Heidi Klum

Charlize Theron

Denise Richards

Katherine Heigl

Scarlett Johansson

Jessica Simpson

Christina Aguilera

Britney Spears

Cameron Diaz

Kate Hudson

Reese Witherspoon

Hayden Panettiere

Elisha Cuthbert

Gemma Atkinson

Kate Bosworth

Nicole Kidman

Cheryl Cole

Keeley Hazell

Gisele Bundchen

Jennifer Lopez

Jessica Biel

Eva Mendes

Jessica Alba

Keira Knightley

Alessandra Ambrosio

Hilary Duff

Mischa Barton

Lindsay Lohan

Drew Barrymore

Angelina Jolie

Alyssa Milano

Beyonce Knowles

Rihanna

Kate Beckinsale

Katie Holmes

Aishwarya Rai

Jennifer Love Hewitt

Liv Tyler

Megan Fox

Eva Longoria

Natalie Portman

Monica Bellucci

Penelope Cruz

Adriana Lima

Halle Berry

Salma Hayek

Rachel Bilson

Anne Hathaway

Catherine Zeta Jones

Eva Green

By Christine
http://amolife.com/

Then, if you are serious about finding an agent, get a good set of headshots. Two different looks for Acting. Headshots not 8″ x 10″ are regarded as unprofessional. Please remember to staple your headshot to the back of the headshot, text opposite from the back of the picture.

For Modeling (that’s if you want to dabble in to commercial print modeling) you’re going to want a composite card, this can be a mix of B&W and color. A headshot usually goes on the front and 3 to 4 pictures on back along with your measurements. You can find places that print comp cards online. An agent can usually do comps without getting in trouble with the unions as they are not making a profit on them. My logo does not go on a comp card unless I am the person sending it out to the printer.

You aren’t going to want your photo’s to look like they came from JC Penny’s. They do portraits and it’s an entirely different ballpark here. So no portraits. Again NO “Glamour Shots.” Dynasty has been off the air for years. Comps can have a glamour look to it on one of the shots, but your headshots have to be something else. And don’t just submit a snap shot. Trust me, I do not have time to sort through snapshots, neither do other agents.

Don’t work with ANY agent that makes you use their photographer, in order to be represented. Don’t work with anyone that pressures you into utilizing any of the services they may offer in order to be represented. If an agent wants a fee to represent you, turn around and walk out of their office. They will never get you anything that makes it worth your while for what they charge.

In my opinion, once you do get your headshots done, the best route to go is with a UNION FRANCHISED Agent. A union franchised talent agent can work with both union and non-union talent. AFTRA is the union that works with TV – Commercials and TV Shows – basically shows in a videotaped format.

To find AFTRA and SAG franchised talent agents, visit Actingland.com. Actingland provides contact information for thousands of AFTRA agents and every SAG agent.

Beware of agents that don’t have real offices. The unions will not franchise anyone who works from home. An agency needs a professional office in order to interview clients. I’d be concerned if my niece/sister-in-law/daughter went to interview with someone calling themselves an agent who works out of their home.

Be sure the person you are dealing with as your potential agent is ethical. The BBB is a good place to start but here’s an even better route. Call the state Attorney General’s office if it’s someone you’ve never heard of before. (I started out as an actress myself and learned the hard way.) You’d be surprised how a company can appear clean from the BBB and have a rather large (and active) file in the Attorney General’s office. Still do not neglect calling the BBB.

Try the local Consumer Affairs office too – it never hurts! Many states regulate agencies through the department of Consumer Affairs or Protection. CT regulates through the Dept of workplace Standards.

Standard agency percentages are 10% MAXIMUM on any union work and between 15-20% on non union work if it is outside of union governance. (I have seen model managers take up to 25%, OUCH!)

What is outside of Union Governance? Print, Runway and Promotional Modeling. Don’t let any one take more than 10% for your acting work. Be prepared to spend $$ on GOOD Photos and Printing costs for your headshots. These are your expenses, make sure the photographer you pick is a good one.

Ultimately, please remember, that no matter how difficult it is to get an agent, they work for you, not the other way around. Best of luck in all your careers, and remember to send agents your headshots with the contact info attached. You’d be surprised at the amount of people who send in photos to my agency with no contact info on it at all.

