We have found 19,373 posts across 4 actor forums:
Comedy/Drama reel by LapisFury • last post Oct 10th
Hi there. Newbie actor here. I'm currently getting my reel together and I have about 10 scenes in total that I can pull from. 3 scenes are more comedic while the other 7 are dramatic. I'm wondering if I should stick to having one reel since I only have a few comedy scenes or if I should create a separate reel solely for the comedy pieces. Any help or advice is welcome. Thanks!
Some tips from the sound department by KorovasMilk • last post Oct 10th
Greetings actors, I am a sound engineer that works primarily in film and TV (Mixer, boom op, playback, utility, audio-post). Working in the sound department, I am very focused on the delivery and clarity of dialogue coming from the actors. I have noticed a few consistent issues that some actors have that prevent them from getting high quality recorded dialogue on all their lines. Not capturing good audio during each take can have a big impact on the production process, which could lead to cut lines and scenes (i.e. reduced screen time), substandard performances, and more work in post-production (i.e. ADR). While I interact with the actors a lot, it’s not my place on-set to suggest any changes to performance without first talking to the director. What this means is that I will only interject if there is a major issue, and otherwise I will generally let the actors and directors do their job as they see fit. So, if an actor has bad habits that prevent me from getting good clean dialogue, I may share my opinion with the director once or twice, but otherwise I will just do my best under the circumstance. I thought it would be cathartic for me, and maybe helpful to any interested actors, if I share some of the common bad habits that actors have which hurt the quality of their own on-camera dialogue. 1. Doing actions over your own lines. Example: Imagine a man that is searching for a document on a messy desk. He is riffling through papers and he says “I know it’s here somewhere.” If he is moving all the papers around while he says that line, then the dialogue is not very useful. An experienced actor will take a very brief pause in their action to say the line, then continue. When done correctly, the pause looks natural and is barely perceivable, but it makes the dialogue useable. 2. Turning away from camera and boom mic when you deliver lines. This is a similar issue and solution to the last one. Again, there are many good reasons to turn away and perform actions during takes. However, on many occasions, I have seen actors mess up their own screen time by habitually looking away or downwards (for no good reason) when they say their lines. Ex: Imagine a character speaking to someone left of camera, and he says “I think he’s over there” and points away from camera (behind himself). In real life, you might say “I think...”, then turn away and point behind while saying “he’s over there”. However, on camera that would mean the majority of your line is getting cut off by you turning away from camera which would likely also affect sound clarity. A solution to this would be to begin a gesture as you finish the line, then turn: “I think he’s over (point) there (turn)” It is so subtle, but it will get better quality picture and sound. Another common example of this is lines spoken in sotto (to oneself under the breath). It is common in real-life to say these lines with a head angled downwards and maybe pointed away, but in film this often leads to bad picture and sound. Sotto lines can be spoken without looking downwards, then you get your face on camera and the dialogue gets picked up clearly. 3. Speaking way too softly. I understand that there may be a good reason to speak in a very low volume during a scene; however, generally it is a good habit to project your voice a bit (even when whispering). The default should be a clear projected voice, and only go into whisper/mumble territory if you’ve been directed to do so. From a sound perspective, mixers are always trying to get the most volume out of target dialogue without capturing too much environmental noise. So, when an actor is exceptionally quiet, they need to turn everything up. This means that environmental sounds like HVAC, traffic, generators, etc. will also get turned up. So unless you love the sound of your soft whisper accompanied by the sweet sounds of a lawnmower down the street, you should speak up. 4. Not landing on your position and not being consistent with your performance. Of course you might need to make adjustments from take to take, or you might be asked to try something different by the director. Someone from the camera and sound department is nearly always listening to the director (even when they are talking to actors), so if the director tells you to do something different, generally the camera and sound department are ready for it. Missing your mark and being inconsistent becomes an issue when it is repetitive and you haven't been directed to change something. If you move differently from take to take, then it is impossible for the camera man, focus puller, and boom operator to anticipate your movements. As a result, you could have a great performance but it isn't captured properly because nobody knew what you were going to do from take to take. An experienced camera and sound department can handle some inconsistent movement, but an experienced actor will know not to put them in that position too often. 5. Be aware of the lav mic that is placed on you. Avoid hitting it, or hitting someone else’s whenever possible (especially over lines). Don’t mess with the mics that are placed on you, and notify someone from the sound department if a mic has slipped/fallen or needs adjusting. These are just a few little points from a soundguy that may help you get some more keepable takes when you’re on set. They are generally good habits to keep in mind, but of course each of these points can be forgotten if the director specifies something to the contrary. I wish all of you the best at your next gig/audition.
