It's experience, but....

[NicklausLouis]

Recently I've been persuaded by a few folks (some ITers included) to start acting. Previously I would only act in my own stuff, and I never thought of myself as a good actor -- just a guy who can make funny faces and whatnot. But people have told me otherwise, so I decided to start testing the waters.

I've stated elsewhere on this board that with all the growth in film in Austin, there are still a lot of BAD projects happening here. It's kind of depressing.

Tonight, I sent in my headshot and resume to one project and got a quick response. I was given a few lines for the characters they want me to audition for and MAN are they bad! Just unbelievably BAD.

So the question I am asking myself -- Do I want to be involved in a project if I'm only doing it for the experience and the line on my resume?

What would you do?

Poke

 

[knightly]

starting out, gotta take what you can get.

 

[steve gelder]

Tonight, I sent in my headshot and resume to one project and got a quick response. I was given a few lines for the characters they want me to audition for and MAN are they bad! Just unbelievably BAD.

So the question I am asking myself -- Do I want to be involved in a project if I'm only doing it for the experience and the line on my resume?

What would you do?

Go to the audition, even if the lines are bad. You want to/have to build your resume as an actor.

I had the opportunity to read for Anne Beatts recently, who was one of the key comedic minds during my formative years in the 70s - she wrote for National Lampoon and Saturday Night Live, and created many characters and skits that are still seminal comedy bits today. The script I was given sucked out loud. Written by one of her current students, it was racist, kinda pointless and not that funny. But, it was an audition for someone who's work I respect.

I auditioned, read well for the part, had an awkward moment or two with the author and a couple of her friends who were helping with the read, and then I left.

Worst part about the bad part - I didn't get it.

So, go read for it. Who knows, maybe you'll learn something, maybe you'll dislike the experience so much you'll write better things for your actors to audition for, and maybe you'll get the little kick in the teeth of "they didn't want me for this thing I don't want to be in? WTF??"...after all, you can only cast one person in the role, and maybe someone who can act as well as, or better than, you WANTS the role because they can't tell the difference between good and bad.

Break legs, Poke!

 

[Zensteve]

Do I want to be involved in a project if I'm only doing it for the experience and the line on my resume?

I'd go with a "no".

I think you'd be far better off taking acting classes; possibly even an "Acting for Directors" course, if they offer that type of thing in Austin. (Best of both worlds: an intensive that improves your acting skills, and also teaches you how to better relate/communicate with actors you may be using.)

Hands-on experience is obviously great, and all... but what are you going to gain from a crappy script/production? You'll be investing a lot of time and effort into someone else's "something" that you wouldn't even want to have on your reel.

Just my opinion.

 

[Unknown Screenwriter]

My 2 Cents...

Recently I've been persuaded by a few folks (some ITers included) to start acting. Previously I would only act in my own stuff, and I never thought of myself as a good actor -- just a guy who can make funny faces and whatnot. But people have told me otherwise, so I decided to start testing the waters.

I've stated elsewhere on this board that with all the growth in film in Austin, there are still a lot of BAD projects happening here. It's kind of depressing.

Tonight, I sent in my headshot and resume to one project and got a quick response. I was given a few lines for the characters they want me to audition for and MAN are they bad! Just unbelievably BAD.

So the question I am asking myself -- Do I want to be involved in a project if I'm only doing it for the experience and the line on my resume?

What would you do?

Poke

I hate giving advice but IF IT WERE ME... LOL...

I might go to the audition but if, after reading the script, I realize that the production isn't going anywhere, I probably wouldn't get involved.

On the other hand...

If there's evidence that the production COULD go somewhere... i.e., distribution... Then it might not be so bad being the best actor in a bad production.

Having said that...

Bad productions that never go anywhere have a really bad habit of showing up years later and biting you in the ass.

A dilemma?

Certainly... Good luck!

filmy