written by JULIANNA HARPER. December 8th, 2020
The past eight months have been a series of highs and lows for everyone. The unpredictable nature of this pandemic is enough to make anyone go crazy.
I am currently on the way to earning a BFA degree at NYU Tisch School of the Arts for Drama, however, due to the pandemic, my artistic studies have been put on hold. Where I was previously living my dream, acting, performing, and watching theatre three days a week from 9-5, I am now back in my high school bedroom in California, taking gen ed classes. At the beginning of this weird time, I felt completely lost and utterly heartbroken. I was no longer enriched in a community of like-minded artists and collaborators; I didn’t have the ability to work on the one thing in life that I rely on most to get me through the hardest of times. And not only that, I felt as if I was reverting back to my high school self. It was like senioritis hit me all over again.
I felt stuck. So much of why I love acting and being an artist is because it allows me to connect with other people, characters, and stories. Without those connections, I felt like I lost a part of my identity and purpose. The sadness was overwhelming for a while, but then I realized that the only way to get through it is to pave my own path for survival. While I might not have been able to study the great works of Shakespeare or practice the art of spit taking in comedy class, I could take advantage of being in California and try to get my foot in the door of the industry. So that’s what I did.
I started to utilize new resources for actors that would help my growth as an artist. I submitted myself for tons of projects and from that, was able to do some auditions from home. I got a blue screen and a ring light making the office in my house a make-shift audition room. I found acting mentors on Instagram that provide daily motivation and helpful resources. I then reached out to any and all connections that I had with people who worked in various departments of the entertainment industry. I took a few meetings with some different agencies and talent companies, which in itself was an incredible opportunity that I was not expecting to experience until I graduated.
I had always heard how important it is to not just worry about how to make an agent or manager want to work with you, you also need to make sure you want to work with them. It is a partnership and it’s important to find someone who you connect with and are willing to let pave the way for your career. This was something that stuck with me throughout the entire process.
Every company or person that I met with was kind and seemed to genuinely care about their clients and their success. Yet, this process was weird over Zoom because as most of us know by now, it is hard to find a connection with someone when meeting them for the first time through a computer screen. However, my final meeting was in person, socially distanced, of course. I knew immediately that this woman I was meeting with was the agent for me. I was eager to work with any of the people I met with, but I knew that the connection I felt meant something – I had to trust my gut. After a few weeks, I heard back from the people I met with getting some yeses and nos. But my gut was right. I settled in with the last agent I met with and I couldn’t be happier.
In these past few months, instead of letting myself sit in the loss of what I didn’t have and couldn’t do, I was able to be productive and gain confidence, which has been something I have struggled with for years. I was able to acknowledge that I am worthy of following my dreams, even when the world makes it feel close to impossible. There is no stopping someone who knows what they want, and does whatever it takes to get there. It is vulnerable and nerve-racking to put yourself out there, but you have to do it to succeed. To end with my somewhat cliche take on life, I believe it is important to mention that this pandemic is not a good enough reason to give up on your dreams. The path you may have had planned out will change, and things will go in a completely different direction than you expected them to, but that is life. It is about learning how to navigate those bumps in the road and to make them work for you, rather than stop you.
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