Yes, we’re actors.
We’re also; servers, baristas, business owners, teachers, fitness instructors, cleaners, gardeners, nannies, receptionists-the list goes on.
We’re some of the MOST adaptable people in the workforce. We’ve had to be. You’ve just never acknowledged us
@RishiSunak
Living in London, trying to be an actor, figuring out how to pay your bills, making it to your day job, working on maintaining good mental health and attempting have a social life:
“I used to work as a cleaner and I loved that job, but I did imagine this quite a lot”
It’s 6.30am and I’m on a tube going to my pay the bills job with my soup on my lap and my dreams tucked away - but this helped.
Long live Olivia Coleman ❤️
Reminder...
You still have value when you:
-Are not in an acting job.
-Don’t have an agent.
-Haven’t written a “pleased to announce tweet” in ages. Or ever!
-Aren’t getting many auditions.
-Don’t have anything “coming up.”
You. Are. Still. Valuable.
Today I received a rejection email from a 1st round audition, for a huge production who must have seen loads of us. They said something nice. It made a huge difference to my mental health and well-being whilst deep in the pit of resting.
#yesorno
matters. Thank you, good guys ❤️
Meghan Markle sharing her truth...”She’s an ACTRESS this is an ACT!”
Woman arrested at vigil, someone discovers she’s an actor...”She’s an ACTRESS! This is STAGED! The government PUT HER THERE!”
What, and I cannot stress this enough, the fuck. are people on about.
Hey hun, I’ve seen you’re looking for some flexible part time work that fits around acting - do you want to be your own boss ? You’d be amazing! Lovely team and great perks! 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩
Oh good. I’d almost forgotten that absolutely anyone can act and it’s a nice little hobby for famous people to dip in and out of as they please. Thanks for the reminder!
This is a tough time for EVERYONE who works in theatre but we’d like to shoutout jobbing actors working Front Of House. FOH employees work the same, or longer, hours than those on stage for a fraction of the pay whilst watching their peers on stage doing the job they love.
Happy “long weekend” to all the actors who are either:
a) Working in theatre and therefore a long weekend doesn’t exist
Or
b) Not ‘actor working’ and therefore working in jobs like hospitality where, again, long weekends don’t exist.
🤪
YOU ARE ALL TROOPERS!!!💪🏻
#98GRADVICE
Your talent is NOT measured by:
-How many agents offer you representation
-Your follower count
-The length of your CV credits
-How often you tweet that you’re “pleased to announce”
-How many auditions you get
Your worth and validity do not come from these things!
I keep seeing castings for commercials with £200-£600 buyouts and I’m NOT. HERE. FOR. IT.
I wrote this in a fb group and thought I’d also share it here.
I’m not an agent or a lawyer but this is what I’ve gathered from years of commercial/casting experience...please be savvy!
Waitress
Promo brand ambassador
Perfume sprayer
Front of house usher
Princess party leader
Babysitter
Teacher
Barmaid
Nanny
Tutor
Gardener
Still an ACTOR.
Only 2 in 100 actors won’t have a list like this.
#MyOtherJobs
#FuckOffMirrorCeleb
@MirrorCeleb
Just a public THANK YOU to the casting directors/industry folk around the world offering their time for actors right now. 🙌🏻👏🏻 They don’t have to but they are. Even more amazing is that it’s becoming a new normal. But with that, frustrations are rising and so are expectations...
A.I. actress Erica has been cast in the lead role of new $70 MILLION sci-fi movie, ‘b.’
Erica was created from scratch by Japanese scientists to play the lead role. Producers say this is the first film to rely on an artificially intelligent actor.
🔗:
In light of recent conversations we would like to start a chain of working class creatives.
If you work in the entertainment industry, (not just actors!) and identify as working class, please comment below with who you are and what you do!
Let’s follow/uplift w.c voices👇🏻
Headshots, showreel companies, workshops, classes, 1-1’s, networking events, making your own work, premiere tiers…£££
And for what in return? For most; *maybe* a job or two a year?
Sometimes this business feels like nothing but a huge pyramid scheme, with actors at the bottom.
