kristalgrace.com Blog

When I got my business cards printed, I sidestepped calling myself an “actor” – oh no, I was far beyond that! My cards read,

Kristal Yee

Performing Artist

After all, one cannot be only an actor! One must have multiple skills, and not be tied down to the title of “actor.” I really liked it! It stood out.

I went to a networking workshop a few weeks ago, and I card-swapped with a director/instructor. He told me that he thought my card said “Performance Artist,” which is different. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Performance_artist) I hadn’t realised it might have come across that way, so I’m here to ask you:

Would seeing “Performing Artist” confuse you, or is that title clear enough? What does that mean, to you? Should I just stick with the tried and true “Actor?” I’m curious, and I’m also running out of business cards, so I’d love to hear your thoughts on this before I order new ones!

Thanks in advance.

I finally did it! I left my agent. Much like a bad (boyfriend-girlfriend) relationship, this one wasn’t going anywhere. It felt very one step forward, two steps back. It was beyond time to leave.

If you know who I’m talking about, that’s fine, but I’m not going to say who they were, because I’m not out to damage reputations. Clearly they are working out for others. Just not me. Which is too bad, but…hey. It happens.

Without going into too much detail, after a phone call I got last week, I knew it was time to stop stalling. I call her that evening, and for the first time since I signed with them in the fall of 2005 (besides the 3 or 4 months I was with a different agency, but that’s not the point), we really talk. We’re honest with each other, and she tells me that it’s my perogative, but (among other things) she likes me and thinks I’m talented. She says to take a bit to think about it, and to let her know whether or not I decide to stay. I say I’ll think about it.

Well, ain’t that a kerfuffle?! I call intending to leave, and end up being even more confused. I call a friend, who puts it into perspective for me:

If I was in a “romantic” relationship with someone who’d been acting the same way as my agency (aloof, mostly talk, and who often seemed like they had better things to do), and I told him I wanted to break up, and he came back with, “Oh baby, really? I mean, you can leave if you want to, but babe, I really like you. I want you to stay with me” – I don’t even know why I’d still be with the guy after so long anyway!

I knew that leaving is the best choice, but clearly I’m finding it easier to brush off boys than agents, at this stage.

I tell myself today is the day I’ll break it off clean! (And by today I mean yesterday. It’s currently 2:41am.) I pick up the phone. I’m terrified. I dial. (”Feel the fear and do it anyway!” Thanks, W.) She answers. I say I need to try something new. She agrees, and says she’ll take me off of their roster on Casting Workbook (or do I have to do that myself? I need to check.). “No hard feelings?” “No, none.” She wishes me luck, tells me to take care, and that’s that.

I’m unrepresented.

And even though it’s felt like I wasn’t very represented anyway,

I’m terrified.

Maybe that’s too strong of a word. But I am a little nervy. The hopeful, excited kind, you know? But mostly nervy. I mean, I don’t know what’s going to happen next, I still haven’t got a demo reel together, my voice is still recovering from my month and a half of having a cold/losing my voice/getting a bronchial infection thingy (which I’ve taken to calling my Bronchitisaurus) so my voice over demo isn’t moving, and daylight savings is messing me up something fierce. But I’ve cut ties with what wasn’t working for me, and now there’s room for something else, something better. And that part is exciting.

I am going to do great things in acting. Starting now!

Knock on wood : )

It’s been…slow, to say the least.  I’m hopefully about to embark on changes for the better – I will of course let you know if anything happens!

Meanwhile, during the draught, I was talking, as I have a habit of doing, with a friend of mine who is also an actor. The industry is (apparently) slow, auditions are far and few between, and being sick and losing my vioce meant that work on my Voice Over Demo had some to a halt. We were both bored, both craving performance of some sort, and both annoyed and agitated that we weren’t doing anything.

Fortunately it’s times like those that ideas sometimes come up!

Then you have to decide on whether or not you want to act on them.

She said that we should get together and talk about acting et all more often, because we give each other pep talks and it’s like being the other persons’ cheerleader – and on came a lightbulb!

We thought, what if every once in a while, we got together and could have a gripe session if we wanted to (a verbal vomiting of all the stuff we’re sick of/mad about to do with the industry), and after, talk about what we wanted to be doing instead. Goal setting! – and then, see if we could figure out a game plan on how to get there. And so, the A.C.T., also known as the Actors Cheerleading Troupe, was born!

I mean, there are already going to be a lot of performers out there who, yes, are your competition, but do we really have to be nasty to everyone who we feel might be a threat? I don’t think so. I’d much rather be friendly with people in “the biz” – yes, we may still be up for the same roles, but A) Attitude counts, B) I won’t be scared of you, but congratulations, you’ve succeeded in making me not like you and C) It’s far easier to be friends! Plus, that makes me feel popular. Hahaha.

The way I see it, if we, the passionate, frustrated artists, all band together and try to help each other out, all that energy has to go to something – who knows, maybe we can make magic! It’s great to have a group of people who are feeling the same way as you, and who have been through some of the same things.

I want to do something with this. Now’s the time to do it, at any rate! So I want to know – if you are a frustrated artist who wants to join us, let me know! There’s a small group of us so far, and we’d love to band together with you!

Alone, we’re just solitary artists in need of an outlet. Together, we’re a group of artists who…well, need an outlet.

Leave me a comment here if you’re interested, email me at write.to.kristal@hotmail.com, or join our Facebook Group! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2245387965&ref=mf

Love, Kristal