We have found 19,298 posts across 4 actor forums:
Second City in Toronto - are the acting classes for comedic actors only? by FinzujiCane • last post Mar 25th
I see Second City mentioned a lot for aspiring Toronto actors. However, their description for acting classes seems to revolve around comedic acting. Is it even worth it over places like Armstrong if it’s just catering to comedy? Thanks.
NYC actor looking to change schools by AssEaterKeanu • last post Mar 25th
I attend Kimball Studios near Union. Not liking the program, there isn't much sense of community and the teacher-student relationships are abysmal. I don't feel that my art can really grow. Plus...they don't do monologues... wtf.. how do u teach students to audition w.o monologues... How's HB Studio, the Barrows group, or Stella Adler? I'm looking to learn Shakespeare or perform Greek classics. I take acting very seriously, it's an incredible craft. Please if you have any knowledge for an actor in NYC look for Shakespeare/The Classics lmk!
Need help with my first steps as an actor. Please read the description :) by lxurin_hei • last post Mar 25th
I am going to write my finals in the german equivalent of highschool and I really don't know what I want to do afterwards. Movies have always been an interest of mine and I also often fantasized about acting / being an actor. I never took an acting class or anything and I don't even know if I am a decent actor or not. I am also rather introverted and I assume that will make it more difficult for me. Now to my question: Where do I start acting? How can I find out if I am a good actor or not? Is it a full-time thing or can I study something else at a university and practice acting on the side? Any answers / tips are greatly appreciated.
Headshot-Age Range-Character Type Feedback by AutoModerator • last post Mar 24th
Use this thread to post your headshots for feedback, get info on your age range/type, find good headshot photographers, ask any questions you may have about headshots. If you are posting a DIY headshot for feedback, and not just a snapshot in order to get feedback on your age range/type/etc, it is advised that you do at least some basic research on what actor headshots look like--composition, framing, lighting. You will find a Google Image search for "actor headshots" to be very helpful for this. Non-professional shots are fine for age/typecasting; please keep in mind that one picture is a difficult way to go about this. Video of you moving and speaking would be ideal, but understandably more difficult to post. For what it's worth, the branding workshop at SAG-AFTRA recommends a five-year age range. That's inclusive, so for example 19-23, 25-29, 34-38, etc.
Dealing with frustration by torontogal1986 • last post Mar 24th
Hey everyone! I’ve been feeling a bit frustrated lately. I was on a nice consistent level of work before the pandemic and that has just completely gone away. I’m not trying to be ungrateful, I work a fair amount for a Canadian actor but lately I’ve been kinda pissed. I’ve been on hold like 6 times with the same casting director and I’m waiting to hear about a supporting role and I know I won’t get it because it’s been about a week and a half. Im trying to focus on my auditions but I’m stuck in this funk. Like I know I’m doing good work because otherwise I wouldn’t be on hold but it’s just so aggravating to not break through. Ughhh just venting. Hugs to everyone.
When a tv actor is sick by agbellamae • last post Mar 24th
I don’t mean anything serious like cancer, in which you would have to take a long break. But I also don’t mean like just the sniffles where you can down some DayQuil and keep plugging away. I’m talking about when you get something where you’re coughing up gunk out of your throat every other minute, the glassy bleary eyes, the hugely congested hacking away etc. basically, where it’s bad enough that you COULD come in, but if you come in everyone is going to be like “ew stay away from me” and you’re literally disruptive on the set because you can’t keep your fluids together Lol I know that with theater there are understudies, and with film it could be possible to push back production a day or two. But if you were a series regular in like a sitcom where you’re making an episode a week, or even less, how do they manage that? You can’t really push back production. They’ve got to get the episode done. If you had a guest spot they could replace you, but if you’re a series regular you can’t miss, and you’d be missing the entire episode. I’m not in this position now, but im curious as to what would happen. It’s my spring break right now and I’ve literally been sick the entire week retching and it hit me that how could I do anything like this in a tv show episode that must be finished on a deadline! Thanks
Tips for a beginner by VisforVoldemort • last post Mar 24th
Hey y'all! I'm a musical theatre actor who decided to get a VO setup to do some remote work in between gigs. I've worked consistently on stage since I graduated college but am having a hard time finding a foothold in the VO industry. Where is the best place to find auditions, what demos/materials should I have recorded to showcase myself, and are there any tips or tricks you wish you knew when you first started? As of right now, I've just been recording spots and sending them out. I have a membership to [voices.com](https://voices.com), a pop filter, sound proofing, a scarlet 2i2, a Shure SM7B Dynamic Cardioid Mic, and Adobe Audition so I think I have at least a decent set up to start out
The ultimate resources for ACTORS’ career. Martin is known for being personal…he answers every email by Resident_Objective_4 • last post Mar 24th
Some thoughts on the business of being an actor and why a lot of people walk away from it by RothkoRathbone • last post Mar 24th
