What is the better school to go to for beginners? I have found a few but I also don't have a lot of money
I just started acting again recently (30F) and am 8 months into classes. I recently started my intermediate level and was pretty confident but after seeing others I just feel like I am not progressing and growing as much as everyone else (or even as good). I’m hoping this class will give me the skills to grow this semester but I keep questioning whether I should continue. I am always so happy to hear other students successes but it does make me feel worse about myself. I get a good amount of auditions but not a lot of callbacks and I don’t book much and I know most of the time it has nothing to do with me and just a part of casting but it’s hard to not think I’m just not a great actor too. How does everyone deal with this? What are some things you do outside of class/work to help you grow your acting?
I’m not saying it to sound elitist or anything but there was a time it was hard to get onto for a reason, now it seems like anyone can just get on it?
im 17. im from australia. i live on the island below it and there's literally no acting opportunities. id have to fly to the mainland for qn audition which would cost $500-$800 and I might not even get a role from it. i'm sick of auditioning and not getting anything or almost getting the role but losing it to someone with more experience. directors say they want experienced actors but I have to start somewhere, right? I know that rejection is the main part of the business but I'm sick of it. pouring my hear and soul into every audition and not getting any appreciation in return. I can't afford basic things in this cost of living crisis so I don't know if I can continue to audition and have a partime job anymore. I don't want to give up trying to become an actor. how do I get my big break? I want to be able to afford heat and food. some people spend their whole lives trying to and never do. I don't want to have a failed career and have nothing else to fall back on. I'm not even sure if I should continue studying drama and theatre performance if I won't be able to get a steady job with my future qualifications anyway. someone help me, give me advice or reassure me.
Hi! My names Kyle I was wondering about the "Stagedoor Manor" summer camp in the catskill mountains, NY. I was wondering about how good of a performing arts summer camp it is and if it compares to "French Woods" I'm an aspiring actor and I know "Ansel Elgort, and Natalie Portman" went there. Thanks! I most likely wanna act in film as well, but I just wanna start small and build my way up.
Hello, I booked my first real acting job in 2022 on an NBC show and got paid a decent amount, but also had a lot of expenses with it. I'm a bit confused if I can deduct anything though. Maybe some kind and knowledge person here can help: • Paid via W-2 (around $10k for two weeks) • Live in LA but had to travel to and stay in NYC, paying for my own flight, cars and hotel (roughly $6k in expenses) Paid my manager 15% of total (roughly $1500) Paid SAG initiation fees (roughly $1k) Earned: $10k Total expenses: $8.5k As you can tell, I didn't really *net* any money on this job, but needed to take the role for my career. Now it's tax time, and I'm not sure if I need to pay Fed/State taxes on the full amount, since it's a W-2 and I don't have enough for an itemized deduction (filling jointly). I'm assuming writing these off as a "business" expense on a Schedule C would trigger an audit or get flagged, since my income for this job will be reported on a W-2? I also have to file state taxes in both NYC and CA? Any help or advice would be much appreciated, as it doesn't seem fair that after all of these expenses I now need to pay taxes to the government on the full $10k.
I’m really new to acting, I’ve been self submitting and just booked my first gig . It’s still a few months until filming. I always planned on using my real name and try not to get ahead of myself but I feel I might have a problem. So my last name isn’t super common…. However, there is an actress who has used the French version (same as mine) and also the American version of my last name. We also have the same first name . Which she’s gone by the name and nickname. Basically she’s credited under different variations of the same name as mine. For how long she’s been in it and how many credits she has, I’m assuming she’s joined the union. From what I understand , if I were to join the union, I’d have to change mine? Is it better to just do it now from the get go? I don’t want to cause confusion with the job I just booked. I also don’t want to worry about it if I don’t need to.
