Acting Lessons Learned with Tiwana Floyd

132. Embracing Change: Hollywood, Mercury Retrograde, and the Future of My Acting Career

• Tiwana Floyd • Season 1 • Episode 132

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😵‍💫 Feeling the existential dread of Mercury Retrograde and the rising tide of AI? As I grapple with these immense shifts, I question the future of my acting career and the whole artistic community. #podcastproducer  #actor  #podcaster 

I walk you through my journey, comparing my experiences to the decline of Tony Romas and the seemingly parallel state of Hollywood today. I share my fears, sacrifices, and the looming possibility of changing the direction of my career.

Yet, in all this uncertainty, I find solace in the wisdom of Hip-Hop Legend DMX and the legendary success of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Drawing strength from global strikes and the indomitable spirit of humanity, I delve into the power of faith and self-belief. 

Listen in as I share my experience of emancipation from the need for external validation, and how I took control of my destiny. As the world changes around us, join me to embrace the storm with open arms, keeping faith, and the love for acting alive.

Acting Lessons Learned is Produced, Written, Recorded, Engineered and Edited by Tiwana Floyd
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Tiwana Floyd:

Hey, there You're listening to Acting Lessons Learned. I'm Tiwana Floyd and I share stories of the lessons I've learned and still learning as an actor in LA. I hope my stories help you to prosper on your actor journey. This is episode number 131 and I'll be discussing… am I about to quit acting? But before I get into my acting future… it's Mercury Retrograde.

Tiwana Floyd:

For those of us who believe in Mercury Retrograde, we know it causes intense life disruptions. I call it Merc Retch because it's a wretched prankster with a sense of humor no one else finds funny. I'm a Gemini. Mercury is my ruling planet. I have experienced too many communication breakdowns during Merc Retch, so I don't ignore the effects it brings. And if you're like Tawanna, I don't even know what you're talking about.

Tiwana Floyd:

What is Mercury Retrograde? Well, merc Retch is said to be an optical illusion, which means it looks as if the planet is moving backward from our view here on Earth. But in my mind, the planet comes to a complete halt, downshifting gears into reverse and orbiting rearward like a carnival carousel, playing backward calliope music for about a month, and it happens three times a year. This backward motion affects all the planets, as there will be seven planets in total retrograding simultaneously in the coming months, and each planet represents its own property. Merc Retch disrupts technology and communication. It drums up things from the past, so those tasks you put on the back burner or you completely drop the ball on, they come back to remind you that they require your attention, and it also applies to those old exes. Now, merc Retch isn't all bad Like Yin and Yang. Some of its properties are actually quite helpful. Now, merc Retch is the reason this episode is late.

Tiwana Floyd:

I recorded my episode last week in a VO booth, but I left my zip drive in the USB hub. Now the studio was closed on Friday through Monday, so I had to get up the gumption to re-record it in my hot closet in LA's three digit weather, and I just couldn't do it. It was too hot. So here I am on a Monday, back in a booth, and I cannot find my zip drive. Now. Maybe I misplaced it or maybe somebody just said hey, 64 gigabytes, thank you. Either way, I'm here and so let's get into it.

Tiwana Floyd:

I've been. I've been contemplating the future of my acting career, including the successes, the setbacks and the things I have yet to achieve. The WGA and SAG After Strikes have made me question how the rise of AI will impact my existence as an actor, asking if this is the moment where I exit stage left. You know I'm often curious about what makes someone leave the business. If I will ever reach that point and if that point is now, do you ever feel like what is this all for? Wondering if the sacrifice is worth it? Because acting is a tremendous sacrifice for relationships and finances and mental health. We put a lot on the line to have hope for a career and now that we are faced with this AI debacle, I'm finding it quite scary for all artists, but more so for actors, because our physical image doesn't fall under copyright protections like a writer's words or an artist's painting. So if we lose the right to protect our image from being scanned and used in perpetuity, forever throughout the universe for known and unknown uses, which is a standard language in most contracts we sign for television and film, we will always be competing with ourselves, and that sounds like a sinister episode of the 1950s sci-fi TV show. To add a kick in the face to injury. I binge watched several recent episodes of a British anthology television series that explores genres set in near future dystopias with sci-fi technology, and it had me anxiety riddled and distrustful of all projects. Fyi, I won't be mentioning any AMPTP-struck shows to honor the strike rules, but hopefully the premise lines will hint at what I speak of.