Actor:
*Pays hundreds of £ just to audition for drama schools..
£9,000 a year to train if successful..
Moves to the most expensive city in the country to help with prospects..
Or doesn’t and pays extortionate train fares..
Pays good money for headshots, showreels, voice reels..
The thing about casting directors tweeting things actors do that annoy them is you’ll never see an actor doing the same about CD’s with comments full of other CD’s saying “Not me, not me!! I’m one of the GOOD casting people!”
The perfect example of this industry’s power imbalance
Hello Rufus. We are called 98% because 98% of professional actors earned less than 10k from acting a year and that was BEFORE the pandemic.
How about you and your well paid casting department scratch SLIGHTLY deeper than the same 5 names.
*Spoiler* There’s plenty of talent !
National Theatre director Rufus Norris has warned that a surge in opportunities with streaming platforms including Netflix and Amazon is taking talent away from theatre
London is on lockdown ... our industry is in crisis ... a lot of actor’s mental health will be incredibly fragile ... not the day to be having a pop at anything except Prosecco. Please be gentle and kind to actors in these times. We are all trying our best. Merry Christmas. ❤️🎄
This is absurd, upsetting, rage inducing and it just keeps getting worse. How is this acceptable?? Not only is this stopping sooo many people from being able to enjoy theatre but jobbing actors can’t even afford to see what’s going on in their OWN industry anymore.
When you’re at home for the weekend and have to self tape....Bedroom has been rearranged. Dad’s office supplies have been raided. Mum’s iPad has been hijacked. Sister’s afternoon plans have been put on hold.
#actorslife
#selftape
#sendhelp
I’m in my final week of playing the lead role in a feature film and am spending my one morning off sending out my CV for waitressing jobs. And that, my friends, is the reality behind
#actorslife
. Real life is gonna hit me like a tonne of bricks very soon!!
-A
Just got a self tape request through with a weeks notice. A WEEK!!!! I read the email and then casually WENT FOR A WALK instead of going into a COMPLETE PANIC!!
“What is this feeling, so sudden and new”🧙🏻♀️
Everyone self isolating will be lapping up tv & film/radio dramas/music etc and yet our government want to axe GCSE/A-Level drama & don’t think the arts are a valuable asset to curriculum. Try going 2 days without engaging in anything to do with the arts you dickwad’s I DARE you.
Established actors tweeting things like “so strange to think that I have no idea when I’ll next be in front of an audience/making movies again!”...It doesn’t take a global pandemic for most of us to wonder that day after day 🤣
#the98percent
One of the hard things about being an actor & not having the career you dared to dream about isn’t staying positive or “carrying on.” We do that every day! It’s the fact that, as time goes on, we have to kinda grieve the loss of the career projection we thought/hoped we’d get.
Maya Hawke says her famous parents are nothing to do with her casting in Quentin Tarantino film.
She just told me next time instead of doing her self tape with her Dad, Ethan Hawke, she’s happy to do it with mine, Dave Salt who used to work for BT.
👍🏼
Imagine having a job that, frankly, you wouldn’t be able to do without actors. And then berating those very people. You’d NEVER find actors tweeting such condescending things about other sectors of the industry, which proves the existence of the hierarchy we find ourselves in...
I’m totally over the wording of “ALL-STAR CAST” announcements.
I get it. But. I’d get just as excited watching a show full of unknown faces having the time of their lives, especially now! Announcements, and performers, are valid and exciting whether they’re “stars” or not!
98% of actors don’t earn their main source of income from acting. NINETY EIGHT PERCENT!! An actor having another job is NOT NEWS...Unless you’re writing an article on how dedicated/hard working actors are by working towards a goal whilst paying their bills in other ways FUCK OFF.
🧵Honesty thread time..
What’s really hard sometimes is seeing other actors close to you have their lives completely change from opportunities, in the same amount of time you’ve been slogging away at the same side hustle, working your ass off creatively & nothing changes at all…
So actors who don’t feel like they’re in a position to pay an annual lump sum have now had the cost of their monthly fee increased to a total of £216 per year.
