I have the opportunity for a brief Q&A with the head of my local Casting company. A medium sized market (not NY or LA) with work available for extras and small speaking parts. What would you ask? Besides Will you cast me? I'm curious about getting more consistent work and what an actor can do to stand out in an audition.
For example Zach Aguilar of Demon Slayer manages to maintain and clear voice when doing VO. While when he normally talks he sounds like a normal dude.
Hi guys, I’m currently with an agency in Columbus, OH. The reality is though there isn’t too much work here, does anybody in ohio have representation in Chicago or elsewhere? I’m wondering wether or not this would be a good route to get a second agent.
i turned down a role in february and they reached out to me via email. it's a well established production company but i was really busy and mentally i wasn't okay at that time to perform + i was struggling (still am) with acne issues. i could had been on tv. but i rejected it. and i cited... i cited that i was 17 and uncomfortable with playing the role. was i stupid? is this going to make the casting manager think: "wow, this girl sucks as an actress she can't even do this." it wasn't really a big of a scene, it's like a new employee coming into the office and "seducing" (no kissing scenes, just a touch on the waist if i recall) but i didn't want to do that. is that logical? did i irk them away? wondering if i missed my chance of making a connection :(
I heard that productions aren’t required to have a certain amount of union actors anymore and I’m not sure if it’s true. It’s hard finding time in my schedule to be an extra but I want to try and get SAG vouchers so I recently signed up to do it. Do people still get vouchers this way? If so, any tips?
I know other people have come on here, dealing with their anxieties due to their age and feeling they'll never find success because of it, so I thought I'd write this out for those who are scared about it. See, I fell in love with acting as a teenager, did some background work on a tv show and even did a pilot that filmed at my high school. My whole plan was to study acting as soon as I left high school. It's literally the only thing that has ever given me any joy. But I had a cancer scare right after graduating that put me through more than 5 and a half years of pain. I required dozens of tests, a surgery after which I immediately developed a severe infection that left me bedridden for five and half months, all while dealing with atrocious doctors who didn't give a shit. I couldn't work anything other than shit fast food jobs and wasn't allowed to drive because the pain would give me spasms and that made me a unsafe driver. But I told myself that afterwards, I'd be 25 and start acting then...and then I was told that I would need a second surgery to fix complications the infection had on my first surgery. This basically broke me and I fell into such a deep depression that I attempted suicide once in 2017 because the disgraceful public health care system in my country treats you as a number and not a person, and even though they told me it would take 6 months, it wasn't until March this year that I got an appointment to tell me that I wouldn't need the surgery in the first place. This had an even harsher affect on me. When I found out I almost broke down in tears in the doctors office. It made me furious that my life was held back because of incompetent people. LITERALLY TEN YEARS taken from me because I didn't matter to the government run scum healthcare system in my country. But after all that, after all the set backs, which includes the fact that I live in Australia, the place that probably has the smallest acting scene out of any major country, I am still going to move to the city next year and act. And I am going to succeed. Why? Because it's still the only thing I think about. And because I know it's what I'm meant to be. Maybe I'll be shit at it for a decade or two before I finally click and understand it properly, and maybe I'll struggle to the point where I don't eat because I need to make rent, but I don't care. I have to be a great actor. Not just an ACTOR, but a GREAT ACTOR. I'm writing this because people think that if you aren't getting oscar nominations at 23 or that if you're not constantly getting leading roles by 30 that you'll never get it, and they need to get over that. Danny Glover didn't start auditioning until he was 31. Brendan Gleeson didn't start until he was 34. Morgan Fucking Freeman struggled his ass off and didn't get his role in Street Smart until he was 49.Judi Dench played bit parts in plays and tv before getting the M role at 61. And since then she has been nominated for 7 oscars including winning one. The best actor winner this year was 84 year old Anthony Hopkins. Acting isn't about your age, it's about your ability. That is what success as an actor is. And a hundred years from now what will people remember? the money he got from it, or the performance he gave? I'm sorry I rambled, but I hope you understand what I'm saying here. Thankyou.
