Before joining the union, there was not a single non union job I worked on that didn’t have at least one SAG actor, this was true for all the non union (commercials, short films and, feature films I’ve worked on). And it is so easy to find SAG actors working nonunion jobs just by looking at the cast list of non union productions on IMDBPro. For example, in LA there is one nonunion production I’ve seen post many times on actors access that has over 30 Billion views on their short films and they blatantly use SAG actors constantly and seemingly without any repercussions. Whenever I’ve asked SAG if it’s ok to work on smaller scale production even as a favor they make it aggressively clear that any acting of any kind even unpaid is not allowed unless under a union contract. But if you actually go ahead and work non union anyway they seem to not care. My question is does SAG ever actually enforce these rules, not in theory, but in REALITY? Like do you personally know anyone who’s ever gotten caught? What happened? I’ve basically stopped booking jobs almost entirely after joining SAG and I’m wondering if it’s worth it to start doing nonunion work off the card since that seems to be what everyone else is doing to stay afloat.
I’m hopping on a flight tomorrow morning early, so ask any of your vo questions and I’ll answer them on the plane while I have nothing to do! Hoping to help y’all out again, spread the word!
I’m a 23M african american actor with a curly-fro hairstyle. A movie I did some work on required me to cut SOME of my hair to fit the time period. Long story short, they cut off almost ALL of my hair so now it looks terrible and extremely awkward. I’ve struggled with a balding & receding hairline for the last couple years(that I warned them about) which wasn’t very noticeable with my longer hair style but now it’s completely visible & makes me look much older than I am. My problem is now I look nothing like my current headshots which I just recently got. (I’m not getting new ones with this look). Not only do I think it’s not safe to submit for projects with my headshots that I look nothing like, but I have other projects i’ve already booked that are happening the next couple months. To grow my hair back out to half the length will take at least 3 to 4 months. I’m just very furious with how careless they were with my hair and lost as to what I should do now. And before you say “it can’t be that bad” It is, because as soon as the barber finished they immediately started apologizing. On top of that people were asking “why they cut my hair like that” and telling me to shave it bald after we film. I was miserable the ENTIRE 14 hours on set because every conversation I had with people, including the main cast with well-known actors, was about how bad my haircut was. If that’s not enough, the production paid me an extra $100 as an apology.
Hello, I’m a new actress that has only acted in one show. Should I start applying for casting calls now or should I just wait until I get more experience? I don’t get it because how can you expect me to be experienced if you don’t give me the opportunity? Not even just that it’s also an age problem. I have been looking for work on Instagram/Facebook but usually they want me to be 25 or a teenager (I’m 21). Have I been looking in the wrong places? Any suggestions on where to find work?
Hey Everyone! Im an actor living in sweden repped by a manager ( Maria Vascsak at IMA Content ) i need some help choosing a path to follow. Im about to graduate high school, im 18 years old and have experince in both theatre and film. Ive played a leading role in a short film recently along with other projects in film. I do also have extensive experince in theatre as ive been in theatre since i was a kid! As i said, im graduating soon and i dont really know what to do… I have thought of moving to LA to study acting and auditioning as much as i can. My goal is to be able to be an actor full time but opinions from my family have made me feel like its a bad disicion to study acting ( they see it as putting all my eggs in one basket ) My question to you all is, should i study acting or should i study something with a more stable job perspective? Id love to delve deep into different techniques as i really enjoy studying acting and have seen some great success in it in the past year or so but the only thing holding me back is the unstableness of the career and the industry. What do you guys think? ive thought if maybe studying media as it is still related to the industry but its not really enticing and seems like a betrayal to my dreams… Please give me some advice and some thoughts in what you think i should do. It would be greatly appreciated! Side note! My manager is really established in LA with a good base there in terms if contacts and connections. Thank you
The idea was recently suggested to me to call a local agency and ask them what steps they think I should take or what I can/should be doing in the area I’m in. I’ve tried very hard to find work here on Backstage and Actors Access but it’s a small town and there isn’t even any work towns over. But then a friend of a friend says they know somebody signed to this agency who DOES get work here and sent me the agency’s info saying I should ask them. Would it be annoying to them or make me look like someone they’d never want to sign?
