So You Want to be an Actor?

An Agent's Perspective on the Business

Frequently I receive letters and email from people who have suddenly "decided" that they want a career in the acting profession, and they ask me to tell them how they can "break into acting." Working in the business, it's hard for me to believe that anyone could be so naive, and I must admit, I get a bit impatient with those who are so clueless about the profession that they would "give anything" to be part of.

So I decided to write this article, hoping that I can be of help to someone, maybe even help prevent their making some of the mistakes that many others have made before them.

Breaking Into Acting

I often hear, "I've decided I want to be a film actor/actress. So how do I break into the business?" (One of my clients told me that whenever he hears someone say that, he visualizes someone standing outside a glass room that's filled with actors, trying to break the glass in order to get in). The good news (and perhaps the bad news as well) is that it just doesn't work that way.

What if someone were to say, "I think I've decided that I'd like to be a surgeon... so how do I get started on doing operations?" No matter how many times they've seen ER, they'll never be a surgeon unless they have the discipline and desire to work very hard for many years, gaining experience and knowledge. I have to laugh when someone says, "I'd do anything if I could be an actor." But when I tell them that it takes hard work, persistent study and often having to take a "day" job that's well beneath their qualifications simply so they can have a flexible schedule for auditions and shoots, they say, "Oh, I can't do that!" Yeah - so much for "I'll do anything."

The acting profession is exactly that -- a profession -- and it should be treated with the respect due any profession. I don't believe there is such a thing as a "natural," although some people certainly have more talent than others. For the most part, acting is an acquired skill that is learned through many years of formal classes, study and experience. By the way, quite a bit of that experience is gained at little or no compensation. Here in Texas, few theatres pay their actors more than a stipend, and many pay nothing at all, even though the hours are long and demanding.

Gotta Love It

Professional acting is perhaps the most demanding, competitive profession there is. Yes, I know, the superstars make it look easy, but that's exactly why they're superstars. Think about an accomplished artist: he or she may make painting look easy, and you might say, "I can do that!" at least until you pick up a paintbrush and try! If you watch a dentist do a root canal, he may make it seem easy, but I sure don't want someone with 'natural talent' and no training or experience working on MY teeth!

In order to be an actor, you have to absolutely love acting. Why? Because you'll have to give up almost everything else in your life in order to succeed, and if you don't really love it, you stand a chance of being very unhappy. But let's assume that you DO love acting (maybe you took drama all through high school and it was the most rewarding thing you've ever done) and you want to know how to "break into the business."

Getting Started

So how does one get started in acting? I think it's a two-phase approach: training and experience. And fortunately, you can often get both at the same time. Every time you perform in a community theatre production or you do some extra work on a television series or you move scenery for a high school play, you're getting experience. So get involved: try out for community theatre productions, and if you don't make the cast, volunteer to be a stage hand. Read as many plays and monologues and film/television scripts as you can get your hands on, to learn how a production fits together.

Training

Formal training is absolutely essential, not only for the obvious reasons, but also because a casting director is unlikely to be impressed with someone who isn't committed enough to the business to engage in continuing education. Just as an attorney will take classes throughout the year in order to keep his skills sharply tuned, so will an actor take classes, workshops and private sessions in order to keep his skills sharp.

Don't think that the 6-week acting class you took last summer takes you off the hook. It may surprise you to know that most of the top actors, including names like Tom Cruise, Al Pachino, Dustin Hoffman and many, many more, take acting classes when they're not actually filming a movie. So if you think you're better than Pachino, maybe you can forgo the classes; otherwise, get into as many classes as you can afford. That includes private classes, group classes, workshops, the works.

Paying Your Dues

An actor recently talked to me about wanting to leave his present agent. It seems that the agent was requiring that actors pay additional money (above commissions) and he didn't think that was right. When I asked him to elaborate, he said that the agent told him that he shouldn't expect any auditions until he had given her some money as membership into a special "club" she was running. After I got over my initial shock, I questioned him a little more, and finally asked him if the agent said something about, "paying your dues." He said, "yes," that this was exactly what agent had said, and that he felt that it was inappropriate to ask him to pay dues when he didn't really want to join the club!

