Actor
A Day in the Life of a Actor
One actor we interviewed referred to his life as a modified version of the song 鈥淒o the Hustle,鈥 in which he ran from audition to audition and checked his answering machine messages every two hours for news of a possible callback. Actors鈥 satisfaction with their profession seems to vacillate with whether or not they are currently working. Many working actors would agree with the one who wrote that he found the occupation 鈥渃hallenging, thrilling, exciting, and wonderful.鈥 Some nonworking actors may agree with the one who wrote that acting can be 鈥渁 dead end to nowhere.鈥 In various ways, most actors described their choice of career as not a choice at all: 鈥淭here was nothing else I wanted to do,鈥 wrote one woman; 鈥淚 guess I鈥檓 just demented.鈥 The community of similarly 鈥渄emented鈥 professionals is the most supportive aspect of this otherwise cutthroat career. Why else would they stay in a profession in which the average Actors鈥 Equity Association (AEA) member earns less than $7,000 from acting annually?Paying Your Dues
Formal training is not required to become an actor, but the number of 鈥渘atural talents鈥 who spring fully groomed into a successful professional career is very small. Most actors study acting, appear in low-budget and local productions, learn (and benefit) from those appearances, and then begin the cycle again. Some study acting in college; others find it helpful to study further and receive a Master of Fine Arts in Acting. Working actors are constantly going on casting calls, finding agents, and getting reviewed (favorably, if possible); all of these are arduous and time-consuming tasks, more often resulting in rejection rather than success. Many actors choose to move to major cities (in particular New York for theater and Los Angeles for film and television) because more opportunities exist in those places. Regional theaters can be excellent but provide only limited exposure. Generally, actors who have been hired for a union production can apply to the Screen Actor鈥檚 Guild (SAG) and/or Actors鈥 Equity for membership鈥攖wo unions that demand higher wages for their performers.Present and Future
Acting might trace its roots to the campfires of prehistoric people, when hunters would reenact the story of the hunt and praise their deeds in a communal ceremony. It is truly a phenomenon of humankind rather than of any specific country. The Greeks defined the art form with their theological and political plays; Japanese Kabuki theater portrayed historical events intended to illuminate the human condition. Acting is a storied and respected profession that rewards its stars with fame, fortune, and adulation. More than half of all acting revenues in the United States tend to stem from commercials, and this trend is expected to continue. The remainder of revenue is derived primarily from films. While the career is potentially very profitable for a select few, the likelihood of becoming a star remains slim.Quality of Life
PRESENT AND FUTURE
As at all levels in the profession, the attrition rate is high鈥攎ore than 30 percent.
Actors go to open casting calls that may attract hundreds of people auditioning for
a single part, audition for everything from commercials to dramatic roles, and juggle
paying jobs and, usually, nonpaying acting careers. Most people continue to study acting
by attending workshops, enlisting private instructors, and reading. New actors practice their
craft by acting in productions at smaller theaters and assisting other productions in unpaid
(or low-paying) jobs.
FIVE YEARS OUT
Individuals who survive for five years as actors have an improved quality of life. By
this point, they are likely to have agents, who send them on auditions for suitable
parts; they鈥檝e received some reviews, have made some connections in the casting
community, and have supplemented money-earning jobs with paying acting jobs. Many
actors have become members of the SAG or Actors鈥 Equity unions, which command higher
wages for their members; they also offer discounted rates on health benefits. While they may
audition for parts more selectively, the level of acceptance remains low. Many actors turn to
teaching acting to earn income.
TEN YEARS OUT
In other professions where a person may have survived for 10 years, he or she would
have achieved a reputation or some level of financial security; however, in acting it
just means an actor has been working for 10 years. Some members of the profession
will have achieved this and more, including international fame; for most, though, the
struggle continues with improving their skills and getting work. While actors span a variety
of ages, nearly 60 percent of all roles are scripted for people in the 20- to 40-year-old range.
This is not to say that there are no parts for younger or older actors; the competition just
gets fiercer the longer a person manages to survive in the profession. Of course, those who
do remain in the profession for significant periods of time have probably established
well-respected reputations.
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