Feb
4
Most celebrities started playing small roles on television and in the movies before they got their big break. So if you plan to start your acting career, chances are you will have to endure the same thing until a director or executive producer sees that you are ready for a major role.
The first thing you have to ask yourself is whether or not you want to be a professional actor. This simply means that you have to be committed to it. This may mean sacrificing a bit and doing some things along the way just to move a step ahead. You might feel bad about doing it but it is a reality that happens.
Once you have psyched yourself up, it is time to pack up your bags and move to a major city. You can either travel to New York or Los Angeles since most of the shows and box office hits are planned there.
Before a show or movie is made, hundreds of people come out for an audition. You might get lucky the moment you arrive but given that you don’t have any credentials yet, don’t count your eggs till they hatch. The best way to harness your acting skills will be to enrol in an acting class.
There are many places that host acting classes both in New York and Los Angeles. So you don’t waste your time, don’t be afraid to ask around or ask questions when you go around looking for one by talking to the speakers and most especially the students.
When you are ready, it is time to tell the world who you are by sending out resumes and pictures of yourself.
Since there are so many producers and directors, it pays to read trade papers regularly like Variety or Backstage so you will know what movies are being made and where the casting is taking place. Since you are already there, try to request for an audition even if it is just a small part. Again, this is part of building your resume.
If there are special events in the industry or parties, make it a point to accept the invitation. This will also give you the opportunity to meet directors, producers and even the actors themselves.
It is not easy to jumpstart your acting career especially when you are just starting out in the business. One thing you should be cautious about are scam artists that will tell you they can make you famous when all they will really do is steal your money or exploit you.
Some of these individuals may pretend to be talent agents and if they tell you to pay a certain amount upfront, run because they only get paid when they land you a job and not before.
Being cast part of a show is like applying for a job. Sometimes you get it and sometimes you don’t. If someone else is chosen, don’t feel bad because there will be other opportunities in the future.
While waiting, try to improve your skills some more by enrolling again in another class or looking for better opportunities elsewhere. You have to remember that people do not watch actors or actresses only on television or the big screen when there is also Broadway.
Proper training, persistence and patience are some of the virtues that you need in order for you to have a successful acting career.
Feb
3
Your first job as an actor or actress was great but it shouldn’t stop there. Some of the greatest celebrities have been in it for decades and you too can also have a successful acting career.
One of the things you have to do is continue to take up acting classes. There are many around and this will give you the chance to explore more of what you can do is an actor. This will prevent people from giving you the same role every time which shows that you are very versatile.
Although your manager is the one helping you look for more projects, you can do your share also by sending out your resume and photos to producers and directors. You have to remember that the entertainment industry is a tough business and there are upcoming actors and actresses like yourself fighting for the same spot. Ever wondered what happened to those who had a good movie a few years back and where they are now?
Most of the films and television shows have actors and actresses that are physically fit so if you want to be considered for a part, do your share by working out regularly. You may not afford a physical trainer but you can surely sign up for a gym membership.
You should also accept invitations to scene nights where you get the chance to put a 2 minute monologue. This event is usually attended by people in the industry who are looking for talents for a new show or as a guest in an ongoing show.
Don’t forget to bring a press kit so you can distribute a few to the people there. This will make it easy for them to get in touch with you or your agent.
It wouldn’t hurt to also take part in a small movie made by film student or an independent film. You won’t get that much money from them but at least you can add this project to your resume so people will know you are doing something to better improve who you are as an actor.
The sad truth about being an actor is that you won’t know when you will have another acting gig. This is why you have to take steps to improve your craft and believe it or not find other ways to supplement your income by perhaps getting a regular job because after all, we need to pay bills and other expenses.
Keeping your acting career is tough and you won’t hear celebrities saying that in front of a live camera when all they will say is how good things are and smile.
But just think about it, when was the last time did you see Mr. or Mrs. X on a television show or on the big screen? It may have been awhile and in order for them to continue living in a big house, they must have done something to stay afloat.
To find out how, it is best that you talk with your fellow actors and actresses so you will know exactly what to do when it hits you in the face. Remember that the success of your acting career greatly depends on your patience and persistence because without it, you don’t have a chance of staying long in this industry.
Feb
2
How much can you make in your acting career depends on a lot of factors. This is because not every film made is a box office hit which is why the earnings of some are erratic and these individuals have to supplement their income through other means.
