Are You an Amateur or a Professional?
A few days ago I wrote a post about The Vital Importance of Professionalism in the acting world. About a day after writing that, I read Liz Strauss’s Are You a Freelancer or a Solo Entrepreneur? I started thinking about the difference between the Amateur actor and the Professional actor. This short list is the result of that contemplation. The list is intentionally short because I knew that there would be many readers who would add their own wisdom. As you read these five points I want you to take a serious look at yourself, whether you’re an actor or not.
Trust me when I say that the difference between the Professional and the Amateur is not how much money you make, or how long you’ve been in your chosen field, the differences run much deeper than that:
- The Amateur lives to glorify his talent. The Professional lives to glorify his craft.
- The Amateur thinks his success is due to his natural talents. The Professional knows that his success comes more from his work than any one ability.
- The Amateur expects his successes to find him. The Professional strives to create his successes the way he desires them.
- The Amateur is certain he knows his craft. The Professional is certain he will never truly understand it.
- The Amateur’s idea of great success is to be “the best” actor. The Professional’s idea of great success is simply to be an actor.
I know as you read these some of you are saying, “Wow, these could apply to more than just acting.” You’re right, it’s almost like I planned it that way . . . heheh.
I’m sure people are going to ask which one I am, the Amateur or the Professional. All I’ll say is that, while I slip back down many times a day, I strive everyday to be the Professional I described. I do it, not so that I can write a blog post claiming I’m a Pro, but because I believe that theatre is something powerful. More powerful than I could ever hope to become. Theatre is the human experience concentrated down to its purest form. It has existed for as long as mankind and to be one of the Hypokrites is both honoring and humbling.
So which one are you? Do you believe that theatre and drama serve as showcases for you, or do you live to serve as a medium through which to showcase them?
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I would add, “The amateur thinks the audience is there for him. The professional knows he is there for the audience.”
Bravo