We have found 19,250 posts across 4 actor forums:
Can I voice act under a different name? by Silly-Slacker-Person • last post Oct 26th
I'm interested in getting into voice acting, but my birth name is just so plain sounding. I know that other actors have stage names and writers have pen names. Is there anything like that for voice actors? If so, how could I be paid under it instead of my birth name? Would I have to make a whole new bank account for it?
I think this actress from “Squid Games” went to the same acting school as Bill Paxton. May he RIP by Streetvan1980 • last post Oct 26th
why are you an actor? by itbeitbe • last post Oct 26th
I’m curious because my fuel for acting is something that’s changed so dramatically since starting college, graduating 2 yrs ago and then again during covid lockdown. What’s beyond “I just love it :)” like why though? Or “I love storytelling”, again why? I’ve been investigating. Right now I see acting, especially doing theatre, as taking life on. Fully! Creating a living creature and breathing life into them. Having the joy of experiencing and sharing an adventure of this human experience. Having the ability to channel and be a vessel for something larger than myself that still exists within myself. Acting allows me to expand and understand myself and this world a bit better. Am I making sense hahahaha TLDR: I would ~love to hear everyone’s relationship to their craft! (Also bonus question: do you identify as an artist? Cause I surely do though I feel lacking in comparison to my other artist friends, such as musicians and poets, since I haven’t fully started creating my own content…yet! Anyone relate?)
Please can someone offer some advice or an opinion? My acting anxiety is so bad that it's hindered my ability to act to the best of my ability. I feel so lost, confused and hopeless and don't know whether or not to move on. by Objective_Sink3874 • last post Oct 25th
So in a nutshell I have a decent boutique/mid-level agent but I'm not getting self tape requests/auditions for scripted TV/film. Each day it gets to 6pm when the offices close, I check my emails and there's nothing. It makes me feel so low and like I have no future in this job if I can't even get auditions, and makes me ashamed of the stuff I've done that's out there eg) showreel as it probably puts people off. On the rare occasion I DO get a tape-request which isn't for a commercial or more than just a 2-liner, A) the writing is pretty much always lousy so it's harder to do good work, and most importantly B) I get so anxious that I cannot focus on preparing properly, like my energy is just all over the place and I get overwhelmed and cannot delve deep into the scene prep - just skimming the surface or procrastinating, and then when it gets round to filming I completely tense up to the extent that my whole body is actually in pain and I cannot breathe and all my mouth and throat muscles clench up so I can't talk properly, or I'll over-act because I'm trying to make the most of the opportunity and myself stand out, or I'll just be emotionally numb and skim the surface of the scenes which usually happens in person. I also often film countless takes and editing takes hours so on a few occasions my tapes have been an hour or so after deadline. So the very few tapes I do get are always crap, and probably put the casting director off ever having me tape for them again. I also don't really have many friends and I live alone, quite far from the few actors I know, so for tapes I usually record the other person's lines and leave gaps for my lines.. so I'm doing these tapes just alone with myself which is never enjoyable that's crap too. I'm getting so paranoid that casting directors or casting assistants are sort of gossiping about actors and telling eachother not to see certain people because they are crap. So I'm just stuck in this horrible limbo where I can't get opportunities but when they come, they are so rare that I freak out and do a crap job. I have severe ADHD, depression and anxiety, also undiagnosed body-dysmorphia but cannot afford to have therapy. I don't really have anyone I can talk to. I just don't feel like I'm a good actor anymore... I've become so self aware, tense and wooden. Will give you some info about myself as an actor to put this into context: I'm a represented actor in London, UK. I'm female, white, straight and in my late 20s but my casting is more 20-25 (genuinely-I look unusually young for my age and have young skin). I did not go to an accredited drama school but have done a lot of classes. I started in the industry in 2015 and went on a career break in late 2018 before starting again in March/April this year. I intended to take just a year out but covid happened so the break was more like 2.5 years. Before I went on my break, I had reached a point where I was auditioning and taping well and I had confidence, felt