Many of us move to hollywood saying we want to be on the big screen. We want to be actors, the Meryl Streeps and Johnny Depps of the cinematic world but we never ask the question how are we going to get there. Unlike Angelina Jolie (who is very talented btw and deserving of her accolades) whose father paved her way long before she decided she wanted to act, we all have to work our way in the door. And that my friends can be the hardest thing to do when you only using your talent as an actor…
There are thousands of actors looking to “break-in” to that one starring role. and for women the chances of booking gets even slimmer, seeing that every 6 roles, only one is for a woman. So we have to ask ourselves, what makes us stand a part from the rest of the hollywood actors who have great smiles, great skin and great hair…and talent (sometimes that not even a requirement if you know the right person!)
I say, it is your ability to be master a skill and be good at many others. If you can write, then direct your own play. Become the director, give other actors a job. If you can dance, choreograph work for an artist, teach at a school, start a youth program. If you can speak more than one language, make your own youtube novella and market your self.
The techno era is the time where your career is in your own hands and breaking into hollywood is as close as a youtube channel. Market your talents and any time you can offer a service to someone else…you become more valuable than a person looking for a job…Anytime you can create the jobs, you give a push to the economy (even if your not paying your actors…your giving them an outlet and exposure). Use all of your talents!
A friend of mine wrote and directed a play and she put it out to the universe that she wanted her show produced. She got the space for a 6 week run, got invited to participated in a national theater festival, received theater reviews and an opportunity to extend the show at an even bigger stage! She’s an actor and her play was all about the business of hollywood; very comical…very real! –the point—she used all of her talents…not only her acting chops, but her writing, her directing, and management skills and it opened more doors.
My challenge to you: write down all of your skills, potential and realized; circle the one’s you want to master and those you would like to develop. And get a move on it!!! One this is to just do and when you work from a “do” state of mine…there’s nothing that you can not get done!!!
Continue your journey!!!
Ash
