If you're looking to start professionally acting in your late 20s or even late 30's this episode is for you! Saskia Baur left her six-figure corporate job for a more flexible role in order to pursue professional acting. She discovered that it’s never too late to start. In this episode, we talk about mentally reframing “failure”, how having a 9-5 job releases pressure in an audition, and transforming life experiences into character on set. We listen as she shares insight of what it took to become a professional actress in the past, and how now we can bypass many of those challenges remotely, from the comfort of our homes. Favorite quotes: “When you go into the audition room, your only job is to show them what you can do. The rest is not up to you” “You have to be willing of service to give and not about all the get.”
Saskia Baur, and more of her work can be found at www.saskiabaur.com.
Mentioned in the show:
Amora Brown (00:07):
Welcome back to Corpartainment. I am speaking with the phenomenal actress, Saskia Baur. Hi Saskia!
Saskia Baur (00:16):
Oh, thank you so much. All phenomenal. I have to make sure I live up to that. Thank you. Thank you for having me on.
Amora Brown (00:25):
Its definitely good. You and I had a chance to connect off the recording and kind of collect some ideas together. And I wanted to kind of elaborate on some of the points you made earlier and share that with the audience who are probably people that work nine to five jobs, and are interested in getting into the creative industry, but may not really know how to do that. I remember you were just sharing a little bit of background with me about your dad being a professor of chemistry at UCLA, improv has helped you a lot, you had a day job side job as an actress as well too. And yeah, I just kind of want to learn a little bit about your background and how you got started into acting.
Saskia Baur (01:06):
I'd love to share that. You have a non-traditional path to acting. I actually was born and raised in Los Angeles, youngest of five kids. I started out in ballet. I started dancing when I was four and loved it, loved ballet. I unfortunately dropped it after 10 years of practice, you know, as a teenager, I kind of developed other interests and I always wanted to be an actor. From the time I was four, I knew I wanted to do something in the performing arts. I knew I wanted to do something where I could play, you know, cause I really enjoyed playing and I, you know, as many of us do encountered some issues in my childhood, you know, familial issues, you know, issues with bullying and developed some really severe self-esteem doubt. As as many of us do many of us go through that. So I didn't pursue what I wanted to do because I was afraid and I was afraid of failure.
Saskia Baur (02:00):
I was afraid that I wouldn't be couldn't do it. I mean, I, I didn't look the right way. I grew up in Los Angeles in the 80s, which was a very different time. I mean, it was, it was there was a certain type in Hollywood that was kind of successful, but I was very wrong about that. As I learned later I came into acting in my thirties when I was living in Santa Cruz. I had been working in corporate jobs, worked for small startups, work for bigger companies. Mid-Level companies always had been an administrative person, had had kind of directed my focus towards that. And I was really upset in, in my mid thirties. I had a week of just non-stop crying and despair that I didn't do with my wife, what I wanted to do. So a dear friend of mine at the office where I was working provided me with a flyer to an improv workshop in Santa Cruz.
Saskia Baur (03:00):
At the time it was with David [inaudible], who is a phenomenal master improv technician. He's one of the founders of the Second City in Chicago. I didn't know who he was at the time, but I got to take this, you know, for 40 bucks, I got to take this master workshop with this incredible man. And it really just blew everything apart for me. I was like, Oh, wait a minute. I can do this. This is for me, there were all different types of people in the class. There was older people, younger people, full cross section. And I went, Oh, wait a minute. This is not just reserved for certain people. This is for everyone. And this is for me too. So that's how I came back in, was actually through improv. And I, I joined, I was a member of several improv groups in Santa Cruz. I was in Santa Cruz a long time. And Santa Cruz is a big improv town. And I also got to take a lot of improv class as well while I was there with two amazing women Clifford Hender, Clifford Henderson and Dixie Cox who run an improv training the Fun Institute there. And it was a lot of fun. They were great. And I remember Dixie saying to me, Oh girl, this is your blood. You gotta do this.
