We have found 19,293 posts across 4 actor forums:
My experience with theatre and acting in general. by Diego077 • last post Oct 26th
As I was roaming around the streets, my shoulders brushing up against the horde in a dark and gloomy day, I decided to take the plunge and take up an activity that was far beyond my reasoning, far beyond my wildest dreams. The idea of taking on something that will make me go to great lengths to step outside my comfort zone started creeping up on me. I was determined to take the leap in some area of my life and I have never looked back since. I was determined to keep on waging war on every single irrationality running through my mind. My irrational fears, my irrational questioning and my irrational way of functioning in life. For the longest part of my existence I have always refused and turned down opportunities to take part in activities that involve a certain degree of exposure and expression, be it social or any other sort. My past and my social background has always been pretty dark, plagued by moments and snippets of uncertainty, moments where my hope-driven efforts were to no avail. For the purpose of this post, I will not go into detail. But to put it into perspective, my past left me drenched in nothing but overwhelming insecurities, runaway anxiety, shyness and a degree of social awkwardness and what's more, a massive sense and need of social approval. I just wanted to rid myself of everything altogether, to not give a f@#$ anymore. So I embarked on this adventure. From the very first moment I set foot in the place, something clicked within me. I knew I was making the right choice. I knew the gist of the whole acting thing, but I still feel numbness most of the time when I walk in, I feel overcome with nervousness and uncertainty about the next thing that will eventually happen. They say that is a trigger for panic but I felt like it was anything but. That is just a sign of imminent growth. I was willing to make every single effort to put a halt to my nonsense by facing it and moving onto the next challenge. As the saying goes, expression is the opposite of depression. From the very first moment I set foot in the place I got nothing but ambivalent feelings. A gift I had to make the most out of, overlapped by those instant rushes, automatic reactions, defense mechanisms , fight or flight response, you name it, that crop up as I try to set my mind to get in the 'actor mood'. Luckily enough, I was not alone, not only do you need support and someone that will make you hold up your end when committing to something of this nature but you also need someone that will hold you accountable and share the same feelings in some way. The energy these people give off is indescribable, it is not just a pat on the back, I refer to it as a transmutation of energy, where we feed off each other, transmuting harmful energies to positive vibes. They are not just classmates, they are family, my family. I will cherish the moments we are sharing for my entire life. As the classes went on, everything was moving along, so was my nerve to act. Although I felt and still feel a bit behind throughout the whole process given my whole weirdness added to the inability to cope with my clumsiness when under pressure and also the flair of some of my classmates who have to put on acts. This group of people are not only terrific actors who share the 'acting bug', I am amazed to be friends with such talented, intelligent, dedicated people who make me so happy, and from whom I can learn a lot. It feels like this whole process is getting somewhere. They say that to put on an act, or just act, you have to be well-acquainted with the given circumstances of your role, play around, and most importantly, get to know yourself. So that you can immerse yourself in the given role as who you are and how you would react to those circumstances. That´s when the muse kicks in. In a nutshell, you are supposed to internalize this in a snap of the fingers and then let yourself go, taking your emotions as they come and sometimes using them to your advantage. Easier said than done of course. For me, I use this as a means to battle my struggles and to escape from my reality. Despite the rush of racing thoughts, nervousness, when I am in the mood for acting, it comes out smoothly and naturally. More often than not, I wonder and try to wrap my head around the causes of why this naturalness exists and where is it coming from. To this day, it is still nothing but a mystery to me. Up to this point, there are many things that have gone a long way for me to improve and polish my skills. Now the time has come to expel these giant bursts of energy and finally make a play. I know for a fact that just taking on this challenge will not suffice. There is a whole host of things you need to do and apply to get the job done. Mustering up courage is one but you also need to get really technical with it. To cut to the chase, you need to handle your emotions so you can also be aware of the technical aspects that come into play during, paradoxically enough, a play. To sum up, I advocate that acting opens up new ways and perspectives. It affects everyone differently and everyone reacts differently to different stimulus. But as long as we are all in it together, there is one common goal. That is what makes the whole process exciting and heady. There's a long way to go and lot of room for improvement. It feels like once and for all, I'm paving the way to achievement of something long-lasting that will enrich my life forever.
