How can i have the best chance at becoming a young actress?

Question

if anyone has any ideas on the best ways on becoming and an actress, steps or paths that can be taken, please answer my question

Answer 1

Your best bet? By being very talented to begin with, by living in an area where performing opportunities abound, and having your parents absolute support. Act everywhere, even in school.

If you're not already, you should be in classes for acting, dance (ballet, tap & jazz) and private voice lessons. You should be performing in theatrical productions. You should also start auditioning for student and indie films. You need to get a good amount of legit experience and training on your resume as you can before going to an agent.

Once you have the training, you find auditions through backstage.com and actorsaccess.com. If they don't have a lot for your area, check theatre websites directly or call to ask where they post their audition info. You can also do a web search for your state's name and the word film and see what sites come up. Often your state's film commissions, alliances, etc. have info on auditions for projects filming in your state as well as class info.

Legit agents do not charge fees up front. They get a percentage after you get work. SAG and AFTRA franchised agents get 10%. Modeling agents get more. Non-union franchised agents can negotiate up to 20% so I'd go with a union agent if possible. Check http://www.sag.org/sagWebApp/application?origin=page1.jsp&event=bea.portal.framework.internal.refresh&pageid=AgentInformation for a free list, or RossReports.com for a more comprehensive list, but you have to pay.

If anyone ever leads you to believe they are an agency and tells you to take classes or get pictures through a specific place, they are a SCAM. Run away fat and don't look back. Legit agents do not go looking for talent in malls or place ads on tv, the radio or in the paper.

good luck!
Marianne

Answer 2

1. Stay away from Acting Schools---they're unnecessary--
2. Save your money and ask your parents to contribute
to a special fund for later supporting yourself while you
wait to be discovered.
3. Ask your mother or her sister to help you with makeup,
sitting,walking, hairdo,posture and good personal
appearance
4. Practice daily reading aloud ---make tapes of your
reading and have a voice teacher help you with
suggestions ---don't pay for lessons ---be natural
don't try to do dialects or characters with your voice--
be yourself ---sing if you can---but no lessons---no
one is looking for another Deanna Durbin
5 Don't imitate Hannah Montana or anyone else--
be yourself
6. Go bowling,dancing,skating,---or any form of athletics
your body and health and stamina are important.
7. If there's a Little Theatre Group in your town ---go
and help painting scenery,taking tickets--anything to
help---if you see a part in a play that fits you and
your personality ---read for it---don't give hoot if
you don't get the part---don't get emotionally involved
in "success" and "falure"
8. In other words develop yourself as a likeable
lively,attractive personality---just you ---no wigs
or character parts ---just yourself !!
9. Don't smoke or drink---eat vegetables--fish,poultry
occasional meat beef or veal only--no pork,bacon
obesity is the worst enemy an actress can have
Fencing is the best exercise--if you can find a place--
Ballroom dancing ==ditto

Read this to your mother or someone who has
done some acting ---ask them if I am right !
Being an actress is not easy----if at first you don't succeed
no use trying again! But if you do what I advised---
and can read books or see movies and they make you
laugh or cry or stir your emotions you maybe can act
Doing scenes with others will help you to "react"
if the scene calls for pushing--push (don't fake it)
slapping? then slap ! Reacting is the essence of acting-
react to the persons or the setting or the emotion !

When the time comes ---if you still have a mind to do so
move to the Hollywood area where TV shows are cast
stay away from "acting schools" especially the Actors
Studio where they teach "Method acting" ---get some
good photos made before you leave home---oh--and
learn to type and use the computer (MS WORD) try
for a job in an Agent's office---if you're pretty and
athletic---someday he'll find something for you---
Remember all successful actresses play themselves/
so learn to be yourself !