Actors are said to be a dime-a-dozen. Everyone in the world
wants to be an actor, and that’s why there’s so much competition
in the field. There are thousands and thousands of headshots
flying around and photo shoots and auditions, and to what
purpose? Being cast for a script that was written by an amateur.
A part in a film that will go no further than a few film
festivals.
Actors don’t really have a choice, because they need to accept
whatever roles are offered to them to get experience. They have
to nod and accept any project that comes their way, even if it’s
the worst thing they’ve ever read.
Of course, there are those occasions when our dear thespians go
to those auditions and completely fall in love with the script.
"I went in to audition because I heard about this project and
the synopsis was really interesting. As soon as I got the script
and I read the few words, I was totally into it. Then when I
finished reading just those two pages... I knew I had to do this,
I was in shock and in love with the writing," says Martin Lobe,
who auditioned for the role of Donald in Machiavelli Hangman.
"You go to hundreds of auditions and you hope you’ll hit that
one gold mine... it’s not about the money as long as the writing
is so good," offers Martin James.
Having said all this, one would think that it’s definitely easier
to work behind the camera than in front of it. Filmmakers make
up their own destiny, they write or they find a good script and
they go out actively looking for actors. Actors, on the other
hand, have to simply wait there to be picked.
Casting Directors feel that it’s not so negative. If an actor
is good, filmmakers will seek him out, it’s just a matter of
polishing your tools and you will be found eventually. "Think of
it as a more passive-aggressive approach to starting a career.
You have to smile, and let them make the first step."
While many would argue that Machiavelli Hangman or Pulp Fiction
was all about the writing and it made the acting what it is,
others claim that the acting made those films what they are. For
instance, Lost In Translation would not have become the brilliant
film that it is if it wasn’t for Bill Murray’s improvisational
genius. The script is said to have been originally only 15 pages
long and Murray had to fill in the gaps. That’s a lot of filling!
There is also a certain masochistic element to being an actor.
You have to get used to getting rejected and you have to use it
to get stronger. The rejection has to become a pleasure that
you can turn into energy. "Some actors go in expecting to be
rejected. They get a certain high from it," Bob Fern-Jacobs,
after auditioning for Lord of the Rings.
Actors, keep at it, get better. Build your experience, and they
will come!
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