 In this video I'm going to talk about more nitty gritty of like the things I loved, I didn't love, the things that I would love to see in the future because I really think that this conference is going to grow and become more than it is. Of course the first one's always, it has like such unique beautiful things but then it also has some things where you're like, this could be better. I am going to talk about things that I would love to see in the future, not because I didn't love this conference because I did, but because I get excited about the potential of things when I really love them. About two months ago I did something pretty irresponsible. I bought a VIP ticket to the Southwest Actors Conference but I bought it with my credit card because there were only 25 VIP tickets and I thought okay plan A, I figure out a way to afford this trip or plan B, I sell it because there's only 25 tickets and somebody's bound to want to buy it. About a month ago I told my fiance I'm not going, it's just irresponsible, I don't have the money, I don't want to put the airplane ticket in the hotel room and the food and the ubers on my credit cards like I'm just not gonna go and he said and I truly believed I wasn't gonna go but he said yes you are going and he was right, I'm going. I'm gonna tell you how I was able to afford going to the conference but for now I really need to pack, I leave tomorrow morning and I just want to make sure that I have everything because I am not just going for myself, I also want to tell you all about it, I really can't believe this is happening but I'm going. If you have any questions, if you are one of those actors that couldn't make it this year because I almost did not make it this year, please let me know what questions you have specifically like what things you're curious about about the conference, what did happen, what didn't, I'm gonna give you my experience. The conference is two days but the first day it's a couple of hours of a mixer, the attire supposed to be cocktail so I'm gonna wear this blue dress that I have with some heels, some hoops you know, keep it cute but simple, this will be fine, it's nice and long, I don't want to be too like exposed and then the second day is going to be a very long day from 7 a.m. to 5 30 p.m. so I want to be comfortable so I'm gonna wear some loafers and Bella Hibbs, the creator of the conference said it's supposed to be trendy professional so I got like a very comfortable trendy-ish outfit mostly focused on comfortability because it's a long day. I also have to pack my skates, I'm in the middle of this challenge that I'm doing where I'm skating every day until I get cast in a role where I skate so I have to pack these giant skates which is the main reason why I'm taking a suitcase and a backpack. There's a couple of things I need to do in order to prep for the mixer and for the conference in general, the first thing is I'm going to make a link tree and create a QR code to put as my screensaver that way when I meet people at the conference they can just scan my phone and they can see my YouTube, IMDB and Instagram and we can connect which I think is a really fun idea, I'm stealing this idea from my friend Javi, have the code, let me grab my boyfriend's phone so I can see if it works and here's my screensaver let's click on a link just to make sure yep I think that's all the packing for now, I will pack my toiletries in the morning so that I can brush my teeth and stuff. I don't know how I feel about this montage thing with music so I'm just gonna talk for a little bit, I ended up skating because I realized I don't need to bring my skates, I'm technically going to be back Saturday night so I'll be able to skate and then I went to the airport entirely too early but it's okay, I booked the flight really early in case there were any delays, cancellations so that I could still make it to the conference and I got this entire exit row two-seater thing to myself and it was amazing. I'm on the airplane and I'll see you guys in Arizona. As I just landed I'm going to make my way to the hotel so I'll see you over there because I've never been here and I shouldn't really be vlogging I shouldn't be figuring out how to get to the hotel. Well I'm here at the Southwest Actors Conference in Scottsdale Phoenix Arizona and today day one is only a mixer in the evening from 5.30 to 7.30 and I was able to check in a little bit earlier than 3pm and the lady that helped me downstairs actually said that there's like a free happy hour so if I show my key at the bar during the mixer I can get free drinks and snacks. Let's do a little room tour of this hotel because this is actually like the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in by myself. Bar right here like a little mini kitchenette and now I'm in like a living area I don't know that I've actually had like a living area in hotels I know I sound so silly and there's a balcony right here and right next to the front door there's a door over here that leads to the bathroom nice little shower and then a vanity area oh it's well lit it's time to get ready I just showered I don't feel nervous yet I don't know what am I gonna do say hi to people big deal right I will tell you guys oh I was gonna tell you guys today about how I um afforded to be here I guess I can tell you I don't think it's a secret I have got a video sponsor tomorrow's video is going to be sponsored by a company that I like I really like and I have a lot of friends who really like this company and that's how I was truly able to afford to come here and what's my goal today at the mixer genuinely to just meet people whoever these people are actors casting directors I just want to like meet people and make friends not like expect anything from them you know because I think that's how the best relationships are built especially in a working environment where there's like a lot of people that may want to work with them I think the best way is to meet people and see if you interact well and then once if once you interact well then you can be like okay well maybe we can work well together at the last mixer that I went to something that I found this is a tip if you are a super