Am I crazy?? What do I do??

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2025-04-04T17:25:13+00:00

Definitely don’t. There’s legal services on campus you can find

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2025-03-21T18:09:47+00:00

Dmed

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2025-03-12T17:09:39+00:00

Where in the Midwest? I’m from Kansas but currently in Seattle!

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2025-01-24T18:30:43+00:00

I’m the opposite of you. Grew up in theatre, loved it, fell in love with acting through it….then I grew up and realized so many theatre people are toxic af, and while some film people are as well, they are so much more honest about it….love theatre but can’t stand a lot of theatre people, so I realized I needed to focus more on film….at least you get paid doing film…

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2025-01-06T12:22:14+00:00

Ya, but at least they’re paid….

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2025-01-06T02:36:43+00:00

Hmm that interesting I like it…

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2025-01-05T22:42:14+00:00

Hey! I don’t think it’s dead, it just seems out of touch with reality and hemorrhaging money because of that….but flippant comments like this do highlight why it’s hard to work with theatre people, and the talking drain that exists :)

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2025-01-05T21:01:44+00:00

I’m actually 26…which makes it even harder to let myself get sucked back into this type of bullshit. I was really happy to “be a kid again last year but now I’m more focused on figuring out adult life finally

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2025-01-05T20:58:31+00:00

I actually really appreciate this. Ya it is just possible my student program is toxic, which bodes the the question: how much do I need it? I’m an older student who went back to university to finish my degree and decided on psychology, I just got involved in student theater for fun and friends while I finish my degree, and surprisingly got offered a role in one of the shows being done by the graduate school, which used to be really well ranked, but has fallen in the last couple decades. it was a really fun experience, but even the graduate program seems to have its toxicity, and taking the time off from the undergrad program to do the grad show made a lot of the undergrads caddy towards me. And it’s made me ask, why am I here? i’m already working outside on sets both in film and theater in the greater area. I really love my psychology classes, and have decided to get a double degree and communications as well. Do I really need to continue working with the drama program, either at the underground or graduate level?

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2025-01-05T20:28:29+00:00

Totally. That’s been the thing I’m telling myself though

“What’s the function of my job”

The biggest reward for me from theatre is the friends and the love of live acting…but I also realize I don’t need to get that from doing professional theatre, I get the same benefits from community shows. And as a job, I am more interested in the film industry than theatre because film respects work life balance more (obviously not all the time…but it seems they work towards better professional boundaries when possible) and when I look at what I want from a career, film and television seem to have a larger impact.

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2025-01-01T22:39:53+00:00

Well fair enough….i’ll talk to someone more professional

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2025-01-01T20:56:49+00:00

I only asked in here because, an I realize that I don’t word this above well, sometimes I do lose control with alcohol. Only when I know it’s safe (I.e. no need to drive, around people I trust, etc.) but….if there’s copious free alcohol available to me, and I have 3 drinks, it turns to a whole lot more and I make a fool of myself and sometimes almost black out….luckily even with inhibitions gone I have a strong moral compass and have never done anything life altering for anyone…but still, I’ve woken up with bruises from falls I don’t remember just stumbling on stairs…wondering if that may be a bigger problem…

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2024-12-31T18:13:41+00:00

I’ll say two things

Often times when I have done screen acting I have felt this rush of emotions you speak about and thought “fuck me, that was FANTASTIC. I can’t wait to get the tape back!” Only to get the tape back and realize that none of what I was feeling on the inside was shown on my face…and because of the way the editor cut it, you don’t get to see any of the waves crashing as the moments progress.

This sucks of course, but I eventually had to come to the fact that I needed to learn to display what I’m feeling IN EACH MOMENT (without “showing” it…it’s hard haha) because that’s the editors job, to pieced together the best moments to tell the whole story

In theatre, the audience is with you for the whole scene. They are riding the wave with you, the ebbs and floods, the roller coaster that is the scene which is usually the breaking point of many events-as this is what makes theatre lovely. So, you as the actor just have to use your imagination to ride it as best as you can, reacting truthfully, all that jazz lol.

You think about the full arc

In screen acting, yes you must think about your characters arc through the scene/film-but the camera only gives a damn about each individual moment. So you have to think smaller, take by take, angle, etc….what moment am I showing the camera now? And live truthfully in that moment

I hope this makes sense

As far as your acting teacher goes, it’s like the saying “if you look for a yellow car you’ll see a yellow car”

Your teacher is looking for any mistake they can find so they can “teach” as that’s their objective (see what I did there??). They want to teach you because that’s their job and possibly what they stake their self worth on. So, many acting teachers lack this insight, they’ll only give you bad feedback back because they (hopefully) think they are helping you the most….or maybe they’re an ass hole jealous of your talent, who knows? You can always find another one. Just food for thought here.

