Is it difficult being a professional actor/actress in this day-and-age?

Hi there,

First off, I own a theater company and have been successful (and un successful) as a performer and director.

It's not always so easy. First off, don't ever expect to become a paid actress of the bat. You'll spend at least a year going on auditions until you get something that's paid (that is unless you're going to 3-5 auditions a day which isn't really feasible.

Then when the job IS paid, it's maybe $250-500 a PROJECT, which isn't much.

You have to make a living working a job which will also diminish your ability to go to many auditions.

The point is, there are specific things you should be focusing on before worrying about paid work.

But regardless, you'll be surrounded by many actors who are in your boat and you'll find a lovely community. Don't forget, there are many projects out there that are unpaid. It's really amazing to just be creating with others. Also unpaid jobs is where you'll get the most connections and put you on the road to paid jobs.

Don't stress about money. That'll come. Just enjoy yourself and your passion.

One could say anything work doing is difficult. It's not exactly easy and success is not a science (guaranteed). However, the best thing you can do is to create the best long-term mindset for success while doing all the things you should be doing at this stage where you career is a ways off. Just concentrate on getting accepted into a competitive undergraduate program (I went to Boston University School of Theatre Arts, a classical-training conservatory). Hopefully the program not only endows you with actor training including voice and speech, movement, etc but also gives you a basic understanding of the different mediums of stage, television, film, and radio. Afterwards, you may choose to move to NYC or LA or even Atlanta. The truth is there are thousands of new actors who move to those cities every year to pursue acting. But they are NOT your competition, if you do not want to see it that way (and you shouldn't) You are on your own journey so never compare your with someone else's. Maybe one actor seems to have ti easy with starting their career or getting roles. Their experience has nothing to do with yours so focus on yours and do not entertain jealousy (you should be practicing this now in your life as well. The more prepared you are in creating a mindset where you crystalize your goals and pursue them from a emotionally, psychologically and spiritually balanced place of positive-thinking (while doing all the actor-prep stuff) will help you increase your chances of manifesting your goals if they are meant to be. You also have to LOVE the process. Not every aspect of it, but over all you should embrace it and be grateful for every experience on your journey. Gratitude creates more of what you are grateful for (Law of Attraction). Also, sometimes things will appear difficult, that is life. There will be frustrations and headaches and set backs and running to an audition late in traffic and waiting for hours just to audition and million other little problems. If you don't love doing it, you will be miserable. The love you have for your chosen craft/profession will see you through those difficult moments. Lastly, it boils don to this: If you think you can, you will. If you think you can't you won't. I hope this helps and wish you the best on your journey. ( I didn't say good luck because like Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars, I believe there is no such thing as luck. But there can be the unveiling of one's destiny if they are op

One could say anything work doing is difficult. It's not exactly easy and success is not a science (guaranteed). However, the best thing you can do is to create the best long-term mindset for success while doing all the things you should be doing at this stage where you career is a ways off. Just concentrate on getting accepted into a competitive undergraduate program (I went to Boston University School of Theatre Arts, a classical-training conservatory). Hopefully the program not only endows you with actor training including voice and speech, movement, etc but also gives you a basic understanding of the different mediums of stage, television, film, and radio. Afterwards, you may choose to move to NYC or LA or even Atlanta. The truth is there are thousands of new actors who move to those cities every year to pursue acting. But they are NOT your competition, if you do not want to see it that way (and you shouldn't) You are on your own journey so never compare your with someone else's. Maybe one actor seems to have ti easy with starting their career or getting roles. Their experience has nothing to do with yours so focus on yours and do not entertain jealousy (you should be practicing this now in your life as well. The more prepared you are in creating a mindset where you crystalize your goals and pursue them from a emotionally, psychologically and spiritually balanced place of positive-thinking (while doing all the actor-prep stuff) will help you increase your chances of manifesting your goals if they are meant to be. You also have to LOVE the process. Not every aspect of it, but over all you should embrace it and be grateful for every experience on your journey. Gratitude creates more of what you are grateful for (Law of Attraction). Also, sometimes things will appear difficult, that is life. There will be frustrations and headaches and set backs and running to an audition late in traffic and waiting for hours just to audition and million other little problems. If you don't love doing it, you will be miserable. The love you have for your chosen craft/profession will see you through those difficult moments. Lastly, it boils don to this: If you think you can, you will. If you think you can't you won't. I hope this helps and wish you the best on your journey. ( I didn't say good luck because like Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars, I believe there is no such thing as luck. But there can be the unveiling of one's destiny if they are open to receiving the Call to accept it)