6 Mistakes Every Young Artist Makes
22-7-14
*Undervaluing Your Skills
There comes a time in everyone’s careers when they need to stop doing work for others for free. If you consider yourself a professional, you’re going to have to make a step and only accept paid work as an artist. (This can be hard, as paid gigs can be few and far between.) Here’s the thing: if you undervalue your talents, so will others. That doesn’t mean you need to be making a million dollars in a Broadway production… but it does mean taking a careful look at what kind of gigs you do and what kind of people you work with.
*Comparing Your Work to Others
Whether it’s reading the alumni newsletter with envy, stalkbooking your frenemy to see what gig they have coming up or constantly comparing your reviews to ones of your friends get, there is nothing more detrimental to your work than comparing it to the work of others. “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You,”as Dr. Seuss would say. You cannot compare the work of a multi-million dollar Broadway show to the work of the Wooster Group in NYC, as it’s apples and oranges, but both are good pieces of art. You need to be happy with what you create and you need to make your audiences happy, that is all. Constantly comparing your successes to those around you will only make your victories seem insignificant.
This doesn’t mean you need to stop watching theatre or observing the art world around you. Quite the opposite, in fact. You need to see as much as can, learn from what you see, see what works and doesn’t. As Picasso said, “Bad artists copy and good artists steal.”
*Not Updating Your Digital Portfolio/Resume
I’m guilty of this one, myself. I’ll sometimes go 6 months without updating my portfolio or resume and then suddenly get a request for samples of my work. Then I’m rushing to put tons of photos into it, video links and typing up 6 months worth of credits on my resume. You don’t need to stress out about your portfolio. When you do a new job, add a line about it, take off an old job for space and add the photos to your portfolio. When someone wants to see samples, you’ll be ready to go. You’ll even have time to proofread your resume again!
*Remembering to Say “Thank you”
Every time you get a job, get an audition, interview, or anything to do with your artistic endeavours, say thank you to the person in charge. You would be surprised how few people actually do this and how saying thank you at the end can leave a very positive impression of you.
*Forgetting to Practice
As much as we think sportsmen and artists are polar opposites, they’re actually very close to one another. Both of us use our bodies as our instruments… With that, we need to remember to keep practicing on our craft, lest we become lazy and stagnant in our choices as performers and designers. This means we need to do three things:
1) Read as much as we can about the art.
Stay informed about current trends in the theatre. Read about new techniques in the acting world, read the plays that are being nominated for the Pulitzer and Writer’s Guild awards. Stay informed and learn something new every day.
2) Keep learning.
There are tons of workshops and classes in Hong Kong for various styles of acting, dancing and other art forms. Invest in your continued education and go to classes, attend conferences about the Hong Kong art scene, email professors at local universities and see if it’s possible for you to audit a class for free on a new style. Many professional companies in HK (like the Tang-Shu Wing Studio, CCDC, Hong Kong Dance Company, Hong Kong Ballet and Hong Kong Rep) offer one-time workshops for adults. Many of them also offer free pre/post show talks about their work. Stay informed about upcoming productions and lectures via their newsletters. Many of the lectures at these companies are free and open to the public.
3)Take Risks, Make Mistakes, Get Messy.
Remember the words of Miss Frizzle from The Magic School Bus. Don’t be afraid to try new things or take risks as a performer. You might be used to doing the same kind of shows or playing the same characters... audition for a different part or try a new medium. You never know, this new method to your madness could make you better.
*Forgetting to Love Yourself, First and Foremost
In the arts there’s a lot of haters. There will always be that one person in your cast who is a constant Negative Nancy and determined to bring the energy down in the production. Do not be this person and do not listen to this person when they inevitably give you notes you didn’t ask for. Be confident in your skills as an artist and “Know thyself”, as the old Greek aphorism says.
It’s really easy to believe the negative things that people say about you, your work, your art, but only you need to be happy with what you create. You are what you believe you are. If you are truly satisfied with what you have put forth on stage, there is no one that can bring you down.
What advice can you give to up and coming artists? Care to share? Leave a comment below!
Comments
No comment at the moment.