How to Become an Actor

Have you toyed with the idea of becoming an actor for years, knowing it's right for you but trying to be a bit more practical? Well, it's high time you tell that voice in your head to be quiet (does it curiously sound like your mom?) and get to business on pursuing your dreams. Someone's going to be the next big star -- why shouldn't that person be you?

Steps

Owning Your Craft

1. Study acting at a university or arts academy. Though it's possible to do without this step, if you don't live in LA or New York, this is a pretty standard go-to option. You'll get exposure to the pros, learn about techniques, and get automatic chances to work on a stage. For the more tangible stuff, you'll be building your resume, getting exposure and setting up a network. And your teachers will constantly be pushing you to do more, practically taking care of the motivation part for you.
   
   • What do Lindsay Lohan, Charlie Sheen, Tom Cruise, Pam Anderson and Jessica Simpson all have in common? Apart from being the absolute cream of the celebrity crop, they all didn't finish high school.^[1] So while it's completely possible to achieve massive amounts of success without the formal education, just, err, take it with a grain of salt.
2. Attend summer camps, acting workshops, or summer stock in your area. Some of these can be intensive enough that you'll learn months worth of material in a period of 2 to 3 weeks. You can be involved in multiple shows doing multiple things and possibly even get stipends for your work.
   
   • While school isn't going on, it's important to stay on top of your game, and attending camps and workshops is a good way to do it. If you're stuck with a job that keeps you from being able to attend these, make sure you're always reading and researching your craft. Go to shows, read up on theory, and expose yourself to new ideas and schools of thought.
   • If you're interested in stage theatre, summer stock is a great way to get started. Plays, musicals, and even operas get put up in a matter of weeks all throughout the country and offer very valuable life experience.^[2] Find an audition near you in the spring to gear up for the season once school's out.
3. Audition for community theater. This process can be a step above college theater if the theater takes the productions seriously and has a decent budget. Winning a role in a community theater production will put you in contact with others who are polishing their craft just like you and garner you more experience. You'll also get a better idea of where you stand in relation to the competition.
   
   • Even if you're not looking to work for the stage or do straight plays or musicals, any experience in the field of drama looks good on your resume and will teach you things you didn't know. And you'll make friends, too!
4. Hire an acting coach to iron out kinks in your technique. Your coach can give you the personal attention you need to tackle your weak spots as well as polish what you do well. Look for a coach with a lot of industry experience and connections.
   
   • Hit up the staff and faculty at the school you attend or a theatre you've worked with. Someone will surely know someone else (who knows somebody) that can hook you up with what you're looking for. And if they can sing and/or dance, that doesn't hurt either!
5. Identify your strengths. Many "acting resumes" will require you to know what skills you have, such as accents, special abilities or impersonations. Expand these talents as much as you can so that you appeal to a wide range of casting calls.
   
   • Finding where your skills lie can help you determine which route to take. The call of an actor varies widely -- for starters, do you see yourself on the silver screen or on the stage?

For the Film Actor

1. Get to a big city. Preferably LA, though you can start from scratch anywhere that has a decent film scene. You may have to take a waitressing job, but if it gets you a flexible schedule to make it to casting calls, great. That's all you need.
   
   • To take this seriously, a big city is the only way to do it. If your financial situation doesn't allow for it, start making efforts to change that. Where there's a will, there's a way.
2. Become a "background" actor. Once you're where you need to be, get connected (literally) and take on roles as an extra, or background actor. Open casting calls for these can be found all over the Internet, but a few places to start off are Backstage, Hollywood Reporter and Variety.
   
   • It won't be glamorous, but you don't have to put a glamorous rating on your resume. More than likely you'll be left to your lonesome 75% of the time, so bring a book, some knitting, or something to amuse yourself with as the crew spends hours adjusting the lights.
3. Get an agent. This is your go-to for auditions and staying in the loop. And a good one will only get paid when you're successful, so don't buy into the ones that demand some exorbitant fee even if your schedule stays wide open.
   
