Can someone give me some acting advice?

Question

Well I'm a 15 year old girl. I would like some general advice about the acting business. i've been doing community theatre for about 1 1/2 years. I've also been in two independent films. Any thoughts.

I live in Chicago, IL. My parents aren't very supportive. They don't think it's a "real career:" But my aunt and uncle(the greatest people in the world I might add) are very supportive.

Answer 1

Where are you located? Big R is right, you have a huge edge over so many others that inquire here about getting into the business... good for you!!! My advice is that you need training and you need a decent resume then you need to get an agent. You do sound like you're well on your way. Make sure to take classes, keep doing theatre and films, and as long as your parents are fully supportive of your decision and are willing to help you with your career, go ahead and try an agent mailing as soon as you get your next role (depending on whether or not you're confident in your current credits).

You can do an agent search on Sag.org, or get Ross Reports or both. Legitimate agents take 10% of your pay after thdy help get you a job, nothing before. They are not allowed to recommend a particular photographer or place to take classes either so watch out for scams.

If you'd like more specific help, just ask :-)

Best of luck to you!

Answer 2

You are light years ahead of almost everyone else who wants to act. You're actually acting! Keep on doing it and take as many classes and do as much theater as you can. Slowly you'll get better and slowly you'll learn how the business works. I can tell you this much. You need to be good enough to do it professionally before you try to do it professionally. Give it a couple more years and I'd bet you'll be ready or close to ready. Luck!

Answer 3

It's hard, as a 15 year old to get acting work. Join the drama deparment at school

Answer 4

Hi,

If you do a search here on answers you will see other answers to this question, as it comes up usually a couple of times each day. I answer this question a lot and so instead of writing the same or similar answers over and over again, I have created a 36-page ebooklet that, even though you are not a beginner, it could give you some clues as to what you could be doing to help you get the recognition you most certainly deserve. Just go to http://www.actingcareerstartup.com/acs-blog.html , sign in on the right side of the page and you can download it for free. It's called: What It Takes To Become An Actor.

The second resource you might want to have a look at is this page: http://www.actingcareerstartup.com/how_to_get_an_agent.html . It takes you through a process that I used to get two agents and a personal manager in a short period of time in New York. Using the same process, I also got casting directors to actually start calling me in directly for auditions.

The third resource I can offer you is to go and take the Actor Quiz. It might give you some clues as to what more you could be doing to further your career as an actor. You’ll find it at: http://www.actingcareerstartup.com/actor_quiz.html .

I would love to be able to help you more, but I think that if you take the time and read through and watch and listen to the resources I have given you here, that you will find something that will help you. So go get yourself your favorite drink and get started!

Here's one answer that I gave to a person your age about getting your parents to support you. See if it applies to your situation.

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Hi,

what do you think would really make your parents start to take you seriously and support you?

Do they know what actors do? REALLY? Do they know what it's like being an actor? Do they know what you really have to go through to become an actor?

Do YOU know the answers to those questions? Do you know what it's like and what the issues actors face, what it's like to work on set, what your chances are of just getting work, how hard you'll have to work, how much you will have to invest of your time and energy to study, to do mailings, to write cover letters, to submit yourself for auditions, to prepare for auditions, prepare your monologues, bone up on your cold reading skills, take specialization classes, travel, etc.
Do you know what the average earnings are of an actor these days? Do you know how many days on the average an actor works.
Do you know what it takes to become an actor and do you have what it takes?

Have a look at the following links:

http://www.actingcareerstartup.com to see some of the issues actors face while trying to get work.

http://www.actingcareerstartup.com/working_as_an_actor.html to see what it can be like day to day looking for work.

http://www.actingcareerstartup.com/a_working_actor.html to see what it was like for me once on the set of an independent film.

That’s just a start. I strongly encourage you to talk to other actors, both working and struggling as well. It will help you in your education.

That's a lot of questions I know and I asked them on purpose.

Why?

Because if you can start to answer all those questions, maybe you will be more convincing. I know you're young, but you have to get started sometime. Some teenagers have someone who is an adult and who supports them in their goals. You don't so you can either keep butting heads with your parents or being afraid to approach the subject, or you can start to find out things for yourself.
In other words, the more information you have, the more informed you are about what you say you want, the more you can talk about it intelligently and demonstrate that you know what you are talking about, the greater your chances of being able to convince them to support you. If they have just as much information as you do, then you are on an equal playing field. They are your parents. They're bigger. They're older. They have the money. They win! At least until you’re out of the house or until they no longer foot your bills!

Is that the way you want it? No? Then get a move on and start doing your homework! :-)

Does doing your homework mean that you will get what you want in the end? Not necessarily. Your parents are certainly taking into consideration your best interests. But even if you don't get them to support you, you will know a lot more than you do now about the profession you say you want to pursue.

Good luck!

Tony
ceo
http://www.actingcareerstartup.com

Answer 5

well id send one of the films u did to a managing company and write a letter like u did on this and see what happens

Answer 6

you should really be more open when acting...and be UNIQUE...i am also really into acting and modeling and u really need to show personality...people arent looking for your looks or how u act..they want to kno if ur personality is what their looking for and if ur really trualy into acting!