I am not an actor myself, but I am interested in the industry and have done a little amateur dramatics myself in the past. I just wondered what keeps you motivated to keep going?
So, not really acting, but I need advice from actors. My school has a thing were every year all the students put on an "Exihibition night" and present a poem, or whatever. For my social studies class, we have to (as a class) put on a readers theater, and send in videos of us reading our parts so the teacher can make it into a video. (Its in person, but for some reason, this is a video) I was just trying to record (with my phone, since I don't have a good camera), but everything about it sucks. The acting (or reading), the "make up", the lighting, etc... Does anyone have tips on recording from home, tips for "new actors", or any ideas on how to fix ANY of these problems?
I've made movies since I was like ten. But all of the early stuff was with friends, then friends that were interested in acting, then local actors who were willing to work for either free or practically free. I'd play all the roles: writing, directing, shooting, editing. I'm comfortable with that when it's a small low budget short. Until I tried to make a feature length, my first long one that maybe was too ambitious, and made essentially every mistake you can think of. I hired actors from LA, had them come up to the city we shot in, payed them low budget SAG rates for a 25 day shoot, and never released the movie because of all my shit mistakes. The actors were great, but my inexperience with people that really know how to act fucked things up early on. When I'd run and gun short movies, I didn't give out schedules, didn't let the actors know what scene we'd be doing until we were on set, didn't do a lot of things to make the production more clear because I had it all in my head and my personal notes and nobody ever asked me to really communicate. I'm a bit more aware of many of my wrong turns. I haven't worked with actors since my attempt at a feature which is unusual because I used to make many shorts a year. I've made movies since, but experimental visual ones rather than narrative. So I have a lot of questions: How valuable is rehearsal? How much directing should I be doing in rehearsals? How many rehearsals or notes would you like to have before a shoot? What are things you feel like you'd need or want from a director before we're ever on set? Would even something like storyboards help? For non-actor friends or beginning actors, I'd always do line readings on set and they encouraged it. I didn't even know what "line reading" meant until I met professional actors who told me not to do it. I know everyone needs different methods of direction and I tailor my directing for each person, because ultimately what's most important is the performance and it's impossible to get that if anyone's stressed out. What are some awful directing mistakes a director can make that totally take you out of the scene? Or will make you despise the director? Something I do when we get a really great take, I'll clap and do a small dance and tell them it was awesome because I get wrapped up in seeing how all the takes will play out well. But when it isn't where I'd like it to be, I remain more stoic and think about what kind of direction will help get us there. Depending on how close we are, I'll say, 'That was good,' or, 'That was really great', and then, 'But this part needs work', and go over the direction I'd like it to go. Something I love is that even if I feel like we got perfect takes, an actor will ask to do a few more. I'm always down for more takes. As someone who also edits, this helps a ton because the story's shaped a lot in post and unexpected takes sometimes work better. And even if I feel like we won't use it, it gives the actor time to experiment more with the character, so the next parts will often be even better and get there faster. What are other things a director can do to get you there? When I write narrative stuff, I get to really know everything about each character. Of course, all that often goes out the window once you're on set. On set, I'll talk about the arc of the scene, what characters might be thinking versus what they're saying, I like to think of lines musically too so sometimes more of a composer and conductor of how a line should go, like, give me a hard accent on this syllable and let the rest mellow out, and I really love facial expressions and experimenting with them and keep a folder of pictures of different expressions, not necessarily to copy but to express the emotion there. However, I often like to start out with nearly no direction to hear the actor's take and then shape it from there. Does any of this annoy you? Generally, would you like direction a lot more specific or a lot more ambiguous? All this ties into the most important aspect of helping the actor get there. It's always palpable when we're on set and have done many takes and it seems like nothing's working. In that circumstance, doing more takes isn't getting us closer. In that situation, what helps most for you? I want to shoot a small narrative short soon, a very intimate dramatic thing, and I need to go into it with being an even better director than I've ever been. I've been reading a ton, searched lots of different forums including this one, watching a ton, taking notes and learning a lot. If you have any advice at all, I'm all ears! Thank you!
Polishing my resume and have a couple of questions! 1. I am curious if any zoom plays I've been involved in would go under the theatre section or a "new media" section. I've been putting them under my theatre section, but not sure if that's the best place for them to go. 2. From my understanding, new media usually consists of things like web shows, etc. I was also a voiceover actor for an interactive website piece - do you think that would go under new media? 3. Additionally, I've been looking around for a template that includes voiceover work, but couldn't find any. What's the format for voiceover work if it was a commercial? (List role, then company or...? Sorry for all the questions - trying to do my best so I can keep doing what I love!