Headshot-Age Range-Character Type Post - Oct 25 by AutoModerator • last post Oct 25th
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.
Morality vs Money by lzbumblebee • last post Oct 25th
I originally just thought about posting this in the weekly ask thread, but I feel like it’s a question that would probably be worth discussing on it’s own. There’s a casting for a political party PAC advertisement. Needless to say, it’s for an opposing political party. But it also obviously pays. My demographic, I’m sure whoever is selecting for the commercial, would immediately select me...but is the money worth “selling my soul” as a background actor? I know it’s not a question anyone can answer for me. The money will obviously be nice and is the biggest factor. It’s not a ton of money, but it would be helpful, and I wouldn’t have to worry about sharing an agency percentage either. And it leads to a bigger question. Where’s your line drawn at? What won’t you do for money at any price (although I feel like as creatives, living in absolutes is taboo).
Are there any actors who watch porn for the acting? by sumant28 • last post Oct 25th
What about the craft can be learned about from these performances.
What are some books / essays on exaggerated acting? by Locogooner • last post Oct 24th
I'm a director but I want my actors to adopt an exaggerated style of acting. Something akin to Japanese Kabuki theatre or general stylised acting something like Jack Nicholson in The Shining or The Joker in The Dark Knight. Are there any books on the art of overacting?
Dramatic Acting Jams in LA? by misstheground12 • last post Oct 24th
I know there are a number of improv jams in LA, which are super cheap, anyone can show up, and improv a comedic scene. Does the same thing exist for dramatic scenes? And not necessarily improv - just a cheap place where actors come together and work on scenes?
LA Casting VS Actors Access by CaliforniaStoked • last post Oct 23rd
Hello! Wanted just a quick opinion from you all. What do you guys tend to use more, Actors Access or LA Casting? I use to use both, but I took a break from acting, and I've only reactivated my Actors Access account since I've been back. I'm currently not represented, so I haven't felt the immediate need to start up an LA Casting account again. I've also stopped auditioning for student films all together, and I remember getting mostly just student film auditions from LA Casting, and more TV/Netflix auditions from Actors Access. Hence why I just reactivated that. What do you guys tend to get more success from, as far as legitimate/professional auditions?
It’s finally here. by virgomotion • last post Oct 23rd
After 2 years of going to acting classes and workshops, several low budget student films and unpaid gigs, hundreds of dollars spent on good headshots and demo reels and countless nights worrying about if this is the right path for me. I finally managed to get a meeting with a manager this Thursday. Wish me luck fellow actors.
The Art of Writing from an Actor’s Perspective 101, as explained by a professional Actor and Executive Producer. A podcast suggestion. by sleuths82 • last post Oct 23rd
Are There More Roles in the Netflix Age? by EndureTillEnd • last post Oct 23rd
A lot of one’s friends have insisted that since people are spending more time watching shows on Amazon Prime and Netflix (and things alike) that there are now more opportunities than ever. How true is this; and if you feel that this is false, when was the real *golden age* for actor/actress employment?
Am I too young to start drama school even if I'm experienced? by RentBoyDave • last post Oct 23rd
Im currently applying for Drama Schools in the UK and Im not sure if realistically Im old enough to be considered. Im 19, which I know on paper isn't too young, but I also know people are quite often in their early 20s when they apply. I went to Sylvia Young's and have worked in the industry since I was young and I do have a lot of experience in the West End and TV under my belt, I guess that may play in my favour, but Ive applied to the Likes of RADA, LAMDA, Guildhall, Bristol Old Vic and I know that they quite often take older students. I am signed at Waring and McKenna, which is a good agent, but drama school is something I've always wanted to do and I really just want to better myself as an actor. Any advice?