This is it. I wish I had the chance to discover my calling when I was a child to get into acting and be among child actors. I feel my experience would have been built up into a long and successful career. I am 21 and am not an actor and even if it happens, I kind of feel like it won't reach the same longevity it could've if I had been as enticing and interesting as Tom Holland, Woody Norman or Asa Butterfield. I love expressing myself in daydreams and feel like with the right script, emotions and crew that I can let myself out and make art. Idk what to feel or how to think at the moment.
Does anyone know if a W9 would be accepted as proof of employment for Equity’s Open Acess program? I can’t find an exhaustive list of proof they accept, only the website saying “pay stub, W2, 1099, etc.”
Hello again! I asked a similar question around two years ago and that advice greatly helped me. I have a few gigs under my belt now but I know I can vastly improve from where I am right now. A typical answer that is said alot is coaching but right now with college (Theatre Major) I can't afford it. (Mostly because most coaches charge a fee greater than my rent) Thanks and have a great day/night :)
Hello, everyone!!! I am trying to become an actor, but I wanna know what strides to take. Hete are some strides, I've taken (not many). 1. In most of my Digital Video Production projects I play as the main actor, and my teacher always compliments my acting and such. 2. I very recently made an Instagram account, wete I plan to post my content. - My very first post was of a music video that my friend and I made. The artist reposted the reel on her story!!! It was awesome!! Yet, alot of ppl are looking at it, but nobody is liking it. I know, I know it's the first post, gotta keep expectations low... But idk if my acting account would get lots of views and stuff compared to like an art, cooking or editing account. Like I'm doing worse than the bare minimum... Okay, so I know that's it's not alot of strides and lots of rambling. But this year, I plan to get a job and pay for some type of acting class to bulid up some skills. I wanna expand more on my IG account, try get noticed. Even, get into YouTube.I wanna try to audition for a community a thearte (trying to be the next Wayne Brady) before I graduate. (Class of 2024) Anything else you would recommend? Any advice on the Instagram stagram account thing? What acting class, I should take? (Online or In-person) Would like to see some of my work, give critiques? Anything and Everything is Welcome! Thanks in Advance
What exactly does this mean?? I’m non union and only did one BG gig which was the one I did before I got asked back to come back for an actor role. How is this different than a regular BG role? What’s the pay like? This is in Toronto, Canada
So I got brutally honest notes from my director today. She said my acting wasn't all there, I wasn't ready for a song and that my acting is lacking. She didn't give specifics on how to improve, but since acting is my outlet to cope with depression this really got to me. I never did a show with her before. In the past I have been praised by previous directors. I typically get leads and a lot of singing, so this is my first time getting a smaller role and critique like this. I want to grow as an actor but first I need to stomach her critique. Any tips? Should I talk to her about the specifics or would that be considered disrespectful? I also have another question. Was what she said plain out rude or is it just typical note giving?
So i want to be an actress. I am a teenager living in wales in the UK but i want to be an actress. What do i need to do in my teens in order to become an actress? Any advice is helpful, thanks.
How do actors come to light, such as Aaron Paul, get a breakout show/movie? Is it by chance, or some special talent? Also, how do you become a "great" actor?
Hello fellow Toronto actors. I have been doing BG since January and have enough vouchers to apply to AABP. I want to eventually become a principal actor and I have heard different things from people about joining AABP as a BG. People are saying it's good so you can get your hours towards becoming an Apprentince. Some people are saying don't do it now cause I won be able to do non-union shoots as a principal actor if I am AABP. I was just curious what everyones thoughts are about this and/or if anyone had experience with this. Thank you all.
I'm trying to find representation for acting and saw this ad on Actor's Access saying that this service they offer could help me "get in front of Los Angeles and New York Talent Agents and Managers". Have you had good experiences with it?
New actor I just got my first job for a commercial and I have to sign an NDA, but I don’t have an agent or agency and it asking for that so what should i do?
Hi! I am going to be auditioning for a production of *Cinderellie-Mae* at a local theater. The website says that we will be cold reading from the script. I read through the script online and the directions said that actors should speak in a strong country accent. Should I try to cold read off of the script with an accent, or should I just speak in my normal voice? Would it be appropriate to ask which they would prefer before I started reading?
Do you think it’s possible for phobic person to learn and act from home, never leaving it?
