Jan
31
How can one establish a good acting career?
It is more than just knowing how to act and portray a character- it is a challenge at how to please other and make people appreciate about how good an art acting can be.
This is one of the most challenging concept about acting that, once mastered, can effectively catapult one to stardom and fame.
But before one begins to take on this challenge, take note of the following considerations which are common obstacles or pitfalls to an acting career that can discourage many to pursue it.
Here is a common checklist for actors;
- if you are new to show business and do not know where to go to for professional help, try to look around for reputable casting firms who could provide you with expert advice on how to evaluate your acting skill and what good roles may be suited for you.
- Make the most out of audition calls, since this is where you may be able to test yourself for roles that are available in the market.
- Sometimes it helps to work freelance, however, having an agent gives you more opportunities in landing opportunities for audition and casting calls. Take note that agents are the first ones to know of any available roles that are being cast for movies or shows.
- Choosing a good casting or agent can indeed be a good help, especially for amateur actors who still do not have much idea about how to scout for good acting roles, unlike when working freelance, you often tend to decide on what roles that are readily available, regardless of your personal preferences, whewreas if you employ an agent to represent you, producers usually call on agents to help them provide the most suitable talent for the roles they hope to be portrayed.
- There is always the risk of devoting too much time to balance between work and the demands of an acting career, especially when juggling a professional career and an acting venture.
- Always be sure to keep your word and always maintain a decent and professional demeanor. It does not matter whther you are an artist or not, you are still expected to maintain a professional air.
- Always make sure to prepare materials that you may need to promote yourself like audition tapes, resumes, headshots, portfolios, etc. Keep it handy all the time, you’ll never know when a good opportunity comes up.
- Always keep yourself updated and headstrong by joining acting workshops and advanced acting programs or projects that will help you continue to polish your acting skills, preparing you for better chances of landing good roles in the future.
- Make it a point to always put your best foot forward and always make sure that you are always ready to take on a variety of roles and characters, which is a good sign of your acting versatility and dynamic personality.
- Not everybody can make it successfully in an acting career, regardless of how hard one should try. Be ready to take on criticism and even skepticism, but taking it more of a constructive feedback rather than a disappointing twist.
- Always focus on things that you think that will always let you propel your acting career.
Jan
30
We all want to be movie stars and develop an acting career. If the glamorous parties and the invites are not enough enticements, just look at how much each of the Hollywood hotties are earning every time they have a movie. Some star’s annual income can actually feed a state and maybe even a nation.
But becoming one is not as easy as it looks. Some people feel that you only have to have the looks in order to break into the movie scene but sometimes, this is not true. In fact, there are a lot of really classic beauties out there who have not made a name for themselves and have only remained as supporting actresses. The same goes with pretty boy actors who have to contend with two-bit roles.
There are however actresses who do not have the classically-accepted features but have become for themselves instant stars like Reese Witherspoon and Angelina Jolie. Comedy actors Jim Carrey and Ben Stillers are not actually classically handsome but their bankability in the box office make them handsome. SO what’s the secret to having a great acting career? How do you develop one and how do you break into the scene?
1. Exposure
Nobody will know you if you are constantly hiding behind the scenes. If you want to be an actor or an actress, you have to go out there and make sure that you get people’s attention. As much as you can, star in as many quality projects as you can. Even if the role is not so long and the dialogue is not that much, at least you are there in the film. Some movie stars have started with doing films that are low budgeted. If you are lucky, the movie will become critically-acclaimed and will become your ticket to stardom. This is also why you should choose your roles and movies well. Becoming part of an art film with a great script beats being constantly on camera in lackluster movies.
2. Try and Try
A lot of the Hollywood greats right now have themselves suffered from rejection. Before they were stars, they also had to go through casting calls, which necessitated them to endure all the nitpicking of directors and casting manager. The secret is to try and try until you find the role that will fit your personality, the role that will launch you to stardom. After all, nobody became famous in an instant. All had to go through the same route.
