Happier Abroad Forum Community

Before I went abroad, I was involved in acting in the 1990's until 2001. I did a few stage roles, extra work, commercials and corporate videos. See my acting resume here: http://www.happierabroad.com/Resume_Acting.htm

It was my dream to be an actor. In fact, before I went to Russia in 2002, I was supposed to go to Hollywood to pursue acting. My acting teachers said that I was a natural, since I could act well without any training, kind of like a natural swimmer who never needed to learn to swim. It's true that acting came natural to me. But the problem is that 1) I didn't have charisma on screen, or on stage probably either, 2) the competition is so fierce in acting that to make it is like trying to win the lottery. (I seem to have more charisma online through writing lol)

But not even good looks and charisma is enough to make it in acting. You have to have a ton of other things going for you too, including connections and favors from high places. The obstacles are more than you can imagine, and more than even I imagined. I used to believe that if you went to Hollywood and believed in yourself, you'd make it.

Do any of you know any struggling actors in Hollywood? What have they told you about it?

Do you think I would have been better off or happier if I had moved to Hollywood to try to make it in acting? Or to get involved in the movie production team? It would have been a great way to meet people at least. If I had done so, probably I would have become disillusioned after a while and then gone abroad later. What do you think?

I've been an extra on a lot of movie sets, and making films is a lot more tedious and exhausting than you think. I could see how if you were subjected to it everyday, you could be emotionally drained after a while. I wonder how movie directors keep from burning out. They have to juggle hundreds of issues everyday under time constraints and pressure to get it all done by a certain date or else incur more production costs and expenses.

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Winston, who are your favorite actors?

Ghost, your favorite authors?

I'm interested in your inspirations...

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Check out these insider confessions and revelations from an actress who worked in Hollywood films and Broadway plays. She reveals the dark world behind the scenes from the lower rungs to the higher levels. What she says is shocking, even if only partly true. I guess I'm lucky I didn't try to pursue acting as a long term career and sell my soul to the dark side.

Hollywood "Insider" EXPOSES ALL (Cults/Clones/MindControl & MORE)



Description:

WOW! This one is a Doozy!! I stumbled upon a fascinating blog from 5 years ago from a woman that had worked in many areas of the Entertainment Industry (from Broadway to Hollywood). What followed were some fascinating observations on MANY celebs that have never been mentioned in these "conspiratorial circles" before, along with many that have, but with new information. She covers everything from mind controlled models, Michael Jackson clones, where the d-list actresses have gone, "serpents" in the Industry, to secrets behind Beauty Pageants and more. I compiled some of the most interesting here, I believe. Check it out, think for yourself of course, and you decide.

Here's a link to the Original: https://indianinthemachine.wordpress.co ... literally/

My acting headshots and contact sheet photos done by a professional photographer in San Francisco back in 1996 or 1997:

You have a very handsome photogenic face in the headshots.

That is probably what got you the work.

You are not the most interesting speaker, however, which leads me to believe that a lot was missing from whatever training you had.

Plus the rough and tumble environment would have drained you.

Bottom line is you would have crashed and burned.

I have recommended acting classes to you before (not just any acting class, one like I had). But the reason I did that was to amp up your public persona, your "charisma" as you call it.

Which would also help you get laid more.

Also you should take a high-priced private course with a game coach, one that is most compatible with you.

The area of Hollywood where you could and have an impact is writing, I would think. Because you are always lost in the world of ideas. Aliens, alternative history, sci fi, etc. I could see you on a team of writers. You might enjoy pursuing that wherever you are now located. BUT you do need to read some basic books on story structure, like Hero's Journey, so you don't just ramble.

could have been the first Taiwanese Bond.

Jester wrote:You have a very handsome photogenic face in the headshots.

That is probably what got you the work.

You are not the most interesting speaker, however, which leads me to believe that a lot was missing from whatever training you had.

Plus the rough and tumble environment would have drained you.

Bottom line is you would have crashed and burned.

I have recommended acting classes to you before (not just any acting class, one like I had). But the reason I did that was to amp up your public persona, your "charisma" as you call it.

Which would also help you get laid more.

Also you should take a high-priced private course with a game coach, one that is most compatible with you.

The area of Hollywood where you could and have an impact is writing, I would think. Because you are always lost in the world of ideas. Aliens, alternative history, sci fi, etc. I could see you on a team of writers. You might enjoy pursuing that wherever you are now located. BUT you do need to read some basic books on story structure, like Hero's Journey, so you don't just ramble.

Actually, what got me some work was that I was an Asian into acting outside of LA. You see, not many Asians are pursuing acting in America, except in LA. So if you are an Asian actor outside of California, you get more work, but mostly in corporate videos and low budget local commercials. You see, they need Asians in commercials and corporate videos to project a politically correct multi-cultural image of racial diversity. So if they don't have many Asian actors to choose from, they will choose me. That's primarily the reason why I got some work in acting. But the gigs outside California are low budget ones that only pay a little.

It's very hard to get a speaking role in a big budget movie or TV series. If you are a hot girl and the director or casting director wants to sleep with you, and you agree to sleep with him, then yeah you have more of a chance of course. I'm sure some girls, such as that hot Asian girl on Nash Bridges with Don Johnson who was an extra, got their speaking roles that way.

It's very easy to be an extra by the way. All you have to do is show up and follow instructions and do something in the background. Anyone can do it. But it pays minimum wage. You can get regular extra work if you are in Southern California.

