In the Working Actor column, Jackie and I usually lean toward being diplomatic and encouraging. Sometimes, though, I feel like I need to let someone have it. This was one of those columns. And at least one reader wasn't pleased.

http://www.backstage.com/bso/a...les-1006133552.story

Me, I'm a fan of spirited discussion, so I applaud this reader for letting ME have it! Still, I stand by what I wrote.

Thoughts?

Michael,
In this ‘feel good’ society no one wants to hear the truth unless it is sugar coated and watered down. Borrowing from TruthTeller’s demeanor at times (brusque and to the point) can be hard to hear. You were a bit sarcastic and maybe could have rephrased it a bit to not seem as harsh. But you were on the point in that it is a though game to get into at any stage of life if you don’t have the time, money and desire to put in.
I have the same feeling every time I see the “I’m starting out, without any resume or classes. How do I get an agent?” That’s what starts me off in the same mode.
I love your articles and look forward to every new posting. Thank you for your insight.

Frankly... I'm with you, Michael. As a career coach, I get this question more often than you'd think. In my response, I use an analogy similar to yours: "I was thinking that I'd like to become a doctor. I don't have the money to go to a full medical school, but my friend is a nurse and she said I could sit in on a surgery sometime. And I've watched a lot of those medical shows on TLC so I know I'd be good at it with just a little practice. I bought some books at the thrift store that shows me some medical techniques, too..."

As for the frustrated response, I agree that crushing someone's dream is something we educators want to avoid. But it seems to me that you weren't addressing his dream of being an actor - you were addressing the attitude of, "I want to get into this even though I don't have the resources to take it seriously." Actors who do their job well make it look easy, and it's a disservice to those actors who dedicate themselves to the craft/business for educators like us to sugar coat things when talking to a prospective actor.

Those are my $0.02. Thanks for asking!

Erin

I'm with Michael too! I LOVED the sarcasm!

This is a F#*KING BUSINESS!

If you're starting a new company selling similar products or services like companies that are established and have been around for years, you're NOT going to go "oh we're new so let's not invest much in marketing, overhead, etc." You NEED to invest as much if not more than everyone else to show people why what you're offering is different.

Ha TT! Perfect. I'm with you Michael.

Not only is the questioner naive and lazy, it is insulting to ask it of someone who had dedicated their life to the craft.

SNL recently had a skit on this, "You Can Do Anything":

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-ni...-do-anything/1379100

Pimpin aint easy, but somebody's gotta do it

I really enjoyed the column, Michael. And I appreciate you sticking up for all us who are giving it 110% every day working at our business.

I would like to say that I believe that it's never too late to enter the business PROVIDED you are willing to invest the time, money and energy required to do it properly and professionally.

You were spot on, Michael. And even if you weren't, your record is immaculately pro-actor and encouraging, so I think you're afforded a little snark now and then. The underlying advice applies to people of all ages, not just those trying to get in the game later. It's not something you're going to fall into. It takes effort and sacrifice and if you're not willing to go through that, don't bother.

BRAVO!!!

quote:

Originally posted by actorshelper:
Ha TT! Perfect. I'm with you Michael.

Not only is the questioner naive and lazy, it is insulting to ask it of someone who had dedicated their life to the craft.

SNL recently had a skit on this, "You Can Do Anything":

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-ni...-do-anything/1379100

Great column (entertaining and realistic) and great SNL video. It must have been buried deep in a show.

I loved the column. It was exactly spot on.

The thing is, the guy WASN'T asking if he was too old to "explore" acting, or take some classes, or try acting as a creative outlet or hobby, all of which could be done at any age and which you certainly would have supported.

Likewise, he wasn't saying that, late in life, he'd realized that acting was his true passion and he wanted to throw everything he had into it, and he was going to sign up for every acting class he could find, audition for community theater, submit for student films, etc. etc., and wanted to know if it was too late for a career. For a letter like that, you likely would have commended his passion, cautioned him that a major paying acting career at that age is unlikely (since agents don't generally sign older actors who aren't SAG and don't have credits, plus you're competing with older actors who DO have a ton of credits), but encouraged him to take it as far as he was able, if he truly wanted to, and to enjoy the ride (but at this age, to not throw away all financial stability for the dream, such as quitting his job, moving to LA just to be a movie star, etc.)

No. What the guy was saying - as you cleverly pointed out in your response - was that he was in his 40s and wanted to know if he could have an acting career at this age WITHOUT any major investment of time or money. Even getting started so late, he wasn't going to jump in and do everything he could - instead, before even doing ANYTHING, he was already saying "I don't have time for classes, I don't have money for headshots," etc. That's not someone who's realized their passion late in life; that's someone saying "Can I have an acting career without doing any real work to get it?"

Your answer was a needed dose of reality. Great job!

TMR,

You're exactly right. If he'd said it was his passion, suppressed for years or newly discovered, or that he just wanted to act, he didn't care where, I would have responded exactly as you said. (You were so accurate on that, I think you could be doing my job!)

Also, when someone asks whether he should even bother, and asks for assurances, it means that without those assurances, he won't make the attempt. That's not what I call "having the acting bug." That's not the calling.

Or maybe I was just in an ornery mood. Either way, I thought the sarcasm was called for.

Michael, I think you were spot on.

As they say, all the inspiration in the world does not become a reality without perspiration.

I think it was more spot on because of the person asking the question: a grown man in his 40s.

If the person was a teenager, you probably would've cut the person more slack - someone who is that young may not have had the life experience yet to know these things.

But for a grown man, he should know better. Whether it is acting, business, parenthood, etc it all requires a lot of elbow grease. Life 101.

I came into acting in my late 40's and I think you might have been too easy on him TMR was spot-on with the list of challenges older newbies face with one addition: a rapidly diminishing number of available roles as you move up in age. So you have tons of well trained experienced actors competing for fewer and fewer roles.

Acting is largely misunderstood outside of the profession. The most visible actors are so good they make it appear effortless. I never truly appreciated the talent of top actors until I tried it myself.