I want to pursue professional acting, but it's a financial risk! Any advice?

CC-Warrior

If you don't try you'll never know. I met someone recently who sold his flat and ploughed 70k of his own money in to a new bar/restaurant, only for it to fail 9 months down the line. Sure he's disappointed, and is now homeless and jobless, but he still doesn't regret trying.

If all the people in 'dream jobs' - acting, music, stand up comedy, TV presenting, etc, had taken the advice of naysayers and never even tried... Having said that, it can take years of hard work to achieve success, so don't expect things to happen overnight.

Are there any theatre groups you can join, or any local drama/acting courses without having to go to London?

kingslayer

morganedge wrote: »

You sound a bit like me, lol.
Maybe our shared history of anxiety/depression has shaped our lives in similar paths, somewhat.
It's not easy when you are completely clueless as to what you want to do or where your skills/strengths (if any) lie.

I also took a college course (IT) after my GCSEs that I wasn't particularly interested in when I was younger which was probably a waste of time.
It was 'do a college course or get a job'. Didn't have a clue what job to go for, so did a GNVQ in IT to just keep parents etc off my back.
I've just been doing warehouse/factory jobs since then, but have been unemployed for a good few months now, living off savings.

I also like you're idea about living in the mountains (although not for only 'a few weeks'!). I don't want to top myself, but I don't really want to live in the world that I know any more. I feel like i'm not 'meant' for it.

I'd say that getting into acting through extras work / classes etc would be good, but alongside a job/career with the hope that maybe it can one day become your career. Don't think it's wise to jump in with both feet, really.

The radiography thing; I could be wrong, but I guess that would require good GCSEs including science, and then A-levels, and then a university degree? That's like 5 years+ of study? I guess you'd need to be extremely dedicated/passionate, whereas it sounds like your true passion lies in acting(?)

Are you working at the moment?

Yeah, I think i've answered a question of yours before lol. Two peas in a pod, eh? :beer:

Well, I believe that studying for radiography would only require a good grade in an access course, which is a pre-university course that is a one year intensive A level course.

You're right, though. In my mind I'm thinking about acting a lot, but I just don't know. I do want a stable career, but acting is something i think about doing.

I'm not working at the moment, but I'm hoping to find something soon. I am going to start searching for volunteering opportunities in the area next week so i can get out of the house and start doing something active.

tomterm8

kingslayer wrote: »

Well, I believe that studying for radiography would only require a good grade in an access course, which is a pre-university course that is a one year intensive A level course.
.

Maybe read http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1706123 ?

For what it's worth, I think radiography is a somewhat risky choice unless you have experience working in the NHS...

kingslayer

tomterm8 wrote: »

Maybe read http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1706123 ?

For what it's worth, I think radiography is a somewhat risky choice unless you have experience working in the NHS...

Why do you say that?

tomterm8

kingslayer wrote: »

Why do you say that?

It is very highly competitive. You have to do an access course, get a very high mark (a distinction) to have a chance of getting onto a degree. The degree courses are very competitive.

SO... pass the access course and there's no guarantee that you will get offered a place on a degree.

If you get offered a place on the degree there is no guarantee that you will pass it.

If you do not pass it with a decent (2:1) grade, it's unlikely you will get a good job.

I didn't do a radiography degree, I did a software engineering degree. More than 50% of the people on my course failed in the first year. I don't know what the percentage pass rates for Radiography is, but I suspect that it is a difficult course...

Degrees today cost a lot of money, as well as a lot of time.

So... do you see why I say it's a risk? You might end up owing 20k by the end of the course without passing the degree with a good enough grade to get the job. If you pass the degree without the experience in the NHS you don't even know whether this is a job that you will enjoy, and you will be competing against people WITH contacts in the NHS.

melysion

Pretty much anything worth doing is a risk. Playing it safe generally doesnt get you very far.

tomterm8

melysion wrote: »

Pretty much anything worth doing is a risk. Playing it safe generally doesnt get you very far.

But if you're going to take a risk you'd better know (as far as you can ) what it is, and better be sure the reward is worth the risk.

Callie22

My partner works in the film industry. Of all of the actors he knows, there are none who make a consistent living from acting. Even those who have 'made it' and got a job in a pretty major film have ended up 'resting' a few months later. If you have an absolute burning desire to act then go for it ... but if you also have a burning desire to have a regular income and a 'normal' life (i.e. buying a house etc etc) then it's possibly not the right career for you. You will have to do other jobs while you wait for the acting jobs to come. You also need to be mentally very, very tough to stand up to the constant rejections, because there will be many more of those than there will be jobs.

Bantex_2

I do wonder how anxiety and depression would fit in with trying to start an acting career.

Did know a few actors who were doing things like chugging and door to door sales just to pay the rent.

Could you face that type of thing as it can be similar to the cut throat world of acting?

Lioness_Twinkletoes

CC-Warrior wrote: »

If you don't try you'll never know. I met someone recently who sold his flat and ploughed 70k of his own money in to a new bar/restaurant, only for it to fail 9 months down the line. Sure he's disappointed, and is now homeless and jobless, but he still doesn't regret trying.

Codswallop. No one would not regret the loss of £70k and their home - not to mention losing their dream.