My Never-Ending Education on The Acting Biz

Reality Check. The majority of actors are working class union members doing their best to make ends meet.  Thanks to pre-merger SAG/AFTRA rivalries, contracts negotiated during the last contract bargaining period with the "studios" was not exactly great for the average actor. And if you haven't noticed, the financial crisis hit a lot of the A-listers hard. Folks lost money. Money for films dried up and name actors who once wouldn't dream of doing television are now sprinkling the airwaves with network/cable shows or guest appearances. Naturally the creative food chain being what it is, competition for every kind of role is fierce.


This is not a complaint. Honest. I am blessed to be pursuing my dreams in life. I live by the philosophy that what is right for me will find its way into my life. All I can do is always strive to do my best work, build relationships where I can, and keep sane during the down times which can be long and draining.

Part of my "sanity strategy" is self-education. Reading a theatrical contract is frankly boring but I know there is so much I know I don't know that I have to try. In terms of building my "brand", I had a writer buddy create a bio to post to my IMDB page.  It may not seem like much but like with any career you need to do all those "career-building" actions that you learn on your journey and hope the investment in yourself pays off one day.:)

My other "sanity strategy" is building up my work as an acting coach. It is a definite balancing act coaching others as I work on my own career. However, it is better to have your side job keep you working creatively than doing work that drains your spirit. I actually like helping my clients give their best audition and grow their careers. It keeps my skills sharp and my mind focused.


I may be missing a bit of my "rah rah" about my acting career, but the slow and steady mental transition to viewing my career as my small business enterprise is helping to ground me in reality with a sense of peace instead of depression. That's gotta count for something.