Well, you do have to pay your dues, and there's just no way around it. That means, in the film business, that you may have to play "bit" parts or do "extra" work for some time before you ever get a chance at auditioning to say even one line. You may have to perform in low-budget (or no-budget!) films in order to gain experience not only in delivering lines in front of a camera, but in order to learn what actually goes on when you're on a movie set. Your agent won't be terribly happy about that either, since an agent only receives money when you do, but that's the investment you have to make in your own career.

One thing about extra work is that you'll learn first-hand how much talent some actors have, so you'll have a respect and appreciation for your competition. My non-actor husband did some extra work in a film as a favor for me and had some scenes with a major (although aging) star. He was amazed that, during rehearsals, the star, obviously in pain with arthritis in his feet, wore big fuzzy slippers but still winced as he walked a few steps. But when the cameras started rolling, he discarded the slippers for a pair of uncomfortable-looking cowboy boots and walked across the set like a 20-year-old. My husband was also very impressed how the actor could "turn it on" at will, changing into his character in a matter of seconds before a "take." It's easy to see why these superstars can demand such high salaries, and why there's so few of them.

No, acting in film isn't intuitive. There are many things that seem so illogical that you'll think everyone on the set's nuts, but there's (probably) a reason for it. A good example of this is the meal arrangements. I remember one actor who hadn't done much work in films who was angry by the way he was treated on the set. He was mostly upset about the "pecking order" during mealtime, since the extras were fed last. The stars and the director ate first, then the crew, then the stand-ins (or second-unit) and at the tail end, the extras. He was pretty sheepish when I explained what was going on: the stars and director eat first so that they can work on lines for the next scenes. The crew eats next so that they can get the scene set up, and the extras eat last, because they won't be needed until all the other people have arrived back on the set. Perfectly logical, but not something you'd think of intuitively.

Paying your dues can also mean performing at showcases, where casting directors, producers and directors can see you. If you can't get off work to do the things you need to do, then you'll have to find another job, simple as that. I told you, this isn't a profession for the half-hearted. If you aren't willing to put everything you have into it, and I mean everything, you may as well forget it and do something else. (By the way, the "something else" can be acting in community theatre, being a crew member or any number of jobs that aren't directly in front of the camera. They can all be very rewarding, and they don't require nearly as much commitment on your part.)

How to Get an Agent

You're not going to like this, but getting an agent is the last thing you want to worry about... after lots of training and experience. It surprises me how many people call or write to say, "I've decided to be an actor, so will you be my agent?" In almost every case, the answer is, "No," because I simply don't have time to teach my clients the business. I expect you to know the business before you come to me. And of course, you need training and experience. No agent can get you an audition if you don't have the qualifications to do the job. And please don't tell me you're a "natural." I've heard it all before, and I've never found it to be true... sorry.

The time to get an agent is after you've got some training and experience. Several stage productions, maybe some extra work in films, lots of classes and private instruction, maybe even some stand-in work. Then I can do something for you . I usually tell people to ask their acting coach whether they're ready for an agent (you do have an acting coach, don't you?). Your coach will know when you have the right amount of training and experience so that an agent can actually earn money on getting you assignments.

You don't really need an agent to find extra work for you, although many agents do send their actors out on that type of assignment to gain experience. You can send your picture to casting directors with a letter stating that you want to do extra work. Here in the Dallas area, television productions often use non-actors for crowd scenes and such, although they prefer actors for "featured extra" roles.

Get the Picture?

Your headshot is the first thing (usually the ONLY thing) a casting director sees about you. You won't get an audition without your agent submitting a headshot, so if you can't afford good ones, put your acting career "on hold" until you can get some; don't waste your agent's time trying to market you if you're not willing to get the appropriate marketing collateral. And I don't mean have your friend who has a really neat camera take pictures of you and print them on his laser printer, either. Go to a good photographer, someone who has done headshots before, and ask to look at his stuff. If he does headshots on a regular basis, he'll have a headbook you can look through to see how good he is. Remember that (unless he's a complete moron) he'll be showing you his very best work, so if it doesn't look absolutely terrific, you probably want to pass on his services.

