What to do to start off an acting career?

Question

I've wanted to be an actress since I was able to learn. Like a Disney channel actress =D So....Should I go to open casting calls? I'm supposed to start off in commercials and be an extra? School plays? Community theaters? Am I right? ;P When do I get an agent? Oh and what about John Robert Powers school? Yea I know there's a lot of questions but I need help. Any advice will do! :) Thanks!!

Answer 1

try looking for auditions.  this site has listing: hollywood-opportunities(dotcom)

Answer 2

The best way is to gain experience in local theatre or school plays. You gain experience that can be put on a resume and you learn and hone your art at the same time. You can also figure out whether this is really something you want to do.

There's not just "No-Acting" and "Disney Actress" you know.

Answer 3

You can do all those things you mentioned if you want. Personally, I think going to an open casting call is something that every aspiring actor should do once just to see what it is that they never ever want to do again! It's a mess! Wouldn't recommend trying to build an acting career by going to open calls. A big waste of time. Community theatre is a good option to try and get some experience.

You get an agent when you are READY to get an agent, which means after you have some experience and above all, some good, solid training! JRP??? The jury is still out on them, but many say that it is a scam. I really don't know. What I do know is that from everyone I hear talk about them, JRP illudes a lot of people into thinking that if they sign up for their programs, that they will become a star. I tend not to believe that.

Look at this answer that I gave to a young girl recently who asked a very similar question.

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You are so not alone. You would be surprised (or maybe not) at how many young girls say almost the exact same things in the same way. Sometimes I'm torn between telling them to start by getting some training and telling them to just go get a head shot and go to some casting website and start submitting. But reason wins over me and I have to tell you that if you really want to be an actress, you should first put your big rush to do it to the side and slow down. Build your base first.

You might have heard in school when you talked about Abraham Lincoln, that he is the author of a famous quote. He said, "If I had three hours to chop down a tree, I would use the first hour to sharpen the axe."

If you don't sharpen your axe first, there will inevitably be a time when you will have to stop chopping and sharpen it, so you might as well do it now.

What does that mean? Get some acting training. Find a good school and a good teacher to help you learn how to act.

While you are doing that, try and understand what it really means to be an actor, what actors do...really while they are trying to get work, how little money most actors make, why actors struggle to make ends meet and how successful actors are able to continuously get work. You need to learn business skills, networking skills, communication skills and a lot more.

When you decide to become an actress, you are making a decision to run your own business. Now I know you are young, but if you can start to grasp these concepts now, WITH THE HELP OF YOUR PARENTS of course, you will position yourself ahead of your competition.

On the other hand if all you ever aspire to is to work background work on Disney Channel, then don't worry too much about all that stuff I just said and just go and try and get extra work. That's fairly easy to get considering that the majority of all acting work is background work and smaller roles. But you have to know that if you really want to make a big splash as an actress, sooner or later you will need some real experience. Extra work is great in my opinion at the very beginning just to start and see how things are on set and how real actors prepare and perform and to see how set directions are given, but it will not make your career.

The thing is, you can do both. You can go to school, take acting classes and still work as an extra while you are learning the craft.

At any rate, have a look at this page on my website for aspiring actors. It has 21 helpful tips for folks just like you.

You'll find a lot of helpful information there that will make you think about how you can get your acting career started: http://www.actingcareerstartup.com/teen_...

Good luck!

Tony

Answer 4

you should start off by doing school plays then work your way up. you shouldnt go straight for the big things like commercials. also you should take some acting classes. they really help you understand things about acting.

Answer 5

Well i am gonna start off to. The bes way is to be in a talent search. Disney channel has one every year. This years one already happened. Keep a good eye out. But also start simple like school plays. remember there are talent scouts.

Answer 6

p**n.. Earn while you learn.....