Is it really worth it ? by Acc4VeryNiceStuff • last post Oct 10th
Hi everyone. i'm 17 and currently live in Portugal(recently moved out). i'm a native french speaker and i'm currently learning Portuguese. My life project would be to finish my studies (i will be around 20) and get my diploma before going to Hollywood and become a professional actor. i want to finish my studies no matter what so i won't have any problems latter in life with jobs but i'm still wondering if going to Hollywood right after i get my diploma is worth it. at first i was 100% sure but now i don't know if it's gonna work or even if i'll like acting in big productions. maybe staying here a little bit more is the best option, what do you think ? ​
Offered a role that is pending SAG-AFTRA! by superrobotone • last post Oct 10th
I just started following my dream the beginning of this year then COVID hit. So im very excited to find work again! I was offered a supporting role through Actors Access! It shows they are pending SAG-AFTRA. Can anyone explain what that means? Thank you for your time in advance!
Best Jobs To Work At As An Actor? by ApprehensiveCity8 • last post Oct 10th
I currently work as a preschool teacher 8-4 M-F. What are some better options? Part time?
What are the most exciting types of movies to film? by YourMumsAVirgin69 • last post Oct 10th
This is more for the professional and successful actors of the sub, but what genre of movies have you found the most exciting/fun to film?
Voiceover auditions concerns.. . by PATTIE • last post Oct 9th
Hi fellow actors! I pray all is well. My name is Pattie. Im having a lot of hesitations about some of these voiceover auditions-- especially the ones that are somewhat legnthy. Have you guys been sending readings in their entirety, or just a portion? There are so many people trying…
What does a professional actor do whilst waiting for an agent to find them a role? by YourMumsAVirgin69 • last post Oct 9th
Do they continue training? Do they audition for things themselves?
Looking for actor in Seattle area by akaJoeAkira • last post Oct 9th
Hi all, I'm filmmaker working on my first short and I'm looking for actors in Seattle area. I don't have a preference for sex, gender or age, but looking for an actor thats mid 20s or younger. The basic story is a college student gets an ouija board, and begins to experience paranormal incidents. They begin to develop a drinking and drug problem so ots unclear if what's hes experiencing is real or influenced by his substance use.
Central Casting Article Deleted? by PinkPutty • last post Oct 9th
Why was that article posted about Central Casting’s issues with race and toxicity in the workplace deleted? It seems incredibly important to be aware of how Central Casting is subpar when it comes to helping their background actors, both with racism and workplace harassment. (The article describes how the company had ignored multiple complaints about sexual harassment/unethical working conditions on Sets) If I was beginning to look into background work I would want to have read that article so I was at least prepared to know what I was potentially going to deal with
Only one play I care about? by writeratwork94 • last post Oct 9th
Hello lovely actors! I've got a bit of an open-ended question here. 30-SECOND VERSION: Should you be in acting if you only \*really\* care about one show/role? Maybe it's not really acting I love, maybe this is about something else? Full version: So it occurred to me recently that in a way there's really only one play/role I care about (I'm only interested in stage acting - as much as I admire cinematic acting, it's not for me). There are other plays and roles that interest me, but I would forgo every other somewhat-dream-role I have to be in this one play, and if I got every other dream role I have but didn't get this one (or probably even if I was in the play but didn't get to be a lead), I would be deeply disappointed in my career, probably forever. I don't know how I would ever let go of it. Like, I've actually gotten to be in most of my dream shows (albeit not in the roles I wanted, but I'm okay with that), but all I can ever think about is this one other play. And it's not like I would even be orginating that role lol (and even then people don't remember the original actor's performance forever); I know I could do a great job at it but tons of other people have played it just as well as I could. So what would be the point...? :/ I don't think I would have gone into acting if not for this play. Basically I feel like I've put myself through all the torture that trying to become an actor entails just because of one show. Which seems insane, partly given the odds and partly because I'm sure no show could be as amazing as I've hyped this one up to be, so surely I've lost some perspective somewhere along the way? I've made a lot of wonderful friends through acting and grown a lot as a person and learned some new skills, and it's inspired me to take better care of myself physically, so it hasn't been a total loss. But at the same time, I can't stop thinking about the enormous amount of money I (like all of us here, I imagine) have put into training and headshots and commuting to auditions and on and on and on, and the job opportunities I've passed up for this, and how much better off I'd be financially if I saved that money instead. (Especially since I haven't gotten to be in a show in almost a year thanks to covid, so I'm still spending all the money on acting classes but without getting the fun of performing for a real live human audience lol. All of the bad and none of the good, basically. I'd like to take a break from training for awhile but I'm scared I'd lose my progress if I did. Plus I'm going to be thirty soon, so as a female the sands are running out, sadly. There's only so much sunscreen can do haha and I'm just not willing to consider facelifts or the like.) A director I worked with once told a story about how an actor he knew spent his entire life up to like age 45 working crappy jobs and living in crappy apartments, and then finally one night he became a last-minute replacement and got to open in his dream role on