Student Blogger: Olivia Mathis

Consistently look through casting breakdown sites, learn new songs that suit you, and figure out what materials you’ll need for auditions coming up soon. Be proud of the work that you put in because even if you get cut or don’t get the role, that work doesn’t go unnoticed.

You don’t need to be a content creator to have effective branding, but you do need performance content accessible to the public while auditioning. Casting agents need to be able to find you online and understand what you do best. When they’re the people determining whether or not you get the job, why not make it as easy as possible for them?

It can be so easy as an actor to get swept up in your identity as an entertainer. In my experience, because I spend so much time and energy on my career, it can be easy at times to forget that I am more than who I am when I’m performing.

Being a part of the audience when you’re an actor helps you better your craft and allows you to live in the joy of what you do by experiencing it from the outside.

But with everything that’s been going on this past month, I find that I’ve been struggling to stay present in my day-to-day life. This month I have had to constantly remind myself to take things one step at a time. It’s so easy to get caught up on what’s next rather than what you’re currently living through.

For most of my high school career, I thought I wanted to attend a four-year university, but I hadn’t considered why I wanted to take that path. When I stepped back and thought about what I truly wanted, none of those expectations ultimately impacted my decision at all. I knew I wanted to be in New York City, but other than that, I just wanted to get the best training I possibly could, 4-year school or not.

I admire the fact that IAMT is untraditional. For instance, because nothing is formally graded, it motivates students to work hard, for no reason other than personal drive. It is one thing to be disciplined enough to get an A in a class, but it is another to learn how to push yourself when there is no immediate gratification for your efforts.

Parents may not be supportive because job stability is so low, so being an actor can be difficult financially. It takes dedication and a lot of perseverance to work in this industry, and this can be a scary pill for protective parents to swallow.

In my experience, restlessness over winter break is caused by the harsh transition from working myself to the bone- to then doing absolutely nothing but relaxing over the holiday break. Because I get used to sprinting from task to task for the last few weeks, resting will feel unfamiliar, even wrong.

It is so easy to think that overworking is the norm. In this industry, we are taught, consciously or subconsciously, that there will always be somebody who is working harder and training more. Comparison is not healthy, but it’s a hurdle every actor has to overcome, and a way a lot of actors cope with this is by overworking to “catch up”.

While participating in theatre can be beneficial as a child, as soon as you transition into pursuing a career in performing, the way you view acting has to shift. This is not to say it can’t still be a passion. In fact, that’s one of the sole reasons so many fight their way into this industry. However, as soon as you start seeking something out for monetary benefit, it certainly isn’t a hobby anymore.

I am eternally grateful to have these wonderful opportunities, but I won’t lie- being pulled in so many directions can be exhausting. The bad news is- there is no magical secret to finally having a perfect work/life balance. I know in my experience, I always feel like there aren’t enough hours in a day. This is why when I feel overwhelmed, I rely on methods that will minimize that feeling.

This semester is dissimilar from any other I’ve had, because as I’m writing about my back-to-school experiences, I’m currently in New Jersey in The Conjuring, playing Cindy Perron with RWS Entertainment. I found out that I would be leaving school to do this job at the beginning of September. As soon as I accepted the offer I quickly switched into thinking about how I would tie up as many loose ends at school as possible.

The concept of not “making it” is understandably terrifying for people who can’t imagine doing anything else but this career. These fears often spiral into comparing yourself with people who are quote-on-quote “successful”, and assuming you’re not talented enough to be like them.