I did a term class with a highly reputable school in my market. It was mostly practical and every week we would perform a script to the teacher, who was both a coach and a local, successful actor. I would memorise my script and I implemented every tip I could into my performances. I think my acting is pretty natural but the teacher never gave me any real constructive criticism so I can't tell. I was always waiting for her to tell me that my voice is off or that I should have more emotion for the scene, something like that but it never happened. I hate watching the recorded videos of my performances so does that mean my acting is bad? Can an acting teacher be too nice or does a good acting coach never show a biased opinion because they believe that the actor should trust themself? I'm starting another term again soon with the same teacher and even though, I'm really just doing this for the script work and my resume, I would really appreciate some guidance from her as well... As the student, should I be the one to ask for some added notes on my performance?
Hi guys, Recently I booked my (biggest) part on a Netflix show. On the first day at table read the show runner comes up to me and says “congratulations, your AUDITION earned you your part” - the other ppl at table read are recognizable/ working actors. Pardon me for being so damn naive but what does that mean? Bc I was like “uh doesn’t your audition always earn an actor their part?” I mean I used to play violin and the way I got first chair is Bc I earned it Bc I practiced - that’s exactly what I do with my on-camera auditions. I put in my all for each audition (I study the character and for example if they are a neurologist - I study actual interviews etc.) my acting teacher were really tough Meisner teachers and didn’t take bs from us. It was just like violin So - your audition earned you your part feels kinda - obvious ? Please advise...
Hi all. I got the email about the pre-rounds. They will be sending it on Actor Access. And said from here on out all communication will be through there. Thing is. How do they know my AA Account? Are they just going to look me up? Also, has anyone done this in the past? What was it like? ​ Best,
I'm working on a mod for Smash, but I don't have the money to commission Edward Bosco to record voice clips. So I'm scouring the internet for games/ works that have similar sounding VA's, which I can then edit their voices to supply the voice clips needed for smash. Sorry if this breaks any rules in the subreddit. [Fire Emblem Heroes - Book Ⅲ Movie：Cohort of the Dead - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3JO2fWD_1Y)
So, I didn't really know how to word my question(s) but the title is basically where I'm at. I would still consider myself a beginner actor but I'm lucky to have been on some big sets and now a few months into classes. Before I started, I felt like I couldn't do it. But after I started, I gained a lot of confidence that I had potential and could do this, especially after a few bookings. A few months in, I'm feeling the first feeling again. I've gotten bigger scenes in classes that I'm taking, but with that, I feel just more fake and unrealistic. I feel like I need some practical advise - things to actively do. I've learned a bunch of the basics during these last few months and they really helped me break through, but I feel like I hit a wall again. Maybe I'm just being impatient. I saw something about the stages of learning - I feel like I'm at the "conscious incompetence" phase. I know there are people in here with way more experience than me that have likely gone through this phase... any advice or general feelings about this stage?
Hey, so as a kid, I did a lot of free voice acting work and for the most part people enjoyed my voice and I got steady voice acting hobby work. Since I was doing so well, I decided to start posting on YouTube. I got tons of dislikes and a couple comments saying I had a strange voice, so I quit completely. Now I want to get back into it and I found some places that are looking for voice actors that are paid- but I still haven't gotten over my past. The same thing happened with screenwriting. People told me writing was shit and they hope I have a real job because it's obvious I don't have any talent. I couldn't and still can't bring myself to show people my work. So many people told me that I was terrible at these things and I even struggle with speaking in public now. So, since I don't have a good voice, should I still get back into this hobby?
Hope you're all well. I would love to hear your experiences and preferences when speaking with the writer of a project. Mainly on a set/pre-prod. \- What kind of questions would you ask a writer? \- What do you want/not want to know about your character? Is too much info a hindrance? \- What do you want to see in a writer? \- Would you even care to talk to the writer as you've already established the character in your head? Likes and dislikes and everything in between are greatly appreciated. Thank you!
