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Bob Bergen · 05-11-2008, 12:26 PM

Hey Bryn!

First of all, let me start by saying you are completely normal in your confusion.

That's the good news! ;-)

I'm about to confuse you some more!! >;-)

What I usually tell folks who wonder if they should throw in the towel or not, is to throw in the towel. This business is WAY too hard for those who don't love every aspect. The ups, the downs, the auditions, the near misses, the investments, the awards, the failures, the reinvention, etc.

NOW-that said, about once a year I go through the, "Should I just throw in the towel? This just isn't doing it for me." I usually go through this funk when things are financially at their best, and work is in abundance.

It's those times I realize that this business isn't the end all when it comes to happiness in life. Sure, it's a blast, and I'm blessed to be able to make a living at what I love doing.

But it doesn't define us, and it shouldn't be what instigates one's happiness.

What I usually have to do at this point is, reinvent. Creatively, I'm bored. I look into a new genre of VO to work on. I do a play, or my one man show. I just need a new creative fix.

Now-going back to you. You are having more trouble being real on the mic? Characters are easier? Welcome to the club! I was in VO classes for 4 years straight, hearing my instructors say "be real" or "go less charactery." Charactery was my comfort zone. It's what I was good at. I didn't want to waste my time being "real" when:

1) I wasn't very good at it

and

2) It wasn't as fun.

But the VO business is 90% commercials. If I was going to even be able to pursue animation I had to conquer commercials, and learn to be "real."

SO-off to acting class I went. For 2 solid years, twice a week. Hated it for the first 9 months. I talked to my instructor about quitting. He asked me to stay with it through the first year. After the first year, if I still hated it then I should quite.

I stuck with it. By the end of the 11th month I got it!!! It made perfect sense, and I was then able to apply what I learned in year 2.

THEN, I went back to VO classes. And I was able to apply what I learned there. And I TOTALLY got it! And I found that I could be handed any piece of commercial copy and give a believable, competitive read. It was exhilarating!

SO-what should you do??

I don't know. Only you can answer this.

I will tell you that if making money is what you think will make you happy, it won't. Because as soon as you start making money, you'll feel absolutely the same. And you'll think making MORE money will be the answer. And you'll make it. And you'll be in the same place. OR, you'll be making a great living and a strike will get in the way of your momentum. OR, you'll get to a point where you are at the top of your field with your current agent and it's time to find another to take you to the next level.

For those who think this is a great problem to have, guess again. You never know if the grass will indeed be greener on the other side.

But as I've said before, you get no where without the risk/gamble.

SO-back to Bryn. What are your options? Are you happy with your coach? Is it that your coach is great but you are investing more time being down on yourself than being proactive and growing? Do you need to incorporate acting technique? If funds are tight, welcome to the world of being an actor. Unless you come from a lot of money, funds are always tight for those of us in the training period of our journey. But if it's meant to be, you'll do it. Everyone who has that burning desire does. I did. I had to. I worked the day job, and every other job I could find to pay for my acting habit. I call it a habit because, just like drugs, you crave it. You need it. You need that fix. I worked as a tour guide at Universal for 5 years. I was a mall Santa for many years. I took any odd job I could to pay for my habit.

I had to. I had no choice. it was an obsession.

Is it an obsession for you????

If so, you'll do it.

You will always have doubts. You'll doubt if you'll get more auditions. You'll doubt if your read is what the buyer wants.

Those doubts are out of your hands.

But if you doubt your talent, but the habit fix outweighs the doubt, do something to get that fix.

Then, enjoy the journey!!!!

05-11-2008, 12:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
Bob Bergen User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 251	Hey Bryn! First of all, let me start by saying you are completely normal in your confusion. That's the good news! ;-) I'm about to confuse you some more!! >;-) What I usually tell folks who wonder if they should throw in the towel or not, is to throw in the towel. This business is WAY too hard for those who don't love every aspect. The ups, the downs, the auditions, the near misses, the investments, the awards, the failures, the reinvention, etc. NOW-that said, about once a year I go through the, "Should I just throw in the towel? This just isn't doing it for me." I usually go through this funk when things are financially at their best, and work is in abundance. It's those times I realize that this business isn't the end all when it comes to happiness in life. Sure, it's a blast, and I'm blessed to be able to make a living at what I love doing. But it doesn't define us, and it shouldn't be what instigates one's happiness. What I usually have to do at this point is, reinvent. Creatively, I'm bored. I look into a new genre of VO to work on. I do a play, or my one man show. I just need a new creative fix. Now-going back to you. You are having more trouble being real on the mic? Characters are easier? Welcome to the club! I was in VO classes for 4 years straight, hearing my instructors say "be real" or "go less charactery." Charactery was my comfort zone. It's what I was good at. I didn't want to waste my time being "real" when: 1) I wasn't very good at it and 2) It wasn't as fun. But the VO business is 90% commercials. If I was going to even be able to pursue animation I had to conquer commercials, and learn to be "real." SO-off to acting class I went. For 2 solid years, twice a week. Hated it for the first 9 months. I talked to my instructor about quitting. He asked me to stay with it through the first year. After the first year, if I still hated it then I should quite. I stuck with it. By the end of the 11th month I got it!!! It made perfect sense, and I was then able to apply what I learned in year 2. THEN, I went back to VO classes. And I was able to apply what I learned there. And I TOTALLY got it! And I found that I could be handed any piece of commercial copy and give a believable, competitive read. It was exhilarating! SO-what should you do?? I don't know. Only you can answer this. I will tell you that if making money is what you think will make you happy, it won't. Because as soon as you start making money, you'll feel absolutely the same. And you'll think making MORE money will be the answer. And you'll make it. And you'll be in the same place. OR, you'll be making a great living and a strike will get in the way of your momentum. OR, you'll get to a point where you are at the top of your field with your current agent and it's time to find another to take you to the next level. For those who think this is a great problem to have, guess again. You never know if the grass will indeed be greener on the other side. But as I've said before, you get no where without the risk/gamble. SO-back to Bryn. What are your options? Are you happy with your coach? Is it that your coach is great but you are investing more time being down on yourself than being proactive and growing? Do you need to incorporate acting technique? If funds are tight, welcome to the world of being an actor. Unless you come from a lot of money, funds are always tight for those of us in the training period of our journey. But if it's meant to be, you'll do it. Everyone who has that burning desire does. I did. I had to. I worked the day job, and every other job I could find to pay for my acting habit. I call it a habit because, just like drugs, you crave it. You need it. You need that fix. I worked as a tour guide at Universal for 5 years. I was a mall Santa for many years. I took any odd job I could to pay for my habit. I had to. I had no choice. it was an obsession. Is it an obsession for you???? If so, you'll do it. You will always have doubts. You'll doubt if you'll get more auditions. You'll doubt if your read is what the buyer wants. Those doubts are out of your hands. But if you doubt your talent, but the habit fix outweighs the doubt, do something to get that fix. Then, enjoy the journey!!!!