We have found 19,295 posts across 4 actor forums:
Do you think it is ever appropriate for an actor of one race to play a character who belongs to another race, whether a historical figure or a fictional character, and who looks totally different than the actor playing him/her? by swengunderblum • last post Feb 4th
This is an often contentious issue today. But is this ever okay? There are many great performances of where actors of one race have played characters of another race. It happened a lot in the past, but I suspect you will not see much of it in the future as it raises controversy. But couldn't there be situations where an actor is a great fit, perhaps in height, size, bearing, countenance, or voice, and who with make up and costume would be perfect for a certain role even though they are of a different race?
How would you approach reading as a character with a lisp, without overdoing it on every ‘s’ word and make it genuinely sound as authentic as possible? by CornrowKenny100 • last post Feb 3rd
There’s a role I’m attempting to tackle where I need to speak with a lisp. For someone that doesn’t speak with a lisp, how does one go about it and make it authentic as possible as this is not in not in my nature of speech. Does anyone know any examples in movies or tv where someone has been able to do that, where they do not have a lisp in real life? I know there’s one actor here from the UK who was able to do that superbly - Kayode Ewumi in his #HoodDocumentary web series. https://youtu.be/165R9OWugAk https://youtu.be/3aKKxPBkM44 In his interviews he talks without a lisp. He did it so convincingly but I don’t know how. Any thoughts on this? Cheers.
Can't decide on my Stage Name by BrandosBytch • last post Feb 3rd
I'm trying to get myself back into college as a starting point for me going for my dreams to be an screen actress one day. I'm having a hard time deciding which of the following sounds catcher though: Arlene Anderson or Arlene Savage does anyone know which if either of these sounds like it would sell better?
Bits is an app for acting out situations based on hashtags that was built specifically for actors by hollllow • last post Feb 3rd
Hi everybody, ​ \*Full disclosure, I'm one of the founders of Bits app\* ​ In the past few months we've developed and brought into perfection the app using actors, comedians and writers to allow you to: \- Create and discover short comedy videos base on hashtags \- Practice your acting skills in fun and healthy environment \- Record and edit your bits within the app using our intuitive and easy-to-use recording studio (no need to rely on other apps) \- Stimulate your creativity by going over thousands of hashtags in the creativity center \- Join a growing community of actors, comedians, improv players and writers ​ Right now, we are only focusing on the artists side of the app but in few weeks we will start to drive traffic of consumers into the app. I would love for you to check out [Bits](https://bits.onelink.me/U2YV/b2e53aee) and tell me what you think. I'm here for any question or comment you may have. ​ btw, we are having a [meetup](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-bits-a-new-app-for-actors-comedians-and-improv-players-in-la-registration-55520827289?aff=rotem) on the 26th in LA and would love to see you there. ​
Director here, working with agents for the first time, what's the etiquette? by duhpolan • last post Feb 3rd
Hello all, I am directing a short film real soon and have actors with agents for the first time. What's the proper etiquette of everything? For example, during audition signin I did get people's contact info, but do I go through the agent to let them know they are cast? How should payment work? I also want to set up a lunch with the two leads and it feels a bit weird to go through the agent for that? Any other advice working with agents would be great, thanks!
Actors and creatives, have you heard of Daisie? by JasonRiverThompson • last post Feb 3rd
Hi everyone, My name is Jason and I am an aspiring actor. I have not been in any productions yet but I am going to keep trying! I wanted to make you all aware of an app called Daisie. It is owned by Maisie Williams (She plays Arya Stark in Game of Thrones). It is a social app to help creative people discuss, collab and help each other grow. There is an Ios app already. Android on the way. I was wondering if any of you would like to collab or network with me on there? Acting is a profession which I am happy to have started. We can all help each other.
