Does Cate Blanchett Ask Herself These Questions? Probably Not.
I think acting is one of the weirdest occupations ever. I really do.
(Aparently weirdest is not a word but for the purposes of this, it is. OK?)
I am constantly asking myself why I am doing it and swinging between unbridled passion and enthusiasm (less of the latter as the years go by) and utter confusion.
I mean, to start, it's make believe. But we frequently take it very seriously. I was sitting around with a group of rather fabulous actors today, a rather fabulous actor/director and a fabulously fabulous actor/writer, discussing the psychology of the scenes and lines and their meanings and the back history and BLA BLA BLA!!!!!! Whilst I also take this very seriously, well perhaps serious is a little bit of a misrepresentation, but I do engage in it and offer insightful, intelligent and hilarious comments whilst throwing up challenging questions and possibilities (as you can imagine)... but I digress - where was I? Ah yes, whilst I also engage in this I am frequently struck with the ridiculousness of it and have to stop myself from blurting out "BAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH. WHATEVER!!!!!!!!!" and running around the room like Ken Bruce with my pants down.
Then there's the whole "career" thing. What a fucken' joke. There are about seven actors in Australia (even though they're in America) making a career out of it. Making a living that is. I frequently hang my head in shame and mumble under my breath that I am an actor because I find it hard to take seriously as a job and even harder to call myself one when I am in fact selling fruit and vegetables or renovating cafes. And I fret and sweat over where my next job will come from, if I will ever work again and if I will ever get a role that I actually like. The only one year of my life where I survived entirely off acting and didn't have to resort to any other jobs was on a job which was probably the lowlight of my acting curriculum vitae and which I was deeply disappointed in and embarrassed of.
Then there's trying to take yourself seriously as you enter stage left and act all real and listen and remain "present" whilst trying to find your light and not bump into the furniture then exit and carry on as you were, returning to your game of sudoku in the dressing room.
Then there's celebrity and fame and I won't even go there cause it's a quagmire and thankfully I don't have to deal with it.
The upside is that when you are a part of a great show/film/(are there any great Australian TV shows? I"m sure there have been) you feel exhilarated. You are telling stories and taking audiences somewhere and WAIT! Please stay with me here! It's true. Acting is entertaining/informative/reflective/challenging/healing... all sorts of fucking wonderful things and, dare I say it, enormously important for us all.
Imagine a world with no TV, theatre, films, satires!
But still. I think I've done one of those in the past five years.
It's weird and wonderful and offensive and exciting and demanding and silly and fun and fucked.
Truth is I never feel wholly myself until I'm doing it.
Favourite thing today: having an acting job.
(I could have gone on forever on this one but I thought I'd keep it brief. Life's too frickin' short.)
(Aparently weirdest is not a word but for the purposes of this, it is. OK?)
I am constantly asking myself why I am doing it and swinging between unbridled passion and enthusiasm (less of the latter as the years go by) and utter confusion.
I mean, to start, it's make believe. But we frequently take it very seriously. I was sitting around with a group of rather fabulous actors today, a rather fabulous actor/director and a fabulously fabulous actor/writer, discussing the psychology of the scenes and lines and their meanings and the back history and BLA BLA BLA!!!!!! Whilst I also take this very seriously, well perhaps serious is a little bit of a misrepresentation, but I do engage in it and offer insightful, intelligent and hilarious comments whilst throwing up challenging questions and possibilities (as you can imagine)... but I digress - where was I? Ah yes, whilst I also engage in this I am frequently struck with the ridiculousness of it and have to stop myself from blurting out "BAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH. WHATEVER!!!!!!!!!" and running around the room like Ken Bruce with my pants down.
Then there's the whole "career" thing. What a fucken' joke. There are about seven actors in Australia (even though they're in America) making a career out of it. Making a living that is. I frequently hang my head in shame and mumble under my breath that I am an actor because I find it hard to take seriously as a job and even harder to call myself one when I am in fact selling fruit and vegetables or renovating cafes. And I fret and sweat over where my next job will come from, if I will ever work again and if I will ever get a role that I actually like. The only one year of my life where I survived entirely off acting and didn't have to resort to any other jobs was on a job which was probably the lowlight of my acting curriculum vitae and which I was deeply disappointed in and embarrassed of.
Then there's trying to take yourself seriously as you enter stage left and act all real and listen and remain "present" whilst trying to find your light and not bump into the furniture then exit and carry on as you were, returning to your game of sudoku in the dressing room.
Then there's celebrity and fame and I won't even go there cause it's a quagmire and thankfully I don't have to deal with it.
The upside is that when you are a part of a great show/film/(are there any great Australian TV shows? I"m sure there have been) you feel exhilarated. You are telling stories and taking audiences somewhere and WAIT! Please stay with me here! It's true. Acting is entertaining/informative/reflective/challenging/healing... all sorts of fucking wonderful things and, dare I say it, enormously important for us all.
Imagine a world with no TV, theatre, films, satires!
But still. I think I've done one of those in the past five years.
It's weird and wonderful and offensive and exciting and demanding and silly and fun and fucked.
Truth is I never feel wholly myself until I'm doing it.
Favourite thing today: having an acting job.
(I could have gone on forever on this one but I thought I'd keep it brief. Life's too frickin' short.)
posted by Darcy at 7:22 PM
5 Comments:
Satire is the best invention since inventions were invented.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
[deleted comment was me - rewording]
You are in the harshest and most hostile job environment out there I know of. But you already know that. I appreciate, admire and envy but it's tinged with some level of sympathy/concern (like watching the Tokyo Shock Boys) for the whole state of things. It's a pity the current Govt does not support the arts like they should.
Let me know when your show gets up and I'll try to organise my geeky friends to go watch it.
ps
not sure if u're interested in these sort of things but the VCA crewing night is in May'ish sometime. Student films, probably no money, but exposure.
VCA crewing night?
I don't understand.
Sorry, Victorian College of the Arts. For the final year, the grads need to produce a 15-20 min short film (for the narrative).
So there about 30-50? short films (some doco, animation, narrative etc..) being made. Dont know who won this year, but last year was a funny one with Madeleine West.
I think the Legally Blonde guy made Titsiana Booberini as part of this.
This was last years.
http://www.vca.unimelb.edu.au/ftv/what/crewingn.html
I helped out on one and the old guy in Lost was in it. I was supposed to give him a ride to the airport but nobody contacted me. I think I got a bad rep now cos of that.
Hope this helps.
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