Don't Compare Yourself to Other Actors - by Robert Curtiss

Actors can be supportive and encourage each other in this business, but actors can also feel competitive with each other. Some actors will get breaks that you did not, and others may become quite successful while you are still slogging away in a restaurant job or just trying to make ends meet while taking classes. These situations may feel bittersweet. You may want to feel happy for them, but you may also feel envious and frustrated that you have not been as fortunate. Try to resist the urge to compare yourself to them, and instead be happy for their success, as you would want others to be happy for you if you were in their place. The fact is that only one person gets cast in a role. So make peace with that fact and continue honing your craft. Hopefully sooner than later you will be cast.

Although it can be hard not to compare yourself to others, remember that comparing yourself to someone else is an inaccurate measuring stick, and it can erode your self-esteem and send you into depression. When you compare yourself to others—whether in regards to a relationship, a career, or other achievement—you are only comparing yourself to your perception of others. Everyone has different life circumstances and different paths. You are on your own unique journey, and it may take longer or go in a different direction. However, it will never be the same as anyone else's, and it has just as many opportunities and possibilities.

It is understandable to feel envious of others’ successes, but remember that envy is usually just a good indicator of your own insecurities. When you can figure out why you are feeling insecure, you can start to overcome it. A good psychotherapist can come in handy for these situations, and help you focus instead on your own strengths.

When you find yourself comparing yourself to others, stop for a minute and ask yourself: What am I grateful for in my life? What relationships have I made that are important to me? What accomplishments have I made in my life? What have I done recently that I am proud of? In what ways have I grown and improved? What steps am I taking to keep growing?

After all, these are the things that really matter.

*************************************************************

Read what other Experts are saying! Backstage Experts

3 Strategies for Staying Punctual and Professional - by Robert Curtiss

We live in a world where schedules conflict, where some auditions and appointments are tightly scheduled back to back, and though you may have plenty of time in your own schedule, the people who you are meeting, interviewing, or auditioning for may have little wiggle room to fit you in. Occasional lateness is undesirable but understandable—we all have been late some time in our lives, perhaps because of some last-minute snafu or bad traffic—and it is usually easily forgiven and forgotten by all involved. Chronic lateness, however, undermines your professionalism.

Here are a few strategies for being on time:

1. Leave 30 minutes early for every appointment, or add 15–30 minutes to your expected travel time. This means that if you ordinarily would leave home 15 minutes before your appointment, leave 30–45 minutes early. This will most likely get you there early; you can use the time to prepare yourself. If you run into delays on your route, hopefully the extra travel time will be sufficient to keep you on time.

2. Organize your life so you are not scrambling for misplaced items moments before leaving for the day. Keep a datebook calendar handy, and write down your daily schedule (of course, you have to actually look at it for this to be useful). There are smartphone apps for this.

3. It may be helpful to have an “audition survival bag” that you keep packed and ready to go. This could be a knapsack, purse, or briefcase. Here is a list of suggested items to keep in your bag: headshots and résumés, business cards, sheet music, a MetroCard, paper and a pen, makeup, a hairbrush, bottled water, breath mints, and an energy bar, and hide $10 or $20 inside just in case. This way you only have to remember your keys, cell phone, audition material, and any other audition/business needs, grab your audition bag, and out the door you go.

I hope these strategies help keep you on time and prepared for your appointments. If you still end up being late, by all means, acknowledge it and apologize for keeping them waiting. Break a leg!

****************************************************

Check out what other Expertd are saying! Backstage Experts

11 Pieces of an Actor's Budget - by John Essay

Actors frequently ask me, “How much money does it take to be an actor?” The short answer is every actor’s expenses will be different. However, use the list below as a guideline. Although I have tailored the costs for those pursuing the business in New York City, the general outline is applicable wherever you may be based.

1. Living expenses. This category includes rent, utilities, cable, telephone, and food. These may seem obvious, but I begin with this list because you cannot really pursue the business of acting if you cannot afford these things. Count on rent to be around $1000/month and up, depending on the neighborhood, building amenities—such as a doorman, elevator, gym, etc.—and whether or not you have a roommate. (For Manhattan, $1000/month is actually really cheap, and if you find an apartment for this rate, it will most likely be in a less accessible neighborhood). Utilities (gas, electric) are usually not included in the rent. These can average around $100-$150/month. For telephone service, you can get away with only having a cellphone, and this averages around $75/month. Cable averages around $100/month without the premium channels. You may want to forgo cable if you have Internet access, as you can watch many TV shows via Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, etc. Your job as an actor is to know what is going on in the world and also what shows are on the various channels. As for food, don't be lazy and rely on the fast food that is cheap and easily available. Many New Yorkers eat out a lot, and this zaps your income very quickly. Be smart, and eat at home. It is cheaper and healthier. Count on groceries costing you an average of $15-$20/day.

For the following expenses, consider opening a savings account where you deposit $20 a week, more or less. A separate savings account means “out of sight, out of mind,” and that is a good thing.

2. Headshots, including hair and makeup. Having your headshot photos taken and reproduced is generally the biggest expense you will incur. Good photographers run between $600-$1000. There is also hair and makeup, which is a separate expense. Yes, men, you may need makeup too! The camera lights play nasty tricks with your face, and makeup can help offset these unsightly occurrences. Be prepared to spend between $100-$150 for hair and makeup. 