I completely hate the new Casting Networks updates but absolutely love the new Actors Access updates. Being reminded of an EcoCast due is super handy when you have several due in a small time frame. I also like the hyper link feature added that lets you see how many times you’ve auditioned for the CD. I keep track myself of course but it’s nice to see it streamlined by AA now.
I did not see anything in the FAQ about this. So here I go... sorry for being sorry and if this is a bad idea
[https://youtu.be/IXClQxzczUk](https://youtu.be/IXClQxzczUk) This is my film reel as of May 2021. I was wondering if I could get opinions on it, as I want it to be the best it can be before submitting it places (other than just having it on my website). Actors Access costs a lot of money to submit reels to so I wanted to make sure it was...at least worthwhile to submit. But I was also wondering, isn't it possible to add the youtube link of your reel to the additional comments section when auditioning on Actors Access? I am considering doing that to save the $44, but I don't know if that seems unprofessional. Thank you all for your time!
Pre-pandemic I wrote a weekly column for Backstage called "Side Hustle Spotlight." I took a pandemic haitus on that but my editor would love for me to start it back up again. Basically, if you have an *interesting* side hustle that supports your creative career, Backstage readers would love to hear about it! You can read [previous articles here](https://www.backstage.com/search/?q=Linnea%20Sage&page=1&sort=newest&series=14). Your side hustle can be anything, but NOT typical survival jobs like bartending, serving, or nannying. If you're interested please send an email to [SageScribble@gmail.com](mailto:SageScribble@gmail.com) with a description of your Side Hustle, and if you want to be interviewed as an Actor, Writer, Comedian, or Filmmaker/Theatre Producer. Please also include some notable credits as readers really like to hear from working professionals. Thanks! *Dislcaimer: I may receive a lot of emails and it may take a while for me to get back to you. I have no control over when my editor chooses to publish any of these articles but I will try to alert you when it's posted.*
So I have no acting experience and would like to know what is a good first step. I have read the rules already but still wondering about the acting school, American academy of dramatic arts. Would this be a good fit for a first timer like me? I am 21 and not going to college or any other schools right now. Would it be almost better to take an acting class at a nearby community college instead? Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read and good luck to fellow actors on this subreddit :)
I used to dedicate my life to acting and get a lot of opportunities but I needed to « reinvent » myself during the pandemic when I couldn’t get work anymore. I now have a really fun job entertaining people in a maze and will soon start working as a host, mascot, actor, etc on special events and this career change makes me wonder which acting contracts I should still apply for. I stopped doing background work so I could still have a chance to have a role on a project but since I am getting fewer roles now... Should I give background work a chance just for the money? Is doing short films for free still worth it if I already have tons of footage for my demo and a lot of independent short films on my resume? (I would only make an exception if I am actually in love with a project) Should I only apply for paid roles opportunities? I am scared this career change will make me « less » of a professional actor if I focus on other things than acting and say no to opportunities that are not worth it... I will still give my 110% for paid roles, but I am still wondering how much I should be involved in acting... How do you choose which opportunities are worth it?
I feel like my acting looks a lot better if I don't have a reading partner at all if my only other option is to find somebody online. I always look like I'm talking on the phone otherwise. But I have been told that I'm not really acting if I don't have a partner. I can't help but feel a little offended by this because if I am performing a monologue I'm supposedly reacting to someone who is standing there just not line by line. And as someone who has cast projects myself, I've never really cared if the actor has a partner or not. I just want to hear them deliver the lines. But if this is what is required for some kind of professional industry-standard, I'm trying to accommodate. I've heard about people taping their own voice and then playing it back for their self-tape. Is there a way to make your own voice sound different and just talk to yourself?
