i want to start acting!! what should i do to get started im a fashion model now in new york city (male)?

Answer 1

If you are currently modeling in NYC (hopefully, with one of the legitimate Modeling Agencies, ask your agency to suggest where you should study acting.

Take acting classes, or you can take seminars at http://www.actorsconnection.com/seminars.html

Answer 2

One assumes you have an agent. Why not ask your agent? Or, date a director. Surely your modeling friends might have some knowledge. Maybe you can move into TV ads first, or do you already do those? I can't believe that someone you know in NY wouldn't know more than us about this.

Answer 3

Try this site. It has info on Starting Out, Resumes', Agents, etc., and there's a section on Resources. Hope it helps. Good luck!

http://chrismacke.com/theater.html

Answer 4

Do you know the techniques? If so look for an agent, check casting call sites, etc. If not, try a school first then look for that!

Casting Sites Such as Casting-Call.us and starsearchcasting.com

Answer 5

You want to start acting?

First thing you will want to do is to take classes...regularly and learn a technique that you will be able to use and fall back on.

I would start to gather info about the different techniques there are and interview school directors. If you want some help in choosing a school, here are some of my criteria that I use:

·Teachers have experience acting
·Provides ongoing training (ongoing classes)
·Has a base technique
·Has a technique that is conducive to my style of learning (that's why there are different methods and techniques. Everyone doesn't learn the same.)
·Has a technique that gets me results as quickly as possible and that is easy to use
·Faculty that is serious and professional
·Teachers who care about my learning, who push me and challenge me, and who will kick me in the butt if necessary
·Teachers who don’t treat me like a number
·Teachers who take pride in the development of their students and who really care
·Cost of classes within my budget
·Class times suitable for my schedule
·Offers a variety of classes that are complementary to each other so that I can stay at the same school and practice the technique in all the classes I take there. (It helps to stay focused instead of taking a technique class at one school, audition technique at another, scene study at another, and so on. However, it might not be possible to do everything at one school. This is what I preferred a few years ago, when I was just starting out. Most schools usually specialize in one thing or do one thing really well. If you can find a school that does more than one thing well, that’s a plus. Just a thought.)
·Doesn’t play favorites
.Everyone is treated equally and fairly

I study at the Ward Studio in NY that specializes in the Meisner technique. Wendy Ward is a tough cookie, but she will make you learn. I know they have a summer intensive class going on that starts in a couple weeks. It's six weeks of real intensive training and they have voice, movement, Meisner Technique, Shakespeare, Text analysis with some audition technique as well and they have a career mentoring workshop, which is helpful if you need help in the business side of your career. By the way, I have no financial gain, whether you study with her or not.

I've taken classes at the Actors Connection, which I continue to go back to for specialy work: commercial class, business class with Brian O'Neil or Leslie Becker, hosting class with Pat-Murphy Stark and I used to go and audition a lot for casting directors and agents. But now, since I have a couple of agents, I don't go for that as frequently. Occaisionally if there's a casting director I really want to meet, I might go, but otherwise I just stick to the specialty classes.
They also have some free seminars too. You might want to get on their subscriber list and just stay informed.

I've also taken classes at TVI studio. The last three I took there were a workshop with Guiding Light Casting Director, another with a prime time casting director and an on-camera audition workshop, which was really good, with a guy named John Marbury, but I don't think he's there anymore.

There's also Stella Adler. I haven't personally taken any classes there, but I know some friend who have and who are pretty happy.

NYFA
HB Studios
Gene Frankel
William Esper Studios, another Meisnerite, said to be very, very good teacher. Has won awards for being one of the best acting teachers in NY.
Actors Studio: I believe they want a long term commitment.
Sheila Grey Studio: she has classes in sensory work, scene study on Wednesday evenings and improvisation on Thursdays. Also, for some reason, she attracts models to her classes.

All this having been said, just don't forget to build your base. Go to school and study, learn the industry and don't forget to work on yourself. If you develop the following abilities, you will have a better chance of being successful, not only in your acting career, but in life in general. They are:
1) greater knowledge of yourself: strengths, weaknesses, resources you have at your disposal (and not only financial!)
2) creativity and innovation to apply in promoting yourself and helping you to stand out. You can imagine how important that is with all the competition there is!
3) clarity of your vision for the future of your career in a very detailed way. If you can do that, your actions will be more focused and you will waste less time and energy. To put it in a positive sense, you will optimize your efforts and probably get results quicker.
4) a solid and detailed plan for how you intend to achieve that vision. Many people think that planning is writing some stuff down on a piece of paper and doing those things.
5) ability to keep yourself motivated to do what is necessary daily to further your career. Knowing how to do that is a big plus!
6) essential business skills that will help you to be successful as the free-lance professional that you are as an actor. Unfortunately many actors don't realize that they are in business, with a product to sell and promote, that is themselves.

You MUST realize that the person who will embark on this new mission of becoming an actor is YOU. Whether or not you are successful (and only you can define what success means to you) will depend, yes a lot on how the industry treats you, but it also will depend largely on you.
Said in another way, it means your attitude, your talent, your willingness to learn and be curious, your perseverance, determination and method, your clarity around what you want out of your career, your capacity to find creative solutions and creative ways to promote yourself and set yourself apart from the rest, your ability to first create a financial base so that you can concentrate fully on your craft, your ability to motivate yourself and to handle rejection, your capacity to be disciplined and plan for your success and it will also depend on your capacity to sell and market your acting ability.

Good luck to you!

Tony,
http://www.actingcareerstartup.com