I doubt if I had moved to LA that I would have gotten any work as an actor. I probably would have ended up being a waiter or doing office work in a talent agency or production company, or been part of the camera crew. Also, it's been said that Hollywood is like "high school with lots of money", so I doubt that I'd have thrived in such an environment since I'm too down to earth for that and get drained by stress easily.

Jester, look you are a great guy, but you don't appear to know anything about charisma or acting. You can't get charisma from an acting class or training school. Come on man. Do you live in the real world? lol. A lot of stuff can't be taught or learned. Talent is not something you can acquire with skills and formulas.

Do you watch a lot of movies? Look at someone like Tom Hanks or Matt Damon. When you watch their movies, you will notice that they don't act. Good actors don't act. They BECOME the characters they are playing. That's why their "acting" or "speaking" in their movies looks so natural and effortless. Their looks and personality VIBES well with the camera. In that sense, they have charisma. It's not the kind of charisma that great politicians and leaders have. It's a charisma on film that some have and some don't. There are different types of charisma. Cameras like some people and don't like others.

If you watch Liam Neeson or Kevin Costner, you will notice that they don't need to act at all. Their faces look very eloquent and elegant and leave a strong impression on viewers. Some people have that kind of face. They don't act. They simply become the characters they are playing, and that's good enough, because their faces have a charisma that shows on the screen in film.

So you see, acting is not a form of projection. Now if you are a stage actor, that's a different matter. Live on-stage acting requires more projection toward the audience. That requires more public charisma. But camera or film charisma is a different thing. Do you see the difference?

So you see, charisma depends on the context and medium, and is not something you can learn or acquire like a skill. The best actors you see in the movie become their characters, they don't "act".

Anyhow, it is very very difficult to get a speaking role in a paid broadway show or film production. The amount of actors applying or auditioning far exceeds the number of roles available. It's even harder to make a living as an actor than as a musician or artist or composer or painter. It's probably one of the hardest professions to make it in, if not the hardest. It's better to pursue acting a hobby, rather than as a profession.

Looks matter a lot in acting too, just like in dating, because you have to LOOK the part and be the same gender, age, race, type, etc as the character that the director has envisioned. And of course, the acting has to look genuine and natural, not fake.

What do you mean "game coach"? Are you suggesting I take a PUA class? Are you kidding? I thought we all agreed that PUA was full of BS and a scam?

Yeah I do have some talent in writing and might be a good screenwriter. But I'd hate to write screenplays for nothing. At least by putting up ebooks on Amazon.com, I can get a little income stream.

Yeah the story in screenplays has to fit a certain formula. They won't just accept any great story.

One more thing. It's a myth that extroverts are better at acting than introverts. Most great actors claim to be introverts. Introverts are better at becoming their characters and their acting is a lot more genuine, that's why they are usually better actors than extroverts are.

Hope all of that makes sense to you.

Really great reply, Winston.

+1

Winston wrote:
Do you watch a lot of movies? Look at someone like Tom Hanks or Matt Damon. When you watch their movies, you will notice that they don't act. Good actors don't act. They BECOME the characters they are playing. That's why their "acting" or "speaking" in their movies looks so natural and effortless. Their looks and personality VIBES well with the camera. In that sense, they have charisma. It's not the kind of charisma that great politicians and leaders have. It's a charisma on film that some have and some don't. There are different types of charisma. Cameras like some people and don't like others.

If you watch Liam Neeson or Kevin Costner, you will notice that they don't need to act at all. Their faces look very eloquent and elegant and leave a strong impression on viewers. Some people have that kind of face. They don't act. They simply become the characters they are playing, and that's good enough, because their faces have a charisma that shows on the screen in film.

So you see, acting is not a form of projection. Now if you are a stage actor, that's a different matter. Live on-stage acting requires more projection toward the audience. That requires more public charisma. But camera or film charisma is a different thing. Do you see the difference?

So you see, charisma depends on the context and medium, and is not something you can learn or acquire like a skill. The best actors you see in the movie become their characters, they don't "act".

Yes I agree with you. Great acting is what you see in old American (and Mexican) movies, where the actors were stage-trained. British actors were still this way, very recently. Stage first, then film. Much more power, range, ability. Much less on raw looks / photogenic. Much more fun to watch. The minimalist "become the role" BS you describe is EXACTLY what modern Jew-S-A studios crave. Dull. Matt Damon, et al - not much fun to watch. Looks and physique for action - that's it.

It's better to pursue acting a hobby, rather than as a profession.

Yup.

What do you mean "game coach"? Are you suggesting I take a PUA class? Are you kidding? I thought we all agreed that PUA was full of BS and a scam?

I never agreed that. I would have gotten laid without game, but game has (in three different periods of time), allowed me to juggle 2 gf's at the same time, openly. Game works. BTW having this public website is in effect a sort of game YOU pull. "Hey babe, I'm not gonna be available". The old take-away. Works for you in a way, Dianne puts up with your ass. More game = more results.

Yeah I do have some talent in writing and might be a good screenwriter. But I'd hate to write screenplays for nothing. At least by putting up ebooks on Amazon.com, I can get a little income stream.

Yeah the story in screenplays has to fit a certain formula. They won't just accept any great story.

You're right. Write your movie idea as a novel, publish as an e-book. Best way to start.

And re the formula, read Hero's Journey, or something about the Dramatica technique. Then just use what u want.

I think you would be great on the big screen, I have a script ready for you in the movie section.