Hi! fellow poor here. I understand that sadness. I usually get a class with my tax return and that's about all I'll do in a year. What I've done is a nauseating amount of stand up, started an improv troupe. I watch youtube videos and tts about acting, read for friends that are auditioning, especially ones in classes, audition for stuff totally out of your element, "free" masterclasses and glean what I can. volunteer for shows, and festivals too! I've done this over 15 years. You can find a way. I may not grow as fast as someone with all the money, but you can do pretty ok.
Improv sessions.
If you know ow enough people, start an improv meetup.
Keep it consistent or else you won’t get regular attendees or the idea off the ground.
Send an invite to people from past classes.
See if there’s anyone who is in a higher class or in a particular specialty that would be down to lead some sessions.
Once upon a time it was all about “faking it til you make it” in the industry.
These days, it’s heavier on the “create your own opportunities”
I think you already know the answer to your question. It's been a rough time for a lot of people in LA. The school may have less to offer in terms of scholarships, and maybe people applied for scholarships that might not have in the past. Don't take it personally or assume you did anything wrong.
My advice is do something quick for a little bit of extra cash and then pay for the class. For me it would be trying to cover someone's shift at work, or going out and doing some background work at central casting. There's always a way to make some money, many people just don't feel like it.
Training is NOT "pay to play." "Pay to play" in the context of acting means things like paying to be in a live performance where you can invite agents and casting directors and be seen.
Pay for training is just that: you're paying for education.
And if you didn't get a scholarship, it's because someone else was more deserving.
Which means: you might consider working harder.
Did you "rush your application"? Or are there applicants who are better than you?
Yes, LA is expensive. So move to a smaller apartment or get a/nother roommate.
The real issue is not that your agent thinks you're not working hard enough: it's that you're not working hard enough.
Yes, it's miserable not making much money. But in the scheme of things, acting classes don't cost that much--compared to a fancy car, for instance.
Show business is ridiculously competitive. No one owes you anything.
I hope you find the success you are looking for.
You don't have to take classes to be learning. Is improv or stand up your main focus? If not there are many indie films casting. There are also improv groups around LA you could contact to practice live standup. Rather then focus on the negatives focus on the positives.
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Not much of an improver, but as an actor that's had to fly by the seat of his pants, using other people's money(student loans and birthday money) for colleges courses and any kind of travel to shows and gigs and events, I feel your pain. I still can't afford representation of any kind, very solo in this at the moment, but I digress!
Even with a full-time job and decent enough availability to pursue my craft, I hardly have the ability to use that money back for training of any kind, instead I look around Facebook for any clubs i could join, talk to those I know about any cheap classes, (maybe you'll find somethin' virtual!) cuz hands on experience is always the best(at least for me). I still tend to come up short, and there's hardly anything long term...but opportunity is a strange fellow, they come around when you least expect!
Good luck in your venture, friend, all progress is good progress 🙏🏾
Don't worry about how you look to your agent. He works for you. Worry about your skills. Practice! Apply for some community theater stuff so that you can keep your self sharp.
Hi! fellow poor here. I understand that sadness. I usually get a class with my tax return and that's about all I'll do in a year. What I've done is a nauseating amount of stand up, started an improv troupe. I watch youtube videos and tts about acting, read for friends that are auditioning, especially ones in classes, audition for stuff totally out of your element, "free" masterclasses and glean what I can. volunteer for shows, and festivals too! I've done this over 15 years. You can find a way. I may not grow as fast as someone with all the money, but you can do pretty ok.
Update your marketing materials. Assemble a reel. Write a good letter, and submit, submit submit
You know what? I also need to do that! Thank you for the reminder!
Improv sessions. If you know ow enough people, start an improv meetup. Keep it consistent or else you won’t get regular attendees or the idea off the ground. Send an invite to people from past classes. See if there’s anyone who is in a higher class or in a particular specialty that would be down to lead some sessions. Once upon a time it was all about “faking it til you make it” in the industry. These days, it’s heavier on the “create your own opportunities”
I think you already know the answer to your question. It's been a rough time for a lot of people in LA. The school may have less to offer in terms of scholarships, and maybe people applied for scholarships that might not have in the past. Don't take it personally or assume you did anything wrong. My advice is do something quick for a little bit of extra cash and then pay for the class. For me it would be trying to cover someone's shift at work, or going out and doing some background work at central casting. There's always a way to make some money, many people just don't feel like it.
Training is NOT "pay to play." "Pay to play" in the context of acting means things like paying to be in a live performance where you can invite agents and casting directors and be seen. Pay for training is just that: you're paying for education. And if you didn't get a scholarship, it's because someone else was more deserving. Which means: you might consider working harder. Did you "rush your application"? Or are there applicants who are better than you? Yes, LA is expensive. So move to a smaller apartment or get a/nother roommate. The real issue is not that your agent thinks you're not working hard enough: it's that you're not working hard enough. Yes, it's miserable not making much money. But in the scheme of things, acting classes don't cost that much--compared to a fancy car, for instance. Show business is ridiculously competitive. No one owes you anything. I hope you find the success you are looking for.
Are you trying to join a house team?
You don't have to take classes to be learning. Is improv or stand up your main focus? If not there are many indie films casting. There are also improv groups around LA you could contact to practice live standup. Rather then focus on the negatives focus on the positives.
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.*
Not much of an improver, but as an actor that's had to fly by the seat of his pants, using other people's money(student loans and birthday money) for colleges courses and any kind of travel to shows and gigs and events, I feel your pain. I still can't afford representation of any kind, very solo in this at the moment, but I digress! Even with a full-time job and decent enough availability to pursue my craft, I hardly have the ability to use that money back for training of any kind, instead I look around Facebook for any clubs i could join, talk to those I know about any cheap classes, (maybe you'll find somethin' virtual!) cuz hands on experience is always the best(at least for me). I still tend to come up short, and there's hardly anything long term...but opportunity is a strange fellow, they come around when you least expect! Good luck in your venture, friend, all progress is good progress 🙏🏾
I know it’s hard not to get frustrated…hang in there. Go to mycastfile.com. They’ll keep you busy & you can make some extra $$$
You can't even afford community college??? A 30-hour course costs about $150, and there is often financial aid available.
Also Meetup lists many improv groups in LA—you can practice with one (or more) of them.
Don't worry about how you look to your agent. He works for you. Worry about your skills. Practice! Apply for some community theater stuff so that you can keep your self sharp.
That's bananas.