How Much Would You Invest In Your Acting Career?
Many actors don’t work as often as they’d like. But what do they do when they’re not working? Let’s face it, in the UK, the answer is – some kind of crappy part-time, temporary, casual, flexible job and little else.
But to those resting actors, here’s my advice. You should be investing in your acting career every day. You should be doing something to invest in your acting career every day.
Now here’s the thing, when I say invest, I mean time. How much time are you willing to invest in improving yourself? Many actors leave Drama School and never take any classes or try to improve their chances of getting work. But not in the USA, actors are always seeking the edge, the advantage and the actors that I know that do that, they get cast, they work, but when they are not working, they are still learning, acting, writing or training.
Imagine the athlete who never trained between competitions. We would laugh at them, because they would be ludicrously out of shape. But actors never give it a second thought!
Here’s my suggestion for ways that you can invest in your acting career on a daily basis. Below is a sample week; of course, it may not match your actual week, but stands as an example of The Actor’s Week.
Monday: Acting Classes
There are plenty of acting classes for professionals these days, you may need to travel to a city, but it’s worth it. Use this resting period as a way to learn a new approach or skill, improve your existing skills or simply keep the engine running.
Tuesday: Exercise
Love it or loathe it, we all NEED it, so whether you go for a swim, do Pilates or yoga, you need to stay fit and healthy in order to enjoy a long career as an actor. My tip is that three days per week of exercise is quite enough, but if you vary the type of exercise, you’re more likely to stick with it.
Wednesday: Be Among Your Peers
If you can be among actors as much as possible, it will help you to keep the motor running. It’s not just a chance to moan about not working or directors you can’t stand. London has the Actor’s Centre, Scotland will have one soon too, but it already has The Actor’s Kitchen (Edinburgh) and The Actor’s Bothy (Glasgow) as places to spend time with your peers and solidarity keeps you strong.
Thursday: 1-2-1 Acting Coaching
It’s difficult to prepare for auditions by yourself. Most drama schools don’t teach methodologies that can be applied to this situation, that’s why acting coaches can help the actor to stay on top form and prepare them for their auditions. Always look for an experienced and qualified acting coach, not someone who is looking to make a few quid outside of high school teaching hours or another out of work actor/director.
Friday: Check for Jobs
Your agent is busy, so you have to look for work too. So today you trawl the Internet, Casting Call Pro, Mandy, The Stage – well – anywhere, use this time to look at the jobs available and consider new directors or production companies in your city that you could send a CV and headshot.
Saturday: Watch a Film/Go to the Theatre
Support the industry, enjoy a good play or film, remind yourself why you act.
Sunday: Talking Out Loud
This is simple, costs nothing and is fun. Grab a stack of plays or poems and read aloud to yourself. Get used to different forms of language, rhythm, and how punctuation changes how something is spoken. Get used to speaking aloud, get used to enjoying it, no matter whether you’re faced with Shakespeare, Sheridan, Mamet, Duffy and Auden.