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Wisdom

You’re Not Getting the F&^%ing Job! (Series): Part 6: Getting Discovered

Acting, Encouragement, Voice Over, Wisdom

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  This is week 6 in the series relating to the psychology of the business, particularly as it relates to auditions and booking work and we will be exploring Being “Discovered”

REMEMBER:

Just a reminder here that when I use the term “actor” I mean it to encompass all forms of acting including voice, stage, and screen.  What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting.

You’ve heard the stories

Everyone has heard the stories of some iconic actors who were suddenly “discovered”.  Johnny Depp was selling pens over the phone and wanted to be a rock star…Wes Craven noticed him and suggested he audition for Nightmare on Elm Street.  He got the part and that was that!  Harrison Ford was a Hollywood carpenter and aspiring actor.  He was hired to build a door for Lucas Movie Studio and George asked him to audition for Han Solo.  The rest is history.  What about Ted Williams, a homeless man who was featured in a short video by a 20-year news veteran that went viral, and he was suddenly getting national VO jobs?  True?  Not sure, but it sure makes for a great story.

We love these stories

We love to hear these stories because they are like people winning the lottery.  We like to think that these folks were just minding their own business going about their day to day lives when BAM…they were “discovered”.  We like them because it makes it feel like it could happen to us.  That’s also why we buy those lottery tickets. And it could.  But it probably won’t.

I can’t find data

I’d like to be able to tell exactly what your odds are of being discovered, but search as I may, I am unable to find any real data to back it up.  Based on previous numbers where we explored the odds of becoming rich and famous as an actor, I’d say the odds are pretty slim.  Truth is, very… VERY…few people get discovered who aren’t trying to get discovered.  Like, so close to zero it is not measurable.

Here’s the thing

The thing is, if you think you can put together a killer demo reel, or get signed by a big agency, or your uncle is Martin Scorsese and you’ll just “get discovered” …think again.  Well, OK, it’s a lot more likely if your uncle is Martin Scorsese…but he’s probably not.  However, there ARE ways you can get discovered.  It just takes a lot of work!

I hate to be a buzzkill

OK, maybe I don’t hate it as much as I think I do.  The simple truth is, even if you do suddenly get discovered in acting or VO, you have to have the talent to maintain it.  Sure, you could book a job that goes viral and become an overnight sensation…and then what?  Ever heard the term “One Hit Wonder”?  Yep, almost everyone can name a band that had ONE hit song and then sunk into oblivion.  You have to be able to follow through and maintain your “celebrity”.

Positioning

If you really want to be discovered, there are some things you can do to make your odds better.  Some of you may not want to hear this, but the truth is it is going to take a lot of work, determination, and intention.  Fact is, if you want to be discovered you need to position yourself in the industry to GET discovered.  And how do you do that?  Well…read on!

Location

I know, we love to hear about someone who gets discovered sitting in a diner in some Podunk town in Idaho.  I suppose it could happen, but what are the odds?  You are FAR more likely to be discovered if you live and work in an area where there is a concentration of industry professionals in the industry you are trying to be discovered in.  Remember, Harrison Ford was building a door for George Lucas in Hollywood…not Cleveland, OH when he was discovered.  Live where there are people looking to discover talent, and your odds are much better.

Work…HARD

These discovery stories all sound like lucky random happenings.  And some of them may be…but most are not.  You can’t discount the role luck plays in being discovered; what most people DO discount is the role hard work plays.  Believe it or not, almost everyone who gets discovered, does so while working.

What kind of work?

Yeah, Harrison Ford was a carpenter, but that was just his survival gig.  He was also a hard-working actor too.  He was lucky to be doing carpentry for George Lucas, but he ALSO had to audition for the role of Han Solo and do a good job.  As an actor, no matter what your survival job is, you need to be taking classes and applying for (and booking) as many jobs as you can.  You are far more likely to be noticed on set than in a diner.

Be professional

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: This industry is built on a foundation of relationships.  Build a good reputation as a reliable and consistent professional and those relationships will come.  Be the person everyone loves to work with because you are always on time, always prepared and always pleasant to be around. If casting agents, directors and producers get to know your name and think of you positively…you will eventually get discovered.

Apply to Casting Agencies

You want to work as much as possible.  The more you work, the more you are recognized in the industry and the more likely someone important will take notice.  Casting agencies (not talent agencies, these are different) are, many times, the gatekeepers to the lucrative work.  It’s a marathon, not a sprint, but the more “name recognition” you have with a casting agency, the more likely you are to get a booking from them.  It’s like a snowball rolling down a hill gaining mass and momentum as it goes.

Training

I know I sort of harp on training but hear me out.  Let’s say you land an audition for your dream job. AWESOME, right!?  Right!  If you are not prepared, the audition is where it ends (which is really the most common outcome anyway).  However, if you have the training you need, your odds of booking are increased tremendously!  You HAVE to be able to perform, and the way to be able to do that consistently is to get the training you need.  NEVER STOP TRAINING – no matter how “good” you are.

Networking/Marketing

Finally, make sure you are surrounding yourself with people who are in the industry and who are successful in it.  Networking and marketing are basic business skills and make no mistake acting is a business.  One caveat:  You are not doing these things to see what you can get from people, but what you can GIVE to them instead.  You want to be the solution to a problem they have.  That problem may just be a role they are having a tough time filling and it COULD include recommending another actor friend to them.  Remember: Networking and marketing is not about you – it’s about them.

