The One Thing Actors Need to Know To Succeed, But Most Don’t

It’s amazing to me that so many actors want to succeed and think they will based on one of the most common misconceptions out there. And unfortunately so many also won’t see this post and will go on living according to what they think they know. And it’s not a big vital thing - on the contrary, it’s small - but it makes a big difference in the actor’s success.

Are you ready for it? The big misconception so many actors base their careers on is that once they get a good part (or any part) the roles will just keep coming. That once you’ve landed a role in a box office hit or prime time sitcom, that suddenly you’ll be booked out. It’s not true. It does happen but it shouldn’t be depended on.

The truth is, you might land a great role but then it’s quiet for a while. Don’t give up. Don’t get jaded and angry that it’s happening for “everyone else” and not you. The overnight success stories you hear about are exactly that. Special - because they’re stories.

Focus on giving and delivering your best work. Take classes. Keep learning. Expand your horizons and be willing to do voiceover work, stage and television because that’s where experience is born. It’s also where you learn to work with people, take direction and grow in your skills.

Focus on getting clear on what you want your career to look like and how you’d like to see it develop. And then be willing to try new things and learn new tricks. You might be surprised at what you’ll enjoy and where success comes easily to you.

It may take the form of learning new skills and specializing in these or in branching out into different areas of performance. You may be presented with opportunities to move into other aspects of the work, such as theatre or company management, scriptwriting or even directing. Options are everywhere, when you are open to them and they are even more likely in smaller companies, where these skills can be combined with acting. Some actors may even be inspired to set up their own theatre or film/television production companies.

The truth is, it’s all a learning experience, and it’s your job to decide how committed you are and to which path. No matter the path each actor takes, most spend time in other types of jobs and end up building up a range of transferable skills, which usually do lead into more opportunities with related careers, such as acting coaching, teaching, lecturing and even training.  You may be deepening your skills and and broadening your options in more subtle ways.

There’s not a lot of predictability in the film world. But we want you to be supported for the whole journey. And at the New York Acting School for Film and Television, that is our goal. We are ready to provide you with the tools needed to succeed both in the short and long term. Contact us today to find out more.