How to become an actor?

How to become an actor? There are several ways to become an actor if one thing in the entertainment industry is inevitable. Consider Octavia Spencer, who played minor and supporting roles for years before becoming well-known and winning an Oscar; Jonathan Groff, a two-time Tony nominee who secured his first national tour through Backstage; or Aaron Paul, a three-time Emmy winner, who was “discovered” at an acting and modeling competition after relocating from Idaho to Los Angeles.

These are only three of the various ways success as an actor might come your way; nevertheless, you must be ready to give it your all when it does. Everything you need to know about breaking into the industry is compiled below, whether the door goes to Broadway, Hollywood, or somewhere in between.

How to become an actor?

Seeking exposure through workshops, theater, school plays, and street plays is the first and most crucial step. If you want to start a career as an actor, follow these steps:

Gain as much attention as you can

Beginning early in your acting career is just as crucial as developing the necessary skills. So you can’t only wait for acting roles in movies if you want to fulfill your dream of becoming a film actor. Theater, dance, TV, and many other forms of art all incorporate acting as a dramatic genre. Therefore, it is essential to be open to opportunities in all forms of entertainment, including TV shows, plays, and others. By doing this, you will gain exposure to the vast world of acting, learn from other pros and elders, and work to master this craft in all its forms.

Utilize Networking Possibilities

Having connections in the business you wish to work in is essential for becoming a film actor. If filmmakers and writers are aware of you, you will have a better chance of entering their imaginations when creating stories because roles won’t come your way on their own. In this manner, your chances of being included on their list of performers considered for a narrative are improved.

Create a Standout Acting Resume

No matter what industry you want to work in, it is difficult to make a living by pursuing your passion. Thus, having an excellent resume is essential. A résumé for a movie actor is more of a portfolio of their prior projects and works. The casting crew will learn more about your background, exposure to acting, and the types of roles you have nailed by circulating an acting résumé. The following considerations must be made while writing this kind of resume:

• Your profile in the resume needs to be precise so that the reader can understand the details of your physical attributes and description. As an illustration, mention your suitable height, complexion, weight, etc., as these are required. In order for the casting team to get in touch with you, please be sure to include your most recent and accurate mailing address as well as your telephone number.
• To make an excellent first impression, elaborately mention your prior experiences. Whether it was a television or movie role, a theater performance, a television show, or an advertisement commercial, be sure to comment on every accomplishment to help the reader understand your level of industry experience.
• Make an effort to compile a list of diversified abilities that relate to the broad field of the arts. These abilities can include singing, dancing, writing, and other things.
• Additionally, you can highlight things like your proficiency in a second language, your prior work experience in relevant sectors, and anything else you believe will attract the casting director’s attention.

Become a member of an acting or talent agency

The first thing you should do after finishing your acting and film studies is signed up with a talent agency. These organizations have formal connections to movie producers and directors. They seek and then narrow down the best applicants for the available projects. Investigate local talent agencies first, then contact them with your portfolio. A talent manager will typically be assigned to you by the agency, who will introduce you to appropriate prospects and contact casting directors on your behalf to discover gigs.

Most importantly, be persistent.

Since becoming a film actor is not a strongly outlined career path, it is crucial to adopt a persistent mentality and learn how to overcome every challenge you encounter. There will be moments when you might lose a role or miss an opportunity, but your main goal should be to maintain patience and keep your eyes on the more outstanding picture. Remember to take advantage of any and all acting opportunities, both large and small, and never stop learning and developing your creative side.

Actor Categories

The likelihood of becoming a well-known actor is slim, but it is still feasible if you’re persistent and strategic.

Let’s first distinguish between the three categories of actors:

• The Amateur Actor: This refers to anyone who receives acting instruction. Even if you’re the best actor in the world, you won’t be taken seriously if you don’t get paid. Being an amateur has nothing to do with your talent or aptitude; it simply implies that you are not compensated for your work.
• The Working Actor: This individual, commonly referred to as a “Professional Actor,” earns a living through acting and typically works a second job to help pay some of their bills. This person adores acting and aspires to land a breakthrough part in the future. In the long run, they want to be awarded roles based on their name without ever having to go through the audition process again.
• The Famous Actor: This is a successful person whose name is known by hundreds of thousands (or millions) of people. They are so well-known in the field that they may be called in for a role without marketing materials (more on them eventually).

An amateur actor’s typical day includes acting classes, hanging out with pals for rehearsals, auditioning for free small shows, and performing in them.

Dealing with acting coaches, managers, and agents, attending classes, and going to auditions are all part of a working actor’s day. They may be on set with other actors working or rehearsing if they book a job (often 2-3 per month or more for busy actors). Additionally, they devote a significant portion of their day to taking care of themselves, including eating well, exercising, grooming, etc.

Meetings with their publicist, speaking engagements, awards ceremonies, and working on set and in practice like a professional actor are all part of a famous actor’s day.

Get your fundamental marketing materials ready.

You MUST prepare your essential marketing materials before participating in any paid or unpaid production. Your headshot, CV, and reel are examples of these.

Thankfully, you can put all these items together for nothing if you’re just starting. In this section, we’ll go through the essentials of what’s required for each.

