How to become an actor is one of the most popular questions I get. I’ve been in the entertainment industry for over a decade and I can assure you that it is a marathon and not a sprint.
Nowadays, we’re long past the studio system or the times when you could walk onto the Universal Studios lot and set up shop. I’m talking about you, Spielberg. There’s so much information floating around, that it’s easy to become misguided and overwhelmed.
In this roadmap series, I want to walk you through the 10 steps it takes to become an actor.
Let’s start with this list first, then I will begin to add some bonus articles that will delve into more details and things you need to think about while pursuing your career in the entertainment industry.
Page Contents
Roadmap Series
10 Steps on HOW to become an actor
Subscribe to my mailing list so you can be updated as each article is released. I’ll be writing full articles on each of these “10 steps: How to become an actor in 2022”. In the meantime, I want to provide you with the basics to begin your acting career now.
Keep scrolling to get a little more info on each.
- Research actors in TV and movies
- Take acting classes
- Create an acting resume
- Get proper acting headshots
- Sign up for background acting work
- Meet and audition for student and local filmmakers
- Put together your at home self-tape audition set up
- Join some casting websites- Actors Access, Backstage, Casting Networks
- Create your actor’s demo reel
- Seek representation for a talent agency.
Research Actors in TV and Movies
Watch the actors on TV. Pay attention to their movements, where their eyes are, and their pacing. It’s important to pay attention to the genre and tone of the show. Where do you think YOU can fit in?
Click below to read the full article on WHAT you need to research.
What you need to RESEARCH- Part 2
How, Where, and Why to take Acting Classes to Begin Your Acting Career
It’s so incredibly important to get into a GOOD acting class ASAP. Find teachers that are experienced and up to date with the current industry. The entertainment industry is always evolving and what was relevant and popular 10 years ago, may be completely different than what the standard is now.
Pay attention to step 7.
Creating Your First Acting Resume
Sounds like a catch 22, doesn’t it? How do you make a resume of your work if you don’t have any? Well, don’t underestimate the value of your hobbies and specialty skills. Bilingual? Heck yeah! 100% add that to your resume! Dual citizenship? Absolutely add that to your acting resume.
Professional Actor Headshots
Ya’ll, this one is important. An acting headshot that looks like you, that is properly cropped, lightly edited, and is focused on your eyes is SO important. Please, do NOT add a “filter” on your professional acting headshots.
Sign Up For Background Acting Work
Newsflash, you can find background work in almost every large city. I’m not just talking about NY, Chicago, or LA. Does your town have commercials for local restaurants or car dealerships? All those people eating or walking around in the background are background actors! AND, you can get paid to do this too!
Audition For Student Films And Local Filmmakers
We all have to start somewhere. What better way to get your career going than to learn and grow with filmmakers who are still learning themselves. Check out this fantastic article that will give you some tips and tricks on how to network with filmmakers.
Find auditions near you.
How to become an actor in 2022- Self Tape Auditions
Thanks to the pandemic, the entire entertainment industry had to make a change. Some markets were already adopting at-home self-tape auditions, but now, it’s the new normal. Now, you longer have to drive across town to audition, you can do it at home.
Oh, and you don’t have to worry about not having someone to read lines with you anymore, there are sites like WeAudition where you can find plenty of actors to help you rehearse. Use my promo code ActingUp25 for 25% off your subscription.
Casting Websites- Actors Access, Backstage, Casting Networks
Let’s explore WHERE actors find their auditions. There are legit websites that agents use to help find real acting auditions, but there are also so many scams out there as well. Take a look at some of the red flag rules to avoid on your journey of “how to become an actor”.
Acting Demo Reel
We’re getting more advanced here and it’s time to show off what you’ve learned. As actors, it’s more important to show people your skills than to tell them. If you followed the previous steps on how to become an actor, you should be able to start collecting some of the work you’ve done either in class, with local filmmakers, or even a scene you put on tape with your at-home self-tape set up.
Talent Agency Representation
This will probably be one of the most difficult steps to tackle while pursuing your acting career. Everyone has different goals, but if you are an actor looking for bigger paying jobs or want to get on tv, you will need to get a talent agent. The competition is rough, so making sure your actor headshots and demo reel are top-notch is incredibly important.
10 Step video on HOW to become an actor
Hey, I don’t blame you if you’re not one for reading, so just in case, I’ve created a video for you to watch that goes into a little more detail with these 10 steps on how to become an actor.
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel here, and sign up to Alway’s Acting Up blog, so you don’t miss the next time I release an article. My goal is to create a video for each section of this roadmap series. Stay tuned.
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