comfortable in my skin and was emotionally available. I won't delve too deeply into why I took a break but it was due to the agent I was with being incredibly bitchy and a bully, not being able to secure new rep afterwards, having additional personal problems... I was mentally unwell and completely lost my ability to trust myself. From 2015-2018 I gained professional experience (legit, with casting director) playing small speaking roles & some larger guest roles on TV/film. None of the roles were that great though, and my performances are pretty shit... and I look awful in everything... so I kind of feel that those jobs have done me more harm than good in the long run. I have never done nudity/sex scenes and do not audition for those roles. I have never really had opportunities to work professionally in theatre or radio due to my lack of formal training. So I guess this limits the amount of auditions I can get. I'm kind of pretty but not pretty enough to play the pretty roles; kind of quirky/edgy looking but not unusual looking enough to play the weird/misfit roles. But then I also don't really look "average-looking" either... like I don't have a "corporate" vibe. I'm not sexy or don't really have sex appeal but then I'm also not like innocent-looking or sex-less. I often get seen for gay roles but I'm not actually gay or even bi, although I guess I have that vibe? I'm not athletic/like an action hero, I'm not plus size but I'm also not like underweight so that also makes me hard to place. And in terms of "class" I'm also kind of inbetween. I'm sort of lower-middle-class from suburban London and have a pretty basic accent... so I'm not really posh enough to play posh roles but I'm not working class enough to play working class. In the UK they also like to cast true to the setting so unless you're famous they don't really consider - for example - non-Scottish/Irish actors for a Scottish/Irish character etc. They sometimes scrape the bottom of the barrel and cast people who have eg) a Jewish grandparent or an Irish mum for respective projects but I have no interesting sort of family history... I'm just very standard/boring lower-middle-class-suburban/homecounties......where nothing ever seems to be made (in the UK). But maybe there aren't many roles for people with playing age in their 20s? I have spoken to my agent a few times raising my concerns but I'm always told not to worry and there's never any transparency as to why I'm not getting seen. They say they are pushing me and I guess I have to trust them, but I guess casting directors just think I'm shit or not good enough for decent roles. Or maybe my agency is pushing me but like in a half-hearted way / or they think I'm ok but not worth investing loads of time/attention on, like they don't think I'm amazing or a future star. I don't necessarily aspire to be a huge leading star actor, but sometimes I feel like your agent has to believe that you have that in you so that they can get you frequently seen for good roles. And by "good" role i don't just mean leads or even series regular etc, I just mean something that is more than 3 lines without any nudity/sex. I don't know if I'm just being spoilt or entitled about this? Maybe this is how it is for everyone after covid, or maybe I should expect less after taking so much time out of the industry. It's been seven months since i got my agent and there's only been about 5 decent opportunities...none of which were even really that great tbh.
Benefits of living in LA by MrLeakyToaster • last post Oct 25th
I already live in LA so I don’t see any reason to leave. What benefits are there to being based in LA as an actor? Most actors I know are from New York so I know a lot more about that world. Are there any specific things in LA to take advantage of that other areas can’t offer?
On adult content by Theurbanalchemist • last post Oct 25th
I saw a quote on Twitter in regards to BDSM erotica that I agree with (being in that lifestyle). Not verbatim but they said something along the lines of “that this is a form a theatre, a different style of actors, and a more layered form of sex”. I’ve come “out” as kinky this year and notice a lot of actors are in that boat (or was or what have you). Now that there is a push for normalizing kinks and legitimizing sex work, should entertainment be more lax with sex content? Would it be so bad if a guest star level actor made fetish material on OF? Would it be a tactical move for a movie to hire a famous cam girl for, say, an indie horror movie? And if not, what does shows like “*Bonding*” “*Fifty Shades of Gray*” “*Kinky*”,or Fuse’s “Sex Sells” intention, if the industry only writes them in as a joke? *”Marcy learns something new”*is about a middle aged woman who forges a new passion out of being a dominatrix. Many people have personal breakthroughs with sexual discovery. What day you thespians?
