It is not wrong to pursue an acting dream later in life. If people can get an education after 40 and 50, who is to say that a career in acting is wrong at that age? There are many different scenarios playing out here for older people coming to join Nollywood as actors:
- Acting is an unstable job at least in the beginning.
- If someone is fired from a former job because of age, they will likely succeed in Nollywood with their age. Acting is a unique career choice that has no age limit.
- Acting could be a hobby at old age.
Either of these could be the reason people join Nollywood as older actors and all three are good reasons. It will only depend on how you approach them.
How older people can join Nollywood as actors
Nobody just walks into Nollywood, you need a map to navigate your way around. Think about how you would start in Nollywood if you were younger and begin with that.
- Set goals
- Build relationships in the industry
- Practice
From the experience of people who were in the industry back in the early 2000s, thousands of young people left and never came back. They couldn’t stand the competition. Younger actors are inexperienced in life, so they get discouraged or distracted and leave. But as an older actor here’s your advantage:
Opportunities and roles are becoming more available for older people as some aged actors are retiring. Up there at your age, there is less and less competition.
There is a multitude of younger people in Nollywood right now and they can not play an older person role.
The industry is in need of people who can make smart decisions and have experience with several professions. They are useful for when a profession is to be incorporated into a movie.
You have some life experience and younger people tend to lose focus and chase shallow things around in the industry. But you already know how to chase your goals because of your maturity.
Younger people come to the industry with almost no skills. They have no patience and some can’t communicate well. However, being older mean you have probably been doing other jobs before then. There are skills you have acquired through the years and every work requires skills as nobody employs you without skills. That is no different on the acting career.
How to Become a Nollywood actor will give you all the guidance you need to get into Nollywood. You can also read the dark side of Nollywood to help you understand where you are going to.
In addition, there are three sides to all these, passion, love and work. So ask yourself which one brings you to Nollywood.
Passion and love: Will you travel or relocate if it comes to that?
Business: When you are faced with the option of accepting low fees for jobs and waiting for high budget movies, which one will you go with?
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