Forums > Social Discussion > Professional performers Vs acting Professionally?
Login/Join to ParticipateSILVER Member
(...trusty steed of the rodeo midget...)
403 posts
Location: the state of flux, Ireland
(...trusty steed of the rodeo midget...)
403 posts
Location: the state of flux, Ireland
Posted:
At anothers suggestion I am starting this poll.
The premise under debate is that to be considered a Professional performer one must derive all of ones income from performing.
A quote from another member
"There's a difference between acting professionaly and being a professional.
I'm quite prepared to believe you do the former, but if you don't make a living from performing then you can't be the latter."
Therefore:
Can one be a professional performer without having Performance as the sole source of income?
Do you have another job besides performance?
I would like to see representation from both sides, those who hold down one or more jobs as well as performing, and those who just perform.
At anothers suggestion I am starting this poll.
The premise under debate is that to be considered a Professional performer one must derive all of ones income from performing.
A quote from another member
"There's a difference between acting professionaly and being a professional.
I'm quite prepared to believe you do the former, but if you don't make a living from performing then you can't be the latter."
Therefore:
Can one be a professional performer without having Performance as the sole source of income?
Do you have another job besides performance?
I would like to see representation from both sides, those who hold down one or more jobs as well as performing, and those who just perform.
Stargazer
6,650 posts
6,650 posts
Posted:
I start really getting annoyed by ppl who claim what they don't provide (points at Bovril Monkeys signature) and - my post was written with more than only a dash of humor. I am happy that Bluecat seems to have gotten my intention.
I'm not determining who's a "pro" and who is not. At least not more - nor less than you are. And (as expressed) I friggin don't care anyway, because "professional performer" tells as much about your personality, as whether you wear two different shoes or not. I said it before: I have met as many larda55es claiming to be "Hippies" and "professional performers" as I have met "ordinary people" who were super-nice. Many times these 15 minutes of fame and applause goes directly to ppls heads.
Yes I do draw a line somewhere: If you are more than just a Tech-reel showing off your moves, if you are able to transfer the fire on your staff/ poi to the souls of the audience, if you are able to catch the attention and put a sparkle into childrens eyes by more than merely spinning with *uuuuh* fire... So one does "body fire" *uuuuuh* how exciting - unless ppl find out that it really is not a big deal. If you can dance and spin at the same time AND look at the audience with a smile AND get paid for the whole show (and even if it's only that your hat get's filled) - to me, you're pro.
So you got one paid gig a year? To me you're still a pro - even though I am not claiming the title for myself anymore. I acknowledge that many genius' ppl have been called "stupid" for starving and still not compromising/ selling out on their ideals. This earns my highest respect. Some ppl would even starve themselves to death, before compromising - maybe to you that is completely crazy.
Business planning: I side you on that one. It IS important these days.
Hey, given that you had two consecutive bad days when posting here - I am now having a bad morning myself. How does it taste? No - I am not taking you, this not even myself too seriously. My mood is not because of your post, but because of a Cambodian city and Cambodian people who get turned into hookers and an ancient temple, a great deal of architecture, where people now carve their meaningless name tags into stone walls, that have survived millenniae.
(Checks HoP posting guidelines, ponders and
hit's "continue")
I start really getting annoyed by ppl who claim what they don't provide (points at Bovril Monkeys signature) and - my post was written with more than only a dash of humor. I am happy that Bluecat seems to have gotten my intention.
I'm not determining who's a "pro" and who is not. At least not more - nor less than you are. And (as expressed) I friggin don't care anyway, because "professional performer" tells as much about your personality, as whether you wear two different shoes or not. I said it before: I have met as many larda55es claiming to be "Hippies" and "professional performers" as I have met "ordinary people" who were super-nice. Many times these 15 minutes of fame and applause goes directly to ppls heads.
Yes I do draw a line somewhere: If you are more than just a Tech-reel showing off your moves, if you are able to transfer the fire on your staff/ poi to the souls of the audience, if you are able to catch the attention and put a sparkle into childrens eyes by more than merely spinning with *uuuuh* fire... So one does "body fire" *uuuuuh* how exciting - unless ppl find out that it really is not a big deal. If you can dance and spin at the same time AND look at the audience with a smile AND get paid for the whole show (and even if it's only that your hat get's filled) - to me, you're pro.
So you got one paid gig a year? To me you're still a pro - even though I am not claiming the title for myself anymore. I acknowledge that many genius' ppl have been called "stupid" for starving and still not compromising/ selling out on their ideals. This earns my highest respect. Some ppl would even starve themselves to death, before compromising - maybe to you that is completely crazy.
Business planning: I side you on that one. It IS important these days.
Hey, given that you had two consecutive bad days when posting here - I am now having a bad morning myself. How does it taste? No - I am not taking you, this not even myself too seriously. My mood is not because of your post, but because of a Cambodian city and Cambodian people who get turned into hookers and an ancient temple, a great deal of architecture, where people now carve their meaningless name tags into stone walls, that have survived millenniae.
