No it's not a lottery game. Decide where you want to be in a year's time. Work out the steps you need to achieve this. Be pro active.
Introduce other things in your non-acting life that you enjoy. It's also good to have another skill which you can use as an alternative source of income - if too much depends on the acting work, the blows will be harder to take.
It's interesting to read all your comments about getting work, or not, is profit share worth the experience/pain, or not. I'm new to CCP but as well as looking for work here I've set up my own theatre company with a colleague in an attempt to both learn the business and showcase myself from time to time.
We've put on 4 productions now and have learnt a lot. Not least that studio theatres are too small to make any real money. However, learning the business this way means we'll be in better shape when attempting to move in to the main houses with productions - risky though that will be!
Slowly we're building connections with actors but very often when we advertise with CCP we get very few replies - then again, as a new company we can only offer expenses so perhaps that puts people off.
Hello Amanda,
There's been a recent discussion on the boards titled 'Profit Share' on the general chat discussion board which might be most helpful or at least insightful to you. It was only posted on 25/8/11.
Hope this helps :)
nothing else to add, other than fingers crossed for you, please don't despair, and get on Spotlight!
If it's any consolation: After being nominated as Best Actress at the last Off West End Award, which for me, especially as a foreign artist in my London debut, was a huge deal, I haven't worked at all in 2011. Nobody believes me, but that is the fickle nature of this shark tank.
It is a tough business but don't lose heart. There have been some very good advice given so you know that you are not alone. It may be helpful to develop another skill such as writing/screenwriting, doing the odd unpaid job via film and fringe theatre just to build up your CV. Being on Spotlight and Equity also helps though some people have their views on the latter organisation.
It all comes down to perseverance and determination. Do whatever you can, I would suggest work as a Supporting Artiste/Extra but that seems to be frowned upon a great deal. My advice would be do it in the short term but just remember that is not where you want your career to be. I did it for a couple of years and learned a lot about being on major television and film productions and worked with some great people before calling it a day. Acting is where I wanted to be and I felt at the time, SA work would not get me there. You have options and choices. Also try to find out where networking events are held. I went to Raindance's event last Thursday. They are having a meeting on Monday 12th September. If you are a Raindance member then it is free, if not it will £5 at the door.
All is not lost. It just seems that way. It never gets easier, you will have bad days but you will know that you moving forward, even if it is one step at a time.
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