I know this all could be worded better,please bare with me. I live 40-minutes outside of Toronto, and I'm trying hard to convince myself that Toronto is a great place to be an actor and that it has everything I would need to succeed. I am in my 30's (I know, I know...acting is something you start in your teens or 20's) but, my mind is still stuck in the 90's where Toronto's film industry was not comparable to LA or NY, and I dont know if its still truly like that ( I know Toronto's film has progressed, but I dont know if we still far behind LA or NY) Is it better not to waste time in Toronto and just pack my bags and "struggle" in LA or NY until I get cast for a sitcom or film. Or, since I am already in Toronto, just stay here and "struggle" and if someone in LA or NY wants me, they'll call my agent? (I know I would still struggle here in Toronto also, but not nearly as much. I have relatives, friends,side-jobs,I would never be homeless) If film/tv credits from Toronto don't hold much weight to producers/directors in LA or NY and they see Toronto credits as no better than saying you were in a "school play"...then,I would rather not waste time in Toronto. Again,I'm in my 30's, I should be trying to start a family, but i can't get this "acting dream" out of my head...and deciding which country to start in is not making it any easier. SO,what are your thoughts...whatever you got to say to me, whether it be good,bad,rude,wake-up-call, let me hear it.
Hey guys. I'm coming to you with a story you have all heard before. I have 0 experience and I want to be an actor. Now I've done my research and I think I can make it in that world, but there is something I am really not sure about and would like your help with. I don't have a demo reel or a professional voice recording, but I do have the means to get it. Now my question is, are there certain things that cant pass for this? My idea for the demo reel, or multiple ones, in fact, is to stage fake interviews where I would be the interviewee and this would include things along the lines of an army veteran, a prostitute, treasure hunter (a really insane person, already have the script). And for the voice reel I have made some fake commercials but with a comedic twist because I can't force myself to read something boring. My question is, does this work? Is this unprofessional? Do they expect something else? Any advice here would be appreciated. Thank you
When I first started my career, I assumed I could just use my real name but then I saw there were several others who shared it already on imdb. I came up with a stage name. Now, 2 projects I was on got confused and added my real name to imdb while I already have one with my stage name. I called SAG & they said there are several eligible actors with my real name, but none of them are registered. Ultimately, I want to use my real name but now I’m not sure what to do because I don’t want to join sag yet as I would like to book more non-union roles and don’t currently have representation. Should I wait and hope no one registers as my real name or just say f it and join? TIA
It’s annoying. I have a ton of questions as a beginner, but so many of them are easily answered if you take the time to read the faq, not to mention the rules. Posts asking “how do I start?” “How do I become an actor?” are clogging new and wasting everyone’s time. Sorry for the mini rant, but it’s been bothering me forever.
Hello everyone. I’m a 17 year old guy who’s currently taking English 3. For our final project, we have to interview someone who has a career that we’re interested in. It is my current dream to become a voice actor and I would love to interview someone with said career. I’d like to interview someone who has experience in the industry and has done a few jobs and has experience. I’d ask a few questions like, “What made you interested in voice acting.” Or, “How much do you get paid.” And, “How does one get involved in voice acting.” Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Sorry in advance if this has been asked one too many times. I just love reading about people being passionate because it heats up the fire in me as well :D.. Why did you decide that you want to be an actor? Ever since I was a child, I’ve always dreamt of being an actress and seeing myself in big screens. I would memorize movie scenes and act them out in front of a mirror and when I grew older and got my own cellphone, I would record myself and delete it afterwards so no one would see it. Looking back, that was a funny thing to do. Whenever I would watch a movie back then, I always put myself in the character’s shoes. After every movie, I feel like I’m now living their life, as a little part inside of me. Then, I started to take interest in writing. I started novels I couldn’t finish then I turned them into screenplays. My screenwriting knowledge coming only from online lessons and free courses. I realized that a character is much more than what we see on screen for 12 seasons or 2 hours. I realized that I wanted to bring characters to life. I stopped writing. This brought me back to my old dream. Becoming an actor. I wanted to help writers and directors to understand their characters and give life to it. I am more passionate in the art of acting compared to writing because I am more involved when I’m acting. I love the way everything flows cohesively even though everything is scripted. There’s so many reasons and I can’t list them all down because this is a pretty long post already. What about you? What made you decide that you wanted to be an actor?
This is for folks that are hustling and have at least 2 guest stars/series regular credits so you are bringing something to the table. Also for people that hustle and make their own movies and get into film festivals - not people sitting on their butts expecting handouts. This isn't for commercial rep only legit rep - what was your process in leveling up? 1. Did you drop your rep and THEN look? 2. Did you look and then drop your rep (some people have warned me against this.) 3. Was it referral? It's way easier to get commercial referral but legit ref. is so hard to get from other actors I've noticed - even if they are in a totally different category than you. Did you find a ref in an unexpected place? How did you come to realizing it was time to leave? Were you sending in solid tapes, getting callbacks, holds, sent to a top pick to producers, requests from same cds and still not booking? (this is the boat I am in) Your story is probably more interesting than mine. Do tell! Were there any drawbacks to leveling up?