Amora Brown (04:15):
Wait, I was going to I'm thinking in my mind, I'm like, how were you able to do that and work at the same time at this time, were you working in corporate?
Saskia Baur (04:23):
I was, I was, I was still working corporate. I still have my nine to five office job and actually funny, funnily enough, as you mentioned it, I was in a six figure job at the time I held a job of, of some esteem there. And I kind of knew in the back of my mind that if I was going to pursue acting that I was probably going to have to let that job go and go for a position where there was a little less demands. There were less demands on my time because that was a job where I kind of knew, like I'm not going to be able to pursue this and this, this particular career at the same time. So I did end up leaving that position. I've been really, really lucky in my corporate life to have been mentored by phenomenal women, just amazing women who were just so nurturing.
Saskia Baur (05:18):
And so kind to me and I got to work a position where I got to leave, you know, at the, when, why she, when I was done with my day I left, I was in rehearsal at the time for the very first play I was ever in, which was sound of music. Had a very small part in that, but it was great. And I knew that again, I was going to have to minimize one area of my life and that involved that didn't involve taking a pay cut and that's okay because I was still able to budget it so that I could pay my bills and keep my housing. And there is this balancing act that comes with being an actor that, you know, one of my dear friends, Jeffrey Weissman, who's a wonderful human being appear in the Bay area. You know, he told me, I remember him, you know, when I, about three years ago, when I was really starting to really put myself forward in this career, he told me, you know, listen, you're not, you're not going to make a lot of money.
Saskia Baur (06:17):
And in fact, you're going to spend, and then another dear friend of mine, Tim, Kniffen, who's a wonderful actor have here, you know, told me, you know, you're going to spend money. You're going to have to, because you know, just know that when you're going out on auditions, you're going to pay for parking. You're going to have to maybe get a meal while you're out and about auditioning. You're going to have to pay for gas, wear and tear on your car. You're going to pay for subscriptions to casting networks and actors access and, and backstage. And that's all true. And that's why the day job for me has been critical because it's allowed me to continue to pay my housing, pay my bills, but also pay for these memberships and pay for, you know, the other incidentals that come along with being an actor. Now with the pandemic a lot has moved to self-tape, which I quite like to be honest, I'm very happy not to have to worry about getting to an audition and then getting there frazzled and being sweaty and, you know you know, and then like waiting in the waiting room, which, you know, again, this is all part of being an actor, but it is kind of nice to be able to film from the comfort of my home
Amora Brown (07:25):
And, and not having to have to like worry about all the other things that like save a ton of money and you can actually create content from home too. And you can audition for multiple things. You don't have to run around town and go to different auditions. Like you can literally do back-to-back auditions or even create your own content to be seen instead of waiting on someone to do that. That is so cool!
Saskia Baur (07:45):
Yeah! Which many people are doing. I mean, I've, I have several friends who are just starting their own YouTube channels. I think it's a really fortunate time now to be an actor versus when I was growing up in the eighties, because, you know, in the eighties it was very limited to, you know, TV to networks. And now we have this explosion of, of Disney plus and Apple TV and Netflix and YouTube and, and all of these different channels that have opened up these avenues for more people to do this, which I think is a wonderful thing. And I think it's also a wonderful time for representation. I think representation is here. It's now it's happening. Especially in the Bay area. I see a lot of casting for, for trans, for BIPOC. It's a good time.
Amora Brown (08:33):
Yes, definitely. One thing that you and I talked about was a book by ginger Friedman. And you mentioned that if you're an actress, because you want to give up, Oh goodness. I think I missed typed. Okie Dokie. Okay. Well, I typed up my notes, but I don't understand my notes. So that's the weird thing that's happening right now. I'm going to go on.
Saskia Baur (08:54):
There you go, Improvise.
Amora Brown (08:54):
Tell me a little bit about ginger Friedman and the book that you recommended.