At the end of the day

When all is said and done you are simply not going to be magically discovered and have a meteoric rise to fame and fortune.  The simple truth is getting discovered will take a lot of hard work on your part and it has to be intentional and directed toward getting discovered.  Be in the right place, with the right training and know the right people and your odds improve dramatically.  Getting discovered is up to YOU!

And yet…

Even if you do all the right things, you may STILL not get discovered.  That’s OK, because remember that we do this work because we love it, not because it’s a path to wealth or fame.  And remember: Even after you get discovered odds are You’re not getting the f*&^ing job anyway!

Tune in next week

When we’ll discuss “Desperation”.

 If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!  And please feel free to share this blog on social media or with other people you think might enjoy it.

If you haven’t already, please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything – and as a thank you receive a free copy of my E-Book: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About getting Started in Voice Over But Didn’t Know Who to Ask!

Looking for a great non-fiction read?  Look no further!  Head on over to Time for Change where you can browse many free titles you can get JUST for subscribing to the author’s newsletter!

Filed Under: Acting, Encouragement, Voice Over, Wisdom

You’re Not Getting the F&^%ing Job! (Series): Part 5: By the Numbers

Acting, Encouragement, Voice Over, Wisdom

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  This is week 5 in the series relating to the psychology of the business, particularly as it relates to auditions and booking work and we will be exploring booking jobs By the Numbers

REMEMBER:

Just a reminder here that when I use the term “actor” I mean it to encompass all forms of acting including voice, stage, and screen.  What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting.

I mentioned it before

I did mention this before, but it bears repeating: The odds of you becoming a famous uber wealthy actor are very slim.  About .01% to be exact (after rounding up).  So, I’ll just say this again for those people in the back (or who haven’t read the earlier post):  If you are an actor because you want to be rich and famous you are doing it for the wrong reason.  So, with that reminder in mind, let’s take a look at some of the numbers.

Union (SAG)

At present, there are roughly 63,000 union actors and just 56 of them are famous.  That’s where I came up with the .01% number. For those of you good at math, you’ll notice that the ACTUAL number is (56/63,000 X 100) .08888889%…you can see why I rounded up.  Since the actual number of available SAG actors and famous people fluctuates, it’s a good representation…and even if not TOTALLY accurate, it illustrates the point.

Non-Union

Of course, there are a LOT more actors out there than the ones in the Union.  Tens (if not hundreds) of thousands.  Odds are, you are one of them. The thing is, no one is tracking how many of you there are, and the pool is probably a bit more fluid (see what I did there?  Pool/fluid) than union actors.  Suffice it to say that in reality your odds are MUCH smaller than .01%.

That sets the stage (I did it again “Acting/Stage”)

So, the previous two paragraphs are just to set the stage, and manage expectations, about an acting career.  It really is something you need to love doing, because it’s not a real path to wealth, unless you are both talented and very lucky.  And by the way – nearly all of the famous actors you know of will tell you that their fame is in large part due to luck.

But it’s not all about fame

In reality, a reasonable goal is not to be famous, but to work enough to support yourself.  That goal is completely reachable if you are willing to put in the work.  Between training/coaching, auditioning and actually working…it is a LOT of work.  This career is not for people who don’t want to put in a lot of effort.

On to the numbers!

I know, it took me a while to get here, but now let’s take a look at the numbers.  I’m going to cite screen and stage acting numbers here, mainly because I can find those numbers; they are similar for voice acting.

How many open roles are there?

What I can’t find, are numbers for the average number of open roles on any given day, however one online casting site, backstage.com, advertises around 12,500 open roles.  To be clear, this one site does not list every available acting job across the US (I am concentrating on US numbers, but the proportions will be similar no matter where you are), so there are a LOT more actually.  We know there are more than 12,500, but just to make the numbers easier let’s assume there are ~25,000 open roles on a given day.  With hundreds of thousands of actors, that would seem to make the numbers pretty good!

Consider this…

A given actor is going to be submitting for multiples of those roles, so it is not a one-for-one sort of thing.  It is estimated that for any given role a casting director can expect to receive anywhere from 200-2500 submissions!  Let’s take a nice round number and assume, on average, there are 1000 submissions for each role. Generally, there are about 20 audition “slots” (if you will) so only 20 of the 1000 submissions will be asked to audition.  That’s 2%.  You have a 98% chance of not getting cast before you ever audition!

It gets worse…

Of the 20 actors auditioning, how many get the role?  ONE. Makes sense, right!?  That’s an 80% chance of not booking the role after the audition!  Truth is, 1 person out of 1000 is getting the job.  That’s .1% chance of booking at ALL.  No wonder there is .01% chance of getting famous!

And it might be even WORSE…

I know I said luck was a big factor, and it is – you have to be in the right place at the right time with the right role on a production that becomes very popular.  The truth is, though, you also have to have talent.  Now, the thing is;  talent is a subjective quality, so “Talent is in the eyes of the beholder” and all that.  NEWSFLASH – Not everyone who submits, or auditions has talent.  Sorry, it’s just a fact.  But then, the most talented actor doesn’t always get the job either, so there IS that.