Hey voice actors! I just got an official Apple USB 3.0 to Lightning Camera Adapter to hook up to my audio interface. I am powering the adapter through a USB hub and it updated the camera adapter when I plugged it in, so I know the device was recognized. It also has enough power as far as I can tell, but whenever I try to record on my phone through the adapter/my interface, the audio just gets picked up by my standard iPhone mic. Any advice?
Obviously, a very touchy subject matter. Fiverr has been great to many VAs but has certainly damaged the industry somewhat. As a total beginner in VA (having acting training and stuntman work) progress a career without the gig economy, or more so, the Fiverr / Upwork route. My gut is saying the answer to this is to train under various coaches and try and get signed by an agent / agency but I could be way off there comparing VA to "normal" acting (read: screen actor)
Hey! I'm a beginner actor (20 years old) in Vancouver looking to take classes in the summer and was hoping to see if anyone here had any recommendations for particular programs (not too expensive with a focus in film acting). I randomly came upon an Arts Umbrella Audion prep program and was thinking of trying that out but I haven't heard much of their acting programs. I was also looking at VAS but their next start date seems to be in September only. Any acting class suggestions in general are welcome!! Thank you!!
currently i’m in drama school. 20 years old. just about finishing my first year. yesterday we did our solo story performances and mine was written about the disregard of the Black girl’s mental health. they loved it. instead of well done, they said thank you. they cried and i felt like i connected and shared a piece of myself with them. it wasn’t easy to do. my issue now is that some things went wrong like my classmate who was supposed to do my sound effects wasn’t on cue but i was told i was performing well enough that people didn’t really notice anyways. but even as everyone validated me, just as they did a few terms ago when i did a scene from rotterdam (by jon brittain), there’s just something missing. i don’t know what it is. i am proud of myself. i know this. but i’m up at 2am which is something my body hasn’t even been able to do because of all the constant work i’ve done the past five weeks has been spent on assessments and making sure yesterday’s performance went well. and it did. and now i feel incomplete. like there’s always something i could’ve done better. i wasn’t a theatre kid. i got into drama school after years of trying (i know 20 is young but in my country we start university at 16/17). i used that as my way to get free acting training because although i decided to be an actor at i think 14, i never could afford to pursue it until i got older and more independent. i know my need for validation stems from that. but it’s funny because i don’t seek validation in any other aspect of my life. how do i stop feeling hollow after a performance? i just want to be proud of myself and go to bed. but instead, i feel not enough.
I got booked as an extra in a movie coming out in the next year or 2. The cast is full of insanely famous and ridiculously good actors. I’m mainly excited to be on set - to see how everything works and get the chance to watch these actors in their element. Couple questions: 1. Is networking on set a thing if I’m there as an extra? Is there something I can do to open up more opportunities for myself through this? 2. Since this would be my first (and paid) film experience, is it resume worthy? Would love to hear anyone’s thoughts
Use this thread to post your headshots for feedback, get info on your age range/type, find good headshot photographers, ask any questions you may have about headshots. If you are posting a DIY headshot for feedback, and not just a snapshot in order to get feedback on your age range/type/etc, it is advised that you do at least some basic research on what actor headshots look like--composition, framing, lighting. You will find a Google Image search for "actor headshots" to be very helpful for this. Non-professional shots are fine for age/typecasting; please keep in mind that one picture is a difficult way to go about this. Video of you moving and speaking would be ideal, but understandably more difficult to post. For what it's worth, the branding workshop at SAG-AFTRA recommends a five-year age range. That's inclusive, so for example 19-23, 25-29, 34-38, etc.
