I happened to be home alone yesterday evening, so I settled in for a night of binge TV when a familiar face popped up. A young actor I worked with a couple of years ago was leading a new TV series. I was both pleased for them and immediately disgustingly jealous. Almost outraged. It was a strange emotion. Knowing how difficult this business is to crack, I would never begrudge any hard working actor their success, but I couldn’t help draw a comparison to my own career. Why don’t I have a TV series?!! I decided to ignore the fact that we are different ages and genders, and from different countries, and put it solely down to networking. Seemed reasonable.
I wish I could network. I really do. Some people, (usually the ones that get work) have mastered the art of it. They’ve an air about them. One that exudes confidence and charisma. One that is infectious, in a good way, not an Ebola kinda way. I fucking hate those people. It makes it all the more difficult for the anti social and indifferent arseholes, like myself, amongst the profession to get the jobs that these charmers are taking. I touched on it in my last rant, the ability to approach people and strike up a conversation is a valuable tool, but not one that all actors necessarily share. Networking is key to our survival as actors. I can say with absolute certainty that the bulk of my work has come through people I have met, or worked with before as opposed to new castings. With the amount of money invested into projects, productions want to work with people they trust. People they already know can do the job. So, if you’re not a marketable name, or a valuable commercial commodity to the project, the only thing that really separates you from the other thousand or so actors that fit your casting type, is who you know.
I appreciate, this isn’t rocket science. I’m not telling you anything you don’t know, or providing you with that ‘Eureka’ moment where your like, “Wow. It’s all down to who I know. Why didn’t I think of that. I’ll just go and know some more people!!” Ultimately, that’s a really frustrating thing to hear, because I get it, if I was friends with Steven Spielberg or good chums with the leading casting directors, it might make it a little easier to slip into projects more often. The fact is, just by knowing its down to who you know, doesn’t make it any easier to know people.
It’s at this point I realise that I waste a lot of time ‘not networking.’ I began to evaluate how much time outside of working I actually invest into furthering my contact base. I glance up to the screen and watch my former co star, and remember that they had a way about them. I’m not sure the best way to describe it. They had a certain directness and an ability to suss who were the important people on set. They knew who to charm, and whilst cordial with everyone, very quickly formed a clique with the perceived power players. I thought it was brown nosing to the highest degree. A falseness, or arrogance that I have never been interested in. It’s worth pointing out that this person is mostly nice. There was no malice, no dismissive behaviour to anyone else, just an understanding of what and who to pay attention to. Where to feign interest. Personally, it’s a trait that I don’t seem to have. An boldness or desire to force my friendship upon people that could benefit me, and this ultimately led to me never building my own lasting relationship with this person, and in fact, secretly despising the fake behaviour I believed they were clearly displaying. It’s fair to say, we’ve never met up for a drink since we finished the job.
This behaviour must however be admired, as time again you see that it clearly works. I was suddenly aware that my networking skills are so sub par. Don’t get me wrong, over the years I have formed genuine bonds with some very talented and successful people, who fortunately have continued to use me in their projects, but I’m not pushing the boundaries and seeking new contacts. I begin to wonder what it is that I can and should be doing? What exactly does an anti social, belligerent actor, with limited commercial value do to force his way into the phone book of the industries decision makers? Rocking up to theatre shows is a way I guess. But I hate being that guy loitering around the bar area trying to crash a conversation between a casting director and the actor that they came to see. What’s my in? “Hey!! Excuse me. Hi. I am actor too. I wasn’t in this show, but, I’m really good.” It’s probably clear at this point that I’m not great at small talk, but maybe a simple, “Hey, what did you think if the show” would be a better start? I dunno.
I could go to more parties? But I’m too old to be hanging at the bar in some trendy members club on a midweek night, and too married to a normal person to do it at the weekends. Again, what would I actually say or do? I could rely on friends for intros, but I don’t really have many actor friends. Not ones I spend much time with. I like to socialise with normal people as much as possible during my down time. Actors do my head in. Always talking about themselves when we should be talking about me.
It all draws me to the inevitable conclusion that it’s a lot of effort doing a lot of things I currently don’t want to do. The credits roll on the show and I see my old friends name topping the bill and I think of the doors that are now open to her. I think of the money that she’s about to make. The exciting and rewarding work that she will throw herself into. I open my emails to read through the breakdown for the casting I have the next day. It’s a fringe venue play. It’s badly written. The money is shit. I sigh. Then, I have a moment of clarity. A flash of genius. I pick up my phone and look through the contacts until I find her name. No harm in sending her a little text now is there? I mean, I always liked her. Congratulations drinks are in order. Surely? She can bring all her new powerful buddies and I’ll network the shit out of them. Or something like that.
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