3. Headshot reproductions/retouching. When your pictures are finished and you have selected the ones you'd like to use, you may need to have them retouched. Perhaps there is a stray hair, a blemish, soft circles under eyes, etc. Generally, retouching will be approximately $25-$60 per photo. Reproducing your picture can cost almost a dollar a print. There are cheaper reproduction houses, but many use cheap paper that tends to lack the crispness that you get from good quality paper. And others may use a printing technique that makes them impossible to fax and/or scan. So be careful, and remember your picture may be in a pile with hundreds of others. You want yours to stand out, not fade away. If you start working with a representative, make sure you always have enough money to pay for more reproductions. There is no excuse for saying "I can't afford it" if a representative needs more photos of you, and you have no money to comply. 

4. Resumes. First of all, don’t print them on the back of your pictures. Why? Because when you book a job and want to update your resume, you'd have to throw away these expensive prints or hand-write a credit in, which can look sloppy. Also, make sure your resumes fit your 8x10 photo. Most sheets of paper are 8.5"x11" and will need to be cut to fit and then stapled to your headshot. Resumes are generally about 5 cents to 8 cents a copy, unless you print them at home where the cost is minimal. 

5. Classes. Prices for classes are hard to list here as there are too many and the price ranges are vast. Audit classes to get a feel for the instructor, what they are teaching, and see what the class is like. I tell people to look for a class you have to audition to get into. This generally weeds out the novice teacher or "experimenting" actor, and hopefully leaves you with a class that is full of working actors. 

6. Online resources. This will vary but there are a number of worthwhile services out there. Some offer audition opportunities, some are resource oriented, and of course you don't want to forget Backstage, and The Actor’s Guide to Everything! You can get a subscription to Backstage for as little as $12/month.

7. Makeup and grooming. Yes, we must budget this in. Men, a barber runs around $20, and if you add a shave (one of my personal splurges) it would double the price. If you color your hair, just buy the home treatment kits and master the technique. This will save you a lot of money. Women, cuts usually start at around $60 and increase rapidly. Save some bucks by shampooing your hair at home before your salon visit. Also you might want to try in-home coloring if that is your thing, instead of having it done at a salon.

8. Clothing. It really is necessary to have your own business wardrobe for auditions. For several hundred dollars, you can achieve a lot of different looks that will help your auditions. You'll save money if you don't mix them with your personal clothes. They will stay fresher longer, and you'll have to launder them less frequently. 

9. Postage and supplies. You'll need to do follow-up mailings, and mailings to agents, managers, and casting directors. This will be a minimal expense, but a very important one. Count on around $20 per month. This will increase drastically if you are in a show or film or have something of significance to share with the above-mentioned agents, managers, and casting directors on your mailing list.

10. Transportation. You can't afford to take taxis everywhere (at least not yet), but you will probably use transportation every day. One round-trip per day on the subway or bus, at the standard $2.50 fare each way, adds up quickly. A monthly Metrocard costs $112, and a weekly Metrocard costs $30.

11. Entertainment. You will need to set some money aside to see theater and go to the movies. This will depend upon how much you can afford. Some theaters offer standing-room tickets for as little as $20. Other theaters offer $25 tickets to a certain number of people on any given day. Offering to usher is a way for many people of modest means to see a show. A movie ticket runs about $12, but if you don’t mind going in the morning, you can go to a show before noon for $6 at some theaters. Count on $50 to $100 per month to see theater and film.

I hope this basic expense outline is helpful for those starting out as an actor. Break a leg!

 ********************************************

Check out what other Experts are saying! Backstage Experts

How Acting Affects Self Esteem - by Robert Curtiss

The theater teaches us to collaborate, to feel comfortable speaking in front of others, and to be able to take direction. It gives us a forum in which to express ourselves, and it makes us think and feel, as performers and as an audience.

We tend to be drawn to it at an early age. Many remember their first introduction to the theater, whether it be a play seen or performed in elementary school or watching a parent or older sibling perform. It is a socially accepted way to fulfill the need for attention and approval, and I think most would agree that the sound of applause is thrilling, empowering, and sometimes addicting.

That said, the theater also tends to attract people with great needs, who try to use it to validate themselves, and are tremendously insecure as a result. They audition and take every job they don't get as a personal rejection and a comment on who they are. They sabotage themselves in their search for a career and find excuses not to attend another audition because they cannot face another rejection. Needy people frequently do not get cast because their "need" for the job is so obvious, and no one wants to have someone that needy to worry about. After all, needy people aren't truly behaving like professionals, because they have an ulterior motive. They need to hear approval constantly and crave attention. Hiring a needy person is akin to getting a job as a babysitter for a demanding child.

Acting, or any performing, also can confuse those with a fragile self-esteem. All too often performers confuse their performances and talent with their identity. They are what they do. They hear that they are talented, and when they are performing they are told they are wonderful. It is understandable that they are confused!

When people who need validation and attention pursue this career in show business, frequently become bitter and resentful that they have to convince people to like them, to hire them, etc. Thus, they sabotage themselves precisely for the same reason they chose this career in the first place!

If I seem a bit harsh, it is only to paint a stark picture of the psychological makeup of many performers. Most performers have some feelings of insecurity about their place in the business. It is a business without much security.

It may be useful to ask yourself how this might apply to your life. Why are you in this business, and are you "too needy"? If the answer is yes, don't be discouraged. This is where some good psychotherapy can help, to build your self-esteem, to learn skills to turn down that needy "voice" in your mind that constantly craves attention, and to help you differentiate between your own identity and your "performing self."

**********************

Check out what other Experts are saying! Backstage Experts