This thought has been bothering me for several months now– almost a year. Lately, I’ve been training my mind to always think proper, be a team player, be kind, do good, hold the emotions, and avoid conflict. I’ve always told myself, be subservient. Be humble. You’re still nowhere near your dreams. (Which I admit is true.) A few months later, I joined reddit and looked for this community. I saw how helpful the community is. I wanted to ask for advices and I was never disappointed because the people who replied to me are people who have experienced how this industry works which is why I’m here again to ask for an advice: 1.) What is the right mindset when getting into this kind of business? 2.) How do I avoid losing myself in the process? (During gaining experiencing and stuff) Everyone has the same goal here, at least that’s what I think. We’re all dreaming here, trying to achieve our goals. To fulfill our life’s passion. The thing that I am most afraid of is failure. I hate failing. Failing and rejection takes a huge toll on me. It eats me up and I want to change that. I think I’ve improved compared to when I was 14 years old. I was a prideful little gal. This business has no certainty. You’re not assured stardom nor failure which gives me hope but at the same time terrifies me. I hope someone’s able to help me because I’ve been struggling to hold the right mindset for a while now. I don’t want to give too much of myself because that will be the fall that I will never come back from but I think what makes acting is the fact that the actor puts a part of themselves in their character. Please help me fix my mindset so I can enter this business headstrong. ❤️
In several news outlets they are covering how Kate Winslet said her daughter got into acting "all on her own". Yet, she is repped by her mom's agency. Does that count as getting in "on your own"? Kate saying that is totally tone deaf and a kick in the guts to struggling talented actors out there, further entrenching this false narrative that if your just good enough at the craft alone, you can make it. This idea is poison as it holds talented actors back from learning the business and marketing required to make it as a nobody. Even then, you have to be ready to strike when luck find you. Many actors I have encountered in classes are dejected and trying to get "better" at the craft to make it, when they are great. They wrongly equate their lack of results with lack of skill and they keep pursuing acting skills when their problem is marketing and professionalism. Nepotism is unavoidable and fine or whatever, just keep your mouth shut and don't lie to us Kate. Unless you want to intro me to your rep so I can get into this field "all on my own" too.
Prefacing this post by saying that I have read the FAQs and posts about moving to LA/NYC/Atlanta, but I would appreciate some specific feedback if that’s okay! I (23F) graduated from college last year and am looking to relocate for my acting career. I trained for a professional career in classical ballet through high school and had offers for contracts with professional companies before chronic hip injuries made it clear that a long-term dance career wasn’t in the cards for me. So I grew up with plenty of stage experience, but obviously very different to traditional theater or film acting. I went to regular college and found that I really missed being on stage, so I started exploring theater through my extracurriculars. I “discovered” film/tv acting my junior year and started taking as many on-camera, scene study, and improv classes as I could through my college and at reputable schools nearby. I now have two years’ worth of class experience and a few short films/stage productions under my belt. My reel isn’t stellar, but I have footage and I’m actively working on improving it. I’m still non-union. My full-time survival job is fully remote and has flexible hours, so as long as I meet my deadlines I can work whenever and wherever I want. I’m currently living in Boston, which has some student films and commercial work, but it’s expensive and because of the pandemic student films have really dried up. I also get a terrible case of SAD every year, so moving somewhere warmer is very appealing. I know LA is the most competitive city and not recommended for beginners, but it’s where I have all of my connections. I know several working actors, a couple of respected acting teachers/coaches that are encouraging of my work, and a few people on the production/business side. I’m also a writer, and my creative partner is based near LA, which means that moving there would allow us to start creating our own films. I don’t know anyone in Atlanta, Chicago, or NYC, which makes me a bit more hesitant to move there. I have family in San Francisco and south Florida near Miami, but neither of those seems to have too many opportunities (and SF rent is just as bad as LA/NYC). I’m planning on having in-depth conversations with my teachers to see what they think, but I’d love to hear your advice on whether it’s too early to move to LA, or whether connections outweigh the drawbacks of a more competitive market. I’m under no illusions about the fact that I need to continue training and getting credits/footage before I can really compete at a professional level, but I’m wondering whether that’s possible in LA given my situation. Thanks so much!
