AGGREGATED ACTING FORUMS

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Excitingly terrified

Excitingly terrified

Posted on Mar 8th

I’m currently a senior in high school (18) about to graduate and pursue acting as a career as well as filmmaking. And well the future’s got me in this limbo of excitement as well as anxiousness. So far I’ve auditioned for a student film at one of the big universities near me, which I haven’t heard back from but hey I got some experience! I’ve had meetings with various local acting coaches, one of which I’ll be working with next year at the community college I’ll be going to. We’ve talked about paths to getting a BA in acting and then from there getting down to Los Angeles, a place I love so that’s a win! Anyways, it’s all just been a lot to bounce around in my head and maybe a lot of that comes from having too much time on my hands due to remote learning and well second semester of senior year being pretty loose. Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely what I want to do. The hustle of being an actor really speaks to me and the people I’ve met so far have been incredibly supportive, including you all. But like I said, the fear of the unknowns been getting to me. I just gotta find a way to use that to my advantage

UK Acting agencies

UK Acting agencies

Posted on Mar 8th

Hey folks. I'm an actor from the UK looking for representation /an agent but I'm totally overwhelmed for how to go about getting them. I've looked into various UK agencies but I thought I might ask everyone on this subreddit for advice first. Also, I've came across many agencies that ask for a payment first but I am cautious about that. Especially since I am told that those companies who ask for money first aren't really talent agencies etc Any help would be great appreciated ♥

Am I crazy?

Am I crazy?

Posted on Mar 8th

This has been weighing on me for a while now. Ever since I was little I’ve felt this weird connection with films, acting and the thought that goes into the craft. I’ll be honest I’ve never taken any acting classes before and never auditioned for anything. This is primarily because I’m worried that I will be seen as crazy or something by certain people around me because I have never told anyone that I’ve always felt this passion towards acting. Like many others, I’ve been in a really dark place and have had some hardships to battle with the past few years. It’s weird though because this dark place is when I feel most connected to acting. I constantly find myself looking up famous powerful scenes and watching audition tapes. I get so invested into these videos that I actually feel like it’s real and I start to believe I’m the actor in the scene. I just think it’s so cool how actors/actresses can provoke such raw and vulnerable emotions in individuals. It’s therapeutic for me. The idea of acting is the only occupation that makes me feel this way. I just had to get this off my chest because I’m too worried of being judged by my friends or family because it would be so out of the blue. Also, to my understanding the odds of making a living off of acting is very little and so I’m worried by telling people and/or pursuing acting I would get looked at like I’m crazy or just cocky thinking I can just make it in the film industry which is not the image I want to portray. Sorry I know this isn’t the best grammar but I just had to get this off my chest and hear what others have to say about it. Any feedback would be amazing! Thank you

How can I do what I love if nothing is catered towards me?

How can I do what I love if nothing is catered towards me?

Posted on Mar 8th

I have been interested in acting since I wish in elementary school. I didn't really start acting until high school. I joined the drama club and played roles in the school plat from my freshman year to my senior year. Then I went to college for a non-acting degree and I kind of regret not following my passion and working on my craft as an actress. Now I want to start taking acting seriously but I feel like I do not belong. It is already hard enough for Black actors to get roles and me being a visibly Black Muslim (I wear a hijab) it is ten times harder for me to "fit it". What should I do to perfect my craft as an actress? How can I do what I love if nothing is catered towards me?

I’ve been working on the business side of entertainment for years, but I really want to start acting. I’m too afraid all of my connections will stop taking me seriously now and won’t help me out as an actor because they only liked me when they thought I w

I’ve been working on the business side of entertainment for years, but I really want to start acting. I’m too afraid all of my connections will stop taking me seriously now and won’t help me out as an actor because they only liked me when they thought I w

Posted on Mar 7th

Does anyone relate or have any advice? I want to really try acting and see if I can make it, but I’m afraid my peers will judge me harshly. I hate being accused of wanting this for the wrong reasons...

Is it worth working backstage when you don't get offered a speaking role?

Is it worth working backstage when you don't get offered a speaking role?

Posted on Mar 7th

Ok so I suck at auditioning. I've auditioned for a so many amateur theatre productions and I've never been offered a role. This last production actually had 4 roles that needed filling and I didn't get any of them even though only 6 actors (that I could see) auditioned, so I guess I was that bad ☹ I definitely need acting classes to work on my auditioning skills, and acting skills in general, but in the meantime I have been asked if I want to work backstage in the production I didn't get cast in (unpaid) Tbh I'm not that interested in backstage, but I'm wondering if it's worthwhile to build up experience and reputation with the directors so that maybe I can be given more opportunities for a speaking role in future. The thing is it's going to take time away from auditioning and other acting opportunities as it's 6months of rehearsals so I don't know if it will end up being a waste of time. Has working backstage in amateur theatre been a benefit towards your acting career?

Acting with mental illness

Acting with mental illness

Posted on Mar 7th

Is method acting with a mental illness easier? Is it an advantage? I have Bi-polar and when I watch certain actors I feel like I am them, I can replicate what they’re doing, I can easily fall into that characters feelings and become the character, for example say if there’s an explosive rage scene (like Al Pacino) then I can pull it off perfectly, or a scene with true emotion, something hardly anyone can replicate authentically, I can do it flawlessly. I have no experience with acting but I’d love to do it, it’s my dream but I wouldn’t want to attend acting school or act on stage, I don’t have the confidence neither does anybody know about this however I could manage perfectly in front of a camera acting out scenes with someone/people. The acting process stops a lot of born great actors from doing what they love wether it’s down to confidence or not being discovered.

