Are You a Professional?

I recently saw this quote from Stephen King:

If you wrote something for which someone sent you a check, if you cashed the check and it didn't bounce, and if you then paid the light bill with the money, I consider you talented.

Of course he is talking about authors, but it also applies to any artists including actors.  How good does it feel to get paid to do this job you love so much, even if it is just a $100 a day film that requires you to change in an In-N-Out restroom.  Feels even better when you cash that check and it doesn't bounce.

Nice to feel valued as a professional in your chosen career.  But, the trick is to act like a professional even when you are not being paid.

So, what does it mean to be a professional actor if it isn't a paycheck?

• KNOW YOUR BUSINESS  You should make it your job to know what is in production, who is producing what, what casting directors are working on what show, what shows you are right for (and everything is not a good answer.)  How do you find out this information?  Read the trades like Deadline Hollywood, get a CastingAbout account, watch television shows, and talk to your agent - which leads me to my next point ...
• TALK TO YOUR AGENT  and the other people on your "team" regularly.  Let them know when you are dying to go out on a project or if you just saw a casting director at a workshop.  Not only will this help them to get you on a new project, it also shows them that you are working for yourself as well.  Look, I'm not saying call your agents everyday just to chat, but if you have a legitimate reason to reach out to them then do it.  Ask them if there are any particular casting directors they want you to reach out to or what more you can be doing.
• BE ON TIME  LA folks I am looking at you hard about this one.  Why is it so hard to be on time to places?  I mean, I've seen people late to class, auditions, even to plays - what did you think? That they were going to hold the curtain on "Book of Mormon" for you because you hit a bit of traffic on the 101?  Okay, okay, okay I get traffic is bad here, but you know what, it is always bad!  That means you leave an hour early and if you get to where you are going early then hang out a Starbucks (you know there has got to be one nearby).
• KEEP UP WITH YOUR TRAINING  Professionals in nearly every field from doctors to airline pilots will take classes, go to conferences, read the latest trade magazines to keep themselves sharp.  Don't allow your instrument to go dull by not improving on yourself.  I once heard: if you aren't moving forward then you are going backwards, there is no such thing as a plateau in acting.  There are always improvements to be made and you can't allow yourself to slip backwards.  If you aren't in classes right now, you should at the very least do something everyday for your acting.  You can read a play, watch some of the great actors work, write a script, etc.

Look, don't be one of those actors that are just playing at this career.  You know the ones who think going to Hollywood parties is all they need to do to be a great actor.  Maybe it will get them a job on a film and they may even get paid as an actor from it, but that certainly doesn't make them a professional.