I got headshots done in early March by a renowned nyc headshot photographer. I’m incredibly green and it was my first time getting professional headshots done and I informed them about that. The experience was mostly good. But afterwards, there was a collection of minor not-great things that made me feel... just not great. For the money I paid, this came as a bit of a surprise. First minor thing - I did not know that tips aren’t customary, so after the shoot when we were wrapping up I sent a tip via a payment app, which the photog accepted without any indication that it’s unusual to do. A respected agent shared later that it is unusual and I shouldn’t have done it. I don’t think it was their responsibility to turn down a tip, but the ultra polite person in me feels like it’s rude to at least not make the gesture to let an inexperienced actor know that it isn’t customary (especially because the shoot itself was obscenely expensive already)- I’d obviously not take the tip back! But fine. Now I know. Not a huge deal. Early on in the booking process, I was assigned a student discount. But I realized a few days after the shoot that I never received the discount. When I followed up, they told me that they no longer offered the discount! This would’ve really bothered me but they then said they’d honor the discount anyway. Okay. 5 weeks later they sent me the batch of proofs. They said initially it would be 3-4 weeks. An extra week isn’t a big deal. I did have to email them to check in about when I could expect the shots because no one had gotten in touch with me to explain the delay. But fine. Not a big deal. But with everything else, I’m starting to feel like I’m low on the priority list. After I reached out, they told me that they had gotten COVID in early March and this was the cause of the delay. Totally understandable! When I selected the shots I wanted to be retouched (of course they got back to me immediately after I did to make sure I sent in payment for the retouched images!) I was told that it would take 7-10 days to get the images back to me. 10 days later I still haven’t received the images, which, like the other stuff doesn’t feel like a huge deal on its own. This photog has glowing reviews everywhere, and with my less than stellar experience overall I’m feeling like I don’t really know what’s reasonable to expect from the headshot process. Is this all typical? Should I just chalk it all up to COVID-times mixups? I’m totally new to acting and I’d just really like to hear from other actors whether this experience tracks as normal.
Hi I'm new to this community I have big question: Should I be a native at English, if I want to become a voice actor? It's one of my biggest fears that maybe people want to work with native voice actors and I have 0 chance. For example this is [my reel post](https://www.reddit.com/r/VoiceActing/comments/mspmhb/video_game_shots_feedback/) and you can hear my accent. Thank you so much.
Hey there! So I recently moved to NYC to pursue acting. I have a couple of small film credits to my name, I feel like the next step for me is representation, but I'm just not sure where to even begin. So just wanted to poll the community on advice for a newb. I'm all over Backstage and Actor's Access, but I feel like I could be more proactive, I feel like I could be chasing it a little harder, just need some guidance. Any wisdom is appreciated!
Hiring erotic voice actors with a feminine voice. We are looking for a variety of voices for different short stories and role play scripts. Works range from role playing a female elf in a high fantasy setting to narrating a story about a female alien abducting a human male. The scripts are 2000 to 6000 words. We will pay $100 to $300 per work depending on length. Email us at [foxyficofficial@gmail.com](mailto:foxyficofficial@gmail.com) Looking forward to working with you!
Hi all! So I want to become a chef, but I also am worried that that will force me to give up acting. From what I read, the resteraunt industry is very difficult; long hours, low wages, slow career advancements. I love cooking but I also love acting. I think the reason I'm picking cooking is because I'm better at cooking, I see more of a future in it, and honestly the self directedness of an acting career is terrifying. Some information about my experience acting: to be honest I haven't done a ton. I've done four musicals at my highschool (mostly ensemble parts, but they're always a big part of my year), some improve camps, and a play. But I really love it, and I always want it to be a part of my life. So I was wondering if there are any chef-actors here, or if anyone has any advice? thanks!
Hello everyone! A couple of months ago, I had replied to a post about an acting school called The Unseen (which I have now forgotten where the post is)which is based in London and at that time, I hadn’t gone to any classes. It’s now been a a couple months since then and currently, I have technically been in student since last year, but didn’t actually start until February of this year. This post could be a long read, but it will be here to give you all a look at what’s been happening so far. And also, I’m still a bit new in all of this acting stuff so sorry if I make any mistakes!
