What if you're not a "career" person?

szam_

Gavin83 wrote: »

I work in IT. Hard to say if this is a hobby or not (I'd probably dabble if I did some other career) but I certainly find certain aspects of IT interesting and on the most part I enjoy my job. There are of course elements I don't enjoy and days I wake up and wish I didn't have to go to work but I do mostly find my job interesting. It also helps that I'm well paid as it allows me to live in a nice flat in London and do the things I want to outside of work.

Saying that, if I were to win £20m on the lottery I would likely leave my job and fill my life with hobbies instead totally on my own terms.

I work in I.T. and can agree with this fully.

kingslayer

Okay, so for example i want to go into acting and directing, but I also understand that to become a paid actor, i would need to attend an accredited drama school in the UK. However, i think this is limiting as this would mean there's no other route into professional acting. So when i speak of narrow minded, this is definitely narrow minded.

I don't believe that careers in the arts sector should be set a limit of having to attend a specific school to train, instead you should be able to pay (out of your own money, no loans) for training at an arts school. I know a lot of people feel that jobs in the arts and media sectors are useless, and to a certain extent, i agree. This is why i feel that people who want to go into careers in arts, should pay out of their own pockets. If i wanted to go to university and study in something other than drama, i wouldn't be able to, as i have already taken out loans for drama school.

I find this is limiting of one's abilities and career prospects. We have all heard how hard it is to get paid work in the entertainment and media industry, so instead, aspiring actors and the such should be able to get a separate education to learn something that is more transferable and useful to the workplace, instead of having to pay for training at one institution and then being unable to study for a plan B due to costs.

I also have other interests that i would like to pursue, such as farming & agriculture, I.T, biological sciences, marketing, life coaching etc, but i don't believe i can study all these things as they all require a set amount of training or experience, which i wouldn't be able to get if i was pursuing my main interest which is drama. I would need finances to allow me to pursue these other career possibilities, so when people say it is possible to pursue multiple interests, i don't believe it. If a doctor wants to become an actor, for example, he/she would need drama school training, so it falls into financial cost, right?

tomtontom

Rather than spending your time asking pointless questions, why not get a reality check? Acting is not the career for a person with anxiety, nor for someone without financial means, so you can cross that off your list. Now go through each of the possible vocations that appeal to you and assess whether you can realistically do them.

Beans27

Hi Kingslayer, with your specific example, this might be interesting for you - my brother has always loved acting and done it with amateur groups whilst working in IT (after doing a law degree at Uni, so no particular straight lines there!).

Last year at the age of 30 he applied to drama school and was accepted, self funded which he saved whilst working. He is now juggling auditions whilst working as a contractor in IT, and has landed his first professional role.

If you aren't sure what to do at Uni or in further education, you don't need to be so hung up on the end goal - I'd suggest something you are interested that will give you a wider skill set than courses with a specific path. Join an amateur dramatics group and build up your portfolio that way, you never know who you might meet or where it will lead do.

Personally, I did Marketing at Uni and now work in Marketing, but I have plenty of transferrable skills if I wanted to do something else.

suicidebob

Why not just get any job instead of living in dreamland?

You could go from KFC (farming and agriculture) to Superdrug (medicine) to Cineworld (directing, acting, popcorn making) all in the space of a few months.

Elfbert

I think you're the one being very narrow minded! I know three actors, two of whom have been in prime-time TV drama, one of them went on to act in films etc. too, as well as more award-winning prime time dramas. The other now does stage work and some plastering when the acting doesn't pay! The third has only done commercials so far, but who know what's to come?

Point is, NONE of them went to drama school. They all did amateur theatre and other things - such as singing, dancing, working in holiday camps and cruise liners, as well as joining local drama clubs and getting experience that way.

All paid their own way to do that. All whilst holding down various other jobs when money was tight. If you want to do it - and have the talent - it is possible. But you have to go for it 100% and take the knock-backs, learn from experiences, listen to advice from others, and not give up.

TBH, those don't sound like qualities you have. But I hope you prove me wrong.

pinkduvetdiva

to become a paid actor, i would need to attend an accredited drama school in the UK. However, i think this is limiting as this would mean there's no other route into professional acting.

I'm sorry OP, but this isn't true at all. Take the case of the late Buster Merryfield, who played Uncle Albert in Only Fools and Horses. He was an amateur actor and director, who went pro at 57 years old - after 40 years working in a bank!
You don't have to go to a specialist drama school to become an paid actor, or a music school to become a paid musician. You just have to be very good at what you do. Of course, being very good at what you do doesn't necessarily mean that anybody is going to pay you, but it helps!
OP, it really does sound to me like you're in need of some direction. Maybe as well as considering the things that you're interested in, you could have a look your own personal strengths and skills. Good luck, and don't give up!

Armorica

What on earth makes you think you have to go to an 'accredited drama school' ?

Of course you can follow multiple interests. Do your research. Find some individuals who have had interesting careers and read their biographies/career paths.

http://www.keele.ac.uk/ugcourses/english/#tabs-1
http://www.keele.ac.uk/ugcourses/filmstudies/
http://www.keele.ac.uk/ugcourses/mediacommunicationsandculture/

are three relevant degree subjects, they can all be combined with a diverse range of other subjects (click on the combination tab)

FBaby

The problem with becoming a paid actor is that you take so much bashing in the way, you need to be very strong mentally and extra confident of your ability. That is not you.

Jitterbug123

This seems to just another one in a long list of things you've decided you want to do.