Need a little inspiration? Our Backstage Experts are full of amazing advice to help move your career forward, and we wouldn’t want you to miss one drop of it. Here are five tips to keep in mind during the week ahead!
Add something of value to the conversation.
“The trick is to be doing something interesting, so you can have something interesting to say. The most important thing is that if you are driving to do interesting and exciting work, industry people will find you. If you are driving to making people laugh, people will find you. If you are driving to being discovered, well, who cares, besides you. Add something to the conversation. Contribute, raise the bar—as you would in a conversation—in this artistic community.” —Chuck Marra and Megan Foley Marra
Never forget the basics.
“Actors who have worked extensively have learned how to finesse their ways through many styles of comedy and drama. They can meticulously maintain continuity throughout a complicated scene, but they often fail in their abilities to do the most simple of things: be in the moment, access full vulnerability, and connect from their hearts to other hearts.” —D.W. Brown
Give yourself time to prepare.
“Acting well is very hard. That’s why production takes such good care of us on set. They give us the respect and the space to do whatever it is we need to do so that we’re ready to rock it when we’re called to shoot. Not doing what you know you need to do to be prepared is a form of self-sabotage.” —Shaan Sharma
Create a relatable character.
“After you have a clearly defined character that the camera and the audience would recognize whether they were witnessing the character in the middle of a heart-wrenching breakup scene or ordering coffee at Starbucks, then you can create all of the emotional and psychological factors playing on your character during the scene, and we will appreciate your great acting because we will see it happening to a fellow, recognizable, human being.” —John Swanbeck
Don’t wait for anyone.
“Congratulations! You are living in a time where you don’t need anyone to offer you the opportunity to start building credits. You can make them yourself! Grab a camera and some talented people from your community and start making your own projects.” —Mae Ross
Like this advice? Check out more from our Backstage Experts!
