5 Awkward Things No One Tells You About Being An Actor

The glitz and glamor of Hollywood are the stuff that dreams are made of. Every kid who received a hearty applause for his / her performance on a stage in school creates in the mind a castle in Hollywood, and the fame of renowned actors. As one grows up such dreams are replaced by more pragmatic ones. However, struggling actors who wish to make their mark have some reality checks to do.

If you though forging a career in acting was as simple as walking up to a casting studio, giving an audition and waiting for opportunities to come your way, take a step back. Actors are performers with an exquisite skill set, but you will be surprised to know how limited the probability of landing an acting job for your skill set is.

Here are five awkward things that no one tells you about being an actor:

1. Weird Auditions

As a newbie on the block, your CV will initially attract casting calls only from advertisers. When you walk in for auditions, you will find yourself staring at tens of competitors mirroring you, from the apparel on their persons to the superiority smirk masking nervousness. No acting school or mentor will tell you that you will be parroting lines and grimace to a director who will watch at least 50 other participants do the same through the day. Your acting skills are not tested, and you may or may not be chosen depending on whether or not your appearance fits the bill of the product’s target audience.

2. Rejection

Rejection is the order of the day for a new actor trying out his / her luck. When asked about your acting trials, you may be embarrassed to confess that you need to attend fifty auditions to get a sliver of a role. However, awkward though it is, this is a way of life. What adds to the absurdity of the situation is the fact that you might be rejected just because your body language reminds the casting personnel of someone they had a tiff with, or because your eye color put them off. There is not always a logical explanation for rejection, and this becomes a part of your amateur acting life.

3. Limited Skill Set

As an aspiring actor, you will not have time to take up anything more than part time jobs like waitressing at a restaurant or fixing sandwiches at Subway. The spontaneous and unscheduled nature of your work will not allow you to hold steady jobs like that of a fashion designer or an accountant, even as you audition for acting roles. When you glance back at your life five years later after having performed a handful of roles, all you will see are meals you served consumers – the act that you intended to be glorified with you make it big.

4. Social Prejudice

Though you would think that the society is better informed about acting as a profession to respect the trials it entails, you will find yourself being viewed as an underachiever by many people you come across. “Aspiring actor” is a phrase that brings with it some amount of condescension. Or your peers have wild fantasies of the life you lead, involving photo shoots, pampering make-up artists and bottles of wine. The lives of actors are exaggerated either positively or negatively, and you will be correcting those notions without hurting the sentiments of those involved in the conversation.

5. Monetary Issues

Your attempts to be a part of the brotherhood of acting will reveal to you that a tiny percentage of aspirants actually fulfill their dreams of being actors. You will find yourself perpetually falling short of cash. To be able to find an acting job, you will need to invest in good head shots and in printing them out by the hundreds. Good photographers charge exorbitant rates, and you will be emptied of your pockets in just acquiring the right photographs. Auditioning will feed off your wallet for transportation charges, and parking charges if you must drive yourself to a studio. Acting does not provide stable jobs, and income is always a rickety issue unless you have a long-term contract in hand. The menial part time jobs you are forced to do while trying your luck are not sufficient to meet expenses either.

The awkward facts about acting are also intimidating and can throw a weak-hearted person off the track. However, if you possess the talent and Lady Luck favors you, you will find all these awkward situations paving way for a successful future as an actor. Embarrassment is something that an actor is taught to deal with early on. Ignore the awkward moments you spend in front of strangers fighting off an imaginary monster at auditions, and deal with the monetary challenges you face.

Author Byline

The article is written by Jason Phillips; he has exceptional writing skills also he has taken training from Anthony Meindl Acting classes in New York. His interest always remain in entertainment and doing something different.