A full week of the strike has come and gone. So far I have heard from several actors who are rightfully concerned about the developments, mostly because of the media blackout surrounding the negotiations.
In many cases even bad news is better than no news so many actors have been feeling anxious and uncertain about how this strike will affect the industry in the short term and ultimately how it will affect their careers.
Everyone involved has expressed their desire to come to an agreement that would put this saga behind us but so far that hasn’t happened and there doesn’t seem to be any developments to suggest that an agreement might be close.
Unless you look at the big picture...
It’s easy to look at what’s happening as involving only two dueling parties. On one side there is SAG-AFTRA and its members. On the other is AMPTP and its members.
The truth is the strike has far reaching implications that affect more than just the members of those two organizations.
Nearly everyone that has anything to do with the entertainment industry is being affected somehow, with very few exceptions. The good news is that many of them also carry a lot of influence particularly because they do not support one side over the other.
Instead of just waiting for this ordeal to end, they are actively lobbying both sides and acting as a neutral third party, helping to move the conversations in a productive way.
Whether the strike continues and for how long is something most actors have very little control over. What you can control is whether to spend this time being productive or just waiting it out.
If you would rather be productive instead, here’s a great place to start...
Over the years, I have seen firsthand that many actors don’t understand how the industry really works.
However, the few that do understand it tend to be the ones that have an easier time building a career.
Most actors get caught on the audition hamster wheel because they do very little outside of that.
They go from one audition to the next, hoping that someone helps them get to the next level but they often neglect to spend time on other things to help them build an acting career.
The strike is forcing many of those actors to rethink their approach. With auditions being postponed for the time being, many actors are finding themselves more free time.
Some will choose to wait it out. Others will choose to take an acting class or a workshop, which would be a much more productive thing to do.
However, in order for it to actually have an impact on your career, whatever you choose to do should be different from what you would normally do.
If you default to training when you have some down time, then it may be time to go the networking route.
I talk about this often because it is so widely overlooked and misunderstood. So, if you decide to focus on this during the strike, be sure to do things different than you have in the past.
Most actors love “networking” with other actors but that can only get you so far. Instead focus on connecting with other people in the industry that can help move your career forward.
When was the last time you actively sought out to connect with directors, CDs, producers, or even writers?
Most actors don’t do it very often because it can be very uncomfortable.
For many of them the idea of networking extends almost exclusively to other actors. While that can lead to collaborations and opportunities, most of the time it’s unproductive because actors tend to connect with other actors that are in the same career stage.
To be effective, seek out connections with actors that are farther along in their career. Don’t ask for anything from them, just open the door to having a conversation and if an opportunity exists to work together it will become evident.
The same is true of connecting with CDs and other industry decision makers. They are relentlessly approached by actors who want to use their reputations and opportunities to help their own career.
If you approach them as just another industry person they might get along with and an opportunity exists to work on something together it will become evident.
If no such opportunity exists, then it doesn’t matter how nicely you may have asked.
On the other hand, if you default to networking when you have some down time, it may be a good idea to do some training.
That’s also something you should do differently than what you have done before now.
If you really like to take classes try a weekend workshop. If you focus highly on a certain genre, take a class or a workshop on a different one.
This will help you develop your range of skills and keep you sharp during a time when you are unable to audition or get on set.
You may even want to get a group of industry friends together to watch some of the classics and analyze the performance of great actors.
Training can even involve developing new skills that can be used on set. Special skills are very often written into characters and that can help you stand out during auditions, when they resume.
So, if there is a skill you have been meaning to work on but haven’t yet taken the time to, this just might be your opportunity.
Whether the strike goes on for another week, a month, or longer is ultimately out of our hands. However, for the reasons I mentioned a moment ago, I am very optimistic about it being resolved quickly.
Either way, the actors that will thrive in the aftermath of the strike will be the ones that used the downtime to build their career and develop their talent.
The strike can be an obstacle or it can be an opportunity to do things that can help you differentiate yourself from everyone else.
As much as we may wish for it to be different, the industry does not focus on talent alone when making casting decisions.
That’s not to say that talent is secondary, but it is important to have a well rounded approach to building your career.
I have seen incredibly talented actors struggle to build a career simply because they focused solely on their talent to get in the room, but talent cannot precede you until you have developed a successful body of work.
That’s the point at which the industry knows you can deliver incredible performances and CDs trust that you are up to the task.
As you build your body of work, be sure that your industry reputation matches your goals because it can bridge your talent with your dedication and build trust with CDs and industry decision makers.
Also focus on using a well rounded approach to building your career as the strike goes on and even after it ends.
Actors get into the industry because they love to be on set and everyone is looking forward to the day when that can happen once again.
Even if the strike has been declared over by the time you are reading this, don’t overlook what we talked about today.
It’s how many successful actors have worked on building their career. If you are unsure of how to go about it, leave me a comment below or shoot me an email.
Strike or not, I’m always happy to help however I can because I truly want to...
See you at the top,
.Scott