Back to Basics

What is acting? Oh, you know this one, or do you. Oh, I am sure that you know what acting is, maybe. But do you know what it means to be an actor or actress. Or should I say try to be an actor or actress. The process is strange at best. That is because it is a creative process, with creative people trying to coexist with non-creative people.

A non-creative type hires an advertising agency to create a commercial for their company. The company needs improved sales; the boss thinks more advertising exposure will do the trick. The ad agency hires a director to bring the commercial to life. The director hires the talent for 'his' vision of the commercial. The ad agency and the director discuss (also known as argue) about the selections.

The simple process of casting the talent becomes a major event. The casting call may cover the country, several countries or a single city. Casting directors are consulted, talent agencies are notified and even ads placed in local papers, all to search out the perfect cast for the perfect commercial to promote the perfect product and boost sales.

So your talent? So what! Young actors strive to be what the director wants. Does the director know what he wants, no, not really? Oh, he may have an idea, but till the perfect talent falls with in his grasp he is as clueless as the rest of us. It is like shopping for a sweater. You go to the store, maybe two or three stores, looking for the perfect sweater. Sweaters do not have feelings. They do not get their hopes up, become excited when you look at them, become emotionally involved when you pull them off the hanger and think they have the job when you try them on. People do all of the above. We try on talent like sweaters, consuming it/them like water and tossing it aside like a paper cup.

You are striving to become a consumable. Not a very lofty goal. Difficult on the ego, rough on self image and parents can become down right nasty when their child does not win the part. That would be like the hanger getting upset that the one tried on did not get the part. Our industry wads up and tosses away countless numbers of wanna be talents. But no matter how we treat talent there is more than we can ever use waiting for the opportunity to be abused. As long as this endless supply exists, we will treat it like dirt.

You will get calls from your agent at strange times of the day, have to leave school early, wait in long lines, be seen for a few seconds and wait at home for the telephone call saying you got a call back. And you are a blonde. But today I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and hate blondes. The part calls for a blonde, we are interviewing blondes and I will not see a single one today that I will like.

Fair? Of course not, who said anything about being fair? The nature of the entertainment business is not fair, it is to consume, use, suck dry and toss away. Only the strong may survive and even some of them have nervous breakdowns, become alcoholics or drug addicts. And if you do make it big you have greedy parents, managers, agents and investors, not to mention every other relative and weirdo that you can possible imagine, and then some, out to do you in. Gee, see what you have to look forward to?

Each month I will post another encouraging article. It is my intention to discourage as many as possible from embarking upon a career in acting. It is also my place to educate as best I can and prepare those that have the drive necessary to make this journey.

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