Tiwana Floyd:

If you know me, you know that optimism is my default. I believe there is always a silver lining, but lately, the more I witness the atrocities of the world and the greed of the individuals amassing vast fortunes while artists actually the global population struggle to make ends meet, the harder it is to uphold my positive outlook. The idea that these powers are attempting to remove infrastructures that allow us to earn a living makes me feel resentment and frustration, anxiety and stress. It's all extraordinarily disconcerting and I'm an actor so I feel everything. But right now I don't want to handle all of these heavy emotions and I'm certain Mercury retrograde is exacerbating these fearful thoughts.

Tiwana Floyd:

Whenever I watch films or television shows set in dystopian futures, I wonder what extinction level event got us there. And with what we're up against now, I can see how one immoral turn in this landscape can lead us to live the Hunger Games, although I hope I never get to that juncture because I'm too much of a New Yorker to survive full-time life in the woods. I don't know how to build a fire and I'd be eating all the wrong berries, breaking out into full body hives, and the mosquitoes would make a Hawaiian luau feast out of me, because no matter where I am in the world, I'm the one who constantly gets bitten by a thousand mosquitoes, while everyone else is immune. So a dystopian future just would not be a good look for me. But what gives me hope is the resolve of those of us who are sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Tiwana Floyd:

On the podcast Bullseye with Jesse Thorn, writer-director Boots Riley spoke about the number of strikes around the world tracked and documented by PaydayReportcom. They have recorded 2900 strikes worldwide in the past three years. This is evidence that those of us not in the top 1% are fed up and unwilling to give up. We are ready to go the distance to achieve equality Now. This is the silver lining that I hold on to to keep hope alive. If people could unite to bring down the Berlin Wall, we can also unite to dismantle other systems that promote force, power and profit over people.

Tiwana Floyd:

Have you heard the DC District Court recently affirm the US Copyright Office position that a work generated entirely by artificial intelligence technology is not eligible for copyright protection. See another silver lining, although we know the AMPTP is already working to find a workaround, because their entire existence is built on copywriting the work of others. It's nice to hear that the courts have ruled against copyright protection in this arena. However, it still doesn't cover name, image and likeness of actors, and it really tickled me to learn that the members of Congress are finally beginning to understand that if they pass laws allowing perpetual image use, their images would also be subject to ownership by outside entities, and they don't like that notion, so hopefully they will be more fervent in their awareness.

Tiwana Floyd:

A local radio station, kpfk, here in LA, hosts a segment called Strike Talk where they interviewed actor-producer and SAG After Local board member Jason George. Jason spoke eloquently about the impact of the strikes in layman's terms. He shared information on the massive box office numbers of the two recent summer blockbuster films that now have studios scrambling to figure out how they will follow up to make summer 2024 an equal or increased success. Now is when producers would begin production on next year's summer films, but since we are striking, they can already foresee financial projections for 2024 and the big-figure losses they'll endure. So, as they allegedly try to hire crisis PR companies and use shady tactics to leak lies about coming to the table with a WGA and SAG After they will have to come to the tables with an ethical conversation sooner than they are willing.

Tiwana Floyd:

See all of these silver linings. Keep my active actor imagination from writing false narratives that can render me hopeless. I still have a lot of things I want to do, so I'm committed to relying on my optimistic ways, knowing there is always a silver lining. I just wish my imagination would tell me what the silver lining is, the same as I wish it would tell me all the great solutions that typically come to me after I audition. But enough doom and gloom. On a lighter note, I have been following the creator economy very closely. This is a flourishing period for creators, with the industry valued at over $104 billion and expected to grow to over $200 billion by 2026.