extrovert like me by super I don't mean like amazing extrovert I just mean very extroverted try not to talk to the same person for too long because then you'll only end up talking to like two or three people people that I know that are gonna be here that like I believe I will get to say hi to them Bella Hipps of course the creator of the conference I think I'm gonna be able to say hi to her because she's been really sweet in the DMs like comment and her stuff so she's reply like oh excited to meet you things like that so she might be too busy I might not be able to say hi to her but Heidi Dean does a lot of like marketing tips for actors she's gonna be here but that's pretty much all of the people that I feel a hundred percent comfortable like going up to and saying hello and I do have my phone with my qr code I obviously don't know Bella Hipps like personally I just know her through social media but I have to say she really seems like a nice genuine person and dang we're the same age I'm pretty sure I think I think we're the same age and for her to have made a whole conference and originally I wanted to do this like a couple of years ago that's really cool that she was able to do that time to become a sausage it's time to go to the mixer I'll try and show you guys as much as possible but I will definitely tell you how it went when I get back I met mostly actors one casting director once you checked in if you were VIP they gave you a badge I do wish that everybody else had a name tag but at the same time it was nice to just go up to people and be like what's your name I met mostly actors I got to talk to Bella I'm pretty sure she was the first person I talked to she just happened to be saying hi to somebody else near me and then right after she came up to me and she's like I feel like I already know you from like social media and that made me feel so good because I also feel like I already know her from social media so it was nice to just not be awkward and be like hi I'm Bellica you have no idea who I am so that was that was really sweet I need to stop talking so loud I just realized I'm probably talking really loud because I've been like screaming for the past three hours in that room you also got a little paper where you had to get your significant other so I got Blake Shelton so I was looking for Gwen Stefani but that was a fun icebreaker because I got to go interact with people by trying to find Gwen Stefani and I got really into it and it definitely got some conversation started there was a fun little booth and I took a photo by myself and then a lot of the speakers were there I got to say hello to Mel I believe that was her name that was super fast just like at the end there but that was a pretty successful mixer it was just a lot of people so I had to be like okay guys nice to meet you confirm the names again so I could remember it and then went on to the next group everybody seemed really sweet I did not meet a single person where I was like I met like I counted on Instagram that we follow each other now I counted 23 people but I am a very outgoing person like if you want to talk to me I'm gonna want to talk to you if you're a nice person I'm gonna want to talk to you I met all of these people basically the first day of the mixer maybe like two or three I met on the second date but mostly during the mixer I would introduce myself talk to them a little bit and be like okay I'm gonna go you know say hi to other people not because I wasn't interested in them but just because I know if I started talking to one person I can talk to them for hours and I don't know that everybody wants to talk to me for hours and also just want to meet other people the day of the mixer I got to talk to Mel Mack um she's a casting director and also an acting instructor and then everybody else I believe were actors as far as the the mixer itself a lot of the speakers made appearances in there of course bella was in there and I got to say hi to her the mixer being on the first day at the beginning I was like oh I wish it was at the end after you got to meet everybody I was so wrong I loved that the mixer was on the first day because I got to make friends and then the next day I just had so many people that throughout the day I was having conversations with taking them to the savage booth sitting next to in classes today's perks for the VIP ticket was that I got to wear this and I got to talk to people about my dream role and then we did get one drink ticket I got orange juice because I didn't want alcohol and then we got this tote this little bag southwest actors conference and expo it's a hundred dollar gift card good towards all audios albums in the actor inspiration store and then I got one free saffron road snack 75 dollars off a annual premium with a code for VIPs cool six month membership for we audition so it's worth 60 dollars because it's 10 dollars a month if you guys don't know what we audition is it's a platform where you can get a reader and then a notebook from communication method for actors oh this pen looks really nice pretty good pen tasty pastry legendary foods these are pop tarts basically 20 grams of protein 24 carbs just like anything else that has a bunch of protein doesn't taste like a pop tart you know everything that has a lot of protein unless you're a health nut you're gonna think it just tastes a little different I asked you guys to let me know any questions that you have and somebody was like well how do you go up to somebody that you want to work with and honestly what you want to do in general with people is just genuinely get to know them and them to get to know you because then you can see if you can work together well but now I think it's time to relax the conference was two days and the first day it was just a mixer a little sad that it was only the mixer because I would have love to just experience more especially since I traveled all the way to Arizona from California good morning it's day two of the southwest actors conference and there's a keynote at 8 a.m which is in like 10 minutes and then after that I do have to decide which classes I need to go to because there are a couple of different tracks so I