On top of that…

It’s possible you have a lot of talent, but just aren’t “right” for a given role.  I had the good fortune to be a reader for virtual auditions on a local production.  So I was the person reading across from the person auditioning. I saw a lot of really talented actors but many of them, even though they fit the SPEC, just didn’t fit the role for one reason or another.  It was eye opening! There are way more reasons why you may NOT be cast, then there are why you MAY be cast.

DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED

All of this paints a pretty glum picture of an acting career, but it is not meant to be discouraging.  Actually, it’s pretty ENcouraging.  With numbers like these, it’s no WONDER you Aren’t Getting the F*&^ing Job!  Odds are, it has nothing to do with your talent, level of commitment, performance, or personality.  Most of casting decisions are based on things completely out of the actor’s control.  So, relax, and keep on moving forward.

Booking ratio

I wouldn’t pay TOO much attention to this, but it is something you should be aware of.  A booking ratio is the ratio between auditions and bookings.  You can track the ration of submissions to auditions as well, but in my opinion, it is a waste of time.  Agents and managers use your booking ratio to determine whether to continue representing you, and you should be aware of yours.  If you book (on average) 1 out of every 10 auditions, your booking ratio is 1:10 (which, BTW, is an absolutely astoundingly good ratio!).  For you as the actor, knowing your booking ratio should help you decide what training you need and what you need to work on. Maybe you just need help with auditioning!  Auditioning is, in many way, different than the actual job.  Training, and honing your craft, is the one thing that is IN your control, so control it!

And here is the rub

As you can see just by the numbers, You’re Not Getting the F*&^ing Job.  The vast majority of casting decisions are based on things completely out of the actor’s control, so you just can’t obsess over why you didn’t book a job.  It could be as mundane as you have the wrong eye color.  You’ll never know.

Remembering that is freeing

It’s liberating to understand that, going in, your odds of booking a given role are small (and it’s probably not due to something you can control).  Knowing this allows you to relax and just worry about doing your very best to portray the character, to make bold choices and be as creative as you can when you audition.  The knowledge releases the anxiety about auditioning and stops you from obsessing over every un-booked gig.

And the big reveal?

The big reveal is this:  When you relax, stop going into auditions to get a job and start going into auditions to realistically portray a character (even understanding this may be the only chance you ever have to play that character) and to have FUN…you actually improve your chances of getting booked.  Ironic, right?

So, relax…

Relax, have fun, submit/audition and then move on.  Auditioning IS the job…and sometimes people give us money.  Send it and forget it.  And remember: You’re not getting the f*&^ing job anyway, so enjoy yourself!

Tune in next week

When we’ll discuss booking work “Being Discovered”.

 If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!  And please feel free to share this blog on social media or with other people you think might enjoy it.

If you haven’t already, please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything – and as a thank you receive a free copy of my E-Book: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About getting Started in Voice Over But Didn’t Know Who to Ask!

Filed Under: Acting, Encouragement, Voice Over, Wisdom

You’re Not Getting the F&^%ing Job! (Series): Part 3: Naysayers

Acting, Encouragement, Voice Over, Wisdom

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  This is week 3 in the series relating to the psychology of the business, particularly as it relates to auditions and booking work and we will be exploring Naysayers.

REMEMBER:

Just a reminder here that when I use the term “actor” I mean it to encompass all forms of acting including voice, stage, and screen.  What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting.

You have a dream

You dream of becoming a working actor, but people around you tell you to “get a real job” (You MAY have to do this to support your dream, BTW) and to stop chasing shadows.  If you harken back to the last two posts in this series, particularly as they relate to “fame and fortune”, you might see why.  These folks will be quick to point out that your odds of becoming an uber wealthy famous actor are small.  To them, that makes this profession not worth pursuing at all.  These are the naysayers in your life.

And they’d KINDA be right

Your odds of becoming rich and famous ARE small…but your odds of becoming a working actor who can support themselves with their acting are MUCH better.  So go back here and explore one more time why you want to do this work.  If your goal (not your dream, your goal!) is to be famous and wealthy, then perhaps you SHOULD reconsider.  However, if you love acting and have reasonable expectations, then you must be able to overcome the negativity of naysayers!

So, what is a naysayer?

Merriam-Webster defines a naysayer as:

one who denies, refuses, opposes, or is skeptical or cynical about something

“There are always naysayers who say it can’t be done.”

No matter what you are doing, there is always someone who will tell you why it is impossible to do it.  Do you think Thomas Edison didn’t have people who told him, for his own good of course, that he’d never create a commercially viable electric light bulb?  Think again!  As a matter of fact, many of the things we use regularly today were thought foolish by “respected people” while they were being developed.  When someone says it can’t be done…they mean by THEM! What the inventors all had in common: Persistence in the face of naysayers!

Who are they?

Naysayers…we all have them…maybe it’s your parents, your kids, your friends or (God forbid!) your spouse/SO. They are the people in your life (and some who aren’t EVEN in your life) who are quick to let you know why chasing your dream is a bad idea.  They are generally well meaning, but cynical.  Perhaps they at one time pursued a dream and it didn’t work out.  Perhaps they have witnessed others fail and suffer for it.  It’s likely, assuming they naysayer is close to you, that they really mean you no harm and just don’t want to see you fail.  So don’t listen to them, but cut them a little slack.

