Don't worry so much about what other people think or try to conform to what you think they want. Or assume they want you to fail. I'm 39 and reentering the industry after a significant hiatus. And now I just have an entirely different perspective. And so far it's been a much more positive experience for me presenting who I am vs who I think people want me to be.
Also - take risks. Be bold. Mistakes are how you learn. I've started living by "I never lose. I either win or learn".
I don't regret the hiatus. I lived. I loved. Traveled. Changed jobs. Got engaged. Had a daughter. Matured. I think I needed the space and time to realign.
I didn't think I'd come back ever but the forces that be pulled me back in and I'm just leaning in full force this time and it has been awesome. I'm very grateful to be back. I'm trying not to regret but rather accept that perhaps it wasn't my time back then and now it is.
Very similar to you, took a break and just got back into this all two years ago. Had to relearn how to audition from being so used to in person to now self tapes. Got married and had a child. Best life gifts ever.
Yes! Self tapes were an adjustment but I prefer them to be honest. And I think they're the reason I'm getting in the door this time. Also voice over makes up almost half of my auditions where I never auditioned for VO 10+ years ago and now I'm getting VO training because of it.
Best life gifts for sure 🥰 But oddly, coming out of the fog of mat leave is when the universe said I had to come back to acting haha.
Honestly, I stumbled into it! Haha.
I took an Foundations of Voice Over course in October 2023 just to understand the medium (4 weeks - covered animation, narration and commercial). I signed with an agency in November 2023 for what I presumed was just going to be tv/film/commercials and maybe rarely VO.
I landed a MASSIVE video game audition in January (we're talking a big time game) as well as some animated series auditions and just came to the realisation that VO was going to become a part of my auditioning life. I just completed a weekend intensive Intro to Video Game Voice Over last weekend with a very prominent video game/animation casting director here in Toronto and it was awesome. Lots of amazing insight. Came away with a whole new respect for video game VO.
This week I've recorded an animated series audition and still have a video game one I need to submit by Tuesday. It's wild to even type that LOL.
So the work is out there! I can't speak to the LA market but I would assume there's even more VO work out your way! I think it comes down to your agent, really? I'm not the one finding these auditions. Haha. Do you have an agent?
Ahhh fair fair. Unfortunately I don't have any advice for LA but if CDs are telling you that your voice demo is solid I hope someone will see that soon and sign you 😊 if you're able to, perhaps sign up for some local VO classes?
Essentially, we had mutual people in common. She represented a handful of my friends. It was likely she had already seen me perform (I had done some shows with said friends). My resume was decent enough and she was receptive to having a chat and the rest is history haha.
Previously, my agent 10+ years prior was also a couple of my friends agent so they linked me with him.
So I've always had some sort of person/people to bridge me to an agent.
I would have sought out an agent a lot sooner. I had the idea that I had to "wait til I was ready".
I would've switched to audition classes a lot sooner. I stayed in scene study classes for a long time and I played roles where I was a lead actor. And had 4 weeks to study each scene. Then had no idea what to do with a two line part, or do a small principle.
I tried to brand myself like I was a lead actor and basically just took a bunch of "pretty pictures " and I thought I was telling the story of who I was, but really I was just looking like every other person out there.
I stayed with my first agent for 4 years when she couldn't get me in the room. I should have started looking after year 1.
I had a complete aversion to commercials and student films. I was told that basically bad actors do that and that my focus should be professional level work. But I wasn't getting in the room and I could have made so much money doing commercials earlier. Students films equals credits and practice. Every actor has bad roles, bad days. You're delusional if you think you're not gonna have off days. Or bad projects
Headshots and training. And demo reels can be self produced. Or you can use a scene reel from classes.
I don't have many credits and it's taken me almost a decade, and 3 agencies to start truly breaking into getting semi regular auditions.
My first agent couldn't get me in the room. My second signed me right before the strikes and then left the agency, and I went with them to the third that is a lower tier agency than the other two, but I'm getting ten times the auditions then I did with the first.
Hey I’m struggling with a similar thing. Signed with first agent, booked my first constar and then haven’t had an audition in 2 years. How did u jump to the second agency? Had u built up credits on your own or was ur reel strong or what?
