We have found 19,301 posts across 4 actor forums:
Booking student film gigs by sbrbnhaus • last post Jan 9th
I’m an actor in Chicago. I’m 20. I have no credits besides films that I’ve made myself and I want to start acting in other peoples stuff. I hear student films are a good way to start but does anyone here have advice on how to find those roles other than through word of mouth?
How do you work AND act at the same time? by adam_derb • last post Jan 9th
Heyo! So I was just wondering how people are able to balance a regular 9 to 5 (or whatever hours) with acting. I’ve wanted to start working an actual job but, I don’t want to keep requesting time off or quit just incase a role or show. Comes up for me. Is there jobs that are extremely flexible with beginning actors or actors in general that understand what acting is about and how the hours could possibly be for a gig. I also think having a job along with acting can help all the financial needs for acting like headshots/acting classes/voice lessons. But would you say that in an interview like “hey I’m an actor and I just need this job to boost me financially” or do you not bring it up? Any advice can help :)
Starting to voice act by brixbat99 • last post Jan 9th
I've decided this year I'm going to start a side hustle doing some voice over/acting work. I've got a mic and am working on a home recording setup. Once I'm all setup, though, I'm not sure where to go from there. Should I have a website with my voice demos? Is there a voice actors website where people can post their voices for potential buyers to browse? I guess what I'm saying is I have no idea how to start to get my voice out there and go about looking for work. I'd appreciate any advice anyone's willing to give! (I'm in Canada, looking looking to do stuff like commercials and audio books more than acting for an animated show or something, if that matters at all.)
Question about actors access. by tair12345 • last post Jan 8th
So the question is , when you log in and go to your own resume at the bottom it gives you the option to make a professional biography. Is there a real point to making one? Like will it up my chances on getting auditions or even casted or no?
The First Guy To Ever Be An Actor by Eldricson93 • last post Jan 8th
I'd like to share some info on proper acoustic treatment and recording setups by vikingguitar • last post Jan 8th
Hi everyone! My name is Erik Peabody, and I'm an audio engineer and voice actor based in Rochester, NY. I see a lot of posts here about setting up recording areas and how to get a better sound from your recordings, and wanted to chime in to offer some advice. Below is a post that I shared about a year ago, but seeing new "rate my booth" photos made me think it might be useful for newer folks. Along those lines, for anyone posting "rate my booth" photos, include a recording of the audio you're getting with that setup! That helps the rest of us provide actual feedback. For the audio you post, don't clean it up or anything, just let us hear how the actual raw audio sounds. Okay, onto the main post. I spend a LOT of my time mixing audio for clients that have recorded in sub-optimal recording environments, and I also see a LOT of products marketed as "sound absorption" and "acoustic insulation" that have no business being sold as such. Keep in mind that everything I'm about to say doesn't matter IF YOU'RE HAPPY WITH HOW YOUR RECORDINGS SOUND. Every room is different, and you can sometimes stumble into great results in a situation that shouldn't sound nearly as good as it does! So, take everything here I say with a grain of salt. MAKE SURE YOU'RE LISTENING PROPERLY: Before we talk about anything else, you need to make sure that you're listening to your finished recordings properly before you can really diagnose what you should change with your recording setup. If you're only listening over desktop speakers in a reflective room, you won't really be able to hear your recording properly, and can't tell if you need to dampen your recording environment more. If you're listening on casual-listening headphones, you likely won't be getting a full representation of your bottom end, and there could be noise or rumble down there that you'll never know about. In a perfect world, you would have flat(ish) response monitor speakers in an acoustically-treated environment, but that's out of the price range for a lot of folks. My best advice is to invest in a good set of headphones. I use a set of Beyer Dynamic DT-880 open-back phones and love them. Good representation across the EQ spectrum, I get a decent idea of the low end, and they're comfortable to wear. That being said, it's always good practice to high-pass your recordings at a certain point (specifics depends on your voice) to make sure that you're removing any rumble that your headphones might not pick up. Keep in mind that open-back headphones tend to be better for critical listening, but are not good for use during VO recording, as there can be sound bleed out of the open backs and into the mic. FOAM DOES BASICALLY NOTHING: The "acoustic" foam that's widely marketed and that I see a lot on