Hello, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this and if it relates to your experience or not? (Hopefully the formatting is not a problem, for some reason it added extra spaces when I copy and pasted it from the doc I wrote it in). I feel compelled to share some stuff about some actor insights I've picked up along the way, and hopefully you get something out of it. I am currently based in Los Angeles and before that I was in NYC. I consider myself a good actor who could have representation but that hasn't happened so far and why will be some of what I talk about. The industry is hell. It just really is. I think there are a lot of good actors around who give up because they get fed up with the grind. There are two sides to being an actor one is the craft of being an actor, the other is being a good business person and a hustler. I believe most good actors are interested in the former, the craft, but the reality is that to get work it is somewhere around 70 - 90% the latter, you just have to hustle, and that stuff can be really gross. All good actors want to be Gary Oldman or Carey Mulligan, or working on a movie with a great director, like Christopher Nolan or Guillermo del Toro etc. but that is such a rare position to be in. And I don't mean in that specific place in the business i.e. an A list actor in a A list directors movie, but to be working on a quality film where you feel satisfied with your work and the project you are in. That work absolutely exists but it is difficult to come across. This concept of the dividing line between the gross business and "authentic craft" is everywhere! Top drama schools do a really good job of walking the line between seeming authentic but actually just being a bit of a machine, and that is what so much of the business is about. There are a lot of independent places to take classes, some of those are authentic with awesome teachers, but a lot of them are hustlers who name drop, sell you their book, and pack their class with as many actors as they can. The reality is a lot of people just see actors as this desperate commodity to exhort money out of, the endless actor targeted spam is a testament to that. Many of the "experts" or gate keepers i.e. acting gurus, or casting directors, get a big power trip out of their interactions with actors. So often for them to like you you have to be really good at kissing ass and being a charmer. In my opinion there is a lot of narcissism in the business and so there is this love hate duality between a lot of people. A lot of casting directors faun over A list actors while looking down at actors who are nobodies. There is something toxic about that to me. I think it's the same reason why some acting teachers and people in the business are verbally abusive. We don't often hear about that but it definitely happens. It is not about being good. You think it would be right? At least I did. I cared about being good, and I still do, because what matters to me is the craft of acting. This is not what matters in the industry. What matters in the industry is being marketable. If a CD of agent thinks an actor is marketable and the actor isn't especially good, they will just hire an acting coach to get the actor up to speed. Then if the audience likes them they will get more work, if not, they will be cast aside. Being good is a bonus that might help your career and longevity but it is not essential. The good and marketable actors are who we see at the awards shows every year, those are the actors we think of, that very small percentage of all the actors in the world. Most others who are working might be good, a lot aren't, many just fit a type. Bryan Cranston is a good example of a working actor who people realized was awesome and so he got better roles and recognition. The majority of the work you come across is not super fulfilling. If you don't have access to well paid work that isn't going to have a large audience, all that is left is that the work itself is fulfilling. That is the most important element in my opinion but that can be hard to find. Let me describe finding work as an actor. If you don't have representation you don't have access to projects with a decent budget, those films are usually good projects or they are at least professional because the filmmakers are taking it seriously or they wouldn't have been able to raise the money, and they have hired professionals who are good at their job. While it does happen, it is rare that the casting department of those films are going to look on job boards. If they do it is usually because they have a particular niche they are casting for. So if an actor doesn't have access to those jobs all they have are the job boards, and those gigs can be tiring to trawl through. The quality of work on offer runs the gamut. There are people who don't know what they are doing and are unprofessional. There are unpaid gigs, which I have gone back and forth on being willing to do. There are jobs that aren't very inspiring or don't sound very interesting to me personally. There are bad scripts. There are jobs that make you feel like a commodity. Those kinds of things can make up the majority in all honesty. Now, you do find awesome projects on there and that is rewarding and satisfying to be a part of. To work on an awesome project that is being made on a shoe string is appealing if you believe in it, but those things are hard to come across. Jobs boards just start to have a natural negative association in your mind, a thing that takes more of you than it gives. Sometimes you look through a job board with optimism and a fresh mind, other times you sigh and scroll. You start to crave better options, but you know you need representation for that so you give up on wasting your time on Backstage and decide