“I quit” are two words we may never expect to have to use as actors, unless they’re written in a script. These fated words seem like they would be reserved for muggles: the corporates, the labourers, the baristas with other options for employment. For us actors, work can be so scarce that to turn down a project, especially after we’ve landed it, might feel like career suicide. We should count ourselves lucky we have a job in the first place, right? It’s exactly for this reason that learning when to quit an acting project is so damn important.
There are a number of reasons you might quit an acting project. Ceative differences, shifting schedules, personal commitments are all common—especially with actors in the independent and semi-professional realms. There is nothing stopping you quitting an acting project; however, it is not a decision to be taken lightly. Act morally and rationally before you make any major decision about stepping away from a project.
Before we look at reasons to quit an acting project, we need to examine the culture around quitting in the arts to try and dispel some psychological blocks we might have. Then we’ll need to work out whether quitting is the right thing to do or if we should hang in there a little longer. It takes considerable reflection and a generous dose of willpower to decide when to pull the trigger, so let’s get our teeth into this meaty and somewhat frightening topic.
Fear of Quitting
I was, admittedly, a little flippant in exclaiming that quitting is reserved for ‘muggles’, as if it’s somehow easier for people working non-arts jobs to quit. It’s not. Quitting anything can be difficult, often because it’s wrapped up with a lot of fear. Fear of uncertainty, for example. “Am I going to regret this? Will I be able to find another job?”
In a capitalist society, quitting is spruiked as the scary last resort because it’s bad for business. It means valuable time and resources will need to be put towards finding a replacement. For us, the workers, quitting means financial uncertainty and a loss of stability. Even if it’s 100% the right thing to do, we often feel like we’re letting people down and doing the foolish thing. Job scarcity amplifies all of this. When supply is far lower than demand, we’re biologically hardwired to gather as much as we can and hold onto it for dear life. This effect is especially prevalent in the performing arts industry. There isn’t much work to go around so when we land a job, we want to protect it.
In addition to this, the cliché “suffer for your art” will sometimes rears its ugly head. If we find ourselves working on a project that we don’t like, there’s an unspoken expectation that you’ll power through it and if you don’t, it’s an indictment on you as an artist.
If you find the words “I quit” frightening, you can take some comfort knowing that you’re not alone. We’ve all been fed the same meal.
When to Quit an Acting Project
So: when should you quit an acting project? And how should you do it? Below, I’ve outlined some classic reasons you might run into throughout your career. However, even if you encounter one or more of these things, it shouldn’t trigger an automatic shutdown. Do not take the process of quitting lightly: give it time, thought and maybe seek some advice from trusted colleagues.
#1 “Creative Differences”
Often, when you hear this phrase in relation to a creative leaving a project, it’s code for “people didn’t get along”. Sometimes, that’s enough to do it. Actors and artists alike can be oddballs: we’re eccentric, sensitive people who, like anyone, have our own beliefs and ideologies. Sometimes we’ll butt heads. And it’s difficult, because everybody cares so much on a project they’ve likely given reams of time and effort to bring about.
So before you hand in your letter of resignation, ask yourself what the problem is. If you’re having a disagreement with someone about directorial or performative decisions, I wouldn’t recommend quitting. Try and talk it out, seek mediation from the director or producer. More often than not, you’ll find yourself working on projects that don’t align with your personal artistic practice and that’s okay. These sorts of projects are opportunities for you to learn and strengthen your practice and they should be celebrated, even if it’s painful to have to deliver a line or scene in a way you just don’t believe is compelling.
#2 Feeling Unsafe
An exception, of sorts, to the above rule. If you feel unsafe around someone on the project, for any reason, you should have a conversation with the director or producer or someone in production. Any instances of transphobia, homophobia, sexism, racism—any sort of behaviour that is purposefully exclusionary of an individual or group should never be tolerated.
If your director, producer or production team are good at their job, they’ll take this sort of feedback very seriously and will work with you to find a solution. If you’re unable to work towards an outcome where you feel safe again, then it’s time to pull the trigger. Give your agent as much detail as you feel comfortable giving and try to leave the project as amicably as possible–you don’t want to sever ties with any good eggs you met because of one bad egg.
And if the people in charge kick up a stink because of this reason … they’re part of the problem. Career prestige or not, they’re not the sort of people you should ever work with, and you’ve done yoruself a favour.
