What obstacles or mountains must an actor/actress overcome to be assigned major film roles?
I want to major in theater to improve my skills and work my way up in the film industry after college. #management #entertainment-industry #personal-development #acting #voice-acting #film
4 answers
Gustavo’s Answer
Have a thick skin. never give up!!!! never!
Mark’s Answer
Joshua’s Answer
Hi there! Whew, this is a tough question to answer in a short amount of time. But I'll do my best.
1 - Learn as much as you can in college! Whether it's about theatre or film, you can't know too much. This will come in handy with a couple of other points.
2 - Put yourself out there. The biggest mountain an actor/actress will ever overcome is themselves. You'll be staring at a role that fits you perfectly, then doubts will start to set in. I'm not tall enough, I'm not pretty enough, I'm not good enough. But don't let you get in your own way. You never know if that one audition will be your big break!
3 - Be persistent. A lot of people quit when the going gets tough. Keep going!
4 - When the time comes, be ready! Remember all that stuff you learned in school? Your head will be in the game and your nerves won't get the best of you if you're prepared for every audition.
5 - Create your own material. So many well known actors, writers, directors didn't wait for an opportunity to present itself, they made their own. Remember all that stuff you learned in school? That's everything you need to create your own projects.
4 - Go for it! This is a tough career, but you'll never if it's supposed to happen for you if you don't that first step. Take it. Then the next one. Then the next one. Go for it!
Steven’s Answer
I'm not sure I have ideas to offer that offer much that hasn't been said by the other great contributions I see on my screen above, but I'll try to convey my take as well.
I agree that educationally, you should seriously study at least one other subject in addition to Drama/Theatre/Acting. Majoring in something besides acting (science and tech seem like the best bets these days) allows you to support yourself while you're running around going to auditions, and they might also provide great background information if you decide to write your own material. One young woman I recently auditioned for a lead role drove up in a brand new Mercedes and the thing that paid for it was her (other) career as a reporter on TV here in Los Angeles. She finished second in the competition for our role but she drove home in a car much newer and better than mine.
Another key thing I'd suggest is that you have to be relentless and have a thick skin, never getting discouraged (long-term) after a rejection, which we all get 20 (or more) times as often as an acceptance.
Finally, I'd say that stretching yourself, creatively, is a key. Try things occasionally that are out of your comfort zone, roles that are challenging, playing characters with whom you might initially have a difficult time connecting. Creative risks breed confidence and are impressive. But make sure you do all the research you can as part of the process.
Best of luck moving forward!