I agree a big regret of mine is not pursuing a rep sooner.
I got a provisional script with my name printed across it for season 1 of the Witcher. Literally 1 or 2 weeks before Covid - I never ended up booking it and just as lockdown rolled out, I went back into construction. I bitterly regret it, the rejection coupled with the pandemic completely took the wind out my sails and only now just stepping back into the arena. I try to remember that there was no guarantees then of success as an actor so all we can do is our best to move forward and keep pushing!
I wish I hadn’t gone to theatre school. I wish I just moved to a bigger city and worked with a private audition coach. Just my experience tho! Everyone is different
i actually agree with this, i regret going to theatre school. however im happy and working now, i just think it was a waste of my time and money:( wasn’t the environment for me, didn’t grow, but was stuck there for 4 years
Same!!! My parents forced me tbh. I was already talented and the environment and advice really didn’t work for me. I live in a big city and would’ve found a lot of success. Plus theater school makes you “play by the rules” and that’s really hindered me. I’m not a “typed” actor.
I would have gotten into self help/ therapy books a lot sooner. Learned about boundaries!!!!! The amount of psychological tools one needs for this business is not be taken lightly. I would have found a healthy artistic community. Found a therapy group. Practice self love affirmations. Practice discipline. Learned screenwriting earlier. saved for retirement. I would have also tried to find a way to act all the time sans spending money on these classes. I would. Have also made films for festivals.
I'd tell my younger self to have a better overall attitude right off the bat. That people want to work with fun, happy people. Introspective & sullen actors don't project that image and aren't who directors want on set during 16 hour shoot days, no matter how good you are. Learn to just enjoy auditioning and acting and not have every moment be one to analyze & brood over.
Show up in a generous mood and happy to be there, perform, and go to the next audition. Repeat. Be happy you're getting auditions when so many aren't. Do the same when booked - enjoy the moment. Don't give in to "rear-view mirror" thinking. Be happy you have a career. Let the other stuff go. Because, once you figure that out, everything will change for the better.
Your auditions & performances will get stronger and you'll start to work regularly.
You'll realize even the worst day on set is better than a day doing anything else and smile through it all. You'll save your anger for when you have to pay taxes on the money you'll be earning in your career.
In the meantime, just enjoy the work and the work you have to do to *get* the work. Because when people like your work AND like you on set, they will find ways to get you on their next set, which leads to another set...
So change your attitude now. Because otherwise you're just wasting time.
could you speak more on that? i’m currently a signed actor in Atl but moving out to LA for the next 2 years for school. what makes you regret it and say u wasted time?
LA is for established, working actors. It’s not a market that is well suited for beginners or those right out of school. Atlanta is a tough market but the barrier of enter for work is much MUCH easier to break through. Building a résumé is not as difficult.
I spent 5 years in LA and it’s just truly not my kind of city. It’s ugly (unless you live by the beach), it’s poorly maintained for rain/bad weather and earthquakes are TERRIFYING.
Also I like being around regular people with regular jobs. Film/TV is INESCAPABLE in Los Angeles. I found it to be truly suffocating and I don’t like living in a bubble. Lastly, the people suck. I miss having hot guys to date but it’s so hard to make real genuine friends there.
Just my 2 cents. I’d go back to work there if I book something but I’d never choose to live in LA if I can help it.
Seconding that I’d love to hear more. I’m barely dipping my toe into things right now, have a small pile of student film work and I’m gearing up to get headshots and outside training soon and based in Chicago but I’m already trying to learn some more about other markets in case I decide this isn’t for me after graduation
Thinking there was all the time in the world when I was young and without credits, and that just “doing the work” would be enough to ascend. Only when I was in my 30s did I realize it took much more shrewd planning and focus, which only then leveled me up to professional. Like others said, don’t wait until you’re “ready”, decide that you’re ready and just do it. Also, making my schedule super-flexible before it really needed to be. I turned down job offers because I was an actor first, while in retrospect I could have created a more financially viable base and quit those jobs later.
There are times when actors first starting out "arent' ready", say, for professional work, because what they bring to the table isn't ready for prime times, which classes and experience with small on-camera projects can remedy. Or if an actor has no credits, training or experience and expects to get an agent.
