There aren't too many acting posts on this site, but more often than not acting advice can be helpful for directors as well. In this case, Dave Foley, of Kids in the Hall fame, talks about how he stays sane between jobs and how being able to work at all in the industry is a complete fluke. Even if you're not an actor, if filmmaking is (or becomes) your day job, you will most certainly go through periods of inactivity, so his advice can definitely apply to more than just actors. Check out the interview with Film Courage below.


For any aspiring or accomplished actors out there, it's important to know that most working professionals go through dry spells where they aren't working. I know certain actors that have to constantly stay creative, regardless of what they're doing, so that they can keep themselves occupied. For some of them it's the life experience that makes their work better, so getting too many jobs without a break can actually be a bad thing in the long run.

His point about not taking yourself too seriously and enjoying what comes along could certainly apply to all creatives. It's very easy if you are driven and focused to get consumed with your work, but taking time to enjoy what you're doing can be healthy and actually make the end result more fulfilling. I know for me personally I have to find things that I enjoy about the work I'm doing even if I take a job just to pay the bills. I am a perfectionist, so the best way I've learned to not take things too seriously is just to move on and not worry about projects that have been completed. When they're done, they're done, and I know that I can't ever be satisfied with future projects if I'm constantly worried about what went wrong on previous projects.

For any actors out there, how do you stay creative and engaged when you're not working? For filmmakers (or actors), what do you do if you're not enjoying the work you're doing?

Link: ‘If You Work At All In This Business It's a Huge Fluke’ by Dave Foley -- Film Courage