One of the most important things you can have as an actor is a strong support system. Why is that? Because acting takes a lot of stamina, it’s hard and demanding, and there’s a lot of moving parts to manage. And honestly doing anything on an elite level requires support.
I love this African Proverb:
“If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far go together.”
That is so true! So how do you develop your support system? Create your team? I suggest first starting where you’re at. Look at who and what in your life is supporting your decision to be an actor.
Here’s a helpful list of what a strong support system might look like:
Supportive actor friends
Supportive non-actor friends
Supportive loved ones/partner
A day job that allows you to pursue acting
A great acting coach/teacher
Readers for auditions
Agent
Manager
Life coach
Therapist/mental health professionals
Mindset gurus or programs
Now jot down what you currently have in your support system.
How did it stack up?
Do you have to have everything on that list to be successful? No, of course not. But it might give you some good ideas of what to work toward AND help you realize what you already have.
Let’s go a little bit deeper and see just how we can get your support system to grow.
The first thing we want to do is prune away who and what isn’t working.
One thing you absolutely do not need in your life is NON-SUPPORTIVE people. And that can be tricky. A lot of parents/families gasp in horror when they find out their lovely family member wants to be an actor. That old belief about the starving artist pops into their mind and they can’t shake it. First of all, remember they do want the best for you, it’s just they can’t see how acting fits into that vision. So you can try to educate them and get them to understand your passion for acting and if that doesn’t work you can kindly tell them you are an adult and get to make your own choices, and politely to butt out. Easier said than done, but to excel in this field you have to set firm boundaries around negativity.
What about non-supportive friends? Same sort of thing. Let them know how much this means to you and what they can do to support you. If after that they still aren’t helping you can distance yourself from them and develop friendships with others who are supportive. Not that you have to cut them out completely but be wary and take care of yourself.
So we’re setting boundaries and getting more supportive people in our lives, what’s next?
One of the very best things you can do to build your support system is to get in a great acting class. That can be in-person or online depending on your preference and the quality of acting classes around you. With the zoom boom you can now literally take classes anywhere in the world, so do your research, try out a few places and find what feels great to you. Look for a studio or school with hardworking, passionate actors like yourself, with strong technique and a nurturing and supportive atmosphere. Beware of toxic environments. A lot of the arts can fall prey to those but avoid them like the plague as they will not only curtail your growth but can be psychologically damaging.
Which leads us to talk about acting coaches/trainers. Having a coach that is on your side, that sees your potential and believes in you can be a total game changer. Make sure they are teaching strong technique which would include: script analysis, voice and movement, emotional exploration, scene work, audition work, space object/referencing work, etc. Also make sure you like how they treat you and others in the class. Watch out for bullying and favoritism. Nobody deserves to be treated that way. Also note if they use constructive criticism, not shaming or judging and if they push you in healthy ways. It’s really easy to get caught in an abuse cycle of any kind. If you feel unduly browbeaten or putdown, leave, no matter how much “clout” the teacher has.
Of course having an agent who believes in you is a big help too. Make sure they see your potential and are excited about you. And that they have enough contacts to get you seen. Do your research. Ask them what casting directors they work with regularly, what their vision is for you, etc. The proof will be in the pudding–once you sign with them how often are they getting you out? Are they sending you on projects you are interested in? Do they return your calls? Answer your emails? Listen to what you need from them? Same goes for managers.
Remember you are building a TEAM.
Another big part of acting success is having good mental health. If things get rough or they are issues in your life that you can’t sort out with friends, you might want to find a good mental health professional. Therapy can do wonders for us sensitive actor types. It takes a certain personality to be an artist, thin-skinned and this is a thick-skinned profession, so there is no shame in getting help navigating the road to acting success.
Lastly having a good life coach or at least be working on your mindset with podcasts or books or programs can also be a super strong support. If hiring a coach to help with this is currently out of your budget, get a buddy or a small group of friends to work with on boosting your outlook on life, finding stress management skills and success strategies.
Whatever you do, don’t try to go this alone. You don’t have to. Acting in its own nature requires a partner—unless you’re going to just work on monologues forever. So start collecting your crew, get your team together, find your tribe. The super wonderful thing about that is it could blossom into more things—a film production company, a theatre group, a screenwriting strong hold. Who knows what you could churn out and how far you could go!
Keep going! You have the passion to do this!
To find out more about our training visit us at: www.actorsinactionconservatory.com