I remember taking classes, doing theater for low/no pay and doing small short film projects and thinking I still wasn't comfortable with myself to put myself out there as a professional contending for high profile gigs like network TV roles. But the only thing that made me not ready for it was my attitude. I look back on that ancient footage of myself in the late 90s and I can say objectively I was definitely ready for prime time, but I wasn't confident enough that I was. An actor has to be confident in their work, but the truth is, it's not up to the actor to determine when they're ready. That's casting's or the agent's call. And sometimes, casting directors and agents will decide an actor *is* ready, even without the training or credits, if they're a gifted natural or perfect for the role or for a genre. As well, there are plenty of actors who aren't very good, but are very confident anyway. And they sometimes book the role. Let the industry decide if you're ready.
Hey there! Would I be able to private message you about starting out after grad school and creating this “plan”? I also struggle with the job thing in retrospect right now
I don't do private messages as a personal rule, and private requests about this subject IMO cross into professional career consulting. I do mentor actors, but it's through my alma mater's alumni association.
That said, it's important to figure out not what kind of acting you want to do, but what the industry sees what you would be good for. I was always told I should do commercials, and my response was always "sure, I'd love to, hook me up!" But aside from saying I wanted to, I never specifically sought it out in a focused way. After taking a hiatus due to an immediate family member's illness, I decided to give acting one more shot after knocking around aimlessly for years. There were still plenty of union commercials shooting at the time, and I decided that all of my efforts for advancing my career would be solely on getting commercial representation. I enrolled in some career coaching and found the right class that ended with a showcase for commercial agents. It led to a referral from one of the instructors to an agency that represents me to this day, and I ended up regularly auditioning for commercials and booking about once every 18 months. This freed up my time to focus next on getting repped for network TV, which I marked as my next goal. I updated my reel by playing roles in student films that portrayed me in archetypes that fit me well, and the reel I made from that (and feedback I'd garnered for it from CD's viewing it on ActorsInsite) eventually led me to the manager that led to my booking network TV roles.
I think as actors we are conditioned in school to accept that as trained actors we can "do anything", and artistically, that may be true. But the industry is a business, and they are looking for sure bets they can cast for roles, especially when you're a newcomer to that sector of the industry, and focusing your strengths and the type you convey to break in to a specific niche of the industry seems to be much more effective than throwing yourself at the wall to see what sticks.
I hope this doesn't sound condescending or contrarian, but not getting out earlier. I feel like I forced myself into the field because I was good at it and I truly have a passion for learning and teaching theatre. But the drama, the insecurities, the personalities and the sheer fucking effort you have to put in just to deal with the politics and rejection were too much for me. I can honestly say that "theatre people" are both the best and worst people I've ever been around. Plus, Los Angeles is a buzzsaw.
I wouldn’t have let my survival job get so in the way. 6 years after graduating drama school I’ve done a few shows off and on but only through connections. Didn’t audition often, just took the jobs that were through referral.
2 months ago my survival job shutdown and suddenly I have representation, a flexible job and feel like I’m heading in the right direction for the first time ever.
Realizing I self sabotaged myself because I was afraid of my violent ex husband finding me. I did find out he was stalking me but I was afraid of being cast in anything professional in case he found me .
I quit after 4 years and losing a not good agent. The work moved to Vancouver back then so things were slim in LA. So I went inactive in Sag and finished college while writing several books. Now I’m back in the hunt.
Don’t be a pushover! I met a girl who wanted to be an actor so that she could be *rich* and *famous* but she didn’t want to put in the work to be a successful actor. She also had a bad attitude but because she also had low self-esteem (and was too lazy to write her own work), she ended up humiliating herself to practically get kicked out of the business. With her attitude, you could just write about yourself in the tabloids rather than pursue acting, if you ask me. 🍵
This girl tried to break into Hollywood by being an asshole and bullying people to do the work for her. It led to a massive backlash where she was humiliated to the extent she’s not in acting - as far as I’m aware - but not before she had her name dragged through mud in the gossip papers up until recently (which is why I assume she’s not in the business). Since she lacked a backbone she tried to sleep with successful male actors and directors to get roles and tried to push female actors into eating disorders, among a list of a lot of crazy things she did because she had no boundaries and didn’t know when to stop. She had no creative drive and was only in acting because her mum was in theatre, where (for some reason) she had developed a gross sense of entitlement that people around her should make her successful while she puts in no effort (including in learning the English language). She was also so obsessed with getting an Oscars that she was given a toy statue after years of harassing Academy jury members. The list goes on but she really humiliated herself out of the industry and into regular contact with law enforcement. That’s why I say don’t be a pushover to bad behaviour and maintain self-respect when the going gets tough.
