I just did a showcase with my graduating class and I got very little interest from agents. I'm not conventionally good-looking, nor am I ugly. I have an alternative look and vibe that's very hard to sell. I have the kind of mind and face that would probably sell really well in Europe—that kind of soft-spoken, subtle, nonflamboyant demeanor—but that doesn't help me any as a young American actor. While I know artistry and commercialism don't have to be mutually exclusive in this business, it seems like you have to be good-looking, charming, and tremendously social to even be seen.
My question is: Does this industry prefer a certain type of package—talent and physical—over others? And what can I do to incite interest in my very complex persona as an actor? Please just tell me you can be a working actor and an artist at the same time.
—Folk Actor, New York
Dear Folk:
Getting an agent is hard, and yes, it's even harder when you don't look like Jude Law. Sure, it's easier to get noticed if you are beautiful. Does that mean you have to be beautiful? No. Do all gorgeous actors get noticed? Nope. Does that mean you can't be an artist and a working actor? Of course not! Does artistry mean you'll be successful in the acting marketplace? Nyet.
There's nothing to hold you back from being an artist. Merriam-Webster defines "artist" as "one who professes and practices an imaginative art" or "a skilled performer." Your identity as an artist hinges on your continuing to practice the art of acting. Making money as an artist, however, is much harder. You are hindered by the immense competition and by others' perceptions of how you might fill the roles in their projects. Sadly, the amount of talent an actor possesses doesn't directly correlate to the size of his or her paycheck.
However, as a recent graduate, you may be worrying too much about your perceived noncommercialism and "complex persona." One showcase is hardly a wide net, and you'll need to do a lot more fishing before making any assumptions about your viability in the marketplace. There are lots of successful "alternative"-looking and intelligent actors out there.
You may be taking on ideas about yourself from your teachers and others in your college setting, as opposed to embracing where you might fit in the professional world. Here's what I mean: I know a young college actor who is being primed to play the complex artist, much like you. His instructors repeatedly cast him as the tortured young man, and he's highly valued for his ability to play those parts. Unfortunately, with all that praise and repetition, he may be missing out on learning how to play the person he actually is: a college-educated, relatively carefree young guy. There are lots of roles for young guys who like beer, McDonald's, and girls, but not so many for young guys who are only happy playing Hamlet.
Dear Jackie:
I read with interest Back Stage's recent article on how important—or not—what students learn in college theater programs really is in regard to success in the field. This is particularly interesting to me since I have a daughter about to enter college in the fall of 2011. She is currently considering two schools that have accepted her for next year. Both are fine institutions: NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and Fordham College at Lincoln Center.
Based on reputation alone, NYU seems to be the logical choice. However, it is extremely difficult to evaluate which program is better—which has the better faculty and staff, which will better prepare her for a future/career in the theater arts, which has the better contacts and alumni in the business, etc.? Of further interest is which school gives us the best bang for the buck? NYU is extremely expensive and offers no academic scholarships. Fordham is less expensive (but not cheap!) and does offer some academic financial aid.
So the ultimate question is: Is a very expensive institution like NYU worth it on two fronts—the quality and level of education and the learning experience it offers relative to other programs? And does any institution really offer a leg up on making an inroad into the business of theater?
—F. Osborne
Dear F.:
First off, at this important juncture, you and your daughter are doing a lot right. While some suggest that actors skip college and jump into the "real" world as soon as possible, it's my strong opinion that college is an extremely important avenue to education, personal growth, and, frankly, fun. It's an opportunity not everyone gets and should not be missed.
Perhaps the most valuable commodity an acting program can offer is connectivity. After graduating from either of the institutions you named, your daughter will know the instructors—who will presumably have their own contacts and do at least occasional professional work—and, more important, other up-and-coming actors. It may seem counterintuitive that bonding with a bunch of other starving-artists-to-be will help your daughter's career, but there's really nothing else as valuable. After several years of intense joint training, the members of your daughter's future class are very likely to advocate for each other as they climb the professional ladder: doing shows together, referring each other to agents and directors, casting each other in projects, introducing each other to connections, and so on. Alumni from before her time, who are probably several rungs up that ladder, if not at the top, will also hold a soft spot in their hearts for her.
While connections are something you could get in any reputable training program, you and your daughter have also wisely settled on a school in an entertainment-industry hub. It's a smart move for actors to study in the city where they want to work. It ensures that any nonschool contacts they make will continue to benefit them after graduation. While other parts of the country boast great programs, your daughter can benefit from studying in New York in many ways: Any job she gets to support herself while in school could become her "survival job" after graduation; many of her friends are likely to stay nearby; and anyone she meets from the professional world—via an internship, job, class, or workshop—will still be close at hand after she's in the professional marketplace.
Apart from location, training, and connections, I don't think there are any other factors that would allow one school to claim that it offers a "leg up." Don't feel pressured to spend more in an effort to buy your daughter a professional head start. "Better" is relative. There are many great training programs with quality instructors. A program in Muncie, Ind., could have a better acting teacher than one in Hollywood. Choosing well requires that you and your daughter visit the schools, meet the teachers, read their bios, research alumni, ascertain each school's current reputation, and assess which program best fits her needs. Judging from what you and your daughter have done so far, I am sure you two will make a great choice.