My daughter has been cast in a movie, [\#stepsofamastermind](https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/stepsofamastermind?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZW-qWNdskBipaxZUn8E0y2TZxaVdtslbHSQhqWDQbwmiY-TOEfp6TUW8T-8PWMKIsk8RC2Pb7bMuY_IJ8d_gQqupVf5pkWW5aNn0K4oQnS4fdV8OK12hx_-xnZv6mceML0rxkFgKoQgbh2is0wdwnZBgaePGCKtmRLVtT5riyOEWwUKZuPXOM5bP1rG6ejNM54&__tn__=*NK-R), one thing that's required for her to remain on board is to encourage people to subscribe to the Creator/Executive Producer's Youtube Channel, Please help me out by clicking to view the Promo and Subscribe! [\#aspiringactors](https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/aspiringactors?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZW-qWNdskBipaxZUn8E0y2TZxaVdtslbHSQhqWDQbwmiY-TOEfp6TUW8T-8PWMKIsk8RC2Pb7bMuY_IJ8d_gQqupVf5pkWW5aNn0K4oQnS4fdV8OK12hx_-xnZv6mceML0rxkFgKoQgbh2is0wdwnZBgaePGCKtmRLVtT5riyOEWwUKZuPXOM5bP1rG6ejNM54&__tn__=*NK-R), [\#filmmakers](https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/filmmakers?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZW-qWNdskBipaxZUn8E0y2TZxaVdtslbHSQhqWDQbwmiY-TOEfp6TUW8T-8PWMKIsk8RC2Pb7bMuY_IJ8d_gQqupVf5pkWW5aNn0K4oQnS4fdV8OK12hx_-xnZv6mceML0rxkFgKoQgbh2is0wdwnZBgaePGCKtmRLVtT5riyOEWwUKZuPXOM5bP1rG6ejNM54&__tn__=*NK-R), [\#producers](https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/producers?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZW-qWNdskBipaxZUn8E0y2TZxaVdtslbHSQhqWDQbwmiY-TOEfp6TUW8T-8PWMKIsk8RC2Pb7bMuY_IJ8d_gQqupVf5pkWW5aNn0K4oQnS4fdV8OK12hx_-xnZv6mceML0rxkFgKoQgbh2is0wdwnZBgaePGCKtmRLVtT5riyOEWwUKZuPXOM5bP1rG6ejNM54&__tn__=*NK-R) "Casting Call" Television Show (Actors compete) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9atosUQNAUA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9atosUQNAUA)
Hi, so I'm currently in my second year of University in England doing a BA in acting, and I'm truly hating it. I don't believe this course will benefit me in any meaningful way and I'm beginning to lose a my love of acting, I really don't see any point in it anymore because at the end of the day there isn't really; I could fail my single acting module, pass my theory modules and pass the semester. Similarly, I could put on the greatest performance anyone's ever seen but fail because I'm not very good at building a scale model of a set or give you the characteristics of postmodern theatre. I'm also suffering quite badly with anxiety but that's another story. This is really only the tip of the iceberg but I can't put into words right now how much more there is. Right now, I'm in the process of talking to my tutors about dropping out but obviously while on the one hand they say whatever is best for me and whatever makes me happy, on the other they have an obligation to persuade me into staying. I'm 95% sure I want to leave but I just wondered what other actors outside of the education system believe. Thanks a lot.
Hello everyone! I have been toying with myself whether to post this, but better late than never I suppose. I'm an aspiring actor from the UK. I have a graduate degree in Computer Science from an Ivy League school in the US but my passion's always been to act in theatre, and hopefully, in movies and shows. Had to come back home for the pandemic, but really want to get away and work on my passion. How do I start? Are there places where I can submit auditions online? I just...need help.
I am new here (as you can tell) and I've loved contributing and learning from this community. I wasn't sure wether to post this or not but I figured I will because it is one of the things that have surprised me since I joined. I am and have always been L.A. based, grew up here, met my husband here, kids are born here. My husband is in the industry (but he has nothing to do with casting or acting, he's in the logistics side of the business). My kids and I ARE in the acting side of it (but they're ready to move on and pursue their own interests). So here's what blew my mind coming here, in the (other) communities (online and IRL) I'm from where I've established relationships.....Backstage is not that used at all. We all use Actors Access, Casting Frontier, and LA Casting. Backstage is hardly ever mentioned. But here, I don't hear about Casting Frontier and LA Casting. There are also about a dozen background casting companies out there if you want to do Background, but only Central Casting is popular here. Just thought I'd share my observation as a new member chiming in from outer acting communities.
I'm 16, and i hate that i become so jealous seeing actors my age be successful. even older than me, i feel jealous. i absolutely loved watching the show, 'It's a sin'. but one of the actors told his story on how he got cast and it made me kinda sad. he was in acting university in his second year, but somehow the team for the show found him, and took him out of the uni to film this show. im jealous because i just feel so scared that success is gonna take soooo long for me, even after putting in thousands of pounds and hours. i know none of this is easy, of course not, but im constantly worrying that im never gonna be successful in it, idk why. id honestly appreciate prayers if you guys can do that. i just want to stop feeling jealousy, and want to be confident in who i am and what i want. but id also love advice on how to stop comparing myself to these actors who are so successful.
