Acting - Real Life Was Never This Much Fun
By Michael Russell

It's a part of the human makeup. We all do it whether we realize it or not. It's something we can fall back on to help us through difficult and uncomfortable situations. There are different names for it, but we just call it acting. Acting is defined as a person who portrays a character, either on stage, or screen. The character is usually fictional, but can also be someone who is alive or once lived. The profession of acting has been around a long time. Even the ancient Greeks had shows in their theatres.

There are acting schools and lessons and training. Acting can be a very well paid job, depending on where you are and who you are. The acting of the past probably carried more prestige than today, but the money wasn't nearly as good. Acting use to be a craft, while today it's more of a show. Many of today's acting stars are not even considered great or good actors and it doesn't matter. If the person on stage or screen has something that keeps the audience paying; then that's really all that matters.

You don't even need to attend schools or classes to be an actor in today's world. Look at reality TV, or what I call un-reality TV. There are so many people on these shows and they have no training in the field of acting, yet they are actors. They hope that these shows will somehow make them a star, at least for a little while. These shows have probably lowered the status of acting. Television is to blame. Apparently television is going through a uncreative stage. The writers for television seem to be having a hard time developing shows that would require trained professionals; so instead, they bring together a bunch of non-actors, stick a camera in their face and call it a TV show.

If you crave to see some very good acting, then you need to watch soap operas. Soap operas have always been down the food chain when it comes to status, but the soaps have been around for along time and many big screen stars got their start doing soap operas. Another interesting thing about soaps is that they're a daily event. From Monday through Friday these characters become a part of your everyday life. Maybe that's why soap fans identify with the characters. Soap actors are some of the most recognized and beloved actors on the planet.

Acting is still a very popular profession, though it probably doesn't require the skill it once took in the past. Television, through need or laziness has decided to put their fate in the hands of unskilled actors, so far it's working, because a lot of people watch those un-reality shows. Sure, there are still a few great character actors, but you just don't see them too often. Because of all the short-cuts that exist, that allow people to get their faces on camera, you have to wonder why anyone would go through the training and classes and all that is required to be a good actor, if they could find an easier way.