Broadway. I think the way this director told the story, the moral was meant to be "it's worth it". If it is for some people, I respect that. But for me I just couldn't see it... 20ish years of your life...? I sat there thinking "if it was me in that situation and I got my dream show/role after 20 years, how could it ever live up to how much I hyped it up?" I know so many actors who absolutely lose their minds if someone they know was in Les Mis or Phantom or Hamilton or Mean Girls or Six or Spongebob (even though the pay for the spongebob tour notoriously was absolute crap, especially for such a grueling work schedule), etc etc etc, like that's the greatest thing that could ever possibly happen to any human being, and I'm just not sure that makes sense to me. I'm beginning to wonder if this whole thing about this show isn't some weird psychological thing I need to work through that really isn't about acting deep down. I'm beginning to doubt if it's really a good idea for me to keep pursuing this. Especially with COVID having demolished the career prospects of many-if-not-most performing artists, possibly forever. :( Also I don't know if this level of obsession about something is good for my mental health? I've noticed I'm becoming very bitter - jealous of people who are better than me instead of admiring their hard work, resentful of actors who've had opportunities I didn't - and unfairly suspicious about why people got cast - "so and so must be sleeping with the director" etc etc - which is just not okay. Acting has made me a better person in many ways but a worse one in others. :/ (As far as performing as a hobby, I definitely want to keep doing that. But it's tricky because I live in a huge theatre city, so even the unpaid productions are chockablock with phenomenal out-of-work actors who have theatre arts degrees from the big schools or even have been on broadway. ><) Has anybody else been here? Any wisdom to impart? :) If you tortured yourself through this whole post - THANK YOU!!! <3 <3 <3 Note: I realize this post may sound a little like I've already made up my mind... I haven't. I'm just feeling a bit tired and quarantine has meant I haven't gotten to enjoy the adrenaline of performing for awhile, plus there won't be any performances for the foreseeable future - I'm in the U.S. - so things naturally take on a different light.
Non-Actor Here, I Have a Question About Technique and Confidence. by CityonFlameWithRock • last post Oct 9th
I'm not an actor and I'll try to keep this brief. Since I was a kid for what ever reason or another, I've had issues with confidence. My baseball coaches could see it, my hockey coaches, my team mates, college professors, employers, etc. I never feel like I am sure of myself. And I'm tired of feeling that way. So I here a lot fake it until you make it. I was watching the Soprano's episode were Aid signs Chrissy up for those acting for writers classes and it got me thinking. Could I learn to act like my favorite actors to build up confidence? Could I emulate Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood, Denzel Washington, Brad Pitt or Kurt Russell to fake it until I make it. I was watching The Thing the other night and throughout the film Kurt Russell's character MacReady is so calm despite the situation and he's always in charge. How do you guys learn this?
How often do voice actresses use falsetto? by cherrycruise • last post Oct 9th
Hi, I'm pretty new to voice acting, and I want to get better at making my voice sound higher and younger. Whenever I listen to some voice actresses, I can't tell whether they're switching into falsetto to voice some characters or changing other elements of their voice. How often are female characters voiced in falsetto? Thanks for the help.
Audio Fiction Table Reads @ Audio Fiction Network Discord Server by JohnGaines_SE • last post Oct 9th
Hey r/acting it's been a minute. Lots of stuff has changed. This whole pandemic has really thrown wrenches into everyone's stuff. That being said, we've finally got our stuff together and are having table reads once again! Our first table read back will be on the 18th of October. For those of you who don't know about us, the Audio Fiction Network is a community for audio fiction creatives (writers, producers, sound designers, directors, actors - if you do audio fiction of any sort, you are welcome). We've also got a few cool resources like a Creative Hub with 200+ GB of free to use, searchable SFX as well as over 300 audio drama scripts you can read to help you hone your craft. **Server link:** [**https://discord.gg/MyyQUfE**](https://discord.gg/MyyQUfE) **<- join here for the table reads :)**
Audio Fiction Table Reads @ Audio Fiction Network Discord Server by JohnGaines_SE • last post Oct 9th
Hey r/VoiceActing it's been a minute. Lots of stuff has changed. This whole pandemic has really thrown wrenches into everyone's stuff. That being said, we've finally got our stuff together and are having table reads once again! Our first table read back will be on the 18th of October. For those of you who don't know about us, the Audio Fiction Network is a community for audio fiction creatives (writers, producers, sound designers, directors, actors - if you do audio fiction of any sort, you are welcome). We've also got a few cool resources like a Creative Hub with 200+ GB of free to use, searchable SFX as well as over 300 audio drama scripts you can read to help you hone your craft. **Server link:** [**https://discord.gg/MyyQUfE**](https://discord.gg/MyyQUfE) **<- join here for the table reads :)**
Could I ever be an actress? by MoodyMoonchild • last post Oct 8th
So for some context, I'm a 14 year old girl in Asia, and I'm planning on going to college in US. I've been taking trinity classes and giving exams (Speech & Drama etc) since I was around 7. I've always gotten distinction but this hasn't really given me confidence in my ability to act. Recently I actually considered that I would like to act in a series. My teachers and parents always say I'm good but I really don't know. Also I'm a little insecure about my looks, I sort of have a big nose and would this hamper my chances in this industry?
