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How to Start Acting
How to start acting… how do you get into
the acting business? Many children growing up want to be doctors,
lawyers, or actors – these are the professions that children
know about and dream about. Most people know that to become a doctor,
you go to medical school, and to become an lawyer you go to law
school. How do you start acting, though? To become an actor, do
you go to act school? To become an actor, you move to Hollywood…
in a sense.
So, here is a short guide to how to start acting:
· First of all, you need to decide whether you want to be
a professional actor or an amateur. If you want to be an amateur
actor, check with local theaters and see what they have to offer.
If you want to become a professional actor… well, there is
a bit more that you have to do.
· You need to move to a major city. You do not necessarily
need to move out to Hollywood. Although you will probably end up
in New York or Los Angeles if you want to be truly successful, you
can start to build up your resume in a different, large city. There
are many metropolitan areas that have good theater and film communities.
· You may not need to go to “act school,” but
you certainly ought to take some acting classes. An actor should
never stop studying acting.
· Get a good headshot. You are going to need a good headshot,
not a glamour shot, to send with your resume to get a good agent
and to get good auditioning opportunities.
· You need to read the trade papers on a regular basis and
also online publications to hear about casting calls. When you hear
about a casting call that you are interested in, send in your headshot
and resume to request an audition.
· To do well in the acting industry, you need to start networking.
You need to know people in the industry. Therefore, you need to
accept any and all invitations to industry parties and events.
· Do not give up. It can be hard to start acting. You most
likely will not land the first role that you really want. It does
not mean that you will not land a good role down the line
Before you even get started in acting, make sure that you realize
it is a difficult business to succeed in. Chances are you will not
be the next Brad Pitt, but you can still find your niche. If you
simply love to act but do not care about all of the fame and wealth
that comes with professional acting, you can always try out an amateur
theater. It may be the perfect way to practice the acting that you
love. Now you know how to start acting.
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