Big fan of his - not just his work ethic and creating for himself but the insights he offers on Smartless Podcast is so much better than another other acting podcasts out there (and yes I've heard all of Audrey/ThatOneAudition/TheActorCEO/etc.) - the Smartless on May 31 with Mitch Hurwitz in my opinion is a must listen for actors. Really helpful to hear advice from someone working in the game for the last 30+ years. ​ [https://youtu.be/Q\_h5ulR19sQ](https://youtu.be/Q_h5ulR19sQ)
Hi there, I am very new to acting and have only decided to take it seriously in the last couple months or so. I live in LA and have done background on the side when I need money. I am officially SAG eligible as I have received several golden tickets in the last couple months. My question is, with barely any previous acting experience, should I join SAG yet? I understand the benefits of the Union but I get such a wide varying opinion from this question from other actors, especially other background actors. On one hand I hear “oh you should absolutely do it, it shows you’re taking it serious and you’ll have to do it eventually anyway”. But then I hear from some people “oh you should wait so you can do non-Union work, get material for your reel and not get stuck as a career background actor (which is honestly my biggest fear)”. Would this money be better spent taking acting classes? Or should I jump right into the Union? I appreciate any advice on this! Thanks, James
I used to make a living only out of acting, modelling, and hosting. But with the pandemic, I turned more to hosting because it offers more work and stability. That means that I won’t have time to dedicate myself as much to acting. Sure, I will still give priority to paid professional roles. But I will stop doing unpaid short films (unless I fall in love with a project), mostly since I already have tons of footage for my demo and experience in more than 20 independent productions. I am worried that focusing less on acting will make me less of a professional actor... Or maybe only doing only professional roles will make me a better professional actor? How do we even define a professional actor?
About 3 months ago, one of the biggest casting agencies in my city posted a casting call for a movie. I had no experience with acting but I'd always wanted to be an actor, taking classes in high school and educating myself as much as I could. I just graduated college and I made it my goal to pursue this career because it's the only thing that makes me happy. Anyway, they only asked for a short 2 minute video talking about some paranormal experience or something, which was probably just to get to know the actors' personalities. If they liked it, they invited selected actors to audition. I got a response saying I wasn't the right for the role but that they'd contact me if they had another project. Cut to yesterday and I receive a call telling me that there's a new movie being filmed in October and that they'd like me to audition. I said yes, but it would be my first audition ever and my first real experience as an actor. I have no idea what I'm doing and I would really appreciate any tips for the audition room. Any tips from experienced actors would be greatly appreciated! I have no idea how to create a character with just a few lines.
Hi, so I’m 20F (turning 21 soon) currently living in Ireland. I’m half Indian and Irish, recently graduated and even secured my first job. But ever since I got the job I’ve constantly been doubting myself if I’ve done the right thing or not. I’ve always been interested in acting, I have very little acting credits tbh but I’ve found acting to be such a liberating experience. Im really passionate about it. I didn’t study acting in college because my family expected me to study ‘something that will get you a job’ , and I went along because it seemed the practical thing to do. But recently I’ve had this overwhelming feeling that I’m ignoring what I’m most passionate about, other than the good money there is nothing that motivates me about my first job. I can’t see myself cultivating a career as a developer, I might do it for some time for the money but I know it know I could never do it for more than a 1-2 years. At some point I want to leave it all and pursue acting. I know that making it as an actress is hugely challenging, and it seems to take a good few years before people even make somewhat of a living out of it. I’m trying to decide if I should stop waiting and just go for it. I’m ready to let go of the job and apply for acting schools in the UK. A part of me feels like I’ve ignored what I really want to do, and I don’t want to ignore it anymore. Another part of me feels like I might be making a terrible decisions letting go of job security, good pay etc. I’m really very torn over what I should do. There is absolutely no doubt in me wanting to pursue acting, I 100% will. But should I start pursuing it now or wait a 1-2 years? If anyone can share there own real life experiences, advice and insights I would really appreciate it.
Working on a video for my small channel and am looking for a voice actor that can do a good impression of one or more of the following. Each pays $30 short videos. So if you can do a great Impression of both, it’s all yours. Norm Macdonald Conan O'brien Want to reimagine an interview. Thanks
So I'm sure there are a lot of teachers/classes here in NOLA, but none of them have websites or are "established," or are easy to search for The only one I really know of is "The Working Actor Studio" with Jim Gleason. He has a good operation going, very professional and consistent with weekly classes and a website. I've worked with him for a few years but I'm just curious what other options there are. I could search "Acting classes New Orleans" and some names come up, but I'm curious if yall have any specific recommendations on whos reputable and known to be a great teacher.
