Acting : NO ACTING JOBS? Two Strategic Paths For Actors by Aaron Marcus

Great ideas for when work is slow, Aaron Marcus!

Thank you so much.

You're welcome, Aaron Marcus.

Amazing!

Thank you, Mark. Really appreciate your kind words. As a writer, are there things you do when work is slow?

Aaron Marcus thanks for sharing so generously from your personal experience. I also appreciate your willingness and honesty to share how things are for you right now. That's a great quality and I can relate. I suspect many others can do. Although i'm not searching for acting jobs at the moment, other stuff has been slow. I agree that being pro-active is good and i'm also this week experimenting with 'letting go' a bit instead of 'pushing' ahead/hustling/striving to see how that goes. At the very least it might refresh my energy for when I start getting active again next week.

I tried to find actors for three years on Facebook, but none wanted to be in my new movie Malibu Sunrise. I looked for a Producer to finance it, none emailed me. I wrote my screenplay and registered it with Writers Guild. Only one person asked to read it, and he had listed himself as a Producer but didn't want to Produce it/or finance it. So, now I've decided to do it non--union, and ask actors who have never been in a movie before to email me so I can let them read the screenplay without obligating themselves to be in my feature length movie so as to learn what it is to star in an independent movie.

Thank you all so much for your kind words. I really appreciate and respect your honesty and your willingness to share with others. Alexandra, please let us know how taking a step back works for you. It might be a great idea.

Hi Vic, was this a film under a SAG-AFTRA contract when you couldn't find actors? Can't understand why people wouldn't be interested. Did anyone give you a reason? Getting things produced today is very difficult. That is why more and more people are trying to do more on their own. Want to wish you all the best with this film. Keep us up-to-date with what is happening. Oh, where are you going to shoot your film?

Vic Alexander I"m very surprised to hear this!!! I just took a look at your logline. It says “PG-13 romantic comedy” gives us the rating and genre, but I’d love to get a clearer sense of the central conflict or what makes this story stand out. Maybe something like: “A Malibu tech geek fights for the woman he loves—through a dating game he created—only to find she’s set the ultimate trap: a blind date with him.” Just a thought to help pitch the story’s hook a little more clearly!

Alexandra, wow, you are so sharp and creative.

Great discussion on Stage 32 regarding independent filmmaking. Malibu Sunrise did not find a SAG-AFTRA Producer perhaps because it was not a seemingly high concept screenplay. So I decided to do the movie as a non-union feature film with competent but unknown actors.

As a vested SAG-AFTRA member, I think it is important for everyone to know that just being in the Union doesn't you can act, and just because someone is non-union doesn't mean they aren't talented. There are great non-union actors who have chosen for many reasons not to become a member. Congratulations on making your idea happen. I know how difficult that is and you should be very proud of yourself.

Thank you again. I will attach my screenplay to any actor who want to star in it. All they have to do is email me -- vicalexander37@gmail.com

Super encouraging (yet real) video Aaron Marcus. My daughter is just starting out which makes things tough for those who have little experience. As dad, my job is to encourage her and this gives me even more fuel to do that especially when we all tend to think that it's just us. It's not.

There are always ups and downs in the industry. The trick is learning to not just survive them but get even better and stronger when it happens. You and your daughter should be on my special mailing list. You can sign up at: howtoactandmodel.com

Hope you find some great talent.

Just signed up Aaron Marcus. But I'm not going to lie - I had not seen that scene with you in "A Man Called Otto" so it scared me a little to see a friend falling onto a train track. I just about jumped in after you - which I would.

That is so kind of you, Leonardo. It was an amazing experience having a scene with Tom Hanks. What an amazing actor, but an even nicer person. Thanks for offering to "save me." You are a very kind person.

That means the world to me, Aaron Marcus but you are just as kind. Thank you so very much.