TIME …the great equalizer. No matter how much fame and fortune you gain in your lifetime the time YOU have is ALL you have. How do we make the most of this elusive and fleeting commodity to create the career and life that we desire. What is the balance between family, work and play and how does it all mix together at times? What lessons may be learned from the past to create our best and brightest future?
Time management has been a constant challenge and learning experience for most of my life. As an Actor the challenge has been doubly perplexing. How much time should an Actor devote to his or her career? Once a suitable quantity of time is determined the the challenge becomes how do I committ to the required time in a disciplined and diligent manner. The first question varies only in the sense of the type of work an Actor takes on, the time element is eight days a week. Just as the Beatles hit shares the frustration of never having enough time to express the love that is felt, an actor often feels as if there is never enough time to absorb and express the vast amount of human experience that embodies a character.
On the business side of the equation Actors look at all of the work out there and the walls that are in place blocking the opportunity and feel as if 24/7/365 is not enough to crack the code and get the work. Each Actor has their own path, but just like any well crafted screenplay that path has a beginning, middle and an end. Where are you in the story? Just starting out with little or no professional work, no union affiliation, no representation and little or no opportunity? In the middle where you have done a bit of work have joined or have the green light to join one or more unions; you have a manager, commercial or theatrical agent but you are not represented by a “team”? Are you between the middle and end ….Auditioning regularly and choosing jobs ,crafting your career with a stratagy in mind, well represented by a team of respected professionals, a recognized name among industry pros, making your living exclusively as an Actor and well vested in one or more unions building a healthy retirement and qualifying for health benefits regularly.
Anyone that uses the moniker Actor falls somewhere in the above examples there are many in the first example fewer in the second still fewer in the third and a small small percentage that jump past the third example into the exclusive category of stardom. Wherever an Actor is on their artistic path there is much work to be done. Never at any point should an Actor be waiting. I’m not talking about the oldest cliche’ around “Are you an Actor?” “Yeah.” “Which restuarant are you WAITING tables at?”. I am talking about the second oldest cliche’ around….One Actor to another, “What’s going on?” “Not much….had a killer callback last week for a show, just WAITING for my agent to call to see if I booked it.”. Wherever you are on the path there is a plan, a design an individual Blueprint for you to create to work diligently in a disciplined way to move your career forward in a practical manner.Don’t let anyone make a cliche out of your dreams and desires.
- The book of the day is THE OUTLIERS by Malcolm Gladwell -
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