Have You Every Wanted To Follow Your Dream Of Becoming A Hollywood Actor?
Well here is the step by step guide in order on how to make that dream a reality!
Training- Now you might think this step to be a given, but you would be surprised how many aspiring actors/actresses flock to Los Angeles thinking they will succeed on natural talent! If that is your plan, I would advise you to stop and rethink your next move. Getting properly trained and to continue to train throughout your career is essential to success in the film industry. There are many different styles of training from Stanislavski's system Miesner and Strasberg etc etc. I could go on for hours on all the different schools and the methods they ascribe to. Most techniques all follow a similar system with some variation's to them The method you choose to study FIRST is up to you. I encourage trying different techniques to see what works best for you. Once you find a school or class that you like TRAIN TRAIN TRAIN!!!!! Never stop training even after you land the role you have always dreamed of, continue honing and perfecting your craft. That is the best and most important tip I can give you. Remember there are literally millions of actors all trying to make it in this industry. The actor/actress who takes their craft seriously and studies continuously is going to have the skillset casting directors and agents will be looking for.
Now a question I have heard and read a lot is " I don't live in Los Angeles, so where can I train to become a actor/actress?" .
Well there are many resources for training if you don't live near a studio or even a major city that has schools. You can first check with the local college and see if they have a theater program. That would be a great place to start learning the fundamentals of the craft. There are other options as well and one that I actually utilized before moving to Los Angeles. Learning at a distance via a online acting coach. There are a few different private coaches you could research online that offer this service but I wholeheartedly endorse my private acting coach
I work with him every week at his studio here in Los Angeles and I couldn't be happier with the training I receive. Now there are other forms of training I recommend that will make you STAND OUT in the sea of Actors and Actresses. Any kind of speciality training or even skills that you have or want to add will give you a competitive edge when going for an audition. Specialty weapons training , hand to hand combat, horseback riding, a second language etc etc, will give you that much more of chance of landing a role if the production is looking for a trained actor with that skillset.
Headshots- Professional headshots are a must!! When I say professional, I don't mean in your friend's living room with the new camera he got for Christmas. I mean going to a professional photographer that specializes in Headshot photography for Actors. You might think that it's just a picture of my head, how hard can it be? Well look below at these examples of a professional and amatuer headshot and tell me which one a casting director is going to choose?
Think of yourself as a business and how you want that image to be. Do you want to look like you cut corners and went the cheapest route or do you want to look like you take pride in your acting. I'm going to say the latter is your answer. Remember that the effort , time, and money you put into your career is what you will get out of it. Price of a good headshot should range from the $150-$250 per look.
Resume- Your resume along with your headshot is basically your calling card. Along with your headshot, it acts as a snapshot of you and your skills. When a casting director, agent, or producer looks at your resume it needs to have all the vital info you want them to see. First they will look at your headshot and if you took my advice and went to a professional they will then look at your resume. On your resume you need to have the following
1- Name and Contact Info
2 - Credits separated in categories for Film, TV, Theater and Commercial
3. Training and classes taken
4. Special skills
Here is an example of a properly formatted acting resume
Tip- Wanted to share this info about listing your theater credits. If you are in New York and going for theater or acting, put it on your resume. If you are in Los Angeles and going for film acting, leave it off. Something I was told by multiple persons in the industry.
Reel- Do I need a reel in the beginning? Now this I have seen answered by many experts a few different ways. Let me break it down for everyone. YES and NO! So let's start with the NO answer. Before any actor/actress even thinks about trying to audition for professional productions, you should be auditioning for student films. Not only do you gain experience of being on set but it will give you credits to list on your resume. I'm going to say 99% of the time you don't need a reel to get a audition for a student film. Not only for credits but as you work in these student films you will get footage to start putting your first reel together. Now onto the YES answer. When you move to the next level of wanting to audition to more professional productions or you move to Los Angeles, you are going to need a high quality reel to showcase your work. Remember now at this level you are going to be competing with hundreds of thousands of talented actors/actresses who will have a reel. Who do you think the casting director will look at? The person with the high quality reel or the person without? Right they are going to look at the person who has put the time and effort into making a stellar reel. What do you do if you don't have high quality footage yet? Have a company that specializes in producing reels for actors produce it for you.
The company listed above has produced extremely high quality content for actors, that has helped land auditions and agents for many new actors. When you are ready to make that leap to the pro circuit I highly recommend getting a professional reel done.
Auditions- Where do I find projects to audition for? So this will be a short one to explain as it's pretty straight forward. There are many online services like Actors Access, Backstage, and even Craigslist that list roles to apply for an audition. As long as you have your professional headshots properly formatted, resume, and have been TRAINING you will be able to find a lot of productions you can apply to.
Should I Join SAG? This is a mistake I see new actors make all the time. They get a one line part in a union film and think they have to run off and join the union now. That is the worst thing you can do in the beginning. If you don't have the experience or credits, you will get lost in that proverbial sea of actors. There is a time to join SAG/AFTRA and you will know when the time is right. Do as many non union films, student films, plays, and commercials to gain the experience you will need. Then, when the time is right....... Join the union and enter the big leagues.
In closing, I just want to say that the dream of being an actor is one that many have. It is very possible, but it takes persistence, dedication, and a drive to succeed at any cost. You don't have to have the looks of Brad Pitt or Megan Fox to get casted. There is a role for everyone out there. What are you willing to do to get it? I'm available for anyone that has any questions or needs some more clarification.