Genuinely…what is the justification??
Why?!? The industry is on its knees while monopolies make a profit. Gross.
THE ACTORS YOU SEE ON TALK SHOWS ONLY REPRESENT 2% OF ACTORS, THE MAJORITY AREN’T IN REGULAR EMPLOYMENT SO WE GOTTA NORMALISE THE EXPERIENCE OF THE 98% AND THAT’S WHY ASKING US “WHAT HAVE I SEEN YOU IN” IS USUALLY NOT AN EXCITING QUESTION IT ACTUALLY FILLS US WITH DREAD YA KNOW?!
Unpopular opinion but the “as an actor you are a BRAND” idea when it comes to social media is not a good message a lot of the time. It makes people scared to be honest about injustices/experiences & puts emphasis on only sharing the “good news” or “exciting announcements”
Update: Spotlight‼️
'The cost of casting should not be borne by artists seeking work'
We have today issued a letter to Spotlight regarding potential legal action.
For full details of this development go to our website
We’re in an industry where an actor who is *everywhere* at the moment and has just been cast to replace a multi award winning, Oscar nominated actor (Andrew Garfield) for a HUGE Hollywood Blockbuster..is considered a “rising” star.
UK actors…
SAG/AFTRA may seem distant to you, but the issues being raised concern us all. We all know how hard being an actor is and it’s only getting harder as the years goes on.
Read up on the strike and know that this WILL have a knock on affect to UK work. So hang tight.
The studio’s A.I. proposal to SAG-AFTRA included scanning a background actor’s likeness for one day’s worth of pay and using their likeness forever in any form without any pay or consent.
The ‘higher ups’ make bucket loads of money from a cast & crew putting on a show like this. But then they aren’t shown the basic respect of being told it will be closing. Disgusting, frankly. The new cast of Cinderella finding out through twitter? So upsetting & unacceptable.
“Real people” castings are bizarre. Didn’t realise actors were descendants of The Terminator!! If you want non actors...just say...“non actors” ???!! 🤣
THIS is the thread of all threads for NEW GRADS or those entering the acting industry preparing for auditions!
Below you’ll find info and links to every episode of The 98% podcast that features CASTING DIRECTORS giving invaluable, *honest*, insight on auditioning and casting!
We are seeing a lot of calling out of institutionalised racism in drama schools on our feed today which is shared below.If you have a story to tell regarding this and would like to use this platform to do so, or would like to post anonymously - DM us anytime and we will hear you.
Don’t you just hate waking up in the morning and remembering that, because you’re an actor, you’re not a real person? Being imaginary can be tough. Maybe that’s why no one wants to pay us a lot of the time. Because we don’t actually exist.
I didn’t wanna believe it at first but am starting to have a sliiiight inkling that some people are taking advantage of the current isolation situation by “planning a project” and putting out a “call to actors” to “**follow**👀for more updates”🤔Am I alone in this thought??
-A
Dear listeners...you’ve been with me through the lows; the funny lows, the shitty lows, the “oh for gods sake” lows. But now I can finally share a high with you.
Back in feb I first auditioned for the lead in a feature that I loved from the word go and...
I. GOT. THE. JOB!!!😭
-A
Forget the usual modest “pleased to announce” actor tweet....I’M F*CKING ECSTATIC TO SHARE THIS, I’VE BEEN GIDDY WITH GLEE FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS AND I AM SO EXCITED TO FINALLY BE ABLE TO SINK MY TEETH INTO A JOB LIKE THIS.
Thank you
@paulkimballfilm
and Matt Western!!
#Rubicon
I’ve always retold, and thought, about Naya Rivera’s story. She was originally given no lines on Glee. She sat in the back & played her character so brilliantly, silently, that she ended up being written in more & more until she was a lead. Just 1 reason she’s an inspiration❤️💔
Dreaming of a world where casting directors can tweet (valid) frustrations and not have their notifications explode with actors tearing down fellow creatives and using it as an opportunity to make themselves seem “better” 🙃
Keep it classy huns 👍🏻
Excited for those getting “back” to their performing jobs. MOST actors, however, don’t have a job to go back to because they didn’t have one before the pandemic. And that is entirely normal.
