We have found 19,293 posts across 4 actor forums:
Headshot-Age Range-Character Type Post - May 31 by AutoModerator • last post May 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.
actors in NYC, what is your survival job that pays decent? like, above $20 an hour. by ithastogeteasier999 • last post May 31st
money is literally the only thing holding me back from progressing in acting at all, and it's really driving me crazy at this point. waitering / bartending has been my go-to for the few years I've been here, it seems like a catch 22. either you don't get enough shifts, or managers want open availability and it conflicts with all of my auditions / classes, etc., or you don't make enough money, or the work environment is toxic and horrible, its like i can't win here. i'm looking into tutoring, but again even with the higher hourly wage, it doesn't seem like something that will pay enough money to take classes, on top of rent. i'm besides myself here. dog walking is shit pay, really anything less than $20 an hour is just simply not feasible. catering, same deal, working a couple shifts a week at $100 a pop is BARELY going to pay my $800 rent, and $800 rent is a pretty damn good deal in NYC these days. it's really really hard to see people make leaps and bounds around me all because they can afford to take classes with CDs, etc. and i'm stuck struggling to just get by. constantly. any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks guys
What does it mean to be a character actor? Does it mean you're fugly? by CuspChaser111 • last post May 31st
Equity Principal Auditions In New York City by csquared95 • last post May 31st
Hi, I am a non-equity actor who is just starting to really focus on doing a lot of professional auditions, and I've been trying to go to some Equity Principal Auditions (EPAs). I've been to some EPAs in my city, but I've never done any in New York. I was wondering if anyone has done any EPAs in New York City? If so, could you tell me how early I should get there? I was advised to get there 2 hours early, but the train I would take to get there is sold out, and the bus schedule doesn't really work for getting there 2 hours early. Also, does anyone know how these auditions work for non-equity? Are they seen throughout the day, or do they often have to wait until the end of the day to maybe get seen? Any help/advice/insight is greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Any reccommended reading for younger thespians? by NGSKing • last post May 31st
Hey, I am a rising Junior in high school, and since I'm going to have an actual disposable income for once, I figure I should spend money on bettering my abilities as an actor through reading. Any you all recommend for someone who's been acting at an ameteur level for a few years now?
Who's your favorite actor and why? by stanislavskian2 • last post May 31st
Finding that magic of college after graduation by ADoubleReign • last post May 31st
Everyone who graduated with a theatre degree, and is now working, what's it like? I am very career-focused, and find myself sacrificing a lot of potentially fun moments and projects to do what is best for myself as a future working actor. But I also love some aspects of it: the fun of being around a lot of people your own age that are in similar situations, having friends that you know will stay with you even if you're not cast in the same shows, having professors that support you and like seeing you work. Is any of that possible to find afterwards, or am I wasting an essential part of my life? Does it exist in theatre, grad school, anywhere?
Do short (and actually short-short) actors have a chance at roles? should i give up? by CinnamonRoll172 • last post May 31st
I've read alot that most male actors are not as tall as people assume due to them having to complement a variety of other actors on camera height-wise. However, most articles i've read define short as somewhere between 5ft 9 to 5ft 7....I'm 5"3'...... I'm not just "not tall", i'm straight up short. Add to that the fact that I'm asian and I feel like even before my skills are considered, i'm already out of the running. Should I give up? I've been looking for acting classes and decided to pursue acting (while also pursuing dental school), but It's hard to chase a dream when it feels like you're indirectly being told you don't have a chance. I graduated college last month, and being the short inexperienced asian that I am, I can't help but feel like all the chips are against me. I don't want to star in avengers or feature in a hollywood film(as cool as that would be). My (more realistic) dream is to have a small role in a TV show, like stewart in big bang theory before he became a more prominent role. What are your thoughts? I'd like to hear what you have to say on height-ism in the acting field.