   • Ask around your network for opinions on who to go to and how to get started. Other actors will definitely have opinions on the matter and may be able to even set you up with theirs.
4. Get into a performer's union. You're about to hit the big time, kid! Getting into a union is a clear-cut sign that you're taking this seriously. Once you take an apprenticeship or do some background work, you're pretty much in. Hello, health benefits!
   
   • Look into organizations like ACTRA, AEA, AGMA or AGVA. Once you get into one of those, it's pretty easy to get into SAG (the Screen Actor's Guild). All you gotta do is find work occasionally and pay your dues. Well worth it.

For the Stage Actor

1. Get larger than life. Stage acting requires a completely different (okay, maybe not completely different) set of skills than film acting. It's pretty easy to spot a stage actor when they venture to the screen. When on a stage, you have to entertain people from practically miles away -- as a result, everything you do must be larger.
   
   • So start working on your voice. It's your moneymaker. Stay away from cigarettes, alcohol, and anything that dehydrates your vocal folds and wears 'em out. You need to be loud and proud at all times.
2. Work on your stage skills. Many a stage actor would argue that it's harder than film acting; after all, the film actor gets to hide behind the camera. On stage, you're making the magic yourself. Start taking classes that convince audiences you're the real thing.
   
   • Stage combat classes can show you how to fight convincingly without getting injured or simply looking like a loon. Knowing how to do it can open up a number of roles, in both straight plays and in musicals.
   • Work on dialects. A dialect coach can get you started quite easily here. If you already don't sound like a generalized version of your ethnicity, you may need to work on getting rid of yours. Otherwise you may find yourself typecast more often than not.
   • Become a triple threat. If you're even slightly interested in musical theatre, it's a good idea to get into voice lessons and dance classes. Having just one (or even two) skills isn't enough to seriously crack into the industry.
   • Do something out of the ordinary. If you were a clown for 12 years, great! That's useful. If you moonlight as a gymnast, fantastic. Yodel? Superb. Any skills that most other performers don't have may pay off in the long-run. So keep up your hobbies -- they'll make you more marketable.
3. Consider getting your equity card. Though it's completely possible to run through all the hoops without it and still find success, having your equity card opens up a number of auditions that otherwise wouldn't be available to you.
   
   • It's not a clear-cut process, unfortunately. You either have to get a contract that requires equity standing, be a member of a sister group (like SAG, for example), or accumulate enough credits to meet the standard.^[3] It's natural to find the process a bit confusing, so contact a friend or mainstay in your actor's social network for more information on how they did -- everyone goes about it differently.

Getting Ready for Auditions

1. Learn an array of monologues. If you had training, odds are you have a repertoire full of 'em that you can pull out at a moment's notice. If not, it's pretty easy (read: takes a few seconds with an Internet search) to find one. These short segments (usually between 1-2 minutes) are often used to cast you in plays, movies and shows. They allow you to showcase your talents in a short period of time.
   
   • You'll want contrasting monologues. Even if you always play the funny man, have a couple serious monologues ready to whip out when requested.
   • For singers, you'll need 16-32 bars of a few songs ready and mastered. Some auditions won't specify a genre while some will want you to show them something similar to what they're producing. So have a few ready at the go.
2. Assemble your resume. Add any productions that you've done at camps, workshops, universities and community theater. If it's even semi-related, you're good to go. Backstage work counts too! Show them how balanced you are if you have tech, props, or costume experience to boot.
   
   • List any special abilities that you have (dancing, singing, dialects, combat, etc.) on your resume. Don't lie too much, though. You might get caught being asked to tap your way through a monologue even if you conveniently forgot your tap shoes.
3. Know yourself. Decide your type. Do you do best in leading roles or in character roles? Are you the next leading lady or the perfect creepy villain? Specializing in the beginning will help you to target the best auditions for your abilities.
   
   • There is nothing wrong with being typecast. In fact, if you go into auditions aiming for your type, you're more likely to find success. Would anyone argue that Helena Bonham Carter isn't a legitimate actress, even though she plays the same role over and over? No. She just knows what she's good at and she rocks it every time. So take a look at yourself -- what comes the most naturally?
4. Get headshots. The first thing that a director or producer will see about you is the headshot that accompanies your resume. It's in your best interest to get these ASAP and get a whole bunch printed -- you'll be handing them out like candy. Make sure they're current! Don't use a photo of you from 5 years ago.
   
