We have found 19,242 posts across 4 actor forums:
Reminder to be careful with scene partners by GeoffreyOliver • last post Feb 27th
So today I was performing a scene for someone else’s class where I was supposed to grab another actor out of anger and forcefully shake her a bit before shoving her and walking away. The brief rehearsal and first two takes went fine, but on the third take, after I performed the action and walked away, I look back and the actress stumbles backward onto the floor. I have some stage combat experience, but I’ve never practiced something like this before, and I guess I pushed too hard. I felt horrible. I guess lesson learned is to approach every physical contact with scene partners with more care, and to rehearse as extensively as possible to avoid something like this. Thankfully my scene partner was fine, but I still feel absolutely awful about the whole thing.
Submission services in London similar to actors access? by Tunaavocado17 • last post Feb 27th
Hello! I’m an nyc based actor but have dual citizenship and would love to know if there’s a service equivalent to actors access/casting networks for projects in England? I don’t have an agent here or there but would love to spend some time doing non-union stuff in the uk!
Let's get our starmeter green for the week. View for view with pleasure by Marshall Cook • last post Feb 27th
Kindly visit a friend profile Thanks https://m.imdb.com/name/nm1977244/.
Any benefit in background work? by youfeelme1997 • last post Feb 27th
Hello all, Agency mentioned a background role on a commercial with potential for principal and print opportunities once on set, said yes thinking of building connections with the specific casting director (usually used background actors down the line as principals) , but issue im having is having to call out of regular daytime job for the shoot. Dont really need the money but was saying yes just for future connections and potential for principal role down the line but kind of regretting now. Know i cant back out due to wanting stay professional and respectful but kinda regretting it lol Is there any benefit to doing background work on commercials when you already have a decent resume with lead/supporting speaking roles? Dont have any commercial experience so taking it as a learning experience.
Anyone here have experience with Luber Roklin? by actorchan • last post Feb 27th
I have been working with Luber Roklin for a bit now. I am curious to see what other actors' experience are with them (current and past). Please comment or private message.
How do big TV actors get their roles? by No_Ground7218 • last post Feb 27th
I am a bit new to everything, and was just wondering how actors involved in bigger TV shows typically find their roles. I'm thinking shows like last of us, yellowjackets, etc. I understand they have agents and are in the union, but do these agents find the work off sites like "Actors Access or Backstage", or do the casting directors typically have the actors in mind before the production even starts.
"I am 30, 40, 60 years old, is it too late to start voice acting?" by Failed2launch • last post Feb 26th
This is the last in the series of posts, regarding getting started. This is for anyone 30 and UP. If you are under 30, you can read this if you like, but it might not matter to you, yet. A few things before we get started. Your MENTAL HEALTH. Is it good? Because if not, get that taken care of. You will face constant disappointment and rejection, so be ready to have a thick skin. Your physical health. Are you up to date on that? Getting plenty of sleep and drinking water? Is your GERD taken care of? Can you speak without getting exhausted and out of breath? Are all of your allergies and sore throat gone? Do you still smoke cigarettes? This all needs to be taken care of. Now that's out of the way, let us begin. Lets start with your living situation Do you own your home yet? Great. Do you still live in apartment? Consider moving. Can't afford it? Find a way. Save money, work two or three extra jobs. Your choices are to: Move into the middle of nowhere, as long as there is good internet. Or, move out to a major city Like L.A. or New York. The expectation at this point is you should know where you want live, because that also factors into what kind of work you can do. Whether it's union, non-union, and whether you're fi-core. In addition,being ready by reading the getting started post and understanding that there are many free resources available to all. Next is finances. You should have some money saved up and be ready to take classes, coaching, and a be able design a home studio or live in a busy market like Los Angeles or New York. This career is a small business, and you are selling you. So, you have paid taxes many times at this point. Consider researching making your business an LLC or S-CORP. protecting yourself from getting sued is important looking up copyright and contract writing is also