I was watching an amazing show called, 'It's a sin'. It's based in 1981 I think, or at least it starts around that time. And one of the characters trains to be an actor and becomes one. He does fairly simple roles, sometimes TV, sometimes theatre, and he said he earned enough to make a living in that time. He was by no means famous, just a humble working actor. And it made me wonder. These days most of the actors you see on TV are doing acting as a side hustle, at least from what I've seen. I just wondered is it possible to be a humble working actor (not famous at all, just small/medium roles) and not have to work other jobs on top of that. Thank you!
I signed up for a casting agency for fun, thinking I might get the odd foreigner extra role due to my accent (a Scandinavian looking foreigner in England). Surprisingly, I got the offer to play a featured character who is a very Scottish socialite. The movie is on the scale of Bridgerton maybe, same level of known actors and a similar setting. I don't even know if it's a speaking role, probably not I guess. It's two shooting days. They said they need someone who is a confident performer and I said sure because it's something I want to do, but I'm dead nervous and have zero experience, let alone accent ability. Do you have any advice for me? I have no idea what I'm doing.
You know when you finish watching a really good show and you were really attached to the characters but now it's over? Well that's pretty much what just happened to me, I just finished watching a really sad show, like it's super depressing and the characters even look depressed at so many points like the acting is SO real. And since I wanna be an actor I was thinking about this, how do those actors just stop saying it's real? It must feel real to them, surely, it felt real to me. How can they go from being depressed, doing messed up things on television, and then just somehow doing an interview as if none of that happened, where they're upbeat, joyous, all of these things. I don't get it, I feel like I would still feel that character in me, like the energy from the character I'd play would stay, especially if I had to do something super depressing... How do they just switch off? How do they not let the show affect them that much and stay happy? I'd love to know your thoughts.
Hi all! I am currently in my first year at a BFA acting program and have been fortunate enough to book various theatre gigs as well as get some indie film credits under my belt. I'm looking to submit to agencies within the next few months once I have enough material to put together a demo reel and enough work to pad my resume, but I wasn't sure about the headshot situation. Currently, I've just been using a high-quality image of myself against a solid background and submitting it for projects etc. Should I get proper headshots before I submit my packages to agencies or should I wait until I am able to potentially meet and sign with an agent so they can walk me through what kinds of headshots they would like me to have? I understand headshots are a necessary and constant investment to make as an actor, but I am also a broke-ish student and would like to make the career choice that will also be the financially wisest one haha! Thank you - I appreciate the help!
Did you have a job lined up? Did you move without a job and take whatever you got? How did this affect your apartment hunting? I have a good amount of money saved. I was thinking of maybe staying long term in an AirBNB for a month or two while I look for any job and then once I get the job, an apartment (by walking around the neighborhoods I want to live in). Just curious what other people did and if my idea is viable. (There’s a roommate involved btw)
i’m not here to shit on anyone’s story but all over the news and media we only get the positive side of acting, the ones were people do one gig and they become stars. so as someone who is looking into getting into acting, this has been a question that has been at the top of my head lately. note : JUST BECAUSE YOU ARENT FAMOUS DOESNT MEAN YOUR A BAD ACTOR. there are so many famous actors that are literally shit, but get a pass because they are famous.
Hi! This one is for actors repped by UK agents. **Backstory:** I reached out to a number of agents via email for representation last week, and immediately scored an interview with one of them the next day. However, nothing else has materialised - apart from a few rejections blamed on Covid struggles (though who knows if they're just letting me down 'kindly'!) **Question:** Did any interested agents get back to you after multiple days/weeks had passed, or were they all pretty quick off the mark? I'm not looking for advice, just interested to hear about your own quests to secure your first agent. Thanks!
As bass singer, I’m a big fan of this technique for sing superhumanly low notes that would otherwise be impossible. I watching an interview with Steve Blum the other day, and at certain points, it almost sounds like he speaks in that register. I know that’s unrealistic but I’m curious about how it can be utilized.
