The actor’s soul feeds on creativity, collaboration, and growth. When opportunities are hard to come by, even the most passionate of actors can feel stuck and discouraged. Knowing the entertainment industry is hit-and-miss and off-and-on, it’s important for performers to adapt and work at keeping their spark.
In Studio 24’s What Every Discouraged Actor Needs to Know video, acting coach Cody Dorkin persuades dismayed performers to take full charge of their career and stop blaming their circumstances, or perhaps an unfruitful agent, for their lack of work.
“There’s a way to fall in love with this business all over again,” Dorkin insists. “And there is a way to reinspire yourself to get out there and go, ‘You know what? No. I moved here to Los Angeles to be an actor, and I’m gonna do it. I’m finally gonna do it.” He encourages actors to return to the same “struggle-and-fight” mind frame that they exhibited when first starting out. Here are some of Dorkin’s practical tips to reignite that passion and vigor.
Fall in love again with the performing arts.
What was it that drew you to acting in the first place? Chances are it was all the incredibly moving performances you’d seen over the years. Therefore, Dorkin says, “The first step is to fall in love with acting all over again: Go be a spectator, go watch it and love it, and fall in love with it all over again.”
Finetune your craft.
Even if you’ve studied acting for years, it’s time to take your skillset to the next level. “Don’t think that you’ve learned all there is to learn … trust me, you haven’t,” Dorkin asserts. “You are not as good as you can be.” Work on any loose ends—audition techniques, scene studies, a new dialect, being light on your feet with improv classes. Dorkin continues, “Get back in class and get better and get more specific. And you know what? Get back into feeling uncomfortable as an actor again.” Don’t focus on becoming the richest or most famous actor but rather the greatest actor you can be.
Start anew in your business relationships.
We all want to fill our lives with people who have good intentions, exhibit positive energy, and work well as a team whether they be agents, acting colleagues, or fellow students. But sometimes the slow, difficult periods can wear away at our relationships. “Get back in a good relationship with your agents,” Dorkin advises. “Stop being bitter about your career. Start having a good attitude going in there and working hard.”
Take an honest look at what needs to change.
Be willing to look honestly at what’s holding you back. Dorkin cautions, “Stop trying to please other people. Know your worth as an actor. Get competitive.”
On a side note, it might be useful to do an exercise called the Indifferent Spectator Test from Adam Smith, the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Essentially, Smith encourages people to imagine there’s a completely impartial person in the room, who you don’t know, quietly observing you. What would this indifferent individual be thinking about all the little ways you use your time. How would this person judge what’s happening? If this random person thinks the things you’re doing do not help achieve your goals, then chances are these actions are probably worth addressing. How would the impartial spectator assess the amount of time you’ve dedicated to the craft recently? Remember, this quiet observer will notice all the small changes you begin to make as you work to improve yourself, which can be encouraging.
Give yourself new branding
Dorkin believes the practice of taking fresh headshots and revamping your demo reel is not simply a practical matter of staying current. Rather, he sees it as a symbolic act of shedding what has not been working in the past and replacing it with a new and full-of-promise you. “Reintroduce yourself with new branding to casting directors and your agent,” he urges. “Get some fresh new headshots that make you feel like, ‘That was the old me. That was the bitter me. That was the ‘I’ve-been-here-for-ten-years-and-things-didn’t-happen [me]. And here’s my new start in the business.”
With this new mentality, Dorkin believes performers can learn and grow from their experiences and start to build momentum in their careers. By making a little progress each day, over time real change occurs. Trust the process.
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