Auditioning can be pretty wretched. Often lacking in standardization, organization, or any sort of environmental comfort to set one up for success, the process is designed to weed out the timid and unprepared (when, indeed, it is designed at all). So the onus is on you to come in guns blazing. This is easier […]
Being your own advocate is a crucial component of a successful career in the arts. But how do you distinguish between the kind of assertiveness and confidence that forwards your career, and the brassy showbiz arrogance that makes everyone hate you? It’s a tricky delineation, and often they feel like two sides of the same […]
Holidays are expensive for everyone, but if you put the “starve” in “starving artist” they can be especially trying. If you’re looking to pick up that extra gig to get you through the season, here are a few places to apply: Theme Parks – Theme parks are often-overlooked sources for actor employment. Many will have […]
Between hustling for future acting gigs and basic survival, keeping yourself from getting rusty can be a struggle. We all have those stretches that feels like the only acting we’re practicing is squished into 30 second self-tapes for the local lottery. Even if you’re booking, how do you keep yourself sharp and constantly expanding your […]
Delivering an honest, organic emotional connection is the heart of our work as actors. But it is not an easy task. It requires a level of technique and artistry that is often dismissed or diminished in the mind of the general public. The business side of “show” makes it even harder: not only do actors […]
Actors are simultaneously asked to be readily in touch with their most vulnerable emotional selves, and to have the hide of a rhinoceros. We must bare our souls and brush the rejection off our shoulders. But the myth is that this skill should somehow be inherent, that it doesn’t take work, that actors who make […]
There is a lot of romance and mysticism surrounding careers in the arts. An actor’s life is often packaged by society to reflect the experience of Hollywood A-listers, or else the vague stereotype of the “starving artist.” The problem is, there is not a lot of consistent practical advice on how to achieve one […]
“Don’t make perfect the enemy of the good.” It’s something my mom says a lot, and something I, in the tradition of daughters everywhere, frequently ignore to my detriment. I think a lot of artists struggle with lurking demons of perfectionism. The subjectivity of the entertainment industry makes it easy to fall into self-loathing echo […]
Believe me, I get it. As an actor, funds tend to be not so much tight as barely existent. The unfortunate thing is, acting is an expensive business, and unless you have some sort of Victorian benefactor, it’s up to each of us to fund our own ventures. With an endless influx of advice on […]
Trust is a tricky thing at the best of times. When given professionally, though, misplaced trust can have financial and career-based consequences. What makes it extra difficult to navigate is the fact that we operate in a field that is steeped in emotion and personal relationships, even depends on them. Combine that with the attending […]