How to improve your chance at getting cast and other tips: by a Director and Filmmaker by Dain • last post Feb 2nd
I'm a writer, director and independent filmmaker. I love Backstage and on my last film, I cast every single role from Backstage alone. However, there is something I have noticed that could help a lot of you actors wanting to break into the wonderful world of acting; and that is,...
what are your thoughts on film/tv in chicago? by geewilligersbatman • last post Feb 2nd
hey everyone, new to the sub here. i have been doing some background work on a few shows here in the lovely windy city. i am enjoying every minute of it. even being an extra, i just love being on the set. i absolutely love watching the veteran actors do their thing. ive signed up for some classes and i would really love to further my acting career in any way possible. After browsing the sidebar and some posts here, I see chicago isnt mentioned all that much. I know theres not as much work as LA or NYC, but what are your guys opinions on the acting scene in chicago? Is there really enough work to make a career of acting? Or should I consider moving to LA or NYC sometime down the road? Any input is appreciated. Thanks guys
Had a bizarre audition yesterday. by Film_ANTHologist • last post Feb 2nd
Has anyone else had this? The audition was being held in a very small studio with a very small hallway, right outside. Because everyone was showing up early, it became a fire hazard and half of us had to leave and come back in 10. Granted the email said show up 15-20 minutes before the audition, which a lot of us did. Anyhow, they decided to crack down and include callbacks the same day. Before the first round of auditions were even done, they were calling people back inside the audition room to see them again and to pair them with another actor, who was already seen as well. 15-20 minutes after my audition time slot, I was finally seen. I read with a guy who was just seen right before I walked into the room. He couldn't find what page we were on, even though he just had it open. I started with my line. He said his line. I said the next line then the director said "thanks we're good." Only 2 lines of dialogue were spoken before I was cut off. The sides were a full page. I understand auditions go up and down, but this one in particular seemed sloppy and amateurish. Also, I find it hella annoying that if a director knows what he wants halfway thru auditions and I'm not it, that he cuts me off without even seeing what I can do. Don't waste my time.
SELF TAPE IN LOS ANGELES by gunnerinc • last post Feb 2nd
Hi fellow actors in Los Angeles. If anyone is in need of a place to self tape let me know. I am based in the Hollywood Hills near Hollywood and Highland and have a nice space to get it done. Rate: $30.00 per hour Monday - Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. $45.00 per hour after 5:00 p.m. \*paypal, apple pay, or cash app Let me know if you are interested and you can e-mail me at [selftape@icloud.com](mailto:selftape@icloud.com)
Be calm and present in the room! by RunningWithTheBoys • last post Feb 2nd
Hello fellow actors, I’ve got some personal uplifting news to share! Just to preface, I don’t have a steady job, I work last minute gigs so this usually doesn’t happen with my scheduling, but two days in a row I had last minute auditions so this is an anomaly of how my normal schedules go. So this week I had two commercial auditions both at really inconvenient times, but eyyy that’s life. The first one for *big company*, I asked the waiting room beforehand if it was OK for me to skip ahead of them as I had to rush to work right then and there. I think I came in at the casting office’s opening time even though my audition slot was half an hour later. The other actors all unanimously said OK, very pleasant! and no problem, and I was grateful and in the room first with a grouchy camera lady who had me in and out in 3 mins. I was late to work by 15 minutes feeling like it wasn’t worth it, feeling rushed in the audition room, and having dealt with a lady who might not have verbally instructed the best take out of me. (No sides.) Bummed that I looked bad at work for no reason. Next day, I have another audition for *big car brand* but my audition time was so late in the day, around 5! I asked my agency if it was OK to go in earlier and she gave me the time slots of their casting. I again rushed in during my lunch break (which would have been juuust long enough if I could be seen right away) and when I asked the sign in sheet lady if it would be alright to be seen asap since I had to go back to work she gave me a really passive aggressive vibe, smiled at me kinda gleefully, and said, “It would absolutely not be OK. It would not be fair to any of these people who have been waiting here and in a different category.” She’s not wrong which is why usually they ask me to ask people individually if it would be alright if I stepped ahead of them, but the passive-aggressive vibe was kinda a curveball. Maybe she’s used to dealing with entitled actors or something. I just said OK, I understand, how long is the wait? And someone said it was going quick so I decided to wait it out... it was not quick and I was late 30 mins back from lunch. The whole audition process was again like 2 mins in and out and again I felt like I shot myself in the foot at work and also it seemed like the casting office didn’t like me. Cut to today, I received callbacks for both and I’m over here scratching my head because my experience with casting at both auditions were not pleasant, but hey I guess someone somewhere liked me and I’m pretty stoked! Just a reminder to not let outside forces bother you in the audition room including stress, feeling rushed in the room, or negativity from your day/life. It helps to always do your best with positive energy and professionalism, but not always the easiest to carry out. :) Good luck in your own audition rooms!