you are going to try and get an agent. You decide that concentrating on the craft is not getting you anywhere. You realize you need to work on the hustle. As I mentioned, the hustle is a bit gross. There are arbitrary rules about what you should and shouldn't be doing. It is a Catch-22. You need to already be doing the work to get work, you can't expect an agent to make your career for you. A CD is unlikely to cast you if they have just met you, even if they like you, so you have to be familiar to them. This means sending out postcards, which I've never done, being on Twitter and liking their posts maybe, going to their workshops etc. Hustling. Then maybe you will get a line on a show. It always amazes me to think that those one liner parts are coveted roles. They are hard to get! And yet they mean nothing. That actor has put years into trying to make this work and that might be as far as it goes for them. Or maybe they get another bit part, a slightly larger part etc. Maybe they are lucky enough to get a recurring role. Again though, that might very well be as far as their career goes. It doesn't even come down to whether they are good or not, it's just luck, if someone likes them and they have a part they think they might be good for. Around LA I've met a lot of hustler actors, they are about advancing their careers, they don't have a lot of time for people unless they can advance their career in some way. They can be a bit abrasive in my experience. The best people are the people who are in it for the craft. There are less of those though, especially in LA. The nature of the industry creates hustler actors. Because those are the people that survive or just who you need to be to get work, meanwhile good actors who aren't interested in the hustle eventually walk away. Lastly, there is the lifestyle outside of the hustle. Actors need to be available at all times, your general 9 - 5 doesn't mesh well. So you need a flexible job or a part time job. That means not having health insurance and being paid garbage. Being an actor is a constant expense, you need to be in classes to stay fresh, you need to pay for casting websites, and you need headshot updates. This is on top of your website costs, and maybe if you need to pay someone to edit your materials. I feel like most actors who stop acting do it gradually. They don't want to be broke, and they don't enjoy the hustle, so they work full-time to earn better money and they eventually stop going to auditions because it's too difficult to go to them. They still want to act, and in their mind they haven't given up on it, until one day they have. It's hard to justify when the pay is so low, or the gigs are so infrequent. Bartending and serving is frequently seen as good work for an actor, but that is a job with diminishing returns because eventually it will pay less as you get older. The better paying jobs are going to young attractive people. The experience is also not an investment. Unlike other jobs where the years doing it can add up to better pay. Lastly, I said lastly before but I actually mean it this time. Actors are not respected. That's not strictly true. A list actors are respected, that very small percentage. B and C list actors too. And a bit part might elicit a response from someone not in the industry. But otherwise no. You could say it's even the inverse of respect. It doesn't matter what an actor personally gains from acting, it doesn't matter that acting is an art that is a form of self-expression, that it is a creative act that most people can't do. Most people have even fantasized about being an actor. Most actors have chosen a hard road, and they are doing it because they love it, and/or they are very ambitious and are willing to take a huge risk. No, none of that matters. People only judge a persons choice to act against A list talent. For the most part those people are the only actors that matter, and if you aren't one of them you are seen as a bit of a fool. This is true of no other art form, if you paint, play an instrument, or dance, people will respect it even if you are not doing it at a national level. But acting seems to equal how famous are you. As I kind of mentioned above, respect for an actor even wavers by people in the industry, CDs, agents, teachers, all have variable opinion of actors. As an actor you have to accept that most people will look down on you for choosing to do it. I've mentioned a lot. If it sounds like a mess, it's because being an actor is messy, and that all why most people only do it for so long. There is another way I believe and that is working outside of the system. Personally I no longer care about the industry machine and I just want to work on good projects. I heard it said somewhere that you shouldn't network upward you should network laterally and I really believe that is the best approach. So I am looking to build community with actors and filmmakers who want to make good work. Even if that isn't work with me, I am interested in knowing about what you are doing and supporting your work. I believe that the future is going to be outside of the industry. I think with streaming and how much more accessible film making has become, which is still relatively recent, the future will change. I think there will be more quality work and the industry bureaucracy will one day be a thing of the past. If you interested in connecting feel free to reach out and DM me. See even that sounds gross to me! But I mean that sincerely, this is why I hate the hustle! Either way, would love to hear your thoughts in the comments. TLDR: If you read all of that I'm astounded, if not the tldr is: Being an actor is an industry hustle that a lot of good actors walk away from. I believe the future is in building community and working outside of the industry system.