Tiwana Floyd:

Like many other actors, I possess a diverse range of storytelling skills, including writing, digital editing, podcasting, social media marketing and acting. Previously, I used to believe that I would execute all of my creative ideas once I became a highly sought after talent. I now realize I do not have to wait until that day arrives. I can establish myself as a media player right now, but I'm still left with how acting fits into my overall vision. For 18 years I have been programmed to believe there is only one way to be a successful actor Work on my craft, get an agent, wait for someone to say yes to me and take any job I can get and worry about morals in building a body of work. Later, that way required me to pass the reins of driving my career onto someone else, but it's incredibly disempowering. Sure, I need the assistance of representatives and casting directors, but they almost never are staunch advocates for my well-being because they have their own agendas to protect. The Hollywood infrastructure is fractured. I'm talking about lots of un-mendable fissures. It just may be eating itself from the inside out, possibly the reason why the AMPTP is upholding desperate measures to own everything.

Tiwana Floyd:

While listening to an interview with comedian and co-creator of the Nigerian nurse show on a major network, gina Yesheire, I learned how the syndication model is dying because now most shows don't make it to the 100 episode mark. That puts the show into syndication. Also, instead of the reruns airing on network television with advertising support, those shows are being moved to streaming platforms where there's little to no residuals paid to actors and writers, which is why we're in this fight, y'all. These times to me are reminiscent of the 1990s, when I saw the fast approaching lights in the tunnel of a server job I held for seven years at Tony Romas in Yonkers, new York. When the restaurant went from being a well-known moneymaker under the same umbrella as Burger King, owned and sold by Horn and Hardit, I watched all those locations begin to decline to extinction. I could foresee the end of those restaurants at least Tony Romas, and I didn't wait for the doors to be padlocked as my peers did. I found another job in the retail sector because my livelihood was at stake. It was clear to my 20-year-old self that no one was advocating on my behalf or the behalf of the staff in any of those locations.

Tiwana Floyd:

Comparing Hollywood to a corporate rib joint might not be appropriate or a good measure. Still, I can clearly see that it's time for me to change direction. The question is where should I pivot to? Should I walk away from acting? Although I resent the bureaucracy that comes along with being a working actor, the constant disparagement of actors, the struggle to gain access or to find the best theatrical agent who truly recognizes my worth and advocates for me more than they do the studio system. I still genuinely enjoy acting. However, all the negativity that comes with it really breaks my heart. I'm starting to wonder have I become jaded? Because if that's the case, I'm afraid my career won't flourish, because a dull outlook doesn't translate to triumph. This train of thought began during the lockdown period in 2020, when we were forced to halt everything. It was a bittersweet break that I needed to escape from the haze of my Hollywood lifestyle and see how things were progressing, regressing or just stagnant.

Tiwana Floyd:

I became consciously aware of how this industry mistreats actors, and it sometimes makes me weep. I have trouble reconciling the targeted disdain and what really sucks is how insidious it is. There are verbal jabs disguised as jokes at our expense, systemic racism. There are spaces where actors are not wanted. I recently listened to three stories on three different occasions about three different agents from actors telling me how their agents won't negotiate higher rates when asked by the actors how the agents will say well, we don't want to rock the boat, or blatantly lie and say they asked for the bump, but the actor finds out the ask was never made.

Tiwana Floyd:

I have been privately angry to be seeing behind the veil where the truth lives. I was having difficulty reconciling why I had this information and, seemingly, was the only one to be outraged by it. I guess I'm fortunate that I see both the good and the bad of things. I can see the subcontext of things and I'm fortunate that when I'm seeking understanding, spirit always shows me a way. For instance, lucille Ball's autobiography was put into my awareness. Everything I was experiencing she confirmed to be a side effect of Hollywood and how the mistreatment of actors was much worse in her time when the studio system managed everything and everybody. This inequity was why she and Desi Arnez began their own production company and started their own TV show, filming live television by Multicam, which was the first time either was done. They didn't let the unfairness stop them.

Tiwana Floyd:

Even my YouTube algorithm, which is very accurate, showed me a short where multi-platinum hip-hop artist DMX may he rest in peace was recorded saying, quote Always trust everybody to beat themselves, but always trust that you can see them. Well, it takes too much energy to not trust someone. You have to stay two steps ahead of them. Trust a snake to bite you, a liar to lie to you, a thief to steal from you, but always see them. End quote. So basically, hollywood's gone, hollywood, and I can choose to see it for what it is and then decide how to maneuver, because, at the end of the day, no matter if it's actors, writers, directors, casting or agents, we're all in the same boat being shot on. So what's the path of least defecation? Finding my own way?

