Air Date: 10/12/2023
Acting on Purpose
For some reason, I happen to like double meanings for the same phrase. It can be in
the form of a pun or a double entendre. For example, today’s e
pisode is called Acting on Purpose. Well, it can mean acting for a reason or it can als
o mean having a purpose to act on! Either way, we’ll look into both meanings to uncove
r the truth about why actors act!
Why do actors act? What driving purpose can explain the dedic
ation, discipline, risks it takes to become an actor? Finding out the reason can be quit
e complicated yet
valuable to examine, I think. It can lead to a healthy foundation for o
ur creativity. After
all, if we have a reason, we can understand why we choose this vocation or avocation,
as the case may be. Here are some reasons I’ve heard from other actors and a few of my own thoughts about why actors act.
1. “Something I always wanted”- seeing a performance, being in a school play
2. “Love the idea of being an actor”- Playing other people, creative outlet,
admiration from others, creative lifestyle
3. “Nothing else I’d rather do”- being a creative storyteller is enticing
4. “The possibility of being rich and famous”-few would admit to this but secretly
admit it
5. Believe in the value of story telling as an art form for the betterment of society
6. Exploration of the human condition and our own psychology
If you have a reason I haven't mentioned, please let me know at castingactorscast@gmail.com
Each reason we have for why we choose to act is valid. Actually, no one reason is
usually correct. Typically, there are a few driving factors for our decision to act. From
what I know, no actor has had someone else beg us to become an actor. “Plea
se, for
the love of god, become an actor!”. So we must rely on our creativity, intellect and
determination to follow our passion. It might not make sense to our
friends/family/community to understand our reasons, but it needs to only make sense to us. It is our purpose. Our intentional understanding of how we choose to pursue a creative life.
In another way, “Acting on Purpose” can be a new approach to the characters we are
playing. Here is how defining your character’s purpose can be a useful tool to
investigate.
1. Ask yourself why the character was written in the first place (purpose #1)
2. Find out what drives the character to behave the way they do (purpose #2)
3. Connect with the similarities between you and your character to reveal both
purposes.
Everything happens for a reason. Acting on purpose or our purpose for acting makes for
an interesting journey.
Jeffrey Dreisbach, Casting Partner, McCorkle Casting LTD-New York, NY
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