Hello my fellow creative minds <3 ​ I am in a bit of a pickle. Please, allow me to explain my situation. I would be humbled to receive your advice. ​ I am an actress from The Netherlands, and the acting industry here is really tough to break through. Thanks to God, I met an internationally recognized industry professional who has seen my talent, and who wants to invest in me and help me achieve my goals as an aspiring screenwriter and actress. I am not new to acting, although I do need to train more. I know little about the industry and what the best places are for people of color to practice their craft, which in my case is acting AND screenwriting. I will get back to acting school in August in The Netherlands, but I also want to expand and go abroad in the summer of 2024, and after. My main question is: What is the best place for an actress of color to flourish: The United Kingdom, The United States, Los Angeles, New York City, Atlanta - Georgia, or London (for example) ? Or somewhere else? One of my coaches swears that I should go to London and do theatre until I bleed, but I would like to study the Meisner Technique in the US at the Neighborhood Playhouse or the Meisner Esper Studio. ​ I would really like to follow a summer intensive that focuses on the Meisner Technique. What would you recommend me to do? I am feeling miserable not being able to express myself through acting. All advice is greatly appreciated, my friends. Thank you, if you've read my post thus far. ​ Never give up, keep your hopes high. Nurture your artistic soul.
I self submitted for a big network tv series as a recurring costar and got a request for an audition today on casting workbook! The casting director is a big name and I am SO excited but I wonder just how excited I should be, haha. What is the ballpark for how many actors they might ask for a self tape audition for these types of casting calls?
I have been so fortunate to work as a full-time actor. Here Are 5 Successful Strategies I Used to Act Full-Time - For 37 + Years https://youtu.be/N6EP7pV0upA Let others know what strategies you find helpful in getting more acting work. Leave a comment.
Hey Actors! There's a great AMA happening in the Financing Lounge for the next 24 hours! Producer, Global Consultant, and Stage 32 Thought Leader David Zannoni is answering questions about escrow accounts for financing and talent transactions in independent film & TV productions. If you have any questions about escrow accounts for talent, be sure to go comment!https://www.stage32.com/lounge/fundraising/Ask-Me-Anything-AMA-4-11-to-4-12-Escrow-for-Film-and-TV
I'm curious about those actors that are strict hands-on learners, what methods do you guys use to memorize your scripts?
Toronto specifically. I’m a UK based actor with a Canadian passport thinking of moving over. My first point of call would be approaching Canadian agents first. I have a good CV, UK drama school trained. Plenty of guest roles, some recurring and regular roles on major channels and streamers. Extensive theatre experience here in London. I’d love information on: Canadian agents- good and bad - whether now is a good time to approach? I know the strike is affecting things - worldwide. Types of castings you guys see there, theatre, good roles on television or film? Job market outside of acting. What kind of day jobs do you do? Is flexible work readily available? In London I can secure an alright paying day job that’s flexible - how possible is that in Canada? Thanks in advance for any and all info you guys can give me. All the best!
Personally I like being there real time, and have someone to act in front of. I get too self continue when I have to act like there is someone in front of me, and have to film it myself. Watching it over, being to self-critical etc.
I'm a minor, but I can also pass for someone in their early twenties. The casting call didn't specify for 18+ actors only, so am I allowed to audition for a character in their twenties?
"My work is down about 50% and I am been in the business for 20 years"
There is an actor who I have worked with in a couple of decent short films. This associate also writes and produces their own indie productions and has offered me a role in their most recent project. I’m not interested in it for many reasons, but mainly because the quality of this work would honestly be a bad look for my progressing career. How do I tell them no without using an obvious excuse?
I really really want to be an actress so bad, it’s been my literal dream since I was a little girl but I don’t know how to find auditions. With everything being online it’s hard to differentiate between what’s legitimate and what’s a scam. I would be really thankful if someone can lead me in the right direction and give me some leads.
