“Learn to type.”
That’s what they told you, right? Or, “Get used to waiting tables.” Yeah, fuck that… The subtextual implication of the statement, “Learn to type,” is that in order to pursue your acting career, you have to scrape by with a low-wage, dead-end job. That, my friends, is a great big pile of horseshit.
What those well-intentioned folks are actually telling you is that, no matter what, you need to make money. They’re also saying that you’re going to need a job that’s flexible so that you can go to auditions and perform in shows every now and then, God willing. Right on both counts. But here’s what I’m saying:
Don’t settle. Don’t tell yourself that the thing you do to make money while you’re not acting is “just your day job.” The reality is that you will likely be spending a hell of a lot more time at that day job than you will on the boards or in front of a camera. If you hate what you do during the day, it will effect what you do at night. You’ll become increasingly discouraged about everything, you’ll feel much more tired than you actually are, you’ll still be fucking poor, and your craft will suffer because of it.
So what’s the solution? Learn a real skill. A skill that will get you a job that earns you good money. And make it a skill that you really kind of geek out on. I’m not saying go back to college and get an MBA. I’m not saying start a new career. I’m saying go take a class in something that really, genuinely interests you, whether it’s computer repair or real estate or veterinary assistance or whatever. Just make sure it interests you.
And if you can’t afford a class (been there), find a company that does what you want to do and take the best paying job you can land with what you know now. Then learn. Investigate. Ask people how it’s done. Do it on your own time, if you can. Teach yourself. The Internet (which you obviously have access to) is LOADED with free tutorials on any number of things. It’s not as cut and dried as a class, but if you have the patience you can learn anything you want to with free resources. I mean there are free instructions for making a nuclear bomb out there. You don’t think someone is giving away lessons on horticulture?
Once you know how to do the job, find an employer who understands the concept of part time. It may take a while, but they’re out there, I promise. Temping is a good way to find them, if that’s an option for you.
If you’ve found the right job and you’re good at it, you can make enough money to get by working 25-30 hours a week. This will give you the time you need to go to daytime auditions. The added bonus is that if you don’t have any auditions that week, you may actually have some time for yourself.
Make the choice to find a better way forward for yourself. Don’t keep trudging along waiting to get cast in a series or hit the lottery. Your life is happening now and until a new economic system is created, you’re going to need a little scratch to make the time a bit more pleasant.
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