Would it be weird if I made an Instagram and followed other amateur actors like myself that I don't know? by BarbieAnkles • last post Feb 1st
I'm genuinely interested in what other people like me are doing in the industry but I've just started out and barely know anyone at this point.
What I've learned so far: 10 key pieces of personal professional advice by littlebitlost96 • last post Feb 1st
Hey, this is my first post. I've been at it professionally for 4 years now. Thought I'd share some stuff I've learned along the way. 1) You don't need to go to drama school to get a great agent or act professionally. If you don't get in, or I got do in and turn it down, or missed the deadline, don't worry, I'm not sure Drama School is for everyone, and it doesn't mean you can't pursue your career. 2) You don't need to spend hundreds of pounds on headshots, if you don't have the money: my friend did my first headshots for free, he was a photography student and we used the uni's studio and lighting etc. Still got signed. 3) MONEY!!! I WISH someone told me how much money I was going to have to fork out for all of this. I don't live in London, you see, especially if you're based in the North. Trains are fucking expensive; go for the coaches if you can. You might struggle to hold down a job that supports your chosen career, and the time off you'll need. If you opt for London, rent if a bugger. Just SAVE SAVE SAVE as much as you can, you don't know when you're next going to work again. DONT SPUNK YOUR PAYCHECK. And please please please stay AWAY from Pay Day Loans. Its too easy to get sapped into it, to feel like you can't say no to agreeing to another casting, the 3rd trip that week. Be sensible, and BE SUSTAINABLE. Its a marathon not a race. And if you're broke as fuck 2-3 years in, and don't know where your next jobs coming from, you're gonna be stressed and you're not going to perform well in castings. FUCKING SAVE! 4) Expectations vs reality. This is a big one. Now, I'm really into film, and I was naive when I entered the industry, and that's okay, I was a kid. But I thought when I get hired onto these film jobs and tv jobs, that I'm going to be fulfilled creatively, and moreover, that the people running the show were like all great, and perfect etc. Chances are, you are not going to be having an Apocalypse Now - Tree of Life - Requiem For A Dream - David Lynch (etc) screen experience lol. Just because you're working with a director who has won a load of awards for their solely commercial based career, and now they're making their first feature and you're their lead, and they can talk the talk, because they work in COMMERCIALS, this does not make them a good feature film director, or a good director for actors. Directors come in all different camps. A few examples to be aware of so you know how to move around a specific set: Commercial directors- they get paid a lot of money, and I mean a LOT, for 3 minutes of footage, can be very arrogant, care mostly for visual, not much soul (obviously) Commercial filmmaking is a money making business, they don't give a fuck. And they wont necessarily understand, even if they do move over to feature filmmaking, how to direct actors. Music Videos pay terribly and you may be treated like cattle. TV: Soap Opera/Day time tv directors- my first gig, I didn't know what a marker was, wasn't standing on mine and got balled at by my stressed out director. Directing Day time TV or soaps is hard and exhausting, they have to churn that shit out so fast and you NEED to be on the ball. 5) Getting a regular role on a BAFTA award winning tv show doesn't mean shit if it gets cancelled after your season haha. that happened to me. Also, a girl I worked with got cut from a HUGE movie, she had a pretty decent role, in the novel and the film, and she literally got cut to a mere frame, this stuff happens. I really admire her, doesn't let it get to her at all, and I'm very sure good things are coming her way 6) You might notice your "friends" on social media, might only give a shit about you when you've done/doing something and nowhere to be seen when you're unemployed and doing a 'Withnail and I'. Surround yourself with a core group of like minded individuals that really believe in you and you in them. I don't really have a family so to speak, so I have a group of friends, who help me through my fuck ups, highs, lows and before anythings. 7) Spend your down periods well. Easier said than done, right? I'm shit at it, and I'll be the first person to admit it. My bf thinks I'm crazy because I get called back a lot, but even when things are good, I still have this black cloud of depression over my head. I'm a total agrophobe during the down periods, that's my dirty little secret. I wish I was out exercising like I should be, and doing workshops etc, but I've found myself in a rut of confidence crisis. Its easy to find yourself here. But just keep on swimming. 