#3 Profit Share Grind
Another common reason that actors walk out is that a project becomes unsustainable. Recently, a good friend of mine has been working on a double-feature of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull and Shakespeare’s Hamlet for a few months now–which is a while, right? It’s a tall order, but she was told the rehearsal period was four days a week starting in April and that the show would open in October this year.
It’s a profit-share gig, which means she isn’t being paid a whole lot, but there’s a lot of promise in the team and the company so she was happy to sign on and make it work. However, a couple of weeks ago, the director pulled one of the craziest moves I’ve ever heard of. They decided to delay the show by a WHOLE YEAR, and keep the current schedule of rehearsals until then!! That’s another FIFTEEN months of work that is effectively unpaid. That sort of change is completely unacceptable; it has transformed an already big ask into a completely unsustainable project.
Actors are pretty thrifty people, but to have to manage over a year of unpaid work is a near impossible task. If a project appears unsustainable or becomes unsustainable after you’ve started work on it, it’s time to go. There will be a better one that shows up, I promise. However, try to keep your feelings out of it in this situation. You might be annoyed with whoever is responsible–with fair reason–but it’s not going to do you any favours if you berate them. Keep it professional, explain that it’s simply not going to possible for you to commit your time under the new arrangement and thank them for the opportunity. Kindness always wins in the end.
#4 A Better Job
This is a tricky one, and one that is definitely in need of some personal morals and ethics to properly navigate. Yes, there are situations when you are doing one job and a better one comes along that necessitates you quitting your current project.
Say you’re doing a profit-share gig with a great group of actors for an indie theatre company. One day, your agent books and tells you that Netflix is calling with the filming opportunity of a lifetime. Do you take the job? Hell yeah you do. Speak openly and honestly with your producer and director, and they’ll likey be thrilled for you.
If only it were that simple…
What if it’s a better class of production that’s also unpaid? What if you’re three days from opening/shooting and there’s no possible way the team will get a replacement? And what if, by quitting, you’ll cause a shutdown of production that will put all your friends and colleagues out of work? These are all factors to consider, and the kinds of things you’ll need to wrestle with before you bite the bullet and tap out. Make decisions you can live with. And know that sometimes the odd opportunity will sadly pass you by.
#5 False Advertising
Sometimes, projects just aren’t what they’re advertised as, like, at all. This is particularly common with amateur productions that use websites like StarNow. They like to hit the big pools of actors to cast their nets as wide as possible. When you’re using any public casting board, you should always take every project with a grain of salt. Put on your detective hat to make sure its legit.
I was offered a role in a project that was advertised as a brand new series that would be published on major streaming services. When I showed up to the first day of filming, the ‘set’ was some guy’s house in the ‘burbs and the ‘crew’ was that same guy with a camera. All power to amateurs, of course, but if they’re doing a public callout, they’ll often leave out key information to improve their chances at getting auditions.
It’s important to ask as many questions as you can to try and avoid this. But if you’re like me, and get a little trigger-happy before doing any investigating, ask yourself if the project is really worth your time. I ended up staying on that particular job because it was paid and the guy making it was nice enough. However, if you’re disheartened and disillusioned with the lies, there’s nothing wrong with telling the people behind it that the project wasn’t what it was promised and that you have other commitments.
It’s important to know your worth as an actor. There’s a common-held belief that actors should take absolutely everything they can get their hands on, but I’m the first to dispute it. Your skills are coveted and they deserve to be honoured.
You Can Always Say No
One final point beore I sign off. If you find yourself in repeated situations where you feel the call to quit, examine why you say “yes” in the first place. Just as important as learning when to quit an acting project is learning when to say “no”. Look for red flags, vibe out the collaborators. Most importantly, be up front about what you can commit to the project, and what it will give you in return.
It’s much easier to say no at first than it is later—even days after making a firm commitment. So be discerning about the opportunities you pursue, and keep reminding yourself that saying “no” today doesn’t mean the producer, director or casting director won’t ever call you again.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the decision to quit an acting project is yours and yours alone. If the project is detrimental to your mental or physical health, your finances or your social life, then those are pretty clear indicators that its time to jump ship.
But, of course, not everything is black and white. Sometimes you just have to trust whatever your gut is telling you. I know its cliché, but there’s research that proves “gut feelings” are actually biological/survival mechanisms designed to keep you safe. If it isn’t clear on whether or not you should quit a project, give it some time and talk to people about the issue, then hopefully your gut will start nudging you in the right direction.
Hope this helped. See you around the traps!