can we discuss? anyone noticed apathetic/low-energy acting choice is more prominent nowadays? by mirrorsarereflective • last post May 30th
# Something I've noticed. Recently I've been creeping at audition videos from some of my colleagues who are repped by good agents... I've seen some of their self tapes, and though they are good in the sense that it is believable and natural, I've noticed some of there work very boring or nothing that stands out. by boring, I mean low\-energy. the stakes are low. It is more or less lazy delivery and something I would argue that anybody can do, since it literally sounds like talking . the delivery has no texture, no subtext and no stakes. Most importantly, there is no characterization of the character. This isn't meant to be a put\-down, but rather nothing about it stands out. After watching many of these audition tapes from my colleagues, and also some of there roles in tv shows... I am not mesmerized. In comparison to other self\-tapes out there , I'm not thinking: >wow, this actor is like dacre montgomery, who took billy to the next level in stranger things audition or >wow, this actress made strong choices like emma stone, who really nailed teen angst in her audition tape for easy A To me these two performer's really have it in the eyes, the subtext and tone, and this is only an audition tape too. # Now, my next thing I wanted to discuss, was also the actual final product performances... I don't know if this is a Canadian phenomenon, but I've noticed an overwhelming amount of Canadian tv shows or films with very lazy delivery. When I start comparing it to Game of Thrones, or Stranger Things or any other show out there, I am amazed at how textured the performances are. Now I know the counterargument is that final product often is under the direction of a director, so that varies and depends greatly on how the director wants the performances too I suppose. I've been also watching a lot of film performances too, and i gotta say, a lot of the lines aren't delivered with any texture at all. I noticed new films recently that have very low stakes... there is not the subtlety, that inner life shown in such performances. # I think.... My speculation is that nowadays becoming an actor is more popular. We are much better resourced and educated on how to get agents or go through the acting career path thanks to digital age where information is abundant. Studios and opportunities have risen. This means there will be an huge increase in people who wanna be actors, and imo most people can act, that is if you define it as "natural" and "believable". the thing i noticed is often we get a huge flow of actors who make very weak choices in an audition tape. In addition, being a filmmaker is more accessible. Equipment has gotten cheaper and accessible and since there are more poeple interested in working in film, there is also more people to choose from and collaborate with. So i would imagine this is also a factor too, where many directors who aren't good at directing or have a strong vision create films. This results in poor direction which the actors have to try to work with which results in mediocore performances. thoughts? debates? arguments?
Head movements in screen acting? by mirrorsarereflective • last post May 30th
Some advise to avoid it and soem say that its necessary to feel natural... I dont know. Thougbts? I feel if there is too much head movement than it becomes cartoonish... But if its too stiff. It looks like the actor is nervous. I feel most performances I have seen dont move heads much. I assume this is the case because the camera cant keep focus if yhr actor keeps moving back and forth in and out of frame. I feel a attempt to control your body is a bad idea , since yoy will feel awkward and give awkward performancr
at what point to do you stop? at what point do you just accept that it's not possible to do this anymore? that the industry rejects you? by ithastogeteasier999 • last post May 30th
ive been obsessed with acting my whole life. i've been broke my entire adult life. i had a decent boutique agent and manager for a short period but i was fucked up in my head and dropped them, because as the result of pursuing this life, i basically have no close friends or financial stability and i had people i shouldnt have trusted in my ear telling me i should drop them. im trying not to consider it the biggest mistake of my life, that if I once had them, i can get new, better ones, perhaps ones that actually care about me \(the reps\) because they were lacking in that department. but its not happening, or perhaps not fast enough. i have 2 agents in off markets but they do nothing for me. literally nothing. yet other people all around me that I don't think think are good actors \(but obviously somebody does\) are getting repped and going out for paid work. it feels very cruel to me. i dont know whats wrong with me but being broke all the time is just soul crushing, i'm not on the same page with anybody at all, because it seems to either affect me more than other people, i dont know what it is. at what point do I throw in the towel? i can't just "get a full time job and save money and come back to it". i dont know what world people are living in when they say