Is the Entertainment Industry Really For Me?

Been contemplating the past month if the entertainment is really for me. Living in LA for about two years now I’m starting to feel a strain, a strain that I couldn’t quite explain until now. Feeling there was something missing I finally realized what that was this last week and a half…been missing a fun worthwhile social life.

I moved out to LA by myself with no family or close friends living out in this big city of chaos. Trying to inch your way into the industry there is a balance that will start to lurk away when entering the true starving actor lifestyle. You will not be able to work on the craft and also have lots of fun like the teenage years when you didn’t have much responsibility. Since there are thousands of people every month (heck maybe even week) moving out to California to follow their dreams, sacrificing is in order to give up going out, because you have to work a hundred times harder in this line of work to become known in Hollywood. With that note, ever-aching minute counts and you can’t waste any time or you will be stepping backwards. With knowing this dedication, I knew I would be able to do it, but saying something and doing it is two different things.  I have been doing it except this past month where a toll hit me and I started to explore in my mind the idea if LA is the right place for me.

The contemplation started to pour in:

·       Long hours of working in acting when you don’t get paid

·       Auditioning and not hearing back at times even when you were really good

·       Putting in money for headshots, classes, and workshops when getting no money in return

·       Expensive rat race of trying to get an agent.

When trying to become an actor you can’t have a normal nine to five job because you wouldn’t be able to make auditions or go to acting classes, so it’s hard to be able to make a living following the beginning of a nonpaying dream that millions of others are going after. Millions of people don’t intimidate me, because if you want something bad enough and you sacrifice giving up your time with putting in years of work, it can happen! But this past month, all this knowing information, just made me not sure if I wanted to keep fighting for this dream and live out in a big city all alone. But the last week and a half opened my eyes and I realized once again why I am doing this and what will come in the long run, maybe not now, but years down the road.  I was just missing a little excitement and great company to realize I am not alone in this world and that in the long run if I have true friends they will be by my side within the years to come.

I went out and explored some amusement even though I can’t afford to or do this very often. I just really needed a few days to get a small balance to remember I am still human! The fun started with going out to the beach to relax feeling like we were the only ones there, saw a wonderful stand up comedy show, went to the movie theater (instead of ordering a Netflix movie, like my normal routine), checked out The Grove, and all those things allowed me to feel like I could breathe for a moment without worrying what I was going to do the next day for my acting dream. I honestly didn’t want the fun to stop, but I am glad I got drifted into perspective when my last fun day ended in Hollywood…the club scene. 

The club scene, where do I even begin, I am glad I went because it showed me what I use to be in the teenage years and what I don't want to be doing anymore or in the future. Partying late at night, getting wasted and strangers hitting on you is no longer a part of my life. I just needed to remind myself of that so I could get beyond this hurtle of thinking the industry isn’t for me. I am not missing anything in the going out world in Hollywood right now and I need to just keep pushing forward and realize I still have eight more years to carry out until I start to see real progress in the acting industry. I just need to stay positive, surround myself with genuine friends and really know who I am to keep myself moving forward. There are a lot of people in this town that you can hang out with, but I am a little picky and need friends who get themselves and me. When you find people who get you, you don’t want to let them go because it is hard to find people who will take their time to truly get to know you, even half of my own family doesn’t even get me or matter of fact know me.

With all this new information that has floated into my life, I can't wait to share what my next steps are to exploring my dream in my new blogs coming this week!

Anything is possible as long as you put your mind to it!

Cause who knows: WHAT COMES NEXT...

-Jahnna Randall