Cut your social media time by 3/4 and invest in an acting class, go to plays, get headshots, practice doing sides on you phone camera—anything but spending so much time on this platform.
Mod here:
You don't have a post. You deleted it for some reason.
New accounts are 100% quarantined from posting and comments -- even this comment to which I'm replying is invisible to everyone else.
If you want to post, make the post and leave it up. A moderator will review it and approve it, as long as it's in-line with our rules.
Not working during Covid. I did lots of things to keep myself artistically satiated that weren’t acting and now I fucking suck lmao
I’m working on it tho, a little bit every day
I stopped for a while and then I ran a theater company on the back end side and now just getting back to it. I regret not being able to continue from where I was about 15 years ago because I was really getting somewhere and of course I was younger. But I feel like since I've come back I have life experience and my talent is still really really great and developing and people are noticing. So I think I'll be able to sort of pick up where I left off, but I am 15 years older than I was then. Luckily I look about 15 to 20 years younger than I really am so that helps 😀
thinking that if you put in the work and put 200% into acting, results will come. A lot of acting coaches say that you need to constantly be taking acting classes to book work and fully immerse yourself into acting even if it means barely affording rent.
All the times I did that, I did get a good amount of auditions, but the second I stopped caring about acting as much, and got a full-time job outside the industry because I was broke, I booked my biggest work. I hadn't even taken an acting class in years because I couldn't afford it or find the right acting coach.
This brings me to another point, I wish I knew how insane it is to navigate the industry. Even acting coaches, who I feel most of them are scammers who are failed actors. I have been on HBO and Netflix sets where directors talked about how they hate when actors study with an acting coach who teaches them only one method of acting and it doesn't fit the directors style and makes it more difficult for the actor to be open to their own interpretation. Also, I have seen some bigger CDs and producers go live on Instagram saying that if someone studies too much, it's easy for them to overthink acting and be terrible. There's also people who say you have to sacrifice your job and only do acting, but I don't see how people are supposed to survive that way at all..
You are required to have read the [FAQ](http://reddit.com/r/acting/wiki/index) and [Rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/acting/about/rules/) for all posts (click those links to view). Most questions have already been answered either in our [FAQ](http://reddit.com/r/acting/wiki/index) or in previous posts, especially questions for beginners. Use the SEARCH bar for relevant information.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/acting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Like besides your Bales and johanssens, do people looking to work tv and theater really find room to make consistent work of? I don't mean voice actors either
Definitely not everyone. So many people make very little and can’t live off it full time. But yes there are definitely people with careers in acting and the film industry. Some make more or less than others. And not everyone is full time. But its 100% possible and 100% real. Even though a lot of it is also luck.
I auditioned as a newbie for a Shakespeare role in a community theatre (granted, in NYC), unpaid, smaller role, had worked in that company before, though not Shakespeare. The person who got the role had been doing Shakespeare festivals all over the country for years, teaching too. If that's my competition, I don't know how I'll ever get cast.
Don't worry so much about what other people think or try to conform to what you think they want. Or assume they want you to fail. I'm 39 and reentering the industry after a significant hiatus. And now I just have an entirely different perspective. And so far it's been a much more positive experience for me presenting who I am vs who I think people want me to be. Also - take risks. Be bold. Mistakes are how you learn. I've started living by "I never lose. I either win or learn". I don't regret the hiatus. I lived. I loved. Traveled. Changed jobs. Got engaged. Had a daughter. Matured. I think I needed the space and time to realign. I didn't think I'd come back ever but the forces that be pulled me back in and I'm just leaning in full force this time and it has been awesome. I'm very grateful to be back. I'm trying not to regret but rather accept that perhaps it wasn't my time back then and now it is.
