Acting is hard. Stanislavski, the acting guru, said one needs at least 20 years to master the art of acting. So he wrote a few beautiful books on acting for actors and eventually became the founder of the renowned “Method Acting.”
Now, how do you learn to act?
Some people go to acting school; others just instinctively have a feel for it and start to audition and book. In certain countries (like mine), there is an old entrapment for acting schools being the only straightway to get into the film industry. Nothing stands farther from the truth. Many actors with diplomas give up their careers before even starting; others simply do not succeed in booking film roles, while directors openly talk about casting people from the street.
This doesn’t seem fair, right?
The thing is that apart from voice, movement, and other sorts of artistic training, there are skills needed for a successful and long-term acting career. These skills, however, are not taught in acting schools because there are… guess what…: obvious.
Still, actors have no idea about these.
How come certain people just get their careers skyrocketed at once while others wait for decades for the role of their lives?
As every one of us is an individual and different, there is no easy answer to that question. However, a partial explanation is that no acting school can guarantee you work, nevertheless a long and satisfying acting career. So if you wish to perfect your acting skills and gain confidence in this beautiful artistic craft, you should certainly go to an acting school or/and attend acting workshops and training.
Don’t forget: every training happens between four walls, and nobody has yet seen your work.
Your responsibility is to get out of school with the same energy. After months or years of professional training, there comes the point where your performance must be shared with the world. I have seen many actors performing in acting schools but never became part of the industry. Why? Fear of failure prevented them from getting their work out there and showing themselves to the world.
Now, I fully understand that it is tough to be defenseless and vulnerable in the real world. But the truth is that remaining in between the safe walls of an acting school, being part of a community, and doing self-tapes at home is a comfort zone. Every actor serious about becoming a professional actor must literally “act” and not just in theory. At the end of the day, what is there to lose? If you fail at an audition or several auditions, wouldn’t it be better to learn it instead of just putting it off? What is there to gain from a prolonged but imaginary acting career?
Having a diploma or a certificate in acting can undoubtedly give you confidence, but it is only your entry card to the industry. You have opened the door ajar. Now it is time to step in!
Here are some questions for you to answer that your acting coach won’t ask you:
- How many work-related emails have you sent today?
- How many follow-ups did you do?
- What industry events are you attending this month and this year?
- Who did you show your showreel to?
- What movies are to be shot around your area in the upcoming months?
- Who did you contact regarding them?
- How do you prepare for the unknown opportunity that will come up?
If you need some guidance on preventing yourself from failure, book a free call with me, I am happy to help.
Namaste,
Andrea
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