Hope you are all enjoying your weekend, I was just after some pearls of wisdom from your goodselves...
Is it me or is it incredibly slow out there at the moment? I am getting itchy feet and wondered if anyone had any advice on what I could do at this stage of my career (to avoid my throwing the towel in to be honest)
I had a job lined up but it has now fallen through it would seem, also I would never say never to unpaid work but I feel I have done my share.
Just after a bit of career development advice really... I'm at a loss - all comment gratefully received xx
Hi TIbby
I'm in the same boat - just nothing happening at all and it's SO frustrating. So much so that I'm seriously thinking of doing some kind of franchise thing - there was an item on Women's Hour this morning about it - so I'd still act but I'd also be working at something for myself which wouldn't need me to be at the beck and call of an employer.
Lord knows what franchise I'd go for but I'm going to look into it.
Yeah, I've done that and it was great fun and a HUGE learning curve, but we didn't make a profit, we just about broke even and, like all of us, I need to make a living.
The trick is not to be so completely focussed on acting to the total detriment of actually having a life outside of acting as well! This way when it goes a little quiet, as it is right now, you don't feel totally lost and frustrated!
The risk we as actors face is when it is so quiet turn up at auditions and have our desperation to act manifest itself in our performance so use this time to chillax, have some quality time with friends and family and take some courses so you're on the ball when the next audition does come along!
Cheers Forbes - I do keep positive and I know that it's swings and roundabouts. I'm just looking to do some temp work that will still keep me available for any acting stuff that might turn up.
Yeah, it is a bit slow out there but word on the street is that things are slowly starting to pick up again.
However, in the meantime, continue to do all the things that will help you get work when the opportunities are available - sort out your showreel, network, develop your website, send speculative letters - all the things you'd do if you were running any other business and trade was slow.
You've got to accept that you're a commodity and, no matter how many others are out there going for the same openings, you're a unique commodity. Work out what your USP (Unique Selling Point) is, capitalise on it, sell it. Do everything you can to minimise the days of unemployment and maximise the days of working towards that trip to Barbados!
It's a tough and competitive business and forums like this enable us all to gee each other along and provide a few words of support where and when we can. Don't be disheartened. The work will come. And when it does, you'll wonder why you ever worried in the first place.
I have put together something and produced it, but again the whole not reaping any monies has happened to me too.
Forbes - You are 100% right, I do have a tendency to be all or nothing, so I have decided to look at others way of using my voice and not putting everything into it so I turn into a desperado!
Does anyone know of any cheap as chips deals on showreels/websites??
I've found the last few weeks to be quite slow too, but today things have started to pick up again.
When it's feeling a bit slow, I find it helps to write to casting directors, film companies and directors I admire with a brief letter and a business card with my picture, website and contact details.
This way, at least you know you're putting in the effort and so far, every time I've done a large sweep or letters, I get a few calls in the following weeks.
Weird 'cos I auditioned for something in December and as I hadn't heard back from them I thought I hadn't got it. Today, I got an email asking if I was still interested - they'd had to put filming back a bit. Oh yes, I'm most definitely interested and we shoot on the 17th. I LOVE the universe :-))
Check out Wix.com for free website building. It's a pretty comprehensive site and of course there are more features if you pay but the free builder is a great starting place. As far as showreels, try getting in touch with Mark Kempner on here. His showreels always look impressive, the only reason I don't have one is I barely have enough money to keep my subscription here, let alone pay for a showreel. (It's been *very* quiet for me for a while, despite me being awesome ;) )
Hi, all I would say is never stop believing and always remain upbeat and confident, if you always keep a positive frame of mind and believe you will get a lucky break then you may just get lucky and if you don't you wont. Ive just paid to do a 9 week advanced acting course with Cat Clancy in the City Academy, Westminster, because I believe that this will help my career and remember acting is more a vocation than a job, it is a bit like being in the pursuit of the woman of your dreams. Keep believing and you will achieve
Hi Tibby
I wouldn't want to advise anyone about whether they should throw in their job or not - you'd have to weigh up the pros and cons. Maybe just look around for an alternative one that would give more flexibility.
My two penneth! Defo get a showreel and a website...I can help you there.
I see your pics are a bit out of date here and there....people def change from year to year, and I think casting dep's like to see at least one completely current shot in any case....they can relax knowing what you will look like pretty much when they call you in. For all we know you may have long flowing locks now? Prob not too important...but its a thought? You look stunning so I'd say: load up a completely current shot....showreel....website.
Don't ever give up good regular income...you need to live! Life should not be all about acting....it's far to fickle as a business!
Just good marketing I'm afraid....tahst the name of the game. Type in (Professional actor) into google....that's what helps me no end.
Good luck....oh and you can see more about my showreels on my own website etc
Mark
Hi, you wont like this but yippee any actor worth his or her salt will welcome yet another actor being down in the dumps and thinking of quitting as there are too few jobs out there any way, and to be brutal ( and not personal) if as an actor you keep having these moments and feelings of throwing in the towel then just do it because it dosnt get any easier and youll save yourself a lot of time and loss of earnings, not to mention a miss spent time of your life,
there ill bet that causes a reply or 10, but still the best of luck, just be realistic and honest to no one but yourself,
k
Thank you so much for all your comments and support. I am defo gonna look into better marketing for myself and I will direct message you Mark with regards to a showreel - thanks!
Just to say, I didn't post this on here to have my had patted or to feel good about myself. I was asking if any fellow actors had ever been in the same boat, and for pearls of wisdom from those that had. Many CCP postings are about people that may need to be steered in the right direction and I now feel I have been.
I looked at your CV and I see that you are mainly musical theatre and that you haven't done any cruise.
This could be your next step.
I have a lot of friend who have done it and loved any minute of it. The pay is good, the job fun, you get to see the world.
This could give you time to reflect on where you want your career to go and save money to be able to invest in the marketing material that you need (new headshots, a reel, a website, business cards etc...)
I know it's not necessarily easy to get the cruise job but you have a solid CV so if you audition enough you're bound to get one of them.
Goodluck!
Just to add to Claire's post, if you want to do cruises then PEEL casts for cruises and seem to have vacancies fairly often. I have auditioned for(and apparently got!) a UK based job with them but met people who were rehearsing for cruises with them when I auditioned. Some of them had worked with PEEL before, all had done previous cruises and all would recommend it. It can be tough but is apparently loads of fun. I would do it but my voice isn't strong enough.
On the normal job side, I would say that if you can find something more flexible then do chuck in the temp job but don't chuck it without anything else. Actors still need to eat. Yes we need to love what we do but you can't live on that. Depending on how solid you need your work to be, I have started doing promo work recently and it pays alright and fills in the gaps. I have met quite a few people who do it full time so the work is there. Because you work on a job by job basis, it is easy to make sure you are not working on certain days.
Hope that helps,
Fay
12 years ago
20
You must login as a candidate to participate in the forum.
Please note:Messages written in the forum do not represent the views of The Mandy Network, nor have they been vetted by The Mandy Network staff.
If you read something which you believe to be offensive or defamatory, please contact us and we will take the appropriate action.
