Since you're uncertain about this, you could think of it as a hobby first, give it a try and see if you like it. Keep other options ready in case you don't like it. If you like acting, but you don't like the other things that come with it (like auditions, fame, pressure, etc), then it might not be for you regardless of the things you like about it. But you're still young, so it's okay to give it a try, it won't be too late to change your mind if you don't like it.
I agree with this probably bc it is exactly what I did.
I fell for acting in high school and without the direction, guidance or mentorship it was virtually impossible to choose it as a career after hs, but I couldn't get it out of my head and found zero interest in any other topic or career pursuits.
I was at my community college bored to tears and someone suggested that maybe I should enroll in a theatre school, conservatory type program. That's another story but I did it.
https://www.mjjcommunity.com/members/1958mjjmoonwalker7.124847/ the thing is, i think about this day and night. i saw the grammys and oscars and i get kind of depressed because it is my dream to entertain, i think im just shy in front of the people i know because they can be so judgemental. i'll stilll be shy in fron tof regular people, but i can probably work around it (but i dont know because i havent tried). i know the later i start, the harder it will be to achieve this. we saw michael starting at 5, mariah carey starting at 3, beyonce at 9, and they've all become MEGA stars. it will also be harder for me because i havent been in any school plays, so the casting directors might look at me like, "what is this random person doing here with no experience at all?" i have had no experience, yet i get so beat up with seeing these award shows because it looks like something i would love to do. i dont know if this is just a phase that everyone goes through, or it is real, and i dont want to waste time and emotions if it isnt something i actually like, but i think it is (thank you for your help so far though!)
This sounds just like me when I was 20 which is why I did it. Keep in mind the Beyonce, MJ, Mariah's stories are completely different as their families were uniquely supportive of their success giving them the stability they needed to pursue it, so using them as examples might have you operate from a flawed premise, and they were all phenomenally undeniably gifted with talent and desire for it.
At this point, the question isn't do you want it as a career, so much as, do you like it at all. If you're too shy to show up and show out in a random audition, the only place you'll get that answer is in acting class which is where actors congregate and grow together.
I loved acting as a process, but just as
@Etoile' 37 mentioned, to my suprise, there were some things I couldn't stand that went with it, just random things that I, as the brat that I was, who always expected everything to go as I'd expected, did not want to get used to.
You must be prepared at all times to expect the unexpected and have a system, a personal 'policy' of sorts worked out in advance for how you would deal with certain things. . . for example ...
(things they don't tell you in drama club or at drama school)
such as,
(and keep in mind that EVERYONE'S experience is DIFFERENT in terms of details)
some random producer claiming to show you around the set and is suddenly shoving you up against a wall and shoving his tongue in your mouth,
some random person walking up to you just to strip completely naked and walk away like nothing happened, (some actors do that bc of what's called 'the naked exercise' where you choose a person you trust and strip naked in front of them and it frees you to be 'naked' on stage in character)
or people at a cast party randomly bustin' slob, ie., dramatically tongue kissing and making out on top of bars (you think wait, is this an orgy or a cast party?)
OR, if you're sensitive to emotions within yourself, you have to get used to the emotional turmult of the poor lil ole' ego, going through constant ups and downs like a roller coaster,
ie, one performance you're swarmed with people afterwards telling you how great you were, then another performance of the same show, you find yourself counting the people, not as many as the night before etc. etc.,
the different personalities of different directors, ones that have been actors have some compassion for you as they direct you, then there are ones who you watch aghast as they yell ferociously at a young child on set as if they are an army sargeant cussin' at the child and all, ie., (dammit didn't I tell you ...blah! blah! blah!..)
If you have someone who you trust who is experienced, who's probably not going to be competing with you, you're better off, and you can find that kind of person in an acting coach, teacher, tutor ...
You have to have an internal constitution that can be very okay with expecting the completely (sometimes shockingly) unexpected.
Now, with all that said, and now that you've been properly warned, and you want to do something about the yearning to explore this internal passion, the first thing you must do is get into a good acting class.
Its not so much for the purpose of teaching you acting bc we all have the skill innately I believe, but
its to teach you a technique that will work for you and teach you the necessary jargon etc. and not to mention put you in a community of people who all 'get it', vs. your parents who probably never will, until they come to one of your plays.
And keep in mind, as an adult, you are free. As quiet as its kept, most parents don't really care so much about the choices you make as they care that you are able to support yourself in a way that works for YOUR life.
I also say, accept yourself as someone who needs to create stability for yourself and pay no attention to people who say you must be a starving artist. There is really no such thing. If you know someone who is that, they found a place within themselves where they do not need a certain external stability, but YOU do. Do whatever gives you that, along with don't let it be something you despise because it will effect your work on stage, which comes from YOUR life off stage. It doesn't have to be creative work (if so very great) but it can't get in the way of your creative freedom.
If you find that studying acting brings you out of your shyness, you may get enough very quickly bc the process itself, takes you out of yourself, and allows you to 'use' your Self, to give life to some character somebody made up and put on a sheet of paper, so there is not a 'right' or 'wrong' of it at all, just do everything within the context of what the director (or acting teacher) wants to convey, as their job is to decide how they want the story to look, etc., your job is to give them that.
If its a director who is creative, you will have a blast, if its a tyrant, its not so much fun in the moment, but the beauty of that is, learning how to deal with every type of person, even the 'difficult' people of the world (ie., some grumpy directors) is actually also part of your job, and if you can master that, you can enjoy whatever acting you can do, and be VERY glad you did it.
As for me, I got my satiation with it, although I do still have a yearning to play the witch in Little Red Riding Hood, so, we'll see.
This song is for you, may it bless you as it did me when I was going through this: (listen carefully, this is the truth)
). i want to believe that i like acting because it is so interesting and i have been with it for so long. MJ is helping me with that because he was VERY shy but he still achieved super-stardom. can you guys please help me??
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