We are looking for a professional actor/actress to partake in corporate training videos in South Korea. The role includes acting in in-house productions and consumer-facing videos. This position also requires support of pre and post production and general contributions to the retail training team, including creating scripts, documents, and presentations. We are open to applicants within Korea and those willing to re-locate to Korea \*This is a 2-year contracted position with option for renewal. \*Not a temporary, part-time, or freelance role Responsibilities for Actor • Work collaboratively with other actors and team to perform scenes • Practice & memorize lines and scenes both independently and collaboratively • Offer suggestions and insight to team regarding roles, scenes, and lines • Make necessary adjustments to acting as requested by client • Perform audio voice-overs for productions • Support pre-production, production, and post-production as needed Qualifications for Actor • Bachelor's degree in theater, speech, or other related fields preferred • Experience performing in professional productions, either live audience or filmed, required • Retail experience is preferred • Familiarity with different styles of acting • Open to taking direction from team and guiding team when necessary • Capable of taking, processing, and utilizing critical feedback • Extremely flexible and able to work within high-pressure and high-stress environments • Can easily adapt, adjust to new situations • Fluent in English required • MS Office (Powerpoint, Excel, Word) skills preferred • Pre-production, production, and post-production experience preferred • Customer engagement experience preferred (i.e. retail, sales, hospitality) For serious inquiries, please respond with: 1. A link to your portfolio or previous works
Hi all! I’m currently working a 9-5 nonprofit job and looking to transition to a part time flexible gig to open up time for auditions. Are there any part time jobs that would offer health insurance? I’m kinda scared to leave my current job bc the insurance is so good (I don’t pay anything but copays). I do need some prescriptions, occasional check ups, etc. how have y’all dealt with this? Is it something I have to wing or specifically budget for (market plans etc)? My income will dip with this change, so I want to make sure I plan this out before cutting all ties with my current job. also: my parents don’t have insurance, so hopping on their plan isn’t an option. Thanks for any advice!
Hi! So basically I feel a bit discouraged. I’ve auditioned for many films and tv stuff and have never gotten the role. Recently I did a chemistry read for a feature film that they were recasting a character in, and I the director said “I thought you did wonderful!”. He then called me later and said that they narrowed it down to me and another girl and ended up with the other. I live in a predominantly white area, and they ended up casting a white, brunette, teenage girl. This has happened a lot for me, and idk how not to be discouraged by it. It’s ALWAYS a white girl that they cast, even if it’s a character that is described with mostly Asian features or personality. There’s also a LOT of white washing characters, which pisses me off! Can I get some advice on how to be successful as an Asian American Actor?
Hey actors, FREE WORKSHOP ALERT! This Wednesday: How to get an Agent in 30 days or less in any Market! This workshop will be hosted by Gwyn Gilliss, the foremost International Marketing Mentor and Career Coach for actors. She helps actors move forward with their careers on a global level! Sign up here: https://www.gwyngilliss.com/wednesday-workshop
Hello, As the title says I'm looking for a voice actor for our fansite, each chapter has approx 2600 words and we can do one chapter as a test and see how the community responds. Personally, I love audiobooks, so I'd like to integrate that into our site. But, our budget is not very large as we only support ourselves from donations. So I'm looking for starting voice actors that would like to gain experience and help our community. The job is paid but we can't afford the rates that I had received. Thank you for your time.
or is the point of these roles so that actors have a way of getting into the union. also if the non union standing does make it more difficult, whats the quickest way to become sag eligible.
I’m 24 years old. Went to school knowing I wanted to be an actor but got the “practical” degree and studied finance. While I was studying I made sure to take acting classes and stay involved in the theater department at the university in order to continue developing my craft. I did 7 plays while was there including one play in England while I was abroad. I even got a grant from the school to study at an acting program in NYC one summer. I’m two years out of school now and I was able to book my first indie film at the end of 2020 after finishing my 1-year acting program at the Barrow Group in NYC. Been working at an accounting firm since December (about 6 months) and I honestly hate it lol. I’m thankful for the job and the security but it’s not what I want to do. It never has been. I’ve allowed my fear and complacency to misdirect me from my goals. I know a lot of people suggest having more credits/representation before moving to a bigger market. Plus I live in jersey so NYC is very accessible being only 30-40 mins away by car or train. But I’ve just always wanted to live in LA. I think about making the move more and more everyday. I have about $30k saved rn and I’m honestly thinking about going all in. A lot of people have cautioned me against it but I’ve been so calculated up until this point in my life and all it’s done is take me further away from my passion and made me miserable. I’ve done everything I was “supposed” to do and yet I feel completely stagnated. It’s like I have zero control at a point in my life where I should have the most control. In this industry I feel like risk is necessary because those who aren’t willing to take those risks and make those sacrifices often not ever get to where they want to be. I apologize, I don’t mean to rant but I’m just looking for peoples thoughts/opinions on this. I’ve wanted to be an actor since I was 14 and 10 years later I feel like I’ve barely even scratched the surface of my potential within that career. I’m only getting older. I’m sure many people in this community have been in similar situations or can at least relate to what I’m going through. Just curious what others might think!