But don’t let them stop you, either

Keep this in mind: Every famous actor you know, whether on stage, behind a microphone or in front of a camera has had people tell them they were never going to “make it”.  Every. One. Of. Them.  On top of that, every NON-famous actor who works regularly and makes a decent living from their craft has as well.  So if you have people trying to tell you that what you are pursuing is not possible, or at least so unlikely it’s not worth trying, then you are part of a pretty illustrious crowd!

So what if people say it’ll never work?

Look, people crapping on your dreams can’t keep you from being successful.  The problem is that listening to naysayers can create doubt in your own mind.  “What if they’re right?”  “Maybe I SHOULD seek a more traditional path”.  Self-doubt is a killer.  Doubting yourself saps your confidence and it will show in your performances, particularly auditions, and ultimately becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Impostor syndrome, or doubting that you deserve your success, is bad enough.  It’s similar to what I call self-doubt, but subtly different.

Self-doubt -VS- Impostor syndrome

To clarify the difference (in my mind at least) between self-doubt and impostor syndrome: I would suggest that self-doubt occurs prior to success and keeps you from achieving it.  Impostor syndrome occurs AFTER you have achieved some level of success but don’t believe you deserve it; it is just a matter of time before you are exposed as a fraud. My focus in this post is on self-doubt NOT impostor syndrome.  Naysayers create self-doubt…or CAN if you let them.

How do you deal with naysayers?

There are some strategies you can employ to deal with the naysayers, dream crushers, cynics, and habitually negative people in your life. Before we go much further, I want to point out that if you are serious about pursuing your dreams and goals, you will HAVE to figure out a way to deal with them.

Don’t share

One of the easiest ways to deal with these folks is simply to not share your dreams with them.  This strategy works well with people who are on the periphery of your life.  Distant relatives, colleagues, and acquaintances.  If you don’t share your dreams, they can’t tell you why they’re unrealistic.  Start by being selective who you share with!

Consider the source

I used to tell my kids: “Consider the source, then ignore them” when people were critical of them.  One good way to weed out naysayers is to look at them and decide if their counsel is even worth anything.  Are they successful actors?  Are they living the life you want to live? Do they even have expertise in the area they are commenting on?  If the answer to any of these is “NO”, then their opinion is not valid or worth your consideration.  Remember: “Never take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from.” (Original author unknown).

Speaking of opinions

Keep in mind that the naysayer’s negativity is just their opinion.  And we know that opinions are like butt-holes.  Everyone has them, and they all stink.  I’m not suggesting you should not seek the counsel of other people who are successful in acting, or you should reject the critique of your teachers and directors.  You just should not pay attention to your crazy uncle who tried to act once and didn’t become an overnight sensation.

Ignore them

This is probably one of the hardest things to do.  We are artists, and as such can be pretty sensitive people.  It stings when people, especially people we love or respect, squash our dreams.  It’s tough not to “get into your head” about what they say which ultimately effects how we perform.  But, if you have shared your dreams, can’t outright discount what they say and value their opinion it is imperative, if you are passionate about pursuing this career, that you ignore them.  Use any constructive feedback you receive to improve your performance, but don’t let their opinion, no matter how much you respect it, stop you from pursuing your dream!

Eject them from your life

This is a drastic step, to be sure, but you deserve to NOT have people around you who constantly criticize your choice of pursuits.  Granted, sometimes ejecting them is impractical such as a parent, child or significant other. In that case, eject them from your dreams.  Refuse to share with them and just decide not to engage with them regarding your acting career.  Basically, let them tell you how wrong you are, smile, nod and then forget what they said and charge ahead anyway.

Remember your vision

When it gets to be too much, step back and remember the vision you have for your career.  Take stock of where you began and where you are now.  Odds are you have made significant strides toward achieving your dreams, but you don’t see them because they are incremental, and you don’t notice the improvement.  Step back.  Take a breath and honestly assess where you are in comparison to where you started.  Recognizing how far you’ve come, and remembering it takes a LONG time to become an overnight success, will help you ignore your naysayers

Surround yourself with encouragers

The simplest and most effective way to overcome naysayers is to surround yourself with people who both understand what you are trying to achieve and who are encouraging. I’m not suggesting you simply associate only with people who tell you how great you are, but people who will honestly tell you what is good and what needs improvement; in a way that encourages you to not only improve, but more importantly to keep trying.

Never give up

Here is the main message in this week’s post: Never give up.  Keep pushing forward toward achieving your dreams.  In the immortal words of Winston Churchill: “…never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty — never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.”  Don’t let naysayers make you give up.

Tune in next week

When we’ll discuss self-taped auditions.

 If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!  And please feel free to share this blog on social media or with other people you think might enjoy it.

If you haven’t already, please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything – and as a thank you receive a free copy of my E-Book: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About getting Started in Voice Over But Didn’t Know Who to Ask!

Filed Under: Acting, Encouragement, Voice Over, Wisdom

You’re Not Getting the F&^%ing Job! (Series): Part 2: Why do want to be an actor!?

Acting, Voice Over, Wisdom

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  This is week 2 in the series relating to the psychology of the business, particularly as it relates to auditions and booking work, and we will be exploring “Why do you want to be an actor?”. Thanks to my friend and actor Michael Kostroff who teaches a video series titled “Audition Psych 101”. If you are working as an actor, I highly recommend this course. I am paraphrasing and plagiarizing his material with his permission in this series, so if any of this resonates with you, head on over and sign up for his course.

