Thank you for the wise words over the years. During career lulls, they’ve been good reminders that one should never forget respect for the industry. And, as peaks and troughs go, I am now experiencing the most serious lull in my career and can’t seem to wrap my brain around the reasons why. I know that this is a fickle field, but I don’t know why I have not even received an audition for over a year. But, I shouldn’t be so naïve about the casting process. I am a veteran, and also a middle-aged Asian-American woman. That said, I should know that I can’t control the casting process or my agent who now feels it unnecessary to return my phone calls.

I was extremely fortunate for the past five years having worked nonstop in theatre, Off-Broadway and regionally. And, during the breaks, I’ve had guest starring, co-starring, and recurring roles on television. I have a lead role in a Sundance pedigree film which garnered the attention of Variety and the New York Times. The film received distribution and will get a 2006 nationwide release. But, I can’t hold financially until then. Before I make the decision to leave the industry and return to the work-a-day corporate world, do you have any sage words to offer?

Is the industry changing in terms of crossover casting? Am I being delusional about talent having more importance than ethnicity? I have auditioned for roles which have been written for a Caucasian, and after auditioning, the character became Asian-American and I was cast. Was this just a temporary quashing of diversity imbalances or is this truly a trend that is slowly redefining the ethnic landscape in film and television? If it is the latter, then I will try to hang on for a bit longer. If not, then I have no choice but to start re-inventing myself in another career.

Great questions. When is it time to throw in the towel? Acting is a career like none other, in that you really can’t expect to progress in any linear fashion through the ranks and become successful (financially or otherwise) along some timeline. Like most freelance gigs, acting requires a spirit of entrepreneurship and, for most actors, a series of survival jobs to keep the rent paid. Unlike most freelance gigs, acting is something you can’t simply “up the ante” on, when you need more work. Freelance writers can almost always taken on corporate writing gigs that, while not terribly creatively fulfilling, pay the bills quite well, if things are slow in the land of creative writing. Freelance editors can dub demo reels for actors during downtime on big, fun, career-building gigs. Musicians who aren’t recording or touring can work as session musicians for studios now and then. Outside of children’s theatre or character work at private parties, there is very little acting-related “side work” actors can pursue in the dry times.

That said, there are many survival jobs that support a working actor’s bizarre schedule quite well. I’ve recommended Deborah Jacobson’s Survival Jobs: 154 Ways To Make Money While Pursuing Your Dreams many times. While most of its tips are LA-based, there are certainly general ideas for creative moneymaking endeavors for any market. In fact, my colleague Jackie Apodaca recently wrote about some LA-based and NY-based temp agencies that are quite actor-friendly. Consider doing a few little survival jobs that will help get you through the slow times before you decide to fade to black on your acting career and join the 9-to-5 life for good. There are many things you can do between the two extremes of a self-sustaining acting career and a fulltime job-job. Especially if you still have the passion to perform, you should look into many alternatives to giving it up.

As for the question about crossover casting and trends in ethnic diversity, I’d have to say that the industry is always working toward more diversity in casting (I mean, it’d be impossible to see less diversity, wouldn’t it?) and there are more and more people entering the decision-making side of the industry every day who find it incredibly important to have casts that more accurately reflect the human experience. The fact that you have some high-profile material coming out soon is a great sign. You just have to find creative ways to hang in there until you can benefit from the publicity they may generate.

Your agent not returning calls disturbs me. It may be time to sign with a manager or perhaps even with a new agent. Could you get a referral through some of the people with whom you worked on the Sundance film? Do you have tape you could shop around, in an attempt to get some meetings?

Now, I’m going to make an assumption here, and please forgive me if this isn’t relevant to you personally. When my partner and I interviewed Asian-American actors for our book Acting Qs: Conversations with Working Actors, a theme that emerged was that of cultural differences in asking for help. One actor in particular talked about the fact that no other ethnic minority group has been so reluctant to “bring its own” up through the ranks in Hollywood. This actor provided examples from African-American and Latin-American groups in particular and said, “See how one person becomes successful and surrounds himself with his group, making sure everyone has a place on the set? That is how minorities improve their station in Hollywood. They help themselves by helping each other.” According to several Asian-American actors I spoke with about that particular conversation, it’s simply not a part of the general Asian-American mindset, to make a place on set for friends, family, or anyone else nepotism would include. So, perhaps it’s time for a shift in that philosophy. There is no shame in asking for a referral. There is nothing wrong with asserting a need or desire for relationship-building. In fact, this is an industry that requires such things!

Again, pardon me if I’ve over-stepped by bringing this generalization into your specific issue, but I worry that one of the single most important elements of succeeding in the industry — cultivating relationships — could be overlooked due to a cultural difference in perception of self-help, working to get ahead, and good ol’ Hollywood nepotism.

I’d love to get a follow-up from you! Please begin with some creative survival jobs to take the edge off the financial pressure, then consider the rest only if it applies to you. Good luck!

Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!

Originally published by Actors Access at http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/000323.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.