An Actor’s Job
Jan 19, 2015 10:39 am | Deb Bowman
 I lead a demanding life that is full of turns and twists, curve balls, choices, hard work, highs, lows, utter joy, discipline, courage, risk, peace, love and true heart…true grit…truth…I’m grateful to know what that feels like.
Watching my annual SAG nominated films is always interesting, because I am forced to watch a ton of inspired performances nominated for an award that I must vote on and I have to pack them in within a few weeks to vote by the deadline. I watched Birdman today, and yes Michael Keeton’s performance was quite tumultuous and fierce, yet the film inspired me as a whole…I quite loved Emma Stone’s performance as well.
There must be that one film, that one role that is there for an actor to own. There has to be that truth, that moment, that forces time and space to join and to become one. It is exactly a phone call away. A strange out of town number, you pick up without knowing who it is, and the producer’s voice says across the line, “Deborah This is such and such from the show such-and-such…I’d like to offer you the role of…” or your agent calls and says, “You booked it!” And, for that one moment, you have a little panic, shock, pleasure, fear, joy, pride, or whatever it is; that rush of adrenaline that becomes the fresh inspiring bonus in your life.
That brings me to “our job” as actors. Part of “our job” is to audition. Our job is to prepare, work hard, take risks, make strong choices, behave, be kind, be smart, be flexible, train and get ready for a new turn or twist. Auditioning is a skill and needs to be a refined priority for actors. Often, my students are so focused on the future, the fame, that chance at possibility, instead of making strides to even gets their foot through the audition door.
You have to audition to get the role, you have to make connections in order to be seen, you have to pay your dues to get that chance, you have to work hard to be an prepare and to maintain a life as an actor. When you get the part, that is the dessert, that is the bonus check at the end of the year, that is the reason for all the hard work, but first you have to Audition.
Strong acting choices make a casting director look at you and say, “Wow…this may be our gal/ guy”. Also, always remember, the casting director or director WANT you to be “the one”. They don’t want to waste time, they want you to walk through the door into the audition room and make their choice easy. They want to know that YOU are the actor that can get that dessert made, that you can carry the role that they see you fit for, and that you are the one who ultimately can get “the job” done.
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