Hopeful that all remember this past year & no longer stigmatise being “out of work”!
Well...“I CANNOT ACCOMMODATE LIVING WITHOUT A DAYTIME JOB IN THE HOPE I MAY POSSIBLY GET AN AUDITION ONCE IN A WHILE BECAUSE THEN I WILL LITERALLY BE HOMELESS SO ARE YOU GOING TO PAY MY BILLS FOR ME BECAUSE THEN I WOULD DEFINITELY BE FREE ALL DAY OF ALL DAYS.“
"I CANNOT ACCOMODATE PEOPLE WHO NEED LATE APPOINTMENTS BECAUSE OF DAYTIME JOBS"
This annoys me on casting breakdowns. I don't know any actors who don't have daytime jobs that they need to take into account when arranging castings.
The longer we do the podcast the more bemused/irritated I become at how you spend 8 hours a day actioning 5 lines at drama school and no time being prepared by those currently in the industry for being in the 98% of actors who don’t earn a constant wage from acting work.
THREAD:
It may seem like everyone has “cat’s out the bag!!” that they’re “thrilled to announce!” at the moment, apart from you.
This is not the case.
Don’t forget that 98% of actors don’t earn their main source of income from acting. And that was BEFORE covid.
You’re doing just fine.
The industry is harder than ever right now. For all creatives. The longer you spend in this profession, it usually becomes easier. Not any more. It’s not the same business as 3, 5, 10 years ago. It’s not you!!
This isn’t to be pessimistic instead, realistic in hopes of helping…
This new conversation of “I prefer you to NOT be off book!” / “I think being off book is helpful” etc etc is kinda besides the point.
The learning lines aspect of the tweet from M.S wasn’t the only issue. It was the condescending, presumptive judgement of actors as a collective.
Fellow actresses; while most castings you see will state “slim/beautiful”, your prettiness and the number on the scale is not the rent you pay to live on this earth. Your worth as a person/actor does not solely lie in how your face and body looks. You add value JUST as you are.
Please remember that for every 1 actor getting their first self tape/job booking of 2021 there are 1000 who aren’t. Pandemic or no pandemic!
“Comparison is the thief of joy.”
If this tweet resonates with you right now..close Twitter. It’s not going anywhere! ♥️
✊🏻✊🏻✊🏻
This happened because people spoke up, rallied together & stood up for themselves/others.
More of that please..There is much in this industry that needs reform.
“No one way works, it will take all of us shoving at the thing from all sides to bring it down”
-Diane Di Prima
Yearly reminder to creatives that whether you are en route to the Olivier wards or en route to a shift at Oliver Bonas - YOU ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS INDUSTRY AND YOU MATTER AND YOU ARE AMAZING ❤️
#OlivierAwards2022
💫
*NON ACTING NEWS (hoorah) *
Alexa got wed yesterday. To an actor.
The first dance was worthy of a spotlight highly skilled 🌟 🌟🌟and the speeches were on voice with excellent annunciation.
Not one family member asked me if I’d been on Eastenders.
BEST DAY OF MY LIFE 👰🏻❤️🤵🏻
The publicist of an actor just emailed us about having their client on the podcast and the message was a list of their credits, their Instagram follower number and all the stuff we’d recognise them from...🙈 Very touched but...
As promised...
After a tweet of ours kicked up a storm last week we have compiled some stories that need a place to be heard. Another corner of actor life that sadly isn’t as uncommon as it should be that we don’t think should be kept swept under the rug.
Last night at my new restaurant job some tourists from the U.S wanted to “hear my story” and when I said I was an actor they asked if I’d “heard of Downton Abbey” then suggested I “call Downton Abbey” to see if they’re doing more movies and to suggest they cast me.
#actorslife
WHAT IS WITH THESE “ARTICLES”?!!
THIS IS NOT NEWS.
@guardian
et al...Here’s a (not so) fun fact for you; only 2% of actors earn their main source of income from acting work. PANDEMIC OR NOT. Actors having other jobs to pay their bills IS NOT NEW.
