Sentimental Crap

We are sentimental about acting. We really shouldn’t be, it’s a terrible job. Don’t get me wrong, the feelings it engenders are tremendous, they’re highly addictive, but the job itself in terms of being a job, is rubbish.

In general, we work long hours, for low pay, we have no job security, no pension, it’s a high risk, low reward employment that most people in sensible jobs think is insane. It’s hard to call it a ‘profession’ when it doesn’t really even qualify for the definition of the word.

Yet, we are compelled to it by how we feel when we do it. The thrill of it. I don’t blame any actor for that.

But I’ll tell you what gets my goat:

Sentimental crap about this being a calling, a higher soul enriching blah de blah, something that takes us beyond ourself, a responsibility.

Nonsense. Acting is the most selfish job in the world, so selfish that we even deprive ourself of income and a decent standard of living to do it.

Acting is not about the audience, it’s about our compulsion to the buzz, we do it for no one but ourselves. And that isn’t criticism! I encourage you if you love it that much, do it.

But don’t make it into something it isn’t.

It’s hard graft for little financial reward but I know you find it compelling, exciting, enlightening and exhilarating, until the Elephant bucks come rolling in, that will be your reward. It’s selfish, but which job isn’t?

But don’t be sentimental and pretend to yourself and others that this ‘calling’ is somehow more special, and we do have a habit of making it seem like we have this mystical, enthralling job, that touches on the spiritual.

I don’t blame you. Back in the day, we used to terrify people with our transformations, that actors were buried upside down at a fork in the road! Such was our ability marvelled at.

But.. We know the Sun God doesn’t bring us warmth and we understand how photosynthesis works and actors can still move us, but our audience no longer believe we are weavers of magic.

But actors still retain a little of that belief that they have a special place in society. Yes, the storyteller always will, but don’t be sentimental about it, it makes a mockery of ourselves.

Don’t downplay your graft, but don’t take yourself too seriously either.

It’s a job. It’s not a calling. We like to believe it’s a calling because it makes us feel special and that gives our life purpose and meaning.

Purpose is important, but looking to some mysticism and voodoo to make it meaningful is self delusion.

We love to call it our ‘whole life’. Yes I understand, my job also occupies me 24/7, it gives me purpose too, but I’m not pretending it’s more than it is. I love helping people achieve their dreams, but I don’t romanticise it. It’s a job, and loving my job and knowing it’s a job, doesn’t make me a hack, it makes me a pragmatist.

We love to hear people tell us we’re doing the right thing with our lives, so when someone tells you acting is special, it makes us for all the crap.

But give yourself a reality check, cut the sentimental crap, it’s a wonderful experience, a terrible ‘job’ but we cannot help ourselves, we just have to do it.

That’s love. We’re in love with how it makes us feel, and like any young lover, we’re capable of feats of tremendous self-decision.

But I admire that you want to do it. We need you to tell our stories, and that you often do it for nothing but the feeling. That’s something.