communicate the same message about who you are as an actress/actor.

Step 8: Make sure you have a financial base! Many aspiring actors don't make it, because they don't think about this step at all before they throw themselves into the mix. An acting career can be a full-time or part-time thing. If you want it to be full-time, you MUST have the time to dedicate to it, because chances are in the first couple of years at least, you might not be making enough money to support yourself, so you will need either a base of money to fall back on or you will need to have streams of residual or passive income coming in so that you don't have to worry about how you will pay the rent.

Step 9: Try and get some experience: community theatre, low-budget theatre projects, student films, indie films, background work on tv or in film. Background work is a great education in the beginning of your career AND you make a little money at the same time. The more you perform, the more comfortable you will feel.

Step 10: Now use your research of agents and of the industry to find the right agent for you. There are different ways to do that. You can meet agents (and casting directors generally) in a few different ways:

Do a mass TARGETED mailing with regular follow ups. When you do that though, start to understand and learn what the interview/meeting with the agent will be like so you know what to expect!

Meets and greets or Schools that hold seminars in which they let you audition. They do charge a fee, however.

Forums with casting diretors and agents. Usually last a few hours and give you the chance to audition for and/or have a one to one meeting.

Showcases in which you perform. Industry professionals are usually invited to check out the talent.

Invite them to a show you are in, to see a televison program or a movie you are in.

Step 11: Continue to study! Other than continuing to hone your technique, you will want to start boning up on your audition skills, monologue performance, cold reading skills, improv skills, etc.

Step 12: Now your business skills will come in handy, because now you must realize that you are the CEO of your own company, of your own brand. Your ability to market it or not, will have an effect on how successful your acting career turns out to be.

Acting is a tough business! You must have thick skin, because you will be hearing the word NO a lot. You must be prepared for that and know that is not to be taken personally. It's part of the game.

There are a lot of scam artists out there. Beware of them. They will sometimes pose as agents and then tell you everything you want to hear about how they will launch your career, but that you FIRST have to pay $XXX! Don't do it, no matter what they tell you! Talent agents don't cost money. They take usually 10% of whatever the job pays AFTER you have actually done it!

Anthony Smith left a successful corporate career as a senior manager in Nike and Levi's after 15 years to follow his dream of becoming an entrepreneur, writer, motivational speaker and actor. While enjoying success in his "new" life, Anthony shares his business insight and acting experience with young actors. Aside from acting work, he has created www.actingcareerstartup.com and his first book, Acting Career Start-Up: Four Key Factors For Success, is available now.

 

Copyright © Anthony Smith. Used with permission of the author. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or distributed.

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