So you want to be an actor, huh?
My advice: run it like a marathon, not a sprint.
I'm creeping up on four months here in LA, and while I don't feel like I've wasted any of that time, I have remarkably little to show for it. Yes, I've taken some great classes and yes, I've been to a fair number of auditions--but my resume has only grown by two little items, only one of which was paying.
As I begin to tire of the near-daily online submissions, the monthly mailings, the informational events which are beginning to sound the same, the "chicken-and-egg" agent hunting process (i.e. they want people with reputable experience, and it's tough to get reputable experience without an agent), I'm finding myself frustrated. I mean, I moved down here for acting, and outside of my class, I'm doing very little of it.
To outsiders, "acting in LA" is often romanticized as great times with attractive people--and though that is out there (HOLLYWOOD), it's no way to build a career (great way to spend a lotta money, though). Building a career here is a ton of work--a lot of it not super exciting. So as I've continued to chip away at my long "to-do" list of acting items, I've realized something: for those actors who aren't satisfied waiting tables (or tutoring) (or stripping) for money while auditioning and making slow (sloooow) progress (years), it's advisable to front-load a lot of the work.
I tried to do this in SF by finding independent film work and taking acting classes, by having headshots ready to go, etc. I think what I should have done was continued doing all that on a part-time basis--but here in LA. I could have taken the acting classes I'm taking now in the evenings. I could have only gone to auditions that I was really passionate about. I could have attended the networking sessions, the information sessions, the parties--but all while keeping a full-time job. After a year IN LA, I'd know people, I'd have "brand name" training, I'd have "brand name" work on my resume, and I'd be in a better position to rock and roll--all with more money in the bank and a more satisfying day-to-day in the interim. Most of the basic ingredients for an actor new to LA--a local cell phone number, a website, a reel, business cards, reading the better industry related books (I'll detail this in another post), etc.--could all be taken care of on the side.
So, I offer this as advice to any actor thinking about making the move: eeeease into the LA acting scene because there's no rush (if you try to rush, you'll get mighty frustrated). Now, to be fair, there is a lot to be gained from diving right in, as great experience/exposure can come from interning at casting offices, being a Production Assistant (PA), writing/director/producing shorts, etc. while eating top ramen for bfast/lunch/dinner--but if all that doesn't excite you, you have two options: (1) do it anyways and learn to like it, or (2) stay focused on acting, but wait for the right opportunity to go full-time.
Okay, that's all with the advice; back to me. The question I'm now asking myself is, what should I do? Get a full-ish time job, keep auditioning as I can, slowly building up my resume, and then jump back in a year (or more) from now when I'm being pulled in by roles? Or continue with the standard LA actor thing (as described above), with some tutoring or consulting for money, always ready to drop everything for the perfect role?
I dunno.
Stay tuned.
I'm creeping up on four months here in LA, and while I don't feel like I've wasted any of that time, I have remarkably little to show for it. Yes, I've taken some great classes and yes, I've been to a fair number of auditions--but my resume has only grown by two little items, only one of which was paying.
As I begin to tire of the near-daily online submissions, the monthly mailings, the informational events which are beginning to sound the same, the "chicken-and-egg" agent hunting process (i.e. they want people with reputable experience, and it's tough to get reputable experience without an agent), I'm finding myself frustrated. I mean, I moved down here for acting, and outside of my class, I'm doing very little of it.
To outsiders, "acting in LA" is often romanticized as great times with attractive people--and though that is out there (HOLLYWOOD), it's no way to build a career (great way to spend a lotta money, though). Building a career here is a ton of work--a lot of it not super exciting. So as I've continued to chip away at my long "to-do" list of acting items, I've realized something: for those actors who aren't satisfied waiting tables (or tutoring) (or stripping) for money while auditioning and making slow (sloooow) progress (years), it's advisable to front-load a lot of the work.
I tried to do this in SF by finding independent film work and taking acting classes, by having headshots ready to go, etc. I think what I should have done was continued doing all that on a part-time basis--but here in LA. I could have taken the acting classes I'm taking now in the evenings. I could have only gone to auditions that I was really passionate about. I could have attended the networking sessions, the information sessions, the parties--but all while keeping a full-time job. After a year IN LA, I'd know people, I'd have "brand name" training, I'd have "brand name" work on my resume, and I'd be in a better position to rock and roll--all with more money in the bank and a more satisfying day-to-day in the interim. Most of the basic ingredients for an actor new to LA--a local cell phone number, a website, a reel, business cards, reading the better industry related books (I'll detail this in another post), etc.--could all be taken care of on the side.
So, I offer this as advice to any actor thinking about making the move: eeeease into the LA acting scene because there's no rush (if you try to rush, you'll get mighty frustrated). Now, to be fair, there is a lot to be gained from diving right in, as great experience/exposure can come from interning at casting offices, being a Production Assistant (PA), writing/director/producing shorts, etc. while eating top ramen for bfast/lunch/dinner--but if all that doesn't excite you, you have two options: (1) do it anyways and learn to like it, or (2) stay focused on acting, but wait for the right opportunity to go full-time.
Okay, that's all with the advice; back to me. The question I'm now asking myself is, what should I do? Get a full-ish time job, keep auditioning as I can, slowly building up my resume, and then jump back in a year (or more) from now when I'm being pulled in by roles? Or continue with the standard LA actor thing (as described above), with some tutoring or consulting for money, always ready to drop everything for the perfect role?
I dunno.
Stay tuned.
posted by sundeep at 5:57 PM
1 Comments:
First, on respect: the spiritual Vedantist in me wants to point out that all people deserve respect simply because they are human, but you can't demand that other people treat you a certain way. Getting angry about it shatters your mental energy and happiness on something over which you have no control. If you can't get your center back in a situation like that, get away and collect yourself. You'll never be able to change/convince/control that person. Anyway, who knows if the guy is laughing because deep inside he's ashamed that he couldn't walk away from the typical 9 to 5 to do something "dangerous"? Be proud and confident of your decisions and don't let his hangups mess you up.
The Texas football player in me wants to say: @#$% 'em. There's no point in talking smack before the game. Beat the @#$% out of them on the field though (metaphorically speaking, even if it takes ten years).
Second, on the job. I think you should go full out for as long as you can afford it, and look for something part-time about a month or so before you run out of money. But remember to be an actor who tutors/consults on the side, rather than a consultant/tutor who acts on the side (ie make a lifestyle budget that make sense on 20 hours of work per week). Unless you don't think you can advance your career on a full-time basis right now, in which case you should get another job right away. (Incidentally, we LOVE the food at Campanile/La Brea Bakery, so if you should happen to get a job there, make sure you can keep it until we can get back to LA...)
--AM
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