We have found 19,320 posts across 4 actor forums:
Am I making the right decision? by No_Sandwich_4977 • last post Dec 17th
So I am a 20 year old kid whose passion is acting. I've been exposed to a lot of career options and tried them all, but I always come back to one thing, acting in a musical. It is my passion and I love it so much. However, this summer, I tried to get into an acting school for college and I was declined. I decided to quit acting and become an Engineer to secure a better future for myself and concluded that acting was not really for me, but rather it is something that I just enjoy doing and that I will never be good enough to be successful actor. However, I am now once again going into the love of acting. I am considering finishing this degree as a fall back whenever things does not go as planned and join a theatre organization in my university for resume building. I am in the midst of confusion whether I should stick to being an engineer or should I never quit my passion and try to be on West End after I graduate
Headshot-Age Range-Character Type Feedback by AutoModerator • last post Dec 17th
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.
Can you be an actor if you don't do impressions, voices or accents by meinai88 • last post Dec 17th
I am a 30 year old male that has been thinking of doing some acting but I was wondering if I should even pursue it if I can't do impressions or voices or accents. I have no acting experience but I am thinking of taking acting classes and see what happens. I also have a slight sutter (it has gotten better over time as I hav ebeen taught by a speech pathologist how to control it and what it do to minimize it) and this is one of the reasons why I didn't try acting earlier in life. If I do go into this I will not be expecting anything and if nothing comes out of it atleast it can make me more confident with public speaking and myself. Thank you all for your input.
Is it realistic for me to dream of becoming an actress if my first language is not english? by umm4oranges • last post Dec 17th
Well, I realize this sounds naive and stupid but I will give it a shot. I'm 23 and I always had this dream of becoming an actress and play in well known movies. But I live in Romania, Europe. And it's quite obvious that my accent is foreign. Would it be realistic for me to dream about becoming an actress in the US or the UK? I think that no matter how hard I try to 'fix' my accent, you could still tell that it's not my first language.
Your Favorite Monologues to Practice? by graciessecret • last post Dec 17th
Hi! I’m curious what everyone’s favorite film/play monologues are! :) I’d love to get to practice more so finding out other people’s favorites will be so interesting. For a little info, I’m a 22 y.o. female and some actors whose movies and acting styles I’m drawn to are Saoirse Ronan, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Leonardo Dicaprio, Renee Zellweger, Cate Blanchett, Scarlett Johanson (honestly i have to stop myself right here, this is just to name as few as possible because I always get so flippin excited)
moved to another city to pursue this career by mosenco • last post Dec 17th
As many already said, if you wan't to be an actor, you need to move where people usually film the movies. I planned to move to London, but how do you manage the cost of living if you aren't rich? If you have money, you don't need to care about rent and food and you can focus on your career, but if you are not rich how do you manage to "survive"? What kind of job is perfect for someone who are pursuing this job? Because if i work full-time in a company to pay the rent and stuff, obviously i have no time to film and such
How do you work to improve your craft? by ak_writes • last post Dec 17th
I just signed to an agency recently, and I’m really excited for the upcoming pilot season. Hopefully I’ll get some good auditions! In the meantime, I’ve been taking weekly classes - something I’ve been doing for months. However, I really want to work on improving my craft even more. I’ve tried acting exercises from Uta Hagan’s book, but I don’t feel like they do a lot for me. With the holidays around, and getting some time off from my job, I want to use my free time wisely. I’m still fairly new to acting so long time actors, what do you guys do to improve your skill? Your auditioning technique? Any exercises you do on the daily? Any and all advice would be appreciated!
Zoom Meetup for Actors by Bigballer645896 • last post Dec 17th
PS: *This is not affiliated with any acting teachers or schools* Hi Everyone, I was interested in starting a Zoom where we all can discuss our experiences with Acting and give some advice to our peers on their Monologues and judge them a bit. This is where new actors can join and ask each other about the Industry, how to book gigs, and more. Make sure to Have your Monologue Ready if you want to share with Everyone PM Me if you want to judge the Monologues If Anyone would be willing to start the Zoom PM with the Meeting ID and Password. *All Ages are Welcome*
This question but with voice actors. Who plays themselves in everything they voice act in? by StorytellerAli • last post Dec 17th
Hesitation towards joining SAG-AFTRA by luckyluckylucky2 • last post Dec 17th
I've been going to college in New York for a couple years now, studying for a film degree, and supplementing my income doing non-union background work. I recently became SAG-Eligible doing this, and hope to continue doing it for the foreseeable future. Though most of what I do in college is behind-the-camera, I still enjoy acting, normally on non-paying student films that my friends or classmates are making. Would joining the union prohibit me from continuing to work on these non-union student films as an actor? I'm debating if I should wait a couple of years to join, so I can continue working on student films... or if I should join now so I can make better money working background jobs.