helpful. Consider sitting down with or doing a zoom call with an entertainment attorney. Expect to not make a profit in the first 3-5 years. Can you afford to spend $20000? If you can, that's great. If not, start doing anything you can to make money. Next, is Time. Do you have it? Because you will be spending hours a day researching, learning, listening and educating yourself. You will live, breathe, sleep voice acting. If you are focused on other things, maybe consider slowing down and starting with reading and listening. See what you are getting into before jumping into the pool headfirst. Next is Family. Will your family support this decision? Do your kids still live with you? Does your spouse know you are doing this? Are your kids still little? These are factors to consider. This doesn't mean success can't happen. Search Mike Lenz podcast. He worked in a Pharmacy, then took over the business, and had a spouse who was initially against the idea of him being a voice actor. He slowly but surely grew his acting skills and his business, and now does voice acting full time. What about a father in his 40s with a young child? Search All over voice over, with Kiff VH. He unfortunately did not have a spouse that appreciated the idea. He divorced and got married to an actor instead, moved from Michigan to L.A. and became not only a voice actor but on screen too. He made it work! Next is "I'm too old". Watch Voice over Body Shop with Dan And George. It's basically "Cartalk" that you would hear on NPR. George is a home studio tech who worked with Don Lafontein. He makes home studios for a living. Dan worked in radio in Boston back in the day, and eventually became a teacher, and then got into voice acting. He is certainly in his 60s and still getting work. Next is Technology. You are never too old to learn. In fact, there are people who deliberately choose to not get with the times. This is known as weaponized incompetence. Again, if your mental health is in shape, there's no reason not to learn something. In fact, people who are scared to learn may have had a bad experience with a teacher in the past. This is where money comes in. You pay a good coach or mentor to show you how to navigate a DAW or CRM software and you can be on your way. If you need an example, consider that podcast with Dan and George, VOBS. I have seen plenty of guests say they don't know technology so they hire someone to show them. Next is independence Have you had a job before where you were left alone, and expected to get things done? Are you able to have that mindset of taking ownership and responsibility of your own business? Because the onus is on you. You are responsible for your career. You are responsible for your future. Next is Marketing and Branding This is something that may be difficult for someone who is humble. You may want to keep to yourself, but in this global market, the ENTIRE WORLD is your competition. So, that being said, you can pay someone to help you market yourself and your branding. Or, you can take it upon yourself to do so. However, you have to be honest with yourself. Ask yourself "what do people think of me, what do I sound like, and what am I known for?" Help define your signature sound. Help the client understand who you are, and why they should hire you. Next is the work. What do you want to do? What is your goal? And what is the next goal after that? You will have to decide if you are a niche or a swiss army knife. You can specialize in a few fields like audiobooks and e learning, or you can be known for many things like commercials, videogames, adr, telephony etc Next is Networking. Do you love people, or just tolerate their existence? Well this business is a business 2 business field. You are working with people and building relationships. I like to say we are planting seeds and letting them grow. You probably already know, but there's a fine line between letting someone know you are available to work, and pestering them with monthly emails. Overtime, your business will be like blossom. The seeds grow into trees, and they branch off and find more people for you. You need people who will advocate for you. So keep making connections, keep providing great business, and a great experience. That leads into our final topic. MOMENTUM Do you have what it takes to light a fire under your ass every day? To go out and audition, whether that's in your closet or studio? You have to be a self starter. You need to be your own cheerleader, or hype man. Build up that momentum, water those relationship seeds, keep up on the latest technology (are you on TikTok and Zoom, or are you still just on Facebook and sending emails?) Be willing to attend voice workout groups,and coaching on a regular basis. Ask for constructive criticism and don't take things personally. Keep building that momentum, even on those hard days where you want to do nothing. I hope this all helps. This concludes the getting started post series.
