (And made my week) Twitter removes those barriers we would normally confront in any other digital frontier.

Conclusion

I’m sure there are other reasons, and feel free to add to my meager list. I have got to run. Literally…the gym is my new thing. Run two miles, lift a few weights, and come back here with a half pint of Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked to tell you all about it. Peace ma peeps.