got my notebook to take notes and um let's go to the keynote downstairs there is a large lobby area before the conference rooms with all the vendors a desk to check in and then you go through those large doors for the main conference room which is the larger one which is also where the keynote speaker was and classes were happening throughout the day we didn't get a chance to talk last night here you know you're all day can you ask me questions mel did an acting workshop live and then she also actually provided all of us a 15 minute consultation with her which she did an acting workshop basically live she got two actors to come up which I think that's a great opportunity it's almost like paying to go to a casting director workshop during the conference because there's a lot of people that are instructors and casting directors it's like a mini audition like you're paying to have them see you live and see that you take direction that's what melanie did she got the actors and she would give them feedback and she was able to see how they worked if you go volunteer I know it's so terrifying you might mess up but it's such a great opportunity to especially be live with them because you're maybe going to be able to audition for them in a self-tape but to be live and make that connection live and then after they're done speaking you can be like oh that was really fun thanks so much for choosing me now I have to choose between Dewan Johnson and one D.L.A. in right well Dewan was doing self-tape so I decided on that one so much hi everybody you guys gonna let me just take two seconds and just take in this manifestation I was not ready for Dewan he was like a stand-up comedian an inspirational speaker and he also had some really great information about self-tapes this is what I say to myself you're welcome my mantra this is your day this is your day we just finished the talk with Dewan Johnson and it was so much fun I definitely got some really good nuggets we have a 30-minute break right now and then we're going to the next class during this break I decided to go to the lobby and visit all of the vendors like groups studios the stack after I was in the office a film office peak nutrition and of course savage universal it was the most interactive booth there so I was bringing my friends over and I was just having a lot of fun at the booth having my friends late hi my name is Ricardo Morales I'm 21 years old and I'm represented by Lincoln agency that's my slave are you my slave we don't sell direct so we have to one of our teeters so I'm not sure and I need to tell you this was five years yeah that's one of ours I'm really how you know the media look at their cool setup they brought the exact color backdrop that I use for myself tapes and people have been taking selfies and just seeing the backdrops and I'm like yes use this this is what I use I feel at home watch I literally feel when I go like this that I'm standing in my bedroom you've definitely been helping us promote the backdrops to everyone today thank you where was everybody at like all of the actor apps there's just a lot of really fun opportunities for vendors to come and make it really interactive like for the savage booth I was taking photos they had a backdrop they had a ring light that was really fun but where were all the apps like we audition casting networks casting workbook actor trade castability headshot photographers as actors we really spent so much money and as you progress in acting you're going to need more things like a publicist like a stylist that's one of the things I was actually looking forward to I was like oh I wonder what new things I'm going to learn about as far as vendors because I recently started using the app castability please next year let there be a plethora of vendors it's time to choose again so between communication method for actors or booking the co-star role and because right now I am obsessed with a acting technique already I decided to go to the other room with um Mike Patron and take his booking the co-star role somebody also recommended I go to his class so that's why I went at one point they did say raise your hand if you've been acting for less than a year and there were a lot of people there were a few actors there that I didn't recognize but then afterwards I did look them up on the IMDB pro and I saw that they had a bunch of credits which was really cool that they were able to come to this for the most part I think this conference at least for this year was geared towards like people who weren't like brand new just trying to see if they were getting into acting but for people who are maybe like having gotten like a national commercial maybe have gotten like a co-star role but not that many like you know like on the on the brink of really taking off and being able to make more money from acting and be in like consistent work the session with Michael Patron just ended and we have another 30 minute break and then another class and finally lunch so next is going to be about I'm gonna stay here in this room and um ballroom seat to do the class on working commercials so I'm gonna stand this room and do the commercial blueprint um because I'm more interested in this one but in the other room Heidi Dean was there I also really wanted to take her class she is just the sweetest person as she seems online I really want to take one of her classes soon umari morales here did a live commercial workshop as well and gave us a bunch of tips about booking commercials first okay you're on your mark I want you to slate and give me so it's time for lunch so I'm gonna make my way over there I believe all the speakers are gonna be there the lunch was in the same room as the mixer from day one and it was assigned seating and it was basically actor industry person actor industry person hi everyone my name is Bella James director and founder of the Southwest Actors Conference yay and we're about to have lunch at the VIP lunch which I feel so fancy very important so look at all the people here it's gonna be so good okay wait I need to get her outfit hello okay okay those shoes that shirt welcome everybody to our VIP lunch um you have your industry guests with