Day Job or Acting Full Time?

Q: Hey Angela,I wanted to maybe get some advice from you because I know that you made the transition to becoming an actress.
I have a day job and was planning to go back to VA this Fall to finish my degree in Business. But I have the opportunity to be in another movie and many others in the future. I find myself wanting to go the same route that you have gone and become an actor. But for me do this would be a huge decision in my life because I know that I can have a great life if I go back to school and finish my degree.
I also may have to quit my day job in landscaping in order to pursue acting (and I do have bills to pay, that's for sure). Was it hard for you when you first started out? This is certainly one of the biggest decisions of my life. I guess it all boils down to how much I really want it. But anyways, any tips you can give me would be awesome! But it's cool if you can't reply to this (I know you're busy).


AO: Transitioning from civilian to actor is not an overnight process, but you are correct that your success is directly linked to your level of enthusiasm and dedication.

* Remember that hobbies cost you money, while business earns you money. Think of acting as a business, rather than a hobby and you’ll go much further faster.

If you are currently landscaping, you already know how to juggle your schedule around bad weather to still get the job done. This is great news inasmuch as you can continue to juggle your schedule around acting and not give up your current clientele. Act when you have the jobs, and when acting is slow, do your bigger landscaping projects.

Personally I’ve found that most everybody is fascinated with movies, movie making, and the elusive world of acting. I’ve told current friends, family and clients that I’m acting and they’ll have to be flexible with my schedule as I might miss an event (birthday, reunion etc.) here or there and lo and behold, they are more than willing to work with me – and of course they want to hear all about the details of my latest gig.

My suggestion is to always have a back up income to your acting – even your top A-list actors dabble in real estate, restaurants, filmmaking, investing, and other profitable endeavors to spread the risk.

© 2007 Angela Oberer