By Angela Morris

Theater
Almost every city and town has at least one small community theater where local actors gather and put on performances. Take advantage of this opportunity, even if your primary interest is film and television. Acting is acting, and it changes very little between media. Any practice and exposure you get while doing community theater will only improve your chances of making it in the film industry. Also, many agents and casting directors attend plays and showcases in hopes of finding talented new actors. Remember, opportunities can come at any time.

Student Films
Is there a college in your hometown? If so, chances are they have some kind of film, media arts, or broadcasting program. Film students always need talented actors, and you could be just what they’re looking for. They probably won’t be able to pay you anything and the final product may not be that great, but the experience will be more than worth it. Just be sure to get a video copy of your performance and keep in contact with student director. Who knows… he or she may be the next Spielberg.

Be a Movie Extra
Extras (sometimes referred to as “background” or “atmosphere” actors) are used in almost every movie. They may be a face in a crowd of thousands or someone who fully interacts with the other actors but doesn’t have any lines. In either case, you don’t have to live in New York or Los Angeles to get this kind of work. Watch for ads in the newspaper or contact your local film commission if you know a production is coming to the area. You might be able to get a few days work as an extra.

Even though extra work is not considered serious acting by most people in the entertainment industry, it still gives you valuable experience. If you have never been on a film set before, you can learn a lot just by watching the cast and crew work. Also, there is a very small chance that you might get “upgraded” if the director decides that she needs you to say a line. This rarely happens, but if it does you will receive a lot more money and be eligible to join the Screen Actors Guild.

Independent Films
Many low budget films can not afford to hire experienced actors and will hold open calls. You can find auditions for these kinds of productions in trade publications or even local newspapers. However, it’s a good idea to be cautious when responding to these ads. Take a friend with you to the audition and know what you’re getting into. Most small films are wonderful experiences, but others can be purely exploitive. Always use your best judgement.

Get an Agent
After building credits and experience doing some or all of the things listed above, you should be ready to find an agent. Unless you live in a major city, this may be difficult. But even some smaller cities have reputable agents who submit their clients for commercials and the occasional film.

Be Persistent
You may be the most talented actor on the planet, but you’ll never get anywhere without determination. Believe in yourself and never give up. If you want it, you can succeed in this business!

By Joshua Siegel

Learn
You need to be a voracious reader and a hungry learner. Read and know everything you can get your hands on about acting. Having knowledge on various types, techniques and principles of acting would give you a great deal of confidence. Take lessons in personality development, dance, singing, martial arts and any thing that can give credit to your talent list. You also need to enroll in theaters in the neighborhood, be it school theater, community theater or a children’s theater (if you are a kid).

Network
A community theater is a nerve center when it comes to networking or making contacts. In a school theater you only get to know the basics and you are most likely to meet teachers and aspiring actors. But in a community theater, the business gets much more serious and there’s no guessing who can exert what influence to sign you on a role. So, the baseline is “Be nice” to everyone, and at the same time let them know that you aim high and your passion is acting. When you chance upon somebody who knows ‘who’s who’ in the industry, don’t shy away from asking a favor.

Practice
Keep acting. Do anything and any role that comes your way or if it doesn’t come your way go in search of it until you find it. While knowing is one thing, practicing reinforces what you know. All the big timers in the industry today have the cutting edge because of the years of honing they have given themselves through rigorous practice in a medley of challenging roles. So the take away here is keep practicing and don’t let any chance pass you. Join modeling competitions, talent shows, television series, or anything that can give you a chance to practice.

Homework – A Must
Make it customary to read a lot and update your knowledge on the industry. Researching on what you already know can further your acumen. Look up directories and web sites for established actors and email them your profile. For all you know they might trigger your career to a jumpstart.

Peer Group
If you had started early in life pursuing your dream career of acting, and right from kids’ theater graduated to a university, then you may have a lot of people who can be your peer group. These are people with whom you might have maintained good contacts and who would be eager to see you perform. In all probabilities one of these well wishers would call you up for an opening with a role that is just right for you.