I made a controversial decisions but I think it’s the best choice: said no to great agent and signed with more simple agent by FurmidableCat • last post Oct 25th
I am used to self-represent myself and work full time as a host and actor thanks to that. However, I got no roles from confidential breakdowns (which I have access to) for the past year, even though I booked a good amount of union and paid non union work on social media (my agent allows me to do that). A great agent wanted to sign with me but I was afraid I would lose my freedom if they were dealing all my contracts. I already work full time in my industry and didn’t want to lose the jobs I already have and lose 15% on that. I often get the job because I am the first one to answer and I would have missed those opportunities with them. I was also uncomfortable telling them I was often already booked 5-6-7 days a week on other contracts and wasn’t always available for them. So I decided to go back with my ex-agent who is more simple but absolutely doesn’t mind that I get tons of contracts on my own without giving him any money, that I do « public personality » jobs as I call them (testimonies, documentaries, reality shows, etc), totally understands that I am not always available and loves the idea of sharing a google calendar updated with all my availabilities. He only deals with the confidential breakdowns that I won’t pay to have access to anymore (which is $500 a year). Some people might say « why did you go back with him when you could have signed with such a great agent » and I sincerely think that was the best decision for me. I am keeping my self-represented career that I already love, I am saving $500 a year, and it would just be the cherry on top if they could get me even more roles here and there. The best agent is not always the greatest one. It’s the one that suits your needs. Note: You can get access to all the confidential breakdowns as a self-represented actor in Quebec only. Stop asking me about that
Actors on Anti-depressants? by RiceKingWhore • last post Oct 25th
Hey guys I was just recently diagnosed with OCD (something I’ve suspected for a while) and though I just started therapy the idea of meds is already on my mind. I have a lot of friends who are on meds and it helped them a lot, but the thing is none of them are actors. I was talking to my psychologist about this and he mentioned that normal SSRIS tend to inhibit emotion which he’s seen with clients in the past who were actors as well. He told me that since I have OCD, the anti-depressant Clomipramine would be my best bet. He also told me that this drug tends to not be as emotionally inhibitive as SSRIS. To be honest, when my intrusive thoughts get bad, it’s really hard to focus and act well. With all this mind, I wanted to ask if any of you fellow actors (or if you know any successful ones) take anti-depressants. How does it affect your acting? Thanks.
A director made the most wildly unprofessional comment about my performance in front of the entire crew by tigerbiscuit • last post Oct 25th
I'm currently on set shooting a series which will remain nameless, and it's set up weirdly where multiple cameras are recording and getting multiple pieces of coverage simultaneously to save time. This makes it tricky to know which camera to play to and how big to go because they could be doing an ultra close at the same time as the medium at the same time as an OTS on the guy behind you. It's confusing and we're never told what the coverage is unless we ask, which is frustrating. Despite this, I still gave it my all and had a ton of fun. Lots of cool shots, practical FX happening all around, rad makeup, and I'm always asking questions trying to stay on top of things and experiment around. The energy all around was just great. I literally thought at one point during the day, "this is one of my favorite days on set I've ever had." Towards the end of the day, I suppose the director got frustrated with me because I kept going too big. He did the whole "you're too theatrical, stop, it doesn't read, watch me, do it like this" speech. I said copy thank you, and adjusted to go smaller because I didn't realize we were in that tight. Then, on the last shot of the day, another actor is supposed to come in and tap me on the shoulder. Then, I exit frame and he looks out a window. We cut, 1st AD says, wow that was a really nice look (referring to the other actor). And the director, in front of the entire crew, rolls his eyes and says, "yeah, maybe he should play u/tigerbiscuit's character." And then we fucking wrapped and a whole day of filming was absolutely ruined for me. It was one of the most humiliating moments of my entire career, to have a director loudly and in front of the entire crew put down a performance of mine that we had spent the entire day shooting. Like we literally hardly shot anything other than me today and to just throw in a comment like that moments before we wrap is tantamount to saying, well, that was a waste of time. I'm sorry you don't know how to give effective notes my guy, but I'm not allowed to see any of the 3 monitors you have running right now so I don't always know wtf I look like, and you're certainly not going to get a decent performance out of me for the remaining 2 shoot days now that you've completely and utterly shattered the trust I had in you as a director. The worst part was, like I said, I honestly thought I was doing great the whole day long, and any time I checked in or asked for notes, he would say yeah it's great. There was no indication this was going to be a bad day until literally 30 seconds before we wrapped. I'm not sure what else to say except it was a wildly rude, unprofessional and hurtful thing to say to someone on a film set. Directors who in 2021 are still giving stupid ass notes like "say it like this", "look more sad", "give me 10%", or (my favorite) "you're pushing" need to realize that understanding the exposure triangle maketh not a filmmaker and you need to go take some acting classes at a community college and realize how to talk to actors in a way that doesn't make them feel like a fucking idiot for trying their best. Rant over.
