Photo Credit: Mike Prosser via cc
Comedian and actor Dave Foley, from Kids In The Hall, was interviewed on the red carpet and asked how he survives the downtime in an acting career. Here is a video of what he had to say.
Anyone working in the entertainment industry is going to go through periods of inactivity and the advice he has is valid. Staying creative during your dry spells is vital to survive as an actor in this industry. Work is the best cure for not working, so if you are not getting work from others – then do your own.
As an actor you are already good at storytelling, Uta Hagen once said “Every actor has something to say” – use your down time to tell your story or stories. Get together with a group of like minds and work on improvised scenes or characters. Write and film some short scenes or sketches. Keep developing your talent so that when the work does come in you do not feel rusty.
Down time is personal growth time, when you are working all of your energy is going in to that specific project, when you are not working it is time for your energy to go into your own project – project you!
During my resting periods as an actor I spend time writing this site. The advice and wisdom I can share with you as “Mr. Actor Hub” is also advice and wisdom for myself as an actor – I learn so much about myself and my bad habits through sharing.
Why not write like I do? If you want to write anything for ActorHub I would be happy to read your submission and publish it on the site. Get in touch!
It is important to know that all actors go through dry spells – even the big stars. There are always going to be periods when you are not acting. Don’t think ‘resting’ means you should rest. Use this time productively because it is the life experiences you have when you are not working which are the very fuel which will make your work better.
It is a good thing to not be acting all of the time!
Working In This Business Is A Huge Fluke by Dave Foley
The only thing that gets you out of that funk is working, then you get more work.
Or just finding something that’s fun to do, creative, like in my downtime I started doing stand-up again and that sort of is a chance to get out when you’re bored and get on stage and talk to people. You know, finding something you can create yourself kills the downtime.
The notion that if you work at all in this business its a huge fluke, so I tend not to be terribly ambitious or focused on ambition. If you get to do anything in entertainment it’s pretty lucky – so just try and enjoy the things you get to do and hope that more stuff comes along.
I wouldn’t take it too seriously because its a really stupid thing to be doing for a living, and face it it requires almost no skill – so enjoy what comes along.
Or just finding something that’s fun to do, creative, like in my downtime I started doing stand-up again and that sort of is a chance to get out when you’re bored and get on stage and talk to people. You know, finding something you can create yourself kills the downtime.
The notion that if you work at all in this business its a huge fluke, so I tend not to be terribly ambitious or focused on ambition. If you get to do anything in entertainment it’s pretty lucky – so just try and enjoy the things you get to do and hope that more stuff comes along.
I wouldn’t take it too seriously because its a really stupid thing to be doing for a living, and face it it requires almost no skill – so enjoy what comes along.
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