Acting : Coping with daily uncertainty in the Entertainment Industry by Tasha Lewis

Personally, I take the behavior of potential collaborators to be a strong indicator of their ethics - and I act accordingly. If someone isn't being respectful of my time, the time of other people, or the project as a whole, I won't commit. If they're clearly solving problems and acting in the best interests of the production and their cast and crew, then I'm more than willing to work with them to manage their problems.

Someone who thinks I owe them a "yes" is always getting a "no" from me. What else do they think I owe them? I'm not sticking around long enough to find out.

Actors are students of conflict. Always commit to the strong choice, in life as well as in the craft. When good directors see that habit at work... that can sometimes be all the audition they need to see.

Words of experience and wisdom. Actors may need a checklist like most businesses and professions.

I feel the same way - as a writer, I want to be involved as heavily as possible in the transition from page to screen. While the director may the "boss" of the motion picture, I would not hesitate to tell him or her that they are shooting a visual image based on what I wrote, and we would have to compromise to find a mutual agreement.

I took a 30 Day Rewrite Class that outlined how to go from 30 to 1 day rewrite. If you have the right team, it can be done.

yes it can!

I also took a class "What producers want." Throughout the class my Professor Hal and his guest talked about how important it was to be flexible and willing to adjust the script.

It may be a simple mindset, but it works - "benefit of the doubt". I often assume not the worst, and I probably don't know the depths of "the best", but I can at least suspend my frustration long enough to not take it personally.

When I taught my seminars for young people, each time, there were uncontrollable variables. One example is I arrived and the smoke alarm was going off every 15 minutes. I advised the business owner that I would be happy to reschedule. Instead, he asked me to stay and conduct the workshops. I taught 4 with a pause between the smoke alarm until the first responders arrived. He told me I saved the day and the kids (over 100) had fun.

I love this topic, Tasha Lewis! I would love for you to continue the conversation - do the responses prompt another topic for you? If so, you can make a new post that includes a link to this one to keep this one going!

Thank you the kind words Karen. The topics are relevant and timely. I will be happy to continue the conversation.

Include some creative ways you handled any of the topics mentioned above. Many times these stories can provide excellent illustrations during the audition.