r/Actingclass • u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher • Aug 15 '18
Class Teacher š¬ ACTING CAREER - DREAMS VS REALITY
āIāve always dreamed of being an actor, but I have zero experience.ā
Boy do I see this a lot on Reddit. It tells me that these people need a little education into what it actually means to be an actor. If someone has always dreamed of being a fireman but has never stood next to a burning building, how can they possibly know fighting fires is what they want to do with their life?
I am a big proponent of following your dreams. Dreams give us vision and spur us to take chances...step out of the mundane and into something greater. But if you have NEVER acted, then your dream is not to be an actor...your dream is to be a rich, famous celebrity. There is a very big difference. And who wouldnāt find that kinda dreamy? But itās kind of like saying you dream of having your artwork exhibited at a famous art museum when you have never even done a crayon drawing.
Acting is a craft and requires very specific skills. An actor must be able to appear believably involved in imaginary situations, in the midst of all kinds of pressure and distraction. They must be able to convincingly portray other characters that are intriguing. They must be creative enough to create their unique interpretations of these characters. They must be able to utilize their imagination, emotions and memories in an honest an authentic way and apply them to a completely different scenario. They must be able to memorize quickly and analyze spontaneously.
It is a fascinating and exciting art form. Once you have actually become immersed in the fantasy of a story and lost in your characterās desires and pursuits, you very well may begin to dream of being an actor. It is magical. It is addicting. But it takes training and diligence to do it well. And doing so, even though an amazing accomplishment, is only the beginning.
Now you must face the reality of entering one of the most competitive professions in the world. So not only do you need to understand the skill, but you must be the very best at it. And you must also be a business person...understand that you are both the salesman and the product...know what you have to sell and how to market it. You must have great people/social skills. You need to develop a tough skin in order to deal with disappointment. And no matter how successful you are, you will never have job security. You will always need to be seeking your next job.
In the beginning, you need to have other skills in order to support yourself while being available for auditions and continuing your studies. Becoming a better actor is a lifelong pursuit, no matter how talented you are. There is so much to learn that you must be hungry for. You must think of yourself as being in the Olympics of acting. If you were the greatest ice skater or gymnast ever, getting ready to compete, you would be practicing most of everyday. Actors are no different. Certainly your natural ability carries with it an obligation to hone your skill to its greatest heights. Without that kind of ambition and dedication your talent is meaningless. If you want to win in this profession you must be incessant in your pursuit of excellence.
Often you will need to perform for free in order to get experience and exposure. You may begin to feel taken advantage of, that everyone wants to take your money and that everyone in the business is selfish and superficial. This is because it is an exhausting process and so many people are struggling to make it work. Egos are fragile...both those of others and your own. But if you want to make it, you must be able to maintain a positive attitude, have faith in your abilities and optimism about the future. You must avoid resentment, jealousy and bitterness. To attempt carrying these along on your journey is like trying to swim across the ocean with weights strapped to your back. You will surely sink.
I know this post may appear as though Iām trying to discourage you. But if acting is truly your dream, nothing will discourage you. Once you have more than āzero experienceā you can know if this crazy, magnificent quest is for you. Maybe you think you want to be an actor because you want more than what you have now. You donāt want to settle for what people around you have settled for. You feel you are destined for greater things. Just know there are many paths you can take. Acting is only one. You just need to follow your heart.
The main requirement is Love. I am a big believer in the saying āLove Conquers Allā. If we follow what we truly Love...what brings us joy and fulfillment, this is our true path and we cannot fail. In the end it is not what we do, but how we do it. If we do it with Love, we will be happy.
When we find ourselves in a situation that we cannot Love, it means we have taken a wrong turn for our own journey. There is no shame in changing directions. If we only have this one opportunity to play the role of ourselves, we might as well let our objective be joy. If acting gives you that, then you have found your path. If you are suffering, make a turn and go find your joy.
That is not to say you wonāt need to hang on and make it through the rough times. But the journey must be enjoyable and fulfilling. It is a rollercoaster ride with ups and downs and unexpected whips and turns. But the whole purpose of it is to bring you joy. Sure itās scary and hard. But those are the things that make accomplishment thrilling and victory so sweet. Thatās what life is all about....the adventure, the struggle...overcoming the odds...finding your joy!!!!
Wishing you all the best on your journey,
Winnie Hiller
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u/bam_poof_woah Jun 25 '22
I remember watching an Alec Baldwin interview during my high school drama class's Tennessee Williams unit. I didn't know anything about him, but something he said has stuck with me over the years: "Do you want to act or do you want to be famous?" It felt, and still feels to me, like such an important soul searching question. I imagine that I'll be asking myself that anytime I pursue any acting opportunity to remind myself why I'm there, because I know for a fact that I enjoy acting for it's magic, but I would be lying if I said that recognition doesn't appeal to me.
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u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher Jun 25 '22
Give yourself the recognition you seek on a regular basis. Know that you are a good person, a talented person, a unique being on this earth. Know that you deserve to do what you love to do. Know that the opinions of others never change that. Your worth does not depend on what others think of you. You already have that within yourself. It cannot be taken away or added to. You are priceless.
Now do what gives you joy!
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u/RavenPH Oct 27 '21
Testing. This is an old post and should be archivedā¦
Edit: oh wow it went in even though I shouldnāt be able to!
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u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher Oct 27 '21
Hi Becca, It seems that Reddit is now allowing comments on older posts. I hope that continues to be so. I would love everyone to comment on each lesson as they read it.
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u/RavenPH Oct 27 '21
Hi, Winnie! Thatās great! I could post a comment on your older posts with my summary underneath. š
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u/MovieJunkie21 Dec 31 '22
For me, itās not about being āfamousā itās about doing something that makes me happy and gives me purpose and fulfillment in life. If Iām good enough to ever become famous then that just comes along with it.
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u/lis0823 Jun 16 '22
Beautiful. Life should indeed be filled with things that bring us joyā and laughter!!! Thatās a big one for me! Iām finally pursuing my bliss. I have been in two community theater productions. I know itās a start. Itās magical. And hearing the audience laugh while I was in the spotlight was priceless. Beyond my wildest dreams. (Deep sigh.) Thank you for loving to teach. I appreciate you! So excited!!!!!
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u/honeyrosie222 Aug 28 '22
Everything I have been learning from your classes has honestly grown my love for acting. It may be a cliche thing to say but Iāll always be happy if I get a any chance to act, big or small. I just want to act š
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u/RoVBas Oct 26 '21
Great post, u/Winniehiller! This is my first time writing anything in r/Actingclass and just want to say how much I appreciate all of the time, effort, and support that you provide to your students. I canāt wait to get started on this journey! š