Saskia Baur (09:04):
Yes. Ginger Friedman is a wonderful author. She was a casting director and the book is the Perfect Monologue: How to Find and Perform the Monologue That Will Get You the Part. And there's a wonderful quote in here, right in the beginning, which I love. And I, and I have to constantly remind myself of this. It's on it's in the introduction of the book, "if you desire to act because you are looking for acceptance, applause, adoration and love, you probably won't get very far in this business, not as an actor anyway. You've got to give, to get. If you desire to act because you want to give of yourself, share yourself unconditionally, expose your vulnerability and give love, then you've got a shot. It is then, and only then, that you can get acceptance, applause, adoration, and love." So I love that that seeming paradox of you have to be willing to be of service, to give and not be about all the get. And it's really, it's really a spiritual principle when it comes right down to it.
Amora Brown (10:08):
What I understand or how I interpret that piece of information to be able to apply it. That's something that I can do every day is essentially telling you, don't look for somebody to pat you on the back before you do the thing, Just do the thing, just like creating this podcast. It's like, it's easy to let imposter syndrome get in the way. And then I sit back and I go, Oh, I'm not going to be good enough at doing this or yada yada, yada, but just recording it and seeing where it goes makes a really big difference as opposed to just sitting back dreaming about it and thinking that, Oh, somehow I'm going to make it, but I have to be perfect before I do it.
Saskia Baur (10:41):
Exactly. I mean, it's interesting because this conversation I had with my friend Matthew Crudo, who is an author I was on his YouTube channel and we talked about reframing failure. You know, Matthew pointed out, you know, I wish we could talk about failure and reframe that as experience. And I thought that was a really wonderful reframing of it because it's, it's, you know, I feel like, again, I'm going to use the word failure, but I feel like it's mandatory. But if yes, if we frame that as that's experience and that's really the gold that you get from venturing out. And you're not, and you're not always going to be successful. And that's really okay. I think, and Matthew actually brought this up too. It was his perception that there's an expectation, you know, you're going to be brilliant and you're going to, you're going to have success and acting is really a marathon.
Saskia Baur (11:31):
It's not a sprint. And you're going to make mistakes. You're going to goof it's okay. He had a wonderful author also on his YouTube channel Tahani Nelson. Who's fabulous. She's a wonderful female writer of fantasy and fiction. And, you know, she, she talked about how she'd gotten some, some negative feedback on one of her novels and it, but she kind of used it to propel herself forward. And the negative comments she'd received was, was kind of a silly one. It was pretty silly in nature. And she just really used that as actually one of the selling points now of her, her books in her writing. And I apologize, I should, I shouldn't, I have to apologize. I probably shouldn't say female writer. I should probably just say writer, because I know there's this kind of, this need to sort of you know, identify women as such as though they can't, you know, we don't refer to people as male writers. So apologies for that.
Amora Brown (12:28):
Well, what advice would you give people in their twenties and what advice would you give people in their thirties?
Saskia Baur (12:37):
People in their twenties who want to pursue acting or pursue a career in performing arts or any avenue of it get, get your feet dirty, you know, get, get your, get your hands dirty, get your feet in it. Get your feet dirty is the same, as your hands dirty you know, go out and, and work background, you know, work on productions, work as a PA. I know several young actresses who've, I've had the pleasure of working with who were in their twenties and in the Bay area who have gone on to, you know, one of them was a PA on 13 reasons why. And I did a short film with her and she was just kind of exploring every Avenue. And I was like, yes, yes. Do that. You know, figure, figure out what you like work, do the work.