8) What to do if you fuck up a big gig so bad, get fired, think you're gonna get black listed etc. I got fired from a job. Was in a pretty bad place, just came off a feature film, didn't give myself the time I needed before I took on a mammoth project, and I TOTALLY FUCKED UP. I wasn't myself, I didn't bond with the cast, and I was in fight or flight mode the whole time I was there, all the way up until opening night when it all went to shit, and my confidence, emotions everything, when to shit. And I let the big insecurity beast inside me eat me alive. Now. Shit happens. Don't worry. I am a living testament that life goes on and jobs go on. I still get theatre auditions through (but I respectfully turn them down, and keep focusing on what I'm good at which is film). If you fuck up, you fuck up, you're human. People make mistakes. If you have personal shit going on, financial worries, a packed filming schedule, and an anxiety disorder, take my advice, don't take on more than you can chew! And if you fuck up, own it. And if its in theatre, don't worry if you just want to pursue film, because nobody in film actually cares about what happened at some northern theatre on the arse end of nowhere anyway. 9) Casting directors want you to do well, so try not to be too nervous. They're rooting for YOU! I read this somewhere, and it really did affect my headspace, and my success rate at recalls and landing jobs. 10) Selftapes: If you want recall after recall, do it well in every department. Set it up technically perfect, get a read in who you always read with so you're used to each other, make sure the lighting is good. Clean blank wall, all of that shit. Slide at the front. And then nail it. You can do as many take as you like! They're a blessing really. ​ Anyway, I hope this helps any young actors out there and gives them a little bit more insight to what the industry is like, can be like, what can happen, what to expect, and how to cope etc. x
Does the sound of your voice change throughout the course of the day? by epiktek • last post Jan 31st
Hi, I'm not a voice actor, and I have no aspirations to become one, but I'm learning to narrate simply for some videos I put together in my spare time. I have a pretty hoarse, raspy, gravelly voice that only gets worse throughout the day. Does anybody else experience this? I can't imagine our voices sound the same in the morning, noon, and night, right? Or do I just have a very crappy voice box? BTW I do not smoke or drink alcohol. I don't even drink carbonated soda, or eat spicy food. But I have an annoyingly hoarse voice. Anyway, I understand I can't do anything about my voice, but I figured I'd reach out to the hobbyists and pros if they ever deal with this. My main problem is consistency. For example, if I do some narration in the morning, and then later in the day, add some more narration or make changes to the script a day later, they all sound different, from my inflection, to my pitch, to the smoothness/roughness of my voice. I don't understand how people who narrate full length books can maintain the same pace, vocal clarity, energy level, etc through 100+ pages. Sorry for the longwinded, meandering post. My question is pretty general... 1. If anybody else experiences inconsistency with their voice, how do you deal with it? Any exercises or routines? Do you eat a certain something before you start, or fast? Do you drink more water? Do you work out? 2. Do you do anything to "preserve" your voice? For example, you might not talk a lot prior to starting a session. Or maybe you might not talk even after the session, because you wanna preserve your voice for the next day's session, etc etc.
CASTING CALL > one actor multiple characters VR game by benluanto • last post Jan 31st
I am working on a cinematic VR game and I'm looking for a Voice talent to play multiple characters. this is a complex set of roles and requires confidence and improve. My preferences is for an American voice actor but I do have access to a studio in Central London so this project can either be remote or at my studio. game play video this is old now but has the vibe of the game [https://youtu.be/29oMW-31ZBQ](https://youtu.be/29oMW-31ZBQ) ​ payment terms and conditions * negotiable hourly rate for Skype directed recording sessions 2-3 Hrs * travel if the job is not remote * commercial rights to everything recorded * credit and top billing ​ full script is available upon request, i am looking to work fast on this [benlunato@gmail.com](mailto:benlunato@gmail.com)
Headshot-Age Range-Character Type Post - Jan 31 by AutoModerator • last post Jan 31st
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. 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.
Is it bad form to reshare the tweets/FB posts of an advertisement with me in it, with an excited comment? by PinkamenaDP • last post Jan 31st
Just wondering if the company that used me in their advertising gets a bad impression about me if I excitedly repost their tweets or FB posts that contain their ad, with a comment like "my commercial! yay!" Of course they're going to be notified that their content has been reposted, so they can see who it is and what was commented. But do they likely feel that as the actor in the ad, I am detracting from the charm and illusion of the content if it's supposed to be of a "family," for instance? Does that make sense? I assume the marketing company could also be paying attention to the company's posts since its their product, even if they're not tagged. Maybe there's only one employee who does social media management that might see it, or maybe the head of creative projects or something watches the reactions to tweets and such, I don't know.