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What is the hardest part of becoming a professional actor or techie?
Most people talk about how they enjoy their life as an actor now, but never share the struggle of becoming one. I would like to know the real process of going into acting. I know it’s not all smooth sailing so I would like to know what struggle I could face if I go down this route.
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4 answers
Updated
Amalya’s Answer
Hi Leah,
In this life nothing is easy, including the process of becoming an actor. You can get academic education in movie production, theatrical studies, and so on. It will give you a strong academic background which may help to apply for relevant jobs. But you can also try other options, such as following movie announcements and applying as a beginner actor.
All the best.
In this life nothing is easy, including the process of becoming an actor. You can get academic education in movie production, theatrical studies, and so on. It will give you a strong academic background which may help to apply for relevant jobs. But you can also try other options, such as following movie announcements and applying as a beginner actor.
All the best.
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Leah !
How many struggles one has as an actor depends mostly on ones' mind set. You have to develop a realistic attitude, a philosophy, your purpose as an actor. It starts internally. Once you establish that, that will set your motivations and intent, regulate your reactions and allow you to focus on the work and obtaining the work.
Something that one must get used to is the financial sacrifice which often times causes one to take non-acting jobs just to support themselves and not be available for auditions to get acting jobs. There's also a difference in the casting world between Los Angeles and New York. Things were fine for me in L.A. but when I got to N.Y. all they kept saying was I was too ethnic looking. I had to figure out what to do with that. Had never heard that in L.A. To be honest, I ignored it. I also met another actress who was always told in N.Y. that she was too ethnic looking.
It all comes down to how much you can be independent, not have to work a full time job. People who are free all day can audition all day long and increase their chances of getting a part. If you have a full time job, get chosen for acting work, you can't be taking days off your regular job to go acting. You have to be responsible about it. I found myself in this situation and decided that instead of taking jobs that I was using for income, that I was over- qualified for, I better make a decision. I made a transition to a career that was my second interest and at night did some work with a cultural theatre group for a while in N.Y. I saw that I just better start a different career. It wasn't upsetting, but just being realistic. I suspended my actors union membership and I was officially not auditioning for anything.
Decades later, I was in a position to be free all day, so I went back to acting. I always had it in the back of my mind when I get older, retire, etc. I will go back to it. It felt great to get back in the swing of things and I had to learn how much the industry has changed.
I don't really feel that my "struggles" were anything big because I approached acting as a job, not for fame and riches. Not for power or anything that is usually portrayed and accepted by the public. Acting to me was not about the star system, so I made my transitions smoothly and had a good personal life too, because that matters just as much. The goal was always to make an income solely from acting and that can happen if all the other elements that allow one to do it are there.
How many struggles one has as an actor depends mostly on ones' mind set. You have to develop a realistic attitude, a philosophy, your purpose as an actor. It starts internally. Once you establish that, that will set your motivations and intent, regulate your reactions and allow you to focus on the work and obtaining the work.
Something that one must get used to is the financial sacrifice which often times causes one to take non-acting jobs just to support themselves and not be available for auditions to get acting jobs. There's also a difference in the casting world between Los Angeles and New York. Things were fine for me in L.A. but when I got to N.Y. all they kept saying was I was too ethnic looking. I had to figure out what to do with that. Had never heard that in L.A. To be honest, I ignored it. I also met another actress who was always told in N.Y. that she was too ethnic looking.
It all comes down to how much you can be independent, not have to work a full time job. People who are free all day can audition all day long and increase their chances of getting a part. If you have a full time job, get chosen for acting work, you can't be taking days off your regular job to go acting. You have to be responsible about it. I found myself in this situation and decided that instead of taking jobs that I was using for income, that I was over- qualified for, I better make a decision. I made a transition to a career that was my second interest and at night did some work with a cultural theatre group for a while in N.Y. I saw that I just better start a different career. It wasn't upsetting, but just being realistic. I suspended my actors union membership and I was officially not auditioning for anything.
Decades later, I was in a position to be free all day, so I went back to acting. I always had it in the back of my mind when I get older, retire, etc. I will go back to it. It felt great to get back in the swing of things and I had to learn how much the industry has changed.
