Why can’t actors get roles?
That’s a question that is well worth discussing.
To answer it there are myriad of components that can affect why an actor doesn’t clinch the role:
Whether it’s because of their lack of experience;
Not having the right look;
Being nervous during auditions;
Or even coming across as too desperate;
Going to one audition after the next and getting let down can be disheartening but there are solutions.
There are strategies for an actor to implement that can cause not just an agent but a casting director to prick up their ears and pay attention.
And attention is what an actor wants – attention is their currency!
But, to do that will require some effort on the actors part, in fact a lot of effort.
The effort, though, can be enjoyable and fun if one is ready to make the commitment.
And in these next few videos I’ll cover the four components that I believe can make any actor clinch those roles which would be suited for them!
That’s the important and fundamental key, to find the roles that are suitable and how to attract and entice them.
So, let’s kick off with the first component of what it takes to be an actor in demand
and that ladies and gentlemen is the base for all acting endeavours.
The art of the PRACTICE –
A question for the acting audience out there, and I’d like you to be honest with me – how often do you get to practice your craft?
Once a week? Twice a week? Three times a week?
The majority of actors whom I come across and ask that question don’t practice enough. Yes, we have to work for a living and life can get in the way but that’s no excuse for not finding a window of time, everyday, to practice our craft even if it’s in front of the mirror or filming ourselves on a smart phone delivering a monologue.
Practicing every day, even if it’s just for 5-10 minutes is a muscle that needs exercising and if we don’t work at it it will atrophy – well maybe not to that extreme but our muscle memory of what we’ve learnt will start to decline and we’ll lose our effectiveness and vigour as actors.
Sounds disheartening, I know. But, I have even better news for you. practicing isn’t enough.
Anders Ericsson has written a book called Peak and in it he talks about studying the art of the practice and he realised that what separates the pros from the rest is that the pros tend to engage in a very directed, highly focused routine known as ‘Deliberate practice.’
He found that the top achievers tend to follow the same general pattern of development which keeps them out of the autonomous stage i.e practicing by rote, while they practice by doing three important things:
- Focusing on their technique
- Staying goal-oriented and
- Getting constant and immediate feedback on their performance
This is also known as the three F’s – Focus, Feedback and Fix it.
An actor needs to break the skill down into components so that they can do it repeatedly and analyse effectively, to determine their weaknesses and figure out a way to address them.
This is the most important factor of an actor’s development. Why? Because it allows us to maintain that interest and motivation while the skills and habits are being built.
We have to be professional and that can only happen by practicing our craft – each day – for as long as we can – exercising it like a muscle or else we won’t be taken seriously.
Remember this: what we constantly practice for in private we will eventually be rewarded for in public.
So, go forth actors and deliberate practice.