anyone trying out "entertainment?"

[inqlc]

especially along the lines of becoming a media personality--acting, hosting, etc. it can be extremely tough--anyone have any experiences to share? how do you deal w/feeling discouraged & kind of helpless as far as the work you get?

(btw, i'm not asking this question in reference to myself...)

[kitalyn414]

well... i work in the entertainment industry. however, i'm not interested in becoming talent. i'm more of a behind the scenes kind of gal. ultimately, i'm looking to produce or become a creative executive. either that or casting. i'm keeping my options open and just seeing where it takes me. :D

i'll tell you one thing... it FREAKING SUCKS trying to find a job in the industry. i got my job through an extended form of nepotism. i really think the only way you can do it is by knowing someone or gettin lucky.

on the talent side, i was just talking with my friend about this at lunch. we were saying how crazy it is that so many people are actors here. i mean, SO MANY people are actors. i grew up acting, singing, & dancing but never thought to make a career of it. i always knew that no matter how good i was or how pretty i was, the odds are so totally against me that i would have a damn hard time of making a living. plus the rejection would be killer. going behind the scenes is a kind of compromise for me. i can pay my bills, and be involved in a creative process.

[kitalyn414]

also... i think you posted this thread twice! just an fyi!

[inqlc]

i hear ya. i'm from la too & have dabbled in some of it myself, but was never interested in making a career of it. it is crazy watching all these people--i think some are just so blinded by their dreams they don't see the odds against them, but others know the reality of it all but still keep trying--which i actually really admire! i just wonder how they do it... when do they know it's time to move on?

[kitalyn414]

when do they know it's time to move on? no clue. i guess when you feel like the pain of the rejection outweighs the possible happiness you could have if you succeed???

david cross does a great bit on his cd "shut up you fucking baby" about all the actors in hollywood. there are like 3 million people here who all have the same dream. less than a half of a percent will "make it" in any way. he calls it the "parade of the delusional." all these people who are so sure they have what it takes, they are so passionate, so driven, etc. even if you have all that, chances are... it still won't happen.

no thank you to that.

[Sesamebabe]

I love singing and probably would love acting, but I never wanted to be a starving artist and I value my privacy. Sometime I don't think people realize what they will actually be giving up if they DO make it. The grass is NOT always greener on the famous side (richer yes, happier, not necessarily).

[inqlc]

definitely. the reason i brought all this up is that i know someone who has a promising career in entertainment. but while he's still working to get where he wants to be he struggles with all these issues you've all brought up.

like other people who sit at an entry-level job waiting for that big promotion, he's waiting for the big opportunity, but in the meantime, feels helpless & starts questioning it all. (is he wasting his time? why should he be doing this when he could be working at a more stable, high-paying job?, etc.)

it's really just like anyone else working their way to the top... sometimes you just have to stick it out & sometimes you realize it's time to make a career change.

definitely qlc issues--any input?

[Skyblade]

As mentioned in another post, I dream about being on SNL oneday. I do great impressions of people. I do intend to try out for Groundlings someday (damn the social anxiety!).

[WeirdBrake]

like other people who sit at an entry-level job waiting for that big promotion, he's waiting for the big opportunity, but in the meantime, feels helpless & starts questioning it all. (is he wasting his time? why should he be doing this when he could be working at a more stable, high-paying job?, etc.)

it's really just like anyone else working their way to the top... sometimes you just have to stick it out & sometimes you realize it's time to make a career change.

Or a law student who dreams of becoming a rich lawyer. I want to become rich... millionaire rich. However, I know how against me the odds are. But that doesn't stop me from continuing on my path. I agree, sometimes you just have to stick it out.

[and1grad]

sky,
who do u do impressions of?

[jku]

Cross is the best stand-up we have - get all his albums, everyone.

I just want to reiterate what Kitalyn said about David Cross and his bit about Hollywood people, getting jobs in LA, etc - she is 100% correct.

It's just stunning that everyone I've met at the gym off Wilshire is an actor - it's like meeting hundreds of people who all say they're making their living buying lottery tickets - the whole process is a nightmare, it really is...but what's interesting is that these people put their lives on craps table, take a roll of the dice, then we ask them what their opinion is about everything...

Has anyone seen the HBO show Entourage? It's really good....does a great job showing the structure of a celebrity life in Los Angeles...

[personalegend]

I saw this thread and it is pretty close to home for me. I am an actor who grew up and went to college in Los Angeles. I have always wanted to act from the time i was little, and in fact DID do the whole acting thing professionally as a kid. However, when I got into high school i stopped auditioning and working professionally since I was missing out on so many normal things and it made me depressed. Plus, I knew I would never want to sacrifice college for anything. So now that I graduated, I am trying to get back into it all but it is tough...and it has changed a lot since i was young. Now I have great training at a top university as well as abroad drama training in London...so I did think it would be easier. But Hollywood is not like that. They don't give a rat's ass if you have any 'real' training. It is largely largely based on looks....I mean, if you are a model type and have nver acted, they will teach you later. So I am constantly struggling if it is worth it. However, I have spent so much of my life training and working towards it, that it is a hard dream to give up. To be honest, from what I remember working in film, I enjoy theatre much much more. And would be happy doing mostly that, however it pays shit.
I just had a good friend from college land a lead in a new NBC pilot and he already bought a new house! That is why there are thousands upon thousands of actors still trying. It is tha little hope that if you are the lucky one, you make tons of money. But this industry is so fickle, that you constantly have to worry about work even after you have 'made it'. I really think you should only be trying if you love acting above all else....not just to be rich and famous. I definately don't care about the famous part. Just want to be able to live comfortably off of my passion.......
But the LA scene gets old really fast. In fact, I am thinkin of NY a lot lately, although i know there are a ton of actors there too. I just wish they auditioned people before they let them come to LA to try and 'make it'...cuz there are a lot of shitty actors too! and they just cause exra traffic.....but i'm not bitter or anything;)

[inqlc]

personalegend, thanks for sharing.... i definitely hear ya on the traffic thing! hehe

i have a question for you since you've been in the business--how do you deal with the fact that a lot of your career is in the hands of other people--agents, casting, etc.

especially in a case when you can only do work through your agent--if things are running slow with the agent, it makes you feel so helpless, like you just have to sit tight & wait for them to come through...

[personalegend]

Actually I am still finding a way to deal with that, because it is really annoying. It is what I hate most since I hate sitting around and waiting. I like to feel more in control. I mean, I try to find as much stuff as I can on my own...there are always auditions for theatre and smaller stuff that I can submit myself for. But no matter what you can't get away from the fact that artists can go home and paint on their own, writers can go home and write, musicians can go home and create music......but actors....we are ultimately dependent on other people - we need an audience and cannot go home and just act. This sucks cuz you need someone to hire you before you can even create your art. This is so frustrating....lucky for me, I have additional interests to acting and am trying to put my hand in a few different areas to keep myself fulfilled and like I am doing something. Writing is one of those things..I am going to also start taking a screenwriting class. But I am constantly thinking about how I can do more for my career on my own since others certainly won't do much for you unless you are already famous.....