Preparedness and Trust: Why Professionalism Is Essential to the Art

October 30, 2024 | Rachel Frawley
Photo credit: Frame Stock Footage / Shutterstock

We talk a lot about actors’ “homework,” but an understanding of what is expected of an actor seems to vary widely. Because of the subjective and collaborative nature of the art, it can be easy to let things slide, ride in on spontaneity and raw talent, and sometimes those things are enough to get you through. Sometimes those things will turn out a brilliant performance. But if you are investing in a long-term acting career, they need to be backed up with consistent professionalism.

So why is preparedness so important anyway? If you turn out a great performance by opening night, what does it matter when you had your lines memorized? If this thought has every flitted through your mind, you’re not alone. And it’s almost understandable – the vast majority of working actors are overextended and underpaid, juggling multiple gigs to support themselves. But there are some things to keep in mind when you agree to take on an acting job. For the purposes of this article, I’m going to focus primarily on the example of a live theatre production, but the same concepts apply equally to film work.

What is expected?

There’s a lot of work that needs to be done before you ever do a table read. While this might vary from film to theatre, depending on the kinds of access you have to script and materials, generally, once you have pages in hand, it’s your job to prepare them. This means scoring the script, looking up words and concepts that might be unfamiliar, having a clear understanding of your objective, tactics, obstacles, backstory, etc. Ideally, in a theatre production, you come in off-book to the first rehearsal, or at least close to it, so that what will likely be a fast and furious rehearsal process can be solely dedicated to growth. If you can’t be off-book before the table read, at least try to be off-book for any given scene once you have blocked it.

It’s not just for you.

Obviously doing role research and text work benefits your performance. But it’s not just yourself you’re letting down when you neglect it. Because it’s a team effort, it delays the good work your castmates can do when you don’t arrive prepared. The good work happens in rehearsal, collaboratively, and it simply can’t progress if you have a book in your hand.

It’s not just about the material.

As I’ve heard said by several directors over the years: preparedness breeds trust. Coming in prepared means your castmates, your director, and your creative team feel like they are in good hands. Word spreads quickly when your folks feel unsafe. A perfect example: recently a local director who is a friend and colleague was struggling with a young lead who was deeply unprofessional: lines remained unmemorized by tech week, he was blatantly and repeatedly inattentive during notes, and despite this director’s repeated attempts to mentor and help him, very little effort was put forth.

But he had his lines down by opening, so what’s the big deal?

I don’t think he realized how many bridges he burned during the process. One of his fellow actors was also a local director. The stage manager also aids casting at another theatre. Directors around town who were close with various people involved in the process heard about the behavior. So not only will he not work at the current theatre again, but many others in the community will be wary of hiring him.

Furthermore, I saw the production, and it was clear that while his castmates were grounded, had crafted relationships and bits and were keeping up with the pace and tone of the show, he was doing little more than moving through his blocking and saying his lines. That kind of negligence not only hurt his performance, it hindered long-term career opportunities, and was unfair to everyone else who was putting in genuine effort.

Acting can feel like something almost magical. A stroke of inspiration, fire pulled from within. But without the framework of professionalism to support it, that spark dies quickly. An investment in preparedness is an investment in the art as much as the business of acting. The people who see you make this investment are more likely to invest in you in the future.

Ready to put these tips into action with your next role? Give Casting Networks’ free trial a try to start submitting today.

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