It can be very difficult to wade through the ocean of options when it comes to learning the art of acting. Here is a collection of acting training resources to help the new actor save time and money as they pursue their hearts’ passion. In this blog for actors, we hope you find useful guidance and inspiration. We think you are one of the bravest souls alive to pursue this fickle and heartbreaking craft. If you are drawn to the art of acting, you are drawn to the art of feeling. You are one of the rare beings who has decided to help revolutionize our understanding of emotions and vulnerability. Your job, alas, is to be ever sensitive and fragile, yet resilient and courageous. To thrive in the field of performing arts you must have a thick skin AND a tender heart. Finding the balance and sustaining the energy and motivations needed to reach that wonderful creative zone we all strive for takes effort and craft.
How to build and maintain a career in acting:
Study, study, study. Acting needs action. Take classes of all kinds always. Be a life-long student. Read books, watch movies, go to plays and try not to compare yourself to finished work. Investigate topics “unrelated” to acting because acting tells stories and stories encompass every topic under the sun. So take ‘off-topic’ classes.
Demand relaxation. Your job is to flow free. You can not do that if you are stressed out or self-conscious. As an artist, it is YOUR JOB to relax so do what it takes to enjoy life. If the pressure has built too high- walk away and do something luxurious. It is practical for artists to do something luxurious because that is how they will be able to access themselves faster and more completely.
Respect the creative process. Creativity is not efficient. It is messy and unorganized. But you don’t have to be! Get enough sleep, eat right, and take breaks. Your logical brain is only one part of a vast and fascinating tool for self-expression. Learning how to shift from logical to emotional, time-keeping to the timeless will ensure a thriving career in the creative arts. Artists don’t have to be walking disasters. In fact, successful artists live very boring lives. The excitement is in the material they produce.
Know you are important. Artistic expression is as needed by humanity as food and water. We can not ever just work productively. The 1950’s and 60’s did their best to create a purely working class and there was a rather dramatic backlash. Every culture at one point or another explodes with self-expression. Art is messy. There is no way to make it efficient or inexpensive. It is more valuable than our business-driven culture understands. Many hard-working people do not understand the value and function of artists. Many think artist are unnecessary and self-indulgent. This cultural belief affects an artists self-esteem. It is helpful for an artist to think of themselves as specialists. We respect specialists like heart surgeons and astrophysicists. Your work is just as important and valuable to humanity as all the “respected” fields.
