People always say how difficult it is to be an actor because you hear "no" all the time. This is actually not true - most of the time you hear nothing at all. The way most actors find out they were rejected is when they see another actor playing the role they auditioned for on TV. Oh, awesome, that goofy bug-eyed girl got that commercial I went in for ... again.
But there is no way around it, being an actor is a life filled with rejection. And I'm not going to lie: it is difficult and it will get to you. The people who have longevity in this business are the ones who can take the rejection and keep moving forward.
When the rejection starts to get me feeling down, I look at the reasons I chose this career in the first place. I love to act; I love the theater; I love performing; I love movies; I love plays.
My first step in fighting the rejection blues is by watching some of my favorite actors in their best performances. I get the classics down and watch Casablanca, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Singing in the Rain - the movies that made me want to be an actor in the first place.
Another way for me to fight the blues is by wandering around in the play section of my favorite used bookstore, The Iliad. I grab a couple well-loved, marked up, highlighted plays for a couple bucks and curl up in a dark corner somewhere to read. One secret of mine: I always act out all the parts in my head while reading a play.
If I am not on an upswing yet, then I pour myself into being more productive. I find new classes; go to workshops; find offices to intern at. Suddenly, I am too busy to feel depressed over some lousy one line role or a cheesy car commercial I didn't book.
What do you do to keep yourself moving forward?
Like you, Michelle, I love taking the free classes offered more and more these days. Sure beats paying up to $50 or more to read for a casting director, associate, producer or whomever they were able to rope in for the evening! Right now I'm taking a 6-week audition technique class with a new teacher to give me some new energy and perspective. Did a terrible read in a free workshop for an AGENT last week (one of those freakish out-of-body moments when you start paraphrasing the script and derail) - and then went to class where I felt supported, encouraged and confident and I snapped out of it and was able to refocus on my goal: to act. Not to seek approval or do what is expected. But to really dig down and find the uniqueness that is ME and bring it to the text. Have 2 auditions in the next week and I plan to enjoy the hell out of them! :)
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