Hello there, i am not sure if there are Arabs here but I am Arabic looking for Arabs to do voice qcting for BERSERK anime
I have been acting for more than 6 years now. Started from a few local acting courses here and there. Went to a conservatory for 3 years. Been self-studying and hiring an acting coach for all my major auditions for the past 2 years since COVID. Went to therapy and went through a hell of a self discovery and creativity process. Going back to classes again this summer to improve my skills even more. I have a manager and an agent who have been absolutely amazing in sending me out to roles. (Although I am looking for a better agency this summer.) They’re not HUGE with connections but decent enough to get me in the door to audition at least 2-3 times a month even though I’m about 2 hours away from a major market. I’ve invested in headshots, improved my reels, optimized my resumes, won an acting award for an indie film, I’ve made my own short films and have 6 film festival nominations, landed lead supporting roles in 2 feature films in the past 2 years… but I still have not landed a co-star or a guest star role in any TV series. I’m not here to brag or complain. I’m actually extremely grateful that I’ve come as far as I could with the work I’ve done. But when I meet other actors who have been in TV series or a huge film, it makes me wonder if I’m good enough when it’s been this long and I’ve never been in anything considered “big” like television or a streaming service or a films… Am I even considered a “real” actor? Was it because I didn’t go to college for acting and didn’t make the right connections? Is it because I’m an Asian woman but don’t look “Asian” enough to fill in the Asian roles they’re looking for? Is it because I’m deluded and my acting skills aren’t as good as I think they are? Am I not working hard enough? I’m confident my natural drive to continue improving my craft will never stop so I know I’ll get better in acting no matter what. It just comes with time (and money which I’m consistently building). I’m even planning to move up closer to a big market by the end of this year with my partner. But sometimes, I wonder if there’s anything more I can do to improve my chances of really making this a working career for me. Are there other outside factors I’m really not considering with this? Is there anything more in my power I can do? I guess what I’m looking for is to learn more about people’s experiences on here with their journey in this career. I’m here for the long haul. But sometimes sticking with the long haul makes you feel like an imposter. What do you do when you feel like you’re doing everything right but you’re not getting to where you want to be?
I'm just curious. This is about my Actors Access/ Casting Networks profile. My theatrical agent asked me to list my real age. I thought casting isn't supposed to ask about the real age of actors. Have you guys heard that they run actual searches for age ranges on agent rosters?
Would out managers and agents be able to see the breakdowns or would she only reach out to actors that she knows in LA?
Actor here! (24F Black and Asian) and checking in to see if people are getting auditions lately? It feels slow from my agent and manager but I’ve been hearing that’s normal this time of year? It’s my first spring in LA since I graduated last year from acting school so I’m checking in if this pace is normal right now with auditions from reps!
So I heard that you should pay your agents even for jobs you got yourself. I’m totally in favor of this and understand it’s importance. The question I have is if there was a formal method to doing this or is it just being honorable and paying your agent what they’re owed out of what you’re directly paid as an actor?
Hello everyone, Still French actor in training, I just did a few contests for national schools, and the verdict is firm: I have a body so unstable and unbalanced it is impressive in the bad way. I also tend to hurt myself really easily by playing intensely with no flexibility. I really need and want to work on that. But it’s a bit late to register in a dancing class this year, and my theater teacher say it would be a pretty bad idea to try to dance alone without anyone to tell me what I’m doing wrong. I read Grotowski method and would be glad to learn, but again, it’s just me and a book. What you would recommend to work alone for a more stable / flexible actor body? Yoga? Stretches? Do you have any app or method to recommend? Until I can get decent dancing practice? Thank you.
I'm primarily a voice actor right now but I find traditional acting translates better to stuff like this, hence why I'm here and not over on the VA subreddit. I have a problem with being in my head, especially if it's a bigger project. It makes me overthink things and become overly critical of a performance which stops it from feeling natural, and everything goes downhill from there. From the training I've had, there are three things that really seem to differentiate a technically perfect read from a read that really stands out and books the job. ​ 1. Not auditioning: As soon as I go to audition, I've lost. I don't audition myself to other people in day-to-day life. They get me, and if they like me, great. If they don't like me, whatever. I don't "try myself on for size" when I'm introducing myself to my inlaws. I'm me. The same applies to auditioning. I shouldn't be auditioning as "the character" because if I do, the subtext is going to be "I'm Joe auditioning for the part of Alex" when the subtext should be "I'm really hurt that you betrayed me". My job isn't to fit the listener's expectations, my job is to make the listener realize that nobody else could play the character because I AM the character. 2. Letting go of the steering wheel: As soon as I try to control any element of my read outside of the broad strokes, I've lost. Real people don't think "I'm going to pause for effect in 3, 2, 1..." They pause because what they're saying means something to them or the listener(s). The script is a map, but the path I take to get from point A to point B is completely redundant. Real people are spontaneous, they're awkward, they start sentences and then go back on themselves and start again. If I'm playing the role of the talking mushroom and I suddenly think the mushroom is going to belch its insides out, that's what the mushroom should do. 3. Detachment: If I'm attached to a particular outcome, I've lost. This ties into "not auditioning". If I really want to get the job, if it's something I think I'm a perfect fit for, if I believe that there's no reason for me to not get it, the subtext of the read changes, I'm no longer the character, and I've lost the job. If I'm not the right person for the job, I'm not going to get the job anyway. I might sound a little too much like the casting director's school bully from grade 3, and that's what loses me the role. It's completely out of my control, and so being attached to any outcome sabotages me. I know these things and I know the amazing impact they have on my performances. Thing is, when I'm in front of the microphone, my inner voice gets in the way and starts making me question myself and in turn pulls me out of the performance, which makes me give poor reads. I'm totally able to apply this stuff when the stakes are low (a personal project, practice, etc.) but when there's a job on the line, when I'm expected to deliver a certain level of quality, the voice comes back and I fall to pieces. Has anyone here overcome this? And if so, how? How do you cope and deliver your best work?
