Let’s talk about the Business of Show Business!
“…but I love talking about the The ‘Show’ of Show Business…”
Don’t we all? Heck, I sometimes get caught up in the “show” of show business. It’s easy. It’s forever glittering all around me. I can’t take my eyes off it. I watch shows on all the streaming channels.
With all the years I’ve spent as an actor in Los Angeles, doing this professional activity to get paid, you’d think I’d be immune to the distractions of this profession. We all chose to be professional actors and we do this to get PAID! But when we don’t get paid, do we all start to wonder what’s wrong? Do we re-set? Do we get back to the basics? Through my career coaching with actors, the answer is often NO!
We have all the professional marketing materials necessary for this highly competitive industry. We have a headshot and resume. Training? We are all well-trained to audition. And then some doubt creeps in and soon we stop doing all the little (and big) things to move our career forward.
We just need to collect our thoughts and begin to understand the difference between “ART” and “BUSINESS.”
The ART, which is the “show” of show business, includes: Auditions, Callbacks, Rehearsals, Performances. All of the above requires our body and mind. Our instrument. Our singular talent. This is the intangible aspect of our profession. You’re one of a kind. You’re unique. There is nobody like you.
What about the “business” of performing? We can spend all the time in the world going to acting class and working on our craft. But what happens? We forget a universal economic law: Supply and demand is never going to change. There has always been more supply of actors than there is a demand for roles.
When you start discussing the “business” of the acting profession, you’re talking about being your own sales force, marketing team, advertiser, promoter and publicist. Those are all necessary to sell a product — to sell YOUR product!
You might be thinking that’s all well and good, but my true motivation, my desire to perform is that I want to hear the audience clap or to win an award. That or anything else can — and should — be your reason(s) for being an actor. All of that is pure “art.” It’s the softer side of this business. The part that goes on a vision board in your bedroom.
I’ve seen it hundreds of times. One day you might be one among many actors and the next day you’re featured in a film or guest-starring on a television show and your life changes overnight!