Representation

Representation

Posted on Mar 7th

Hey everyone, Hope you all are doing well during these times. I have a question when it comes to representation and seeing that this subreddit has a lot of seasoned actors with agents I figure why not ask. A little background about me I am a early 20's male Afghan actor currently residing in Vancouver, BC. I have taken acting classes for the past 4 years and have a couple theater performances as well as one short film that I received an IMDB credit for. My dilemma here is that I do not have enough clips to make a demo reel that I am comfortable with showing potential agents, so do you think that it would be a good idea to use my self tapes from my audition classes? Because I have quite a few of those that I feel like I have done an adequate enough job to share, or would it just be a better idea to keep auditioning and land a couple more independent film jobs and make a demo reel that way? Any feedback at all would be appreciated, thank you guys for reading and I wish each and every one of you the best.

My agent told me she was too busy to give a submission report - I should wait a couple of months

My agent told me she was too busy to give a submission report - I should wait a couple of months

Posted on Mar 7th

So I was super nice in the way I asked my agent for a submission report. I was getting roles that didn't fit me and I told her I'd like to see it to check the numbers. When I self submit in 1/9 roles I get a booking or a callback. I wanted to check her numbers to see what was going on. She told me she was too busy to send it and I thought that was very odd. How long does it take to generate a report from Casting Networks or Actors Access?

Why I think acting is more simple than it sounds. (Personal Opinion)

Why I think acting is more simple than it sounds. (Personal Opinion)

Posted on Mar 7th

I'm only 15 and ik this makes me sound stupid but I'm smarter than a lot of people my age so please hear me out, I have been amazed by actors my whole life and I found it amazing how these people can step outside their comfort zones and do what they love, but everyone always says "it's extremely hard" when taking about acting for big industries and I agree but they also say that many people who attempt to become actors fail, but that is where I have to disagree, whenever I think about "failed" actors all I think about is people who gave up before they made themselves known. I'm gonna start auditioning when I turn 16 and get a car but I know for a fact that I'm looking at a good 10 years of hard work before I get my big break and that is something I'm willing to do. I'd love to hear your opinions and if you think I'm right or wrong, I don't expect many to agree with me and that's all right.

Am I going in the right direction?

Am I going in the right direction?

Posted on Mar 7th

I’d like to see some current opinions from you guys so ... Short story: I have wanted to act (film/tv) my entire life. All I’ve ever wanted to do was make movies and play characters on screen - but financially my family was not well off, meaning acting workshops or classes were not an option. I was in theater & drama throughout HS but I was very introverted late bloomer and very bullied so I never had the confidence to got for lead roles. I always kept my dreams hidden because I was told many times as a kid that being an actress was unrealistic. Now moving on: I’m 21, I’m financially stable, I’m getting healthier, I’m able to get my teeth fixed and so I feel confident and happy enough to focus on my passion. I am close to LA (not for acting reasons, I’m a SoCal native) but this has almost hindered me, because all anyone (friends, coworkers, my hairstylist??) asks is if I have an agent - when it’s my understanding you have to be doing work to get an agent in the first place? - which is making me insecure to the fact that I don’t have one and it’s a vicious cycle. I have taken a couple workshops in the last year (online because COVID) and I’ve started looking through castings for some roles, hopefully some background work - I haven’t submitted yet because I’m waiting for a current headshot, but I’ll start once that’s complete. The problem I’m having is that I only have one supportive person in my life (my mother) who has zero experience in acting so I’m totally flying blind and I have no idea if I’m doing anything correctly. Do you have any advice? Am I moving in the right direction? Do you have any tips on the process of getting started professionally? Thank you in advance!

Social media presence ?

Social media presence ?

Posted on Mar 7th

Hey i have heard alot that as an upcoming actor you need to be present on social media . Which social apps are the most important for this ?

Starting my journey of becoming an actor, need reassurance and help.

Starting my journey of becoming an actor, need reassurance and help.