When you have headshots made, you'll get several contact sheets (thumbnail-sized photos). I always want my clients to let me see the contact sheets so I can help decide which pose will be the best marketing tool. Some agents don't do this, but I think an agent can be very helpful by showing a client the photo that will most appeal to casting directors. Remember that there are "trends" in headshots, and that what works today may be out of style next month, so it’s always a good idea to ask for an expert opinion. And what works in Texas may not work in California. Also remember that a "Hollywood" photographer may be an unnecessary expense; that is, there are competent, inexpensive photographers in every major metropolitan area who can make good headshots. If you're working in Hollywood (that is, you're living in California) you should probably use a California photographer, but if you're working in New York, a photographer from the New York City area may be more in-tune with the preferences of that particular market. One of the many, many scams that plague this industry is the "Hollywood" photographer who comes to town several times a year to take pictures that are reputed to be better simply because the photographer is from Hollywood. They'll infer that the reason some major star gained stardom is because of the great headshot they took (don't believe it!) and that they can make you a star if they take your picture (don't believe this either!) I don't particularly like some of these photographers' work, and I think a local photographer often does a better job.

Headshots are a particularly big deal for me. I don't want to embarrass myself or my agency by sending out a crappy headshot, just as I wouldn't send an actor out on an audition that he wasn't ready for. My reputation, both with my clients and with directors, producers and casting directors, is my most important asset, just as important as the talent I represent. If professionals in the business don't accept me as a professional, my clients won't get any work. So I'm very careful about the material I send out, and if your headshot isn't good enough, I'll tell you so. I think most agents will do the same thing, so don't get your feelings hurt if that happens. Just go out and get some good ones made. 

It is very important that you keep your headshots and resumes updated. Remember that you only get one chance to make a first impression, so make it a good one! If you've changed your "look," you NEED NEW HEADSHOTS!

Do Your Homework

If you're reading this article online, you have at your disposal what may well be the most powerful information system ever created -- the World Wide Web. There are tons of articles about acting, as well as movies and television. Surf around and read as much as you can about the profession you're interested in joining. There is a very good newsgroup, alt.acting, where you can learn quite a bit about the profession.

You can also find a wealth of information in books. If your local library doesn't have a good selection of books on acting and the film and television industries, check out the book stores in larger cities.

Some metropolitan areas have support groups for actors where you can get quite a bit of information about what's going on in your geographic area in the entertainment business. The Dallas/Fort Worth area has several organizations dedicated to supporting actors in their professional endeavors. S.T.A.G.E. (214.630.7722) and The Actors' Group (214.953.1400) are two excellent organizations of this type. Your own area may well have such an organization.

Marketing Yourself

The Actors Marketing Center will format your resumes, provide mailing labels to casting directors, attach resumes to your headshots and offer marketing consultation. Call 972.594.7951 for details.

The Actors Group is a firm that offers a number of services for actors, including acting workshops and marketing services. Classes cover prepared scenes and monologue auditions, from contemporary to Shakespeare. Private coaching is also available. Although membership is required to attend classes and workshops, the other services (resumes, postcard design and printing, private coaching) are available to the general public. 214.953.1400.

And in Conclusion

I can't emphasize enough the fact that film/television acting is not a way to make a quick fortune. It's an incredibly competitive, frustrating and can be heartbreaking at times. It's physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually demanding, and only the best survive. There's a reason for all the divorces, suicides, drug and alcohol addictions and mental breakdowns in this business -- it's extremely difficult to be someone you're not for 10-18 hours a day, and then come home and be yourself for your family and friends. Quite a few people simply can't handle it, and they drop out of the business sooner or later. But if you love to act, it can be the most rewarding profession there is.