REMEMBER:

Just a reminder here that when I use the term “actor” I mean it to encompass all forms of acting including voice, stage, and screen.  What follows applies relatively equally to all of these forms of acting.

TL; DR

Look, I get it…1500 (ish) words is a lot to read and not everyone has the time, so, I’ll start by giving you the TL; DR version up front.  This week we ask, “Why do you want to be an actor?”, and I can tell you that if your answer is anything except “I LOVE IT!” (Or some variation of that theme). Then you are doing this for the wrong reason.

The reality of acting

Acting is hard work and can be very frustrating.  The reality of being an actor is a lot less glamorous than the idea of being an actor.  The truth is most professional working actors need a “side hustle” or “survival job” in order to pay the bills, eat and have a place to live.  Remember that the vast majority of professional actors are NOT names you have heard of and are unemployed for long stretches of time.

Starving artist

I’m sure you have heard the phrase “starving artist”, right?  There is a reason this phrase exists, and it is because most working actors cannot sustain themselves with acting alone.  It’s true that you can make a decent living as an actor, but certainly not right away…and maybe never.  True, some actors are BIG names and make a TON of money, others are solid workers who support themselves nicely.  It’s like a pyramid (although NOT a pyramid scheme!) where the top of the pyramid if very small, and the bottom is huge.  The VAST majority of working actors are NOT in the top 3rd of that pyramid.

The business

Make no mistake, acting is a business.  At the end of the day, the objective of the industry is to make money…sometimes a lot of money, sometimes a little.  The initial goal of any project, of course is to pay back investors and at least break even.  The acting, and actors, are just a very small part of the business.  It would do well to keep this in mind as you head off on this journey.

How you fit in the business

When I realized how I “fit” into the business of acting, I had a real AHA! Moment.  Here’s what I discovered: It’s not really ABOUT the actors.  Or the story, the Producers, or Directors, or Writers or any other member of the industry.  This business is nearly 100% about…The Consumer.  That’s right, it’s all about the audience!  How do productions make money?  They bring in an audience, and the audience “pays” to see the performance.  That pay can be in the form of a ticket to a movie or play, or by purchasing whatever the production is advertising.

Why do some actors make a ton of money then?

It’s simple, really.  Are you ready for it?  Because they attract an audience!  Whether it’s a movie, a commercial, a podcast or an audiobook…some actors have a following and bring in paying customers.  It’s really just THAT simple.  If you can bring an audience, you are going to get hired.

But what about all the “no name” actors?

First, I HATE the term no name. I have a name.  No one knows it (yet), but I HAVE a name.  I am technically a “named actor”.  But, in the industry I am not considered a named actor because I do not have a following…a group of consumers who are going to watch or listen just because I am a part of the project.  Think about that pyramid again:  Only the top 1/3 of that pyramid are considered “named actors”.  The rest, and very large, portion are not.  But they are talented hard-working folks and without them no production would ever be able to be made. And many of them are making a decent living by acting.

FAME!

While possible, it is highly improbable that you will become an actor with a household name.  So, if you want to be an actor to become famous, and by famous, I mean someone recognizable to a large part of the population, then you are likely to be a very disgruntled actor in pretty short order.  Your odds of becoming famous are so low that it’s no wonder so many actors STOP acting within 5 years of setting out.

FORTUNE!

Again, it is possible to become overwhelmingly, filthy RICH as an actor.  Also again, the probability of that happening is pretty low.  Just google “How many professional actors are there in the United States” and you find there is north of 63,000 of us.  That’s JUST stage and screen actors, BTW.   And of those 63,000 people, can you guess how many are famous?  I had to look it up here.  You don’t have to click the link, I’ll tell you: 56.  Simple math would suggest there is a roughly .01% chance you’ll become famous (and I rounded UP).  If you are not famous, you are not going to be uber wealthy as an actor.

An easy lifestyle

We see those 56 famous actors doing some incredibly cool things.  Living in mansions with servants, sailing in their yachts with a crew, flying private airplanes with professional pilots & crew to exotic vacations all across the globe. This makes the life of an actor look “easy”.  And to be honest, for those 56 people their lives are probably a LOT easier than it is for me or you.  Read it again… .01% chance…you are probably not getting rich or famous; nor will lead an easy lifestyle.

Average salary?

I read somewhere that the average salary for an actor is $17.50/hour.  When you consider that there are SOME actors (56 at least) who make thousands of dollars an hour, then you’ll know that on the lower end of the “average” it is much LESS than that $17.50.  I’ve been on productions with NO pay…and for all you math geniuses out there that averages out to ZERO salary. I’ve also been on some that pay $1000 for 4 hours of work.  You just never know, and it depends on the project, but deciding to NOT take a low paying gig is, in essence, deciding to not get paid at all.

For everyone else?

For all but those 56 people (and yeah, I recognize there are levels between famous and noob) life as an actor is not easy.  It is going to mean marketing and selling yourself to find gigs to audition for, then auditioning and maybe getting a role.  You’ll have long days (15-18 hours is not uncommon) and early call times (mostly for screen actors).  You may spend weeks or months studying the script, deciding who the character is and memorizing lines…OR you may have an hour to figure it out and deliver a solid performance.  This is not “easy” work.