I'm a new voice actor. I've been at it about two months now. I've seen a little success and would like to keep advancing my skills and career. Is doing unpaid work to build up experience on my resume a good idea? I worry that if the work isn't paid I won't be taken seriously as a professional despite any experience being good experience.
has anybody used talentlink while not living in either LA or NYC? did any agents reach out still?
Hello, I am an aspiring voice actor, just for some fun and I've been practicing doing Kronk from Emporors New Groove, using his Poison for Kuzco line as a warmup but I'm still having issues getting his exact tone down, are there any tips or better warmup lines I can do to really nail his tone and pitch?
I’m sitting on a plane with nothing to do, if you want advice, I’ll do my best to help!
We always hear about bartenders and all that, but are there 9-to-5 success stories? And I mean people who actively worked a 9-to-5 while auditioning.
Hi, I’m M19 (not a weapon lol) from Odesa, Ukraine. You all know pretty well what’s going on in our country and I’m not here to talk about it (but I’ll answer all questions ofc). I’ve worked in marketing and business for 4 years, and even created my own SMM agency, which I had to close in 2020 due to some major fuckups. I decided to not go to ukrainian college or university, cause tbh our education sucks and I could make money and do my career without it. And now, when I am constantly confronted with my mortality I’ve realized that I’ve closed my eyes on my dream to become an actor my whole life (the good thing here is that I’m still young). So I want to move to the US and apply to any good acting college by student visa and try to grow roots in the US and stay and play there. I’ve got some questions for which I hope you could shed some light: 1. Is there any colleges where acting is a major faculty? I’ve seen specializations like “theater” or “filmmaking” when I was browsing college options, but not specifically film and tv acting, which I am looking for. 2. Actually how hard is it to be applied? If we’re talking grades, my high school GPA is B-. I could do much better if I knew I would apply to the college, but I already freelanced then and didn’t care much about studying. Do they look only on grades or they also consider your willingness to learn and your real productiveness? 3. Is it actually possible to study for free or for 5-10k$/year? Cause, you know, it’s a lot of money for Ukraine even at the peaceful times, and now it’s like a shit ton of money. And also how do the scholarships work and what influences their decision? 4. Is it real to stay and get a green card or a citizenship in the US after graduation? And what are the options to do it? Thanks a lot in advance, I know that’s a lot of questions. Take care and I hope nobody will go through what we people are.
Yep. That's me. Turning 22 this June and still am questioning my path in life. I am going into the finance industry because I recently graduated from university with a business degree. I have NO professional experience whatsoever in acting nor have I ever taken a theatre/acting class (except for one film class I took in high school). I have always been told by my friends who are actors/actresses that I would do an amazing job and seem to enjoy it way more than business. It is true! The only issue is that I care a lot about money, so I am sticking with the finance track for now. A lot of my acting friends are broke rn and are struggling to get called back and even get agents. I would be stupid to quit my job and pursue an acting career at this very moment. I am not one to toot my own horn, but I am talking $90,000 salary coming out of college rn. That is my base at the moment. I can't give it up. Most successful actors that I google started acting or doing entertainment work from a young age (typically 12 years old). Is there any hope for me or am I too old to get into this industry? I was thinking of taking an acting class or two this year while working on my full-time job. The only issue there is that my full-time job will require min 40 hours a week for sure. Realistically I will be working for my company 50 hours a week, so is it even worth it to do classes? I am not stressed, but just getting that imposter syndrome because I see people out there doing way more than me. Doing corporate isn't enough for me. I feel like I should do something in the entertainment industry or put myself out there way more. You're only young once, and this is the time to try everything. I am so conflicted.