Is it too Late?
If the acting bug has bitten you rather late in life then you suddenly realize that you have an actor inside you who can perform miracles. “If only I had known this earlier” – this phrase can just be deleted from your mind for it is never too late to start, especially in acting, as there are roles for kids and as well as older people. There is a need for performers in all the age groups right from kids to oldies, so just wake up and make your dream come true.

Still Feeling Shy?
Are you still not sure if you are considering the right career path and want a hands-on assurance then there is still a chance for you. Get familiar with the industry by volunteering as a crew member. This will give you an excellent opportunity to see how things work.

By Mary Pratt

The career in show business is not without competition, an actor needs to compete with almost all his co-performers to win accolades. It is also important to note that an actor with a plethora of exposure and experience in various performing arts like stage performance, plays, television series, commercials and feature films possesses the dexterity to handle any kind of role, however challenging.

It is imperative for a person aspiring to become an actor to be aware of factors that go into the making of his/her own successful acting career.

Acting – A Career
Contemplate the acting career as your future and not as a glamorous and fanciful idea. It is a fact that most of the successful actors entered the industry wanting to be a success and not due to a choice made out of impulse.

Acting – A Dedication
As an actor you need to be wholly dedicated to the profession. You may also have to sacrifice many of your personal needs, likings and lifestyle to exhibit the required dedication to make it big. When you approach acting with this dedication and hard work there is a great deal of certainty in you succeeding sooner than you can ever imagine.

Read on to learn what is required to become an actor.

• Break down the scene. When you do so, you would get to analyze the scene part-by-part to get the finer details which may be helpful in performing better.

• Dig deeper into your role to understand the character better. You should be clear on what role your character represents, the protagonist, the antagonist, etc. On learning and fully understanding the character you can develop the character. In addition also understand how the character would interact with the other characters.

• Know more about human psychology, good actors are jugglers of various emotions.

• Rehearse the different techniques of acting like Stanislovsky, Meisner, etc. after learning them.

• Get an insight into the various ways of physical movement. The way actors move on stage would widely vary from the way they do so, on the camera.

• It is pivotal to talk the language that the film industry speaks. Ask around about terms you do not understand and get to know deeper about the subjects. An actor who understands technical terms spoken by the crew is preferred to one who is a novice to the subject.

• While communicating effectively is important, it pays to talk when you need to, and listen when you must. This is more so during rehearsals.

• It is good to have a little fun while at work but it important that you don’t goof off on the sets.

• During rehearsals on a set or on stage, know when to talk and when to listen. You may sound obnoxious talking at the wrong time and may affect your personality negatively.

• Make it a point not to talk to crew members who are busy working. It is ok to socialize when they are relatively free. Most crew members would oblige to clear your doubts on the equipment used and their purpose.

• It is important to do as you are told to. While on the sets, stand where you are asked to stand and wait when you are told to.

• As an actor, it is crucial that you show up on time. The production looses huge amounts of money if the team is made to wait for an actor.

• Another important thing is to know your lines. It is expensive to do repeated takes when the actor messes up with the dialogue.

• Know about film making from a business perspective and it would help in the long run. It is very important to learn and keep learning. You can probably learn all your lifetime by reading, attending classes, seminars and listening to tapes.

• Keep acting. Put to practice all the knowledge you harness and act for the passion and not for the pay.

By Mary Pratt

This was my answer to her:

What do you think would really make your parents start to take you seriously and support you?

Do they know what actors do? REALLY? Do they know what it’s like being an actor? Do they know what you really have to go through to become an actor?

Do YOU know the answers to those questions? Do you know what it’s like and what the issues actors face, what it’s like to work on set, what your chances are of just getting work, how hard you’ll have to work, how much you will have to invest of your time and energy to study, to do mailings, to write cover letters, to submit yourself for auditions, to prepare for auditions, prepare your monologues, bone up on your cold reading skills, take specialization classes, travel, etc.

Do you know what the average earnings are of an actor these days? Do you know how many days on the average an actor works. Do you know why business skills are so important for the success of the average actor and do you have them? Do you know how to get an agent? Do you know what the main reason is that some actors get discovered? Are you aware of some of the scams that you need to watch out for? Do you know what it takes to become an actor and do you have what it takes?

