“Are you an actor?”
“Oh, yes. As a matter of fact I am.”
“Really? What restaurant do you work at?”
Yep. That’s an old Hollywood joke. Actor humor. Well, industry humor. And it might be funny to actors if it weren’t so true.
If you’ve been pursuing a career in acting for any amount of time, you have probably had to deal with getting a “day job.” You may also know how personally rewarding it can be when you do a great scene or a movie you’re proud of or the residuals come rolling in for a couple of years from a two-day shoot on a National Commercial.
It’s a fact of life that to start your own business, so to speak, including an acting career, you need a little bit of start up money.
You probably also know those rewards aren’t cheap. New headshots and duplications, postcards, acting class, workhops, mailings, union dues, and all kinds of other things take money.
As they say, “It takes money to make money,” and it does. As an actor, just as with every business, part of the deal is that you have to spend money.
So unless your plan is to get plucked straight from the coffee line at Starbuck’s onto the set of a feature film or TV series and it works, you’ll need a day (or night) job or a fair amount of cash from somewhere to carry you–and even if Starbucks is your plan, you’ll need coffee money, and that ain’t cheap.
One of the reasons waiting tables and bartending is popular with actors is because the shifts are usually flexible and you can switch with other actors and so on. Ideally, whatever job you have, you would be able to fit classes into your schedule and be able to go on auditions – even for the ones that come up at the last minute.
However, it is also important to not hate your “second” job. Your “day job” is also your life. You are living your life NOW, it doesn’t begin when you finally get cast.
As you balance the many desires and responsibilities of being an actor, try to find a “day job” that has flexibility so you can go on auditions as needed, one that makes as much money as possible, and remember that it too is your life.
Smart Girl Melody has strong knowledge of helping people with “other job” resumes and cover letters as well as consulting people on solo-preneurial ideas and personal services, like massages and personal training.
If you think you could benefit from a marketing plan on your “other job,” or if you would like some help strategizing on how to make requests from your boss, or find a suitable second job, then don’t hesitate to call us at 818/907-6511.
Life’s good. Enjoy it now — even when you’re working your Day Job.