Also to all the actors throwing others under the bus and saying you’d do it better - good for you boo. People have different struggles and limitations, especially at the mo. Everyone is trying their best to survive this. Be fucking kind to each other. Merry Christmas. 🎄
It’s my birthday today!
No acting work this past year but I have started a business, written a screenplay, lead seminars, auditioned, produced 40 episodes of the podcast, started writing a novel, helped take down/expose a conman, and more!
So much to be proud and grateful for…
Me: “What if I don’t ever actually make a career out of this and my whole life efforts have been a waste and I spend the rest of my days feeling unfulfilled???”
Also me: “But you COULD win an academy award...you never know”
Me: “That’s true”
Aaaaand repeat.
#mylifeisadelusion
Gal Gadot says 'Snow White' was the first film she’s had to audition for “in a while”:
“They needed to make sure I can sing, because this is a musical. So for a month I was working on the song, and then I auditioned, and we filmed the song and I got the part, and it was very
I’m halfway through my first proper acting full time (for a bit) job and have realised how much my confidence took a knock at drama school. I left training with way less confidence than I did going in and seeds of that are still embedded...
Actors, in an industry that chips away at your self esteem remember this: if Nigel Farage can sleep soundly every night thinking he’s a good person then you can give yourself a break and believe in yourself a bit. You’re all good ✌🏻
Just when you think you’ve seen it all you see a theatre “company” expecting actors to pay £440 to put the show on.
We’ve also heard that they got actors to pay £5.....TO AUDITION!!!
We heard about this on Facebook a couple times with the question “is this normal?”
Answer: NO.
This immersive Wonka story has proven that jobbing actors are the absolute best. Improvising sucking up an invented nemesis with a non existent vacuum cleaner? Staying on despite not getting paid so the kids have some sort of an experience? HEROES.
#actorslife
🎉LET’S PLAY🎉
What the Casting Breakdown says VS What they actually mean.
“Down to earth “ - Common.
“Attractive” - Shaggable
“Mature lady” - 30.
“Larger than Life” - Size 12 or above.
“Knows what she wants” - Bitch.
Any more for any more ??
(Some) Casting Directors: “There are self tape studios you can HIRE you know and why don’t you just pay £40+ for childcare with 2 days notice? And working a day job?? To pay bills to afford to LIVE? So you’re not available at the drop of a hat? Ugh, so SELFISH!!!”
....
If you weren’t successful auditioning for something you really wanted recently & your well intentioned friends/family are saying things like “good things come to those who wait!” “think of the positives!!” We’re here to just say:
It’s fucking shit. I’m sorry.
Your hurt is valid!
Just called someone out on a facebook group asking for actors to DM them for a "marketing video" (commercial) job and the actor who offers their services for THE LOWEST RATE will be the person picked😦Full rant/story will be on the next podcast ep 🤣 Which we're about to record!!
We joined Twitter 3 years ago today! Thanks to your support we’ve gone from 0 followers to an actual community. We are proud to represent The 98% of actors who don’t earn their main source of income from acting by using this platform to highlight what goes along with that!✊🏻
At my restaurant job:
Co-worker: “Alexa! Are you an actor?”
Me: “Yeah!”
Co-worker: “I’d like to be an actor! My high school drama teacher said I was good.”
Me: “Cool!”
Co-worker: “Can you help me become an actor?!”
Me: “Well you’re working as a waitress so you’re half way there!”
“You’ve missed meeting us and we’ve missed meeting you.”
Sorry, ummm, I was not aware I could have invited WARNER BROTHERS CASTING EXECUTIVES to my 2013 UK actor training showcase. That tidbit was nootttt in the 3rd year curriculum!!
#fuckedit
Actors in training! If your final year of study was interrupted by the global pandemic,
@warnerbrostv
Casting would like to get to know you. Check out the flyer for details, and we can’t wait to hear from you!
People who say that money doesn’t automatically bring happiness has never seen a jobbing actor get a buyout from a commercial that they’d convinced themselves was never going air.