It's Only Temporary

Everyone knows what a temp job is, right? It’s where you’re assigned to work for a company for a certain period of time. Once that time is up, you may or may not be assigned another job. If you’re not given another assignment immediately, the paychecks stop.

Whether it is a data entry job, a television series, or a movie, it’s still a temp job.

A group of people is cast to play different roles. As with any temporary position, the first few weeks are awkward while people get to know one another and reach individual comfort levels. Even though I imagine in the world of Hollywood where filming oftentimes hits the ground running, so to speak, there remains that initial contact among individuals who do not know each other. In mere moments, these people must reach enough of a comfort level to at least portray the characters in which they were cast. They must quickly create a comfort zone for interaction, dialogue and action.

A television series can end at a moment’s notice. We’ve all seen a series axed in the middle of a season. I doubt few of us have considered the consequences. That temp job ended before the actors expected. They’re out of a steady paycheck. They’re back to pounding the pavement looking for their next temp job.

With a movie, filming can go on for three to six months, sometimes longer. This, too, is the extent of many temporary job positions. Except some of the temporary positions in the civilian sector transition into full time paying jobs with benefits. Not so for the movie actor. S/he is once again searching for that next temporary job position.

All temporary positions, whether it be in Hollywood or out here in Neverland, offer the opportunity for growth and learning potential. They offer the chance to forge relationships and friendships which can often be beneficial to all parties involved.

Although actors are well-paid, I imagine the stress level of going from one temp job to another is enormous, never knowing where your next paycheck is coming from. I know it would be for me.

And there are some actors who don’t make those multi-million-dollar paychecks. The paychecks of good actors often fall way short of what “the big boys” make. Those are the actors who really hustle to find the next project to work on to keep the money flow flowing.

Yes, it’s true that Hollywood is a money-making machine, grinding out movies that we pay to see. And it’s true that a lot of actors are overpaid and a lot of those movies are not worth our hard-earned dollars to go see. But those movies are made for our entertainment, a much-needed respite in today’s world.

Hollywood is replete with scandal, but that doesn’t impinge our fascination with it. We, as a nation, spend more time and energy following the gossip and fashions of Hollywood stars and starlets than we do our own issues. Sad, and a little disturbing, but true.

We forget that acting is a job, and a temp job at that. Behind the glamour is the stress of going from one temp job to another; of never knowing when those temp jobs may become non-existent and the paychecks dry up.

True, the cushion of those multi-million-dollar paychecks is nice. But it is a deep-seated need in the human race—at least most of it—to be productive. Once those temp jobs run out, or the fickleness of fame forces an actor to seek other employment or to retire, the comfort of that productivity is lost.

No wonder actors suffer so much insecurity.

Being a writer may not be as glamorous or lucrative as being an actor, but I wouldn’t trade.

Pen is a published author with 30+ titles to her credit. Visit Nero’s Fiddle to check out her books.