Professional Film Actor - Getting Started
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The Acting profession, like the film industry in general, operates differently than any other business you will encounter. For example when you decide to become a lawyer, you know that you have to go to university for a period of time and when you are finished, you have many law firms you can approach for employment. Eventually you will find the firm of your dreams and be offered long term employment. The firm will do background checks by contacting your previous employers and like most larger employers will include you in a great benefits plan. As an actor there is no road map. No place you can go and get an exact answer. No one you can actually trust, who knows what they are talking about. You may contact the local union , who will more than likely tell you to get training, get an agent and when you qualify ...come back and join the union. So you contact agents who, if they talk to you at all, tell you they won't consider you unless you have done some work. This makes sense because how can they promote you unless they can show you have done other work. Most will simply tell you to take training usually from suggest list which they give you to take home. This list will contain acting instructors or for the most part, actors who are not able to make a living acting...so they teach. The blind leading the blind ! Does this sound familiar so far? It is true for the most part, like any profession, actors need training and there is so many to chose from. The best way to enter the acting profession without spending a pile of money is to begin with the basics. Join a theater group. Sure its not Hollywood but it will give you the basic skills needed when you eventually move over to the film Industry. The up side is that most cities and towns have theater groups. Theater is like the basic training of acting. Most of the most successful actors today started in the theater and for the most part k eep going back when they are not shooting films. You do not have to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on training, and with theater you can keep the career you have until you feel its time to make the next move. Below I have posted a list of progressive steps for beginners starting for the first time: 1) Join a theater group in your local area for about one year. During this time you hopefully will gain an understanding how to read and breakdown scripts, develop characters, memorize lines, take direction, work opposite other actors and most of all perform in front of a live audience who will give you honest feedback. 2) When you have started with smaller roles and built yourself up to leading roles, not only are you developing a solid actor resume but have a great understanding of the craft. At this point if you are still passionate about being an actor, it is time to get some formal training. Be careful here because this is where most actors live to regret their decisions. When making the transition from theater to film there is one thing to remember. Although the basics are common for both, how actors are selected for roles are confusing for most actors. In the theater, actors who can play complex roles are the stars. In the film
industry actors who look the part plus as a bonus can act will get the work. Not every actor can play leading roles in film, in fact most unknown actors who play character roles (the killer, homeless, gang member) but are recognizable earn a great living with little recognition. This is an acting career ! So the next step is learn how to audition (get the job). For this locate a teacher or instructor that works regularly in the industry and auditions themselves all the time. Now it is the successful leading the blind ! 3) Once you have taken some coaching on how to audition, the most important thing you can do at this point is put into practice what you have learned. The best way to do this is to locate a film school or find film makers in your area that are casting for independent film roles (called indie roles). For this you will probably need a "an actor headshot and resume". Now this is where the costs begin to add up and you have a great potential of being scammed. Everyone will try to sell you the most expensive products from the photographer who shoots your photos to the lab or printer who duplicates your photos. There are many companies who do duplications here is an example of one that has been around Hollywood for many years and I personally used www.printscharmn.com ( I am not promoting them I am just saying that the prices you pay should be similar or less if you can find such a place with great quality ) Don't let anyone tell you that actor headshots should be printed on photo paper. If you are a model that is ok. Now for the photographer, you need to do some serious homework. The scam that photographers use is they will shoot your photos but keep the rights to the negs or the originals. Now that we have digital they will try to maintain the rights to the photos. Try to find a photographer who does not do this. Also get them to sign a "Work for Hire" agreement before paying. A photographer who does good headshots should not cost you more than $500 but good ones will be in the $265 - $375 range. Do not over pay. Get a recommendation from a working actor if possible. Now that you have your needed headshot you can submit to indie auditions. If you are having trouble finding some in your area you can always form an actors group and take turns auditioning form scripts which you can locate on line. You should do this as often as you would go to the gym. REGULARILY !