things like this, but at age 30, and with how competitive the world is for MINIMUM WAGE jobs, magically switching gears like this is just not possible. if I somehow landed a high paying full time job i wouldn't be able to give that up because i know how fucking hard they are and cuthroat they are to get. i know there are no answers here, it's only what matters to me. i always thought i was talented. i thoguht i was epic, like i would change the world with my art. maybe we all think that. its just at what cost? being happy is very hard for me, because i'm so so incredibly lonely, depressed with how society functions and how I have to work just to survive. it's like i just cannot handle normal life. i dont know what i'm asking. actors ive met have been incredibly selfish self\-serving people. nobody has EVER helped me. maybe thats because they think I suck or don't value me as a person / friend / colleague, but thats not how i treat other people. ive written a bunch of shorts and given my actor friends roles and i dont even have a relationship with most of those people. nobody has returned the favor. i just don't get it man. what is the point of doing this is everybody is an asshole? if agents won't touch me when i have my materials in order and people with way less than me can get them and go out for paid work? i'm tired of waiting tables. i'm tired of all of this shit. its not that i dont get stuff, but i dont get PAID stuff, and its very painful and my body almost won't even let me PUT effort into doing unpaid work becuase i just feel so awful about it, so awful about being broke, how can people expect you to spend your time and energy on something and then NOT pay you with how expensive it is to live in NYC? i'm just rambling now. i just want to get paid to do this so I can flesh out the rest of my life, meet the right friends, kind hearted people, and be able to feed myself. i dont think that's much to ask. but maybe it is. maybe i'm just not cut out for this. but then what AM i cut out for? i dont want to quit all i want to do is act, thats literally ALL i want to do. i dont even know what im asking. has anybody been in my shoes before? i'm trying to just love myself and take care of myself but it's very very hard to do when you're broke and things cost money and you're alone while everbody else is smiling being able to afford things with friends and you cant even eat normal food and nobody even cares
Acting for the camera programs in NYC? by alucky14 • last post May 30th
I'm about to start William Esper Studio's 2 year program next fall, but definitely want to spend either the summer in between, or afterwards in a comprehensive acting for the camera program. My top choice would be NYU Stonestreet's summer program, however I know they only allow certain non-NYU students into the program. I've also been told about classes at companies like Actor's Connection and One On One, but haven't been able to guage the quality of those type of classes and it seems many of them are individual classes as opposed to programs. If anyone could recommend any programs or specific teachers, that would be a huge help!
Is it possible to be a strong actor yet still never book off tape? by CuspChaser111 • last post May 30th
I book on-camera auditions when I go in for them. I just haven’t had much luck with sending in tapes...I feel sending in tapes isn’t as easy if you don’t have a “distinctive” look... thoughts?
Self Taping at home by Madeline Romine • last post May 29th
More and more I am seeing auditions that require you to do a video audition from home. I prefer in person auditions, (I’m old school that way and love the interaction) I’m trying to get with the times and do self taping from home. What kind of equipment would I need for a good self tape? Can I use my iPhone to record? Are there any lighting kits anyone could recommend? Thank you!
Two questions, entirely unrelated, from a guy who isn’t involved in acting at all by TheBlindBard16 • last post May 29th
Hey I just had a couple questions that have always nagged at me about acting and having the option to try. 1. How exactly does an actor decide how to deliver a line? I know movies have multiple takes so I figure the answer is “deliver a line in multiple ways and they choose what fits”, but also I wondered: do actors ever receive scripts where the writer would put in paranetheses before a line ex. (said sinisterly) (desperate and defeated) etc. Do writers ever do that to tell the actor how to deliver a line? Is it more the actor does what they want to try and the director will have a conversation to point them towards what they want to see? Is the final answer that it depends on what actors and writers you’re working with? 2. I’m a guy who knows he’ll never be a super star actor. I’ve tried some lines in the mirror, I figure that’s how a lot of people get the gist of their abilities. However I still enjoy doing it, I would love to find a place where I don’t feel vulnerable or judged by others that at the same time would have people who would critique my abilities to make them better. Is there anywhere like that I could go? I don’t act in anything, never have, always liked the idea but was sure I’d make a fool of myself. I just know it’d be fun to try.
