On this Memorial Day 2012, there is nothing more professional than the countless numbers of men and women who gave (and continue to give) their lives for our country. These individuals understand the necessity of preparation, training, service and determination. These great men and women also harbor a deep sense of PASSION in every sense of the word. Most people see passion and immediately think "love" or some off shoot of lust. The etymology of the word comes from the Latin word "passio" which is directly translated to mean "to suffer." Looking at passion in the original origin of the word frames many of its contextual uses in a new light. Passion at its roots, really has nothing to do with a burning sense of love: but actually a love for something or someone that is almost painful. Our veterans understand this suffering, this deep seated sense of love at all costs, and it is this same passion that actors need to tap into.
We need to have more than a basic love for our craft. We need to be willing to suffer for it. Think of the thousands of actors that struggle each day to make ends meet just to make it from one audition to the next. Good friend John Pallotta talked extensively in an intensive I hosted a few years ago about having literally to choose between "keeping the lights on and paying rent or paying for acting class with Hagen." Contrary to what the layperson thinks about the entertainment business, it is not all glitz and glam. It is hard work, sweat, tears and an ample amount of suffering. Marci Liroff (hat tip Peggy Archer) shared a great article written by Gavin Palone this past week and I was struck by how strenuous and lengthy a professional creative's day can truly be. When I read that, it is evident that the work and long hours are achieved because of hard work and passion for one's craft.
I was fortunate enough to have the legendary Casting Director Marci Liroff share her invaluable insight on passion with me recently:
"I don't equate passion with suffering and I don't believe you have to suffer to become a great artist. This is a myth that we continue to perpetuate with phrases like 'starving artist' and 'struggling actor.' Maybe rather than 'suffer' I think of 'sacrifice.' I like to concentrate of the joy of performing rather than suffering/sacrificing. If you're in the joy zone, you're on the right track."
Marci (as usual) speaks the truth here. Acting need not be all about the hurt and pain. It should be about the pleasure and excitement that we feel while we work as creatives. If acting is only about the suffering only, I've found that people become frustrated and skeptical of it because of this negative stigma. I work with young actors who spend more time fighting the concerns and disdain from their parents and friends about becoming an actor because of things like: "it's not a reliable profession" or "You need to find a real job." Why isn't acting considered a real job? Maybe it's because so many talk down about it. We need to tap into and lock on to that joy and fervor that got us hooked when back we first set foot on that stage or entered into that casting session.
If you've spent any time in the business from LA to NYC, and everywhere else and in between, we all know that there is suffering, frustration, pain, failure and hardship in the business of acting. No doubt about it. But our passion for what we do needs to be at the very core of what we do. We go to work everyday because we love it, even knowing that there are shortcomings and moments of suffering (see auditioning, etc.). I think that this refers to the "joy zone" that Marci was speaking about in her quote about passion.
As a teacher, I understand that not all my actors will retain everything that I teach them and I am never guaranteed full houses for productions and class sessions. At the end of the day, my love and desire for acting and communicating to young actors is what drives me and allows me to understand and accept the "suffering." I accept the "suffering" as a part of my work, but I don't let it define me. It just comes with the territory. The joy and satisfaction of acting and teaching is what really keeps me going.
In terms of young actors in my audition room, I look for a sense of love and dedication to performing their sides. I love it when an actor comes in and pours their heart out onstage for 3-5 min. There is an almost eerie confidence that exudes when we allow ourselves to suffer in front of another. What gets my attention is not the pain, or heartache in the performance, it is in the joy and love they have for the role that they are portraying. In many respects, our passion for acting is shown when we allow others to see into the deepest parts of ourselves in our performances.
Part of being a professional hinges upon our ability to persevere through adversity and do it with a sense of grace and humility. We hopefully all love what we do as creatives, but are we willing to experience the valleys as well as the peaks? No actor, no citizen can truly understand the passion of a soldier. But perhaps their loss, there fervent love of country and cause is a perfect analogy to the life of a creative.
Want to be a professional? Want to be considered a professional? Be PREPARED, PUNCTUAL, and PASSIONATE about what you do.
On Twitter? Follow:
@actorwhisperer (John Pallotta)
@marciliroff (Marci Liroff)
@benhodgestudios (Ben Hodge)
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