I’ve been out of the game for a long time. I went to school for theatre, worked as an actor for 8 years in my twenties, then I got married, etc. I’m a bartender now, but I really need some extra side income… or a new career path entirely. I have a good radio voice, 2 1/2 octave range, and a lot of dialect and vocal training. Voice acting isn’t something I’m unfamiliar with or have no experience. I’m very good at it. I’m good at like 3 things, acting/voice is one of them and I would like to utilize that skill again. But I don’t know where to start, I’ve been out of the professional works for so long. If y’all have any suggestions, places, or people to talk to, I would greatly appreciate the direction. Deepest thanks in advance.
Hey there. 16F. I’ve been interested in VA work for quite a long time now. Up until this point I’ve been grabbing very pointless roles on Casting Club for things like Gacha skits & Minecraft roleplays. Very unrewarding work with very minimal lines & thought usually. I’m not exactly sure where to go from here. The majority of sites I look into don’t take minors, and I live very rurally so I’m not able to get experience in-person. I have a decent setup with a good mic. My accent gets brought up CONSTANTLY and has my entire life. I have an Australian/British mix of an accent that a LOT of people really love apparently. I get told I’d make a ‘great voice actor/narrator’ on the daily. I just don’t know where the demand would actually be for that considering my age. I don’t feel like putting Gatcha/Minecraft skits on my reel would yield me very good results, so here I am to ask you guys where my next steps should ideally be. Should I hold off for a couple of years and try to get into the industry more so then? I’m of course fine with unpaid work whilst I’m still an amateur. Though eventually earning enough to be able to enrol myself in an online course for direct feedback and coaching would be great. Cheers!
agent asked me to make a website, that will have my photos, resume, reel, and other video content. what would be the best way to go about this? wordpress? Should I pay someone to do it? I'm over 40 and computer is not my strong suit. thank you
So, like the title suggests I’m looking for some acting schools in London that have a much higher acceptance rate than some of these top prestigious ones. I’m 22, and through some regrettable life choices I chose to not go to college after high school. My passion for acting has re-emerged (I did child acting in LA for awhile and my entire high school career I was thespian president and was in all 5 shows a year) and I really wanna study in London. While I’d love to attend RADA, I’m not sure I can wait the 2-3+ years I’ve heard it takes some people to get accepted. I already am so behind everyone else and I’d rather not be 30 by the time I’m graduated and entering the industry professionally. Does anyone have some recommendations for schools in London? I’m strictly an actor, I can hold a tune but I’m definitely not a soloist.
Here we go with another episode of the Voiceover Soapbox Diatribe. I won’t link to his video because I really don’t want to help drive any traffic to his content. This guy. He thinks he has it all figured out, doesn’t he? He spends so much time in this video talking about all the reasons other voice actors aren’t asking for what he defines as “worthy rates”. But he completely skips the REAL reason, which I’ll get to in a minute. “Fair, professional, reasonable rates”. Who’s the judge of that anyway? The GVAA rate guide? Let’s see, how is that rate guide compiled, anyway? Here’s how - it’s based on a poll of voice actors, saying what THEY THINK voiceover jobs should pay. It doesn’t take into consideration actual market budgets offered by voice buyers. So of course, these rates are completely out of touch with reality. It’s a fantasy and a fallacy. How does he have the time to produce these videos? Simple. If he has the time to put these out week after week, it means he’s not booking like he used to. Hell, I’m feeling anxiety about the 10 minutes I’m taking to write this while I have new business piling up in my inbox as we speak. Much less than the several hours it takes him every week to write, produce, edit, transcribe, and post these videos. If he had enough work, he wouldn’t be making them. So why does he do it? He’s not giving advice to new voice actors out of the kindness of his heart or because he wants to help people. You don’t have to watch one of his videos for very long to understand the type of person he is. He certainly doesn’t come off as the most altruistic fellow now, does he? The fact is, he doesn’t care about you. It’s all about him, and having an outlet for his fear and anger towards other voice actors outbidding him for work. I’ll end with this. Don’t let anyone, especially this guy, tell you how to run your business. What you bid for voiceover jobs is entirely up to you. Don’t be bullied into demanding preposterous rates. This is an open market in a free country. Your rate is a valuable tool that you can use to be competitive in this business. If you’re going days, weeks, or even months without booking a job, it’s not necessarily because the thousands you’ve already spent on coaching and demos isn’t enough. It could very well be because you’re being outbid. And soon enough, you’ll find yourself filling your time doing things other than recording voiceovers. Kind of like what Paul is currently doing.