Searching for a website by SkywardKy • last post Feb 26th
About 4 years ago, during lockdown I found a website where people could post voice acting projects looking for actors and people could do it for free (volunteer work). I have been trying to find that website and I can’t. Any help or alternatives would be appreciated!
Hey I need help finding acting agency's. by ActingTeen • last post Feb 26th
I live in central Texas near Waco and Austin and can't find any agencies that will respond. I really want to be an actor and need help so please help me.
will more-notable actors agree to appear in smaller-budgeted films if their role is short and not at all time-consuming? by RRDirector • last post Feb 26th
okay, so let’s say that I am directing a $1-5m dollar motion picture… and I wanted to cast somebody such as Kiera Knightley to perform in a role that would only take her one day to complete on set. like, would somebody like Kiera Knightley be more inclined to accept that smaller-role because of how non time-consuming it is for them to commit to it… or another example - how about if I want Kal Penn in the picture, and would only need him for 2-3 days maximum. would this be more about the pay-rate (which would be standard for SAG Low-Budget), or would they feel more inclined because it is simple labor for a whole new credit on their resume/reel. just curious about this, and if anybody had similar experience with what I asked. thanks - all the best.
Vaccine Mandates by blackpink_fan101 • last post Feb 26th
Anyone know where I can find updates on this? Do you guys think this is ever going to change? It's my dream to work for major shows (like Netflix) someday, and obviously for major networks because all professional actors work on major TV shows and movies, but I'm scared of needles and of getting the vaccine, but I'm definitely not willing to give up my dream because of a vaccine, I'd much rather deal with a needle for a few minutes, but does anyone know what's been going on with this lately? Thanks!
My friend needs help. He feels lost by Proof-Pollution454 • last post Feb 26th
Hello everyone. A friend of mine who’s an actor graduated from from college with a BA in performance with a concentration in drama. During his 4 years he’s participated in plays , short films, background work, independent feature films, taken outside acting classes from his college courses , and also gotten professional headshots. Last year he got into an acting class with a teacher who told him that he wasn’t ready for an agent and that he lacked basic tech skills and the teacher would let him know until he would get an agent. My friend is currently practicing in improving by filming monologues and scenes. He feels guilty not listening to the teacher because he feels that he will just fail despite already having experience and constantly improving. Please help. He is worried and stressed out. The teacher also told him not do short films or independent feature films due that he’s not ready
Beginner VA here! Recording sounds like I’m in a box? by Alitheidiot • last post Feb 26th
Hi! I’m VERY new to voice acting and posting in this subreddit in general, so I apologize if I’m posting this in the wrong place. I’ve been trying to work out how to fix up my audio and make it sound right. I can’t afford much at the moment, so all I have is a USB mic, a computer and a closet full of clothes for my recording setup. And it’s kind of worked? Background noise hasn’t been an issue and I think I’m getting there. But there’s one issue I keep having that I can’t seem to get rid of. It’s hard to explain, but the best way I can describe it is that it sounds like I’m recording inside of a box. Which I guess I technically am, but I think a lot of other voice actors have a similar setup and haven’t had this kind of issue. Or have at least worked around it. It’s like if my recording were to be put in a scene, the character I’m voicing would sound like they’re talking inside of an enclosed space, even if they aren’t. I really want to fix this issue before I start doing any recordings that I’d share with anyone. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Has anyone dealt with something similar? Is it a mic thing, is my environment not treated correctly? Or if this isn’t the right place to ask, which community should I take it to? I’d love to know! Thank you!
Help with crying for an audition by whitegold33 • last post Feb 26th
So basically, I'm not much of an actor at all. In fact I consider myself pretty terrible at it, but I want to try to be better at it and I'd really love to be cast in this fanmade musical even though I'm more of a singer. I got a callback asking me to perform the first 2:20 of this ([https://youtu.be/NjPYBu6r2es](https://youtu.be/NjPYBu6r2es)) song, but I really don't know how to approach the crying part at the beginning. Any tips?
