So... You Want to Be An Actor
By Forrest Hartl, N2Arts Correspondent
Here is what it takes to be a professional actor
 

o, you’ve gotten rave reviews for your Grandpa in “You Can’t Take It With You.” You brought the house down in “Pippin.” You’ve been bit by the acting bug and are now ready to claim this profession as your own.  Well, there are a few things to consider before making this leap.  The aspiring actor can go one of two ways: 1) Back to School, or 2) Jump Right In.

1. BACK TO SCHOOL

   TRAINING

   Maybe you’ve begun to learn “the method” or the styles of Meisner and Strasberg.  Perhaps your high school drama teacher just wanted you to make a face and say your lines.  Whatever your previous training, you’ll need to build upon it.  Consider taking a local community college class or University extension course to get your feet wet.  There are also professional, or private classes for just about any type of specialization you’d like to learn: acting, singing, dance, voice, improvisation, classical training and many more.  You can find many of these types of classes in publications such as BackStage West or in the countless online websites promoting each school.  Again, training in these independent classes can be costly, but they can expose you to some talented instructors and a diverse set of classmates.  They also can look good as a credit on your actor resume (which we’ll get to soon).  But, speaking of credit, you may want some training that may account for something bigger.

   EDUCATION

   Although you will be educated in private classes, your formal education in acting can come to fruition in the form of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited University.  There are many choices when it comes to college acting programs so do the research (magazines that rate college departments, online sources, word of mouth).  One thing to decide is if you’d rather study acting for the stage, television, or film.  Making this difficult choice can help you get better training and less of a generalized experience.  If money is a limitation (as it is with most actors) you may want to consider a community college for two years and then transfer to a university to finish up.  This can expose you to a couple different programs, different instructors, and peers.  Either way, in the end you can have a Bachelor’s degree that will prove your dedication to a project; a quality many employers would like in an actor. You won’t be handed a starring role in a feature film upon graduation, but most likely you’ll be a better actor who makes stronger choices.

2. JUMP RIGHT IN

   I WANT TO GET PAID TO ACT

   Most people that want to act for a paycheck move to one of two locations…yes, Los Angeles or New York.  As it goes, NYC, home to some of the best theatre produced today, is also home to all “serious” stage actors.  LA is the home of, among other things, most of the major film and television studios.  Before you plan on getting that guest starring role on “Alias” next season, you’ll probably have to go through a few steps pretty much everyone else is doing themselves:

   1. Get your resume & headshot.  The resume should be done professionally on one side of one piece of paper.  Include only relevant information about your acting experience.  For your headshot, make sure you are comfortable with the photographer you want to hire.  Agree on a “look” or “style” that will define the roles you are looking to get. 

   2. Get representation.  Sure, you can do all of this on your own.  But, you’ll want to get someone on your side, most likely in the form of a theatrical or commercial agent.  A theatrical agent will represent your “acting” career in television and/or film.  Your commercial agent will find you work in television commercials.  An agent can do a lot of the tiresome legwork you won’t want to do: look through the “breakdowns” (listing of casting calls), find the ones right for you, send out headshots and resumes, and make your audition appointments.  You’ll have to pay for these services (depends on your agreement) but this should be considered an investment into your career.  Beware of agents who want to charge you a fee before ever finding you work.  Stay away from these types of businesses.
   
   THE REAL ACTOR’S LIFE

   Whether it’s Starbucks, an accounting office, or a part-time security guard, there is no standard “day job” an actor takes while in between auditions.  And it doesn’t matter.  As a reality, most actors need to work somewhere (anywhere!) consistently in order to support themselves.  In fact, only about 1% the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) members are able to support themselves solely from their earnings as an actor.  This is by no means meant to discourage you, but is merely a fact of the business.  Be prepared to work hard to meet your goals.  And don’t get discouraged as you see others around you succeed and fail.  You’ll go through your own highs and lows.  As a wise drama professor once said, “A career in acting isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.”

Forrest Hartl writes, performs, and teaches theatre in the Southern California area. He holds a B.A. in Theatre from UC Berkeley and an M.A. in Education from Biola University. He can be reached by email at forresthartl@hotmail.com.