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Home » Blog » Q&A: How can I begin acting? Or be a paid extra without going to agencies?

Q&A: How can I begin acting? Or be a paid extra without going to agencies?

Question by XxXSallyXxX: How can I begin acting? Or be a paid extra without going to agencies?
I have been wanting to act for years. I took drama in middle school and I knew I was ready. But I don’t know where to go for help. I have gone to all these places where they just want thousands of dollars for schools and certain academies. I don’t want that. I want to become an independent actress. Help? I will vote to the most helpful and best answer.

Best answer:

Answer by TruthTeller59
Here’s the cliffsnotes version of what you can do to do to get into acting:

1.EDUCATE YOURSELF FIRST!

READ (check Samuel French, libraries, and bookstores):

Acting business:
-Acting is Everything: Gold Edition-Judy Kerr
-How to Be a Working Actor-Mari Lyn Henry and Lynne Rogers
-Self Management for Actors-Bonnie Gillespie
-How to Get Arrested-J. Wallach Michael and Paul Thurwachter
-An Agent Tells All-Tony Martinez
-One Less Bitter Actor: The Actor’s Survival Guide-Markus Flanagan
-So You Want to Be in Showbusiness?- Steve R. Stevens
-Acting Truths and Lies (purchased at www.info4actors.com)

Acting:
-Book the Job-Doug Warhit
-Intent to Live-Larry Moss
-Acting for the Camera-Tony Barr
-Acting in Film-Michael Caine
-Acting Class: Take a Seat-Milton Katselas

Method Acting:
-Art of Acting-Stella Adler
-Sanford Meisner on Acting-Sanford Meisner
-A Dream of Passion-Lee Strasberg
-Actor’s Art and Craft-William Esper
-The Power of the Actor-Ivanna Chubbuck
-No Acting Please-Eric Morris
-Respect for Acting-Uta Hagen
-Challenge to the Actor-Uta Hagen
-You Can Act!-D.W. Brown
-Strasberg’s Method-Lorrie Hull

Comedy
-8 Characters of Comedy-Scott Sedita
-The Sitcom Career Book-Mary Lou Belli

Improv
-Anything by Viola Spolin
-Steve Book on Acting: Improv

Auditioning/Cold Reading:
-How to Get the Part Without Falling Apart-Margie Haber
-Audition-Michael Shurtleff
-Secrets to Successful Cold Readings-Glenn Alterman

2.GET TRAINING!
Definitely take classes in:
-Cold Reading/Auditioning
-Improv
-Scene study
-Commercials

3. Get GREAT headshots

Here’s is a good place to start:
http://bbs.backstage.com/eve/forums/a/tp…

4. Build Your Resume and Reel Doing Student films and Indie Films. Also do plays to build your acting experience.

Sample Resume:
http://i707.photobucket.com/albums/ww80/ELDORADO59/scan0002.jpg

How to make an ACTING resume:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtPvL4SjI7JFo5ef8t3cNwzty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20091011203729AAkQetj&show=7#profile-info-TDkteHfQaa

The ONLY LEGIT Online sites that you can find jobs on your own through:

ALL OTHER SITES NOT LISTED BELOW ARE QUESTIONABLE!

-ActorsAccess.com
-LACasting.com
-Nowcasting.com
-NYCasting.com
-NYCastings.com
-Backstage.com
-SFCasting.com

Free but proceed with caution:
-Craigslist
-Mandy.com
-Castingcallsearch.com

5. Get an Agent

Look up LEGIT agencies here:
http://www.agentassociation.com/

http://www.sag.org/content/find-agent

To get an agent, you need to get GREAT headshots, a good resume, and training from the best. These are enough to get you a commercial agent at least. Getting a GOOD theatrical agent (Film/tv) takes longer. Most good theatrical agents won’t see you unless you’re SAG, have a polished resume, and a demo reel. Commercial agents are more lenient about that. What the best Commercial agents want to see on your resume are good commercial classes, improv, and cold reading.

You can get an agent multiple ways. Here are a few common ways:
-Mail in an unsealed manilla envelope with a CONCISE coverletter and headshot with the resume stapled on the back. If you have a demoreel include that too.
-Attend a showcase and impress them. By showcase I do not mean scammy conventions like IMTA, IPOP, Proscout, or Best New Talent. I mean legit ones like at Actor Connection, Reel pros, Network Studios, etc.
-Get a referral from a friend who is with the agency that you’re interested in

DON’T
-Email them unless they tell you to. IT’S UNPROFESSIONAL!
-Call unless they tell you to. ALSO UNPROFESSIONAL!
-Walk in and ask for a meeting. UNPROFESSIONAL THREE!
-Sign with them if they ask for upfront money, make you take new photos with THEIR photographer, or take THEIR classes. Agent’s ONLY make money when you do. Agents usually make 10% on film/tv and commercials and 20% on commercial print.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

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