The Life of an Actor

2012 has been a fast-paced year for me and it’s barely started. We’re less than three months in and I’ve already had more acting work in these two months than I had last year at this time, so I consider that an improvement both in terms of my own career as well as a good sign for the industry. (Yes, I know, I really need to update my main page on my website!) There’s been a fun indie feature film, a commercial shoot, the start of an ongoing photography project, a film AND theatre project out of Hamilton, an anti-drug PSA, another feature horror film from an up-and-coming studio… plus a few other little gigs, my regular improv shenanigans, some exciting news I can’t share yet, and for the most part a lot of good new people I’ve met. Here’s a few:

*Christopher at Re-Reading is an amazing, friendly, generous, intelligent, and grounded fellow. His store is full of goodies and unexpected finds, and I anticipate many further afternoons there. (Also: I’m currently soliciting short film script ideas that are set in a bookstore, with the idea of filming something there soon.) I can’t say enough good things about Chris or his store. I even happened to meet Rick Mercer by chance while I was there this afternoon!

*My cast family for Confidence Tricks: Us motley crew of folks first sat down together for a meet and greet in a Tim Hortons a couple of months back and have been rocking out ever since. We’re into the last two weeks of a fundraiser to get some money toward the project… we’re 4/5 of the way there and would love if you helped make it happen.

*Judith and Viktor Tinkl own an amazing gallery/century school house converted into a home outside of Uxbridge. I was lucky enough to be involved in a photoshoot that utilized their property. Aside from the refreshing opportunity to escape the city for a day, meeting them was the highlight of my week if not the year to date. Their diverse and unique art that covers walls and lawns and barns is something I could spend a week wandering through and still find new work to appreciate… not to mention that they are some of the most refreshing people I have ever met. When we arrived to shoot we were greeted with a delicious quiche lunch and several purring cats, and we spent a fair bit of time just talking, aside from the photography project work. That’s what I want to do: get old and retire to the country and just be happy. There was a real sense of comfort, love and joy there and I would love to share their treasure with the world. Go and visit them, you won’t be disappointed.

In my own work, I have just a week (seven days) left in my dice living episodes. I started the project February 16, 2011, and am going to wrap it up by March 16, 2012. A year and ahttp://emilyschooley.com/blog/wp-admin/post-new.php month. Several of the last episodes will be Fate By Fans Fridays, but there’s a few free days still and I welcome seeing where the dice take me.

In other other news, recent life events have turned me into even more of an actorvist than I was before. I now have an idea brewing for a feature-length investigative journalist documentary that I’d like to pursue. Through dealing with an exceptionally difficult situation involving my abusive ex, the more I see of the Canadian justice system the more I realize that there are so many flaws and crevices that vulnerable groups fall through – which, instead of helping these people, the justice system often ends up putting these people at more risk when these flaws are ignored or exploited by people who are dishonest. Don’t get me wrong: I applaud the honest, discerning individuals who work at all levels to keep our country safe. But as with all people, power can corrupt, and absolute power can corrupt absolutely. All it takes for evil to succeed is for good people to do nothing.

Then again, all the cool celebrities these days are getting arrested, and I’m not talking things like drunk driving or drug posession. Lucy Lawless just got arrested for protesting oil drilling, for one. I applaud her for standing up so vehemently for her beliefs, and for the protection of resources and animals that can’t speak for themselves.

After finishing theatre school, I never thought I’d end up here – with a desire to produce and compile and interview and expose and change things for the better. But really, what are we as actors, other than a somewhat-fictionalized commentary on the human condition, for better or for worse? I like this new development, as strange and unexpected as it is, and I’m excited to see where I can go with it. I feel like it’s an opportunity to offer more to the world than just my abilities as a performer.

Before I sign off for the night, the one reality I do wish I could correct is the idiotic notion that actors are “unemployed”. Most of the actors I know do work a second and sometimes a third job to ensure they can do what they love. The few that suffer through on only their acting paycheques – like me – can tell you that it’s not easy. Sure, we “make a living” but that living is often rife with “no, I have rehearsal” or “I don’t think I can afford that right now, sorry.” Still, I wouldn’t change it for the world.