Should I open an Actor’s Access even if I’m not in the USA? by nicenicevanana • last post Feb 26th
So I'm a Mexican/Spanish Actress who’s living and working in Madrid, I want to open up my router, and I know that Actors Access is a MUST for actors in the USA, now I don’t want to suscribe if it’s not going to open opportunities for me just because I’m in Spain… So I’m not really sure if I should, can someone outside the USA, with an Actors Access share their experience and if it has been opening doors for them? Thank you!
"I'm under 14 years old, what can I do?" by Failed2launch • last post Feb 26th
Hello, this message is for kids under 14, who live in the United States. So, you want to be a voice actor in videogames or anime or you want to be a YouTuber? Here are some things you can do, no matter where you live: -Join a school play, this is free and fun. -Join a music class. Choir is the best, but any class, piano, jazz, guitar, it's all helpful. -If your class has reading time, or if you teacher asks "does anyone want to read aloud?" volunteer to read aloud -Most importantly, read books out loud at home. -Take a foreign language class, if it exists. -Join boy scouts, girl scouts, or a scouts troop -Play your favorite sport on a team -If your school allows it, sell candy to your friends at school -Try to save your extra money for the future -Don't buy anything, no microphone or computer, this stuff you can buy later when you grow up and it's cheaper That's it! Otherwise just have fun, and keep watching anime or playing video games. You are learning just by listening. I DON'T LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES, NOW WHAT? -I can only speak from my personal experience. I have heard that Canada is pretty encouraging in the Vancouver or Toronto areas. Also Europe seems to have plenty of work too . IM IN AFRICA OR ASIA OR MIDDLE EAST OR SOUTHERN AMERICA -I'm sorry, but consult google. I don't know what the rules or laws are. If possible, you can get a work visa and come to the United States. I'M OVER 14, WHAT CAN I DO? -I will be making a post for ages 14-19 soon, so please stay tuned to this subreddit. I AM A PARENT OF A CHILD WHO IS INTERESTED -The main thing that I ask is your income and where you live Is money no problem? Then you probably already know about sending them to schools of performing arts, or living in big cities like L.A. These places will have focused programs and even have casting for kids in shows that were similar to Blues Clues and things we grew up on. If you don't live in a major market, that's okay, there's plenty of free information on this subreddit. Read the getting started post. Even if you don't want to be a voice actor, It's important to know what your child is getting into. There is also voice acting coaches that work with kids too. You can find some of them at edge studio, probably. I recommend all the information I mentioned to the child is important, here's why. Have them take any acting class -This should be a given, but voice acting is real acting. There's a reason everyone watches Disney. Take a music class, especially choir. A good music teacher will provide proper technique, and also help kids understand timing. Have them learn a second language or foreign language. This is crucial, even if they don't become a voice actor. When they audition for a gig, they can offer doing something in another language and make even more money in the future. Have them join the scouts. This is an entrepreneurship career. Having them understanding sales and independence is important. Have them join a sports team. They will need to learn to work with others, especially the ones who aren't easy to get along with. Lastly, be a supportive parent. (This will probably wont be relevant to you, because you took the time to read this) But just in case -Get the kids health and dental taken care of. It only gets more expensive as they get older. - Make sure they are reading out loud, at home, everyday. -College is very important, even though technically you don't need a degree, there are so many opportunities if they can move or go to a good college that has performing arts or theater programs. Business classes and entrepreneurship are a must too. That's all folks! This will be the first in a series of posts. I plan to do: -Ages 14-19 -20-30 -30 and older Stay tuned!
