It’s a simple phrase told to school children when everyone is getting a toy and they are all different colors: Be happy that you got something at all. It’s a lesson we can benefit from at any age.
Life is full of disappointment. In any career disappointment will happen.
Let’s face it everything will not always go the way you want it to.
In the entertainment industry you are often told you are doing one thing and you get to set and you find that your actual role is totally different or your lines get cut.
Fight the urge to have a hissy fit or freak out or walk out or complain. Be the easy going person that people love to work with and choose to take a deep breath and find the positive.
Call your agent, manager, or union representative if necessary if you feel uncomfortable. However…
In every situation no matter how terrible… there is a positive aspect.
I often laugh about the weird things I’ve had to do in the worst days of my career and I just remember how I’m collecting awesome stories for couch talk on late night talk shows when I am promoting some amazing project in the future.
Remember, your job as an actor is to tell a story and no matter how big or how small your role in that is, it’s there for the purpose of the story. Getting edited out just means that your part was so amazing that it distracted from the story.
Also remember this simple lesson …
The job isn’t yours until you shoot it. And even when you shoot it, it may not work out. You have to be ok with this and realize it happens and move on.
Make sure however that you are compensated for any and all of your time!
You should always be pleased to receive any job. There are millions of people out there from every corner of the earth that would do anything to be working in this industry. So, get out there and conquer every project put before you. You get what you get – and you knock it out of the park every time.