It’s a little needless to say, but I will say it anyways: It’s hard to get work, especially as an actor, especially if you’re just starting out, especially if you are young.
I add ‘especially if you are young’ for the reasons of the current youth employment prospects in Canada. The youth employment rate actually went down this year, however it came with a tiny side-note: less youth are actually applying for work.
Ha. That’s encouraging.
I hear the questions coming. “What does it matter for actors?” “ Does it change those prospects much?” “We’re already facing those prospects with our career path anyways.”
Well, I believe it does have an impact. I break it down to the basic facts:
-we need to maintain our craft
-we need to be able to support ourselves
Those two facts are always colliding. I need to pay for classes, I need to take the time to expose myself to these conditions, I need to go out and experience what this feels like, I need to put food on the table…somewhere in there, as I am just starting out, I need to make time to learn.
I need to learn more about my craft, but I also need to learn what work to accept. I need to learn how to handle myself professionally in any performance situation. I need to learn how to handle myself as many different kinds of artists. I need to learn how to handle the business aspect and the arts aspect. Above all, I need to learn how to get the work while keeping the craft. And there is no ultimate answer.
Sure, one of the ways to get the work while maintaining the craft is through making your own work, but that is not the only answer( We explored that with SOTS). Another solution is doing a benefit performance, which we are exploring directly with this project, but I don’t think the limit is there either. This work will help explore more solutions, and start a conversation on maintaining this vital balance for artists.
No one ever said this career path could be picked up on a whim, but no one ever said you should give up on your passion either. So, we’re working to provide this experience to the passionate, while also arming them with vital skills for adapting to such prospects as reduced youth employment.
So, if you are looking for a reason to vote today, do it because it arms emerging youth artists with some pretty sweet skills, important to surviving and thriving in the arts community. http://pep.si/hDkj1N
Once again, huge shoutouts to people who create their own work, such as this ambitious artist right here:
http://mimeticonline.wordpress.com/