I am discussing something with someone and am wondering if there are more examples of this than I can think of. Really, the only one that is coming to mind is the lead in Mac And Me. The lead was originally written for a non-disabled actor. But, the director made the decision both to cast an actor who uses a wheelchair and not to change anything in the script to have the characters refer to the chair in any way. He is just a normal kid. The movie overall is a wacky fever dream, but they did a great job with that. However, I can't think of other films or shows like that, even for side characters. Things where it was originally written for someone without a visible disability and they really had open casting and picked someone who uses a wheelchair or crutches or has a missing or prosthetic limb or other things where it is a visible thing, but that doesn't really affect the character and they are just people.
If you host a show by yourself, podcast scripts are a great way to prepare your talking points in advance so you don’t have to gather your thoughts mid-episode.Before you start writing, take a minute to consider: What are the main points I want to convey in this episode? Once you identify those, the smaller details can flow from there.Let’s say your podcast is about painting, and you’re planning an episode where you talk to listeners about choosing the right brushes. Organize your thoughts in your script document, starting with the main points and progressing to supporting points.You’d be surprised how quickly the time will pass when you’re talking about a subject you’re passionate about.#podcast
Just some words of encouragement for a productive week!!! ❤️
Do you watch your own performances when they air? It can be so hard to be objective watching yourself or someone you know really well, so it can be really hard to get too much out of it yourself. Getting feedback from others that watch is helpful, but I'm not sure we will ever get to a point where we can really sit back and watch objectively. There are a lot of performances that we've never watched as a finished product, and the more we talk to other actors, we hear the same thing from a decent sized group of them.
I know, they’re everywhere, and being in contact with one drove me in for a loop. Actors being rude to other actors, I will never get over it. I understand it’s a heavily competitive career, but you really don’t need to be an asshole and put down other actors for trying to understand certain things in this field. Anyone have any stories with experiences like this? I’d love to hear it so I don’t feel as though I’m overreacting over nothing Ahah.
A little bit about me: I'm a 20-year-old actor based in the Southeast region of the US. I've finally gotten a cohesive package together and feel confident in what I bring to the table. I got signed to an agency and feel really good about myself, however, I'm wondering if a manager is necessary also in all of this. So my questions are: 1. Should I as an actor based in the Southeast even bother looking for a manager? 2. If I do, is it best to only apply to ones with submission links? 3. How bad of an idea is it to cold-call/email a manager? (my gut is telling me bad idea)
Hey all! As a beginner actor with no credits yet, I’ve learned that it’s okay to use self taped material to submit with as, in place of the reel. Is it better to use scenes or monologues? Or a mix of both? In addition as a beginner, is it better to submit 1 short scene or a number of scenes that are self taped in a single ‘reel’? Would love everyone’s insight! Thanks!
So I just moved to Atlanta to pursue acting and I’ve been auditioning on actors access and backstage and haven’t really gotten anywhere. So I’ve been wondering if I should pursue getting an agent right away or wait a bit. Cause I have heard you shouldn’t get one right away so you can build up your résumé.
Hi all, I just landed my first ever role on a proper film set, I’ve done some school plays in front of 300 people but nothing serious. Tomorrow I have my first shoot, I’d like some tips from experienced actors/actresses on how to be more comfortable in front of the camera and not be nervous to act and be judged. Thanks!
I’m 17 and new to acting but I’d like to start in more commercial/ tv roles instead of theatre which is what I’m doing now, I’ve read that a lot of actors start getting good roles with the help of a agent. Do agents actually help you find work and are they worth getting?
