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The Liberating Freedom of Scheduled Creativity
One paradox that still stumps many artists I know, one that’s especially relevant to their regular working lives, is structure versus creativity. These artists—the same ones who are otherwise perfectly capable of performing with nuance and subtlety—live on either extreme when it comes to balancing rules, timetables, and structure with freedom, expression, and creativity. It’s one or the other, many of them tell themselves.
What We Can Learn From RuPaul
What RuPaul knows so well—and what we can learn from him—is artists must show us the real you first, and then introduce us to your range, your span, your wide spectrum of characterization.
The Dangers of Gig Work
Gig work allegedly provides an artist with the ultimate flexibility required to do what they really love. But we’re much more interested in the flip side of that conversation, an angle we don’t hear that much about: the very real downsides and dangers of gig work.
Get Out of the Sandbox
You’re already taking a big risk by producing an artistic venture, and maybe playing with more unknowns in the form of new collaborators, you’ll seek comfort and safety by surrounding yourself with familiar collaborators.
Keeping up appearances
We’re always dumbfounded when scrolling through social media and I see a post like this from a former colleague: “Hire me! Lord - I’ve been without a gig for 8 months. #desperate'“
No content? No Problem!
The truth is, very few of us have the time, resources, or ingenuity to post something new about ourselves every week—much less every single day. And yet, we know that a thriving creative career demands a well-oiled content machine—one that keeps our narratives fresh and visible to potential colleagues, partners, and bosses. So how do we iron out this paradox?
Is Type Casting Bad?
We’re all for specifying your product identity as an artist, and for, frankly objectifying yourself. Why? Cause if you don’t, the industry will do it for you! But the idea of type is a totally ineffective piece of your marketing strategy. You have to tell a better story.
How Do Actors Survive Financially?
Besides sound financial management (month to month budgeting, a savings strategy, investing in retirement ASAP, spending less than you earn, building an emergency fund) they must build a secondary income stream they have complete control over.
Understanding the Acting Industry
Understanding the acting industry is absolutely a must, but you have to understand the right things...namely how it all works. It’s not an immensely complicated web of bureaucracy and red tape, it’s just about people.
On the Verge of Quitting Acting?
COVID has expounded ever-existing parts of the actor’s experience to more nightmarish proportions, one example is the amount of actors who have quit. They may not want to give this up, but they see no path forward, no way to make this career path sustainable. No way to make it “happen.” And we agree, there is no way to make it happen...on their terms.
Actors as Producers
Apparently, the only way to be a “real” artist, actor or otherwise, is to completely dedicate yourself entirely to your particular craft. This narrow, all-consuming yet dignified purpose, we are told, is the only way we can make it in this business.
Wouldn’t this be ideal?
What Makes an Actor Marketable?
Oftentimes, our clients think the only way to become more of a “hot sell” is through amassing more and more credits. This mindset can put them in a dangerous cycle: no one takes them seriously until they have worked at a high level, but they can’t work at a high level until they are taken seriously.