If you are reading this, you at least have a curiosity about how to become an actor in film or television. Hopefully, I’ll shed some light on the process and how to take action to get there.
What is life, if you are not pursuing your dreams. Most people go through life working at a job where they are not happy, just to hopefully be able to retire with a pension and “maybe” at that time do the things they really wanted to do in life. Don’t put your dreams on hold. Life is too short. In this blog, I want to cover, starting from the beginning. Some of you may have some experience and this may not apply to you. But, who knows, you may learn something.
Prepare mentally and financially
Now, I want to be clear, this journey, is not an easy one. But, that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. It doesn’t mean you have to have a dead-end job. However, it does mean you might have to be creative about how you earn your money. With the internet, there are so many more options of earning money on your own time. If you’re smart with your money, you may reach a point where you only have to work part time or not at all until you start earning money from acting.
Now don’t get caught up on the “Celebrity.” Red carpet events, personal trainers, chef’s, mansion’s, private jets, etc. I want you to focus on the craft. This is your foundation. Set up that solid foundation and rest will come. Hard work will beat talent, if talent does not work hard.
Whatever stage you are in life, see what adjustments you will have to make to pursue this dream of becoming an actor. The changes don’t have to be all at once. You can continue to adjust as the need arises. For instance, having the money and time to attend an acting class. You might be able to get passed the cost of class by volunteering at the Theatre or School you decide to attend. If you reside in a city where there are no acting schools nearby, you can try working with someone online. I mean working with a live person online. You want someone to be able to give you feedback and adjustments. I know that there are online acting courses available out there, but until you have understanding, I feel it’s better to work with someone. Working with a live person also helps with accountability. It is very easy to buy an online course and never do anything with it.
Selecting an Acting class
Before deciding on who to train with be sure to audit one of their classes. Which simply means observing a class but not participating. Most schools allow you to do this once for free. Check out a few and see if you like the instructor. Does the instructor take time to work with each student or rush them along? Does the acting teacher go on long winded stories about the days when they were actors? Are the actors treated with respect? How many times a month do you get to work? How many times a week do they meet? (Classes are generally once a week). Depending on the class size, you may not work every class. By work, I mean, rehearsing a scene you have been assigned in front of the class.
There are also different methods of acting. See which one works for you. You most likely will not know this from one class. If you join a class and after a few sessions realize that method or style is not for you, don’t be afraid to make a change. You should look forward to attending class. Whichever method you chose, make sure it’s not a therapy session. NO ONE should be asking you to share personal traumatic events from your life.
Last but not least, price. Prices vary depending on who the teacher is, what city you live in, reputation of the studio, etc. As you do your research, you will see what the average price is per month for classes. Use that to make an informed decision and see what fits in your budget. Now go out there, break some legs, and start your journey to becoming an actor.
Please let me if any questions come up that I can answer for you.