Hi actors! I’m a lurking Equity stage manager and pre-pandemic Broadway worker. I saw a post in another sub about acting studios, and it ignited a passion of mine. That wasn’t the right forum for me to rain on someone’s parade, but I hope this is the right forum to spark a discussion that might actually help some people. I have seen so many actor friends and acquaintances I meet by running castings be sucked in to paid, unaccredited acting programs. You know who the big ones are. A full time student at some pay about $40k for two years of classes only to get a certificate of completion, usually in NYC or LA while also paying high rent costs. These studios tout their successful alumni, without ever publishing the number of students they take a year and the rate of that success. I want to scream from the rooftops two things. There are free, accredited programs available!! There are now MANY highly rated MFA programs across the country that provide full scholarships and even housing and TA payment stipends. Many include residencies that will guarantee union cards. The competition between these has meant that programs compete for the best benefits for their students. And at the end, you have a masters degree, which provides a credential if you ever want to move into professional acting teaching. Almost all these schools teach the same techniques that the ‘conservatory style’ programs do. I am biased for one in particular because I went there and ran their MFA acting auditions, but I have nothing bad to say about any of the other programs out there. Secondly, as someone who has worked with thousands of professional actors at top levels, almost no one I have worked with comes out of those expensive programs! They have typically fallen into three categories- 1) the life long actors who started young, maybe had a connection in the business, and have worked everywhere and know everybody. 2) the grinders, who have done lots of NYC/LA shows, worked another job, and earned a big break. 3) the students, who went to conservatories, MFA programs, residencies, fellowships, etc. these are almost NEVER students of expensive studio programs. Real talk, a studio like Esper is not an impressive credits on a resume for casting directors and production teams, because it only guarantees that you had the money take classes. That’s my observation at least. Yes, almost everyone is expected to be familiar with Meisner technique, Alexander, etc. But I can guarantee you can find cheaper standalone classes for those base credentials if you don’t want to go for a multi year program. I don’t want to fight with anyone, if you had an amazing experience at one of these studios and a rewarding acting career after, that’s wonderful. I don’t doubt how personally rewarding the classes can be, only how financially and professionally rewarding they are statistically. I think they prey on young actors who are willing to put in the work and happily take their money without providing a substantial return. It’s especially poignant for me after the pandemic.
I've never been into social media for myself. Primarily I used to use facebook to keep up with my friends, but that was about it. Recently I decided to create a Twitter account and have been following many VAs and enjoy their posts. But I always hesitate to post anything, either because I feel its irrelevant to the reason I made an account (to promote myself), or because I feel there's nothing interesting to post. I'm probably overthinking it, and I would love some advice on the matter.
I'm in the early stages of planning for a podcast project I'd like to hire some voice actors for. I'd like to make sure my expectations are reasonable and my budget is fair, but I'm finding tons of articles with contradictory information! Specifically, I'd like to know: 1) What's considered a reasonable price per hour for audiobook-style narration? And should I be budgeting per finished hour, or per hour that the VA spends working on the project? 2) How do I find an actor when I have a specific type of voice and accent in mind? Do I approach agents and hope they represent someone who would be a good fit? Do I message actors directly? Or is there a place where I could post a casting call online? 3) What's good etiquette for clients when it comes to giving directions to VAs, especially for long audiobook projects? Does the actor record a section to be reviewed by the client, or do they do it all in one go?