I lost a role in a film before I could even audition for it. I feel so bad. by No_Direction_800 • last post Mar 24th
I (15) might be over reacting, but I can't help but feel upset over this. I'm not in need of advice. It's just a vent I want to make. I'm a leading actor in my school's drama club. My teacher is envolved with some directors. They are making a movie that envolve scenes in my town. She asked me if I'd like to audition for it. I immediately said eyes because it's a small town that is no where near any big filming centers. It's not every day a chance like this pops up. 30 minutes later, she enformes me they found another person for the role. I felt so bad. I couldn't even show them what I'm capable of. It's highly unlikely a chance like that will appear here and I can't move to a place with more opportunities because of obvious factors. I know I should just get over it and wait for other chances, but I hate to lose.
Got an audition today that's due tomorrow... and it's 14 pages... [Short Rant] by wwhmochi • last post Mar 24th
And yes this is for a ***union*** film- and no it is not an indie or a low-budget film. Can *someone*, *somewhere*, *somehow*, PLEASE set some standards/regulations on this stuff in the US! It's absolutely ridiculous that actors can get 14 pages of sides and we're expected to submit the audition tape within 24 hours. If they want us to do a lot of scenes/pages, then fine, but I want at least a week (preferably longer) to memorize it and film it. If they want a quick turnaround (within 24 hours), then fine, but it should be limited to two full pages. I mean, *come on*, the UK has had these sort of rules in place since the pandemic! Okay, rant over. Time to study- and, yes, I will be using a teleprompter.
Casting notice seems too good to be true - scam? by underestimatedbutton • last post Mar 24th
Hi, all! I just came across [this](https://www.backstage.com/casting/house-of-helsing-462971/) casting notice on Backstage, and it honestly seems too good to be true: non-union with $1500 weekly pay for a series filming in Armenia (which tbh might not actually be the best place to be right now...). The attached sides are good, too, not "just write something so we can get actors". The platform seems legit, if small - but the problem is that I can't find any evidence of any specific individual attached to the production, or a specific production company, or literally any other mention of the project outside of the Backstage listing. Usually I'm pretty good about spotting scams, but I honestly can't tell on this one. It's a "staff pick", but I've spotted scams on Backstage before that they've missed, so I'm not sure how much stock I put in that. I'd skip it, just in case, but one of the characters is *perfect* for me and I need a change or to at least do *something*. If it's real, I *really* want to do it. Would anyone mind being my second set of eyes on this? What do you think?
