Photo Credit: Andrius Petrucenia via cc
About Sanna Haynes – I’m an actress and I teach acting. I write screenplays. I paint, draw, dance ballet, I sing, I am horrible at tap dance (trying to work on that one), I visualize films in my brain, I yoga it up most mornings, I like to organize.
Actors Need to Keep Fighting
No, I’m not a big fan of violence.
However, regardless of whether you agree with fighting or not, I think we can all agree that a more “metaphorical” fight is at hand.
…but how much do we really grasp that we gotta keep fighting?
Ok, ok. Back up.
I once heard a statistic about Los Angeles. AAAAND here I go butchering said statistic in an awful paraphrase:
Most young people who move to Los Angeles for a Hollywood career last an average of two years before moving back home(or away).
I apologize if you are, indeed, the statistician who originally crunched these numbers and I am WAAAAY off. I couldn’t find the study online.
After relocating to continue working in Atlanta, I began seeing something similar happen in my city.
People would quit. And people still quit.
With our chunk of Hollywood here in the Southeastern United States, many people take a stab at their dream career, and then… jump ship. When times get tough, and the phone stops ringing.
I don’t blame them. Maybe a career in this industry isn’t worth the headache.
If you are an actor, so much of what we do is a numbers game. Yeah, sure, they are trying to find the right person for the part.
Overnight success?
Ha. That’s a myth.
Photo Credit: Brenda Clarke (background) via cc
There are many actors/writers/crew members/etc who develop a weird idea in their heads: the belief that there are malicious people out there who seek to hold down their respective careers.
Is that scenario impossible?
No. However, here’s the thing: most people working in this industry are too busy to commit to that passive aggressive mindset.
Here’s the cool thing about this industry:
Most contacts(that I’ve met, anyway) for whom you audition, interview, etc. — they WANT you to succeed!
They aren’t trying to hold you down – well, perhaps one or two have that sort of attitude, but most do not.
If you are good at what you do, they want to give you a chance. They just need the right “fit” for you.
And that is why you need to keep fighting. Be seen. Work to get to the top of their lists.
Other Guest Posts from Actor Hub
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Successful actors didn’t get to where they are by being a diva off stage. It takes years before you are able to throw a queeny strop! Here are our seven habits to help you on your way up the ladder -
Ignore all that rubbish about getting the perfect headshot, its a lot easier to get a rubbish headshot done. Follow our ten top tips and you can be sure to get the worst headshot you can as an actor. -
A funny post from actress and blogger Katie Brennan – These are the things which separate us actors from the rest of the world. How many of these ring true for you? -
Embarking on any career is daunting, especially a career as unpredictable as one in the arts. However frightening it might seem, this is also an exciting time. Here is some advice from Neil Gaiman. -
From Guest Blogger ‘Bitter Gertrude’ – I love auditions. I always have and I always will. I will happily sit through day-long auditions. I recognize, however, that auditioning is a deeply flawed process with huge limitations. -
Your behaviour in the rehearsal room is just as important as how you behave at the theatre. A rehearsal room is a place for fun, experimentation and play – but you need to respect boundaries. -
You completed the sentence – “The best piece of acting advice is … ” Here are your acting tips and advice. -
For Choreographic work in Theatre the skills are specific. The dance should, whenever possible, further the story or service the plot in some fashion. While the style may still be presentational, it should fit within the world of the play or musical.