you you have amazing food coming out I sat next to joe here on their left side of the screen you can see joe giving me the balsamic vinegar for my salad he is an LA talent manager and then on the my other side you see Angie here for one second uh from the signature models and talent the food was actually pretty good and uh right in front of me I got to meet lily bankson from lily bankson talent everybody you guys was so sweet and chill it was so much fun now it is time for the casting director panel and q and a I really enjoyed this q and a because they were so honest they were so different each one of them had a different opinion which was great I love casting director interviews because you get to see what they like specifically it's crazy how different each casting director is or if you do something extremely appropriate on set drugs drinking free weapons like to me that becomes a liability and they do get put on that list um because I have to protect myself and my business as well well thank you ladies for giving us your time and now these ladies were so honest that it was to the point of just being really funny and real and chill it was like we were just you know talking in a small room as far as the speakers I definitely grabbed a little bit of information from each person it was interesting to see the perspective of each person the tips that each they each gave but because I have been acting for a while a lot of this stuff I already knew there were moments like that even for me of like oh I'm going to use that that's actually really cool or like yes I needed to hear this because I'm obsessing too much about blank and now I have to choose between agents and managers and I'm going to choose the agents because I think that it just will be more beneficial for me as far as managers I don't know that I'm in the position right now to look for that so I'm going to go into the where are we going for you guys where are you going managers I'm going to the manager panel I'm going to the agent you're going to the agent panel it's just because there's like two oh yeah so it's like you know I'd rather just for sure yeah okay we'll have fun I'll see you later so between each session there's been a little bit of a break of just like being able to go to the bathroom or mingling with people taking photos mostly honestly it's been people wanting to take photos with the people that were just speaking so right now that's pretty much what's happening Bella is over there um talking to people and taking photos with that backdrop and a bunch of casting directors were just over here also taking photos talking to people we're almost done with the classes I think it's this one with the agents I chose the agents one and then a break and the Rob Schneider talk and because I am VIP I get to sit in the front that actually has been really nice throughout the day is being VIP because for different reasons I've been late like I had the lunch and then they serve the lunch pretty close to the time we had to come back in the dessert so I came in here when they were already starting it and because I was VIP there was still a seat right in the front for me which was very convenient I'm going to start off with some questions for them these talent agents were also very very chill very very real and each one of them again had such different opinions about so many different things when one person would be like oh no that's a deal-breaker somebody else would be like actually I don't mind that so it was very good Rob Schneider was the keynote speaker at the end here gave really great information about his long experience in the industry and we also saw the trailer to his film daddy daughter trip which sounds like it's going to be very very good I definitely want to watch it at the end of course everybody swarmed to take photos with him in a nutshell day two of the conference was like a buffet and you got to sample each person's style or classes most of the people there also offer courses or something like that so you were able to be like okay I do enjoy their work let me continue and take their course all of the speakers that I saw were also all on Instagram so it was really easy to follow them and continue to you know develop this relationship so I think going to a conference like this is really really great in creating that relationship with these people because you can comment on their stuff you can post and tag them you can audition for them but then it's an even other step of actually being able to meet them in person I mostly think it was worth it for me to pay because I made so many connections so many friends it's like I paid for 23 new friends I love it totally worth it for other people like I was sitting with friends and after one of the sessions one of my friends turns to me and was like wow that was amazing like I really needed that right that was so good and I was like oh interesting because after that session I was like oh that's a really cool approach to this um but I wasn't like amazed you know and that's the thing that everybody is going to have a different experience with this kind of these kinds of things I would recommend it to anybody who can afford it because even if you are a brand new actor it's going to be a lot like just make sure to take notes but it's going to show you so many different things about the industry like all of the different classes you're going to get a lot of information in one day super compact and you're going to get to meet so many people and even actors are a little bit more advanced and like have a lot of this information already I think it's really cool because like I said before you get to sample all of these different people's techniques and perspectives and then you can potentially find somebody new that you're like actually I'm going to hire them to coach my next audition because I really liked their perspective I really like the way they did um this you know this little workshop in their in their session the conference is officially over I have my suitcase right here and I'm waiting for my Uber to head to the airport there was so much information today that I truly feel like I need to look at my notes and process it