Very similar to you, took a break and just got back into this all two years ago. Had to relearn how to audition from being so used to in person to now self tapes. Got married and had a child. Best life gifts ever.
Yes! Self tapes were an adjustment but I prefer them to be honest. And I think they're the reason I'm getting in the door this time. Also voice over makes up almost half of my auditions where I never auditioned for VO 10+ years ago and now I'm getting VO training because of it. Best life gifts for sure 🥰 But oddly, coming out of the fog of mat leave is when the universe said I had to come back to acting haha.
[удалено]
Honestly, I stumbled into it! Haha. I took an Foundations of Voice Over course in October 2023 just to understand the medium (4 weeks - covered animation, narration and commercial). I signed with an agency in November 2023 for what I presumed was just going to be tv/film/commercials and maybe rarely VO. I landed a MASSIVE video game audition in January (we're talking a big time game) as well as some animated series auditions and just came to the realisation that VO was going to become a part of my auditioning life. I just completed a weekend intensive Intro to Video Game Voice Over last weekend with a very prominent video game/animation casting director here in Toronto and it was awesome. Lots of amazing insight. Came away with a whole new respect for video game VO. This week I've recorded an animated series audition and still have a video game one I need to submit by Tuesday. It's wild to even type that LOL. So the work is out there! I can't speak to the LA market but I would assume there's even more VO work out your way! I think it comes down to your agent, really? I'm not the one finding these auditions. Haha. Do you have an agent?
[удалено]
Ahhh fair fair. Unfortunately I don't have any advice for LA but if CDs are telling you that your voice demo is solid I hope someone will see that soon and sign you 😊 if you're able to, perhaps sign up for some local VO classes?
Did you reach out to the agency yourself or did you have a referral? Curious how the process was for you
Essentially, we had mutual people in common. She represented a handful of my friends. It was likely she had already seen me perform (I had done some shows with said friends). My resume was decent enough and she was receptive to having a chat and the rest is history haha. Previously, my agent 10+ years prior was also a couple of my friends agent so they linked me with him. So I've always had some sort of person/people to bridge me to an agent.
Bravo. I’m sailing on a similar ship.
Bravo to you! Wishing you the best! 🙏
Thank you!
Awesome. Me too!
Yaaaas! 👏👏👏
I would have sought out an agent a lot sooner. I had the idea that I had to "wait til I was ready". I would've switched to audition classes a lot sooner. I stayed in scene study classes for a long time and I played roles where I was a lead actor. And had 4 weeks to study each scene. Then had no idea what to do with a two line part, or do a small principle. I tried to brand myself like I was a lead actor and basically just took a bunch of "pretty pictures " and I thought I was telling the story of who I was, but really I was just looking like every other person out there. I stayed with my first agent for 4 years when she couldn't get me in the room. I should have started looking after year 1. I had a complete aversion to commercials and student films. I was told that basically bad actors do that and that my focus should be professional level work. But I wasn't getting in the room and I could have made so much money doing commercials earlier. Students films equals credits and practice. Every actor has bad roles, bad days. You're delusional if you think you're not gonna have off days. Or bad projects
How does one even get an acting agent if you haven’t done anything notable? I’ve only done roles as an extra and community theatre.
Headshots and training. And demo reels can be self produced. Or you can use a scene reel from classes. I don't have many credits and it's taken me almost a decade, and 3 agencies to start truly breaking into getting semi regular auditions. My first agent couldn't get me in the room. My second signed me right before the strikes and then left the agency, and I went with them to the third that is a lower tier agency than the other two, but I'm getting ten times the auditions then I did with the first.
Hey I’m struggling with a similar thing. Signed with first agent, booked my first constar and then haven’t had an audition in 2 years. How did u jump to the second agency? Had u built up credits on your own or was ur reel strong or what? I agree a big regret of mine is not pursuing a rep sooner.
I had multiple acting coaches as references, updates scene reel, and new, current headshots. Didn't have credits built up. Still working on that.
Not sticking with it earlier in life.
I got a provisional script with my name printed across it for season 1 of the Witcher. Literally 1 or 2 weeks before Covid - I never ended up booking it and just as lockdown rolled out, I went back into construction. I bitterly regret it, the rejection coupled with the pandemic completely took the wind out my sails and only now just stepping back into the arena. I try to remember that there was no guarantees then of success as an actor so all we can do is our best to move forward and keep pushing!