So basically, I made a discord server for actors with no one to read with in Self-Tapes, so no one has to miss any opportunities! This server will allow you to find people who will be willing to read with you. [https://discord.gg/wrbKzX7aGP](https://discord.gg/wrbKzX7aGP)
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In the first part I’ll introduce myself, feel free to skip if you don’t want to read it: Hi, i am from Serbia, which is a small European country with even smaller amount of opportunities for people that are looking to act in movies/tv that are using english language. I’ve been doing some background acting, taking classes, and recently i got a lead role in a, well you can say feature film, thats going to be presented in European film festivals(movie is in english language)Since I’m not represented by anyone, Are there any UK, or European agencies that i can send an email with my showreel, that will accept a foreign actor? Also should i look for a manager or agent(as an individual)? (And where can i find them). Thanks in advance, have a lovely day everyone!
I'm talking about; Jack Nicholson, Pacino and De Niro; Newcomers in the early 1970s, and Legends by the 1980s/1990s. Has somebody like Brad Pitt reached the same level of Celebrity status/Acting acclaim? What about Leo? Has he been the biggest actor over the last 20 years? Will he be recognised as being on the same level as the legends mentioned above? Actors aren't necessarily put on a pedestal in the same way as they were back in the 20th Century; these days there are a wider range of people being allocated "Celebrity status" to; with Social Media Celebs, TV shows competing with films, and everything else. But, in the wider sense; who are some modern actors that are seen now, and or will be seen in the same way as these other great actors of the 20th Century? Note: That the status of "most famous, iconic great actor" does not totally correlate with the "best actor"; Daniel Day-Lewis for instance is not a charismatic, enigmatic presence - he might go down as one of the great actors, but he won't have the same celebrity status of somebody like De Niro.
Curious incident are auditioning for Christopher for their tour. Christopher is literally my dream role, as an autistic actor I’d love to play a character like me. He is an incredibly important character to me, one of the audition monologues is a piece I got an A* for at university (I know this means little, but still). As Christopher is a male character, they’re only auditioning autistic males. I’m an autistic female. Is there any point in me sending a tape in anyway? I have sent a message to the Curious Incident media pages, but I don’t know if they’ll even see it let alone reply.
I'm a white actress and I currently have long brunette hair, my natural color. It's worth noting that I'm based in Spain, so most actors and actresses, like the general population, are white. Therefore, there's less variety when it comes to hair textures than what you might see in America or the UK. Also, I don't have an agent yet but I'm starting to look for one, so I'd like to know your advice based on what will get me picked up. So far, I've been doing student films, so it's hard to know the success rate since oftentimes they'll pick their cast without auditioning first. Initially, I kept my hair long and dark because I thought it would help with casting. I'm a "traditional beauty" with a normal face (as in, not very young-ish but also not angular or anything like that), so I thought it would suit me to have a more traditional and natural hairstyle. However, last week, I was talking to another actress who told me she used to have her natural long, blonde hair, but then she decided to cut it in a bob and dye it a bright orange and had a lot more success. She got casted more and was also finally picked up by an agent. A casting director also told her once that her look would help her work more. Naturally, I've been giving it a lot of thought since I've always like dying my hair. I've cut it in a bob before and it looked good on me, not better or worse than the long hair. I used to dye streaks of my hair in different colors, but I've never dyed all of my hair so I don't know how that would look. What's your experience with cutting and/or dying your hair as a (white) actress? I'm willing to do it, I just don't know if it would get me more roles because I think I fit the "traditional" look best. Also, having my hair in an unnatural color would close some doors, but it would also get me more noticed. What should I do?
Are there are any parents of young children here with some advice or commiseration? I gave birth to a healthy girl last May in New York City during the height of the pandemic. While I didn't have to give birth in April when things were totally unknown, it was still extremely difficult. We weren't able to have any family come help us and that's been the case for over a year now. I'm the primary caregiver to our lovely, rambunctious now-toddler... and also a struggling actor. And just plain struggling as a person, too. Anyone else out there struggling to balance parenthood/motherhood/primary caregiving while trying to keep up in this business?