Tiwana Floyd:

Just last week, I was given two more divine gifts of advice from recent Ture Show podcast episodes. The first gift came from an interview with Styles P, an emcee and one third of the Grammy nominated hip-hop group the Locks, also from Yonkers. In an interview, ture mentioned a friend who believed that rappers should stop trying to advance their careers once they turn 40 years old. Styles P passionately disagreed with this notion and asserted that no other genre in music had such an age limitation, not rock and roll, jazz, country music or any other genre. We continue that, knowing what he knows. Now, instead of chasing fame and getting caught up in getting the record deal, artists should focus on doing the art they love from beginning to end, and the payoff would come from that.

Tiwana Floyd:

I had to hit pause. I had to hit pause in the podcast after hearing that Because, firstly, we actors put unnecessary pressure on ourselves to achieve significant success before turning 30, 40, 50, 60. However, we fail to realize that the older we become is our prime age, as we become better performers. After experiencing much life and gaining tremendous human experiences, I mean there are certain emotions and parts of me that I could not have accessed in my 20s or 30s. But now I can channel plenty of pent-up emotions and even use them to mop the floor with my acting performances. But age and timing was not the message I needed to hear.

Tiwana Floyd:

I want to explore the latter part of Stiles P's statement. Have I been doing the art that I truly love From the beginning to now? Or have I been focused on the proverbial record deal or, in our case, the series regular, or that one big job that shoots us into stardom, or a high level success that solves all of our problems? Our problems will never be solved, we just learn how to handle them with ease and grace. Hopefully, I also had to examine what art do I love today?

Tiwana Floyd:

Over the past 18 years of being in Los Angeles, my preferences, my way of being, my point of view have changed drastically. The second divine gift of guidance was from comedian and TV show co-creator, jeanne Yashari, whom I mentioned earlier. Jeanne spoke about being a woman and a black woman who doesn't fit into the white ideal of beauty, how she decided to circumvent the obstacles put in her way. So she created her own comedy specials. When Netflix wasn't looking for her, she said I didn't sit back and complain. And because she understood the barriers to entry in both the UK and America, she said I'm going to have to find a different way. She faced a lot of adversity, but today she's a millionaire from her creativity by working her craft unconventionally, doing the art she loves comedy.

Tiwana Floyd:

Reflecting on my acting journey, I have been laboring to achieve the metaphoric record deal. I have been informing agents and casting directors of my existence, experiencing a modicum of success, but after 18 years of striving, I have not reached the desired goal. And the reason why I keep mentioning the 18 years is because I will celebrate my 18th anniversary in Los Angeles on September 12th Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. I'm still here, or am I? According to numerology, when you take 18 to be the sum of 1 and 8, equaling 9, the 9 is considered the number of wisdom and experience. It represents the awakening of inner wisdom through life experiences and struggles.

Tiwana Floyd:

Although I'm considering changing direction, retiring from acting is not an option. I enjoy it too much. Something has been missing in my artistic pursuits, or rather relinquished. So, moving forward, I am releasing the heartbreak, the artist's wound and the jaded mindset. I'm going to take the advice of both hip-hop emcees from Yonkers, new York, dmx and Syles P, to trust Hollywood to be itself, and with a renewed joy. I am doing the art I love from now until the end and I'm taking back the reins of my career.

Tiwana Floyd:

I wish I could tell you what that looks like. I won't and I can't. I won't tell you because I'm just not one to disclose what I'm going to do. I just do it and it's revealed when I'm done. And I can't tell you because it will be divinely and intuitively guided. So I don't know. But I trust God is my source and with that knowing it removes false idols, ie Hollywood from my pedestal of praise. So mark my words A change is coming, folks. The light in a tunnel is fast approaching, but I fear nothing because I'm no longer waiting in the station for that train or how I used to expect it to show up. Let the church say amen. Thank you for listening. Acting Lessons Learned is produced, written, recorded, edited and engineered by Tawanna Floyd. All of my social media links are in the description. If you want to support the show, please leave a five star rating or leave a kind review, and I'll be back in two weeks. Bye.

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