Have you ever thought about what you would need to DO to get into acting? Whether youve had an undying passion for the art, and MUST PURSUE IT as a job NO MATTER WHAT, or if you just figure it would be fun to try a little community theater acting, youve come to the ideal place. This article represents the first in a series of newsletters that discuss what it takes to become a professional actor, and even if you just want to try acting for fun, you will still get all the info you need to have fun.
This article is a wake up call if you've been thinking about a career in acting. Lets get going.
Weve all seen great movies, TV shows and plays that make us want to laugh or to cry, movies that fill us with beauty, fantasy, adventure, drama, or love. Lots of people have dreams of becoming an actor, being the perfect role, becoming rich and famous, or just being a part of the story telling that moves everyone the way we like to be moved. Havent you ever seen a lame TV commercial and thought to yourself, That actor stinks! I could do better than that! Well, it is one thing to criticize someones acting, and a very different thing to really DO a better job. Isn't there a difference between those of us that dream about becoming actors and those who actually do it? Yes, there is a huge difference, and that difference is centered in each persons BELIEF AND ACTION.
My goal here is to teach you and encourage you to follow your dreams, whatever they are. In subsequent articles, well talk about beliefs and actions that will either keep you from, or move you toward your professed dream.
Actors are not normal. If you want to be normal I suggest you forget about an acting career. Most actors are about a half a bubble off plumb, and why wouldnt we be? Acting is emoting in public the thing most normal people avoid like the plague. If you are not normal, welcome to the club.
Acting is filled with rejection tons of actors and even the best ones will only get 1 job out of many auditions. That is a lot of rejection in anyones book. And even if youre a great actor, many times youll be rejected because youre too tall, or too short, too old, too young, too light, too dark, too heavy or too thin. Often, for whatever reason, the best actor does NOT get the job. There are lots of reasons why you may struggle to get acting jobs, many of which are out of your control. So if you are going to pursue acting as a career, you better get a really good reason to keep at it in spite of rejection. Better yet, get several reasons. Youre gonna need em.
Most professional actors are unemployed right now. There is no guarantee that youll ever get work, and if you do ever land a job, the only guarantee is that THE JOB WILL END, and you will be back in the unemployment line, again. The average union actor in the USA earns under $5,000 a year. The actors you know and love earn much more, but their incomes are included in the average mentioned, which makes your chances of a big payday look even more dismal. Even when you DO get a job, the pay can be lousy some acting jobs actually cost the actors especially jobs in small theater productions. Getting paid $7 per performance likely doesnt even cover your transportation costs to and from the job, much less your time or wardrobe requirements (yes, actors are often required to provide their own wardrobe).
Unless you have a rich uncle who dotes on you, youll need a day job to cover your bills between acting gigs. Better get a marketable skill, or several, and choose work thats flexible, so you can leave at a moments notice for an audition. If you do actually get an acting gig, youll need your day job to be flexible enough to leave it for a day, a week, or even a couple of months till your acting stint is over. More about this in future articles.
Geography can be another roadblock for your career. If you live in a small town, far from film, television and theater centers, chances are even less that you can succeed as a professional actor. If something deep inside you says YOU MUST ACT, and the resources are not available where you live, consider relocating. Hey, its a numbers game, and the more things you can line up in your favor, the better.
Do you have a spouse? Do you have children? If not, do you ever want them? If you do have them, do you want to keep them? The actors life is challenging, filled with uncertainty and change. And remember, the retirement plan for most actors is non-existent. If security and a good retirement is high on your priority list, better look for another line of work.
If your determined to become an actor, you simple must answer these questions: Why do I want to be an actor? What does a successful acting experience look like? Write down your answers to these questions and review them often. Stay tuned for the next article, and well see you in the movies.
About the Author
John Fisher, a veteran actor and acting coach, has launched a new website about how to get into acting.