Let’s face the facts: most artistic endeavours don’t lead to fame, fortune and flashy cars. A lot of the time, when it’s your first production or first mounting of a new piece of writing you’re ahead of the game if you just make it to the finish line ( i.e. a live performance for theatre or a final cut with sound, score and a credit roll). And without that first finish line you will never get to your second, third, fourth, fifth and eventually find your success in a steady creative career that pays and maybe even create that masterpiece you dream of making which is why you got into this industry in the first place.
When The Big Picture Feels Too Big
Taking on a production of any scale can be overwhelming, be it film or theatre, especially when you are at the beginning stages of development and fundraising. Things can feel even more daunting if you are also juggling other jobs, auditions, rehearsals, family and the demands of everyday life. I have learned a few skills to keep me from getting too anxious and help me stay focused.
The Money ‘Ain’t Coming ‘Till You Get Moving!
It doesn’t cost anything to write (alone or with a partner) or to get a group of actors to read a script in a living room (or on zoom). The way I work the living room is my creative space, because although I don’t get to be on stage or in a studio every day, I do get to be creative in my living room as often as I choose. It’s also a great place to get others excited about your work, on your turf and on your terms.
Magic In The Living Room
In the process of creating my solo show I learned that my living room is my creative space. I learned a new kind of discipline where the most important person I needed to show up for was myself. No scene partner, no coach, no director, no audience, no one to entertain or be accountable to…except myself. While I was creating my show that was the first time I was truly fulfilled as an artist – for the first time in my career I was inspired, creating and exploring daily, pushing myself further than I had ever imagined and most importantly, I was impressing myself with the stuff I came up with.