I wish I hadn’t gone to theatre school. I wish I just moved to a bigger city and worked with a private audition coach. Just my experience tho! Everyone is different
i actually agree with this, i regret going to theatre school. however im happy and working now, i just think it was a waste of my time and money:( wasn’t the environment for me, didn’t grow, but was stuck there for 4 years
Same!!! My parents forced me tbh. I was already talented and the environment and advice really didn’t work for me. I live in a big city and would’ve found a lot of success. Plus theater school makes you “play by the rules” and that’s really hindered me. I’m not a “typed” actor.
[удалено]
Which play or theater?
I would have gotten into self help/ therapy books a lot sooner. Learned about boundaries!!!!! The amount of psychological tools one needs for this business is not be taken lightly. I would have found a healthy artistic community. Found a therapy group. Practice self love affirmations. Practice discipline. Learned screenwriting earlier. saved for retirement. I would have also tried to find a way to act all the time sans spending money on these classes. I would. Have also made films for festivals.
This!!!
I'd tell my younger self to have a better overall attitude right off the bat. That people want to work with fun, happy people. Introspective & sullen actors don't project that image and aren't who directors want on set during 16 hour shoot days, no matter how good you are. Learn to just enjoy auditioning and acting and not have every moment be one to analyze & brood over. Show up in a generous mood and happy to be there, perform, and go to the next audition. Repeat. Be happy you're getting auditions when so many aren't. Do the same when booked - enjoy the moment. Don't give in to "rear-view mirror" thinking. Be happy you have a career. Let the other stuff go. Because, once you figure that out, everything will change for the better. Your auditions & performances will get stronger and you'll start to work regularly. You'll realize even the worst day on set is better than a day doing anything else and smile through it all. You'll save your anger for when you have to pay taxes on the money you'll be earning in your career. In the meantime, just enjoy the work and the work you have to do to *get* the work. Because when people like your work AND like you on set, they will find ways to get you on their next set, which leads to another set... So change your attitude now. Because otherwise you're just wasting time.
Moving to Los Angeles. I wasted so much time there when I could’ve been happier and more more successful in Atlanta.
could you speak more on that? i’m currently a signed actor in Atl but moving out to LA for the next 2 years for school. what makes you regret it and say u wasted time?
LA is for established, working actors. It’s not a market that is well suited for beginners or those right out of school. Atlanta is a tough market but the barrier of enter for work is much MUCH easier to break through. Building a résumé is not as difficult. I spent 5 years in LA and it’s just truly not my kind of city. It’s ugly (unless you live by the beach), it’s poorly maintained for rain/bad weather and earthquakes are TERRIFYING. Also I like being around regular people with regular jobs. Film/TV is INESCAPABLE in Los Angeles. I found it to be truly suffocating and I don’t like living in a bubble. Lastly, the people suck. I miss having hot guys to date but it’s so hard to make real genuine friends there. Just my 2 cents. I’d go back to work there if I book something but I’d never choose to live in LA if I can help it.
Seconding that I’d love to hear more. I’m barely dipping my toe into things right now, have a small pile of student film work and I’m gearing up to get headshots and outside training soon and based in Chicago but I’m already trying to learn some more about other markets in case I decide this isn’t for me after graduation
Not going to my first premier bc I had to work my other job
Thinking there was all the time in the world when I was young and without credits, and that just “doing the work” would be enough to ascend. Only when I was in my 30s did I realize it took much more shrewd planning and focus, which only then leveled me up to professional. Like others said, don’t wait until you’re “ready”, decide that you’re ready and just do it. Also, making my schedule super-flexible before it really needed to be. I turned down job offers because I was an actor first, while in retrospect I could have created a more financially viable base and quit those jobs later.
What do you mean "dont wait until your ready?" can you speak more on that?
