Answers for Actors

Paul Russell — Photo Credit: JackMenashe.com

You can’t act…

…possibly according to your résumé, and too many of your actor-acquaintances. You’ll never be a good enough actor to play a lawyer. Nurse. Doctor. Cop. Politician. Any profession beyond that of an actor.

An epidemic of your peers foolishly believe that if an actor doesn’t possess a degree for a particular, non-acting profession or own a police uniform, nurse’s scrubs, or lab coat, they won’t be considered by casting for an audition and/or job to play a principal role reflecting the occupation of study and/or dress.

You may scoff. Trade casting chairs with me. Discover in the following exchange (based on a true conversation) where this poison festers—delusional, novice actors I and my casting colleagues encounter:

“Why do you have on your acting résumé your graphic design degree?”

“Because,” the actor defensively began, “it’ll snag me a role playing a graphic designer.”

“I guess Mandy Patinkin playing artist Georges Seurat was miscasting. Mandy went to Julliard for acting, not painting.” Before the jawing actor responds I continue, “So you profess a director will consider your unrelated degree over acting as the trump card, and not cast a superior actor without the graphic’s degree.”

The actor’s cheeks bloomed red. “No, it’ll help me get a better shot at the role.”

“If I follow your failed logic, then I should be auditioning graphic designers, not actors. You believe that what you can fiddle with fonts and squiggles is more important than story-telling.”

The actor then tossed back, “It’s gotten me work. I did a gig with Travel Trunk Players.”

“That’s non-union, touring, childrens theater.” I then review the actor’s résumé for the credit; ‘ensemble.’ “I’m sure you’d want to elevate your career beyond non-union kid plays that doesn’t have cash for a staff. Those debt-ridden producers often hire actors to do double duty. Let me guess; you painted the set between rehearsals.”

“And designed the playbill.”

“Three jobs worked for the paltry price of one. Your parents must be proud.”

If you, as an actor, have more faith in costumes, and non-performing arts’ degrees to get you work as an actor than your story-telling skills to believably portray a role, I recommend thus: excise your acting credits (i.e. speaking principals) from your résumé. You believe acting doesn’t matter.

When an actor becomes obstinate about hugging onto irrelevant information on their résumé I further propose, “If you earned a mathematics degree then applied for an accountant position or tax preparer at H&R Block, would you provide your potential civilian employer your acting credits? If so, and I was Human Resources, I’d be suspicious of your honesty. Do you act your accounting proficiency to cover embezzlement schemes? Are digits a side-line? What career do you truly want? You’re confusing your message for desired employment.”

That same confusion of message occurs when an acting resume contains a non-arts related degree. When an actor lists on their acting résumé, non-acting degrees and/or costumes, the offense brings up more questions than answers—How serious is this actor as an actor? How late in life did this actor change careers, and why: Unhappy with life? Has a lack of conviction? Or is acting their fantasy? Why is the actor providing irrelevant information to the craft of acting? And how insecure are they in their craft the actor must muddle their acting resume with non-acting degrees?

If an actor remains deaf to reason, I ask the actor review actors from Kevin Kline to Harrison Ford. Two, of thousands of thespians who portrayed American presidents. Actors who didn’t possess a political science degree on their résumés. Before Robin Williams played Theodore Roosevelt he burst onto American television in the ’70s as Mork from Ork. Where was his B.S. in Earth and Space Exploration making him suitable to play a visiting alien? I wonder what Anthony Hopkins—who played Hannibal Lector—has listed on his résumé under special skills?

I’ve cast many actors as lawyers, medical professionals, law enforcement personnel, politicians, scientists, and writers in principal roles; never did a director demand the actors auditioning hold a degree in the field in which the character worked.

Exceptions? Yes. If a project has in its casting breakdown that the role requires the actor have a history within a civilian profession or skill, and you own that history or skill make the casting personnel aware of your specialty. Projects that hire relying more on non-acting skills for profession skills are commercials, screen extras, and industrials.

Keep your acting resume relevant to acting. And once hired: just act.

My best,
Paul

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Paul Russell’s career as a casting director, director, acting teacher and former actor has spanned nearly thirty years. He has worked on projects for major film studios, television networks, and Broadway. Paul has taught the business of acting and audition technique at NYU and has spoken at universities including Yale, Temple and the University of the Arts. He is the author of ACTING: Make It Your Business – How to Avoid Mistakes and Achieve Success as a Working Actor. For more information, please visit www.PaulRussell.net.

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An actor in my colleague-family wrote me of her being snared by a neophyte director pursuing questionable financial requests of the actors he casts:

“I was cast in a non-union production. I’m not sure whether I should continue forward with it.

The director initially said that we would build the show together in workshops and that it would be an exploratory process. I thought – sure, that’s cool. I’ve never done that before. It would really stretch my acting muscles and challenge me.

Then, after the callback he had a meeting with all of the actors to discuss the process moving forward. He said that in order to continue working with us we would have to participate in four, three-hour acting classes a month (taught by him) and pay him $100 (per month) in addition to the rehearsals for the play. He claims that he’s worth a lot more than that and that he hates to bring up money, but his time is valuable.

I honestly don’t know what to do…. By the time the show goes up, I’ll probably have given him around $400. He’s also dangling this MTV pilot in front of us saying that he did a similar play in Boston and MTV filmed it. He says he’s trying to do the same thing with us and has been having meetings with producers and it could be life changing. I don’t want to drop out of the play and then miss a potentially great opportunity with not only the performances, but a possible MTV deal.

What’s your opinion on all of this?

Randy”

I replied to Randy

“Run.

The director’s premise and promises are bull.

Screw his MTV B.S. Even if a deal went through there is absolutely no guarantee of your continued participation. None. Zip. Nada. No contract—of which I doubt there was any presented—would bind a non-signatory, prospective producer to picking you up. I’ve witnessed many artists (actors, designers, directors, and writers) dumped during development.

In checking with my union (Society of Stage Directors & Choreographers), your director is not a member. And when I extensively searched online for his credits I found virtually nothing other than obscure acting credits over a decade ancient.

You’re being taken here. Please run.”

Randy ignored my opinion.

She and fellow actors each paid the director over $400 apiece to be in the production. The play opened to sparse attendance and quickly closed into obscurity. MTV never showed. The director fattened his savings.

Don’t pay to act before an audience. Unless the producing entity is a credible performing arts intuition with an educational series like the Williamstown Theatre Festival charging young, mostly inexperienced, non-union actors, a fee to participate as learning-interns working alongside established, industry and house-hold name recognized and respected professionals from our industry. Classes are involved. Valuable experience and connections can be gained.

This travesty which Randy fell into is as far removed from Williamstown as is Gordon Ramsey from a Ninth Avenue hot dog cart.

Invest in yourself. Don’t subsidize other people’s schemes.

My best,
Paul