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Essentials for Your Acting Career
(by Charles Todd, AC Staff)
Before you begin your acting career, you should first
spend time deciding whether or not you really want to
become an actor. Many people see movie stars on
television and decide that they would like to be one.
But you must remember that it took most of those
glamorous stars many years of training and dedication
to get to where they are today. They had the passion
to so what others told them couldn't be done. They had
the energy to pursue their career. And they had the
resolve to take rejection and continue onward. You
must decide whether or not you have that same passion.
Once you have decided that you have the energy,
passion and tenacity to become a professional actor,
you need to acquire the essentials you need to make
your acting career blossom.
Experience
Perhaps the best way to
begin your acting career is to get involved in local
community theatres. Look in the phone book for
community theatres in your area and ask them how you
can get involved. Community theatres in your area are
a great way to gain experience as an actor. You can
get exposed to plays from Shakespeare and others. You
can learn how to learn lines and perform characters
before live audiences. And you can interact with other
actors who can guide you and share information about
the industry.
Training
If you live in or near a large city, there should be
some acting classes in the area. Find a good acting
coach or teacher you can train with. Training is
essential to any actor, the same way training would be
important to an airline pilot. Without training, an
airline pilot will crash and burn. Without proper
training, an actor will, metaphorically, do the same.
The more training you have, the better you will be
able to perform and the wider your range of
performances will be.
Headshot/Resume
Your headshot is an 8 x 10, usually black and white
representation of you. On the back of the photo, you
will place your resume, detailing all the work you've
done, training you've received, and special skills you
have. Your headshot is like a business card. It is the
essential to get a great headshot that (1) looks like
you, (2) represents your career path, (3) and details
all your skills, training and experience.
Talent Agency
A talent agency is a company that helps an actor find
work, negotiate contracts and manage their careers. A
talent agency is not always essential, depending on
where you live. But it can always be helpful because
talent agencies understand the industry, understand
the work available in your area, and understand what
is needed to become a successful actor in your area.
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