Thursday, December 10, 2009

Are You Good Enough for an Acting Agent?

By Mike Fenward

Acting is similar to any other profession in that it's easy to do but difficult to master. We've all acted at some point in our lives and some of us have gone on to make it our career choice. Like any career, you're more likely to get hired for acting jobs if you have skill and experience. This is good news for people who are already actors, but what if you're not an actor and want to give it a shot? If you've thought about taking on Acting Jobs, there are some things to do that will ensure you succeed.

First things first: you're going to need to know how to act. No one is born knowing how to act well, and typically you're going to need some kind of coaching or teaching to steer yourself in the right direction. The best place to get this is with an acting class. You can usually find good classes at your local community college, and they will teach you the intricacies of acting. You'll learn proper voice control and how to effectively use your body and face to convey emotions and expressions. If you're looking for more "field work," give community theatre a shot. You'll get a feel for interaction and acting with other actors and props. Though not quite the same as film acting, it's important and useful experience that will help you when the cameras are on. Stay with your classes and the community theatre circuit and hone your skills.

Once you got some experience and are comfortable with your acting, you need to locate a photographer and get headshots made. These are unique photographs that show potential casting directors your physique, body and facial structure, and unique features about yourself; important things to consider when casting roles. These photographs need to be simple and effective, without fancy lighting or odd angles. Do not ever let a photographer experiment with you. You want a director to remember you, not a crazy angle or exotic color scheme. A good many actors will get their headshots before anything else, and while this practice isn't necessary, it's something to keep in mind.

Now that you have your headshots and you can act to a degree, it's time to begin auditioning. Unless you are an amazing actor, you're not going to land roles in major motion pictures immediately. You're going to have to work your way from the bottom. Start with student films and independent productions. You most likely will not get paid for these productions, but you'll get a copy of your performance for your reel. This is another very important tool, as it is a visual representation of how well you act. These beginning roles are going to fill out your reel and give casting directors more material to work with when selecting roles. No matter what you do, always request a copy of your performance. Your reel is just as important as your headshots.

Now that you've got a good looking reel and some experience under your belt, it's time to begin seeking representation by an agent. This will almost certainly lead to more work and, in turn, more footage for your reel and your resume. Having an agent can even lead to landing roles in major motion pictures, so be sure you try and get one as soon as you can. A great number of people are now using a valuable resources like TalentPostings.com, which allows aspiring actors to post their profiles and quickly find an agent to represent them. This is often the ultimate goal of many up-and-coming actors, and it's essential to taking your career further.

Above all else, be sure that you always pursue your acting career and never give up. These days it is becoming much more common for people to get discovered online by simply posting their talents online for the world to see. Places like TalentPostings have acting jobs and casting calls for people just starting careers in acting. The key is to remain focused and don't get discouraged. There are a lot of actors or potential actors in the world. Prove you're better, and you'll see the fruits of your labor.

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