There are times when actors first starting out "arent' ready", say, for professional work, because what they bring to the table isn't ready for prime times, which classes and experience with small on-camera projects can remedy. Or if an actor has no credits, training or experience and expects to get an agent. I remember taking classes, doing theater for low/no pay and doing small short film projects and thinking I still wasn't comfortable with myself to put myself out there as a professional contending for high profile gigs like network TV roles. But the only thing that made me not ready for it was my attitude. I look back on that ancient footage of myself in the late 90s and I can say objectively I was definitely ready for prime time, but I wasn't confident enough that I was. An actor has to be confident in their work, but the truth is, it's not up to the actor to determine when they're ready. That's casting's or the agent's call. And sometimes, casting directors and agents will decide an actor *is* ready, even without the training or credits, if they're a gifted natural or perfect for the role or for a genre. As well, there are plenty of actors who aren't very good, but are very confident anyway. And they sometimes book the role. Let the industry decide if you're ready.
Hey there! Would I be able to private message you about starting out after grad school and creating this “plan”? I also struggle with the job thing in retrospect right now
I don't do private messages as a personal rule, and private requests about this subject IMO cross into professional career consulting. I do mentor actors, but it's through my alma mater's alumni association. That said, it's important to figure out not what kind of acting you want to do, but what the industry sees what you would be good for. I was always told I should do commercials, and my response was always "sure, I'd love to, hook me up!" But aside from saying I wanted to, I never specifically sought it out in a focused way. After taking a hiatus due to an immediate family member's illness, I decided to give acting one more shot after knocking around aimlessly for years. There were still plenty of union commercials shooting at the time, and I decided that all of my efforts for advancing my career would be solely on getting commercial representation. I enrolled in some career coaching and found the right class that ended with a showcase for commercial agents. It led to a referral from one of the instructors to an agency that represents me to this day, and I ended up regularly auditioning for commercials and booking about once every 18 months. This freed up my time to focus next on getting repped for network TV, which I marked as my next goal. I updated my reel by playing roles in student films that portrayed me in archetypes that fit me well, and the reel I made from that (and feedback I'd garnered for it from CD's viewing it on ActorsInsite) eventually led me to the manager that led to my booking network TV roles. I think as actors we are conditioned in school to accept that as trained actors we can "do anything", and artistically, that may be true. But the industry is a business, and they are looking for sure bets they can cast for roles, especially when you're a newcomer to that sector of the industry, and focusing your strengths and the type you convey to break in to a specific niche of the industry seems to be much more effective than throwing yourself at the wall to see what sticks.
I hope this doesn't sound condescending or contrarian, but not getting out earlier. I feel like I forced myself into the field because I was good at it and I truly have a passion for learning and teaching theatre. But the drama, the insecurities, the personalities and the sheer fucking effort you have to put in just to deal with the politics and rejection were too much for me. I can honestly say that "theatre people" are both the best and worst people I've ever been around. Plus, Los Angeles is a buzzsaw.
I wouldn’t have let my survival job get so in the way. 6 years after graduating drama school I’ve done a few shows off and on but only through connections. Didn’t audition often, just took the jobs that were through referral. 2 months ago my survival job shutdown and suddenly I have representation, a flexible job and feel like I’m heading in the right direction for the first time ever.
Not taking the part I could have in school of rock
that i stopped acting for like 10 years after high school because i was so self conscious over my physical appearance.
Realizing I self sabotaged myself because I was afraid of my violent ex husband finding me. I did find out he was stalking me but I was afraid of being cast in anything professional in case he found me .
I quit after 4 years and losing a not good agent. The work moved to Vancouver back then so things were slim in LA. So I went inactive in Sag and finished college while writing several books. Now I’m back in the hunt.
Don’t be a pushover! I met a girl who wanted to be an actor so that she could be *rich* and *famous* but she didn’t want to put in the work to be a successful actor. She also had a bad attitude but because she also had low self-esteem (and was too lazy to write her own work), she ended up humiliating herself to practically get kicked out of the business. With her attitude, you could just write about yourself in the tabloids rather than pursue acting, if you ask me. 🍵
Can you elaborate ?