I don't really feel that my "struggles" were anything big because I approached acting as a job, not for fame and riches. Not for power or anything that is usually portrayed and accepted by the public. Acting to me was not about the star system, so I made my transitions smoothly and had a good personal life too, because that matters just as much. The goal was always to make an income solely from acting and that can happen if all the other elements that allow one to do it are there.
Updated
Paula’s Answer
Hi Leah,
If you want to act, then act. Don't do it to become famous. Join a local acting class, try out for a local play, join an improv group, just start being around other like minded people. The rest will follow if you just do the work, enjoy the process and begin to grow. If it's film acting you are talking about, then you have to place yourself within reach of the industry, and that is another conversation.
Paula Maxwell
If you want to act, then act. Don't do it to become famous. Join a local acting class, try out for a local play, join an improv group, just start being around other like minded people. The rest will follow if you just do the work, enjoy the process and begin to grow. If it's film acting you are talking about, then you have to place yourself within reach of the industry, and that is another conversation.
Paula Maxwell
Updated
Mayou’s Answer
Hi Leah:)
Get on Backstage or look into Facebook casting groups. A lot of universities have film departments whose students need actors. They have nice equipment and sometimes really cool ideas! Really nice photography/cinematography might be able to hook you up with headshots.
Show up in person at local theaters and ask about jobs there. If they aren't hiring ask about any classes they might be offering.
Ask if there are actors working there who would be willing to talk to you. Offering to buy someone a cup of coffee is a really nice way to start a conversation/connection with someone already in the industry.
Watch classic movies and ask adults for their recommendations. Building up a little knowledge of the canon of film and theater will take you a long way and set you apart from a lot of younger actors.
Most of all... let yourself think about what type of work you want to be doing day by day. performing is a fraction of the actual daily work.
A lot of your day as an actor (if you're not in rehearsal for something) is being online and looking for auditions and casting calls, recording auditions, calling and emailing production companies, casting agents, etc.
Treat it like any job, get up a little early and spend a couple of hours every day looking for auditions, or if nothing else, absorbing really good quality movies and plays.
The biggest struggle can be burnout. You just get tired of reaching out and getting nothing back but you need to keep going. The difference between people who turn this into their career and folks who don't can be as simple as getting up every week morning and taking little steps towards jobs you want.
Follow up with people after any talk or meeting, keep track of emails and phone numbers, and don't be afraid to let them know that you are serious and want their help. The worst thing they can say is no. And reach back out. People have their own lives and get distracted. It's okay to send folks reminders and re-establish your ask for help/ advice/ whatever.
Go online and find a template and write up a CV, take some really nice portraits of yourself, and just start applying to things!
Backstage isn't super expensive and I've had a lot of jobs come from there.
Best of luck!!
Mayou
Get on Backstage or look into Facebook casting groups. A lot of universities have film departments whose students need actors. They have nice equipment and sometimes really cool ideas! Really nice photography/cinematography might be able to hook you up with headshots.
Show up in person at local theaters and ask about jobs there. If they aren't hiring ask about any classes they might be offering.
Ask if there are actors working there who would be willing to talk to you. Offering to buy someone a cup of coffee is a really nice way to start a conversation/connection with someone already in the industry.
Watch classic movies and ask adults for their recommendations. Building up a little knowledge of the canon of film and theater will take you a long way and set you apart from a lot of younger actors.
Most of all... let yourself think about what type of work you want to be doing day by day. performing is a fraction of the actual daily work.
A lot of your day as an actor (if you're not in rehearsal for something) is being online and looking for auditions and casting calls, recording auditions, calling and emailing production companies, casting agents, etc.
Treat it like any job, get up a little early and spend a couple of hours every day looking for auditions, or if nothing else, absorbing really good quality movies and plays.
The biggest struggle can be burnout. You just get tired of reaching out and getting nothing back but you need to keep going. The difference between people who turn this into their career and folks who don't can be as simple as getting up every week morning and taking little steps towards jobs you want.
Follow up with people after any talk or meeting, keep track of emails and phone numbers, and don't be afraid to let them know that you are serious and want their help. The worst thing they can say is no. And reach back out. People have their own lives and get distracted. It's okay to send folks reminders and re-establish your ask for help/ advice/ whatever.
Go online and find a template and write up a CV, take some really nice portraits of yourself, and just start applying to things!
Backstage isn't super expensive and I've had a lot of jobs come from there.
Best of luck!!
Mayou