4 answers
Isaiah
Student
Ontario
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What should I do to start a part-time acting career that will hopefully grow into a full-time acting career?
I want to pursue a career in acting, but I'm not sure how to start. I'm 16 and in high school, so I'm quite limited in independence given that I have many responsibilities. (I feel that that load may lighten once I turn 18) I want to pursue acting as a bit of a side career just because I know it is a bit risky putting all your time and money into a career that isn't exactly stable. By that I mean it's a come and go situation where you're not always guaranteed to get casted. However, I think it would make an excellent side hustle especially for right now in my adolescence when I'm trying to get something easily accessible. With all that being said, my overall question is just what to do as of right now. Should I start acting school now, so that by the time I turn 18, I can have the experience and time leniency? What is my plan looking like?
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4 answers
Jerome Dees Jr.
Sales Professional and Networking Expert
818
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Jerome’s Answer
If you have a theater club/group at your school, join it! My oldest started just hanging around and now he’s doing stage management and found himself on stage a few times with small parts. This could help you get experience while learning more about the industry.
If you don’t have something at school, maybe there is a local community theater that you can reach out to. It’s possible someone who acts there might be willing to act as your mentor (I thought act as your mentor was pretty funny lol). Hope this helps.
If you don’t have something at school, maybe there is a local community theater that you can reach out to. It’s possible someone who acts there might be willing to act as your mentor (I thought act as your mentor was pretty funny lol). Hope this helps.
Thanks a lot!
Isaiah
Curtis Wilson
Director for Student Success
6
Answers
Concord, North Carolina
Updated
Curtis’s Answer
I'll preface this by stating that I have NO experience with acting, but I have some thoughts. Maybe you can use the summers during high school to attend acting camps or workshops. If your high school or school district has a theater program, that may be a good opportunity. If you want to attend college after high school, perhaps consider attending a school in or near a city that is known to have acting opportunities. That way, during the summers, you may be able to focus on acting more frequently. Community theater is another option.
As you mentioned in your post, acting may not be the most stable career path. With that said, as long as you make a plan to gain stable employment (i.e. college, trade school, certification programs, etc.) there will always be time to hone your acting skills and perhaps turn it into a side hustle or more.
Hopefully folks with acting expertise will weigh in and give you even more pertinent thoughts. Best of luck!!
As you mentioned in your post, acting may not be the most stable career path. With that said, as long as you make a plan to gain stable employment (i.e. college, trade school, certification programs, etc.) there will always be time to hone your acting skills and perhaps turn it into a side hustle or more.
Hopefully folks with acting expertise will weigh in and give you even more pertinent thoughts. Best of luck!!
Thanks so much! Great advice.
Isaiah
TRAVIS UPCHURCH
Federal Contract Admin
219
Answers
Austin, Texas
Updated
TRAVIS’s Answer
Join theatre in your school, learn everything, lights, sound, stage crew, acting, singing and dancing. Be open to all of those skills and practice practice practice audition skills. Dont be afraid to work with more experience actors. They will bring out the best in you. Good luck, you will do well.
Thank you! I will definitely "practice practice practice audition skills."
Isaiah
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
1186
Answers
Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hi Isaiah,
This is a really realistic approach to acting, and to be honest, you already have more strategic maturity than many individuals twice your age. You're right to view acting as a high-risk but high-reward venture, and you're wise to approach it as a scalable side project rather than an all-or-nothing risk at this point. You are in a strong position in the long run just by having that mindset.
Your best course of action right now is to lay the groundwork rather than pursue results. You still need to build your abilities, self-assurance, and evidence of your work before you can "break in." If they are available, acting classes (school-based drama, community theater, or introductory acting schools) are definitely worth starting right away. They lower your learning curve, not because they promise success. By the time you're eighteen, you want reps rather than regrets. Think about attending classes as a low-risk investment in skills rather than a way to get a job.
You can begin developing low-stakes experiences at the same time. Monologues recorded at home, student films, school performances, local theater, and short skits are all acceptable. This enables you to determine whether you truly appreciate acting as a method rather than just the concept. That is important. Acting is a fantasy that many people like, but many hate waiting, rejection, and auditions. You may reality-check that without ruining relationships or spending money if you learn about it early.
You're right to consider balance as well. Early on, acting is most effective when combined with stability, such as education, a part-time job, or another skill you're learning. That's risk management, not playing small. As you move closer to turning eighteen, your strategy may change to include taking headshots, writing a basic CV, and, if your area permits it, applying for background or starter positions. However, none of those have to happen immediately. You're ahead of schedule, which is good.
Zooming out, your current strategy is skill development, exploration, and optionality. Start taking classes if you can, take action when opportunities arise, pay attention to how you respond to criticism and rejection, and prioritize your education. Patience, perseverance, and self-assurance are much more rewarded by action than by hurry. You're not behind; rather, you're strategically preparing yourself for when the door opens more widely.
Best wishes!
This is a really realistic approach to acting, and to be honest, you already have more strategic maturity than many individuals twice your age. You're right to view acting as a high-risk but high-reward venture, and you're wise to approach it as a scalable side project rather than an all-or-nothing risk at this point. You are in a strong position in the long run just by having that mindset.
Your best course of action right now is to lay the groundwork rather than pursue results. You still need to build your abilities, self-assurance, and evidence of your work before you can "break in." If they are available, acting classes (school-based drama, community theater, or introductory acting schools) are definitely worth starting right away. They lower your learning curve, not because they promise success. By the time you're eighteen, you want reps rather than regrets. Think about attending classes as a low-risk investment in skills rather than a way to get a job.
You can begin developing low-stakes experiences at the same time. Monologues recorded at home, student films, school performances, local theater, and short skits are all acceptable. This enables you to determine whether you truly appreciate acting as a method rather than just the concept. That is important. Acting is a fantasy that many people like, but many hate waiting, rejection, and auditions. You may reality-check that without ruining relationships or spending money if you learn about it early.
You're right to consider balance as well. Early on, acting is most effective when combined with stability, such as education, a part-time job, or another skill you're learning. That's risk management, not playing small. As you move closer to turning eighteen, your strategy may change to include taking headshots, writing a basic CV, and, if your area permits it, applying for background or starter positions. However, none of those have to happen immediately. You're ahead of schedule, which is good.
Zooming out, your current strategy is skill development, exploration, and optionality. Start taking classes if you can, take action when opportunities arise, pay attention to how you respond to criticism and rejection, and prioritize your education. Patience, perseverance, and self-assurance are much more rewarded by action than by hurry. You're not behind; rather, you're strategically preparing yourself for when the door opens more widely.
Best wishes!
Thank you, Chinyere! You flatter me with your first paragraph. I will definitely take your advice into account. Thanks for taking the time to write this!
Isaiah
You're welcome, Isaiah!
Chinyere Okafor