Burnout claims us all eventually. The uncertain nature of the entertainment industry often means actors are overloaded with day jobs, multiple overlapping projects, and the daily stress of survival with little job security. We’re afraid to say no to any gig in case it will be our last. We take on extra shifts and extra […]
“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 […]
Actors, and especially those that are new to the industry or lack connections, are often counseled to say yes to everything. The more projects you take on, the more you learn, the more exposure you get, and the more you exercise your acting muscles, right? Often that is the case. But in acting, as […]
It’s a fickle, shallow world we live in, and you and I have chosen to spend our lives pursuing one of the ficklest and shallowest professions. Which shows excellent judgment and not even a smidge of insecurity all around. Ahem. Feeding the beast can seem like a Sisyphean task that eats up your time, […]
To agent or to no agent… and which agent? Those are the questions! Sometimes I feel like you can find an opinion to match what you think/want to hear on any aspect of the industry. I always go with the study that confirms that I’ll live longer for drinking a glass of wine a day, […]
Let’s face it, a career in acting can be rough on the old self-esteem. The most successful actors know this to be a game where the losses far outnumber the wins. Even Hollywood A-Listers boast long resumes of rejection. But it’s one thing to know that intellectually, and quite another to face slap after slap […]
Ch-ch-ch-changes! The self tape requests have just made their way to commercials, folks. Well, that’s not exactly true. The first time I was asked to gather a few self tapes for a job was about 5 years ago. It was for a SAG job. Production had added a completely “new role” after the job had […]
Embarking on a career in the performing arts is a journey best undertaken with creative use of map and compass. Often when actors start out, we imagine a linear yellow brick road to Hollywood, but a career in the arts is littered with unexpected and rewarding opportunities. We just need an open heart and open […]