Posted on Mar 7th

So you know how the story goes about wanting to be an actor, so I'll skip **most** of that and actually talk about how I need help. I know the post is disgustingly long, but bear with me. ​ Some starting info and the situation I'm in: I'm an 18 year old guy and I'm just about to take my final exams out of high school. (I'm from Finland so terms like high school, college and university aren't really the same as in the US or UK. I can clarify if needed, just ask.) In 20 days I'll be done with my exams and by the end of the month I have to apply to a future school to continue my education. Issue is that the places that I'm applying to aren't what I want to do in life. Been thinking about what I want to do with my life for the last 3 years and cramming my head into math, physics and biology seemed like the logical and safe direction. Just now realizing that the distant dream of acting could actually really fit me and even happen is a bit late if I'm honest. The reason I'm too late to change my plans for the upcoming years is due to how applying to schools works in Finland. (Applying to acting and art related schools happens earlier than applying to other schools) The only way for me to fully convert to acting now is if I don't apply to any schools and pay for acting classes/education/whatever myself, which would most likely require me to move in on my own and work a full job to pay the fees. Not an option in my opinion. I've come to the conclusion that pursuing only acting will not work. I'll have to make myself a "back drop" if this acting thing doesn't work out at all. And that back drop will be the education I'm going to apply for. Some details that I missed: \-As of now my experience is really small. The basic school acting stuff I've done but I've never taken an actual class or anything like that. But for the last 3 years I've been a part of a media emphasized class and have been thought the very basics of filmmaking. ​ What I need help with: I need someone to tell me if my plan is ever going to work or even has the chance to work. Be brutally honest, because even though someone has succeeded with a plan like this before and "*Anything is possible! YAY!*", the odds aren't the best. And to make those odds the best I can I need help to fix/perfect my plan. I'm going to split my plan into a couple main checkpoints/steps so that it's easier to follow, but I'll fill in details and plans as needed. Please ask any questions, because I 100% forgot to mention some crucial info. I'll answer as quickly as possible. 1)Finish my exams and apply to other schools. \-Nothing special I can do to change this anymore. Just hoping that I get a spot, if I don't then I'm in for a wild ride and I rethink how I'll move forward. ​ 2)Army. \-In Finland as a man you have to complete a 6-12 month long training period in the army and I start on the fifth of July. \-I have the option to be there for 6 months (if this plan is any good and I have hope) or 12, if I feel like I'm happy there and it feels like the "place to be". \-Now since my army duty starts in July and I'll be done with school by the end of the month, I'll have about 3 months of summer break to play with. During this time I'm going to study acting on my own and hopefully get a part-time job or something like that at a theater or alike. I'll be reserving about a month off that 3 months for things that I feel like are mandatory in life like friends, family and having fun while I'm 18. (feel free to disagree with having this "free" month and please express any concerns or such) ​ 3)Finish army things and continue school. \-After applying to a school in the upcoming month and hopefully being accepted, the school will hold a place for me until I finish army and I'll start school then. \-During my education (3-5 years) I'll do my best to find any way to continue my acting dream. Planning on searching for any kind of experience from theater, to side roles, to commercials or even modeling. ​ 4)I don't know yet/finish school. \-I'll probably be done with school in 2025-2027 (20-ish years old) and that's where my plan stops. Hoping that the connections and skills I've made during all this time can get me at least started in acting and I'll chase my dream until it becomes my job. (While actually working in the profession I studied for and making money) \-The other option here is that during school I somehow got to a point where acting is already a career option and I've dropped out to study acting for real or I got stupid lucky somehow and I don't need to study anymore. (I think this option is highly unlikely since Finland isn't really the best starting place for an acting career in terms of connections etc.) ​ So that's it. The end goal is to become an actor (film, not theater) while being mostly self taught (for now atleast). I'm hoping that my acting career can flourish somewhere outside of Finland (obviously the big leagues lol). My upcoming education will most likely make me enough money to move out of Finland fairly quickly so any ideas/recommendations on where and why are welcome. As I said please ask any questions and help me how you can, suggest things to do during my plan and things to avoid doing to help me add/change checkpoints/steps. AND PLEASE, and I can't stress this enough; disagree with me in any situation you want. It's not going to kill my drive no matter how shitty you say my plan is or how minuscule my odds are, I just want all the possible information/perspectives. Thanks.

Re education

Re education

Posted on Mar 7th

Premise: So I was raised a bit off and never learned to properly socialize, read body language, change the pitch of my voice, correct facial expressions, small talk etc. It's to the point where people who do not know me well and have no experience with neurodivergent people think I'm autistic. I'm fairly certain I'm not. Just have adhd along with depression and anxiety. So to the point I'm considering taking acting classes to try and learn all those little details that everyone else who was raised properly inherently knows. Would that be beneficial to someone in my case? I've tried people watching(have to make it obvious your not watching someone and let's face it is a bit weird), socializing with strangers, going to parties (even joined a frat at one point) and it's failed rather miserably. I'm not very interested personally in becoming famous or acting in general but if I can relearn or well actually learn atleast some body language, facial expressions, eye contact, correct voice pitch, etc. It would help and go a long way towards helping me. I don't particularly care if people like me but it's rather detrimental to any future careers, goals, friendships, relationships, etc if I come off as autistic. Specific class types I've looked at so far are body and movement, vocal, and improv. Would these be helpful for my purpose? Any thing else you guys could recommend? I fully understand this is not really the place for this but at the same time y'all are actors and who knows maybe I'm not the only one that's thought of doing this. If you know of anyone who has gone this route have they been successful in achieving what they wanted? Have you learned valuable techniques from acting class that has helped you in social situations? And who knows maybe I'll enjoy it and do it as a hobby.

What are you told in casting sessions?

What are you told in casting sessions?

Posted on Mar 7th

Hello everyone. I'll admit right away that i'm on the other side of the coin, i'm not an actor but a director in our upcoming webseries for a cinema school project. In this case, we don't have a casting director or anything of the sorts, we looked for the actress we needed when it comes to race and looks, and we have a casting session now. The role of this actress will be very driven on how she can react and how well her facial expressions are, dialogue delivery is important too but secondary honestly. And honestly?I'm nervous, I really don't know what to tell that person, we are going to introduce ourselves, read the script and then act the script. Is this enough?Would you be content with this or is there any other way for me to tell you have the quality?

Should the COMPANYmeter on IMDbPro be a good indication of which agency I should choose?

Should the COMPANYmeter on IMDbPro be a good indication of which agency I should choose?