I picked a monologue without realizing that the writing was bad. It sounded and felt great internally, but performing it out loud it was a completely different story. The dialogue is over explanatory and leaves little room for the actor to act. So my question is, how does one go about making a monologue sound and feel genuine when the writing isn’t great?
I’ve been recently seeing posts of actors saying that with the recent strike , the industry is slow in most markets and especially in Atlanta. However , I’ve been seeing that recently in several Atlanta agent websites and pages that their talent is booking work left and right despite this strike coming and it being slow ? Could someone explain ? Asking for a friend
I'm currently taking a break to work on improving my health. Recently, an ER doc diagnosed me with congestive heart failure; however, I think he misdiagnosed me. Tomorrow, I meet with a cardiologist. All of this has me thinking about my professional future. I have tentative plans to buy land in Santa Clarita and build a home. For those of you who are outside of California, Santa Clarita is a film hub, and it is part of Los Angeles County. I love it, because it is less hectic. I'll post a video here about Santa Clarita.Anyhow, I have experience as a casting director; but I'm thinking about getting my talent agent license. I'd like to represent nonunion and possibly Fi-Core talent. My goal, therefore, is to help them gain experience (footage, credits) and membership into SAG-AFTRA before handing them over to a SAG-AFTRA Franchised or ATA Talent Agent. In short, I'd be a starter agent. It would be an opportunity for me to work from home helping new talent find their way. I suppose I'd like to hear your thoughts on what things you look for in an agent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWQbHI2WlAw
I love being a part of this community and learning and sharing with other actors. With so many things going on in our world in terms of the looming strikes, work slowdowns, etc., I just wanted to drop in and say keep going, folks! This life is crazy and unpredictable, but we do it because we love it (most days lol). Here's an anecdote from my recent experiences- Last summer, I booked my first national commercial - a principal role at that! It starred one of the biggest names in sports, it aired a few times, my footage didn't get cut, and my friends and family had the chance to see me on TV. Awesome, right?! Well, it was an FTX commercial. Life comes at you fast. It was still a fun experience before all of the craziness.
My husband was offered a job in Decatur Illinois and it looks like he's taking it. It's triple the pay he's making now so it's a no brainer really. I'm an actress in the Branson Missouri area and I am represented by an sgent in my area. The location we're moving to later this year is 2 hours from Chicago, and 2 hours from St. Louis. I'm not worried about making a long commute to work, but I want to ask what are some good places for me to look?
Hi i wanna become a actor. So i am gonna need some lessons. So that i can get an agent and stuff. Anyone got an only less for me that i can follow? Ore any tips. Let it know. Thank you bye.
There seem to be a lot of threads on here where someone is finding it hard to say no to something that is obviously bad for them. Or where someone walks away - often much later than most people would - from an unfair situation and then feels guilty about it. Is this a common trait among actors? I’m beginning to wonder - seriously - if drama programmes should include assertiveness training. A few basic tactics can make a huge difference to how you interact with other people and how you feel about yourself.