Unionizing at the Regional level? by SharpTuskofTruth • last post Oct 25th
Since the rules for unionizing have changed recently, I am curious… Say, for example, the entire pool of local talent in a Regional community all start to unionize (all who are able, given the changes.) Would this be a good thing long term? ~~~~~~ I’ve had some conversations with other actors in the theater I am currently working on a project with, but they seem to think it would be a bad thing. (None of the members of the cast are Union, though the theater has cast many union actors in the past.)
How to get insurance as a actor? by JollyRoger418 • last post Oct 25th
I'm a non-union actor in LA, and I'm looking to reduce my insurance costs. Unfortunately, I'll need to purchase my health insurance plan. Has anyone worked with a broker or other organization to help me out? Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this...
Are social media accounts used by actors affecting how an audience views their acting range? by Fire-New • last post Oct 25th
I remember trying to see a film with Toby Maguire in it after the Spider-Man trilogy and it felt like I couldn’t let go of the fact that that’s Spider-Man and not the character Maguire was playing. For some reason I feel like the same phenomenon is happening through social media accounts with actors. You don’t truly know them but you’re still able to get to know this “character” all too well. Almost like they’ve been Spider-Man for a few years and now every movie I see them in reminds me of the person they project as through social media. Certain actors understand the importance of staying out of the lime-light in order to have a greater acting range, such as Daniel Day-Lewis and Joaquin Phoenix. However, new actors seem to have to rely on social media in order to sustain a longer lasting career in film. Almost like becoming heartthrobs with the younger audiences, but on a much more intrusive scale than actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio ever experienced. Is this the future of acting? Or am I looking too deep into this?
Acting Resources & Tips in England for American Actors by Rybiza • last post Oct 25th
Hey guys, I hope everyone is doing well so far! I’m looking for some advice regarding acting in the UK. I shall be staying in Newcastle Upon Tyne in Northumberland from January until May. I’m very excited about my trip and my goal is to get into acting for British film and tv during my stay. I was wondering does anyone have experience and particular advice breaking into the British entertainment industry, specifically in the Newcastle region. What are the main differences between their work and the work in NYC? Are there any particular communities/networks/ online groups for actors I can join? P.S. I already found a local talent management and acting school I can apply to and I am wondering is there anything in particular I should be aware of before applying?
Do I need a good sounding voice to become a voice actor? by bigblonde04 • last post Oct 25th
I’m really interested in voice acting atm and am really inspired by Robin William’s genie performance in Aladdin. Am I able to learn to improve my voice or do I already need a good and nice sounding voice? I’m 17 and sound like an ordinary British teenager, is my voice able to improve?
How long should I remain on first refusal before reaching out? by Eschkolit • last post Oct 25th
I'm new to all this, and I received the following message from casting after a small audition for a really small, 1-5 line role, in an Indie film (non-union, with established indie actors confirmed). This was sent to me after my audition, on 10/19 (6 days ago). Filming is for late November. "At this moment our Director is making final decisions. The Director really liked your look and is asking to place you on 1st refusal/ strong hold for shoot dates. Once final decisions are made we will notify you." I'm wondering what the normal amount of time to wait to hear back might be, and how long I should wait before checking in. There's no easy contact info for the production, but a quick google pointed me to contact info for casting. I'm hesitant to get in touch incase this is a normal amount of time (given the weekend and all). Or is it wishful thinking to believe that they'll bother getting in touch? Was that a canned message I received? Looking forward to any thoughts! Thanks!
Publicity recs for mid-level actors ? by CuspChaser111 • last post Oct 25th
One of my regrets after booking a marvel series was I had no publicity when it came out. (I was a no name) / I just got my first major part in a film (you’d know the company) and I’m hoping to get some kind of publicity when it comes out - I know I can’t go to the big dogs when it does come out Bc I ain’t no A lister but it certainly is another strong credit and I’d like to make the most of this opportunity. Any advice for a non CAA/WME person?
Uk actor wanting a change by SillyStringChad • last post Oct 25th
I think this is probably the best place to ask for help so here it goes. I am an actor from the UK and (as the title of the post says) I am looking for a change. I would love to move to the US and become something I can be proud of. I’ll get to the point now and ask my question. Are there any agents that I can contact in and around the Texas area? Like Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and the like. Thank you for any help in advance.
how much more auditions do agents see then the actor? by nicholasbloom • last post Oct 24th
im gonna email my agent again on what i can do to help her im with kmr talent my friend suggested it to me she said they have a good diversity department