Posted on Mar 7th

Hi there currently a senior BFA acting major and I decided to reach out to agents in LA before I make the move in June. I recently had a few meetings with some talent agencies from there and fortunately 4 of them are interested in signing with me, and a couple of them wanted to talk with me once I move to LA. After all my meetings were done, I decided to go on IMDbPro to see what their COMPANYmeter ranking was. They are ranked 52 (Panache Management) Ranked 117 (Media Artist Group) Ranked 635 (Modern Artists Entertainment) Ranked 954 (The Polygon Group) Also Eris Talent (ranked 32) was interested in seeing me once I’m physically in LA. I’m having trouble deciding which one I should go with, all of them were really nice and approachable, but not sure which agency will give me the best opportunities as an actor.

What do you love about acting?

What do you love about acting?

Posted on Mar 7th

Recently, I have been having doubts about my motivations and my passion for acting. There's so many sacrifices one has to make to "make it" and be able to act full time without monetary worries. It's hard to even get jobs, it's hard to get good jobs (or sometimes it seems like it) and even if you're commercially sucessful you may get famous which sounds kind of dreadful. Everybody who's serious about acting knows how hard the business can be. And still we all do it. But I can't quite put my finger on why I do it, which sounds weird I know, but I'd love to hear why fellow actors do what they do? I don't mean to complain, and I don't mean to sound depressing, I just think it's important to be aware of my motivations and since I am not, I think it would help to see what other people are thinking and feeling.

Education to put on resumes

Education to put on resumes

Posted on Mar 7th

So I’m a new actor which means I’m in the acting classes phase. However the only school near me is EXPENSIVE. So I’ve booked one, short private online course with a legit actor and an online course from a school in New York. Most of my education it seems we’ll be taken online. Well these count towards my education that I can put on my resume?

How to break up with your current representation?

How to break up with your current representation?

Posted on Mar 7th

I was wondering what is the proper protocol to break off the relationship with your current reps. Will an email suffice? Or a phone call? My assumption is it depends on the quality of your relationship with your reps, right? In my case, I'm very happy with both my manager and theatrical agent. I have a more personal relationship with my manager, and not so much with my agent. I very rarely interact with her except to acknowledge receiving the details for an audition. I'm just at a point where I think it's time to move on for reps that have more/better relationships with CDs. My current reps are more of the developmental level and I've been with them for 3 yrs. Also, I just flew back from a guest star turn on a huge, much anticipated production and want to strike while the iron is hot from that to change reps. Also, what do I put in a solicitation letter to a prospective rep? I have a friend who will vouch for me with her manager but I realize I've never sent a solicitation letter to my current reps b/c they found me via talent link on actors access. Apologies for the wall of txt and thanks in advance for any advice!

Becoming a working actor with non-college training

Becoming a working actor with non-college training

Posted on Mar 7th

What advice do you have for those that have a non-acting school background? I’m 25 and already got my BA in psychology so I’m not sure it’s feasible to get another degree. However, I do want to raise my chances of getting acting work as much as possible. What kinds of training, classes, and programs do you guys recommend? I mainly hear about acting/arts colleges that actors have gone to, but there have to be lots of working actors that haven’t. I’m curious to learn as much as I can and to get as much training as possible. Give me your suggestions and advice. Thanks guys!

First Professional Acting Coaching

First Professional Acting Coaching

Posted on Mar 7th

I recently enrolled in a very well reviewed Los Angeles acting school with a great acting coach. It is a 4 week course and I will most likely be signing up for more. I have taken a college acting course that taught me some basic acting methods and getting comfortable with other actors. How long should I take these classes before I start looking to audition for roles and make a huge leap in my young acting career (Im a 20 year old male college student from San Diego so Im only a hour and a half drive to LA.)

(Women only) What is the appropriate term for a female actor?

(Women only) What is the appropriate term for a female actor?

Posted on Mar 7th

I'm trying to find out which term women prefer, so please refrain from voting if you're not female. Thanks. [View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/lzzrte)

Asking for advice/ranting.

Asking for advice/ranting.

Posted on Mar 6th

I've been acting my whole life for as long as I can remember I've been acting, signing up to acting classes, doing everything I can and I cannot see another career path for me at all. I feel like I'll be miserable in anything else other than something to do with performing (Granted I do have other performing options but being an actor is the dream) But my parents make me feel like I shouldn't ever try, I know I'm not bad at acting as my drama teachers and classmates have told me I'm good, but they know how much acting means to me. I just don't know what to do. I'm in year 10 and I'm worried about doing sixth form and what I should do after. I really want to go to drama school and stuff but I honestly just don't know. I'm not sure what this is more of a rant than anything, but any advice of getting As in drama, doing sixth form/college, anything I can/should be doing as a young actor because I don't know what else I can do with my life if I can't be doing this. I don't even want to be a fucking hollywood actor, I'd be happy acting in a small stage show group in small towns putting on shitty christmas shows you know

Anyone have an experience with an abusive/bully teacher?

Anyone have an experience with an abusive/bully teacher?

Posted on Mar 6th

Luckily I’ve never experienced one until recently. I thought I might be mad for a day or two and then be over it, criticism doesn’t typically bother me that much (the healthy kind) - but I still keep thinking about it (I quit the class after the first day). To be clear, this wasn’t constructive, it was totally destructive and demeaning. Apparently it did more damage than I thought, my confidence plummeted to an all time low and hasn’t inched from there since, even though I KNOW in my mind they’re a bully and I’m not a bad person or bad actor but was pretty dehumanizing. Any tips on getting over a bully of a teacher?

Making characters unique?

Making characters unique?

