Sunday musings...at the end of November...
Are you finding your niche? Where you can inhabit?
There are so many factors in our lives as artists.
Some are artists.
Some have artistic temperaments.
Some are performers.
Some are artists who perform.
Some are craftspeople.
Some are process people.
Some are a quick bolt of lightening.
Some are a slow burn.
Finding out WHAT you are, and then WHERE you are reveals even more, and can be thoroughly exhausting and confusing.
We fight the constant "in the box" mentality to allow our artistic individuality to be allowed to breathe. We need to do that if we want to find authenticity as an artist.
However, then there's the business of show. If we want to work, make a living or some semblance, are we ready to go where our talent takes us? And how do we know not just how we WISH to be seen, but how we ARE being seen?
I see the frustration. I've experienced it.
As I get older, I have decided not to succumb to the box, but rather, enjoy the process of creating MY OWN.
And I don't want a box, I want a niche. It allows for my uniqueness to be displayed as opposed to being put away.
As a performer, you want your uniqueness remembered. You want to be in the minds of someone who is casting who sees you clearly.
Here's the catch: the only way they see you clearly is if YOU see you clearly.
If something doesn't add up, it's too much time and effort to riddle it out, and your head shot and resume are placed unceremoniously in THAT OTHER PILE.
You, the artist, You, the performer, must discover what makes you unique, where your niche will be, and occupy that space!
Get creative with it. Come on! You say you are an artist, so BE one! Create! Create yourself!
Don't get caught in the regular, boring, non-descriptive adjectives.
Carve out a place for yourself!
How aware of yourself are you?
Time to ask the hard questions of yourself, and people you trust that can keep it real. This doesn't need to hurt, but rather invigorate you to discover what space you can truly call yours!!
There are so many people trying to work in this business, Music Theatre, Theatre, Film, TV, Opera - all of which have their own specificities and quirks.
There is always going to be someone better than you, hungrier than you, more determined than you.
So what makes YOU the best YOU, the most unique YOU, the most qualified YOU?
The pieces of the puzzle don't have to fit in a "traditional" way - sometimes the "quirks" we find that don't seem to fit can end up becoming the recognized niche we need.
Are you ready for that?
So much of the time we are constantly trying to CHANGE something. If only I had...If only I could do...If only...one day...
What about saying the square peg does belong in the round hole and this is how it works?
And claim it. And demonstrate it. Show us. Create the niche.
What are your personality quirks? What makes you YOU? Ask the people that love being around what they love about you. Also ask them what drives them NUTS.
What are your physical attributes? Don't value judge! They are all real. If you think perfect physical specimens are the only ones working, (whatever THAT means) you are mistaken!!! You are a perfect physical specimen for a role if you embody the niche you say you do and it works!
What can you emphasize about your energy? Do you know what your energy reveals? Are there differences in that energy when you are with your friends? Your family? Business people? In an audition room? In a class? What happens? What changes? What can you use????
Does your voice match your body? Do you have options? What are they?
What can do you to still be true to your physical self and your vocal self at the same time?
You are only stuck if you decide to be.
If you feel stuck, guess what? That's what "they" get in the room: This person doesn't know what they want us to see; they don't know who they are; next!
So often, we think we must de-emphasize something. What if we were to really emphasize that quirk, so-called oddity, interesting quality, fascinating tic? What niche could you occupy and thereby, inhabit, within the business?
Okay, I hear the question now: but if I try to get too specific, doesn't that limit my ability to get hired?
And I answer: Generic is generic. There is tons of generic out there. How does one differentiate? If you find your specificity, then you focus on working in THAT niche. The work could be constant frankly, because you would be filling a niche that is uniquely you.
Type, Fach, Hit - whatever you use to "define" is there as a guideline. The basic description is generic. YOU define your niche by what you bring and how you hone and how you reveal.
Get creative with it!
As an example:
We are all a little quirky. What are your specific quirks? Quirky how? Describe your descriptives!!!
Find the roles that would fit YOU as you occupy and inhabit your niche.
Decide where in the business that takes you....you might be surprised as to how much possible work there is, if you decide to focus in instead of get frustrated with a generality.
