Where Are You Aiming?

by Mario A. Campanaro

Where Are You Aiming?

by Mario A. Campanaro

"If we think about an arrow, wherever we aim it is the direction it will go. If we aim low, the arrow goes low. If we aim high, the arrow goes high. The same is true for us as artists. Where we aim is where we will find ourselves. If we aim with casualness, we will receive casual results, and those results will definitely not stretch us. We put out casualness, and the universe responds to us exactly where we are and produces casual opportunities.

This art form constantly demands that we stretch outside of our comfort zone if we truly want to be artists and grow and expand into the expansive character work and storytelling that great stories ask of us. Casualness is the great stifler for an actor, and to be blunt, it is disrespectful to an art form that is thousands of years old.

Everything that we do as actors has to have some level of creative and artistic formality because the very nature of this art form asks an audience to stop time and space, go on a journey of witnessing the human condition, and feel something profound they maybe would not have allowed themselves to feel otherwise. There is nothing casual about people using the currency of their time. If we approach our work with casualness, it inevitably breaks the heart and soul of the work.

So we have to make sure that we uphold and respect the traditions of this art form if we expect people to watch us in a way that honors those same traditions. And to be that kind of actor is not always going to be easy. To be the kind of actor that wants to keep growing and getting better at our chosen art form can sometimes bring us face to face with many mountains. And with every mountain we reach the top of, we are always met with the bottom of the next one. The struggle is real, and there will always be some sort of struggle because we are facing something new in everything we do. We are always beginning again.

The truth is, we must be willing to be okay struggling with struggle. The moment we do not allow ourselves to struggle, we get stuck. We want to remain in a place of constant exploration. Validation is not the thing that will push us to think, to be, or to explore beyond our comfort zone. And let’s be honest, validation is fleeting. It is temporary. It is not tangible to hold onto. It is not a real anchor. It comes and then it goes.

We have to be okay with failing. We have all heard it, but it is true: failure is our greatest teacher because it teaches us how to grow beyond those moments. It moves us toward growth, wisdom, and, as actors, expansion.

Success is great, we all want it, but it can sometimes create a sense of conclusion, as if we have reached the pinnacle and there is nothing left to do. But like we said, the top of one mountain is the bottom of the next. We have to keep climbing. Growth allows us to keep expanding. In order to grow, we must be willing to be uncomfortable in the process and sometimes unlearn what we once knew so we can relearn it in a way that better serves the work.

As actors, in order to truly be on this path, we have to develop both strength and sensitivity. We need the armor of a gladiator and the sensitivity of a child. The sensitivity belongs in the work, in the scene, while the strength allows us to sustain vulnerability and everything else that comes with the profession. This often requires unlearning habits and understanding that sensitivity is not weakness and that strength is not rigidity. Both must be used with intention.

Another important aspect of our work is control of our instrument. That does not mean controlling our impulses and instincts in the scene. It means having an instrument that we can play so it fulfills the demands of the circumstances and does not pull us out of them. Casualness shows up in the body, and believe it or not, that casualness creates unnecessary tension.

Stillness, silence, and useful control and relaxation are all disciplines that must be practiced. We must be in control of our instrument at all times. On set or on stage, even the smallest uncontrolled movement can disrupt the work and tell a different story than the one the text and character are meant to reveal. This craft requires a high level of physical awareness and control, and that control must be developed over time.

Punctuality and responsiveness are another Achilles heel for some of us. One of the biggest factors that can alter our opportunities is a lack of responsiveness and punctuality. In this profession, on time is late, and responding tomorrow is someone else’s gain. We have to train ourselves to arrive early because we cannot simply show up and do the work. We must prepare our body, our mind, and our spirit. If we arrive rushed, we bring that energy into the work, and it interferes with our ability to perform. We also have to respond quickly because our procrastination is someone else’s opportunity.

A professional holds themselves accountable for what the industry demands. If those areas are weak, it is our responsibility to strengthen them. Growth comes from being honest with ourselves about where we are falling short and being willing to do something about it.

The same level of responsibility applies when receiving notes, whether we are training or getting feedback from a director, producer, casting director, agent, or manager. Notes are not there to criticize us, they are there to help us grow and fulfill a specific objective.

We need the openness to take the note, not hold onto it, and then make the adjustment as best we can. This is true not just in acting, but in life. The process will feel uncomfortable, and that is part of it. We may struggle and fail, and that is part of it. We may feel raw, exposed, and vulnerable, and that is part of it. We have to be willing to receive feedback as professionals, not as the child within us reacting to criticism. We are not being parented, we are being guided. Stay open, take the note, use it, and keep moving forward.

And finally, we also have to ask ourselves what we really want. Do we see ourselves on that screen or on that stage, or do we see ourselves in the audience calling ourselves actors? And if we do see ourselves up there, are we holding ourselves to that standard, or are we making exemptions for ourselves? We have to be honest and ask how much time we are truly devoting to our craft and how much we are working toward sitting at the table with great actors. This career requires commitment because we are the business. Like any business, it requires time, effort, and consistency to grow. We have to hold ourselves to the same standards that we admire in others and ask ourselves if we are truly doing the work required to get where we want to go.

We all have self-awareness, and if we use it honestly, we can recognize what needs to change and take action. The things we want most are often the hardest to achieve because they involve the heart. When the heart is involved, it asks for something deeper from us. That is what separates meaningful work from casual work.

We have to stay committed to the discipline and formality of this craft. We have to constantly ask ourselves what we need to improve, where we are falling short, and how we can grow. This art form is about expansion, and in the process, it expands us as individuals.

As Stella Adler said, “we must work on our body, our voice, our talent, and most importantly our mind,” because our mind is what drives everything. We are capable of more than we think. If we think small, we stay small, but if it is going to be someone, there is no reason it cannot be us.

Which way are we holding the bow? It does not take much effort to aim down, but aiming up requires strength and endurance. Our arms may shake, and it may feel uncomfortable, but that is part of the process. The more we continue to aim high, the closer we get to where we want to be.

Hold the bow and let it shake. Let it challenge us. Everything we are resisting is the very thing that will help us grow. If not us, then who? No one else is going to do the work for us.

True success is not about validation. It is about growth. It is about having the courage to fall, get up, struggle, and then keep going. That is what brings depth and humanity to our work and makes it meaningful.

At the end of the day, there are things in this profession that are out of our control, but there is so much that is within our control, and that is what we do and the standard we hold for ourselves. Be what we say we are. Focus on that. Ask ourselves what we can do fully and consistently, and then do it with everything we have. See where it takes us. I promise that when we give that bow everything we have, the arrow travels far."