Posted on Mar 6th

Hi all! I'm a first-year theatre acting student in (hopefully) a BFA program and have been fortunate enough to get work outside of school! I'm currently starring in two professional productions right now and after some rehearsals/character analysis, I realized that there is a lot of overlap in my performance of the two characters. They are both young people in the same age range. I know the motivational differences and backgrounds of each of them (Uta's 6 Steps stuff, y'know), but I further realized that I may tend to subconsciously blend a lot of characters together in my work for the sake of "being natural". I think it is far more important to be authentic to a character and I also think lot of characters I play tend to just extensions or alternate version of myself. (You know those actors that always play themselves, not the character? Think Tom Cruise.) I value my craft and don't want this to become a habit. I am going to reach out to some of my instructors for more thorough advice, but was wondering if anyone on this subreddit had some methods in which I can make my characters more unique, so I can act as them, not as myself. Thank you!! Edit: spelling

Shouting in front of a crowd.

Shouting in front of a crowd.

Posted on Mar 6th

I know theater actors project their voice to reach the entire audience. But when acting on camera, do you need to be as loud when your told to shout in front of a crowd. How do film actors go about this?

Need advice on how to become an extra or have a minor role.

Need advice on how to become an extra or have a minor role.

Posted on Mar 6th

I’m interested in roles such as a henchman or something similar. I’d be open to leading roles too but I’m not going to be too hopeful since my looks limit me, mainly because of my tattoos. I just don’t know where to go or where to look. Any advice would be helpful. A little about me: Im a 29 year old Caucasian American. I’m a really specific looking kinda guy. I’m 6 ft, in decent shape, and can change my body type quickly. Can grow any facial/head hair combo. I’m of Russian decent so I look really Slavic, can speak a little Russian and German. I have extensive firearm and hand to hand training. I’m covered head to toe (not my face) in tattoos, a lot of them Russian. I can do multiple dialects really well, accents across the board. While doing sessions with acting friends, I’ve been told that I’m very much a “Method Actor”. Lastly, I’ve been told I’m very photogenic. Currently based in Salt Lake City, UT. Would travel. Any kind of tips would be really appreciated.

I want to become an actor

I want to become an actor

Posted on Mar 6th

I believe I would be a terrific actor, screenwriter, producer and director. I am looking for help to find my path and connections in the industry. Any help would be much appreciated. I’m from a small Canadian town so it’s hard. Thank you.

Confused about Union vs Non Union VO work and rules. And are we allowed to do a Non Union project if SAG?

Confused about Union vs Non Union VO work and rules. And are we allowed to do a Non Union project if SAG?

Posted on Mar 6th

Hi all! I’m in SAG and know I’m not allowed to work on Non Union film/tv projects, but does this also apply for VO? Bc non union print work is ok...but very unsure what the VO rules are. Also, I had an audition recently for a big corporation who’s commercial is non union and I didn’t understand why when they have the funds. What constitutes a Union vs Non Union VO? And how do they each affect the VO actor?

Is Discord usually required?

Is Discord usually required?

Posted on Mar 6th

Are Discord calls expected of a voice actor? I was cast for a role on an online website and I had to provide my Discord, but will I have to call? Because I can’t call with Discord because it doesn’t work on my phone. So have any of you had to record your lines over a Discord call before? And if so, how often? And what should I do if I’m supposed to do that?

How would you break into the acting industry in 2021 if you have years of theatre experience, but little film work, and you now have time and money on your side as a middle-aged white guy? (Serious)

How would you break into the acting industry in 2021 if you have years of theatre experience, but little film work, and you now have time and money on your side as a middle-aged white guy? (Serious)

Posted on Mar 6th

I know this is a very specific question to be asking, but I have no other way of even coming close to answering it. Basically, my situation is this: I live near LA and, after years of thinking that an acting career would be pointless to pursue professionally, I've actually come to the opposite conclusion. The reason? I believe Covid has likely wiped out many actors' careers because of the unprecedented financial crush. Most actors were struggling already, I imagine a lot have had to call it quits since all this began. So, now I'm older and (hopefully) wiser. More importantly, I have access to resources that I never would have had as a younger person starting out. And those resources are plenty of time and money. How would you use those two things to put yourself ahead of other people also starting out in my age range? I know I need to pay for a demo (film/commercial/Voiceover), fancy headshots, workshops, and memberships to online booking sites (e.g., Backstage). But, for example, could I also use money to pay for an agent AND a manager? I know they are only supposed to take a cut of whatever I earn, but they probably won't even look twice at me without more film experience.

Questions about last names, social media, and applications

Questions about last names, social media, and applications

Posted on Mar 5th

I'm in my 20s and today I just found an application for a project that specifically focuses on people in their twenties, especially actors with little experience. I've just started out and I'm trying to fill out the application and update my resume but I'm struggling a bit even after reading the posts on the side & info. online. I'm white and mixed and Latinx and I have a hyphenated last name. I was just talking to a friend and they mentioned not including my Hispanic last name because of discrimination. What do you all think about that? Also, I found out about this project through a drama professor at college. On the application it asks for age, our name, email, mailing address, and Instagram. Is it normal for applications to ask for your mailing address? I guess I feel a bit hesitant to give it out, but it is for a legit theater company and my prof. told me about it. Also, as I'm just getting started, I just have a private insta for friends with 0 posts and very few followers. Should I bother putting my @ on the application? If I don't put it, do I leave the slot blank or but N/A? Also, when filling out a resume, if you played a different part in each act in a play, how do you write that out on a resume? Thank you for your help

Posting a Character reel for constructive thoughts..