When submitting yourself for roles found on Actors Access, is it best to upload media for the breakdown, or wait until you get an Eco Cast invite? I've heard mixed things from other actors. A couple told me that it is best to wait until you get the actual eco cast, because its $22 to upload media, and the video you choose may not be the vibe/genre they want you to portray. So it is best to just submit headshot and resume and that is what they will look at and determine if they want you to audition. Another told me it is ideal to have different types of media to choose from (a nurse, a cop, funny, serious, etc.) But since uploading media can get costly, it is best to have at least a comedic video, and a dramatic one. What has been your experience when submitting for breakdowns? Edit: Forgot to include this, but I am asking as an actor with a theatre background, so I do not have a reel yet. Rather than waiting however long it takes for me to get cast or shoot something and get footage, I want to submit for roles now, but not sure what I can use as a makeshift reel in the meantime. I asked based off the assumption that a clip of me doing a monologue will suffice.
I applied to be part of a play and later found out that it was non union ( I am union) and unpaid. I considered that a play involved many days of rehearsals and then the actual performances in front of an audience. I love doing volunteer student short films, projects with the Kino movements, plays in which we split the profit, small projects that only require a day of two, amazing short films that give me great footage for my demo, independent productions that seriously have no funding and won’t be making any money out of it, etc. But I make a living out of acting. My work has value. Their excuse for not paying actors is because “It is our passion.” To which I reply, “this is not only a passion for me, this is a job, so I can’t accept non union volunteer project.” To which they replied “It is our job too, but our passion is what makes us real actors.” (Nothing wrong with not making any money out of our passion. But I would call this a hobby. Not a job.) I was talking to my union when I received this message and they laughed and called it “emotional blackmail.” My union does sometimes accept that a project does not pay actors, but not for that reason. They find it ridiculous. Moreover, if this play is non union, they probably aren’t part of the union themselves. What do you think? It’s not about whether volunteer projects are okay or not or if professional actors are better than amateurs (many actors who are getting started are better than professional actors). I am mostly wondering if you think that doing it out of “passion” is a valid reason not to pay actors.
Hi everyone! As some of you may know, I recently started a theatre podcast that is primarily geared towards teen and young adult actors. This week we covered what is know in the community as the “Original Broadway Cast Did It This Way” syndrome. This is the idea that all subsequent productions of a show should be almost exact replicas of the original Broadway production. This could be in set design, costumes, or even choreography/blocking. It’s something you sometimes see in community theatre and it can be a very divisive topic. If you get a chance, give it a listen and let me know your thoughts on the topic. You can leave also questions, thoughts, and future topic ideas through the Message feature on our Anchor page and have them featured on future episodes! Sound off below or on our Anchor homepage.
when the idea sparked in my head to become an actor, I can't even remember what motivated me..I always loved TV, movies, the overall entertainment world. I was a big fan of Kevin Smith and his films. As I got older, I loved ranchy comedians: Superbad, Harold and Kumar, Knocked Up, Pineapple Express. I was a big Judd Apatow guy. But I also wanted to do one of those indie movies that blows up..something like Slumdog millionaire. Now, I hate to say it but, the big top shows are motivating me. Something along the lines of The Boys, Stranger Things, even 13 Reasons Why. I think I got into acting because I lived a boring life. I never went on any adventure or have done anything fun in my life. But with acting, everything is an adventure. I filmed an indie feature and those were memories. Filming commercials are memories. I truly feel movies/tv are an art forms - so maybe I can do good with acting. What keeps me going and why I havent given up is a different story...I feel I'm close to breaking my ceiling, the next level in acting. Co-starts and lead roles. At the same time, we only have one life to live..I'd rather do it pursuring acting and seeing how far it can take me..instead of living a random boring life. Which I can't hate on, but it's not what I want. end rant.
I feel like it's run by a lady with grey hair and glasses? I think the concept was that it's not *only* acting but more of an "industry mastermind group"? So it wasn't just actors, but also videographers and maybe even like... Production assistants? It may be called something "Tribe" or something short and snappy name? Have you heard about this, or is this just a fever dream of mine?? I'm trying to remember what it's called because I wanted to look at the website again
Or is it all choreography? Like I notice some actors who hold a woman’s face a certain way in multiple movies/tv shows. Is they bringing their own to the scenes?