here doesn't do much at all. The goal of acoustic treatment is to absorb the sound and prevent it from bouncing around your room, which will result in an inability to properly hear frequencies during mixing, and will also create echo and reflections during voice recording. To absorb the full spectrum of your voice (or any sound,) any absorption material needs MASS. Foam does practically nothing, since it weighs practically nothing, and is so porous that most sound will cut right through it. You will likely get *some* change in sound if you put up a lot of foam, but it will mostly dampen the high frequencies, which require less mass. If anything, this will make your recordings sound boomier, since the low and mid frequencies are still bouncing around. You can spend a ton of money of proper absorption setup if you want, but there are some budget routes that work remarkably well. Booth Junkie (who frequents these subreddits) has a great video on building a budget acoustic panel, and shows you how much of a difference it can really make. I recommend you check out his video (and many of his videos) to help learn more about the acoustics of your room during voice recordings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5ApIWbjvcA To those of you that say, "but I put up a bunch of foam and now my recordings sounds way better," I respond, "do they really?" I would suspect that a great many of you that feel that way are actually lacking the proper listening setup to be able to determine if it really sounds better, or just sounds different. Remember, if you record in an echoing room and then listen back in the same room, how can you tell? Even if you can't tell, you might not be getting gigs because the people deciding who to hire CAN tell. PICK THE BEST AREA TO RECORD IN: Having a super small space (like a closet) will likely give you trouble even if you toss a ton of good absorption material in there. Every space is different, but I'd caution you to be VERY critical when listening to your first recordings, as low-end bass reflections are notorious in closet setups. If you have the option to try a few different areas, it's worth your time to setup your acoustic panels wherever you can and see which room sounds best. Sometimes, a larger room will work better if you're smart about placing the panels. WORK ON BETTER PRACTICES BEFORE BUYING NEW GEAR: Not happy with how your final masters sound? Outside of setting up better acoustic treatment, make sure to learn as much as you can about your software before you decide you need a new mic, preamp, AD converter, or anything else. I did the first year of my VO career with a Behringer B1, which cost less than $100. Proper EQ, compression, etc will have a huge impact on how your final recordings sound. It is much more worth your time to practice using these tools than it is to just go out and upgrade gear. Along those lines, find a professional voice over site that will let you download a demo from another VO artist. Toss that into your recording software alongside your own recording and do everything you can to make your recording sound like the demo recording. With some practice (and a proper listening environment!) you'll be surprised at how much closer you can get it without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on new gear. Keep in mind that mixing and mastering are totally separate disciplines that people spend years developing, so don't expect miracles, but you will likely get more mileage from this than purchasing new equipment. DON'T BE AFRAID TO GET HELP: There is frequent advice about hiring voice coaches or acting coaches, but I'm not here to talk about that. If you're not happy with how your recordings sound, don't be afraid to reach out to a mixing engineer for help. There are tons of people online (myself included) that offer professional services to VO artists and are happy to work for a reasonable cost. Additionally, I've had a number of situations where I've helped clients setup their room to work better for them. If you're doing this for fun or for little CCC gigs, do NOT spend any more that you don't need to. However, if you're frustrated with your progress and want some help in getting better recordings, there's nothing wrong with reaching out to a professional instead of wading through the dozens of charlatan blog posts and youtube vids online. That's it! I hope that this helps you setup a better recording environment and avoid spending money on foam and other things that you don't need to. I'm happy to answer any questions here, and you can also email me at viking.guitar.productions@gmail.com.
What are your go to questions that you ask during an intro meeting with an agent or manager? by kingroyaltyy • last post Jan 8th
So I recently used the Talent Link service from Actors’ Access and got a response from a management company and I have a meeting scheduled with them. Just curious what you all usually ask when in these intro meetings. Like the most important/imperative things you must know before you feel you can make an informed decision on whether or not to sign. Very interested to hear all of your thoughts!