Posting a Character reel for constructive thoughts..

Posted on Mar 5th

I'm confused because I saw several actors have posted their character reel on here for helpful advice from others in this group. I just posted my reel and it was removed right away. Can someone explain to me why this is?

How much acting do you actually get to do in your acting class?

How much acting do you actually get to do in your acting class?

Posted on Mar 5th

I recently audited an HB studio acting class and it seemed that people really didn’t have that much opportunity to actually act or do scenes together? The first hour (around 55 minutes) was literally just people talking about why they want to act and how they “always knew they were actors” and that they “were always acting since they were kids” - so that’s almost half of a two hour class that’s like $250 a month, and you haven’t done any acting yet. Then there was maybe a 5 min breakout room session followed by monologues, each about 5 min, followed by more talking. Then when it actually got to some solo scene work, one person took like 15 minutes to do theirs theirs and then maybe 2 more people did 5 min scenes and that was it, class over. Most people didn’t even get to do the solo scenes. It seems like you really don’t get to do that much acting in a class like this. When I compare it to an improv class where there’s maybe a 10 min warm up and then just nonstop work until the class is over, it doesn’t seem like “regular” acting class has the same returns. Especially when you could easily pay for 1 to 1 coaching for the same price. What do you guys think?

I'm scared.

I'm scared.

Posted on Mar 5th

I want to be an actor so I'll be going into acting classes when covid has gone a bit. But I'm scared people are going to judge me for what I look like because I'm from a rough area. Also because I don't don't have the best social skills and my confidence isn't that good so I'll look and be awkward. Any tips to get over this fear would be very much appreciated. Thanks for reading.

I need help and guidance from you fellow actors and filmmakers.

I need help and guidance from you fellow actors and filmmakers.

Posted on Mar 5th

Hey. I’m from Turkey and about to graduate from high school soon, currently 17 years old. I have always wanted to be an actor blah blah blah... How cliche. Actually my passion has always been filmmaking. On camera or off camera, doesn’t matter. Since acting is a huge part of filmmaking -although many people won’t agree- I am also interested in acting. My acting experience is limited to theatre stuff we’ve done in school. I was planning on taking acting classes and getting into the local theatre in our city, but then boom, Covid-19 hit. Damn you, Covid. I am such an introvert with no friends. I like it this way tho. I don’t even have social media accounts, which is pretty unusual for Gen Z. I even created this account on Reddit only to post this. I am not craving for fame or attention like most people who say “I want to be an actor”. Most of them only want to get famous. But no, I won’t shame them for wanting to get famous. Like, it is not a crime. You are free to do it, but it is just not my thing. I don’t think I will ever have social media accounts unless I want to promote my work, social media is hands down the best tool for promotion in the age we live in. Most of you people are from the US, no suprises there. But can you actually guide someone who is outside the US? I don’t want to make it into Hollywood, or make it big, or go to the US... I like Turkish cinema. No, I don’t mean those Turkish TV soap operas with no passion which they produce only to sell them to Southern America, Eastern Europe and Middle East. We don’t watch them, you guys out there shouldn’t too. Maybe they can produce something that are actually creative, if you don’t. Turkish TV industry is the second biggest TV industry, after the US, of course. Pretty suprising. I like Turkish cinema. I like our directors who are passionate in filmmaking, not only caring about money, like Nuri Bilge Ceylan, if I had to name one. I am going to attend to college soon. I hope things will go well for me. Starting with acting, and then directing films. Good plan tho.

Recording dialog with telephone

Recording dialog with telephone

Posted on Mar 5th

I have written a dialog and it's my intention to hire multiple voice actors here to record that. The problem is that the setting is meant to be very casual and they will interrupt each other sometimes (intentionally), laugh together etc. Now I wonder if it is reasonable to expect the following workflow to work: They establish a phone connection to each other (I will pay that, that's not the thing to worry about) and listen to the telephones downlink via earphones, while they record their voice with ordinary equipment and also feed it into the telephones uplink. They then send me all the audio files and I sync them up. Therefore, the telephone aids them to know when to say what etc. but the sound quality will be above the mediocre quality of telephony (even when using HD Voice, which can't achieve anything like a audio CD) Has anyone tried this before? Did it turn out well or not? Are there things to make sure before? Apparently, more and more people use mobile telephone exclusively and may not have a phone line in the first place. What about latency and delay? Can this become a big issue? Are there reasonable alternatives to this approach (meeting in-person is NOT possible even without COVID the voice actors might be spread around the world). Thank you for your time and I'm happy to help by answering your questions.

How do you brand yourself on social media? What is your brand?

How do you brand yourself on social media? What is your brand?