One example from last week

Last week I got a call from my agent at 12:20PM (EDT) and was informed I had an in-person audition for a lucrative commercial ($1500/day for 2 days, $11,000 usage with travel, lodging and per diem included).  BAM…I’m about to be discovered and finance the rest of my year.  The audition was in an hour.  On the west coast.  Last minute auditions (and work!) are ALSO common.

Not trying to discourage you

Seriously, not even a LITLLE bit.  I’m just suggesting that if you want to be an actor, do it for the right reasons and you won’t be disappointed.  Keep your expectations low, don’t quit your day job (but do find one that gives you the flexibility to audition and take on roles) and just keep plugging ahead.

So, then, why become an actor?

Honestly, because it is the BEST job on the planet! Acting is the most fun you can have and be getting paid for it!  Some good reasons to become an actor, if you don’t want to be disappointed are:

  1. It’s not really a choice, you just know you HAVE to act.
  2. You are very creative and need an outlet for your creativity
  3. You are doing it for you, not to impress someone else
  4. JUST. LOVE. IT. (HINT: This is the best reason)

At the end of the day…

When all is said and done, acting will be the best job you ever had regardless of the fact that you will probably work only intermittently, get paid very little, need to work another full-time “survival job” and will feel like you are burning the candle at both ends as a result.  If you can put up with all that AND recognize that “You’re not getting the f*&^ing job!” but are still having fun…then acting is the job for you!

Tune in next week

When we’ll discuss Naysayers!

 If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!  And please feel free to share this blog on social media or with other people you think might enjoy it.

If you haven’t already, please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything – and as a thank you receive a free copy of my E-Book: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About getting Started in Voice Over But Didn’t Know Who to Ask!

 

 

Filed Under: Acting, Voice Over, Wisdom

You’re Not Getting the F&^%ing Job! (Series): Part 1: So you want to be an actor!?

Acting, Voice Over, Wisdom

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  This week I am going to begin a series of blogs that relate, mostly, to the psychology of the business, particularly as it relates to auditions and booking work.  I am entitling the series: “You’re not getting the f*&^ing job!” thanks to my friend and actor Michael Kostroff who teaches a video series titled “Audition Psych 101”. If you are working as an actor, I highly recommend this course. I am paraphrasing and plagiarizing his material with his permission in this upcoming series, so if any of this resonates with you, head on over and sign up for his course.

Note:

For this series, in order to keep from having to type out “Voice actors, stage actors and screen actors” I will refer to them all as “actors”.  Note that the word actors appears in each one, so it fits. I intend for this series to relate to all of them equally, however, when that is not true, I will be sure to point out the differences.

And this week…

Now to immediately contradict myself, this week we will be focusing primarily on stage and screen actors so if you are ONLY concerned with all things voice over, then you can stop reading now.  The reason for this is that I pretty fully covered getting started in voice over in a series of earlier posts.  If you are interested begin reading that series HERE.  I suggest you keep reading though, since there is considerable overlap between the three and you MAY find something useful.

But before we dig in too much…

Let’s begin by looking at acting in general, and what an actor’s job may look like.  I suspect it is not what you think it is.

So, you want to be an actor!

We watch movies and TV shows, and we see the awards and accolades famous actors get.  We think we would LOVE to live that glamorous Hollywood lifestyle.  You think to yourself: I could do that!  And the simple truth is, you COULD.  But the reality is: You probably WON’T.  Not to be discouraging, but, becoming a well-known famous actor is about as probable as becoming an Olympic athlete, or a Super Bowl winning quarterback, or winning the Power Ball Lottery.  It’s possible, but not probable.

You probably WOULD…

Don’t let that last sentence discourage you.  Just setting reasonable expectations.  For every famous actor you know, there are THOUSANDS…no TENS OF THOUSANDS…no HUNDREDS…well, never mind, there are a LOT of working “unknown” actors who make a good living as actors.  This category, working actor, is the most likely outcome of an acting career.  And that’s not a bad outcome really if you love acting.

But why is it so hard?

Simply put: An acting career is hard.  It’s not just hard work (it is though) but it is also hard psychologically.  Actors live with constant criticism and rejection.  The criticism part is real, so you have to have thick skin, and we will talk a lot more about the rejection…maybe even an entire blog post about it.

It is more than…

Acting is a lot more than memorizing lines, dressing up in costume and showing up on set.  It IS all those things, but it is a lot more than that.  Beyond developing your character, deciding how they relate to the other characters and what their life was before entering the scene it is also a business.  You are the entire corporation (at least to start out…eventually you can hire an agent, manager, publicist etc…) AND you are the product. Actual acting is probably the smallest part of your business…marketing yourself, maintaining relationships and finding the work (submitting and auditioning) is the lions share.

On top of THAT…

For screen actors, the days are long and can be tedious.  Early call times and late wrap times are common. 12, 15, 18+ hour days are the norm…all just to film maybe two scenes of the project.  Stage actors experience long days as well, leading up to the opening.  Weeks and weeks of rehearsals and run throughs before opening night, then a long run of performing the same piece over and over. What you see on screen or on the stage is just the tip of the iceberg!

Process overview

I’m a process-oriented kind of guy.  As long as I can lay things out in small easily manageable steps, I can pretty much deal with anything.  So, just to have a peak behind the Oscars and Academy awards to see how they got there, let’s take a look at the process for a working actor.

