Are You a Happy Actor?

As the end of pilot season nears, let's look at some of the common fantasies of being a "successful actor":

• Land a starring role on a TV show
• Turn your TV success into a successful movie career
• Win lots of acting awards
• Become a rich and famous person that is adored by the public

While some of these items might not be on your acting bucket list, many people want these dreams to come true.  Will achieving these dreams make you a happy person?  How can you tell if you're happy as an actor????

Life beyond acting - Acting is a wonderful way to spend the day but some actors become unhappy with their chosen profession because of a lack of outside interests.  If you just focus on the next audition or roles other actors have landed, you will burn yourself out on any enjoyment of your craft.  Venture outside the acting world by volunteering with a charity or playing sports.  Outside interests in Los Angeles help you "get a break" and appreciate the time you spend on acting more than ever.

Watching other actors - As an actor, watching other actors can help determine if you are happy with your chosen profession.  Do you watch another actor with envy since they got a part you really wanted? On the other hand, do you like to discuss the great work they did? The way you view other actors says a lot about your state of mind.

Time for class - What is your reaction when it's time for an acting class? Are you happy to be going to class?  Do you look forward to supporting your classmates?  If not, are you counting the minutes until class is over and dreading the whole experience? If going to acting class is a chore, it might be time to examine the level of passion you have for your acting career.

Is acting still an adventure - Think about the times your family asked you the dreaded question, "When will I see you on TV and/or a movie?"  This question is asked of almost every actor.  You can give a vague answer or share your adventures with them. Tell them funny audition stories. Describe the casting director and let them know how you stood out from others in the room. Share your Hollywood journey with your family and friends.  You are experiencing moments others can only dream about enjoying!

A thankful feeling - While you might not have landed that big part in the next Marvel movie, you did audition for the role.  That's an opportunity thousands of actors did not get to experience. Take the time to appreciate what you've experienced so far in your career. Keeping the highs and lows in perspective helps you enjoy the journey.

While it might seem obvious, it should be said that being miserable is easy but being happy is better for your daily life.

Are you happy and positive about where you're going or are you worried about what you haven't achieved yet? Are you letting the past drag you down?  

The answer to those questions might help you determine the future direction of your acting career.

This actor seems happy with his acting and comedy careers.

A Recap of (Recent) Life in Hollywood

Instead of focusing on one topic this week, I'm going to do a mixed bag and discuss a variety of "life in Hollywood" events from the last few weeks.

• I was recently approached by a writer, who is also a bestselling author, about doing a profile piece on me. He found my blog and wants to feature me in a magazine article about people who take the unexpected path in life. We are working out the final details and the interview should happen in a few weeks.
• Zach, along with two of his friends, decided it was time to give back to the community. They helped plan and implement a bowling event to raise funds for cancer research. The "Bowling Bash To Strike Away Cancer" raised over $15,000 during the 3-hour event. They served as the red carpet, social media and recruitment chairs for the event. They also helped host the bash and enlisted some of their talented friends to perform as well as serve as the official event photographer and event support. It was nice to see them excited about helping a great cause and work so hard to make the event such a success.

Zach Louis hosting the start of the ceremony.

• I've had a couple of conversations in the last week about turning my blog into a book. In fact, I've spoken with two people from different companies in the past week about writing a book. One of them found me through hashtags I use regularly on social media. The other person found me searching for blogs about acting and Hollywood. I'm in initial talks with them and it's definitely an intriguing idea.
• There was a production crew in our neighborhood last week. I discovered them while taking Doc on his morning walk. The crew asked us to stop for a moment while they finished filming a scene. I was fine with waiting but Doc kept pulling on the leash, When it was finally time for us to pass through the trucks and crew, I noticed Doc had peed on the stack of daily sides left on the ground by the guy who wouldn't let us pass. I smiled at Doc and quickly started walking. My dog knows how to show his displeasure while not messing up the scene being filmed.
• Zach just started his summer vacation from college. On the agenda for this summer? Creating a YouTube channel and its content, writing new stand-up material and testing it around town, guitar lessons, sleeping late, acting classes and auditions. It might be summer break from school but the kid doesn't know how to take it easy. He is determined to create opportunities while waiting for auditions from his agents.

Writing this update reminds me I need to get book proposal samples together for both of the interested parties! I need to review the samples closely because spell check likes to spell "dadager" as "dada get" or "da did ma". Looks like a manual review night ahead of me.

This actor is looking forward to summer fun.