Posted on Mar 5th

Not your typecast at work, but your brand as an actor/person.

male, 18-30 y/o Group dialog recording request

male, 18-30 y/o Group dialog recording request

Posted on Mar 5th

I'd like to request a voice-acting dialog consisting of two to four people which I expect to have a male voice aged from ca. 18 to 30. The dialog is in english language and contains some violence and curse words and is rather casual in pronounciation. You will get some explaination of the context to help you play naturally. The recording is intended to be made by a telephone conference (to hear the other persons) but recorded with local equipment so the tracks can later be lined up without having the low quality of low-latency telephony. You therefore need the ability to listen to a landline connection (or mobile, but I will not pay the added fees caused by that) via head-phones to not interfere with your recording and at the same time record your speech to a PCM processor (usually a computer with ordinary sound card) as well as the uplink of the telephone. A reasonable setup might be to just use a voice modem or VoIP like Linphone. Technical specifications Ca. 10 min Stereo is desirable 24KHz (48 KHz sampling rate) 16 bit or 24 bit linear PCM Payment I have no exact idea what amount is reasonable for given task, but I am willing to spend 20 to 50 USD for the request itself and telephone connection fees etc per person. If you disagree with the price feel free to make suggestions. Lower bidding will not neccessarily make me prefere you, your capabilities are more relevant. The payment can be made using SEPA transfer within the EU and other SEPA countries, bank transfer or PayPal. Other payment methods are only possible if I can deduct any fees. Delivery I want immediate delivery (within usual encoding and transmission times) at 48kbps as opus, AAC or LAME-MP3 (128 kbps) and delivery as FLAC by SFTP upload, HTTP upload or CD-R (12cm or 8cm) (CD-ROM with FLAC, not CD-DA) by mail later on. Uploading the FLAC via HTTP (using an ordinary web browser) is probably the most straight-forward way for you. The CD-R solution is mainly aimed at those living at remote locations or having to pay high rates for Internet traffic. Required information - How many record sessions (in case I'm not satisfied the first time) do you accept? - Examples of your speech (preferably those which are in line with the description - casual pronounciation, curse words etc.) in a common digital audio file format. - At which time you are usually availible (this is especially relevant for the telephone conference) - If you demand or specifically disapprove any credits (you can change your opinion after reading the dialog) - Are there other options of telephony (like Signal or Tox) you'd also use? I may choose them if all chosen voice actors agree on one they suggested.

Is a SAG franchised agency better than non franchised to grow as an actor eventually

Is a SAG franchised agency better than non franchised to grow as an actor eventually

Posted on Mar 5th

Hi! I submitted to different agencies in my state and so far got booked in 3 of them. 2 being non franchised and 1 is SAG franchised. Which is better? My thought is if I eventually want to join the union when I’m better why would a non franchised agency want me to book union jobs knowing that this would make me eligible for sag aftra and if I decided to join that would mean for them that I would leave their agency since sag members need to be represented by franchised union...? Idk if I make sense here but pretty do non franchised union really want to push for you to get union jobs? I read reviews about the 3 agencies and for some reason it seems like the franchised one isn’t that great in comparaison to the non franchised one? I read some reviews saying that the franchised one didn’t have much connexion In The industry even though they are in the union. And that they only give union jobs to their union members and not the non union people they represent. Didn’t think choosing an agency would be that hard!!!!

In class Acting Classes-Toronto

In class Acting Classes-Toronto

Posted on Mar 5th

To my fellow Toronto actors. I have been thinking of getting into acting and want to take some acting classes as I have no experience. I have looked around and everything is offered online right now. With the news this morning that Toronto is no longer in lockdown as of Monday, would in person Acting Classes be allowed to run with the Grey Zone that Toronto is going to be in or would they still be offered online. Just curious cause I would rather do in person classes.

Come join the Actor's discord

Come join the Actor's discord

Posted on Mar 4th

Hi! I made a discord to help each other out. If you are new to acting or had some experience. Come join. [https://discord.gg/KpZ8jwQ9](https://discord.gg/KpZ8jwQ9).

(Update) Actor's Access - Talent Link Question

(Update) Actor's Access - Talent Link Question

Posted on Mar 4th

Original Post: [https://www.reddit.com/r/acting/comments/lscszm/actors\_access\_talent\_link\_question/](https://www.reddit.com/r/acting/comments/lscszm/actors_access_talent_link_question/)) Hi everyone! I thought I'd give an update on my original post in this subreddit and hopefully, this thread will also give others insight into the Actor's Access Talent Link process as well. So first off, apologies to everyone. I was mistaken - the person who reached out to me was a talent manager and not a talent agent. But anyway, the meeting went well I think! It was just a short interview where I gave some background on myself, such as my acting experience and any special skills. Because I'm essentially a newbie, they're recommending that I get professional headshots and possibly a demo reel going, and also work on trying to submit to as many student film/short film projects as I can and build myself up (which I definitely agree with). One thing to note is that they offered to help submit me for the smaller projects to help build up my credits, which I'm not sure if that's normal for a talent manager. They're having me self-tape a monologue or two for them to gauge where my acting ability is right now and I'm looking over the contract they sent me too but I'm not sure if I want to sign. I suppose I'd like to ask everyone here for their opinions on some of the aspects of the contract! No upfront fees (just 15% of any gig), locked in for 3 years at least (with the option to renew every year after that point), and they can act on my behalf/as my signatory on payment/endorsement/contractual authorizations for any bookings/meetings/appearances (would they still need my explicit approval or does this mean they can do things independent of me?) - is all of this pretty standard? I definitely plan on asking the manager all the questions above but I just wanted to see people's opinions on this subreddit. Thanks in advance for any responses!

Related to actor?

Related to actor?

Posted on Mar 4th

Hi, I was just wondering if it is extremely beneficial to be related to a TV acting legend in terms of helping your own career. Thanks!

PLEASE HELP. How to stop spit popping after words.

PLEASE HELP. How to stop spit popping after words.

