I'm only a teenager, but I want to start a career in acting. How should I start?

Question

I need a way that won't cost me any $ or big risks.

Answer 1

You won't start any dream without taking risks, dear. Take a lot of acting classes, read books, and observe people. Acting is all about people. As far as starting a career, first start acting in community performances, and then move up through it all.

Answer 2

A good way to get experience in front of the camera are student films. Check which universities and colleges in your area have film programs, especially focused on film production. The students in those programs will all have to produce short film projects as part of their degrees, which they also will use to build their portfolios. To do that, they need actors and generally won't have a lot of money--or more likely, any money--to pay anyone. So they are often happy to take anyone that is interested. Often, there will be "call boards" located at the department offices of those programs. Student filmmakers will post audition notices there. Check them out. Or call the department offices to find out where student film audition notices are posted. Usually, the time commitments for these films is relatively low, so you can easily fit them in while going to school.

Also, I concur with the other folks here who have suggested becoming involved in community theatre. Most are always looking for individuals to participate and would be happy to have you. And an additional bonus is that you will also have an opportunity to get a taste of the other parts of the theatrical process--set construction and design, lighting, producing, etc. It might not seem like it, but if you do go into the field, it will be great background to have some knowledge of these things. Chances are, if you follow this career path, you will start out working in small theatres and low budget films. And most of those don't allow the luxury of being just an actor. You'll need to be able to pound a nail, hang a lighting instrument, and/or carry a cable. Good luck!

Answer 3

Community theatre is a great place to start. If you have any large regional theatres in your area, you might also be able to take acting classes through their outreach/educational programs.

Read everything that interests you - plays, novels, poetry. Read out loud! Don't be afraid of Shakespeare!

Observe people and how they interact, how they speak and what their body language says. There are wonderful characters all around you, all the time.

About risks - acting requires internal, personal emontional risks all the time, so you need to be bold and fearless. But use common sense when it comes to anything that might be a physical risk; don't go to auditions alone and PLEASE if someone asks you to do something that feels exploitative, walk out the door and report the bastards.

Answer 4

You don't need to pay an agent to have an acting career. Any agent that's asking you to pay is a scam! Don't fall for it! To get auditions, look up open casting calls online. But be careful! Some might be scams as well!

Answer 5

It depends entirely on which type of acting you want to do.

For theater productions, start right where you are and try out for every production that your school puts on -- even if you don't like the play, the more parts you have under your belt, the more likely you are to get better parts. Join your school's drama club, take any and all theater classes they offer. If you can, get into dancing classes, too. Tap, ballette, jazz, anything that will give you all the basic steps and moves. You may think that has very little to do with acting, but if you want to get into musicals, you need to be able to do the dance steps that go with the songs. Vocal lessons are a good idea, too. Even if you just ask your friends who take voice or dance lessons for a few pointers, it's better than nothing. After high school, go to a school in a city, with a large drama department. Apply for parts at the college or university. During the summer, apply for a job working at a playhouse in a nearby city, audition for parts at nearby non-profit arts organizations. Anything and anything that adds length to your list of roles is good.

If you mean film acting, that's another story all together. Search your Sunday paper's classified ads for anything that sounds even remotely like an acting job. (You should start with things that are asking for people to be extras unless you have a head shot and resume done. Head shots run at around $300 for the pictures and first 100 or so prints the last time I looked into it. Actors have their head shots done in black and white.)

If you're looking for a college that has a good place for you to springboard your film acting career, I would recommend Minneapolis, Minnesota above anywhere in California. There are two reasons for this: 1) Minneapolis has so many films getting shot, there's an entire section in the classifieds for acting jobs. 2) the competition for parts in Minneapolis is much less competitive than in LA, so you have a higher chance of getting a part to get your foot in the door, as they say, and that is most certainly the hardest part. Once you've got one part on your resume, it will become progressively easier to get more.

The last thing I'll mention is that you need to be EXTREMELY careful of any auditions that you go to. Many are hosted by schools who won't have casting directors there to see you, using the audition only to say 'you should come to our school to learn to act!' The only school that I know of that actually gets casting directors to come to you is John Robert Powers. You also need to be careful of how they will be paying you. If they offer you a percentage discount at their store on the day when you do the acting or modeling, it's a good idea to turn them down unless you're actually interested in buying something from the store to begin with -- it's a bit of a rip off when you consider than a film extra will, on average, get paid $100 a day for standing around looking normal.

Answer 6

Join the drama department at your school, it's free.

Call the Community Theater in the city where you live, ask if they teach free acting classes, if not, ask if they can give you information on free acting classes.

Call the YWCA and YMCA ask if the teach free acting lessons or know of where you can get free classes.

Answer 7

take some acting classes at your highschool or an after school acting class with a local theatre group. Audition for some shows and just practice practice practice!

Answer 8

get involved in your community theater!!! this is the only way you can get started. you need experience before you can walk into a movie audition!!! get some acting lessons, go to a performing arts camp. but there is an entry fee for everything. even getting in movies.

Answer 9

Join your local theatre group. most towns have one, I would suggest checking online for their information, if your still in HS join your drama group. Thats one of the best ways to get a good start.

Answer 10

finish school first and head off to a college that has a great drama or performing arts program...you will never get anywhere without an education. good luck and hope to see you on tv or movies someday. =)