Hitting a wall- any advice? by devy_stated • last post Dec 17th
I’m a 24 year old actress from New Jersey. I went to a small liberal arts school in PA and have a BFA in acting. Did a lot of theatre in high school/college but realized when I took a film class that that’s where I really wanted to be. I graduated college in 2019. A week after graduating I went to my first open call at a local Philly agency, and she signed me on the spot. I was auditioning around 1-2 times a month and booked 3 commercials with her in a span of 8 months, one of which made me SAG-E (even though it hasn’t come out yet due to covid- it was a tourism commercial that was supposed to come out in April 2020). I had some exciting auditions for small roles on an HBO show with really big name talent, and got called back 3 or 4 times by the CD to read for different roles (which was encouraging because they seemed to like me). I made almost as much in those first few months from acting that I did from my day job. I felt like I was gaining some momentum. Then everything shut down. That sucked in itself, and then my agent ended up retiring mid-lockdown. Since then, I’ve been working my ass off to get new representation/any work I can find, and I’ve really been struggling. Since my agent was small and local she only had a few suggestions for referrals, none of which got back to me. I’ve submitted to 6 agencies so far and haven’t heard anything back, even for an audition. I’ve written thought out, researched cover letters, worked really hard on my website and materials, and have been working as much as I can during all of this. (I was able to book a role in a music video, a student film, and 2 independent video projects with friends over the summer). I’m constantly working on my reel and website and I’m on actors access and backstage every single day submitting and writing personalized cover letters whenever possible. Since around September, I’ve been having a really dry spell. All things combined I submit for probably 15-20 roles a week, and I don’t hear ANYTHING back. Not even for an audition. I’m starting to feel super bummed about it. I have a letter of recommendation from my agent (for the agencies that take those, which is not many). I’ve exhausted my connections. I feel like I’m doing everything I can and I’m just hitting a wall. The only thing I haven’t done is take online classes/workshops, which I’m not opposed to. I know some people have made really great connections and even gotten representation from classes, but I’m just hesitant because I feel like there’s a new one every day on backstage, and they’re not cheap. I’m pretty broke at the moment and really trying to save money to move out of my parents house, so don’t have a ton of money to spare on classes. If I take a class I want to make sure it’s the right one for me and it’s legit. I also am checking Central Casting every day to start doing background work, but so far they’re still not taking new submissions because of covid. I still have a ton of agencies on my list to submit to, and I’ve heard a lot of people say that I shouldn’t submit around the holidays or during pilot season in January. It breaks my heart to think of not being able to act again until the spring. I’m really hitting a wall and any advice would be appreciated. I know things will pick up again eventually in terms of background work at least, but I can’t help but feel like I’m wasting so much time and crucial years when I could be building my career. I want the most honest feedback possible, so I’m posting my reel here as well. Maybe there’s something I’m not seeing that’s lowering my chances. I realize the the first 2 clips are from an independent project/student film, so the quality is significantly lower than the professional commercials. I put these things first because I feel like they show more of who I am as an actor, rather than a short clip of me talking about car insurance. But maybe the low quality of these first clips are turning people off? I’m open to any/all honest advice. Thanks in advance for any advice! I linked my reel below. (https://vimeo.com/487666203)
What emotion is the most difficult to portray? by tkinsey3 • last post Dec 16th
Or does it just vary by actor? [View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/kelexw)
Acting Newsletters by Rainingsun15 • last post Dec 16th
Hello! So I have been looking into ways to market myself and stay visible as an actor and once I have my brand down, I have been playing with the idea of starting a newsletter. My career coach says that it is a good idea (even though the idea terrifies me) but basically, once a month/month and a half, I'll send an (on brand) letter about my recent bookings/life events to my contact list in a quick email. Of course I would stress connection and wanting to know what's happening in their lives over bragging about mine. Has anyone heard of this or done it themselves before? Or does the idea seem crazy? I'd love some insight!
Why would actors with talent agents be on Backstage? And why do many put their representation? by curiousthrowa1 • last post Dec 16th
I don’t get it. Wouldn’t casting directors be turned off by you having representation since your agent should be getting you the work? I see this often. Can someone explain? Or do agents put their clients on Backstage?
Just did my 1st tv commercial yesterday in years and had a bit of nervousness. Guess normal? by secretmanpoopie • last post Dec 16th
I got a smaller part in a major ad and had to react to my neighbor. Just felt a bit off and slightly nervous during my takes, as the director had me do maybe 10 different takes and scenarios. They mostly needed a close up of my face reacting to my neighbor. But for some reason i got slightly nervous/intimidated around the crew and other actors as i wanted to perform ‘perfectly’. The director affirmed that i did a good job (as did the main actor) and we moved on but i still felt inside i didn’t do so well. Maybe just cuz it’s been years since i was in this world of filming, which i did a fair amount of years ago. Anyway, just ranting here my inner nonsense lol
When submitting to agencies, should you or should you not mention that you’re freelancing in all departments for another well-respected agency? by curiousthrowa1 • last post Dec 16th
I’ve been freelancing for a month with this agency in NYC. Idk if it’s because I’m college-aged and a POC, but I’ve only gotten one audition. I’d like to get more auditions and (hopefully) book real work. That’s why I’d like to submit to other agencies. But should I tell these agencies, in my short bio within the submission email, that I’m repped as a freelancing actor by another well-respected agent?
