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I’ve been a spy on the wall in a friend’s voice-over Facebook coaching group ever since he automatically made me a member. I mostly hover in the background but have become interested in some of the questions his aspiring voice actors ask. One person wondered if he should quit acting altogether because he didn’t know if he was good enough to make it past the hobby stage.
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I feel it is my mission as a voice actor for decades, to tell the truth, which is, no matter how successful you become, you will ALWAYS doubt if you are good enough. It comes with the territory of being an actor. Almost every performer on Earth doubts his or her abilities. However, you can’t let that stop you. Instead, learn to work through it if you want to succeed.
Still, you must be practical
Building a career as an actor of any type is hard. The business is unpredictable and unforgiving, and there is not much loyalty. Even your best friends will pass you over at some point in your career. You will experience career obstacles along the way and must be prepared to deal with them.
During the last decade, a swarm of young people entered the business. I’m not complaining, because that’s a natural progression in the acting profession. There will always be new people, and older ones will get set aside. This is particularly true for women because there are significantly fewer female roles.
My point is you MUST have other sources of flexible, and preferably passive income to sustain your career. That doesn’t mean you must wait tables or work as an office temp. There are money-generating opportunities online that will allow you to work flexible hours and live in the style you desire. Some are scams but many are legit.
Young actors often feel they must dedicate themselves completely to their work. That’s fine if you live at home with your parents, married a rich spouse, or received an inheritance. But, for most of us, it requires some sacrifice.
Being adaptable and resilient is the key to survival as an actor
If you have mental issues, are easily depressed, or are fragile emotionally, I do not recommend you pursue a career in acting. Sorry, but that’s the truth. If you cannot adapt, the challenges you will endure it will knock you to your knees.
I believe moving 28 times in my life has helped me become adaptable. But adaptability is also something that has to be ingrained into your soul. Successful and well-balanced actors with long careers do not fear change and can handle rejection, a lack of work, pandemics, the death of loved ones, and much more.
Success as an actor takes more than talent
There are insanely talented actors out there who are homeless and others who never get a break no matter what they do. Some feel it is beneath them to deal with the business of acting and never take the time to educate themselves.
As “artistic” as you may feel, you must hone your business skills in addition to your acting chops. That means networking, showing up on time, being sober, meeting deadlines, having technical expertise, and setting goals.
You also have to be strategic. Some actors think they are working on their “business” when they aren’t. They spend all their time taking endless classes from mediocre teachers, making demos when they are not ready, or socializing online with friends rather than with those capable of teaching or hiring them. I’m just as guilty as anyone of not optimizing my results.
Actors have always been thought of as prostitutes
Yes, I really wrote that.
As long as actors have been on stage, they have been perceived as low-born and shady. Shakespeare’s troupes may have entertained nobility but after a performance, the nobles thought them no better than harlots and didn’t invite them to socialize with society. This was especially true for women, who were banned from the stage for a time.
Louie XIV may have hung out with Moliere but his actors hung out in brothels. King Edward VII had his way with Lillie Langtry and Sarah Bernhardt but went home every night to Queen Alexandra. The first actor given the title of a knight was Henry Irving in 1895 and he ended up dying penniless.
Even now, parents shudder when their children tell them they want to be actors. They worry they will struggle financially or get involved with people who will exploit them. They tell their kids to get a “real” job instead. I dissuaded my kids from becoming actors. They both have great jobs and I don’t have to worry about them. They worry more about me.
Did you know that when actors attend events with other industry guilds, they are admitted last? I attended many events at the Television Academy with a member and saw my fellow actors standing in separate lines to get into screenings. That’s because the industry knows actors are lucky to work at all.
It doesn’t help when actors prostitute themselves by working $5 or non-union gigs which hurts all of us as a whole.
But, acting is fun, and we are passionate about it
Once the acting bug has bitten you, you get hooked.
So, how do you keep from feeling you are not good enough?
First, realize you have a unique gift to share. You may not realize this until you are cast in the right role which can be hit or miss.
I was fired only once as a voice actor, which is an awesome record. Still, it made me feel horrible. But, it didn’t happen because I lacked talent. The role I was cast in wasn’t in my vocal range. As an older actor, casting directors assume I can play characters my age. However, some 20-year-old actors can play older roles much better than me.
Should I have wallowed in pity because I got fired? Hell no! Even celebrities get fired sometimes. All an actor can do is jump back in the pot and keep working their business.
Do not depend on the work you are doing now to keep you going forever
You may be playing leading roles and working every week, but guess what? There may come a time when that work dries up and you can’t pay your rent.
Unless you are a star or have a 20+ year gig, it’s hard to make a living as a voice actor.
Why do you think “successful” voice actors teach classes, direct, write, and sell autographs at conventions? They are doing it to pay their rent and buy food.
Even if you receive big residual checks, they dwindle if you have to stop working for any reason. Can you imagine what it is like for actors who do non-union work and never receive residuals?
Develop, create, or conjure up other sources of income that will keep flowing over time to sustain you
I decided long ago that writing ADR scripts and directing was not for me. I adapted scripts for 10 years but it was torture. Being stuck in a dark room for hours directing actors wasn’t my idea of fun either. They are both excellent sources of extra income if you enjoy it but I like to play in the sunshine.
Instead, I taught myself skills that allowed me to work online. I started with web design and later created a blogging and YouTube business that I have monetized. I can work from anywhere, set flexible hours, go out into the world to gather content, and my business has very little overhead. It hasn’t made me rich but it gets me over the hump and is fun. I also employ my acting skills in my business.
Blogging allows me to receive invitations to special events, get sent free items to review, connect with amazing people, and promote products and services as an influencer for money using my acting skills. Actors can make a great income as YouTubers or from posting on Instagram and they are still being creative.
For more remote online work that is flexible, click here.
If working online doesn’t excite you, there are other flexible ways to make extra money like being a tour guide, dog walking, Uber or Lyft driving, sitting on a mock jury, day trading, selling real estate, or customer service. Do whatever floats your boat and gives you time to pursue your acting career without all the stress.
Generating passive income is even better
As a blogger, I use an ad network and insert affiliate links into my content. If someone clicks a link and purchases something I have written about I earn a commission without being a salesperson. You can write about your tropical fish hobby and make passive income while you sleep inserting links for fish food.
Here are more ways you can develop passive income streams.
Don’t depend on your spouse to ensure that you have financial security
Both of the men I lived with worked in the film industry. They weren’t actors but were camera operators. My husband died at the young age of 49 from cancer in 2001 but was healthy up until he was diagnosed. He worked on and off mostly doing non-union films.
My late boyfriend worked 40 years straight on film and TV shows including Star Trek Enterprise and Voyager, but was at his wit’s end when his 11-year stint on a popular series ended. He was 60 years old at the time. The financial crisis hit in 2008, he turned to alcohol, retired, and died of cancer in 2020 with little to show for it.
I have female voice actor friends I love who are married to other voice actors. They stay busy and attend conventions together as a couple and I wish them all long healthy lives. But what would happen if their husband died or they got divorced? With more male roles available than females would they be able to make enough income to sustain their lifestyle? Would the conventions still want them to attend without their popular husband? Let’s hope they have sufficient insurance policies in place or other means of income.
I’m telling you this because no one told me when I was young. It may be hard to stomach but it is reality.
Don’t get discouraged and think you are not good enough
My purpose in writing this post is not to discourage you from succeeding as an actor but to give you practical advice based on my experience.
You are good enough if you believe you are. Don’t give up but have emergency resources in place to sustain you so you won’t get depressed. Be discerning about how you spend your money and make sure it will benefit you in the end.
Image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.
