Acting: How to start your career
June 3, 2009 by admin
Filed under Arts & Entertainment Jobs
The days of an unknown actor being ‘discovered’ by a famous film director while sitting at a coffee cafe in L.A. are long over. That may have worked for Marilyn and James Dean but 50 years later, the competition is fierce.
When I entered the acting business in 1990, I created a step-by-step plan to start my career. Like myself and many others, you can learn to evolve from being an extra to working as an actor in stage, film and television.
It is necessary to lay out a well-structured plan because acting is one of the most competitive careers on the planet.
The first and most important item is developing talent and created the basic marketing tools. Developing talent takes training and time so while you begin that process, you should also be creating your marketing plan.
The first step to marketing yourself as an actor is obtaining a headshot. Your appearance is the first item that will grab a director’s attention. The most important factor pertaining to the headshot is, it needs to look like you.
Don’t go to a local glamour shot place and end up with a picture that will not look like you. Go to a reputable photographer that has experience doing actor headshots. Ask around and find out where the working actors in town had their pictures done. When you walk into an audition give the casting director a great first impression by looking like your picture. Casting directors are turned off when actors walk into the room looking 30 pounds different with hair 5 inches shorter or longer.
These pictures need to look like you. And remember it’s not about who’s the most handsome or prettiest face. Capitalize on your unique features, character actors and unique faces stand out in the crowd so it’s not all about being the prettiest face in the crowd.
Attending acting classes is of the utmost importance. These classes will teach you how to deliver lines and ‘work the camera’ and most important, how to audition for a role. Start with the most basic classes and while attended them, pick up a few extra television or film roles to experience being on set.
You may get paid a standard fee of $100 per day as an extra and the days will be long, sometimes 12-16 hours and you may also may be asked to donate your time. Either way, just get on a few sets to experience the atmosphere and begin your resume.
Now you have your headshot, that looks like you and you’ve obtained a few extra gigs to place on your resume along with your training classes so it’s time to go to the next