Should I submit for an agent now? When did you? by Actingchick1234 • last post Dec 16th
Hello fellow actors! Lately I’ve been feeling ready to submit for an agent, but since I live in a smaller market (Philly) with about only 5-6 accredited agencies, I don’t want to ruin my chances. Is this a good time of year to submit? Could you share your journey to getting an agent with me? Some backstory: -I have a minor in theatre performance, and have taken/continue to take many different types of acting classes since graduating -I’ve been in 6 plays/musicals (all community theatre) with some lead parts -I’ve been focusing on film for the last year and a half and have about 5 non-union credits in film/new media, an industrial, and 1 commercial gig under my belt -From all of this I’ve been able to put together a decent reel and a resume. Is this enough to submit to an agent or should I strive for more roles before submitting? I would appreciate some perspective :) thanks!
Beautiful Actresses/Handsome Actors that disappoint as actors by SwissMM • last post Dec 16th
For a master class on musical interpretation I would like to make an analogy to acting. I need good examples of a bombshell beautiful actress or a "to die for a handsome" actor who are "one-trick dogs"... that is, they only look good but don't have the acting chops to be considered stars and have to be "hyped and heaved" into that status. ​ Background: In the classical music world, young players are falling more and more to the temptation of simply creating a big hypnotically beautiful sound but not doing anything artistic with it which could be considered "compelling musicality". I would like to encourage them to develop some depth of character in their playing by drawing a parallel to actors and actresses who are just "pretty" or "hunky" and need to develop more "substance" if they want to rise above their current level of mediocrity. Any candidates? The first ideas I have come up with are "Kiera Knightly" and "Elvis Presley", but I am hoping you can help me find better examples and hopefully with a short clip of their less than stellar performances. The antithesis of these would be the timeless stars with beauty/handsomeness and depth and versatility like "Lauren Bacall" and "Gregory Peck". ​ Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Advice on getting into acting late if you can’t afford drama school? (UK) by echoandwaternymph • last post Dec 16th
When I was younger I dreamed of being an actor and was passionate about drama classes at school, but taking this further was heavily discouraged by my parents. I can understand why, as they both come from humble backgrounds and just want their children to be financially secure, but I can still remember how harsh they were about my dreams, and it still hurts. Because of this, I took the academic path they wanted for me and buried any plans of going to drama school or pursuing acting. I went to a good university, did a postgrad, and have worked what my family would call 'real' jobs for the past six years. But the itch to go to drama school has never gone away. I’ve been involved in community theatre for a while, and this has always made me so happy. In the UK it’s very hard to break into the acting industry without going to drama school (it's possible, but difficult). I know that drama school is very competitive, but I wanted to audition one day and see what happened. You never know until you try after all. As with everything I do, I was realistic. If I auditioned and was unsuccessful, at least I would have confirmation and would be content knowing that I had tried. I also have a career to fall back on if things didn't work out. Earlier this year, I finally decided that I was going to stop dreaming and give it a shot. Unfortunately, after researching my financial options, I realised that going to drama school was out of reach. I'm not eligible for another student loan\*, and the government-funded Career Development loan was scrapped last year (I have friends who were able to retrain as actors or musicians thanks to this loan, so it's a bit crap that it's been stopped). A bank loan is far too risky, scholarships and bursaries are very scant (I have researched these in depth), and it would be impossible to save up enough to pay for the tuition fees and living expenses for a one year course (around £20,000-25,000 or more). Financial help from my family is not possible, and I certainly *don't* want to crowdfund, especially now that so many people are having financial trouble. I’ve tried to take some positive steps towards my dream away from the drama school path. I’ve had some headshots taken (socially distanced ofc), continued with community theatre (over zoom), I'm taking a part-time acting class (also over zoom), and have signed up to extras agencies and various casting sites (like Backstage). I can't help but feel it's a catch 22 though. You can’t get cast without an agent, but you can’t get an agent without acting credits/drama school. I’m trying to stay positive and find another way to chase my dream and explore other avenues, but I can’t help but feel upset and disappointed at the same time. Has anyone else been in a similar situation? If so, how did you move past the upset and disappointment? Is there anyone here who has broken into the industry without going to drama school that has some advice? \*For context, in the UK we have government loan scheme for all universities. You don’t start paying the loan back until you earn a certain amount, and then it’s automatically taken from your salary like a tax.