   • It's not hard to get cheap headshots done well. Often photographers are in the same position you are and are trying just to build up their portfolio. Ask around for any emerging photographers willing to take you on for a small fee, or even free. The great thing about headshots is that no set is required and nothing fancy-schmancy is necessary.
5. Show up prepared. You can't control what the director who's casting the project will think of you, but you can control how well you present yourself. Show up on time, know your audition material, bring any materials that you need (including a pen or pencil) and look your best. That's really all you can do.
   
   • Be talkative. You never know who you'll meet that can get you in. That guy hiding in the corner with a headset on probably has way more power than you realize. And even if he doesn't now, he may later. So chat up those around you and dig your toes into the acting sandbox.
6. Audition frequently. Taking auditions is a good way to be seen about town. Once people start to recognize you, they'll be more likely to consider you for roles. Getting your name out there is half the battle.
   
   • You'll get no's. You'll get loads of no's. Everyone does. The job part of acting is the auditioning -- if you never auditioned, it wouldn't be a job. So take the no's lightly and keep going. A yes will come eventually.

Building Your Personal Brand

1. Think of yourself as an entrepreneur. You are an artist, but you're also in business for yourself. You're marketing your face, your voice, your body and your acting skills. Be aware that the people you audition for will see you as a product, and they will be looking at you as a way to make money. This is neither good or nor bad, but knowing that's how it is will keep your head on your shoulders.
   
   • Don't let this depress you; let it empower you. Rejection isn't about you personally. It's about you not matching their idea of the product that they want. You'll match someone else's product later.
2. Get web exposure. Put your headshot online as well as your resume. Actors Access is a great place to start. Put videos of your performances on YouTube. Set up a Facebook page and a Twitter account. It's a long shot, but you never know who may randomly stumble upon your info and decide to hire you. Plus, you can build a loyal fan base through social media. Double win.
   
   • You can also put your demo up on sites like ReelAct.^[4] And/or get your own website! Why not?
3. Network extensively. Be approachable and build your reputation as a professional with whom others like to work. The people in your network can connect you to available jobs and can provide you with valuable insights about your work and about the business.
   
   • Avoid developing a bad reputation. If you get coined as lazy, difficult to work with, or just downright snooty, you're less likely to get gigs. Don't go around asking for the orange M&Ms picked out just yet.
4. Keep tabs on the industry. Check out industry papers and websites like Variety.com, Backstage.com, Showbusinessweekly.com, and Hollywoodreporter.com to find out what are the current trends in the business. Constantly go to shows and work on side projects with friends and acquaintances to keep your creative flame a-burning.
   
   • Get reading, studying, and connecting. Though you may think acting is something you have or you don't, it's not that simple. Stay up on emerging playwrights and directors, familiarize yourself with theories, and get yourself out there. Knowing in which direction "the scene" is going will help keep you ahead of the curve. Maybe you'll be inspiration for the next big project!

Tips

• Many people say they want to become an actor, but they really don't realize what the acting lifestyle is really like. Talk to other actors and find out what they do in a typical day. Also, find out what they do when they aren't involved in a regular acting job.
• The Screen Actors Guild recently merged with AFTRA to form SAG-AFTRA, in case you were curious.
• Every day act like someone or something you aren't.

Warnings

• Acting is an extraordinarily competitive field, and you may never be as famous as you want to be. Be realistic but, at the same time, ambitious. It's a fine, fine line.
• It's not all sunshine and butterflies. It'll be hard work. You may have to pinch pennies and eat ramen for a while to get by. Accept this.
• How to Become an Actor: The Business of Acting
• Daily Actor's Guide on How to Become an Actor

Related wikiHows

• How to Act Out an Emotional Scene
• How to Become a Disney Channel Actor/Singer
• How to Become a Voice Actor/Voiceover Artist
• How to Keep Your Cool About Acting
• How to Become Famous
• How to Become a Paid Movie Extra
• How to Start an Acting Career As a Teen
• How to Make It in the Acting Business

Sources and Citations

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