Fulltime work affect auditions? by Kurt1717 • last post Oct 23rd
Hello, I have recently secured a full time job (accounting firm, 9-5 Monday to Friday). I know this will affect my chances of becoming an actor because I won't be able to attend auditions during the day, but how much of an effect will this have? Are there many auditions after 5pm or on the weekend? Or is video auditioning the way to go? Thank you in advance :)
Look-a-like / strong resemblance work? by thitmeo • last post Oct 22nd
Hi guys, first time poster here and I hope this topic is OK. I have a friend who is bears a close resemblance to a well-known actor. It's close enough that complete strangers or people he's meeting for the first time have brought it up immediately. The facial resemblance and body type are both there. My friend is 19 years younger than the actor in question, though the actor is in great shape and looks younger than his age. Here's where it gets interesting. We want to make a short documentary of us trying to get my friend acting work as a body double, stand-in, or "young version" of this actor. My friend has no acting experience but is a talented dude who'd put in the hard work to do it if it actually came to be something. He also has the kind of job and life where he actually could pack up and go if something actually came up. But, of course, we really don't care if something comes up, we just want to make the doco of the experience, win-or-lose. So my question for you wonderful actors out there is, how does look-a-like / resemblance / young version casting work? Would we want to get pro head-shots done, pro monologue demo recording, contact a specific casting agency? The actor he resembles is represented by a super high profile agency that does not accept any unsolicited materials, which is to be expected. Appreciate any help, and thanks!
Can i help get you out of corporate hell and in to a creative life? by SwissGoose • last post Oct 22nd
Hey all! I've starting writing guides on getting actors / creatives out of the office as fast as possible so they can, well, create stuff / get to auditions Would really appreciate your thoughts / opinions if the below guide resonates / helps - happy for any feedback! [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SYT5OVgeY1qiT7cwoxZ2CySey2l05YBV](https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SYT5OVgeY1qiT7cwoxZ2CySey2l05YBV) Outside of work I love to act and play music so I'm trying to combine my experiences of finishing corporate life effectively to help others find more time to get creative. Thanks in advance! David
What it's like shooting a nude/sex scene by megnmn • last post Oct 22nd
I had to do some at 16 in this film called 'Breath' with Elizabeth Debicki and was wondering what it was like for any other actors who have done the same. How do you feel about attitudes towards on-screen nudity as a whole?
Anyone use IMDB Pro? by SplittingEnnui • last post Oct 22nd
I'm looking for additional resources when I move back to New York next month, and I'm already familiar with Actors Access, Backstage and Casting Networks. BUT I've never used IMDB Pro, and I'm wondering if anyone is familiar with it and can share a review of its pros and cons. Specifically if I get anything out of it that isn't offered by one of the other three main services.
BECOMING: Chris Evans - Part 1 by arielu12301 • last post Oct 22nd
https://youtu.be/RL-uUivHW7Y What an amazing actor. He shows how he started his life in acting and how much he loves it. An amazing actor, defiantly the Captain America we’re all needed.
Anne Bancroft: A Life (podcast episode celebrating the award-winning actress/director) by PhilHallUSA • last post Oct 22nd
I need advice by willthespartan1997 • last post Oct 22nd
So to start off my dream is to become an actor or a writer, I don’t see myself as anything else I don’t have an agent nor do I know how to get one I tried applying to two talent agencies and not hearing anything back despite telling me they’ll let me know if I’ll get represented or not I don’t have a reel but I’m trying to get work for my reel, they all tell me you need experience but won’t hire me to get experience that’s the most retarded thing I ever heard, I haven’t been in anything at all but where I live which is in Oklahoma it’s hard every time I try to audition for something I get told where’s your resume or previous which is retarded I’m stuck here because I can’t afford to move anywhere so can I get some advice please I know I sound like I’m whining but I’m just really frustrated.