That’s a lot of questions I know and I asked them on purpose.

Why?

Because if you can start to answer all those questions, maybe you will be more convincing. I know you’re young, but you have to get started sometime. Some teenagers have someone who is an adult and who supports them in their goals. If you don’t, you can either keep butting heads with you’re your parents or being afraid to approach the subject, or you can start to find out for yourself about this career path you want to embark on and show them that you are really serious.

In other words, the more information you have, the more informed you are about what you say you want, the more you can talk about it intelligently and demonstrate that you know what you are talking about, the greater your chances of being able to convince them to support you. If they have just as much information as you do, then you are on an equal playing field. They are your parents. They are bigger. They are older. They win! At least until you’re out of the house or until they no longer foots your bills!

Is that the way you want it? No? Then get a move on and start doing your homework!

Does doing your homework mean that you will get what you want in the end? Does it mean that you will be one hundred percent guaranteed to get their support? Not necessarily. Your parents are certainly taking into consideration your best interests. But even if you don’t get them to support you, you will know a lot more than you do now about the profession you say you want to pursue.

Stay tuned for future articles and we will address the questions I mentioned above, one by one.

Good luck!

By Anthony Smith

1. Look up casting offices in your area.

2. Look up talent agencies in your area.

3. Check your Regional Theatre Directory for their policy on auditioning and for information about local and upcoming projects.

4. Universities with film departments: Film students are required to produce a certain number of film projects each year and for those projects they are always looking for actors!

5. Find advertising agencies that have clients who shoot on-camera commercials and commercial print ads.

6. See if there is a SAG, AFTRA or Equity office in your area and see if they have a list of reputable talent agents in the area.

7. Through your local courthouse or cultural affairs office, look up your regional theatre directory.

8. Check the arts and culture section of your local newspaper for theatres, shows, plays and events in your area. Take note of the venues where they take place and contact them for the information you desire.

9. Contact local photographers to see if they have contacts for ad agencies, other actors, casting directors, agencies. Agencies and Casting directors often refer actors to certain headshot photographers.

10. Look up you state’s film commission. Usually state film commissions have a list of upcoming film projects to be shot in that state.

11. See if there are any special editions of magazines and/or newspapers that have to do with theatre, film or acting in your area.

12. Pick up a copy of the Hollywood Reporter. Sometimes you will find a list of film projects that will be shot in different areas of the country.

13. Try to find a list of Equity and Non-Equity theatres in your area. Go there and they should be able to give you a wealth of information about where you can go to get started, teachers, schools, etc.

14. Look up acting schools, acting teachers and acting coaches in your area.

15. Look up casting offices that cast for extras, even if they are in a big city like New York or L.A. and sign up with them. Make sure they have your headshot and resume and cover letter. But tell them where you are and where you live. If you are not in the big cities where lots of film and extra work is being shot, you’ll want to tell them to call you when there is work to be had in an area you can easily get to.

16. Remember that when building your résumé, the more theatre work you have on your résumé from reputable theatres, the more attention you will get from casting directors and agents.

17. Lastly, you could also go and take classes with casting directors or agents if you can find them. That is a great opportunity not only to meet casting directors and agents, but also to spend time them.

Good luck!

By Anthony Smith

Not all actors are born performers and not everybody was given a red carpet welcome when they arrived to the business. You would find it hard to believe that most of the leading stars of Hollywood got their ticket to success after a lot of tears, toil and turmoil. If I were to tell you that Madonna had to work as a counter girl at Dunkin Donuts (source: careerbuilder.com) and Sharon Stone kicked off working at McDonald’s (foxnews.com) you may find your jaw dropping. But this is the reality and the essence of this reality is that everybody needs to start somewhere.

While starting is one thing it is a matter of greater consequence how you proceed toward making your dream of becoming an actor come true. For this, one needs to do a lot of smart work along with a great deal of hard work. When I say smart work, it means a well researched, meticulously planned and tried out route which you can adapt to suit yourself to reach the desired goal. And it is smarter work when somebody has already done such ground work and you simply follow the guidelines and increase the probability of your success by leaps and bounds. I have complied below after carefully considering my several years of experience, a step by step guide of becoming an actor. Read on to know the right formula for becoming a hit in the glitter world sooner than you would have expected.

