The Artists Life
Living this normal life of needing to earn a living has taken a toll on me my whole life. And, I would think that it would affect every artist in the same way. The artist needs time to create and it’s through creating something it seems this is where the artist’s happiness lies.
The artist is not given the time to create because he is generally not paid properly. So, there you go. The artistic person then gets a full-time job and all the time is gone. I could never be myself or fit in in this world. I’m not complaining, it’s just the way it is.
I feel like it’s been a lifetime of being involved in the arts and seeking my happiness in life. Because it has been. I used to act and do many other creative things. Read my previous blog post for more about my upbringing here.
Is it hard to become an Actor?
One of the easiest ways to (eventually) become an actor is to start out as an extra. I know, I know, nobody wants to do this. You want to act! But, background work is an easy way to network and meet people. You need to meet the people already working in the industry so they can possibly help you in the future.
You might need to have a couple part-time jobs to float and pay your bills. And maybe have the flexibility of your time that you need.
One of the most important things that you must do to make progress in this business is that you must take acting classes. You cannot avoid it.
Styles of acting that you can learn. A couple of the well known techniques are the meisner technique and method acting. In my opinion, method acting and the method acting exercises are pretty good. Such as sense memory etc.
Find what suits you best and a couple of teachers that you like.
So what does it take to succeed?
It’s best to continue acting classes for about five years (or more) in my opinion. It’s a long process and it takes a lot of practice to get good at acting.
Keep working on your craft..
You definitely should stay in acting classes for a while, network and ask other actor’s what they are working on. Ask them if they know of a good agent to sign with etc. Make sure that you offer them information as well, so it goes both ways.
And, who knows… they might think of you for any work they hear about!
Perform where ever you can…and as often as you can. Put together a good reel, audition all the time and just wait your turn.
So, in the end it is hard to become an actor(a professional actor). It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and time.
While I was acting…
While I was acting I had a goal of becoming that hot actor. I have studied two different martial arts in the past, and I thought that could be one of my ways to advance in the business. I wanted to get into the action role’s.
Check out a sample of my acting work here
One of the things that I find kind of funny in my life is that when I met new people in the industry (in my 30’s), they, for some reason, thought I didn’t have any acting experience at all. Before I had met these people, I had already been to classes at the second city training centre and performed on stage. I was a break dancer in high school and some other things I’ve done in the past. You can read all about it in the blog linked above.
Why I find it a little bit funny is that everyone has a past or has hobbies or accomplishments that others are not aware of. When getting to know a new person, you will then learn about who they are.
So what am I doing now?
My last comedy set was back in February of 2020. Will I do any more live comedy? I’m not sure.
When things were going good with my acting work, I had a good amount of support. A lot of friends and acquaintance’s were always asking me what I’m doing. It felt good for a while.
Although I’ve had to deal with some criticism here and there, the entertainment world is where I am accepted. I really like writing jokes, and creating funny stories to tell. But the best part I think is getting the reaction that you want. Basically, getting a laugh. It’s an accomplishment. This is the reason why I might continue stand up comedy.
I’ve always wanted to be an artist (because I am one). But, unfortunately when you are born with creative talents, a lot of people will try to talk you out of being an artist professionally. This used to bother me when I was younger. But, I know some of the people back then were just trying to look out for me.
When I look back to my acting work, I think the best memories that I have are when I was in acting class. When I was learning the process. The rehearsals for the plays, performing the plays, and taking in all the insight from the teacher. That is what I miss the most. I really enjoyed the times when I challenged myself to remember a lot of lines. But, my life is different now.
Now, how I think of acting is “you either make it or you don’t.” The film business is pretty competitive, and to become a working actor is hard. I’m just telling you how it is. Thinking back, with my experience in acting, I think success as an actor has a lot to do with who you know.
This is mainly what I used to base my hope for success on. There’s all kinds of courses that you can take to succeed but it’s not that easy. Being an actor can bring a lot of fulfillment to your life, but it doesn’t provide consistent money. At least in my case. I think if a person gains a momentum and also has some luck on their side than they could have a chance in the industry.
In the future I might write a blog post about what makes good acting.
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Read more about how to become an Actor here
Read about my days as Borat here
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