Saskia Baur (13:23):
The work is mandatory. I will say there is no shortcut to the work. If you want to be an actor, get the training training is mandatory. You have to have it and go out there and just start auditioning. I will tell you my very first audition was terrible. It wasn't good. However, I was so happy to have finally done something to delve into the world of acting. I finally did something that I had been afraid to do. And even though the audition was terrible and I didn't get the part, I didn't care. Also, I would say to people in their twenties, don't take it personally. Just don't take it personally. It isn't personal. It is, it is show business. It feels personal because you're putting yourself out there, but, you know, pick you just pick yourself up and just keep moving forward. Because it's not, it really is not personal to people in their thirties. I would say basically, probably the same thing. And, and if it's not, and if it's feeling like a grind and it's feeling like it's not fun, take a break. There's nothing wrong with taking a break take, you know, go.
Amora Brown (14:35):
That is so true. Oh my God.
Saskia Baur (14:37):
Don't, don't it shouldn't be painful. I mean, for me, there's, there's a wonderful gosh who says, I can't remember if it's ginger or Friedman. I think it's a different writer who says this, that auditioning shouldn't be a trauma. It shouldn't be traumatic. You know it, I love Brian Cranston's advice to actors and you can look it up on YouTube. It's it's easily accessible, but he's had this wonderful interview where he talks about his advice to actors. And he talks about in Hollywood for years, he was kind of putting the cart before the horse. He was going into every audition, trying to get the part. And then he sort of turned the whole thing on its head. And he realized that his job in an audition is to show what he does and that's it. And it really is the ultimate lesson in acceptance that you can't control how people see you. Don't try to control how people see you go in show who you are and that's it. And the rest is not up to you. It just isn't, there's too many factors there that you cannot control.
Amora Brown (15:36):
I also want to add too, like it's so important to have a day job as well, too, something to keep money in your pocket and food on the table so that you're not going into these interviews feeling like it's the end of the world. I don't get it. Like if I work my tech job, I know, okay, I'm this, if I don't get this, then I can put my energy into something else because I'm still going to be able to eat. Like it's not the end of the world. And it's, it's easier to have more fun with it when it's not exactly like life or death or not. Literally, I forget, but you know what I mean? Like it's not the end of the world. If you don't get it and you can easily have more fun with it too, you can be open. You can try new things.
Amora Brown (16:14):
Like it's just more freeing, for example, if I'm not working right now and I won't be working for the rest of the year, I put money aside so I can work on my podcast. And it feels very freeing. Like I'm more open to trying, Oh, does this work? Does this not work? Like how can I make Tik TOK? I'm just more creative because I don't have the weight of feeling like, Oh my God, what happens if I, if I need to go to the doctor, I have all that taken care of the business side, taken care of. That's really important too.
Saskia Baur (16:41):
And thank you for bringing that up. That's a really important point that you mentioned. You know, when I, when I started to embark upon this at a more professional level, five years ago, had a conversation with my friend, Juan Carlos, who's a standup comedian and actor in the Bay area and wonderful guy. And he told me, you have got to have a day job. You know, I was one of the first things he said to me, because when you go into the audition room and you're desperate, casting directors will feel that a mile away. If you come in there with that desperate energy, you are going to repel people. That is not, you know, casting directors pick up on it. They, they pick up on it in the room. You know, these, these guys are seasoned, you know, they're, they see a lot of people they know, you know, and if you're desperate and you're coming in with that desperation energy, you know, that's not going to probably book you the role unless it's for a desperate part, you know, unless you're, unless you're in there playing a desperate woman or man, but yeah, that's a very important point is what you were saying, the business side of things, you made sure you had that taken care of so that if you have to go to the doctor, if, if there is an emerging emergency, if something comes up, you haven't taken care of it, you don't have to worry about.
Amora Brown (17:53):
Yeah, exactly. One thing you mentioned in our previous conversation that was not recorded, but just our chat or chit chat is, you said don't limit yourself. No one is like you, you are unique. And I remember I heard some celebrities say this exact same thing, and that's actually like your super power is the fact that you're unique. You bring your own unique vibe, your own unique perspective to the table. So can you tell me a little bit about how you were able to provide your own unique perspective and your own experience to the acting industry and how that's helped you?