In 2006, the median hourly salary of most actors was close to $12. Majority earned around $8 to $22 while those in the higher levels earned a little over $51. Because most of these projects are short term, it is difficult to determine how much you actually learn on a given year.
If you are in demand right now, producers and directors will call you up while you are working on a current project.
The one who sets the standards in terms of how much a stage actor earns depends on the Actor’s Equity Association while the Screen Actor’s Guild will cover those working in movies, television and commercials. If you happen to be a radio studio performer, the one handling that will be the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
In short, you have to join a union in order to have an acting career. But this does not mean that you can’t negotiate for a higher salary if you feel you deserve it. Some are members of two or three of them at the same time because they work in several media.
Actors who are members of either SAG or AFTRA earn a minimum daily rate of $759 or $2,634 for a week. They will also receive contributions to their health and pension plans as well as compensation for reruns and foreign telecasts of the productions in which they appear. There will also be paid vacations and sick leave which is something you contributed to.
If you happen to have a job in Broadway, as of June 2007, you can earn about $1,509 a week. Actors in Off-Broadway theaters will earn from $516 to $976 a week and this depends on the seating capacity of the theater.
For those working in regional theaters, you could earn $544 to $840 per week. Should you go on tour, there is an additional allowance of $113 per day for living expenses which could go up to $119 depending on the cost of living of the city you are visiting.
Not every actor working in Hollywood earns above the minimum and if you are just starting out, the same thing is going to happen to you. In fact, many of SAG members only earn an annual salary of $5,000 per year so they have to find other ways to supplement their low incomes.
It takes a while before your acting career really gets off the ground when all you have done in the past is play as an extra or have a supporting role. If you think about it that is where everyone started because you have to prove your worth to the producers and directors who makes shows and movies.
Remember that every time they have a project, they expect it to do well with the public. This may not always mean an Academy award or a Grammy. With that, the sky is the limit when it comes to how much you can really make during your acting career.
Feb
1
Almost everybody dreams of becoming an actor, but one the best way to becoming one is knowing how to jumpstart your acting career.
Knowing how to jumpstart you acting career is as equally important as sustaining it, not just limited to the fact that an acumen or impressive acting talent is enough to bring one to celebrity status or even to simply just promoting an art and build a name in the acting scene.
If you are just starting your acting career, it is but normal to invest time, effort and a lot of determination in order for you to establish a name, as well as creating a bankable reputation that can catapult one to achieve success in an acting career, better yet, fame and stardom.
But for starters, it is important to know the ins and outs of the acting industry, since it a major consideration to know the basics of the acting scene, in order for one to master the trade.
Acting is more than just a skill, it is an art. It is the art of character portrayal, be it in theater, television, film or through any other storytelling medium, be it in a dialogue or a singing or musical presentation.
It is the actor who usually manipulates his acting posture, voice and expression to communicate or portray the character he plays.
The actor ‘assumes the role’ of another, presents it before an audience in an artistic fashion.
Historically, the first person to assume the role of an actor was believed to be a man named Thespis, from Icaria of ancient Greece.
Plays during his time, which were then called choric dithyrambs, is a chorus made up of 50 singers or portrayers who narrates the story through song.
Thespis was one of those composing the chorus and sang together with the group until one fateful event, as was told through time, when he stepped out of the chorus during one narrative song and spoke to the audience as a separate character in the story.
This led to the beginning of how acting is associated with character portrayal.
From his name was derived the term thespian, which has come to mean any sort of performer, mainly an actor.
Actors ideally should possess a number of skills like good vocal projection, clarity of speech, physical expressiveness, good sense of perspective, emotional versatility, creative imagination, situational analysis and ability to immerse an portray a number of emotional and physical conditions.
Well-rounded actors, moreover, are also skilled in singing, dancing, imitate dialects and accents, improvisation, observation and stage combat.
There are also special programs that are also being offered to help boost one’s acting skill and talent, which is always geared toward better enhancing an individual’s acting ability.
Now that you have an idea about the basic information you need to know about acting, there are a few things to consider which could help you a lot in jumpstarting your acting career.
But with the thousands of would-be actors out there, one has to be mindful that the acting industry is a demanding sector, considering the fact that there are only a limited number of casts – from the lead down to all the supporting roles – for every movie, play or television show.
One has to be innovative and creative enough to allow one’s self to be seen or heard, since not everybody is suited to a role that the character demands or requires for a particular play.
All the same, just make sure to be conscious about how to effectively jumpstart your acting career.