Most of us have seen people on reality TV shows crack under pressure at critical moments.  They’ve worked hard and waited a long time to get this far.  Their dreams are at hand.  But American Idolcontestants forget lyrics.  America’s Next Top Model aspirants can’t seem to take direction during photo shoots. 

When I was Gainfully Employed in the days before MapQuest and GPS, my job required frequent travel to visit clients in several Midwest states. I’d drive around Milwaukee, Kansas City, Louisville and even Topeka to see see five to seven advertising agency or advertiser clients each day. For another job, I had to visit many clients every week. No matter the weather, I had appointments to keep. Fortunately, most were within walking distance, but a few were in the distant burbs.

Good things about desk jobs are that you always know where the bathroom is, where to get a glass of water. And you have a space, even a cube with a few drawers, to call your own.

Many years of commuting to my company’s office, then going to at least one client, then back to the office and then to another client–usually carrying a heavy briefcase–prepared me for being a working actress.

Yesterday, for example, I had an on-camera audition downtown that took about half an hour, plus driving. I had to go back home, then went to help a friend. We both happened to have a callback around the same time just past downtown (and, coincidentally, were paired up). We were there less than 15 minutes. Then back to my place. At night, I went west of downtown to work on a cable TV show and go out with friends, making three trips in one day.  Today I had a TV series audition that took less than 5 minutes. So I can spend more time commuting than I do at my destination.

At least I live in the city, not the suburbs like many actor friends. Most auditions are downtown, but jobs can be anywhere. I had an ongoing VO job in Evanston, and now have a client in Oakbrook, which can take an hour to get to. I do most VO auditions and some jobs from home, which is time-saving and can be done around my schedule.  That’s convenient, especially when, like today, an audition arrives late afternoon and is due by 9AM the next morning.  

But despite all of the back and forth, I usually prefer being there in person.  I enjoy interacting with colleagues, as I did when Gainfully Employed, and also the opportunity to take direction and grow relationships in a way that can’t be done via e-mails. 

Every actor has lines to learn for auditions and performances. It’s preferred that we’re off book even for auditions. But more and more often, we don’t receive the script(s) until we arrive at the audition. Many preparation techniques we’ve learned go out the window. Gut reactions prevail. Sometimes we may be able to put the copy on our ear prompters, but that doesn’t always work with dialogue scenes. Some audition venues have cue cards, which can help or hinder–if you lose your place.

Usually the amount of lines we need to learn for commercials or industrials is far less than a play. Years ago, I was in a production of Mamet’s Oleanna. A two person play…a college student and a professor. Each has many long, long monologues, and both are on stage the entire time. That experience stands me in good stead to help a friend who’s starring in a play opening next week and has the bulk of the lines.

Some people like to record their lines and/or those of other characters and play them back again and again. The problems with that process are that, as with cue cards, you might rely on the cheat sheet…in this case, the spoken word, as opposed to your memory, which might make it easier to get thrown off.  And there’s no one to prompt you if you get stuck. In rehearsal, actors get used to calling, “line,” while staying in character. They’re prompted with a few words, and rehearsal continues smoothly.

In my experience, the best way to make lines stick is two-pronged repetition. Part A is looking at the script, using a piece of paper to cover most of the section you’re working on. You learn one line, then repeat it and add on another and then another. But it can be hard to stay focused when huge chunks of script await.  Part B is running that scene with another person. And not just any person. Someone who, for example, knows how and when to prompt without frustrating the actor by interrupting his flow. Someone who can keep track of variations from the actual dialogue and help the actor make corrections. Someone with a lot of patience to listen to the same scenes again and again and again. Because even after lines have been memorized, they need to be repeated as often as possible. Even after the show starts.

I learned that lesson years ago while working as house manager for Chicago Shakespeare Theater during a production of Cymbeline. It surprised me that the actors, who’d already had successful performances, would walk around mouthing their lines before going on stage for each scene….night after night.

So my friend and I have been meeting almost every day, for hours at a time.  Repeating, running scenes, catching script deviations to make sure jokes and poignant moments aren’t diluted, and to make sure he gets cues correct for fellow actors. 