"I'm 14 years old to 19, how do I get started?" by Failed2launch • last post Feb 26th
THIS POST IS FOR UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, the labor laws vary state by state. If you live in another country, please google your countries laws. WARNING, GET YOUR MENTAL HEALTH CHECKED. - Now is the time. You are going through life changes. This career has alot of disappointment and criticisms in it, you are going to audition 100s and thousands of times. Please be sure you are in a good mental state before doing anything. But I have ADHD, AUTISM, or other situations -Well, good news, plenty of people are successful voice actors who have it. Please visit the link list at the bottom for more information. GET YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH CHECKED. -Do it. Do you have breathing problems? Do you cough alot? Please, go get this checked out. You may have asthma, you may have allergies, I really don't know, I'm not a doctor. -But, it is important to be able to use your voice for acting. So make sure you get that taken care of or under control. GET YOUR DENTAL HEALTH CHECKED. -Your teeth, your jaw, are all part of how sound comes out of your body. Get those fixed, checked out, removed etc. MY PARENTS WON'T TAKE ME TO THE DOCTOR -I'm so sorry. There's no excuse for that. Healthcare is available in all states and if your parents work, you are covered under their plan. Speak to your school counselor about that and see if they can help you. MY PARENTS WON'T LET ME DO ANYTHING AT SCHOOL LIKE CLUBS OR SPORTS, SEE MY FRIENDS, ETC -I'm so sorry. You can try talking to your teachers or counselors, but if you are in an abusive household, you may be stuck. Once you are 18, get out of there. (note, this is different then if you were grounded for doing something wrong). Okay, so IF EVERYTHING IS GOOD AND NONE OF THOSE THINGS RELATE TO YOU, OR YOU ALREADY TOOK CARE OF EVERYTHING, PLEASE CONTINUE FORWARD. Alright, assuming you are in the United States, and you are at least 14 years old, you are in high school by now (or 9th grade-12th grade). Depending on the state you live in, their are different labor laws. At the link list below, you will find the Osha page that says if you can work yet. For example, at the age of 14 in some states, you can work 3 hours a day on a school night at a restaurant for example. Anyway, here are 5 things you can do right now that will help you be a voice actor. 1- Join a club. Is there a videogame club? A movie club? An anime club? A Drama club? A Business club? Speech and debate? Why it's important: You will be around other people who also like what you like, and you may learn something too. 2 If your school has a program, such as choir, dance, drama, graphic design, entrepreneurship, any of those are helpful . why it's important: You will learn skills for voice acting, even if it's never mentioned. The drama class is important, because you are an actor. the choir class will help you manage your voice. It will also help you with rhythm and timing. Entrepreneurship will help yoh understand that this is a business, not just a hobby you do for fun. 3 Get a job. Work at a fast food place, restaurant, or retail. If your state says you can't work till your 16, then keep focusing on those clubs in the meantime. How could working at McDonald's or Hot Topic or Applebee's help me be a better voice actor? Because: - You will learn how to take direction. Your manager will tell you what to do. You may like or hate them. But one of the most important lessons to learn is you will have to work with other people. Even if you think you are right, and know that they are wrong, you have to be able to be quiet and take direction. It's about what they want. They are the boss and pay your paycheck. What about Hot topic? Well, it's the same with the customer . They ultimately give you their money. What if the customer is wrong? Doesn't matter, you have to be able to swallow your pride and ego and deal with them. But what about when I get angry and talk back to the customer? It will eventually happen. And you will see the result. They will probably never shop there again, tell all their friends about you, and post on yelp and other socials to never shop there. I understand being angry, but the consequences are what come. That being said, stand up for yourself in the workplace. Don't get rolled over either. Sometimes, the job isn't worth it anymore and move on. Which brings us to 4 College. It's stressful to think about, but this is the time in your life everyone will be expecting you to know what career you want. Why it's important: Well, this may be a shock, but most actors, including voice actors work a day job or part time job. You may have to work 10-15 years at a boring job until you can be a full time voice actor. This doesn't mean you stop voice acting, you will just be busy paying bills. Overtime, you will get more and more work as a voice actor, and you will work your boring job less and less. How do you not get a boring job? Well, there's college