3. take care of your appearance
Vain or not, appearance is pretty important to a movie star. This is one area where you will need to work on especially if you want to stand out in the crowd. This does not however refer only to the beauty of your features. When you say appearance, it represents your overall look especially when attending functions and events where photographers are everywhere. If you have the budget, hire a good stylist who can tell you what you can and cannot wear. This is a good way to catch people’s attention. Lindsay Lohan became a fashion trendsetter first before she really rose to stardom.
Developing an acting career is actually pretty easy. All you need to do is persevere, try and work on what you’ve got. After all, each one of us is already a star on our own rights.
Jan
29
For you to realize a goal, you have to work real hard to attain it. You must do everything right from the preparation to the execution of every step that you have to take. This is very much true if you plan to pursue an acting career. If you really want it, nothing should stop you, not even your age, gender or even your nationality. What matters here is the hard work that you will put in attaining your aim and how you will overcome the hindrances that will block you along the way.
If it is motivation that you want to keep you going, here are some tips to help you move along.
1. Prepare for everything. Prepare yourself physically. You have to look your best at your every audition. To achieve this, you have to take care of yourself. Improve both on your physical and mental capacity. It will also help if you will practice rehearsing dialogues or plainly, speaking in front of many people. Your physical appearance is an investment. So if you have to spend money in order to enhance what needs to be done, do it for the purpose of looking fit and confident.
You must also be ready emotionally. You cannot get everything you want in an instant. You might experience a lot of rejections first even before you get your first callback. It will be best if while on the process of going through auditions, you have a part time job that can suffice your every day needs. You can also treat this phase as something fun and enjoyable. This way, you will not take the rejections too hard or too personal.
It will also help to be spiritually conditioned. This will help you accept the bad news that may come your way through the process. This will be your strength when you feel like giving up.
2. Learn the ropes. If you want to be taken seriously as an actor, present yourself as one. It will help if you will meet the right people, especially an agent who will represent you and find you audition schedules. You have to know where that action is taking place. You don’t necessarily have to live there. But it will be less expensive if you do. If you can find small gigs on the locations where the auditions are usually going on, then that will be much better.
Establish friendships with the people that you will meet along your audition rounds. You never know who will bring you luck and fortune in the future.
3. Be the master of the craft. Watch a lot of movies and learn how the actors attack their roles. Read aloud dialogues from scripts. Read books and references that can help you improve and where you can learn a lot from.
4. Be careful in hiring an agent. Do not believe those who will make you pay even if they still haven’t found you a job. That’s when they are supposed to get money from you. They get certain percentage as commission for the work that they helped you find. They are your allies. They must know your strong points so that they will instantly think of you for roles that fit you right.
All these tips must be taken at heart if you are serious in pursuing an acting career. The road may be tough. But it will be worth it when you reach the point of your destination.
Jan
28
Auditioning Tips for Those Who Want to Pursue an Acting Career
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Ever heard the line practice makes perfect? Well the same goes when you go for an audition in the hopes that you will find work on television, the movies or the theater. Here are a few helpful hints you should know.
An audition normally lasts between 2 to 3 hours. You have to signup and since it is on first come first serve basis, make sure you are there 15 minutes before the audition starts. This will give you some time to relax and practice your monologue one more time before they call you on stage.
While waiting for you turn, pay attention to the person who signed up before you because after him or her, you are the one who is going up next. If you have to wait for quite awhile, bring along a book and a bottle of water to keep yourself hydrated.
Since you are guest here, be nice to everyone because you may never know who you run into. This goes even to the individuals who are vying for the same spot.
The nice thing about an audition is that unlike a job interview, you don’t have to go in there in business attire. You can wear something neat and comfortable. Never make the mistake of wearing a costume or something too formal.
You should also be careful when using a perfume or cologne since it could be too strong.
If you have never done an audition for this company before, do some research so you know what kind of work they specialize in. This will help you pick the right monologue for the audition. But if no information is given, just have your best ready and keep it under a minute. Should you be able to impress the director and they want to see more, have a few others prepared as well.