Looking for thoughts/advice from people in the Brisbane/Australian acting scene by YaBoiGazza_ • last post Oct 8th
**Hey, I'm a 20 year old actor from Brisbane, and right now I'm figuring out the best course of action to properly start up my career. I am aiming at getting into Film & TV acting.** ​ I have a few options in mind. At the start of next year I could do a Bachelor of Fine Arts in either Drama or Film, screen and New Media (at QUT). Both are 3 year courses. The drama one is really focused on theatre and would definitely teach me more about acting. The Film course however, offers internships and connections with industry, though of course isn't really focused on acting. An alternative however, is doing one or more shorter courses with NIDA, which would be cheaper and not take up 3 years. ​ Regardless of which choice I make, in the next few months I could participate in some student films, get a showreel together and look for an agent/representation. ​ I also have dual citizenship with England, so in the long run I could expand my career by moving there, as I assume the London/England Film & TV scene is bigger than Australia's. ​ **So overall, I guess I'm asking for opinions on whether a 3 year course at Uni is going to be better than a few shorter courses and putting myself out there now. Thanks for reading this far :)**
Headshot-Age Range-Character Type Post - Oct 8 by AutoModerator • last post Oct 8th
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.
First time on a TV show - recurring character - my diary (days 1-2) by jostler57 • last post Oct 8th
Hi all, I just had my first two days of TV show shoots, and I wanted to just unload my thoughts and observations. I was very anxious beforehand, as it was my first time on a large budget set with lines, so I figured it might help the next person to calm their nerves! I did not write all this at the time - I didn't keep my phone with me, at all; this is from memory. Also, I can't be specific about many things, so what you read is what you get. I have 9 or 10 days of shooting, so I'll write more after I do those when time permits :) **NOTE** This is in Taiwan, so there are some things that might be different from your experience! I am American and can speak just a little Mandarin; enough to get around with the basics. They provided a hotel room, at which I arrived the night prior. This is in another city, so I had to travel to get here (they paid for travel). #Day 1 (no lines): * 4am: Wake up and get ready for 4:35 pick-up. Only me and a bald, older man in the entire van. * 5am: Arrive at old, abandoned factory. Nearly 100 people running around, some with flashlights. There are dressing tents to change clothes. I and the older man are greeted by a handler who shows us where to rest. We are given breakfast (dumplings), and will be called for hair/make-up and costume when it's available. There are many background actors for today's shoot, and they all arrived at 4am. * 5:30am: I am called to hair/make-up. They minimally cut my hair as needed. Makeup I have to ask for additional eye makeup, as I had an irritated eyelid that day, and didn't want the redness to show. * 6:15am: I've got my costume on (minus suit jacket), hair quaffed, makeup on, and am just relaxing with the other actors, getting to know them. Two other actors from America, one is an ABT (American Born Taiwanese), and the other is a white guy who has been living here for 25 years. Great folks! Also, the bald guy turned out to be a famous comedy actor, who has been on TV for over 20 years, but his English is not so great (same as my Chinese!) * 7am-lunch: Here we go! There are 5 scenes, today, and they all have *many* background actors. Before lunch we will do 2 scenes, but they are LARGE and with a lot of people. They do blocking and 1-2 quick rehearsals before shooting each scene, but that's about it. I get to take a lot of breaks when I'm not in the shot, but always have to be ready for the next camera position. Toilets are just porta-potties, and they are the squat style (traditional style for Asia -- no seat!). I've decided I'll hold any #2's for the hotel haha. The PAs and helpers are a-plenty and very attentive. The Assistant Director is small woman with a large voice; kind but demanding. The Director is a soft spoken, calm man with excellent vision. The star of the show initiates a conversation with me; most of my scenes are 1:1 scenes with him, later, so we had to get on the same page with our characters. His lines with me are all in English, and that's not his native language. He is a nice guy, and is passionate about the story. I have a couple medium reaction shots and group shots throughout this bonanza. They are great at organizing the mass of people. The background extras are falling asleep standing up. * After lunch-6:30pm: We're running late. Our lunch was cut short; only 20 minutes to eat. They forgot to ask me what I wanted to eat, but luckily I got something I like. It's cheap food, but edible - even the star is eating cheap food; at least it's filling. Another American actor (small character) came around 12pm, along with some other foreign (non-Taiwanese) background actors. They brought in a vintage car (1958 Mercedes) for a shoot. The car's owner is there with his wife. He takes pictures with all the stars of the show. **They gave me a line to speak, but no mic -- it was just for a quick greeting.