I live near Savannah, Georgia. I am an aspiring actor and have what i believe to be a good idea for a show. Please get with me if you know anyone around the area who could be of assistance. Thank you!
Hello, actors from Reddit I am a director in the making of a short film right now and some times i Just dont know what the actors are expecting from me. I am collaborative and will answer to any question with honesty. But sometimes, in the middle of the scene, i can see whats wrong but I cant explain what the actors should do to get It better. In thise cases, should I Just tell them what is going on with their performances (like "you are being too loud there")? If not, what should i do and whats the best way tô procede? For example, during reheasals today the actor was projecting too much confidence when in character. Can i be straightforward and say "that was too confident"? Or should i find another way? And what way would It be?
I'm going to be spending one month in LA so I can try background acting for the first time. If anyone has any questions I can answer as I go through the process, please post them here and I'll answer them here. If anyone has any advice please post that as well. My situation is pretty unique so I'll post a description of it here. I've never done background acting before, but I am very strongly interested in moving to LA and becoming a full-time background actor. I have no interest at all in "regular" acting even though I've dabbled a bit. I'm going to be SAG-Eligible before the end of the year because of a small "regular" acting role I'm doing that I'm getting a Taft-Hartley for. If I like background acting during this one month trip I will join SAG and move to LA to do it full-time. For this trip I can stay at an IHG hotel (Holiday Inn or Candlewood Suites) for only $2,000 for the whole month. If you want to know my travel hacking tips on how I'm getting that deal, just ask. If I need to, I can extend my stay for a few extra weeks (in case I have a decent gig booked right at the end of the trip or something). I know I won't make a profit from this trip, but I want the chance to try background work first-hand before I spend all the money to move to LA and join SAG. I plan on registering with Central Casting as soon as I get there. Once I actually live in LA and I'm a SAG member I'll sign up with a bunch more casting agencies. Since I'm still non-union I'm not sure if I should sign up with more or just stick with Central Casting for now. Do you know if any other agencies are newbie friendly besides Central? Any questions or advice, please post.
Hello! Does anyone have experience with the Actor’s Edge Studio? I wasn’t able to find many reviews online, but I’m currently watching a free 9-hr course from him, and saw that his classes are $195 a month over a three month period. His classes are a bit cheaper than my current classes at the Margie Haber Studio, so I was looking to possibly enroll? I don’t wanna invest in 3 months and it be bad. Aaron is also Zac Efron’s private coach apparently? If anyone has any insight, it would be very much appreciated. Thank you so much!
Naturally, I’m going to focus and practice both because I love doing both but it takes approximately 10,000 hours to become an expert at something and to do so quickly would take hours of practice every day (it would be kinda hard to do hours of practice of both and manage school.) So here’s where I’m at: writing is definitely more my natural talent. I’ve been writing since I was five years old and I’ve always been complimented on it. I’ve only taken up screen and playwrighting recently. Similarly, I’ve only taken up acting recently (as a serious venture—I did plays and stuff as a little kid). It’s my weaker suit, for sure, but I’m not bad per say. As I head to college and consider majors in college Im asking myself: does it make more sense to give more attention to the thing I’m already good at and become an expert or should I focus on the weaker thing so that I’m good at both. I hope this makes sense: it’s a little rant-y.
A while back when I started acting as a hobby, there would be some people that didnt think I was good enough. They wouldnt say it to me though, I would overhear it on set. I’ve had training but had to stop for a while due to work and the cost. I remember hearing “yeah, he can’t act”. Or this one that stuck close “he’s a nice guy, but I really don’t think he’ll ever make it as an artist. In this industry I mean”. This would normally come from crew members, not other actors.
Any fellow Australians know where to find casting calls for student films/small indie films or any work that would accept an actor with minimal/no experience and has done some classes? (Other than Starnow and Facebook groups?)
Weeee, you found me!
I'm your buddy Bottie, I was hiding behind the scenes, but now that you've found me I'd be happy to tell you what I'm doing.
I just wrote a few fun facts about Web For Actors
Would you like to take a look?
Click here to check them out. I hope it will cause involuntary audible response.