Finding roles

You may think that roles actually find you.  In some cases, that’s true for the A-List marquee actors, but for anyone else waiting for a role to find you will have you living on the streets and eating out of dumpsters.  You have to find the roles.  If you have an agent and manager, they are also looking for roles that you would be a good fit for and that helps, but primarily you have to find them yourself. You can do that with online marketplaces, and you can find them by researching upcoming productions and pitching yourself to the production team.  Either way, you have to find them, they won’t find you.

Submitting

Once you find an appropriate role, you submit for it or pitch yourself.  This is where you send your head shots, resume and demo reels to production in hopes that they feel you are a good fit as well. MOST of the time, you hear nothing in response to your submission.

Auditioning

In the event production thinks you may be a good fit; they’ll ask you to audition.  Some want you to come to their office and audition in person, but these days the most likely scenario is a self-tape audition.  For this you need a setup to film yourself (and I will talk about what that looks like in another blog) performing a scene they choose from the project.  MOST of the time, you hear nothing in response to your audition.

Call Backs

If they like what you did in your audition, they may “call you back” for a second audition to see if you have chemistry with your scene partner or to give you some notes to make changes to the way you played it for the audition.  MOST of the time, you hear nothing in response to call backs. (I’m sensing a trend here).

Booking

If you SHOULD hear back from the submission, audition, AND call back…you’ve probably booked the job.  Probably…but not always.  Sometimes production teams are kind enough to get back with you to let you know they liked your work but decided to go in a different direction.  Sometimes.  Not very often.

Work

OK, so you made it through all the wickets and booked the job!  YEA! Now the work starts! But wait…all that other stuff was a lot of work too!  Yes, yes, it was.  But you are just getting started.  Now you need to fully develop your character, memorize your lines, (in this age of COVID) get COVID tested, head to wardrobe for fittings and costume and ultimately show up on set on the right day and at the correct time.  Your day will consist of wardrobe (getting into costume), hair and makeup, a blocking rehearsal (or 3 or 4) and then…an hour or two waiting till they get lights and cameras positioned and ready for you.

Filming

You’ll film your scene, then wait for repositioning and film the scene again…this will repeat until the director and director of photography have all the angles and closeups they need to take into postproduction.  Typically, this means filming the same scene 6-8 (or more) times, with the 1-2 hour wait in between for repositioning the camera and checking the lighting.  You may film 2-3 scenes in a day, so you can see how this can make for very long days.  On the plus side there is craft services for snacking while you are waiting.

Did this scare you off?

I hope not.  Acting is a fun and rewarding profession.  You get to meet a lot of really great creative people and collaborate to make awesome content!  But, it’s not all glitz and glamour; a lot of hard work goes into these projects AND a lot of hard work goes into finding and getting cast in them.  If you consider the numbers alone between submissions, auditions and call backs you can understand why: You’re not getting the f*&^ing job!

Tune in next week

When we’ll discuss WHY you want to be an actor!

 If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!  And please feel free to share this blog on social media or with other people you think might enjoy it.

If you haven’t already, please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything – and as a thank you receive a free copy of my E-Book: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About getting Started in Voice Over But Didn’t Know Who to Ask!

Filed Under: Acting, Voice Over, Wisdom

There is a role for everyone

Acting, Encouragement, Voice Over, Wisdom

Welcome back!

And thanks for reading!  Think you’re too old, too young, too fat, too skinny, too SOMEthing to become a successful actor?  Think again!  There’s a role for everyone!

And let’s be clear

Voice acting IS acting, regardless of how some people may think.  I hate it when someone says something like: “Oh, they’re just a voice actor, they are not a real actor”.  HOGWASH!  True, stage and screen acting are not exactly like voice acting, they encompass movement and form that people can see.  Voice acting relies on those movements and forms to affect your voice and how you sound.  So, this discussion is about acting, and as such it INCLUDES voice actors.

Can anyone act?

Sure…of course!  Honestly LIFE is acting if you think about it, and acting is about portraying life, so it makes sense.  Do you behave differently at work than you do at home? With your kids? With you friends?  Of course, we all (or nearly all) do.  So yes, anyone can be an actor…because we all already are.

Can everyone be a good actor?

DUH…no!  But everyone can become a good (if not great) actor with patience and a LOT of practice.  Learning the mechanics of acting is fairly easy and straightforward.  There are a lot of drama and acting schools scattered across the country, and there is surely one near wherever you live.  You no longer have to live in NYC or LA to find a good acting school.  Acting is a skill that can be developed and improved over time.

Do I need to be a good actor to find work as an actor?

The short answer is no.  As a matter of fact, most actors start out their careers as mediocre actors at best.  Now, the odds of being able to support yourself as an actor at first are slim.  Ever heard the term “starving artist”?  It’s a real thing, and what drives some actors to quit.  But you can work, and earn some money, early in your career.  I watched a documentary not long ago where they interviewed John Voight (You’ve heard of him, right?) where he talked about one of his first roles and how badly he performed.  But he kept learning, and practicing and now he’s…well, he’s John Voight!