Happy discovery!
Are you finding your niche? Where you can inhabit?
There are so many factors in our lives as artists.
Some are artists.
Some have artistic temperaments.
Some are performers.
Some are artists who perform.
Some are craftspeople.
Some are process people.
Some are a quick bolt of lightening.
Some are a slow burn.
Finding out WHAT you are, and then WHERE you are reveals even more, and can be thoroughly exhausting and confusing.
We fight the constant "in the box" mentality to allow our artistic individuality to be allowed to breathe. We need to do that if we want to find authenticity as an artist.
However, then there's the business of show. If we want to work, make a living or some semblance, are we ready to go where our talent takes us? And how do we know not just how we WISH to be seen, but how we ARE being seen?
I see the frustration. I've experienced it.
As I get older, I have decided not to succumb to the box, but rather, enjoy the process of creating MY OWN.
And I don't want a box, I want a niche. It allows for my uniqueness to be displayed as opposed to being put away.
As a performer, you want your uniqueness remembered. You want to be in the minds of someone who is casting who sees you clearly.
Here's the catch: the only way they see you clearly is if YOU see you clearly.
If something doesn't add up, it's too much time and effort to riddle it out, and your head shot and resume are placed unceremoniously in THAT OTHER PILE.
You, the artist, You, the performer, must discover what makes you unique, where your niche will be, and occupy that space!
Get creative with it. Come on! You say you are an artist, so BE one! Create! Create yourself!
Don't get caught in the regular, boring, non-descriptive adjectives.
Carve out a place for yourself!
How aware of yourself are you?
Time to ask the hard questions of yourself, and people you trust that can keep it real. This doesn't need to hurt, but rather invigorate you to discover what space you can truly call yours!!
There are so many people trying to work in this business, Music Theatre, Theatre, Film, TV, Opera - all of which have their own specificities and quirks.
There is always going to be someone better than you, hungrier than you, more determined than you.
So what makes YOU the best YOU, the most unique YOU, the most qualified YOU?
The pieces of the puzzle don't have to fit in a "traditional" way - sometimes the "quirks" we find that don't seem to fit can end up becoming the recognized niche we need.
Are you ready for that?
So much of the time we are constantly trying to CHANGE something. If only I had...If only I could do...If only...one day...
What about saying the square peg does belong in the round hole and this is how it works?
And claim it. And demonstrate it. Show us. Create the niche.
What are your personality quirks? What makes you YOU? Ask the people that love being around what they love about you. Also ask them what drives them NUTS.
What are your physical attributes? Don't value judge! They are all real. If you think perfect physical specimens are the only ones working, (whatever THAT means) you are mistaken!!! You are a perfect physical specimen for a role if you embody the niche you say you do and it works!
What can you emphasize about your energy? Do you know what your energy reveals? Are there differences in that energy when you are with your friends? Your family? Business people? In an audition room? In a class? What happens? What changes? What can you use????
Does your voice match your body? Do you have options? What are they?
What can do you to still be true to your physical self and your vocal self at the same time?
You are only stuck if you decide to be.
If you feel stuck, guess what? That's what "they" get in the room: This person doesn't know what they want us to see; they don't know who they are; next!
So often, we think we must de-emphasize something. What if we were to really emphasize that quirk, so-called oddity, interesting quality, fascinating tic? What niche could you occupy and thereby, inhabit, within the business?
Okay, I hear the question now: but if I try to get too specific, doesn't that limit my ability to get hired?
And I answer: Generic is generic. There is tons of generic out there. How does one differentiate? If you find your specificity, then you focus on working in THAT niche. The work could be constant frankly, because you would be filling a niche that is uniquely you.
Type, Fach, Hit - whatever you use to "define" is there as a guideline. The basic description is generic. YOU define your niche by what you bring and how you hone and how you reveal.
Get creative with it!
As an example:
We are all a little quirky. What are your specific quirks? Quirky how? Describe your descriptives!!!
Find the roles that would fit YOU as you occupy and inhabit your niche.
Decide where in the business that takes you....you might be surprised as to how much possible work there is, if you decide to focus in instead of get frustrated with a generality.
Happy discovery!