Sometimes, your audition will require you to sing rather than act to get the part. If this happens, bring along with you a clean and clearly marked sheet of music. Tell the musician what part of the song to play and make sure this is cut down to at least 16 bars.
Apart from your act, you should also prepare your resume and a headshot. You should bring at least 5 copies each because aside from giving a copy to the casting director, talents and scouts will probably want to get in touch with you in the future.
It should have your updated contact details so it will be easy for them to get hold of you for a call back. Both of these should be able to fit into a folder because those that don’t usually get thrown out. Don’t forget to write your name on the headshot even if a copy of your resume is already stapled on the back.
When it’s your turn to perform, take a deep breath and smile. Look at the audition space and if there are a few objects there that you don’t need, request if these can be temporarily moved away. Afterwards, just walk out the door and hope that what you did is good enough for a call back.
An audition is not a walk in the park and it is the first step that everyone has to take if they want to pursue an acting career. So go to a few and learn from experience so if you don’t make it, you know you can do better next time.
Jan
26
A Look Back at how Vanessa Hudgens Started in her Acting Career
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How did Vanessa Hudgens get started in her acting career? This girl was born Vanessa Anne Hudgens on December 14, 1988 in Salinas, California. Her looks can be attributed to her parents’ descents. Her dad, Greg Hudgens is an American with the Native American and Irish background. Her mother, Gina, is a Filipino who grew up in Manila with traces of Filipino, Chinese and Spanish blood.
Career Path
Vanessa was inclined on the performing arts since she was a child. After she finished seventh-grade at the Orange County High School of the Arts, Vanessa opted for a home school setup.
When she was eight years old, she began joining musical plays. She was included on the main and supporting casts of plays such as “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Music Man,” “Damn Yankees,” “Evita,” “Carousel,” The King and I,” and “The Music Man.” Everything happened by chance for little Vanessa. Her first gig was a commercial. But it was purely accidental why she landed the part. She went on the audition just because her friend, who was supposed to go there, got sick and asked her to come instead.
In 2003, she debuted in the feature film “Thirteen.” This stars Evan Rachel Wood and Holly Hunter. Vanessa also starred in “Thunderbirds,” an action-adventure film. But Hudgens hit it big after playing the part of Gabriella in High School Musical, a TV movie made by the Disney Channel that was first released in 2006. That same year, she was able to release her debut album entitled “V.” In July of 2008, her second album entitled “Identified” was released.
After she started on movies, she also played bit roles for television. She guest starred for TV shows such as “The Bothers Garcia,” “Still Standing,” “Quintuplets,” “Drake and Josh” and “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.
For the two equally successful “High School Musical” TV movie, Hudgens played the role of Gabriella Montez. She played the love interest of real-life boyfriend, Zac Efron. Their roles had given them the “Best Chemistry” award given by Teen Choice Awards. The first movie also had a hit soundtrack and it brought the group on a concert tour worldwide. A book series was also made out of it.
With all the success she has garnered, Hudgens became the number seven on Forbes magazine’s top earning list of stars who are under 21. She was 18 years old at the time. She has an estimated $2 million of earnings. “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” is set to be released on October 24, 2008.
This talented gal was ranked 62nd of the Most Sexiest Woman on FHM just this year. She was also at number 12 at Maxim’s 100 Hot List. And she was also part of People magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People.
Life on the Spotlight
He career was marked with controversy when provocative pictures of Hudgens proliferated the Internet on September 6, 2007. The photos were passed on through emails, mobile phones and other devices. There were rumors then that she would be pulled out from the High School Musical franchise because she was no longer fit to be called a model for the youth.
But everything was settled. And Hudgens apologized to the fans and her family. After that, all is well again for this young superstar. Just looking back on how did Vanessa Hudgens get started in her acting career will inspire young minds about this craft if they are planning on joining the bandwagon.