The truth is…

The real truth of acting, though, is this:  You have never heard of most professional actors who ARE supporting themselves with acting.  The VAST majority of actors are NOT famous.  Take a close look at your favorite movies or TV shows or cartoons.  How many of the actors can you name…maybe 2-3, right?  Now go back and look at how MANY actors there actually are (and remember every person you see or hear is an actor…they really don’t just record random people…ever).

But I’m too…

You have to fill in the blank for you, but here are some I’ve heard: I’m too fat. I’m too skinny.  I’m too old.  I’m too tall.  My voice is too high.  My voice is too unusual.  Balderdash!  None of these are true, and even if they are they will not keep you from becoming an actor, or a SUCCESFUL actor.  Ever heard Gilbert Godfrey speak?  His voice is too something for sure, yet he not only was a successful actor and comedian, he also voiced numerous roles for TV and movies.

Watch and listen with a different perspective

Next time you are watching a movie or show, pay attention to what characters are being portrayed.  Pay particular attention to the non-main characters.  Are they all thin and attractive? OK, so everyone is attractive to some degree and definitely to someone…but you know what I mean.  The answer is no…the characters are portraying “real” people (even when they are fictional).  You see people of all shapes, sizes, ethnicity, and gender.  You hear people with voices that include every pitch, octave, and accent (and yeah, everyone has an accent…but you only notice when it’s different than yours).

Odds are

If you watch/listen from this perspective, odds are you are going to find actors that have the same “I’m too” that you do. If they can do it, why can’t you? Too short?  Check out Peter Dinklage of Game of Thrones fame.  Too fat?  Check out Kevin James.  Too old?  Have you heard of Betty White? I could keep going.  Productions portray the reality of the world around us (for the most part), even while they show us fictional worlds and situations.

Suspension of disbelief

Here’s the trick:  In order to enjoy a movie, podcast, audiobook, or TV show it is required that the viewer or listener suspend their disbelief.  In order to accomplish that, everything surrounding the fantastic fictional elements has to appear or sound like reality.  If not, it pulls you out of the entertainment and causes you to stop the suspension of disbelief.  So, if you are a real person, you are already represented in the things you watch and listen to…you might as be the one representing you!

So how do you get started?

Your first step is to find classes either near you or available virtually.  Personally, I prefer the in-person classes now that we are able to have them because it gives you the chance to interact with other actors in class in the same physical space.  I think it is better, but you may think otherwise…you gotta do you.  A good acting or voice over teacher/coach will start by having you perform something and will assess where you are and what help you need.  And we ALL need help, but that’s another topic for another time.

Get an agent

Family Feud – ABC television

NOPE!  Wrong! BIG RED X (ala Family Feud).  You actually don’t even need and agent to be successful, but certainly not at the start.  The next thing to do is to ACT in something.  Find a local community theater group (they usually struggle to find actors, so it is “easier” to get cast in them) if you are interested in stage.  Or look for independent or student films looking to cast in your area and submit for roles.  Get on ACX and audition for small books to get your feet wet. And then DO it…if nothing else you’ll learn whether or not you even like acting!

It’s not how you think it is

The truth is, while anyone CAN be an actor, not everyone should.  And I’m not talking about talent here.  The truth of being an actor is a lot less glamorous than it seem from the outside.  Acting means long days and a LOT of work.  Voice acting means closing yourself up in your closet sized booth for hours on end and talking to yourself – then learning audio engineering so you can produce it yourself.  It’s not glamorous, but for me (and most of the people I talk to who do this for a living) it is FUN.  If you aren’t having fun, you should not be an actor.

Here’s an example

I was actually on a film set a couple hours from home yesterday. Here’s how it went.  Call time was 12:30 PM, I showed up at 12:15 because, well…Navy.  Checked in with the producer, then headed to wardrobe to get my costume.  After dressing out, off to hair and makeup (HMU) to take care of my wholly uncooperative hair and cover up the three blemishes from where I cut myself shaving (Why does that always happen when I am headed to set?).  Once finished with HMU, headed over to the holding area to meet and chat with the other actors I’d be working with that day.  An hour later (still chatting) lunch was delivered, and we all ate.  THREE AND A HALF HOURS after that, we moved to a remote location to shoot “my” scene.  That took about an hour and a half.  Then we wrapped, changed, said goodbye and headed home. Total elapsed time: seven hours. Total work time one and a half hours.

And…

First, I’m not complaining, just being real. I am an extrovert, so I truly enjoyed meeting and talking to a bunch of new people for roughly 6 hours.  But here’s the other part:  It was HOT, and I was in long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.  I was semi-uncomfortable, but I had a GREAT time anyway.  Plus, the piece was set in the 1930’s so there were some AWESOME vehicles to check out, and I actually got to ride in one…so yeah, a long day for a little work but a great day nonetheless.

Anyway…

My point here is this:  In my mind, if you want to be a professional actor, the ONLY thing that should keep you from pursuing it is the fact that it is not enjoyable…for you…personally.  Let go of all the negative self-image stuff that might be holding you back and go for it.  Remember: There is a role for everyone.

Looking for a new non-fiction read?  Look no further!  Check out the July Non-Fiction Book Giveaway!

 If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment below to let me know.  If you DIDN’T enjoy it, well, I’d like to hear from you too!  And please feel free to share this blog on social media or with other people you think might enjoy it.

If you haven’t already, please feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything!

 

 

Filed Under: Acting, Encouragement, Voice Over, Wisdom

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