for that. "But I'm not sure what I want to do?" That's okay, nobody really is when they are your age. At the link list at the bottom, you will find a couple of surveys that are free (or should be free, don't pay for anything you can get free at the library). These may help you find a couple of jobs that are of interest to you. Please remember, it's just a survey, don't let it define you. 5 READ THE GETTING STARTED REDDIT STICKY POST -It has so many free links. So much free information. So much reading. Did I mention that this entire job involves you reading, out loud, in front of a microphone? If you hate reading, maybe consider coming back to this career in the future. Final thoughts: Don't forget to live your life. As a teen, you should be having fun still, and hanging out with your friends and being silly. Try to keep all these things in mind, and remember kids, stay in school. And if you speak a second language besides English, keep speaking it! You will have more job opportunities. SUPER SECRET BONUS ROUND -Do you really want to be a voice actor? What's the fastest way to learn how? You need money, lots of it. How do you get money? Look up the most demanding jobs right now on indeed or zip recruiter. what do you see? Nurse, Truck Driver, Cyber Security, and the trades: Welding, Plumbing, Electrician, Mechanic, etc. If you really want to get there the fastest in America, consider these jobs. If you have the money, you can pay for coaching, getting a brand, getting training on mic, getting a professional demo made, can move to a major market Like Los Angeles, and can buy a home and build your home studio. And, on top of that, you will have that skill like a plumber that's always in need, and you will have a source of income you can depend on while growing your voice acting career.
Hey friends, Will visit yours back as regard. kindly take a visit here by Jay Montalvo • last post Feb 26th
Auditioning for the lead but the producers want someone with major acting credits by owlwars • last post Feb 26th
This happened to me very recently and though I usually can stay very detached with auditions, this one really got to me. I had an audition for a film through my agent. The whole production team, director, writer, other lead actors, are A List/multi award winners. I’m just a budding actor with few credits. The role is extremely specific, requiring a specific language & dialect that not many people speak (which I do). As I went through the sides for the script I realize it’s the lead role. Moreover this role had other things in common with me; our background, appearance/description, heritage, we even grew up almost on the same neighborhood. The coincidences felt almost like karma - and because I wanted it I worked really hard on the self tapes (I had to send in 3 scenes). I gave a performance I’m proud of and am confident that I did my best. The part hasn’t been cast yet, but I ended up meeting the casting assistant recently (not sure if they remembered me) at an event, and while chatting they told me “Yeah, at our office we don’t ever call back actors who don’t have major credits. The whole casting team doesn’t really like newcomers, we will audition them sometimes but then producers won’t want them”. I understand that acting is a business and I shouldn’t have gotten invested at all but what’s the point of auditioning newcomers if you will only cast big name celebrities? Surely if the whole film is produced and directed and written and starring A-Listers, you can afford to have a newcomer in it, right? There’s examples out there like Rachel Zegler in Spielberg’s West Side Story or Paul Mescal who did this. Has anyone had a similar experience?
rejected by all agencies by kitkatlover2 • last post Feb 26th
I submitted to a lot in mid-late January and was rejected from all of them. I had one interview, but they never got back to me after so assuming it's a bust. I genuinely thought this was a sure thing. I have a good demo reel with a variety of performances (not just class work; actual footage), headshots, a decently stacked resume, and a fully set up AA profile. I cold-submitted which probably is the kicker, because I just haven't found anyone willing to refer me. I know people who have had no credits and only a bit of training with a headshot who get into good agencies bc of a referral. Having more experience but not having the connections really sucks. Every project I've worked on, the others actors are represented, and even though we're on the same set (my name even higher on the call sheet), they are far ahead of me. I know I just have to keep getting roles and footage, and I'll take a lot of classes this summer, but will that even be enough? How many roles on a resume will it take for someone to consider my submission? I just wish someone would take a chance on me. The agent I met with said it would be harder for me because I'm white, but I think I have a unique look nonetheless. Ugh, I don't know. I've been working so hard to get an agent for years and it's just something I can't do.