In the first 48…

January 10, 2011 · 0 comments

Gotta love a show (The First 48 ) that has people giving information about crimes/criminals, videotapes them, airs it national television, and throws the people right back into their respective neighborhoods. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!

But I digress…

Here’s what I’ve done since my last post 48 hours ago.

For Goals #1 and #2:

I started with writing down my skills and things I enjoy doing.

Then I created 3 (instead of 5) options for an idea that could make me $1k/month costing me 15 hours per week. It just so happened that in the process of doing this, GOAL ONE (create an idea that can make me 1k/month on the side) and GOAL TWO (create a drama based program for children, etc) merged together.

So, I got three ideas together and sent them to six (instead of 5) people who’s opinions I really respected.

Here’s what I said:

Happy Sunday,

If you are reading this email that means I really value and respect your opinion. I’ve been having some ups and down with the job market here in NYC and I have always wanted to create a an honest way to work that doesn’t make me dread getting out of bed in the morning and that can actually pay my NYC expenses. So, I am doing a case-study to test if my ideas are any good or not.

If you have time, please carefully reading through the short description I have created. After, I’d like your honest opinion on the ideas. How can I make them better? What am I missing? Would you or people you know be likely to contract my services? You get the point.

I need to start really going more boldly in the direction of my dreams. Here’s a step forward.

The Ideas:

IDEA ONE:

What: Private Creative Dramatics Coach

Creative Dramatics is a set of ideas that values theatrical process over product. As a Creative Dramatics Instructor, I would use dramatic techniques as a vehicle to improve students’ self esteem, communication skills and their overall self-view. This coaching would not be the traditional acting coaching, I will not promise students’ auditions, fame or to be a star. Not only are these impossible to guarantee, but they are short-lived experiences. What I can promise, however, is an honest, attentive coach that gives relevant and thoughtful critique. The skills students will gain during coaching sessions will help them become better creators, actors and artists, but most importantly better versions of who they already are.

Each session costs $30 per hour at a minimum of two hours per session. Sessions must be paid one week in advance before scheduled session date.

Who: This coaching is designed for middle to high-school aged children as they are in a ripe developmental phase to benefit from these sessions.

When: Two-hour long coaching sessions are flexible and can be arranged with parents.

Where: Sessions will take place at student’s home, rehearsal spaces in the city, or other locations depending on the curriculum. I will choose locations that best suit the student and the current curriculum. Locations must be agrees upon in advance with parents.

Why: Creative Dramatics Coaching is a non-conventional approach to a popular field, by relieving students from the pressure of the “product’ they can become more comfortable with taking creative risk, and will ultimately become better actors/artists. If children intend to pursue a career in acting it is essential that they become comfortable with themselves as performers and as individuals. This coaching is designed to bridge that gap between the two.

IDEA TWO:

What: Creative Dramatics Group Session Instructor

The same Creative Dramatic techniques will apply to this session. The focus will be on what can be created with given set of students. The session is project-based, but the emphasis is not on creating a specific type of outcome. The final project will be at the discretion of the students and the instructor.
Certain elements of the course will be videotaped along the way, and on the final day of the session students will each receive their own DVD copy of their progress throughout the session.
The fee for the session is $250 per applicant.

Who: The group session are ideal for high-school aged students. An ideal group would have 5-7 students.

When: The 4-week long course will occur in 2-hour long sessions, three times a week for the month-long course.

Where: Sessions will take place in rehearsal studios and other locations around the city. This course is completely interactive so the instruction is not limited to any particular location.
Why: The sessions focus on the group dynamic and creating ensemble work. The goal is to find an individual voice while still being able to facilitate work with a group.


Thank you for reading. I look forward to hearing what you think.
Best,
Shelah Rhoulhac
www.ShelahMarie.com

Here’s what they said:

“I think that these both sound like amazing option, and my question to you is simply this: which one do you think would be easier to market? My gut instinct says that one on one is more valuable and that a group might come eventually, but first people probably want personal attention if they are looking for a coach. And I think you would be wonderful at that. Do you know anyone who has been talking about doing some extra work on process or technique? You’ve also got so many followers on twitter, your website, ect, and now is the time to utilize that social media. I hope this was helpful! Let me know what you decide, or if you want me to elaborate”

“I think you can do a combination of the two, on sessions twice a week you can do individual lessons and once a week you can host the group lesson.  that way your target the wallets of both parents and organizations.  i think you need to let a list or references together as well as a lesson plan and some clips of your past work to use as a selling tool for your potential clients”
“YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS! I’ve been super-pumped at how serious you’re taking this.”

For Goal #3:

I began application to The 2011 Session at the Mellon School of Theater and Performance Research at Harvard University and EMERGENYC: Hemispheric New York Emerging Performers Program. I took specific action for applying by laying out all necessary application materials and creating a timeline for first and second revisions of each piece of the application. Then, I went into the calendar in my rad phone and set reminders for when each item would be due. I also created dates for meetings with my adviser to review materials. Then, I set reminders for one week before the deadline and another for the final deadlines. Hey, I’m always on my phone so I figure this would be a good way to keep track of everything.

I will update in one week from today and let you know what has happened since then. Until next time…

http://www.aetv.com/the_first_48/index.jsp

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