Though time consuming, it’s a lot of fun to see his progress.  As it happens, I too am learning the play, and can already run some scenes or offer corrections without looking at my copy of the script.    

Feelancers can get inquiries about new projects at any time from prospective or returning clients.  Sometimes projects are in our wheelhouses, other times they may push the envelope of things we’ve done or require skills we’re not sure we have. 

In some situations, we may refer the assignment to a colleague.  Especially if the project necessitates significant expenditure, say for software or hardware.  Assuming the project goes well, that’s good networking.  The client is happy, the colleague is happy, we’re happy.  We didn’t accept that gig, but we’ve become a resource for the client.  In others, we may choose to take on a challenge, perhaps because we want to expand our repertoire.  On the other hand, we want to be sure the new task is of the same quality our client has come to expect.  We may team with a colleague, if the client is willing.

Doing something new can be exciting and/or stressful.  There’s a risk of failure.  A learning curve.  Being proactive and staying up to date on trends in our fields and thinking once a month, “What other services can I offer?” can help us expand our product line with greater comfort.  We may ask colleagues for advice and/or assistance.

There may be times we simply have to say no, because we don’t want to or don’t choose to learn how to do an assignment.  We may chicken out so we can remain in our comfort zone.  But if we never push ourselves, how can we grow, both professionally and personally? 

21 times for a freelancer to say no
Working with other freelancers  
What’s your freelance specialty?    

The Gainfully Unemployed feelancer may find it easier to stay motivated and on task when under deadline.  A client is expecting your work.  Not only will you damage your professional reputation if you don’t turn it in on time, you may get less or no money.

But when in between projects, we’re on our own.  There’s no boss, manager or even fellow employee to tell us what to do or make sure we move forward.  Will we choose to spend our time self-marketing–contacting current, former or potential clients, updating our websites, taking a course to enhance our skills, or will we convince ourselves we deserve a reward–playing hooky via sleeping in, a spa day, shopping spree, vegging in front of the TV, or cruising the Internet for political commentary and/or pictures to post on Facebook?

These days, many people work more than 40 hours a week–maybe because there’s just that much work or they want to show their employers how devoted they are.  Actors often have to work every day…learning lines for upcoming gigs and performances, or working a day job and taking a class or doing a play, concert or comedy show at night.  So when do we get our weekends?  If we take the traditional two days off for downtime, socializing and/or errands or chores, when will we get the rest of our work done?  There are only seven days a week.

Inc.com-Why working more than 40 hours a week is useless

Libertymutual.com-Is the 40 hour work week back?  

Gobankingrates.com-History of the 40 hour work week

These days, we often have the choice of doing many things ourselves that we used to have to pay for…from pumping our own gas to printing our own business cards and documents.  We may save time and money…or not.  We may enjoy the control over our products and time, or be frustrated by the process.  (Does anyone like self-checkout at the grocery?  It’s not faster–there’s often a line, and scanning your own items is tedious, especially when you have to type in produce codes, etc.  And when the machine acts up, you have to wait for an employee to help…)

When I was in graduate school, my typewriter (remember those?) had a correct key, but if I wanted a copy (there was no saving documents back then, not even on a disk), I’d use carbon paper to save the trip to and expense of a photocopy place (no printers, either).  You had to have your acting and business resumes typset and printed, so any change was a cumbersome and expensive process.     

As Internet use blossomed, more individuals had websites.  Even in 2006, designing your own site required knowledge of complicated code.  A few do it yourself options existed, but IMO the result looked too much like a template instead of professional graphics.  I couldn’t figure out how to design a quality product on my own.  So after extensive research, I hired a designer for my author site (xuni.com).  Now there’s WordPress and Weebly, among others. 

I recently asked my ruthtalks.com designer (biondo studio) to transfer that site to WordPress so I could update it…adding audio, video, links and new clients.  The goal was to save money.  Her rates are reasonable, but I want to make changes more frequently, which could add up.

