Hi Ms. Bonnie,
Well to start, I want to say that I love The Actors Voice column and I wish I could have found it sooner. I was actually recommended to come here from a lady I met on an actor’s forum. I told her that I already knew who you were because I already own both of your books. My favorite article so far has been the one called “What If vs. What Is.” I made the list and I felt kind of bad afterwards. I’ve realized that I am being lazy and making excuses. It’s weird because I don’t even realize that I’m doing these things.
I love acting more than anything now. I know that it’s what I want to do for the rest of my life and I want to be a professional. I’m 16 years old (turned 16 in July) and my goal is film. I have found faith in myself over time, because even a few months ago I wouldn’t have been able to write this to you. Making the list and comparing my “What If” to my “What Is,” I realized that looking at my “What Is” side made me very sad. I hate having those thoughts. I know that I can make it. I want to. I have to. I will. But looking at where I am now, gives me those thoughts of “I could never imagine you being on TV and somebody important.”
Currently, I have an acting coach and I was meeting with her every week. I haven’t seen her in three weeks, because she was working to win an award for her theatre. Sometimes I don’t think that she even knows how much I want this for myself, because she hasn’t contacted me. But I do, and I’m willing to do whatever I can to prove whoever brought me down wrong, and reach my goals. I wish that I could have people like you here in Baltimore. You are very inspiring to me and I want to be like that to other people someday.
I have a great idea for your next article or the week after that: something for young performers or aspiring young performers. Something for teens that really want to make their acting dreams a reality.
Thank you for listening to me ramble =] and I hope we can talk soon!
Lashay McMillan
Hi Lashay,
Thanks for writing. Reading your email is a part of my job, so no need to thank me for enduring your ramblings. 😉 It’s fun for me. So, thank you.
I’m glad you’re off to a good start as a young actor. Getting good information from discussion forums like PARF and resource sites like BizParentz.org is really important. And I hope you’re going back through the archives here at The Actors Voice to read up on past columns that might be of use to you. Building a good foundation is such a vital part of success in any career choice!
The What If vs. What Is list-making is a great tool to stay focused (and, of course, I’ve covered more about that in this week’s column), but make sure you use this exercise as a way to leap to action, not a reason to beat yourself up. 🙂 And even more importantly, make sure your “action leaps” are ones based on good research and good decisions. Just being a little cautious for you, because there are a lot of scams out there and I can tell from your email that you really are hungry for success as an actor. Do your homework and keep studying your craft and this business.
You mentioned wanting to be “somebody important.” Please don’t confuse celebrity with level of importance as a human being. There are many, many people with careers far more noble than those in show business who are very important and wonderful people. Often, people with aspirations for celebrity misunderstand that just because everyone shines a spotlight on a person does not make that person any smarter, better, or more important than any one else on the planet. Please do me (and yourself) a favor and really examine your motivation for wanting to be an actor. Read I Think I Want To Be an Actor and consider what it is that you really love about acting. And, more importantly, what you love about auditioning, since that’s what you’ll do much more frequently than you’ll book acting jobs. And most people who pursue acting will never have ANY success, much less the level you’re probably thinking about, when you daydream about what your life as an actor would or could be like.
I’m not trying to discourage you as much as make sure you’re aware of the reality “out there” for those who pursue acting professionally (in any market, really, but especially in Hollywood). Being sure you’d love to be an actor — regardless of the level of success you may attain — is a great thing to start doing in your teens. And, best news of all: If you decide at any time you’re not into acting, there are many other wonderful career options out there for creative people. And acting will “still be here” if you decide to come back to it someday. So, no pressure to have it all figured out. But I’m definitely encouraging you to consider the realities of the job you’re passionate about.
You are probably inspiring to people around you and you don’t even know it! Live your life happily and with authenticity and you’ll do great. I wouldn’t worry too much about your acting coach’s recent schedule issues. There are many coaches out there and most actors will work with several different coaches over the course of their careers, and maybe it’s time for you to explore other options in your area. Or just be patient and hopefully you can pick back up with your acting classes in the new year. Meanwhile, get into some community theatre productions if you can. Always find ways to keep your craft going. Read plays and film scripts and watch really great TV shows and do research about the people who put these projects together (writers, directors, producers not just the actors whose names you probably already know. Get to know the “buyers” out there. Who casts your favorite TV shows and movies? Pay attention to the business details for a while).
As for your suggestion for future articles, first, thank you! Second, check out last year’s series on Kids in Showbiz (there are three different pieces, plus Your Turns of related issues) and then let me know what sort of questions you might still have. After you’ve read those columns plus the above-mentioned I Think I Want To Be an Actor piece, hit me back with any follow-up questions you’d like to have me address and I’ll see what I can do. Thanks so much for reading, and for writing in! I wish you all the luck in the world and hope you’ll keep me posted on how things are going for you.
Finally, a reminder that I’m looking for emails from readers for a year-end piece called “What We Learned in 2008.” I’d like to focus on, well, the lessons we’re all taking away from this year we’ve just experienced. I’ve gotten quite a few good emails already, but of course would always like to have even more! 🙂 So, let me hear from you. Email address is below. Thank you for being a part of The Actors Voice! I really do appreciate the participation.
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/000958.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.