first year, like i knopw ive heard of stories, like jennifer hudson, and that girl from hairspray, but do you think other people can do that if they dont give up??
2007-07-15 07:12:04 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Theater & Acting
Jennifer Hudson and Nikki Blonsky are not good examples because that doesn't happen to most people. In all honesty, the chances aren't great but that doesn't mean you can't do it or that you can't get work on a set. To get principal work you need training, you need a resume, and you need to look like someone who will make the agent money before they will even consider you. If you have that going for you, you could have a shot.
If you want to find a legitimate agent to represent you for commercials, TV & film go to Sag.org. Use the dropdown menu on the right labeled 'resources' and choose 'agent information'. On the next screen, on the left choose 'Find a SAG franchised agent' and follow the directions. You can look up agents all over the US, but there are higher concentrations where the work is (Los Angeles, NY, IL, FL, GA etc.)
Then you can send them your headshot, resume, and a cover letter stating that you are seeking representation and wait to see if they call you in for an interview. Remember that legit agents charge 10% AFTER you get a job, nothing before.
Once you have an agent, they will get you the auditions, but until then you can check out actorsaccess.com. You can also see if your state has a film alliance. Sometimes they post audition information for projects filming locally. For theatre, you can go to backstage.com or http://www.actorsequity.org/castingcall/... If you find the audition on the Equity site, you still may be able to go, as long as their not taking appointments from equity actor's only :-) On backstage.com you have to pay to get all of the info, but the initial search is free and you may be able to see enough info to find out the rest on your own without paying.
Extra Work
You may also want to consider starting with extra work. You're virtually guranteed to get work right away, especially if you're persistant. It may not be enough to live on, but you'll get on any number of sets and you can see how things work.
Check out these sites:
http://www.centralcasting.org/LA/actors/registration.html
http://billdancecasting.com/
http://extrasaccess.com/
Central and Bill Dance charge a fee to join and yes that is normal for companies that hire extras. They are not 'agents' they are companies that do a service and that's that. ExtrasAccess is new to me. It's an offshoot of ActorsAccess which is more for people looking for principal work and even though I've never used it, I trust it because of the people it comes from. Getting started is free, I'm sure there's a fee along the way somewhere, but I've never used it so I don't know where that comes in.
good luck!
2007-07-15 11:01:06 · answer #1 · answered by Marianne D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OK... Jennifer Hudson was already working professionally before she even went on American Idol. And Nikki Blonksi's just a kid, but she did some serious musical theatre at her school before auditioning for Hairspray. These ladies have MAJOR chops, and they didn't just appear overnight. Yes, of course they were born with a gift, but they worked hard to develop that gift before landing the auditions that have made them famous. They didn't just go to Hollywood on a wing and a prayer... they were doing their thing, and seized the opportunities as they came their way.
Jennifer Hudson was seen for Effie once, and told that her image wasn't right; she didn't land the part. So you know what she did? She went off and worked her butt off, polishing her image, and lo and behold... she got another opportunity to audition again and wowed the producers with her hard work.
Go. Work hard. Audition. Get better. Do it for the love of the art, not for fame. Go to Hollywood if you must, and keep auditioning. There are a TON of talented people working very hard, 24/7, to get work... can you keep up?
2007-07-15 07:42:32 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi,
statistics say that your chances, especially if you have no training, are slim to none. People can do it if they don't give up, but you have to have the right character to be able to know yourself and the resources you bring to the table that make you unique, know EXACTLY what you're going for in your career, have talent, be able to motivate yourself, have thick skin, be creative in finding ways to get yourself seen, be resourceful, have a solid plan and the discipline to follow it, have very good business skills. You must be strong, have great determination, analytical skills to figure out what's working and what isn't and you must persevere.
Many actors don't realize that they are in business for themselves. And many new actors believe that you go from WANTING to be an actor straight to getting an agent and auditioning. For someone who is serious, that is false.
I often use the same metaphor as newyork gal, which I think is perfect! People who want to start out thinking they're going to strike it rich so to speak or 'get discovered' or get that big break right away, because they heard of someone else who did are really playing the lottery. The chances of that happening are really, really, really slim. And furthermore, what you never hear about is what the people who supposedly got discovered were doing before they 'got discovered' or got that big role. Most often they were not overnight sensations, but they had been planning and preparing for it for years! They spent years POSITIONING themselves for success. And they got their fair share of no's and turn downs.
So, I have something to offer you, which might be helpful. I have prepared a 28-page ebook that you can download free from my website. It's called What It Takes To Become An Actor. Just go to http://www.actingcareerstartup.com , sign in and you will be able to download it. It will give you some insight about getting started.
Hope that gives you something to think about and answers your question.
Tony
ceo
http://www.actingcareerstartup.com
2007-07-15 08:32:26 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jennifer and the girl from hairspray have excellent voices. Talent Agents want to represent those that are excellent singers, dancers and/or actors.
Most wanna be actors give up because it's like buying a lotto ticket and hoping to win, most people never win
"the acting lotto" of life!
When I was in drama college we studens were encourged to become Drama teachers and not actors because, it's almost impossible to become a working actor.
2007-07-15 07:22:32 · answer #4 · answered by newyorkgal71 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Zero. There are no overnight sensations. If you come here from somewhere else with strong training and good amateur experience you may land an agent. You need real credentials
to even try. Not school plays either. Professional training. People who say you can do anything if you follow your heart are idiots who never accomplish anything. Dreamers who spend their lives dreaming. If you want to make a go of it you have to to what you need to do. That's a lot of hard work and sacrifice. You have to devote your life to it and even then your chances are slim. You'll probably always need to have a job. If you want to do it you owe it to yourself to try. But face the reality. It's not about getting big roles, it's about doing what you love to do more than anything else.
2007-07-15 11:54:09 · answer #5 · answered by Big R 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There's always one in a million. But really, be honest with yourself, are you that secial that you have some talent that your are going to walk off the street and somebody is going to cast you in a roll. You have no background, no agent, no money, no quick smarts for hollywood. Save your money, your dignity and your time.
2007-07-16 04:30:50 · answer #6 · answered by lochmessy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
properly....I constantly say that if I have been a character from The Wizard of oz., i'd in all probability be the Scarecrow....as I each and every now and then look lacking in the "innovations" branch....yet perhaps there are cases while i need to be the Cowardly Lion!
2016-09-30 01:23:42 · answer #7 · answered by mccleery 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jennifer Hudson is from American Idol. If you really want to get noticed right away, enter talent contests.
2007-07-15 07:27:02 · answer #8 · answered by lilykdesign 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well if you don't try it you'll never know,,,,the only think is don't tell anyone so your not ashamed to go home should you not be successful,,,,,,,, and if you are thinking about it, I wish you all the luck in the world
2007-07-15 07:21:52 · answer #9 · answered by P-H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you set your mind to it nothing can stop you.
2007-07-15 07:40:39 · answer #10 · answered by xxlive.laughxx 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