Thoughts From SAA: 17 August 2026
5 Areas SAA specialises in (that we encourage actors to specialise in TOO!)
Self Confidence Minus Self Doubt Equals Self Discovery
This gig has a lot to do with nurturing the ability to trust in ourselves. It's about having faith in our journey and in life itself, as actors and as human beings.
It's a house built with the bricks of collaboration (like life!), which is as much about embracing our own worthiness as it is about celebrating others (Celebrating not ‘envying’ by the way. Save that sh*t for some of the characters we play)
The subtle art of silencing those voices in our head that tell us ‘we're not enough’, about telling ‘imposter syndrome’ it’s no longer invited to the party and about freeing up our creativity for ourselves, for others and for the greater good.
Oh and it’s fun…in case we forgot to mention that bit!
Discovering…OR RE-discovering ACTOR’S JOY
‘Actor's Joy’ is, truly and honestly, infectious!
That word ‘infectious’ (particularly in a post-Covid! world) sometimes gets a bad rap!
Actor’s Joy, however is the GOOD kind!
‘MORE. JOY. NOW’- a mantra for the work we do.
And that’s not meant to be 'schmaltzy'
It’s a vital ingredient,
Nor is it selfish.
It's actually one of the most generous things we can be!
And it makes us a pleasure to work with.
And a good actor is someone you want to work with more than once!
Matthew McConaughey's philosophy on ego centers on the concept of "egotistical utilitarianism"
The idea that doing good things for yourself impacts those around you positively.
Seems to be working for him…
Whether you're playing the comic relief or a person in great turmoil (or, often, both!) ‘Actor's Joy’ underneath it all is essential.
We had it as kids…at the bottom of the garden pretending it was a magical forest. Let's bring it with us to sets, castings and rehearsals!
You may have Actor's Joy by the bucketload already. Or you may feel you need to rediscover it.
Either is fine.
We'll get there.
And it’s a lovely place to be when we do!
Booking the job
Ah yes… that bit…
Acting is a wonderful craft. And it’s also a wonderful industry to be a part of.
But it’s also our job (despite the cultural generalisation that it’s more of a hobby…the millions watching a show on Netflix when they were in lockdown could perhaps consider that more?)
And, like most jobs, it comes with its challenges.
Sometimes small, sometimes seemingly insurmountable.
But always manageable in the end.
Auditions tend to be one of those challenges.
I’ve met many actors who actually LOVE auditioning. And, for every one of those unicorns, I’ve met twenty who struggle with a multitude of things that they learn to negotiate.
But it CAN be fun!
Never forget that!
The process of auditioning for things can be a fraught for many reasons, internally and externally
It doesn’t have to be, and we’re here to help with that!
It just requires a bit of discipline, practise, resilience and never forgetting why you’re doing it in the first place!
We work with so many wonderful actors at SAA on a weekly basis that we know, first hand, how much talent exists in this world.
We must remind ourselves, as artists, to be GRATEFUL for that.
To not compare ourselves to others, but to be excited and count ourselves lucky for the wonderful artists and the people that surround us!
It takes the pressure off oursellves, of ‘self-seeking’ and has the very pleasant whiff of ‘team player’ about it.
It changes our energy and creates a quality in us that draws others to the work we do. And to take, into an audition or casting, that sense of adventure, joy, collaboration and play is much more likely to make others take notice.
The reality is it’s not enough to just be ‘talented’ in this business.
There are plenty of talented actors out there.
What makes us ‘great’ is the identity we create for ourselves. The motives we have for doing this work that we do, The sense of creativity, the pleasure we can find in discipline and incoming to an audition ready to do our work and create TOGETHER, rather than justify our entire existence over the next few minutes!
Finding where acting fits into your life
‘A person wrapped up in themselves is a very small package’
The same applies to being ‘wrapped up’ in simply ‘being an actor’
It is part of you. A big part, of course, but it is not ALL of you.
And to rely on it to justify your existence is tricky territory.
Your life is full of SO many things- relationships, your family, your friends, your home, the places you like to go, the places you’ve been, pursuits and hobbies, our passions, interests, life experience and the many things that make life (and YOU!) interesting.
Keeping a sense of this in our day-to-day approach to the work of being an actor is vital!
It helps in so many ways!
It make the resources we draw on more varied and vital. It helps us avoid the trap of ‘all or nothing’ thinking about acting, creating a healthier sense of non-attachment, and it just makes life more pleasurable and happy.
And happy actors are better actors, trust me.
Establishing meaningful working relationships that fulfil you and others-
Many of the people you meet in our business will be wonderful.
You are part of a tribe of fascinating people who share the same passion as you.
You are able to be of service to them and the work, and they, in turn, can bring great joy and depth to your life.
The shared pursuit of storytelling is as old as language and the sense of community that comes from working together as humans on exploring ‘what it is to be human’ is an incredibly worthwhile enterprise!
Never forget that.
It can be easy to sometimes.
But it’s always there underneath it all…
SAM HAFT
ACTOR-TEACHER-DIRECTOR-WRITER
SYDNEY ACTORS ASSOCIATION
samhaft@hotmail.com
0431 083 722