Posted on Mar 4th

Hey so I’m a new voice actor with a serious problem. I make a very noticeable spit popping sound. I think it’s happening when I close my mouth and not my tongue being dry or anything. I’m an extremely hydrated person and I’ve even tried every dry mouth trick in the book just to be certain. Is anyone familiar with this? I know I can edit it out but it’s after EVERY sentence. I’m afraid it will have a negative impact on my career. I’ll attach a recording. Thanks in advance for all the help. [Mouth popping ](https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMe6w3tmt/)

I know that there's no right age to be an actor, but what about ageism in Hollywood against women?

I know that there's no right age to be an actor, but what about ageism in Hollywood against women?

Posted on Mar 4th

I've read a lot of what you all have said about age, and I 100% agree that you can start acting and become an actor at any age, it's never too late! I also know that you don't have to give your age and that it's really about how you look, but I am curious about sexism and ageism. At what age is someone typically no longer considered as a leading lady or as a young love interest? What is considered an objectively "young" actor (if they look their age)? I just remember a skit about after a certain age women are only seen as mothers or older characters and no longer main love interests, when does this typically happen? If someone has been acting for a while but doesn't get their "big break" until they're between 25 and 30, are they seen as an "older" female actress? There are also certain actresses that have big fan followings with young people, at what age do most of those actresses have their big break? Would it be rare to happen after 25 or even after 21 or 22? I hope that I don't offend anyone, I'm just very interested in this subject and am curious about your thoughts and opinions :)

Are there any reputable summer intensives that you would recommend for a college student?

Are there any reputable summer intensives that you would recommend for a college student?

Posted on Mar 4th

Currently a college junior that is interested in taking a summer intensive this upcoming summer. Are there any reputable summer intensives that you would recommend? Are there any that specifically connect you with agents and managers or are known for helping actors find representation? I appreciate any help :)

Motivated and then immediately unmotivated

Motivated and then immediately unmotivated

Posted on Mar 4th

I have wanted to be an actress since I was a child. My family was absolutely not supportive in this so I grew up just always dreaming. I eventually dropped the dream and took up other jobs and now I’m in a career making art for video games. I’m 29 years old, in the worst shape in my life (currently working on it), and suddenly had an extreme desire to be an actress again. I’ve obsessively been researching and signing up for websites and looked at acting classes around my area. Upon reading “moving to LA” and “moving to NY” in the side bar, I’ve almost decided to give up just as quickly as my extreme motivation came back. I live in the south where I’m nowhere near LA, though I do have money to fly myself to LA if I wanted to audition there. I don’t know what to do. I feel old, outshined by all these youths who are way better than me, and stuck in a job and crippling student debt. Anyone have any advice? (Even if it is to just give up)

Actors on Fluoxitine? Do you feel emotionally blunted when acting? Do you find it harder to memorize and rehearse on it? (In the long term, specifically)

Actors on Fluoxitine? Do you feel emotionally blunted when acting? Do you find it harder to memorize and rehearse on it? (In the long term, specifically)

Posted on Mar 4th

It's a long story, but basically, I suddenly developed an anxiety disorder with panic attacks. (Sort of, I always used to get anxiety when I smoked weed occationally back in the day, and I once had a bad incident in college where I went to the ER, convinced I was dying when I had too much caffeine when I was stoned... But I haven't smoked weed in over a year, so it's not that.) It's probably brought on by being trapped indoors in LA for a year, trying to do the right thing during this pandemic. We don't even get take-out, and we have all our groceries delivered. Then, the stess of the election. Then, I had auditions for grad programs in acting-- and though both my wife and I got into the same amazing program... during the last few months, something... I dunno... broke. When I'm acting, narrating, etc. I'm ok... but doing anything else, or just sitting around, I start getting severe panic attacks. Like... begging my wife to call an ambulance--bad. Anyway, physically I'm fine. I talked to a doctor, and had my blood-work, and I'm healthy as a horse. But, what I do have constantly now, is anxiety. And it's gotten to the point where my doctor suggested fluoxitine (generic for prozac) So... TLDR: Any actors out there have experience being on antidepressants or fluoxitine specifically? Once you got acclimated to it, did it effect your emotional range when acting, or "blunt" you at all? I've never been on any antidepressant before, and am about a week into my prescription and feel high as a kite most of the time. The anxiety and panic attacks are still happening on top of feeling high. I know it takes a while to adjust, but even once the anxiety stops, am I going to continue to feel fuzzy, and worse still--will it prevent me from feeling and expressing the extreme end of my emotions when acting? I concerned because I start my MFA program in the fall, and am concerned that I won't be able to access my usual pool emotions. Cheers.

Headshot-Age Range-Character Type Feedback

Headshot-Age Range-Character Type Feedback

Posted on Mar 4th

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. Non-professional shots are fine for age/typecasting; please keep in mind that one picture is a difficult way to go about this. Video of you moving and speaking would be ideal, but understandably more difficult to post. 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.

The Importance of User Experience: A Guide for Actors

09.20.2024 Achieving On-Screen Success: How to Leverage User Experience for Acting Success
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Building a Strong Online Brand: Tips for Actors

09.06.2024 Grow Your Acting Career with an Unforgettable Online Presence: Proven Strategies for Actors
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Niche professional websites for people in the film and TV industry.

Weeee, you found me!

I'm your buddy Bottie, I was hiding behind the scenes, but now that you've found me I'd be happy to tell you what I'm doing.

Actor Website helper: Bottie

I just wrote a few fun facts about Web For Actors

Would you like to take a look?
Click here to check them out. I hope it will cause involuntary audible response.