Saskia Baur (18:32):
You know, I think I have the benefit of being something that's been a benefit for me as being a little bit of an older actor, having some life experience behind me that, and not to say that you don't have it, you know, you absolutely have it still in your twenties and your thirties and not, not, not denying that. But for me, I've been able to take some, some experiences. I, I worked on a short film recently about a month ago, playing a woman who initially you think that she's been abducted and then the story there's a twist. And for me, mining things that had happened to me that were very painful as a kid that actually ended up being something unique that I could bring to the table. Now, I'm not saying, you know, you have to be careful with that. I'm not saying, you know telling people to go, you know, go into the darkness, surly the dark recesses of her mind that works for me because I know how to come back from it.
Saskia Baur (19:29):
And the spiritual center is very important. That's something that Rachel Adler who's one of the finest people I've ever met, who teaches meisner technique. You know, she talks about the spiritual center because sometimes as an actor, you will be called upon to bring something that, you know, maybe delve into some darkness. And coming back to that with a spiritual center is critical. So bringing that unique part of yourself, that whatever experiences you've had, you have a unique story to tell, and nobody can tell that story like you can. So yeah, don't, don't compare yourself to other people don't compare your insides to their outsides when you're in the audition room. Something I do actually in the audition room when we were still auditioning persons, I would talk to people. I would talk to other actors in there and I had this great conversation. I've had wonderful conversations with other actors where I just say, you know, how are you?
Saskia Baur (20:22):
Like, what do you do? Like, what do you love? Like what's important to you. You just, you know, it gets me outside of myself and it helps me connect with somebody because I think also acting is so much about connection and we crave that as, as humans, we, we need the connection. So, you know, again, where, where is that parallel? You can find with people, you know, bringing your own unique self to the table and then finding what's your common ground with others too, because we're, we're really not, we're not that much different from each other. We just really aren't.
Amora Brown (20:55):
So true. Okay. And so my final question is this. Actually, you're going to ask the question and when I think I'm going to start doing it for each person that I interview at the very end of our interviews, I'm going to have you guys ask a question to the next person.
Amora Brown (21:11):
You don't know who the next person's going to be. What question would you have for the next person?
Saskia Baur (21:18):
I love that. Let's see. Let me, I want to make this a good one because this is great. I love this. And what a great idea. What's the most, most important thing to you in your life? And I know it seems like kind of a generic question, but I, I mean, it kind of in a really heartfelt way, like what, what is important to you? What, what inspires you? What brings you joy? What is something that you deeply, deeply hold and value in your life.
Amora Brown (21:48):
Related to the creative arts? Or just in general?
Saskia Baur (21:51):
Anything anything.
Amora Brown (21:53):
All right.
Saskia Baur (21:54):
Could be, could it be a person, could it be an experience they've had? Could it be a concept, a spiritual, you know, a spiritual concept or yeah, anything.
Amora Brown (22:05):
Where can people find your creative work?
Saskia Baur (22:08):
People can find me at www.saskiabauer.com. That's S A S K I A B A U R.com. And you can also find me on IMDb and just type in my name Saskia Bauer. And you can also just Google search me because both of the, I am both IMDb and my website will pop up if you Google search me. And you can also find me on Facebook. My Instagram handle is Saskia M E Bauer. That's not me being egotistical. My middle initials are M for Mary E for Edward so its actually, Saskia my middle initials. Saskia M E B A U R.com.
Amora Brown (22:47):
Well Saskia, thank you so much for taking time to speak on my podcast.
Saskia Baur (22:51):
Thank you so much. It's such a pleasure to talk to you and, and yeah. Grateful to, for the opportunity to connect with you and thank you. I really, it was a pleasure.
Amora Brown (23:00):
It was so great to have you on I learned so much.
Saskia Baur (23:01):
Thank you Amora. Thank you.