Page 14 - June Issue 2021

TipsforYoungActors
Keeping It Positive (KIP) and Moving Forward.
by James Walsh
Whether it was Mike Bloomfield playing on the Bob DStop anyone in Hollywood, Westwood, Brentwood, Venice Beach, Santa Monica or the Greater Los Angeles Area and they invariably say “Yes” if you ask them “Are you an Actor?” Why? They were all drawn to Hollywood by the Glamour of TV and Film.
Everyone wants a piece of the pie. Nobody knows who might break through and become a real honest to goodness Star. There is no explaining away the power of the Dream Factory and of course good weather and lush vegetation that is Palm Trees and Blue Pacific Ocean. Few of them, if any have ever been focused enough to hone their craft and push a little bit to improve each week. Why? After a few weeks they land a role and the hard work began, couple this with long hours and it seems great – your making it happen in Tinsel Town. And lots of travel seems really cool. You gotta really Love it with a capital L.
Now one year or two years roll by.... miss a steady paycheck? They realize that they need to study more at Actors Studio and the only help they have is their own hard work at the Italian Restaurant, The Grill in The Roosevelt Hotel, or the Greenblatts Deli on Sunset Blvd. When asked if he like Los Angleles in the 1980’s Bruce Willis once said “ I don’t really know, I am working all the time. I haven’t seen it yet.” Amazingly this should be your
goal too!
1. Be in a real live Play, any work is better than none. I like Pasadena Playhouse.
2. Learn to sing great- Broadway may give you a job that eventually leads to Film offers.
3. Be on time. If your late your costing the Producers a lot of money and they may replace you. It can happen. Set 2 alarms if you have to.
4. If you live far from Tinsel Town get into Community Theatre like Stratford in Canada or the UK. Hone that skillset- add to it every day, every week, every year.
5. Don’t blow your hard earned cash on things you don’t need. Save it for acting class so you can improve. This
is life- so live it fully each day.
6. Talk to other Actors to see if they like a workshop at Strasberg in Hollywood or if they prefer the Actors Studio or the Actors Atelier in the Valley.
7. Hit your Mark and say your Lines. Seems obvious, right? You’d be surprised how many people wipe their memory with booze at a Hollywood Premiere Party the night before work commences on a Major film or TV show or just at the moment they will need it the next day on location in Disney Ranch. You ain’t W.C. Fields or Robin Williams - knock it off. And know your limit and stick to it.
8. Be polite but don’t be timid. The person in front of you wants to make a living too. Will you help by being “the One” who gets people in seats?
9. Know the Industry like the back of your hand. Get the GPS up and running on the car or smartphone. Check mapquest the day before on your iPhone or Macbook and know your way around Southern California if it is your place of choice. The other one is New York. New York is centralized so a taxi will do fine. L.A. is spread out- you need a car. Yes, you really do.
10. Back Up Your Data. If you lose that Smartphone or iPhone and need a new phone you will be glad you did. Verizon has automatic backup. For this reason I like them. And they are reliable. So far so good. I can’t afford to lose my contacts. Can you? Letting the Director know your stuck in traffic is a must so they can “shoot around you” and not lose time. Time is money.
Lastly, remember we talked briefly about Glamour? For extras in Los Angeles the glamour wears off after 3 days. Some of them never return. It is great work but hard work. You can beat the odds by loving what you do and being ready for work. Finally be the best version of yourself, as that’s the magic they are looking for.
“ It’s about the Work.”
~ Marilyn Monroe. 14