a shot in the dark (story time) by Effective_Event463 • last post Mar 24th
A story of my audition for a role that I may or may not have blown. Let me know what you think will happen and I’ll let you know how it goes when I find out. Backtrack to two months ago, I saw an open call post on insta looking for actors of my ethnicity for a show on a major streaming service. Side note, its one that is typically not portrayed on the silver screen and these stories are never told. Big names are attached to it so it peaked my curiosity. Did some research and long story short became absolutely obsessed with the lead role and story (its based on a novel). Now here are the problems I faced. - Never acted a day in my life or have any credits to my name. - I’m in my early 20s, they want late 20s. - Although I’d say I’m about a 7/10-6.5/10 with a great set of lips for smiling, don’t have the perfect set of teeth (little insecurity of mine but whatever, lets be realistic here) so I never show my pearly whites. They’re white, just not straight. - Lead is mixed (half and half), I’m technically mixed. As in I’m majority ethnic and 1/16 of the other half they’re looking for so if they ask if I have blood from that side I technically could say yes right? Kind of joking I’d say yes, kind of not. - I have a prominent tattoo on my forearm but that can be covered up easily right? So those are all my “problems”. Other than that I think I’d be great for the role. I resonate deeply with the character and I have younger siblings that can play me in flashback scenes. I’ve in a way had to act all my life due to personal trauma that forced me to grow up fast and put on an act outside of the house so everything seemed okay. So now you have that short backstory I felt like I had nothing to lose so I said fuck it. Sent in that first tape thinking I’d have a 1 in a million chance of hearing back from them. Heard back from them the next morning with a callback. Problem was I was swamped and had 3 days to send in that second tape. Moved things around and rushed to send it off with 3hrs to spare. This may have caused it to not be my best work but better than nothing or late. From there I thought I’d hear back within a week or so. A week went by, silence. Followed up just to make sure they got the 2nd tape. Another week went by, silence. At this point I’m like “eh whatever they’re probably busy”. Two weeks went by, no response. At this point you’re probably telling me to shut the fuck up and stop harassing this poor casting assistant but I was just worried that they thought I missed the deadline and didn’t see my tape. So I followed up, with a word vomit email of how I thought I was perfect for the role and was born for this. Yeah I know, so embarrassing… I read the email today and was like “if they weren’t gonna call me before, they definitely won’t now”. Anyways at this point I’m like yeah thats dead so I left it and accepted my 1 month episode of wanting to be a big name actor was over and moved on with my life. Story hasn’t ended though. Yesterday I was lounging around and for some reason just felt the strong urge to look into the project again. Found out through various forum posts from people that now theres no deadline for the open call anymore and they’re still looking. They plan on shooting this summer so I guess that’s pretty soon? Read around and heard sometimes actors get casted a month prior to production so maybe not? Anyways, I go through my old email with the casting assistant and clicked on the link for the old sides because I just wanted to read it again. There was something about acting like someone else that brought me comfort and joy and I just wanted to feel that again (kind of going thru a moment in my life where I feel like trying is better than not trying). Opened the link and there it is, a new side with different material I hadn’t seen before. He updated it 3 weeks after I sent in my 2nd tape. In that moment I knew I had quite literally nothing to lose because I probably already lost it. They probably sent this to other potential leads to get their third tapes which was never requested of me. Meaning they’re probably no longer thinking of me for the role. Well shit, what’s the worst that could happen? They say no and I finally get the peace of mind that maybe this isn’t for me? Or they don’t respond within a month and then I also realized its not for me? Yeah fuck it. Read through the 3 minute scene and memorized all the lines and direction immediately (4 characters). Threw the camera up and acted out the leads part in one take while simultaneously imagining the other characters lines in my head (because I have no friends available at the moment, they’re all busy). Went behind the camera while it was still rolling to read out the other characters lines in different voices. Threw it all in Premier(video editing software) and synced up off camera characters lines to my one take with vocal pitch shifts for them to distinguish characters. Made a title card that looks like the novels cover except instead of a line sketch of the lead, I photoshopped one of me. Added minor sfx to make it sound a little better but made sure it wasn’t distracting. Then sent that thing off. All within I’d say 2hrs? I’m a video editor/videographer by trade so I’m able to do that part fast. I’ve obviously not received a response yet with me sending it just under 24hrs ago but my expectations are that they’re gonna see it, read my email where I said it was a shot in the dark and that I know this was never asked but I wanted to have rather tried to than not, they’ll have a laugh, and never call me. And I’m completely okay with that. I had a fun time filming the self tape and I’m going thru quite the rough patch in my life right now, won’t go into details but I’ll be honest, it could be worse and I’m probably just being a big baby. All my friends told me its tough but then again, with all that’s going on in the world right now I’ll be fine. Anyways, enough with the tangent, do you think I’ll hear any response from the casting company? I think I’ve put the nail in the coffin with this one so I’m moving on but just wanted to get this little story off my chest.
Think any Agencies that will take a chance on me? by fyantif • last post Mar 24th
Hey guys! I have a bit of training from a few years ago in college (will also take new classes in a month) and just was the main actress in a small music video. My main thing is Stand Up, I also think I have a pretty good look, (young Asian chick). Do you guys know if there will be any agencies that would take a chance on me?