So grateful to this group! As an understudy actor in their first professional production, this group helped me: 1) Learn my lines quickly. Got cast three weeks before show opening. 2) Being able to go from being an understudy for two roles with different dialect 3) Feeling comfortable asking my overcast and dialect coach for help. Question- Being told that I am monotone/flat when delivering lines. How can I fix it?
So I’m a green actor to say the least. Decided to pursue it later in life, did a low budget, did two student films in community college, and took an acting for camera class in college. The class was after a two year Covid hiatus. I also took one improv comedy class at ucb in 2019 and have done stand stand up since 2018. Ive just been working menial jobs in LA since graduating in December, but recently had a casting director ask me if I acted and give me his email while at work. I’ll definitely reach out, but I don’t know what to say in the email. I don’t have headshots and only have a very short reel. It’s definitely a good contact to have in the network though. Perhaps I’m overthinking. Any advice helps.
Hello! I'm an aspiring voice actor who is pretty new to Reddit and would appreciate some suggestions for any professional online coaches or courses I can take. I'm doing research on how to start a career and was intimidated by the many many resources this subreddit has to offer so if anyone has experience with great professional resources I'd love to hear about them! Thank you! :)
i got casted and they want me to sign an nda, im a new actor so im unsure if this is a good idea. when they sent the nda over to me i recognized it was from google, ive read it over many times and i dont see anything malicious or exploitative about it so im thinking of signing anyway but i wanted other opinions
Of course under saftey masures etc.
what to do to be an actor now, not having money for a course for now and being in a place with almost no productions?
LA-Based SAGAFTRA franchised Agency is holding an open call this week for new talent. Submit your information here ([https://forms.gle/SwtrEzjGCuviBwM39](https://forms.gle/SwtrEzjGCuviBwM39)) for an invitation to come and meet with the agents.
So…This story is going to be a little long story, because it's basically trying to fit my life story up to today in a couple of paragraphs. If someone reads, I would be extremely grateful and I am desperate for any advice. This is not something I can share with friends, or family, because they would think me crazy. And now that I’ve written it, it reads like a story of failure. I am 30 y.o. (turning 31 in summer). Somewhere between 13 and 14 y.o. movie acting became my ultimate dream. I was obsessed with movies, I learnt English by translating biographies of actors and actresses, I adored the very air at the movie theater, I read movie magazines and rented the tapes and I devised a multi step plan of how I, a teenager from Eastern Europe from a family with minimal income was going to ‘make it’. And I was damn sure I was going to! Even if my brother told me I didn’t look pretty enough. Even if my mom said it was a stupid thing to dream about. That plan was based on the tricky thing which was that reality in which I lived didn’t have opportunities for me to really dab into acting. We didn’t have theater clubs at school, neither local theaters in my city and in general, acting as a career at that time in my country was almost non-existent (it’s more or less the same now, I guess, except for theater). So I was going first to move somewhere where this might have been a career and I was meaning to do it by entering university abroad and getting a student visa in the US, UK or Canada. But something went wrong in that plan of mine. Somewhere along the way, temporary things became permanent. At 17 I moved to the capital on my own and entered the prestigious university in my country because I thought it would give me passage to the university abroad and allow me to learn English to the better level. And the major had nothing to do with acting, of course (international relations). Because I considered it just a stepping stone. And because I wanted a safety net, in case I fail. Coming back now, I realize I should have been more honest with myself about what I wanted and being less of a coward. But the whirl of the new life took me in and didn’t let me go. Studying turned out to be hard, my family had financial difficulties, the university in which I studied was all about rich and posh kids of the country’s elite. There was a theater there but the coordinator was our most scary professor of English, and I was too shy, too scared to embarrass myself that I didn’t try getting into it even once. Somewhere along the way I got an eating disorder and depression, never being satisfied with how I looked, how I lived. But I found friends, learn English, learnt so much more about the world and my dream was still alive. While I studied, years flashed by in a blink. While I told myself that I was ‘preparing’ to make the ultimate move, that as soon as this diet will be finished or that exam would be passed, as soon as I do that thing and this thing, I will try to get into acting…”I just need to get ready,” was what I kept telling myself. Now that I think of it, all I feel is bitter taste in my mouth. I finished university feeling completely lost. I didn’t know what to do. I felt like I wasted so much time and it was too late for everything. I felt like a fool evening thinking about “well, now that you’ve wasted 6 years of your life, it’s time to get into that acting thing.” The reality was harsh. A fresh graduate, I needed to get a job, at least a temporary one. I planned on applying to the Master’s program abroad. The financial situation in my family improved and I knew they could support me. I found the temporary job. It turned out to be a really good job with salary much exceeding my expectations at that time. But it was also really difficult for me and took much more time, than I expected. I came home exhausted and unwilling to think of anything, including creativity. That was in 2015. And then the curve changed once more. We were in financial rut again. I became almost the sole provider. And then in 2016 my close friend died. And suddenly I didn’t have dreams anymore. I drowned my sadness in my day job, tried not to think at all, not to remember dreams at night and generally I had an existential revelation that nothing makes sense after all. But fast forward a year and dreams started to creep back again. It’s funny, how they always do. They came in whispers when I went to bed and when I watched movies, which funnily enough I didn’t like watching anymore. But the nagging feeling of something that I should have tried, should have at least tried, never let me go. I felt like a ghost of myself, but that teenage maximalism didn’t exist any more, and I was too wrapped up in the mundane life. On my 30th birthday I promised myself to start fulfilling my dreams at least step by step. I took vocal lessons, I almost finished a book. And then, this year, on the 24th of February, the war happened. And for this I was completely unprepared. My world turned upside down. The city of my friend, in which I celebrated 30 and wished upon the stars to bring me closer to clarity, was destroyed in a matter of days, followed by others. And my sense of reality dispersed. I packed my little bag, took my mother and left to another country. Now I’m a refugee. That sounds so bizarre. After spending so many years trying not to take risks, trying to build safety nets, postponing my dreams, I ended up here, relying on the kindness of strangers and with uncertainty more vast than ever looming ahead of me, just like so many others. The only thing I long for now is to come back home and to have life as it was. But I also have a feeling that now might be the time to take some decisions that might turn my life into completely different direction. Now that it's already upside down, you know. And funnily enough, now is the least suitable time to be changing careers or trying something risky. I’m still in the state of PTSD and nothing is certain but I keep thinking, that maybe this is the time to take the risk. So here we come to the conclusion of this little blurb. I am sitting here, at someone else's kitchen, kicked out of my comfort zone and my city and my country, depressed, shocked and unsure of anything, but remembering my little dream. Of acting, of living multiple lives through other characters. There are different paths to go from here: there’s a program for refugees in the States for 2 years with right to work but you might have to leave after that; there’s a possibility to go to Canada and maybe stay indefinitely and finally there’s a program in the UK where they can give us 3 years with right to work. I know nothing really about acting industry in these countries and how to compare them and if it even makes sense for someone who is 30. I don’t have a lot of savings but I know English and with some work I think I could get rid of the accent. I also love writing and I’ve spent 6 years working for the non-profit but I am so tired of it. And my comfort zone now is long forgotten due to external circumstances. What would you do if you were me? What decision would you take and where would you go to try and pursue that dream? And how would you go about it? What would be considered stupid, what would be considered wise? Or maybe I should just start learning UX design and forget all about this nonsense. But if nothing makes sense in this world, then what difference does it make if you just go and do something stupid after all? As being practical and taking safe choices didn't lead to anything other than this right now.
my last name is predominate hispanic last name, I'm thinking of pulling a Charlie Sheen and using a different last time for more opportunities. Something more Caucasian sounding because my skin is white and some people say I don't look hispanic..but also sometimes people speak to me in Spanish. I know certain actors used stage names, like the lead in Psych. If I move to another city I might just do that, unless it's too late. thoughts on a stage name?
Looking to hire two actors to shoot one day for a music video on the Las Vegas strip, sometime over the next week (here until May 18th). Budget $500 for each actor. One African American female: Age range 50-70. This role will entail being in a wheelchair. One White male: Age range 40-50. Now that I've laid that out - could this awesome community please connect me with some resources that could assist me in hiring these actors? Please let me know if any further information is needed. Thank you!
Weeee, you found me!
I'm your buddy Bottie, I was hiding behind the scenes, but now that you've found me I'd be happy to tell you what I'm doing.
I just wrote a few fun facts about Web For Actors
Would you like to take a look?
Click here to check them out. I hope it will cause involuntary audible response.