You don’t pay agents/managers to work for you. by redrabbittongue • last post Jan 8th
Seasoned and experienced actor here: I’ve been seeing a lot of questions and confusion about “paying” representation to get more auditions etc. Actors don’t pay representation for their services. However, rep will take a percentage from your earnings. If an agent or manager is asking you to pay for them/their service, walk, don’t sign with them, it’s a scam and it’s even illegal in California. If you are non-union: you pay your agent 20% (You make $100, they get $200) If you are union (this means that you are SAG, not SAG-eligible, but SAG): you pay your agent 10% (You make $100, they get $10) Your manager gets 15% of the work you do. (You make $100, they get $15) IF you have an agent and a manager, you have to pay them both. Example: Let’s assume you are non-union. You make $100 on a commercial, you pay your agent $20 and your manager $15. You get to keep $65 for yourself. At the end of the day, you have to do all the hard work. Don’t rely on your manager or agent to do the hard work for you. You have to self submit, you have to network, you have to show up with a good attitude no matter of what happened moments before. Take classes, learn how to tape an audition at home, read script, analyze movies, it’s not going to be “easier” once you have representation. They represent you, they don’t do the work for you. I’ve booked some of my best and biggest work without representation, you don’t need representation to act, especially not if you are just starting out. Best of luck and break a leg, and be kind and humble. The race is long, sometimes you are ahead, sometimes you are behind, but in the end, it’s only with yourself.
How do you get off work? by dajje123 • last post Jan 8th
I’ve always wanted to be an actor. And I regret not getting into it in high school, even though I wanted. Still haven’t tried it. Anyways, my question is, those of you who have roles in movies, theater plays during the day etc. how do you get off work? I can’t imagine a manager letting you leave earlier because you have a play, or maybe I’m wrong? Just something I have been wondering. Thanks and I hope you all succeed!
When a cartoon character burps does the voice actor really burp by Silver-Taro-594 • last post Jan 8th
When a cartoon character burps do the voice actors really burp or is it just sound effects and if you want to become a voice actor do you really have to learn to burp is it hard or simple to burp by yourself
Feeling down and needing advice. by International_Bag946 • last post Jan 8th
Little backstory: Ever since I was a kid, all I wanted was to be an actor. My dad got me a few opportunities to pursue that dream when I was a kid but my mom always shot it down because she didn’t want me to grow up in that lifestyle. Everyone in my life, except my dad (who is no longer around), told me I would never make it and that it wasn’t logical. So I’ve gone through life trying to find my passion and here I am at almost 25 and I still can’t find a single thing that makes me feel fulfilled even slightly. I know 25 is still young. I just have this constant feeling that I was meant to be an actor. Movies have always been my distraction from life and always help me through dark times. I want to be able to do that for other people too. The dilemma: The thing I’m down about, is that I’ve gone and gotten lots of tattoos. 1 partially finished full arm sleeve and one partially finished lower half sleeve on the other arm. I know this will severely diminish my opportunities at making it as an actor and I can’t afford to remove them. Not really sure that makeup would fully cover all of them though none of them are color. I’m also a 5’4” guy. Just looking for any advise that anyone is willing to offer. Should I pursue acting? Are my chances good? Should I keep searching for some other passion?