(Checks HoP posting guidelines, ponders and
hit's "continue") the best smiles are the ones you lead to 
SILVER Member
Liquid Cow
2,629 posts
Location: High Wycombe, England
Liquid Cow
2,629 posts
Location: High Wycombe, England
Posted:
Probably, but not necessarily by me.
I think there's a huge difference between looking after your money and selling out.
If you earn a small amount of money by doing something you love and manage to live off it then it's fantastic and I'm happy for anyone who manages to do that.
If you earn a small amount of money by doing something you love but don't spend it wisely, squander it all and starve - that's when I think you're stupid.
In that case, I apologise for reading more into your posts than you intended.
I suppose this is the same problem with communicating with text that prompted me to change my signature in the first place.
EDITED_BY: TheBovrilMonkey (1190640544)
Written by: FireTom
I acknowledge that many genius' ppl have been called "stupid" for starving and still not compromising/ selling out on their ideals
Probably, but not necessarily by me.
I think there's a huge difference between looking after your money and selling out.
If you earn a small amount of money by doing something you love and manage to live off it then it's fantastic and I'm happy for anyone who manages to do that.
If you earn a small amount of money by doing something you love but don't spend it wisely, squander it all and starve - that's when I think you're stupid.
Written by:
I start really getting annoyed by ppl who claim what they don't provide (points at Bovril Monkeys signature) and - my post was written with more than only a dash of humor.
In that case, I apologise for reading more into your posts than you intended.
I suppose this is the same problem with communicating with text that prompted me to change my signature in the first place.
EDITED_BY: TheBovrilMonkey (1190640544)
But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
Stargazer
6,650 posts
6,650 posts
Posted:
Thanks for saying that, Bovril - we both might have been not been reading the most positive of all meanings into each others posts. Returnhug. I guess other than that I have said most of what I think about this topic....
Thanks for saying that, Bovril - we both might have been not been reading the most positive of all meanings into each others posts. Returnhug. I guess other than that I have said most of what I think about this topic....
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
newbie
2 posts
2 posts
Posted:
I am a professional because I believe I am. I am a professional because of the skills I have. I don't always act professional & i don't always show my skills. Does that change my belief?
I am distracted by, as many of u suggest, the need 4 income to survive. Does not change who I am or my heart!
My love & passion is to fire dance... I still have to live!
I am a professional because I believe I am. I am a professional because of the skills I have. I don't always act professional & i don't always show my skills. Does that change my belief?
I am distracted by, as many of u suggest, the need 4 income to survive. Does not change who I am or my heart!
My love & passion is to fire dance... I still have to live!
BRONZE Member
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom
Posted:
your skills make you an expert not a professional.
being a professional can't be about belief because then anyone highly religious coould consider themselves a member of the clergy because of their level of belief 
(OK it's not a perfect example)
My mum loves to cook she does it every day and is VERY good at it, she does it to live
does that make her a professional cook? no... why could it be because people don't pay her? she cooks for other people and she cooks for large groups but she's not a professional. thats the closest I can come to a good example for now.
Written by: p5yfir3
I am a professional because of the skills
My love & passion is to fire dance... I still have to live!
your skills make you an expert not a professional.
being a professional can't be about belief because then anyone highly religious coould consider themselves a member of the clergy because of their level of belief (OK it's not a perfect example) My mum loves to cook she does it every day and is VERY good at it, she does it to live
does that make her a professional cook? no... why could it be because people don't pay her? she cooks for other people and she cooks for large groups but she's not a professional. thats the closest I can come to a good example for now. A couple of balls short of a full cascade... or maybe a few cards short of a deck... we'll see how this all fans out.
BRONZE Member
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom
Posted:
I've just looked on wiki,here
and to define this you really need to decide the aspect it comes under, for just plain work then professional status is "given" by other "professionals" in say a guild or a governing or regulating body. Although it is considered someone of high skill through years of "academic" study.
for sport it is someone who is paid to PERFORM
I assume acting is similar (amateur dramitics)
which field would fire spinning come under? sport / artform
OR
everyday job?
Could it be both? One involves being paid to perform the other is a status given by your peers, so you can't say I'm a professional, An agreed professional has to say THEY are a professional...
EDITED_BY: Mynci (1191242665)
I've just looked on wiki,here
and to define this you really need to decide the aspect it comes under, for just plain work then professional status is "given" by other "professionals" in say a guild or a governing or regulating body. Although it is considered someone of high skill through years of "academic" study.
for sport it is someone who is paid to PERFORM
I assume acting is similar (amateur dramitics)
which field would fire spinning come under? sport / artform
OR
everyday job?
Could it be both? One involves being paid to perform the other is a status given by your peers, so you can't say I'm a professional, An agreed professional has to say THEY are a professional...
EDITED_BY: Mynci (1191242665)
A couple of balls short of a full cascade... or maybe a few cards short of a deck... we'll see how this all fans out.
BRONZE Member
sanguine
382 posts
Location: sur, USA
sanguine
382 posts
Location: sur, USA
Posted:
Is this the kind of debate that went on for the Nutella/Vegamite/Marmite war?
Is this the kind of debate that went on for the Nutella/Vegamite/Marmite war?
"to a man whose only tool is a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail." Abraham Maslow