I’m waiting in line. I’m in the trenches. I’m fighting the good fight. These are things I hear actors say when I ask them how things are going. Actors behave as if digging ditches and living in a state of uncertain misery is part of what they signed up for when embarking on a career in entertainment. Such an attitude along with the myriad of fear-based advice is what keeps actors unhappy and stagnant in their careers. These actors don’t have a mentality of limitless possibilities so they aren’t able to attract limitless possibilities.
There’s a belief system centered around narrow ideas such as: I have to go out for commercial auditions that I hate and that make me feel subhuman because an actor’s life is about booking commercials and then ultimately one national commercial, and then a costar, and then several more costars and then a guest star and then a recurring and then hopefully I will book a pilot that gets picked up or they make my recurring role into a regular character on the show.
This ladder-climbing works for some actors, but not all. This is the entertainment industry. It’s not medical school where you do finite years of study, residency and then receive initiation with a practice or a job of your own. Yet, people in the industry constantly perpetuate the folklore of a set method or path to a career. There isn’t one. Too many actors waste years trying to fit the path of their career into this box only to end up constantly disappointed.
I cannot stress the urgency of completely rejecting fear-based advice that’s spread actor to actor. Examples of fear-based advice:
Casting directors control access to all good roles and good projects.
False. As casting directors never make final casting decisions, there’s a right way to build game-changing relationships with major production teams and pitch yourself to compete for every role you’re right for—miles before they ever reach a casting office.
I must actively seek out representation.
False. The truly “great” agents and managers do not want to be sought. They want to feel like they discovered you, either through a strong referral or because they fell in love with your work. Remember, a naïve actor makes everything about getting an agent—telling their friends and acting class buddies who reps them. A wiser actor knows a good relationship with reps is a long game and a balance of power—starting the power balance off strategically revolves around who pursues who. Agents and managers were often attracted to their careers because they like to hunt. The head of a deer on a platter handed to them will be viewed as less valuable. Let them find you by being so great they can’t ignore you.
You can’t compete for major roles if you don’t have major credits.
False. This is a perfect example of a limiting belief. Sure, there are many productions that only want to cast actors if they have starring roles and huge social media followings. However, there are just as many productions who just want to cast someone excellent, who will save all their asses and hold the tent up. Lots of productions don’t want a recognizable face—they want the freshness of an unknown. It’s not enough to be good in this industry. You must be great. Truly great work speaks for itself and will get you the job if you know how to reach out and grab the opportunity to compete for it.
I expect my agent or manager to create all opportunities for me.
Probably the top actor complaint is that their agent or manager is not doing anything for them. Think of your agent or manager as a single mom or dad who has 10 kids that constantly want food, love, attention or money. Reps have to endure untold stressors that many actors never consider. Also, many of them are living life through a fear-based mentality and afraid to pick up the phone and pitch. 99% of agents and managers are going to do nothing for actors because they are opposed to the art of pitching on the phone. At best, great agents and managers will get 25 to 30% of what an actor is right for. It’s still up to that actor to forge relationships with major production companies on their own and be able to leverage their connections to creak open the door or close the deal.
How to teleport.
The first step is clearly defining what you want. “I want to work on the next season of X show” or “I want to collaborate with X producer or production team on their project” or “I want to book a series lead or a series regular on a single camera Netflix sitcom.” If you don’t do this critical first step you’re going to be in the mindset of “I’ll take whatever I can get.” And believe me, you won’t get much.
Commit to being conscientious when it comes to noticing herd-mentality thoughts within yourself. If you find yourself considering a brave choice for an audition and then rejecting it, for no good reason other than some nebulous fear-based impulse, check yourself. If the idea of picking up the phone and pitching yourself to production or casting seems like an impossible notion, like flying off the roof of a building, now is the time to learn how, and to dig deep and figure out why you’re letting fear limit you.
Guard yourself against predatory gurus. As actors, you’re in a vulnerable population because you often do need guidance and coaching, though many often desire approval from others. Patrol your boundaries against slick marketers and branders to actors who prey upon insecurities and uncertainty, who claim they can brand/promote/upsell you on your niche/type/market sector.
Final Thought
It’s not enough to be good. You have to be great. This is the Olympics—except the people who win second and third place don’t get medals. Your greatest work has nothing to do with your effort but everything to do with impact. Some of the greatest pieces of art in the world were created in a very short period. Dylan’s Blowin’ In The Wind was written in 10 minutes. Paul Schrader’s script for Taxi Driver was written while living in his car in two weeks. Compare that to the idea that the creation of great art must involve isolation, starvation, and pain. As Jason Bateman reminded us in his Emmy acceptance speech, actors are just one job away from something huge happening in their careers.
This article was originally posted on Backstage.