Acting. Never give up.

Acting. A ruthless business.  I have been an actor for years now, and if I'm being honest, for me there are more downs than ups. We all go into the business with one goal. To act. We can't help ourselves . Some people may say no one asked you to be an actor. Which is true, however I always remember since I was a wee boy wanting to act. Wanting to be on the silver screen.  You see I could watch films I had access to that through the cinema or watching television.  Theatre is a different story.  I am from a working class background.  Theatre I am not sure what that was.  I don't think I set for inside one , maybe once , maybe I watched a panto. I really am not sure.  Theatre  really didn't enter my consciousness until my 20's, and that's when I started to study to be an actor.  I never went to the theatre to watch plays until then. In fact I became an apprentice motor mechanic when I left school.  I really shouldn't have done that it wasn't my thing.  You see we have many influences in our life when growing up and non more so than you parents.  In my family no one had been an actor. the best way to survive was a trade, get a trade something that there would always be a need for. Which is good advise for anyone.  You have to survive. However how do you keep your dream alive. How do you inspire yourself after all your training,  How do you keep your spark alive when you haven't had a professional gig for a year?

       Always go to an acting class if you can . if you are in a big city you will find one somewhere . Even if you have to travel to the next city I would say do it. Yes there are on line live acting classes on zoom, but let's be honest they are not the same as being in a room with fellow actors.  People who you can interact with.  Artist who may or may not like , but who you have to develop a professional working relationship with.  As an actor you have to work with people you love and hate. So get the practise in. Learn how to work with people who may not  be the nicest of people, but who are also good artists people you can learn from.  We can't get on with everyone after all  we are only human. Although I will contradict this with saying being nice to everyone doesn't damage you it only increases your ability to work with people.  So even if you have a natural inclining not to like someone give them a chance. We all deserve that. However don't compromise your instinct if it's shouting out  "Aargh there is something not right with this person".  Then follow your instinct . Keep it professional.  You don't have to be everyones best friend nor they yours.  Completely contradictory information I know.  However this is an actors life  when performing a in a play,  tv series film, radio play it is  is not the work more interesting when it is riddled with contradictions.  I see these things in life all the time in people arguing contradictions.  So as artists we will always face these contradictions to our art. That's part of our job. But as an actor you have a duty to yourself and your art . Find a way to improve your skills. Whether it's learning about self taping, voice work, movement, script analasis. Give yourself some time to work on these things, and NEVER GIVE UP.