"Side Job" Struggle from an (ex?) Server by bouncycastle26 • last post Mar 24th
Alright r/acting \- let's see if you can help ease my overly-analytical brain. I'll try and keep this short. Hopefully this post can belong here. 30/f/LA Graduated BFA Acting from a major US conservatory. Waited tables for 10 years while also booking occasional work up until March 2020. I'm a really good server, and worked in some incredible restaurants, but definitely felt burn-out. Tired of the guests, honestly. Post-pandemic I wanted to re-enter the "side job" world in a different environment/position. Well, a year ago, an opportunity presented itself to work administratively at a super dope, conceptual business in the heart of Los Angeles, and I took it. I'm now working in hospitality but more through a music lens, and it's been super cool, but it's SO much more responsibility for somewhat similar pay. I'm talking accounting, building management, staff training, AND the business is open 24 hours. I'm kind of always on-call, I work 5 days a week 9-5 in-person, I'm the M.O.D half the time I'm there, and I often think "what would they do if I were to book something". They need me there, and they barely pay me $25/hour, and I'm now salaried so they can basically call on me anytime they need, and the one person above me (GM) is about to go on maternity leave. I now feel trapped, and I miss the lack of responsibility that serving provided. I also kind of miss the whole "production" of serving tables - it feels very similar to theatre. And I love love LOVE food & wine. Everyday when I leave my current job I barely have the mental bandwidth to be creative, go see a show, meet up with friends, take a class, or just be a part of my community. I'd love to hear from actors who maybe thought they wanted to leave the service industry for something else, but struggled with balancing a 9-5 job w/ acting. With so much responsibility on my plate, and not great money, it just really makes me miss the hustle of a dinner shift, and the camaraderie of most the servers in LA being artists.
I keep getting Casting call messages on instagram, are it legit? by Mrperfection123 • last post Mar 24th
I’d say I get a casting call invite for a Tv show a few times a month. Are these legit? The profiles seem legit. I was wondering why they keep sending me messages? Is it something that is sent out to thousands of people? How exactly does it work if you follow through with it. Also I’m not an actor nor have any interested, just curious
Audiobook Rates? by voxathon • last post Mar 24th
Hi all. I am interested in finding out what the going audiobook rate is, what it should be and also, when there are 10 to 50 characters in an audiobook, (with tons of character interaction between narration), what a good rate is then? I have been a voice actor for 11 years. I find the majority of clients offering meagre and really low rates for audiobooks in general, but it undermines the profession and one's value, particularly if you're capable of making each character sound unique and constantly having to switch tones and accents etc. With the voice over industry becoming flooded with newcomers, (and I understand that many are trying to keep their heads above water), I would appreciate your thoughts and comments on this. Thank you in advance!
A Question for New York Background Actors. Is It Worth It To Join SAG? by WawaSC • last post Mar 23rd
Hello everyone, I recently became SAG eligible and I was wondering if it's worth it to join in if I am mainly doing background. I've been asking the union bgs I work with and opinions have been split. Some say they get less work after joining SAG while some say they're working pretty much all the time since joining. If possible, I would like to hear what the union BG actors here think. I personally would like to join because the pay gap between union and non-union is massive. Plus, I still think that there's more opportunity working as SAG. Thanks!
Want to ask something uncomfortable by AllIdoissingallday • last post Mar 23rd
A fellow actor (NOT a friend) said my auditions and bookings have stopped because I'm a"typical blonde haired, blue eyed white girl they don't need". I know there have been wonderful, great strides in diversity casting as of late. So I feel embarrassed to ask, but is there a possibility that this could be true?
Meisner technique - exercise progression? by IWannaActUK • last post Mar 23rd
I've done some Meisner in the past, and it was fantastic. A discontinuous step up on the level of my acting. I'm in a new city where I can't find a Meisner coach (small city, local language isn't English). I've started reading Meisner's book ("Sanford Meisner on acting") and I can recognize the sequence of exercises I did with my coach (plain repetition, subjective repetition, adding changes, entering the room, independent activity,...). This makes me think there's an established way to go about it. I'm thinking of getting together with some fellow local aspiring actors, and just going through the exercises (I know it's not ideal without a coach, but it's probably better than nothing). My question here: **is there a "guide" detailing the sequence of exercises one should do**, as per my example above? If there isn't one, I'll just go through Meisner's book taking notes and go with that, but perhaps something like that already exists. Thanks in advance!