Acting : Ahhh, Acting over 50 by Roy Lewis Garton

I recently got into a pretty heated discussion with a guy on Facebook in reference to older "newbies" breaking into acting. The actor in question is a very close friend of mine and he stated he was ready for a agent. He has taken some acting classes and I do agree he is ready for representation on a regional scale. You need to understand, we don't live in LA, we don't Live in New York, we don't live in Atlanta, we live in Florida. The film industry here is pretty much folded due to our wonderful State morons in Tallahassee thinking film incentives are stupid and money could be spent better elsewhere. Film production companies agree and they have left the state to spend their money......elsewhere... Back to my Facebook discussion. So this guy whom I do know personally thinks my friend should chase his dream, pack up his stuff and head to LA. As stated, he is an older actor, with a kid, single Dad, with a business, and with a mortgage. I love these carefree fly by night transplanted people who moved to Florida from LA with no ties other than they want to teach acting classes and think everyone can just take off in life because they can and jump into acting. Back to my story. I try to explain than he should start small within his area (Orlando-Tampa-Jacksonville) with a agent and see how it goes. I did that and continued my "day Job" It is also very hard to take time off and run to auditions at a whim when your agent says so. Most auditions are 60 miles plus from where we are in relation to Orlando or even more in Tampa or Miami. Nobody here wants to live in those cities. I explained it is very hard these days for over 50 actors just starting out to really make it in the business unless you been established. My friend is in no financial position to move to LA with a 12 year old. He is a floor layer by trade and that is what he knows. Yes, he is good, I have acted with him but my advice by this guy was met with I was a "poser" actor doing it as a hobby and he had friends over 50 making millions in Hollywood doing bit parts, blah, blah, blah. I simply said good for him. I had another friend who took my side state he very well knows the cattle calls of want to be actors lining up for auditions for a small part, principal role, supporting role, driving 100 miles, for a 10 second read. Maybe young people can do this, younger single guys can do this, a housewife perhaps, but some of us have mortgages, a business, bills, a car payment, and life don't work that way to just drop everything and move to LA, Atlanta, or New York on a pipe dream. One suggested he go to Atlanta or New York once a month for networking. Again my friend does not have the money to just hop on a jet and fly there every month or even yet, drive his 3/4 ton work truck and pull his kid out of school whom he is raising to do that. Some people have no common sense of the real world.

Now for me. How is it that I can speak with any authority about this?

I been there, done that. I am almost 65. I still act but spend more time behind the camera these days running my production business.

I been acting since I was 12. I know what the acting bug is like. My enthusiasm like others almost cost me my marriage and my home. My boss at one time almost fired me for running to auditions all the time. Oh I was gonna make it big. Yes sir!! It can be addictive. I had to burn up all my vacation time to go to these auditions where for every 30 you go to, you might score one. As for agents they will send whoever they can because they too have to pay bills and they work off commission off your paycheck. Can't blame them. Oh that is the other thing. Your paycheck from acting does not come in two weeks, or even one month. Expect to wait up to 90 days to get paid off some gigs. Today, I have settled down and learned a lesson. I am proud of my acting, don't get me wrong. I have done over 25 films, been in 3 television series, done national commercials and I am SAG-AFTRA eligible. Florida among other states I have worked in were or are right to work and when I became eligible in 1979 I never joined and today it is 3 grand and again we go back to with 3 grand, I can buy equipment for my business and I am not acting that much anymore to invest that kind of money. If you live in LA, ATL. or N.Y. yes, you should join, but here, it makes no sense. If you have money behind you from some source and no obligations then go for it. If you don't, think really hard. Acting is competitive enough for kids and young people. Roles for baby boomers and seniors is even thinner and what there is, again very competitive. Take a deep breath and say, "Can I do this?" "Should I do this?" and if I can, what is going to be my goal and long term survival by doing this?"