3 Questions

I get a lot of email from actors asking whether they should move to New York City or Los Angeles (or other big production center).

Here's the short answer for most actors:

Stay where you are. If you don't know where you need to start, then I can't help you -- and neither can anyone else. Those who are ready to go -- know where they should be going.

It's also important to realize that just being in the same city where actors are being hired is no guarantee that you will become one of those actors. And there are a few other reasons:

First, moving itself is a major life change. It can be very disrupting. It can take months (in some cases, years) to get settled into the rhythm of a big city.

Unless you are set financially, moving usually means finding a "day job" as well as a place to live. This can be a challenging task under the best of circumstances -- made more difficult by your quickly dwindling savings. Often people who move to the big city struggle just to survive, much less establish an acting career.

Secondly, I want to stress that although I think almost any dedicated, tenacious actor can have a successful acting career -- it is not something that can be accomplished because of where you are, but because of what you think. If you think that all it takes is to be in the right place -- I urge you to think again.

One of the most serious mistakes made by actors who want to get going in their career is moving to the "big leagues" before they've tested their skills where they are. If you have not managed to become a "big fish" in your small pond, then you may have some work to do before you swim on over - into the big pond.

Tom Hanks established his acting credentials in a small college town in California, Oprah became the biggest name in Detroit before we ever heard of her, Robin Williams made a living as a performer on the streets of San Francisco before he came to Hollywood. In fact, most of the successful actors you have ever heard of started their "careers" in a small town or city.

Don't be put off by this advice. No matter where you live, you can begin to test your skills. I urge you to read all you can, familiarize yourself with the skills that are needed to have a career in the acting profession, do all you can where you are to hone your acting "chops."

If you must come to LA or New York, be sure that you have a good plan of action, a full tool set and the ability to compete at the highest level. These are not good places to learn the basics. You can do that where you are. I urge you to take the time to do so. Learn all you can. Save your money. Do as many shows as you can.

About 100 people a day come to LA with the dream and a few thousand dollars. Most of these stories do not end happily - at least in the short term. Believe me, a bad year in Atlanta or Denver is not much fun - but a bad year in New York, LA, London, Toronto, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Sydney, etc. can be devastating.

Think. Plan. Do.

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Another actor wrote to tell me that she would never use the word 'dream' again with regard to her acting career. "It's not a dream," she assured me, "it's a goal."

Here's what I wrote back:

Dear _______

"A dream is a wish your heart makes."

This is a perfect definition of the word "dream" in our sort of usage. "This is my dream" rather than "I had a dream last night." I think the word dream is a great word for our (actors') particular concerns. It's a "code" word, if you will -- one that is not shared by 'civilians.'

My biggest advocacy with regard to acting is to find out quickly whether you love it or not. One of the signs that you love it, is the vividness of your "dream."

As you sit and think about (dreaming while awake) what you want to accomplish (the goal), your dream ability will contribute greatly to a "plan of action."

Dreaming also allows you to totally define the "goal" by picturing all of the benefits of success. The more vivid the dream becomes, the closer you are to really taking the steps that lead to its realization.

Don't avoid the dream -- it is a tool you can use to reach your GOAL.