No acting auditions coming my way, and now I'm considering a slight alternative by SwimOk6842 • last post Jan 8th
So I'm not getting auditions (dramatic/serious/sad etc. kind of roles), life itself is getting more and more frustrating (covid,living expenses, just waiting/looking for auditions) BUT, recently I thought, why not try comedy...like actual stand up comedy, there are open mic nights all over even with covid restrictions in place. I know I may be able to do comedic scenes on film/tv, but I feel that stand up comedy is in a sense for a "different type of person"...Also once you get noticed in comedy, good luck getting any dramatic roles (in other words, once you start comedy,there is almost no switching back)...I know theres Adam Sandler,Tina Fey,Dan Aykroyd and a list of others who became succeful after stand up. But also, comedy is not what it used to be, there are too much stuff you can NOT mention/joke about in 2021/2022...I think thats whats really making me question trying/starting stand up... **I'm sorry for this confusing rambling...but are there any other actors on here that had this same thought, if so, how did it work for you? or what are your thoughts on it ?** **OR, should i simply just do background work (extra) instead?**
Self tape audition? How? by WaggingNub • last post Jan 7th
I applied for a role online. I was selected for the next round of auditions! Now the director wants me to submit a self-tape audition. He sent me a script to read. **Question: the script has dialog with other people. In my self-tape, do I just pause as if other people were speaking, or do I enlist the help of family members to read with me?** Family are not actors. That could be a train wreck.
Complicated stage fall? by GraceyLIKEABOSS • last post Jan 7th
In a stage play I'm doing, I've got a bit of a tricky fall to do and am struggling to coordinate it without hurting myself. In the context of the scene, the "ship" crash lands and us actors are propelled off our seats towards the front of the stage. I leap forward off my stool and am supposed to clip my right shoulder on a set piece in front of me, then land on my left side. I keep landing on my left hip which is now quite sore
Thoughts on Affinity Artists Agency in NY? by futurebro • last post Jan 7th
I did an email blast of new materials and one of the agents that reached out to me is Affinity Artists Agency. I'm not familiar with them, but I also realize I'm not at a stage in my career where Abrams or CAA are gonna be fighting over me. I have a meeting with them today, and I cant tell if they are legit. They are bicostal with 270 clients on IMDBPro, which seems high but maybe not if they are bicostal. They seem to not have any big names but it looks like some of their people are working a lot (its hard to tell when an actor has a manager and an agent, who is helping them the most tho). The only thing that gives me pause,. is their website is pretty badly made and seems like they use models a lot which always makes me think a place isnt a real agency. Im probably over thinking this, but if anyone can give me any tips on how to determine is an agency is legit? I'm an early career actor, so Im also wondering if any agency is better than nothing at this stage.
i need help about acting by idk0709c • last post Jan 7th
Hello everyone, i am an high school student and i am in my last year ,which means i have to choose where i want to go professionally but here is my problem ; i cant figure out what i wanna do later .Acting has always been present in my head, but I always told myself that it was impossible for me to manage to make a profession of it. I know that I want to do a job in the artistic field, and cinema has connected me a lot lately (several months).And btw i'm in my highschool drama club,i did theater shows for like 4 years in school.I'm totally lost because i would like to be an actress,but i don't know if i'm good enough for this job. I have a shy personality in front of people,but when i'm alone in my room at 3 am,i'm able to show and play emotions.Actually,i'm quite ashamed to show it in front of people because i'm scared of their reaction,and i don't know in the moment if i'm doing it right.I have a passion for british cinema and it could be a problem to fit in it too,because i'm french .My english is not too bad i guess,so i'm not really scared of that,i'am just worried about the fact that i'm french and it would be a brake for it.The french cinema is not attracting me as much as the british one. my theater teacher told me that i have a "presence" when i play ,but i'm not confident enough to express more emotions,and i'm really frustrated. Whatever,if some of you have advice or could just help me ,it would be really nice and helpful of you . You're basically my last hope lol. Thank you for taking the time to read it and sorry for spelling mistakes :)
Signed actors only please. How did your career change before vs after having a reel for film / tv by actorchan • last post Jan 7th
Have been working on shooting my own, just wanting to gauge different people’s results, etc
Sidney Poitier, Who Paved the Way for Black Actors in Film, Dies at 94 by jimmyg4life • last post Jan 7th
Random question by Ligma_duck42069 • last post Jan 7th
Hello! I’m a voice actor who’s wondering how to do a certain style, in my script a character gets their wisdom teeth removed and Is very loopy, so I was was wondering how do I get that sound of being woozy thank you! (P.S should I put gauze or cotton balls in my mouth for the sound?)