Student Blogger: Olivia Mathis

When I started going to school and developing my craft, I ended up dropping most of the ideas that these acting technique books taught me, but I found myself seeking out something else entirely. A big aspect of the acting technique that I studied in school dealt with breathing and mindset. Because of this, I sought out books that helped the mindset of a storyteller.

I can recall certain instances where actors have bent over backward trying to make themselves available, whether that means calling out of work several times a week so they could attend callbacks or planning their vacations based on when auditions are slow.

Try singing every genre, even the ones that you think are out of your wheelhouse, and get an understanding of what you sound best doing. This isn’t to say that you should never try to sing anything outside of what comes naturally to you, but having an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses will help you as you continue training as a vocalist.

Advocating for yourself helps you understand your worth as you take control of your career. The best part is- you don’t need to rely on anybody else to exercise these habits. In fact, even if you have representation to advocate for you, seeking out opportunities for yourself is still vital.

I imagine that I will magically wake up one day and suddenly something will change. I think that if I could just have more time and ideal conditions, I would get more done. But this is rarely the case. The truth is, there will never be a perfect time to write.

Fear of perception will shut you down as an actor, but the opinions others hold about you are completely outside of your control. What you can control is your pride in your work. A great way to get out of your comfort zone is to make big, confident choices as an actor that you’re proud of, despite how you think it will come across to others.

When you’re not used to sending in auditions virtually, it can be so draining. Even for someone very used to the process, it can also just be frustrating when you feel like you’re sending self-tapes into the void.

Once you have a survival job, you must understand balance. It can be so easy to get wrapped up in the job that is providing you stability, especially when work as an actor gets slow. But you can’t forget the reason you’re working so hard in the first place.

Type can be a tricky topic. While it is important not to put yourself in a box as an actor, it is also smart to understand that sometimes people are going to expect certain things from you based on your appearance, your energy, and how they perceive you.

In order to keep up my daily training, I knew I needed to find a personal routine that I could uphold whether or not I had room in my budget for classes, coaching sessions, and lessons.

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.