But what is my time worth?  Do I want to learn all of these new products, programs and skills so I can adminster my business, or is the effort better spent on craft and marketing?  I tried to figure out WordPress, but didn’t find it intuitive.  Adding additional text is one thing, but adding audio and video and/or adjusting the layout is quite another. Now a friend is helping me figure it out and offered to do my updates.  I’ve helped another friend print assorted documents because her printer died, and she hasn’t made time to research and purchase another.          

So sometimes do it yourself becomes do it for your friends.                  

If you say you’re going to do something, do it.  When you said you would. 

Some days feelancing, like many careers, is more stressful than others, mentally and physically.  I’m much better now than when I started at letting little inconveniences go, and doing so quickly.  Don’t sweat the small stuff, as they say.  Still, challenges exist. 

VO talents might have to postpone recording because of thunderstorms or construction, which can get frustrating and increase time pressure. because I can’t know when it’ll be quiet again. Technology may not cooperate.

When I’m fortunate to get a lot of projects at once (I’ve had five VO jobs this week, only one at a recording studio), cramming in extra hours hunched over a computer can take its toll.  I have an ergonomic setup–under the desk keyboard, adjustable desk chair sized for a short person, etc.  Some may have back or neck pain, and so sit on balls, kneel on stools or even get a standing desk.  I’m susceptible to forearm pain similar to carpal tunnel. 

To deal with job stresses and frustrations,  I:
–focus on gratitude and all of the great things about being a feelancer 
—make sure I take frequent, short breaks to rest my eyes 
–do arm and hand and body stretches
–switch between my laptop and my PC
–take deep breaths in through the nose and let them out slowly through the mouth
–look forward to and enjoy relaxing get-togethers with friends.              

Authors and actors need to get their names out there.  We need to meet industry professionals.  But the plethora of in person and online networking opportunities and ways to best utilize them and time can overwhelm any feelancer.  There’s social media from Facebook to Twitter.  Sites such as Goodreads.  Actual networking sites such as LinkedIn.  Alumni and industry events, some free, some not.  Friends connecting other friends. 

How many sites should we be on? Should we blog, comment on comments–and what’s a good balance of self-promotion vs. contribution?  Should we worry about how others perceive our online personas?  How much time should we spend online and at events?  What are the benefits of each opportunity?

Take LinkedIn.  People often ask if creatives can benefit as much as corporate types seem to.  Recently I’ve heard good things about LinkedIn Groups.  I’ll investigate.  I’m already in assorted author and actor groups, and will assess the pros and cons of even more emails to read.  But you never know when a gem of an opportunity or information snippet will pop up. 

Some things to consider about networking:
–Time and money spent vs. value obtained.
–The enjoyment of reading interesting posts and getting comments on your own carefully crafted contributions vs. allowing social media and events distract you vs. getting actual work done.
–Providing something useful vs. constant self-promotion.
–How much is too much? 
–What’s appropriate vs. aggressive.  Example:  I was talking to an editor at a luncheon.  An author came up to us, and without even introducing herself launched into her pitch.

 

My definition of a working actor includes getting paid fair wages for your time and skills…most of the time. 

Many Chicago plays and films offer no monetary remuneration, not even reimbursement of expenses. Some offer a stipend, but that can end up being minimum wage or less per hour.  Often indie and student films at least offer food and a copy of the work (if you can actually get it).  Actors can end up losing money on the deal if they have to pay for parking, gas (or public transportation), and some self-costuming. 

But they choose to spend several nights a week rehearsing and performing for the joy of it.  For the experience, resume credit, chance to work with well-known/up and coming production staff, and hope of good reviews and/or that agents and casting directors might see it and take note.  Those things can make free or low-paying work worth the effort.
 
I hope actors who work that hard for others also work as hard for themselves…self-marketing for additional opportunities.  Which is why I give workshops on that topic.  Actors are entrepreneurs and thus need to keep putting irons in the fire to increase chances for a steady stream of opportunities.  My many years of sales experience have helped with that.  Some weeks, it really pays off…with multiple auditions (both on-camera and VO) and several jobs.