** They also gave my character a last name, as the other character had to introduce me -- Ass. Dir wrote the name down for later. We are hurrying to get the rest of the shots before daylight is all gone. Sunlight is gone -- they set up more lights to make up for it. We get all the shots, and we go home 30 minutes early! I am STARVING! (They had food back in the resting area, but the afternoon was non-stop) ---- #Day 2 (4 lines): * 6am: Wake up and get ready for 6:40 pickup. Riding with the other American who came at 12pm, the day before, PAs, and makeup/hair people. * 7am: Same location (but different area of the factory) and same deal as before - eat, costume, hair/makeup. Only about 20 people here, today, with just 4 background actors, and another actor. The ABT guy arrives around the same time as the star, after we've finished our hair & makeup. * 8am: We're all fed and ready to go! Only 2 scenes, today. **REWRITES!** I'm told they want to add a line for each of us to make it more robust of a scene, and they change the entrance structure from what's in the script. So, **now I have a 5th sentence** I get to speak, and the other actor gets a line when he had none (for today). Hooray! Blocking, rehearsal, and then off we go! * 8:45am: Blocking isn't working perfectly well, so **I'm given another 2 sentences** to fill time while our adversary scene partners come in. During practice the star made the funniest joke of the day and we were all bent over laughing. Lots of camera angles for the exact same scene, so I must've said those (now 6 lines) several dozen times. Other American actor gets a nice close-up reaction shot of his own - lucky day for him! Turns out he's a semi-famous youtuber, here, and the ABT guy has been in several dramas, previously. I'm the only green actor on set! (I mean... I've done stuff, but not at this high of a level) * 10:30am: More angles and then we do the next scene - a continuation of the scene prior. Super easy, but needs 5 different camera angles. Other American and I are told to just improv in the background regarding the situation that has unfolded, but loud enough that the mic can hear it. Sort-of more lines? I'll take it! * 12pm: It's lunch time, but we're already done for the day! We all get driven to the train station. I have a commercial tomorrow in Taipei, and then back on the TV show set for the entire weekend and Monday. These days were pretty easy for me, compared to what's coming up. I didn't have a lot of lines to do, so it was nice to just be able to take things in and get the pacing. It's a great help for when I have some pretty beefy scenes, coming up! Knowing my lines and how I wanted to deliver them was key. I must've practiced a hundred times at home. Doing that for all my scenes! Also, when I was given the script, it only had the parts with my lines; it didn't even have my non-speaking scenes. So, I had a very fragmented knowledge of the story prior to shooting. ABT guy read the entire 12 episodes of the script (it's all in Mandarin, and Google translate sucks, so I couldn't). I asked him a dozen questions, and thank god I did! It really helped me to understand the context of my character. Super happy to have met the ABT guy! Thanks for reading!
Should I make the move to Dallas or LA? by raspberriesonfire • last post Oct 8th
Sorry if this has been asked before, I’m just kind of really unsure what to do in terms of my next steps. I’m a voice actress and I’ve made a bit of a mark in the indie scene. I have some credits for indie games with big actors and have worked with animation studios. I’ve taken lots of classes with various funimation and big LA actors who have told me I’m ready to work professionally. I have no agent and have not been actively searching for one. I’m primarily a character actress but do commercial stuff on Fiverr and voices123 to pay the bills. I’ve been considering moving to Dallas to pursue the funimation track, but I have no idea how to even audition or get in for some walla roles. I’ve considered submitting my demo to their email, but I’ve heard they never really check it. I’m really afraid of moving to Dallas and not having anything lined up, and same goes for LA. I’m afraid to uproot myself and have no line of work when I get to either of these cities. Does anyone who has any experience with this have any sort of advice?