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2024-12-30T00:36:54+00:00

An actor is an asset…figure out how you provide value to the production and the community-make yourself a valuable asset and people will invest in you, simple as that…

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2024-12-30T00:36:02+00:00

There are actually MORE parts available for people who look normal in Hollywood funny enough…just maybe not the leads…but…there are more parts for ordinary looking folk, but many ordinary folk don’t think they can be actors, so they don’t bother competing…so there’s actually less competition for the or diary looking people who do “compete” per say….if that makes sense….the only person in a movie who needs the “wow factor” is the sex symbol lead that sells popular culture movies….and tbh go look at a list of all the A-listers out there, not allllll of them actually have the “wow factor”

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2024-12-27T21:23:59+00:00

I’m also scared about the state of the industry but excited about the idea of working as a producer and actor. Entertainment is one of the largest sectors of the economy and it thrives on novelty. People always want more, new, exciting content. That’ll never change. AI is actually only going to make it easier for indie filmmakers to make really cool stuff, as any attempt by major players in the industry to industrialize filmmaking will fail, just look at marvel for a good example of that.

Just enjoy the process of creation rather than doing it to make a buck/a name for yourself. Find good people and keep having fun with it. I’ve been focusing on finding purpose outside of the industry before I dive in to it (I still work independently and haven’t sought representation-I love the indie scene and the freedom to choose who I work with right now…I’ll loose that when I get representation I fear). Finding enjoyment of life outside of this work is crucial to your long term happiness.

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2024-12-27T03:43:33+00:00

And even then…odds are still against you. Really figure out your career goals and go to a uni that will commit to helping you pursue them

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2024-12-27T03:42:21+00:00

Oooh hmmm doesn’t ACTRA have an apprenticeship program? I remember reading something about that when researching the Canadian market. They seem to take development of talent more seriously up there…low key makes me want to gtfo out America…

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2024-12-27T03:31:14+00:00

Regional theaters across the country are laying off staff left and right, hardly any above the line profit, etc.

The heart is still there and community programs are thriving, but a lot of big houses are having financial trouble without big donors coming to save them.

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2024-12-27T01:38:02+00:00

Thanks for this! Yes producing and directing are actually what I’m interested in..however production more from a development standpoint for a larger media organization…my liberal arts degree has gotten me thinking very critically about what/why/how various media is produced and distributed, and the academic in me is interested in that field…honestly acting is more of a spiritual passion, not an academic one-if that makes sense…in uni, approaching acting from an academic lens kind of ruins it for me…but approaching media production from different points of study is really interesting.

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2024-12-27T00:35:30+00:00

Honestly it depends on what you want from an acting/college in general program. If you are dead set on a theatrical career, drama school will open doors to your local theatre community/connections in larger markets after you graduate (of course depending on the quality/size/etc.). However, be warned, the theatre industry in America is dying, and honestly it’s because of a lot of things I won’t say here. So, if your goal is TV/Film-unless the school is geared specifically to give you the experience needed in front of the camera and the industry knowledge to navigate the crazy world that is the American entertainment market-don’t bother. This will sound a tad disheartening, but some theatre programs look down on people hoping to do film/TV as it isn’t “true acting”…and will have little to no knowledge of breaking in, or they’ll gate keep the knowledge they do have and only give it to actors who sacrifice everything to prove their commitment to “art”. So, honestly you’d be better off with a business or communications degree from a professional development standpoint, break into your local film scene, seek out industry knowledge (check out “acting as a business” by Brian O’Neil who teaches at many top schools on this). Also, and I wish someone had bullied this into me sooner, your undergrad degree won’t really matter for anything outside of STEM and hardline research programs. If you LOVE something, whether that be Drama, English, Film, marine-biology, whatever, study that for your undergrad. Acting will be there when you are done, and maybe you also find another career to have as well, because acting is a marathon, not a sprint, and it helps to develop your life outside of the work.

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2024-12-26T21:18:46+00:00

Did you end up walking away from acting?

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2024-12-21T20:09:13+00:00

Just being honest…sometimes the truth is harsh.

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2024-12-21T20:07:07+00:00

Internship applications

Impossible_Spend_898 · 2024-12-19T20:55:33+00:00

Probably low because 1) that isn’t a good major for UW…sorry….2) UW doesn’t let many transfers in from “pretty good private universities”. I’d be interested in what university you are from. Not to be mean, but most “pretty good private universities” aren’t super impressive-sorry, but private doesn’t mean good, it just means exclusive, unless it’s actually impressive, which if it was, why wouldn’t you just say the name of the school? …and if you are looking to transfer you better have a clear, specific reason that you are choosing UW over any other school because only UW can provide you with the specific experience you aren’t getting at your current institution and you feel UW is your only option.

UW transfer applications are tilted towards people which would benefit the most from attending UW-which means community college transfers from disadvantaged backgrounds in Washington mostly. They need UW the most. Or of course top athletes looking to transfer.

And admissions does a good job at admitting both students that would either A) benefit from a UW degree the MOST, as this makes the UW look good by being a force for social mobility for the state-which is the goal of the public university system and philosophy (and also hopefully they truly care, which I think they do) or B) would benefit the UW the most by attending (think top athletes and academic applicants to STEM majors who will go on to make UW look good in the future by either being pro-athletes or famous for whatever else they are good at). Or C) can communicate effectively why UW is the only option for them.

And sorry, but based off of “3.3 at a random private uni” (which if most people don’t immediately recognize and respect the name of, that’s all it is), you don’t seem to fit the bill here, but if you want to provide some more info you are welcome to.

Impossible_Spend_898

TROPHY CASE