< This past weekend I took my own advice and returned to my roots. My road to acting was an interesting one. I had mentioned that I thought everything would just magically align and BAM! I would be acting as a career. It was only once I was laid off from a sales job that I decided to seriously begin the pursuit to be an actor. I asked myself where I should start. It was at this point that I had happened upon a little acting school in Montreal called ASM Performing Arts. I decided to enroll in a few classes to get the rust off and get back into the swing of things.
This is an incredible place to learn. They offer very unique programs. Just click on the ASM Performing Arts link to go and check what they have to offer. The teachers are experienced actors who are in the midst of their careers at this moment and work with you and empower you to do the same. They also hold social events. For example every month ASM holds an Improv night. It was here that I found myself this past Saturday night. Now unlike most Improv shows this one has a twist. You see, you can watch the show, or you can get up on stage and participate in the show! It is so much fun as you get to work with many different actors who you may not have had the opportunity to work with otherwise. There is a host who comes up with multiple games for the participants to play and the night is off. Even if you are not an actor it is a great social exercise to help you with being uncomfortable in public. My girlfriend was even tempted to go up and she is not an actress at all. A drama queen maybe but not an actress.
Unfortunately I had not been to one of these shows for almost nine years. Once I had a few acting classes under my belt I needed to find a job. So I decided to go and work in the bar business under the illusion that I would be auditioning so much I would need to work at night. Unfortunately ASM holds their classes at night. And so life caught up with me and I fell out of contact with not only teachers and students from ASM, I lost contact with some great people who I had treasured as friends. Fortunately a few of these friends were there this past Saturday.
I talked last week about how I needed to network with actors in the industry to really try to advance my career. I also suggested that whatever your field of expertise is, that you should do the same with the people in your industry. After one night of socializing I realized what I had been missing. Forget about the networking for the moment. When you socialize with people in your field, you are socializing with like-minded individuals who have similar interests that you do. What better way to get out and make friends than to socialize with people who you know have the same mindset as you do? Once I was there, I forgot all about networking and just talked to old friends who I hadn’t seen in forever. This meant more to me than I ever could have imagined. I am sure that in time my association with these friends may lead to better opportunities but it will never compare to feeling they bring to me by having them in life again. Being around people who have similar interests as you lead to great conversations and an incredible social environment.
If you are someone who feels you do not have a lot of friends or feel you are trapped in your current circle of friends and just want to meet new people, take a course, attend a convention, go to a charity event but take the time to do something. Whatever you love, find the social events that industry has to offer. Yes, you will make new contacts. Yes you may advance yourself to where you want to be in your career. Most importantly I assure you that you will meet people who will become friends and people you will socialize with. Regardless of whether they help you move ahead or not, you will be blessed with friends that will be there for you for the rest of your life. You may not advance in your industry, but isn’t it so much better to improve and advance your life? I know I think so.