I've seen a couple good tweets recently about "breaking into" and "big breaks" in voice-over, and the assumptions around those. [Here's one.](https://twitter.com/SaraSecoraVO/status/1644358964715421699?s=20) Fundamentally, the issue is that aspiring actors and folks starting out make the mistake of thinking that a path in VO is like any other job, in that it's somewhat linear. Like, you could start as a clerk in a grocery store and reasonably expect that, with time and effort, you could eventually become the manager. But that's not how VO works. Folks talk about "breaking into VO" as if, once you "break in" you're guaranteed success in some way or another. Rob Paulsen started his original Talkin' Toons podcast back around 2012 because he'd had a slow *year*. **Rob**. **Paulsen**. And similarly, the "big break" concept is very flawed because it fails to account for all the small wins, which don't draw attention but do eventually build to finally, well, drawing attention. When I see posts asking questions like, "How much can you expect to earn in your first year of being a voice actor," I'm never sure how to respond. "There is no guarantee" is really the answer to many beginners' questions. If you are one of the folks I'm talking about, someone who's starting out, my advice is this: Interrogate why it is you want to do this. Get as specific as possible. This will help you root out any "I'll show them!!" narratives sooner than later, and help you drill down to what truly matters to you and drives you. Hold on to that and remind yourself of that when you're in tough moments. Your reasons ideally will have less to do with other people ("I want to be like So-and-so") and more about yourself ("Acting is how I get to connect with and explore every part of myself"). Approach VO as a side job first. Do not give up any sources of income. Make time for it in your current circumstances, explore it to your heart's desire. And protect your wallet. A cue to start giving up other sources of income is when you're bringing $$ steadily in from VO, consistently, for an extended period of time (at least months). Find friends and peers who are at your level, and a little above it. It's energizing to be surrounded by people having experiences you can relate to, and who are experiencing starting out at this moment in time. It's great to look at well known actors for inspiration, but they did not come up in VO as you now know it, so they may not *always* have the most relevant advice on where to start. There are no guarantees. Be patient. Do at least one thing toward your career every day, and err on the side of performance--read out loud, do exercises, read plays and scenes with friends, create characters, learn accents. Over the course of weeks and months and years, it really adds up. Best of luck.
I have a very nice name (or so I’ve been told) but it’s a very feminine name, and I am a guy. Now I know lots of actors and actresses have strange names, but I’m just wondering if you think an agent or something could find a problem with my name. Name is Lillette
So by bus I live about an hour to two hours away where things shoot in my area. I've gotten majority commercial roles and also principal and supporting roles, which I don't mind the commute because of the money and the credits i can put on my resume. Sometimes I've been cast in "actor" roles sometimes which is a step up from background acting but mostly involve a flat rate (usually 200-400 for one day) Lately I've been thinking it's not worth it to pay for an uber to set to do a 10-14 hour day for a flat rate actor role where I'm spending most of my pay on transportation and only get the flat rate. Once I was even asked to stay way later than i was supposed to for the actor role I was doing because production was behind and the extras they needed had to leave. I felt it was unfair since I wouldn't be getting paid more. Im thinking of telling my agent to stop sending me out for actor roles where i only have one line or no lines. What do you guys think?
I’m looking for 5 female voice actresses to play characters that are similar to the quintessential quintuplets
Currently an actor in the southeast. I know its been slow everywhere but I’m going a lil crazy. Anyone located in the southeast and just not hearing anything from your agents? Trying to talk myself off the cliff… lol
It just hasn’t been working out. They got me a lot of exposure near the beginning but it feels sort of scam like now. They’ve only been in the manager game for about a year and have 90 clients, I don’t normally get auditions from them, their management company only has two managers, etc. I feel like I have more luck on Backstage or applying for stuff on Actors Access by myself but they take a cut of pay for gigs they didn’t get for me, too. Honestly I’m mostly just scared of not having a manager again because LA is ruthless. But also don’t want to strain my luck even further if she takes me firing her to heart and it coming back to bite me for future potential managers. TLDR; My manager doesn’t really do anything for me. How do I fire her professionally? Scared that firing her will hurt me getting a better manager in the future.
I haven’t had any auditions through my agent since November and can see that I’ve been submitted for one project through Showcast in the last two weeks. Is this a normal for my circumstances? Are we just going through a slow period or should I be concerned? I’m white woman living in Sydney Australia, my agent has put my playing age as 20-26 for context.
I’m white woman living in Sydney Australia, my agent has put my playing age as 20-26 for context. I haven’t had any auditions through my agent since November and can see that I’ve been submitted for one project through Showcast (kinda like the Australian version of Actors Access) in the last two weeks. Is this a normal for my circumstances? Are we just going through a slow period or should I be concerned?
Is there any way a SAG actor can revert to SAG Eligible in order to do non-union projects?
Hello folks, Good evening to everyone and inquiring about the different avenues to apply for voiceover work. Thanks for your time and consideration. Regards, Lorenzo
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.