What constitutes a "non-union" production? SAG actor asking by ithastogeteasier999 • last post May 29th
i joined the union too early and I want to know what I can and cannot do. I know things like Investigation Discovery or non\-union cable productions are off the table. But me filming a scene for my reel with my friends is not considered a "non\-union" production right? We're not submitting it to film festivals or anything. What about YouTube? Am I able to start my own YouTube channel? simple videos or scenes or improv? That doesn't seem to me like a "non\-union" production. I don't want to get in trouble I just want to know the specifics here.
Seeking skype/pen pals who are studying acting, directing, or playwriting at the graduate level (repost r/theatre) by SouperBryn • last post May 29th
Hey there! I am an undergraduate student at a state school (that shall remain nameless) who is looking to connect up with students from other programs to just plain talk about theatre. I'm beginning the process of prepping for grad school auditions in winter of 2019, and the program I'm graduating from is aggressively underwhelming. :( I want to talk to actors, directors, and playwrights who would be willing to talk to me about their programs, productions and classes in an in-depth way. I've made some wonderful skype-pals this last year, and it's been amazing to get to know people who are studying the things I am interested in!
Should I start an acting class in my area as a beginner? by DirtyFungus • last post May 29th
Where I live there aren’t many acting classes around at all, and the ones that are around are ridiculously expensive and likely scams. I’m a amateur actor who’s a young man that has taken acting class before. Everything from cold reads, auditions, scripts, improv, and more. Very much a beginner still. That being said, I’ve been thinking about starting my own class for other aspiring actors who are looking for the same thing. That way I can teach what I know, and learn from them. Is this a bad idea? Let me know please and if it’s a good idea, let me know why! I’d keep the class small, free, and for young people around my age.
Take a Non-Speaking Play Role, or Stay Behind the Scenes? by OffChestThrowaway123 • last post May 29th
Hi! First time posting here, so apologies if I don't adhere to the proper rules. I also don't know anything about acting, so please be kind. The setting: I'm a 30\-something year old who is finally trying to take up the acting mantle after years of thinking about it. I'm signed up for acting classes at the local community college, and I just auditioned for a play at said college. The problem: I heard back from the casting director, and he gave me two options \- take a small non\-speaking role, or take an elective class that will allow me to sort of shadow the production and see how things work. I don't know which option I should do. What I'm thinking: \- If I take the non\-speaking role \- I'm a beginner and I'm old, so any and all experience is nothing to sneeze at. However, the rehearsal schedule is fairly rigorous and it kind of pains me to think about spending hours upon hours sitting and waiting to go onstage for a few minutes and be a body on the stage. I would also have to cancel a vacation I had planned for later this year. \- If I do the elective class \- It's a significantly smaller time commitment than being in the play. I'd still get valuable insight as to what goes into creating a stage production, but I would lose out on the valuable onstage experience. I'm leaning towards doing the elective class route, but I'm worried that there are important pros and cons I'm not considering due to my sheer inexperience. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks! Edit: I think I inaccurately described the role. I wanted to clarify that the non speaking role WOULD interact with the other actors to some degree. Like...let's say it would be like being one of the minor gang members in West Side Story. You'll get to rumble and all that, but you won't get to speak. Basically it amounts to a movement exercise.
Noob acting in a friend's feature soon - need quick crash course by duhpolan • last post May 29th
Okay, it's probably impossible. But I need something as close as possible. Basically, my friend is asking me to act in his film because he needs and Asian teen (I'm not a teen but I look like one) and after multiple rounds of casting, he cannot find anyone. I would love to do it, but I'm just nervous. So a little background on me. I'm a filmmaker myself, but not an actor. I've taken basic acting classes and have done YouTube sketches in the past, so I know a little bit. I've directed actors in short films, but haven't really acted in anything that I haven't made myself. Does anyone have a quick crash course or advice/tips for not slowing down the entire production? I really do want to do it, and he's not having much luck finding the type he needs. Anything would be helpful! Btw, this is shooting in July, which is why I'm even more nervous since it's so soon.