I’m based in London & in my 60s and have found the last few months both exhilarating and frustrating. Having my work diary suddenly empty was awful. No income and I know I’m not the only one in that position. But when I realised how fortunate I was in so many ways I decided that this was an opportunity to learn new skills and develop others.
Self taping is something that I have to accept. It’s not going away so I have embarked on self tape challenges, tweaked my filming and editing skills and met some great fellow professionals.
I miss live theatre so much and it will return but until then I am going to adapt and make sure that I’m ready when casting for ‘the role of a lifetime’ comes up.
I’m interested to find out if any others have had to adapt and, if so, how you’ve managed it.
Hi! I’ve had to adapt to having so much extra time. Not only with no acting jobs, but my part time job was promoting Broadway shows...also on hold now. I’ve always had a busy schedule, growing up a dancer. Always busy with school and dance classes. And my adult life has always been busy. I’m not used to having so much free time. I’ve kept my acting muscles in shape with taking classes, reading scripts online with acting friends, and I even shot a socially distant horror feature. But it has been an adjustment. One thing that has been nice is getting to those things on the to-do list I usually wouldn’t have time to :-)
Hey, Kait! Thanks so much for sharing - you are definitely not alone! I had started to jump on sets here in LA when COVID happened. Did you watch the SAG-AFTRA video I posted in this lounge? He talks about adjusting to self-taping.
My horror trailers in Spain and Ireland were cancelled this year and next year my first time directing in USA also on hold due to covid. I’m now putting time in writing for Animation as even big studios now demand this genre. Transmedia was the way forward even before covid and much more so now. Never before have we lived in an era where so much free worldwide publicity/distribution is available, albeit I suggest use it wisely. I have not done live performance for some years, if I was acting now I’d build up an interactive website with a really special look. (Some web options are free/trial/budget). Then there is podcast, blog and social media exposure. There is also an emerging trend of Audio Drama eg Alexa. “Live living” is on hold yet we can all get out an “eco system” of content for whatever our skills are and hopefully reap some gains. I am also learning interactive web pages to include voice over, cartoon, actual film clips and audio. The “Virus” has forced us to think Alinea and begin new trains of thought, artists are “Down but Not Out.”
I have learned to love self-taping after my initial fears of it. It's great to announce to my wife/reader/camera operator 'We have an audition!'. I feel as if she is more connected to what I do, now. On the other side of things, however, I have done about 20 in the past few weeks and haven't gotten 1 role. I hope that something isn't working with what I'm doing.