Most people believe that acting is all about exhibiting a natural,
instinctive skill that you are born with and hold inside you. In
reality, acting is actually a trait that
can be stimulated and sharpened with the proper training. While there
are thousands of actors working around the world on a daily basis, there
are but a few exceptional people,
who by exhibiting their "natural talents," have made it big in
tinsel-town. Do you have what it takes to be one of these exceptional
people? Do you have the determination and
desire to give it your all to achieve your acting dreams, aspirations
and goals? Or are you simply looking for a short cut, which will most
likely lead to uncertainty
and disappointment. If you are willing to stay focused and work hard,
you can make it as an actor in showbiz. Read on, if you'd like to learn
the practical steps you should
take if you want to become an actor or actress.
It is good to have a formal education in acting and drama. There are
many schools and universities where one can get trained in acting. If
your quest for the theory on acting
is insatiable, then there is the Master in Fine Arts for you. While such
formal education in acting can teach you the fundamental acting
techniques and even history, heritage,
and acting traditions, nothing is more important and provides as much
training as actually performing on stage in front of a live audience.
Therefore, to truly complete your
education, it is imperative you begin practicing and performing wherever
and whenever possible.
You don't need to move to a major city to find outlets where you can
practice and improve your acting proficiency. You can start acquiring
your practical on-stage experience
in your very own home town. There are plenty of opportunities to perform
in community, school and church plays. Don't simply dismiss these plays
as amateurish before you give
them an honest try. You'd be surprised how many low-budget community and
school plays are professionally produced. Plus, many local talent
scouts regularly attend community
theater productions since many will be friends with the theater's
producers and directors. You'll also find it's simply great fun to part
of theater or performance troop.
You may also try getting involved with your local college or
universities' film or media department. You may not get paid, but you
can get yourself on film which could be
seen by other casting directors and talent scouts. Plus, you'll get a
copy of the finished film that you can use as an audition demo video to
send to talent agents.
Once you've decided to give acting in your local community theater a
try, you'll of course need to know how to go about auditioning. Scan
your local newspaper's entertainment
or arts and leisure section for notices of open casting calls. Another
simple and more direct way to track down audition information is to call
the theater's ticket sales
phone number and enquire about future auditions. Some other ways include
searching the Internet and also trying to establish contacts in the
local school or university where
there may be open public auditions that are used for community outreach
programs.
In spite of these efforts, if you are still not able to make it as a
performer in the play, don't give up yet. Volunteer to help behind the
scenes in roles like costume,
set design or lighting as this may look good on your resume as
creditable experience. It is interesting to note that many great actors
started by working behind the scenes,
so keep trying.
If you find there just aren't any local theater, film, or drama
departments in your area that suit you, you'll have to go at it alone.
Buy, borrow, or rent a camcorder and start making your own performance
videos. Start shooting yourself acting a scene from your favorite movie.
Then move on to classical theatrical monologues you'll find online and
in books at the library. After taping several quick video clips, move on
to making your own short films. Ask your friends to participle in them
with you. And have your friends and family critique your acting ability.
Keep making them and you'll improve.
Actor Vin Diesel started performing on stage when he was seven years
old. But as he grew older he longed to be in feature films. The problem
was, he just wasn't getting the parts he wanted. So he did what he had
the power to do - he produced, directed, and starred in his own short
film titled "Multi-Facial." Steven Spielberg saw his short film and
based upon his performance, he was cast in the Oscar-winning film
"Saving Private Ryan." From there Vin went on to become the action
super-star of many Hollywood motion pictures.
The next step you should plan for is to build a sound acting resume.
With each new acting project you'll have one more entry to add to your
actor's resume. And each time you add to your resume you'll have an
easier time landing that next acting role. The larger, and fuller your
resume, the easier it will be to find acting jobs. And once you have a
resume completely filled with your list of acting experience, skills and
talents, you can flaunt it and begin marketing yourself. Call up ad
agencies for casting in their TV commercials and don't forget to get the
contact of the person handling casting for their productions.
Eventually, after you've performed in countless community, school and
church productions and successfully appeared in local broadcast and
cable television commercials, you might consider making the move to
bigger cities, like New York for theater or Los Angeles for film and
television productions. You may also consider applying for a membership
in the 'Screen Actor's Guild or the Actors' Equity, after you have been
hired for a few union productions. Enrolling in these unions makes sense
as these unions demand higher wages for their members.
Above all, the best way to get experience and education is by continuing
to act as much as possible. Constantly be on the lookout for casting
calls and audition notices in newspapers, on web sites, and posted to
community notice boards, etc. If you work hard and are dedicated and
devoted, you will soon see opportunity come knocking your way