1. All actors must start small.
If you need to get into acting, first get going. Don’t wait for you to be “discovered” by an agent or director for a multi million big buck project. These are just stories that the media writes to make money. In reality no one is actually discovered. If you were to look closer you will notice that those who were discovered had some considerable acting credit to their names earlier. So, the primary step is to just start off with whatever opportunity that comes your way.

2. Every popular actor started off at the bottom and worked up.
Most of the actors you find today would have started small and worked their way up to fame and fortune.

3. Beginning actors don’t need talent agents.
Even talent agents have their choice in taking in their clients. As a beginner if you were to go hunting for a talent agent, you would be wasting time. Rather, I suggest you concentrate on getting roles yourself for a beginning. To do this, all it takes is perseverance and networking.

4. Locate quality jobs on your own.
Who can know better about you than yourself? You will know your strengths and weaknesses like nobody else does, so locate quality jobs yourself while at the early stages of your acting career.

5. New actors should start looking for jobs locally.
Don’t just hop over to Hollywood the minute it strikes you that you have decided to become an actor. There are hundreds of smaller cities where the industry needs talent and where there are only a fewer people. Start locally and work your way to Hollywood.

6. The best experience is to perform in front of a crowd.
If you want an acid test of your talent, do a performance in front of a crowd. This is the best experience that you can get and if they are impressed and applaud every time you perform, there’s no stopping you.

7. Build your resume.
After you have enough acting credits to your name, build a resume that is impressive and informative. Add each new performance to your acting resume and keep it updated and handy. Draft an equally impressive cover letter to go along with this resume and start applying to all good acting jobs that you come across.

8. Get headshots.
Get a good headshot of yours and ensure that it conveys a lot about you with just one look. Add such head shots to your application along with your resume and cover letter.

9. Network.
The other way of getting into good projects is to network, for this all you need to do is play the role of an angel – a person who is amicable, approachable and liked by everybody. You will soon realize that you are being recommended to projects when people you know hear of roles. To network you need to maintain good contacts with actors, directors, casting associates and agents.

10. Find a list of talent agents.
Now that you have grown to be known in the industry, it is time to pick a talent agent. Visit Internet sites that list talent agents and talk to them. Actingland.com is one such site where you will find a list of good and professional talent agents. Talk to the agents and settle down with one who suits you the best.

11. Keep acting.
These are the two words that you must keep chanting all the time. To make it big in the acting industry you need to keep acting and that too incessantly.

By Sarah Bennett

Feel free to read this article with an open mind, because that’s how I’ve written this piece. I’ve started at the beginning with how you should commence your acting career and how to get yourself known in the trade. Remember, there aren’t any hard and fast rules to follow but there are untold traditions that continue in the acting business today. Your journey to becoming an actor will be much easier once you learn about the film industry and what’s worked for other beginning actors like you. So take some time to read this article and the others on this web site before jumping into acting with both feet.

Getting Started
First things first – you need to sell yourself. Promote, network, and promote yourself some more. Starting out, you probably won’t have a talent agent, manager or other form or representation. That’s okay. Every actor begins working on their own and at the earliest stages of your acting career, you won’t need an agent. However, even if you’ve already signed with a talent agent these rules still apply to you.

All actors, whether signed with a talent agent or not, still need to carry out self-promotion. You can’t depend solely on your agent. Your agent surely has other clients who are just as talented and willing as you. Therefore, you must make yourself stand out. Instead of waiting around for a call from your agent, go out, meet people, network and tell others about yourself. And don’t think that just because you spent four years studying acting and drama that you will instantly be considered over someone else for a role. It doesn’t work quite like that so please, read on…

There are a couple ways to self-promote and they depend upon who you’re marketing yourself to. You can market yourself to talent agents and also to casting directors. Like I stated above, talent agents are not necessary at the beginning stages of your career. So let’s start with marketing yourself to casting directors.

Self-Promote to Casting Directors
You want to grab the attention of casting directors because they have the power to hire you and offer you acting work. The more you perform for numerous casting directors and casting associates, the more opportunity you will have to be cast in their productions. But as simple as that sounds, you can’t just show up to a casting director’s office unannounced and perform.

