Recently I was granted my O-1 performer visa. For those who deal or have dealt with the visa issue, you all know how much work there is to put into it. I am so grateful I had ActorTrack back then to assist me (by the way, ActorTrack was the precursor software that I used prior to switching myself to Holdon Log's latest performer self-management tool; known as "PerformerTrack" [you can see more at www.PerformerTrack.com]. I will simply refer to "PerformerTrack" within the remainder of this article to keep it easy to read as "PerformerTrack" does everything that I am about to discuss).

This program literally helped me get my visa and if you are ever in a similar situation PerformerTrack can help you too. This is why...

When I first met my lawyers, they were amazed at how many people I knew and were still able to be in touch with. They told me that many of their clients have had encountered big players in the Industry that could make a difference in getting a visa, through reference letters. But too many of them never really kept in touch or had lost the contact info of these big players.

Not me! With PerformerTrack I had all the contacts I have ever been involved with right there at my fingertips.

With PerformerTrack all of my Contacts have a "History" folder. I can click that folder and see every Interaction I have ever had with them. For example, I can see all the times I have ever auditioned for someone, all of the follow-ups I have ever done with that person, every time I scheduled a phone call with him/her, or simply went to lunch with them...All there for me to easily reference!

I can never say it enough, people. Keep in contact with people you meet through auditions, booked projects, classes, networking events, etc. When you catch up with your contacts do it in a balanced and honest way. You first have to care for people. If you are doing it just for yourself as a way to beg for roles or work, people will eventually be turned off.

Rather, if you are truly interested in what others do, keep note of it (PerformerTrack allows you to add unlimited notes for every contact). Once in a while go back to them and ask them how they are doing, how their current projects are going, etc. After you find out what they are up to, make note of the details so that you may refer to them in the future when you re-connect! By contacting them this way you will see that relationships tend to create themselves automatically. This is my secret of networking…I simply care for people!

Within PerformerTrack each of your Booked Projects has a dedicated "Web Listings" area to list and categorize all of the websites that make reference to each specific project; clip sites, fan sites, reviews, etc. This feature is extremely helpful as you should always keep a list of where you as a performer are talked about (professionally speaking) online with regards to the projects you are involved with. Here's why...

Your visa package that your lawyers will submit is all about marketing. It is about marketing yourself and marketing the people you know. Do you know that you can not send any media with your package? All they want to see is paper. So when I presented my “big” US players as references, I had websites links and notes on who did what in Hollywood. Then on my side, I had many links to articles or websites that were featuring me… From there, my lawyers were able to simply use this to create a strong and effective package.

PerformerTrack was my main tool during this long and demanding process. The fact that I had about all I needed in one single place made it easier for me to gather everything together. PerformerTrack saved me time and stress that would have no doubt come my way without it!

There are many other areas in which this tool is extraordinary. I use it for my tax filing, I use it at the end of the year to analyze my career, and I love to be able to see which pictures work best for me.

PerformerTrack, merci mille fois!
(PerformerTrack, thank you a thousand times!)