I’m mainly here to just sulk in a missed opportunity because none of my friends or family understand my sadness. When I heard Iman Vellani, a complete nobody was cast as Ms Marvel, I thought maybe that was my chance as well. I searched but I never knew where to find the marvel casting calls. I was then told that marvel doesn’t do open casting calls. But I read it on the news and everything so I tried to find it, but couldn’t. But her getting the role at least meant to me that a complete nobody could maybe get a big role. So then I started looking into smaller roles and acting classes and everything and it lead me to actor’s access. It was great to see so many different opportunities in my area of the Southeast region. A few months after this, I thought to search up the work “Pakistani” in the roles section since I’m a Pakistani person and maybe that’d helped me get a leg up. That’s when I was so disappointed. There was only like five opportunities in the past ten years. But the fact that there it was only one recent one, “Ms Marvel casting call for Pakistani Male 17-25 years old in the southeast region.” That really put me into a depressive state. I know there was a high probability that I wouldn’t have gotten accepted for the role, but what hurts me is that I never got the chance to even try and submit. Moreover, it made me realize that there may never be another important big role such as that for a Pakistani guy like me. Anyway who knows what the future holds but I just needed an outlet to let out my ultimate sadness.
I’ve been playing a few older PC games and I realized that almost every single line, even the short and seemingly pointless ones, are expressed in a way that sounds catchy. It sticks with you. But maybe it was just me. Maybe it’s playing an old game for the first time in years. Could be. Otherwise, is the dialogue in video games purposely said in a way to sound catchy? If it is, are the voice actors instructed to say their lines in an exact manner (like when pop music producers send a demo to a singer with the producers own voice-recording as guideline for the singer to imitate)? Or do voice actors make (what could be stale) dialogue catchy on their own?
I'm working on a video project and I was wondering if there are any good resources out there for finding actors to make a video. Like it can be done remotely and sent back to me.
First of all, I want to say that I do plan on getting classes eventually. As of now I'm still in school, but I plan on attempting to be a working actor in the future. Right now I am unable to get lessons/classes, but I understand it's an important part of the process to becoming more talented. Are there some other ways to help the process before I am able to learn professionally?
So a fellow actress in one of my classes shocked everyone today when she said she was 32. We all thought she was 21 and somebody else said she should just lie since she’d probably get away with it like Alexa Demie (lol). She’s mixed Asian by the way so that might be why? Which got me thinking. I’m mixed too and am in my later 20’s. I get asked if I’m in high school all the time. I see on this thread that women in their 30’s have a hard time competing with the 20 year olds. But if you lie about your age or you really look the part, will it matter that much? Or should I focus on looking my own age to play my age group. I have actually considered buccal fat removal because of how youthful I look...
Hello! I read an old post on here about Americans working in the UK. I have seen more actors work in the UK and a lot being produced there. I was wondering if the process for someone to do work in the UK from America is the same? The visa is awfully hard to get and only given out 1000 times a year? Everyone talks about getting an agent in different places. NYC,LA, London ,ATL etc. everyone talks about getting an agent in London as if its that easy and I honestly wonder if its easier now? If someone was to get signed to a bigger agency like UTA or WME would it be easier for them to do films in the UK ( I assume yes) Why is it easier for models to do fashion week in London and have agencies in London but not for acting? Has it changed at all? Please let me know!
I have wanted to join this studio for a long time. I read The Actor's Art and Craft and have started to save up money for the 2-year core program. But, because so many studios are switching online due to the pandemic, they now offer an Online Intensive Course! Has anyone taken this and have any advice or feedback on the course?
Hi, I am 15 and I love acting so much and really want to pursue it as a career. My parents aren't supportive of this and won't let me join the drama school I want to go to. There is local drama groups that I have been in but they are more focused on singing which I completely understand but I feel like I'm not making any progress in the drama groups. When I leave school which I know isn't for a few years but anyway I think I would prefer to focus on finding auditions rather than going to university but I'm worried that I won't have enough experience as I won't have gone to drama school. I do practice acting at home which has definitely helped me improve and I do perform in the school shows but I don't know if that's enough to land auditions. Do you have any advice?
Hello! I am a aspiring actor, I want to make it to Hollywood. The thing is, I can’t do any acting classes because of covid, I’m planning on going to them and theatre afterwards. The thing is, I need to prepare myself. Ofc I was browsing through YouTube and such but it’s so hard to know when to start when there’s so much, any tips?
I have many friends who are part of the community but they dont post about it online or share their partners. They are intentionally being vague out of worry they won't get roles. Friends and family know. But casting and agents do not But with more actors being open about their romantic relationships would you feel more comfortable? Do you think things are changing or do you think being open about sexuality is a privilege reserved for the Alist?
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.