• Headshot – You can utilize a friend’s image of you taken when you’re just starting out to apply to projects. The truth is that when you’re first starting out and simply submitting to unpaid student projects, no one cares. Some industry veterans will advise against this and suggest you to pay hundreds of dollars for headshots. Casting directors for these productions only worry about how you look; they are not concerned with how fancy your headshot looks. You will eventually require a professional headshot done by a headshot photographer when you start trying to get cast in paid projects (since having an amateur photo conveys to casting directors that you don’t take your work seriously).

• Resume – Just use Google to get a ton of professional actor resume templates online. If you don’t have any credits, you can limit your CV to only training; but, if you’ve participated in a play or community theater production, feel free to list the name of the play and your part so that casting directors can get a sense of what you’ve done. You need to demonstrate that you have experience. Thus, any credentials are preferable to none.

• Demo Reel – When they first start out, most actors are concerned about needing a reel. If you’re wondering, “How do I get contracted for productions to get film… if I don’t already have video,” you shouldn’t worry because you don’t initially need to have footage that looks polished. At the beginning of your career, you can get away with using amateur footage, much like with headshots. It will function fine as long as we can hear and see you! In order to give casting directors more confidence in inviting you in, enlist the aid of a friend to help you record anything.

Participate in Auditions

For projects, highly experienced performers are submitted by their agencies, but when you’re initially starting out, you’ll have to submit yourself. Actors can respond to casting calls posted on legitimate internet casting services like these with their headshot and CV to be considered for production.

A casting call is essentially a summary of the project (a short film, a feature film, etc.), the character information (John is a 45-year-old ex-marine going through a divorce, etc.), the audition information, the pay rate, and the shooting schedule.

They allow you to build profiles and sign up for email notifications of fresh casting calls. The use of some of the aforementioned websites is free; others have a fee.

What to Assume at an Acting Audition

Preparation is essential for an audition. That entails being familiar with the details of the project for which you are acting in the audition as well as the setting of the scene. That requires perfecting your 16 bars for a musical theater audition and warming up your voice so you can belt. This calls for memorizing your lines and being open to suggestions for improvement from people you are auditioning for. It also involves putting your nerves to the side and walking into the room with an assurance that this is the part for you. Desperation comes across, and it won’t help you when it comes to getting roles.

Of course, that’s only the very beginning. Being a good actor requires many other factors to be taken into account, which is why we’ve put up a tutorial on how to audition. We lead you through the specifics of each form of an audition, from TV to theater to commercials, including what to wear and how to make a self-tape.

Is a Degree Necessary to Become an Actor?

There are no official educational prerequisites for actors; formal training might be beneficial. Many famous performers have never had an acting degree. Having said that, almost every actor in the industry today has gone through some type of training. However, there are many different types of actor training, including acting and improv classes, BFA and MFA schools, on-set trainers, and even online courses. Your age, experience level, and whether you want to succeed on stage or in front of the camera will all influence which choice makes the most sense for you.

Acting schools and classes: Most aspiring actors prefer acting lessons because of their great variety in subject matter, time commitment, and cost. Find out what lessons are available in your location (you may use Backstage’s Call Sheet or ask friends for recommendations), check out a few exciting possibilities, and then choose the instructor and method that most appeals to you. After that, remain a student for at least six months. 

Acting coaches: Although coaches are an essential component of acting, they cannot replace other forms of training. Acting instructor Marci Liroff advises beginning with weekly courses, particularly if you’re trying to get into acting without any experience. She points out that acting coaches are better for fine-tuning because they won’t teach you the fundamentals of good movement and voice use. 

Summer training: There is no better location for a teen actor to hone their skills with other talented young people than summer training. Several American programs have a solid track record, including The Atlantic Acting School in New York City, which boasts alumni like Rose Byrne, Anna Chlumsky, and Matthew Fox, and Stagedoor Manor in Loch Sheldrake, New York, which boasts alumni like Academy Award winner Natalie Portman, Robert Downey Jr., and Lea Michele.

Higher education: Not every performer is a good fit for a theatrical degree. They are never a guarantee of success and can be extremely expensive. But a BFA or MFA can aid in the development of significant relationships, impart the importance of perseverance, and enable you to develop your craft further. Hollywood is less concerned about degrees if you want to work as a theatrical performer. 

Suppose you’re looking to decide on an undergraduate acting program. In that case, you should look at the program’s history, the school’s location, the local theater and talent pool, and the instructors and program administrators.

General Tips

• Expect Disappointment – Keep in mind that the majority of performers are rejected after auditions. That’s because there are typically between 3,000 and 5,000 other actors competing for the same roles at the auditions you attend. It doesn’t matter if you’re turned down; they simply saw someone else instead of you.
• Be well-prepared – Casting directors detest actors who show up unprepared. You should never forget your lines (even though it might not be required). Additionally, you need to decide how you’ll portray the character. Are they depressed? Angry? Bored? Establish your performance strategy for the scenario and stick to it. It’s a positive sign when you’re asked to perform anything again since the stronger your choice—even if it’s the incorrect one—is, the more likely a casting director will want to see you do it again (though they’ll let you know how they prefer it).
• Studying audition techniques is more crucial than taking acting classes, which are enjoyable but not as useful. The hardest part of the job is typically auditioning because no one is present to help you perfect it (the way a director is on set). So that you can land more employment, you should invest two to three times as much time in audition workshops.

As a result, becoming recognized as an actor requires a long road that only a select few are able to travel. Of course, you can develop the ideal skill set required to pursue this artistic endeavor with the appropriate direction.

FAQs on How to Become an Actor?

Originally posted on February 15, 2023 @ 12:02 am