How can a person in their 40's get started in an acting career?

Answer 1

Find out what you want to do first. Do you want to do industrial work (those funny films with bad acting that they show you when you first start a job)? How about commercials? Voice over work? Childrens' Theatre? Broadway? Local Theatre? Television? Movies? Independant Film?

Once you've pretty much figured that part out, approach this as you would with any new career change. Read, ask questions, research, go back to college (or at least look for acting classes on a campus near you), etc.

If you don't have looks, then talent will decide how far you will go in the business (*cough*J.Lo*cough*). And how talented you are will depend on how much you were born with and how much training time you have put in to compensate for the lack of talent that you were born with.

One thing that you must remember is that even the most talented never make it big in this business. And making it big is not what we do this for. It's an art, and as an artist we have this strange desire to keep creating things (even if it is ourselves).

Believe me, if you knew half of the things that we go through for the amount of pay that we get, you would look at us like we are crazy. So you know that it's not about money. It's about the love of being an artist, no matter what struggles we need to go through to experience that love.

Answer 2

Thursday, March 02, 2006
ACTING MYTHS

"Reprinted from ACTOR'S TOOL KIT, THE SEVEN ACTING MYTHS
by Bob Fraser

Myth #1 - YOU HAVE TO START YOUNG
This commonly held belief is far from the truth. Although starting young will certainly give you more time to perfect your craft, many stars have started "late."
Phyllis Diller started her career at age 38 after raising a family and spending almost twenty years as a newspaper writer.
Richard Farnsworth was over fifty before he began his acting career. When he won an Academy Award nomination for his role in Comes a Horseman, it came as a surprise to many in the industry that this 'newcomer' had been around since the '30's - as a stuntman.
There are literally hundreds of these examples. No matter how old you are, if you love it - TRY.

Myth #2 - IF YOU HAVE TALENT ... YOU WILL MAKE IT
Although it's important to have some talent, any reasonable observer can point to dozens of successful actors who might be considered 'talent challenged.' In fact, depending on talent alone is a strategy for disaster. There are many other skills (mostly business skills) that lead to success as an actor. If you're talented, great. But don't depend on your gifts for success. It's mostly hard work.

Myth #3 - AN ACTOR MUST BE OUTGOING
Not at all. In fact, I'd say that the opposite is closer to the truth. Most of the stars you watch and enjoy are basically shy people. It is under the cover of a role that actors seem to be demonstrative. If you are shy or retiring, you are like most successful actors. Don't sweat it.

Myth #4 - ACTING CLASS WILL RUIN YOUR NATURALNESS Wow, this one is really off base. In fact, without some training it is unlikely you will get to the top ranks of the acting profession. Agents look for training. Casting directors look for it.
And it goes without saying that education has rarely hurt anybody.

Myth #5 - HAVING AN AGENT GUARANTEES YOU WILL WORK There is no doubt that having a salesman for your acting business is beneficial - but signing with a good agent rarely happens before you have already achieved some level of success.
Actors who think an agent will automatically get them to the top, rarely get there. Agents are not magicians - they are salespeople who develop leads for your acting business.
Period.

Myth #6 - YOU CAN BECOME AN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS
This almost never happens. In fact, a brief study of the careers of very successful actors will convince you that the average time it takes to get into the ranks of regularly employed actors is about 9 years.
Like becoming any sort of professional (doctor, lawyer, architect) this is a business that takes time to accomplish.
That's why they call it 'paying your dues.'

Myth #7 - ACTORS MAKE THE BIG BUCKS
No. This is totally wrong.
Sure some do ... and their salaries are publicized to the skies. But the reality is that the large majority of actors make very small paychecks and they don't make them very often. Go to SAG's website and see the statistics. Just making a decent living as an actor is a huge challenge.
Bottom line: Don't go into acting for the money. If you want to act, do it. And do it for money as often as possible.
But don't kid yourself ... this is hard work and the pay is nothing to write home about - unless you have the tenacity, business skills, and work ethic to get to the very top.
I hope you do.

Here's some good advice from the cadets at West Point:
RISK more than others think is safe.
CARE more than others think is wise.
DREAM more than others think is practical.
EXPECT more than others think is possible.
posted by Luvs2Act @ 1:02 PM

Answer 3

For myself.. No I did not I was once born to it. I am the little one of an artist and that is what my earliest reminiscences are. It was once a ordinary development that I must grow to be a painter. It's my ardour and it is what I love doing. I'd do it for NOTHING. That very ardour for my paintings has grew to become me into one of the crucial most sensible promoting artists in my nation. I was once additionally fortunate within the early days, my husband is a wellbeing legit, so cash wasn't a obstacle and I had no stress on me to earn. If I had needed to earn my possess preserve it might have intended getting a further form of activity even as i used to be constructing up my profession in my spare time. I did teach as a high school technological know-how trainer, however needed to go away considering the fact that of disorders with my kids. So Annafur, in a few approaches you're in a equivalent concern. Your ardour lies in a subject that's very problematic to reach (like mine). While taking that into account, your amazing ordinary skillability and also you ardour for you're employed can, and unquestionably WILL, see you grow to be an overly triumphant photographer in time. Time appears to be the predicament, and it is just ordinary that your mum and dad desire you to have a blissful financially comfy lifestyles. If I had been you, I'd be pondering tough approximately what my different passions are. Science ? Law? Medicine ? Business Studies? Only you realize that. Find whatever else that you simply quite love and throw your self into it. The images can come alongside for the experience and sit down at the again-burner till you're capable to make the profession transfer later if that is what you desire to do. You can do each Annafur, you'll be able to quite have all of it, and do not allow anybody let you know that you simply are not able to. Lizzie :o)

Answer 4

Absolutely. Try getting involved in community theatres, go to acting workshops where available. Many professional theatres will offer these. You should also audition for professional theatres in your area. You might be surprised and find a lot of work because you aren't part of the union.

Answer 5

The first step is acting classes. You have to know what you are doing when you are auditioning or performing. Look for classes in the city where you live. Call the community college and ask if they teach acting.

Answer 6

I believe that it's never too old to learn or try new things.
The appearance and the age are important in the acting field, but it's not what acting all about.

Answer 7

start off small. Perfrom at community theatres, maybe go to college for theatre, take classes, then build a resume, then build up to going to the city for perfessional auditons

good luck!

Answer 8

Start looking up talent agents. They probably have a bunch in a nearby city by you. Good Luck! Unless it's someone else...then Good Luck! to Them!

Answer 9

He needs a plastic surgary too look like he is in his 20's, then start a career.

Answer 10

I'd find a small, local actor's group and try that first. Usually stage is good experince for memorizing lines...then take it from there.