Apples, Oranges & Dreams

Acting Career FAQ - Apples, Oranges and Dreams
by Bob Fraser

I get a lot of e-mail from actors asking whether they should move to New York City or Los Angeles (or London, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Vancouver, etc.). Fortunately, for this advisor, there's a nifty, ready-to-use, blissfully short, can’t-go-wrong answer ... for most actors ... Stay where you are. Here's the reason: If you don't know where you need to go to pursue your dream, then I can't help you - and neither can anyone else. Those who are really ready to go - already know the destination. Here are just a few reasons to stay put: First, moving itself is a major life change. It can be very disrupting. It can take months (in some cases, years) just to get settled into the rhythm and flow of a strange city. (Yes, LA & NY are strange – not that there’s anything wrong with that.) Unless you are set financially, moving to a city where rents are really expensive, usually means finding a 'job job.' Establishing a career while working at another job is a challenging task under the best of circumstances - made even harder by the expense of starting a career in the "big leagues." (Classes, headshots, "showcases," etc.) Most actors who move to the big city, struggle just to survive - much less establish a career. Secondly, I want to stress that although I think almost any serious, dedicated, tenacious actor can have a successful acting career - it is not something that can be accomplished because of where you are. It can only be done because of what you think. It's important to understand that just being in the same city where actors are being hired - is not a guarantee that you will become one of those actors. If you think that all it takes to establish an acting career is to be in the right city … I urge you to think again. One of the most serious mistakes any actor can make, is moving to the 'big leagues' before they've tested their skills where they are. Bottom line - if you have not managed to become a largish fish in your smallish pond, then it's time for a reality check. You probably have a bit of work to do - before you swim into the big pond. About 100 actors a day come to Los Angeles or New York with the dream - and a few thousand dollars. Most of these stories do not end happily. Hollywood and Broadway are not good places to learn the basics. You can learn the skills of show business with less pain, where you are. I counsel you to take the time to do so. Get all the practical experience you can in your hometown. Learn all you can about success in relative comfort. Work on your skills. Save your money. Make a plan. Fact: most successful actors started their careers in a small town or city. Tom Hanks established his acting chops in a small college town, Oprah became the biggest name in Chicago before we heard of her, Robin Williams made a living as a performer on the streets of San Francisco before Hollywood heard his name. I advise you to read all you can. Familiarize yourself with the skills that are needed to have a career in the acting profession. Do all you can where you are - to hone those show biz skills. Please, don't be put off by this advice. No matter where you live, you can begin to test your skills. If you insist on coming to LA or New York, be sure that you have an excellent plan of action, a full set of business tools, a substantial bankroll, and the show biz skills to compete at the highest level. Believe me, a bad year in Atlanta or Denver is not much fun – but a bad year in New York, Los Angeles London, Vancouver or Mumbai - can be devastating. Another actor wrote to tell me that she would never use the word 'dream' again - with regard to her acting career. "It's not a dream," she assured me, "it's a goal." Here's what I wrote back: "A dream is a wish your heart makes." To me, that is a perfect definition of 'dream' in our sort of usage. Dream is a great word for an actor's particular concerns. It's a code word, if you will - one that is not shared by 'civilians.' In short, an actor's dream is about success. As you sit and think about (dreaming) what you want to accomplish (your goal), your dreaming skills will make a large contribution to building a plan of action. Dreaming will also help you to define the goal - by picturing all of the benefits of success. The more 'real' your dream becomes, the closer you are to actually taking the steps (You Must Act!) that lead to its fulfillment. Never avoid the dream. It is the most effective tool you have (and can use) to reach your real goal. P.S. Be very careful about sharing your dream with others – frankly, it’s your secret. The magic begins to evaporate when you start revealing your secrets. And please ... don't let your questions, worries or belief system, stop you from taking effective action. ==================================================
Bob Fraser is an actor, writer, director, producer - and the author of You Must Act! The Acting Career Course on Your Computer & Headshot Secrets Revealed How To Get A Great Headshot That Gets You Called In Read Bob's column, The Show Biz Brain, on NowCasting.com You can also subscribe to Bob's Free Actor's E-zine, Show Biz How-To by going to the site and signing up. http://www.showbizhowto.com Bob's popular seminar called "Show Business University" (Show Biz U) is offered semi-regularly. The next session will be September 23 - in Burbank, California. You can learn more by going to: http://www.showbizu.com