In order to be seen by a casting director or casting associate, you need to attend an open casting call, audition or actor’s showcase. Every time you attend an open casting call, audition or actor’s showcase, you’ll be performing in front of a casting director and a panel of casting associates, producers, directors and other various filmmakers. These people judge your performance, evaluate your acting abilities, and ultimately cast you in their productions.

So where do you find these all-important casting calls and auditions? Start by looking online for casting notices, auditions, and events that are going on in your area. Most of the free audition web sites are inundated by spam and junk casting and audition notices. Therefore, your best bet is to register with a reputable casting web site. My personal choice is Actingland.com. With Actingland.com you can preview the latest casting notices for free and are only asked to register if and when you find a casting call that interests you. Even then, the registration fee is so low it’s silly not to register.

In addition to online, check classifieds for any audition notices and attend as many as possible.

Go to all of the auditions you find. Don’t pass on unpaid acting jobs because they can still prove to be extremely valuable. With each job (unpaid jobs, too) you can add to your resume and build up your online profile. Plus, the auditions and unpaid roles will give you first hand and on-the-job experience and training. Remember, never stop learning!

Even when you are on a job, don’t quit looking for your next one. You can find out about up coming auditions just by being around others on-set or backstage. You’ll meet interesting people on each job and when taking a break or after the day’s work you’ll have time to talk and network. There is a very good chance you’ll get some valuable information about other jobs and roles from the people you work with.

Self-Promote to Talent Agents
As a beginning actor you won’t need an agent. But as you progress in your acting career, you’ll find a time when it will help to have an agent. To find an agent, you’ll have to self-promote. In this case, you’ll have to introduce yourself to talent agents by mailing them your professional headshot, well rounded acting resume, and concise cover letter.

To begin, do your homework and research exactly where the offices of talent agents and agencies are located. You can search online for talent agents and agencies but if you have difficulties locating any in your area, the web site I recommended above (Actingland.com) provides the complete list of all SAG talent agents in the United States and hundreds of AFTRA and extras casting agents and agencies.

After you’ve found several agents or agencies in your area, try to find out who is and isn’t accepting submission materials. When possible, don’t send any materials until you know that the agent is accepting them. This step can save you lots of time and money.

For those talent agents that are accepting submission materials, find out if they actually want to see your resume; at this point they may only be interested in receiving postcards with a little detail. Ask what they need from you and send it.

Also, a talent agent doesn’t want to see too much information crammed onto your resume – it needs to look neat and professional, plus has to be easy to read (think of how many they’ll have to read!). If you have too much information, your resume may be tossed out and replaced by another which is far more pleasing to the eye. Send your materials in a neat, large envelope, anything grubby will look like you don’t care what image of yourself you present.

Another point; make sure that everything you send out has no spelling errors, is grammatically correct, and most importantly has your headshot attached to the back of it. Add your contact details including your telephone, mobile number and email address. Do not include your social security details as this info will not be required until you get the job.

Finally, don’t forget to include a short cover letter to introduce yourself. Keep it brief, all your work history and skills and abilities lists are already on your resume. But although it’s brief, try to personalize each cover letter you send. This may be difficult to do, but if you happened to attend the same school as the agent or are friends with one of their other clients, mention this in your letter. Try to be friendly and casual but also professional, too.

Follow up those resumes you’ve sent out by calling the agents or sending out chasing postcards. Once you are up to around forty to fifty follow-ups per week, you really are focusing properly and are more likely to be seen by your next potential talent agent.

However, keep in mind that very often, after you’ve sent your materials, you may never hear back from those agents. Many agents receive so many resumes they just can’t respond to everyone. If you aren’t getting responses then it may just be that it’s the wrong time for certain talent agents. Don’t let this stop you. Keep going. Rejection is all part of building your experience.

Whatever form of self-promotion you decide to do, remember to keep with it and follow through. Treat your acting efforts as if you were running your own home business because ultimately, you are. You’re in a high-stakes business to sell yourself. So go out there and get some customers!

By Aimee Mitchell

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.

By Sarah Bennett