Advice for Actors | Inspiration for Actors

Advice for Actors: YOLO

Written by on | Must Read Articles!

I’m deadly serious. You literally only live once. So, what are you doing to solve the conundrum of your acting career? Like, today. Right now!

The day: you’ve got to seize it. Carpe diem etc etc etc. Forget tall poppy syndrome and the haters. The bravest people in the world are the most successful. Why? Because they aren’t afraid to fail, learn, take risks, pivot, adapt, and be open to any and all opportunity regardless of how scary they are. So here’s how to take advantage of your one and only life as an actor.

Stop Being a Chicken!

It’s okay to want to be an actor. It’s okay to want to be a successful actor. You are allowed to give it your best shot. You are entitled to your life. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Now look, to anyone who has read my other articles this might come as a shock. But I mean it. #inspo. You deserve the chance to have a career as much as anyone, so don’t be afraid to try. Being a chicken will only waste time, energy, LIFE.

Do All the Things.

Have you done all the things? You know, all the things on your list?

#1 Get a new headshot

#2 Shoot a short film

#3 Sign with an agent

#4 Email that director

#5 Get a new showreel

Whether it’s a physical list in the real world or just a bunch of things bouncing around in your head: it’s time to do them all. Not only will doing them improve your chances of booking work and progressing your career; but you will also remove a massive excuse in your life. How many times have you thought “I need to get a new agent… but I’ll wait until I get new headshots.”? Seriously?! What are you doing? Stop wasting your limited time on this beautiful earth procrastinating. Do all the things you muppet!

Stop waiting for your career to come to you.

It’s not going to happen! The industry doesn’t care about you. Ophhhhhh. I know that hurts but you’ve got to get out there and grab it by the b*lls. You. Only. Live. Once. Get amongst it.

How?

Step one: stop playing victim to the industry. You are a member of it.

Step two: realise the cavalry isn’t coming! There will never be a day where your career falls out of the sky and into your lap. An AMAZING actor with an INCREDIBLE career said to me while we were rehearsing a play “My career still feels like there’re times when I’m working and times when I’m not. It doesn’t feel like a career. We’re all just actors, working or not.” So just stop thinking it’s going to come to you. Make some work. Do some training. Write that script! You are a beautiful individual and you will influence the industry in your own unique way. Don’t apologise for wanting to join our community, we want you here. We want you to test us, teach us, share and grow with us.

We’re all going to die. So, stop wasting time “trying to be an actor” and just f*cking be one! #YOLO

About the Author

Luke (StageMilk Team)

is trained as an actor at the prestigious Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. He is now a professional actor based in Sydney, Australia. He recently finished working with Mel Gibson on his upcoming feature, Hacksaw Ridge.

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