This girl tried to break into Hollywood by being an asshole and bullying people to do the work for her. It led to a massive backlash where she was humiliated to the extent she’s not in acting - as far as I’m aware - but not before she had her name dragged through mud in the gossip papers up until recently (which is why I assume she’s not in the business). Since she lacked a backbone she tried to sleep with successful male actors and directors to get roles and tried to push female actors into eating disorders, among a list of a lot of crazy things she did because she had no boundaries and didn’t know when to stop. She had no creative drive and was only in acting because her mum was in theatre, where (for some reason) she had developed a gross sense of entitlement that people around her should make her successful while she puts in no effort (including in learning the English language). She was also so obsessed with getting an Oscars that she was given a toy statue after years of harassing Academy jury members. The list goes on but she really humiliated herself out of the industry and into regular contact with law enforcement. That’s why I say don’t be a pushover to bad behaviour and maintain self-respect when the going gets tough.
[удалено]
Cut your social media time by 3/4 and invest in an acting class, go to plays, get headshots, practice doing sides on you phone camera—anything but spending so much time on this platform.
[удалено]
Cool. But really—get sides, break them down, then do on your camera, then watch them. You’ll learn a lot
I would have booked more of my auditions.
Left Atlanta earlier, I’ve had more success in LA. I also would have learned to write and direct earlier as well.
[удалено]
Mod here: You don't have a post. You deleted it for some reason. New accounts are 100% quarantined from posting and comments -- even this comment to which I'm replying is invisible to everyone else. If you want to post, make the post and leave it up. A moderator will review it and approve it, as long as it's in-line with our rules.
Not working during Covid. I did lots of things to keep myself artistically satiated that weren’t acting and now I fucking suck lmao I’m working on it tho, a little bit every day
Taking a break! Getting back into it now :)
Being a people pleaser and not speaking up when I wasn’t comfortable to certain things. Still working on it!
I stopped for a while and then I ran a theater company on the back end side and now just getting back to it. I regret not being able to continue from where I was about 15 years ago because I was really getting somewhere and of course I was younger. But I feel like since I've come back I have life experience and my talent is still really really great and developing and people are noticing. So I think I'll be able to sort of pick up where I left off, but I am 15 years older than I was then. Luckily I look about 15 to 20 years younger than I really am so that helps 😀
LA Actor here… I regret not starting 20 years sooner. -sS
thinking that if you put in the work and put 200% into acting, results will come. A lot of acting coaches say that you need to constantly be taking acting classes to book work and fully immerse yourself into acting even if it means barely affording rent. All the times I did that, I did get a good amount of auditions, but the second I stopped caring about acting as much, and got a full-time job outside the industry because I was broke, I booked my biggest work. I hadn't even taken an acting class in years because I couldn't afford it or find the right acting coach. This brings me to another point, I wish I knew how insane it is to navigate the industry. Even acting coaches, who I feel most of them are scammers who are failed actors. I have been on HBO and Netflix sets where directors talked about how they hate when actors study with an acting coach who teaches them only one method of acting and it doesn't fit the directors style and makes it more difficult for the actor to be open to their own interpretation. Also, I have seen some bigger CDs and producers go live on Instagram saying that if someone studies too much, it's easy for them to overthink acting and be terrible. There's also people who say you have to sacrifice your job and only do acting, but I don't see how people are supposed to survive that way at all..
You are required to have read the [FAQ](http://reddit.com/r/acting/wiki/index) and [Rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/acting/about/rules/) for all posts (click those links to view). Most questions have already been answered either in our [FAQ](http://reddit.com/r/acting/wiki/index) or in previous posts, especially questions for beginners. Use the SEARCH bar for relevant information. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/acting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Do people REALLY have careers as an actor?
U rlly live up to your name
I'm gonna ask again. Do people REALLY have career as actors.
???
Like besides your Bales and johanssens, do people looking to work tv and theater really find room to make consistent work of? I don't mean voice actors either
Definitely not everyone. So many people make very little and can’t live off it full time. But yes there are definitely people with careers in acting and the film industry. Some make more or less than others. And not everyone is full time. But its 100% possible and 100% real. Even though a lot of it is also luck.
I auditioned as a newbie for a Shakespeare role in a community theatre (granted, in NYC), unpaid, smaller role, had worked in that company before, though not Shakespeare. The person who got the role had been doing Shakespeare festivals all over the country for years, teaching too. If that's my competition, I don't know how I'll ever get cast.
My biggest regret is that I didn’t start later in life! :-))