I had received a request for an in-person audition for a sizeable role in a popular television
show. I thoroughly prepared as described in an earlier post. The role required a suit and tie.
So, the night before I carefully selected the attire, and steamed it. I was moving the needle in
my favor by having everything I would need, ready to go. The appointment was for the
morning and I would have quite a drive since the casting office was in Glendale, CA and I
would be driving from West LA. I didn’t want to be stressed in the morning because of
worries that maybe my headshot didn’t have the most current resume. If so, I would have to
take time to print, staple the resume to the headshot and then cut the excess paper to fit the
photo.

The following morning, I left for my audition with way more time than I needed. Traffic was
as expected– slow go. I found parking not too far from the building, adding a little more time
than I thought I would need to not stress out about getting a parking ticket if they were
running behind. I walked to the casting office, used the restroom to collect myself and give
myself a little pep talk. Last looks–nothing in my teeth or my nose, and no part of my
breakfast on my shirt. I am prepared, I feel good.

I walk back to the office, returned their bathroom key, and signed in. I put my mobile phone
on “silent,” placing the phone in the inside pocket of my suit jacket. Now as I await my turn
to go in to audition, I take some deep breaths and go over my sides. “Martin?” they call.
“That’s me.” – I reply.

In the room, we begin the audition. Everything is feeling great. I am down to the third and
final page, when – The “Amber Alert” alarm goes off on my mobile phone. Ruining that take. I
apologized and then pulled out my phone. Before powering it down, I see that the alert was
to notify me that the President of the United States, Donald Trump; was going to be in town.
The casting director allowed me to do another take. However, now I was self-conscious and
upset. The second take didn’t feel as good. That audition didn’t end up going further than
that. I say Donald Trump crashed my audition, more as a joke. The lesson is one should power
down their phone completely for auditions. You never know what alarms you may have
active or who may call you, or if the President of the United States is going to be causing
more traffic in LA. Even if you put your phone on vibrate or silent, the vibrations can distract
you and sometimes can even be heard, depending on where your mobile phone is–not to
mention that the light it emits when activated can also be distracting.

So, learn from my experience. Turn off your phone in the audition room. Then, confidently
focus on the task at hand.

There are people who make the move to New York City or Los Angeles and say, “Okay, I’m
going to give acting a shot for a year or five years. If I don’t “make it,” then I will go back home
and take on the profession I chose as a, “back up.”
So, should you put an expiration date on your dream of becoming an actor?

THE ACTING DREAM

I can’t say that there was a defining moment where I “Knew” I wanted to be an actor. All I know
is, there is a force that compels me to pursue acting. To do this I have to live in a city with a high
cost of living. This is a job I can’t do remotely, even though the majority of auditions have gone
online, the production companies still require that you be a “local hire” to book the job. With
Covid-19, the production companies’ costs have gone up a great deal. So, unless you are
already an established actor, they are not going to pay to fly you in for a callback or for a
booking.

With my current income, I can move to another part of the country with a lower cost of living
and live the “American Dream.” Buy a house in the suburbs with my wife, have 2 ½ kids, a dog,
and barbecue on the weekends. But, I wouldn’t be fulfilled. I will be an actor until it no longer
holds a place in my heart.

Search within yourself and see if acting is something that makes you happy. I don’t just mean
acting itself, but all that comes with it. Auditioning, unorthodox work, continuous training, and
countless, “No’s.” You must put yourself in the right mindset. You can’t compare your life to
your family and friends with “regular” lives. For the most part you are only seeing the external.
Just like social media, people will only reveal the good. You shouldn’t compare yourself to
anyone. Period. With the right mindset, you will see the triumphs in everything. Every audition
is a win. Every acting class you attend strengthens your “acting muscle.” If acting is a marathon,
every day you endure is a day closer to your goal.

CHANGE OF HEART

As humans, we fall in and out of love…and that is okay. As long as you give it a fair shake, if you
chose that acting is not for you, don’t get down on yourself. Do what makes you happy. Don’t
be ashamed if you pack up and go back home. You took more action than most ever will.
Leaving the comfort of the familiar, your neighborhood, your friends, your family. If you choose
this route, when you get back home, you will realize that not much has changed. The one that
has changed is you. For the better.

Whatever path you take, make sure it makes you happy. Don’t just take that, “back up” job
because you think it’s safe. Most people will make life decisions based on fear. Do not let
others impose their fear on you. So, when you look back at this part of your life, you know you
made your choices on your terms and not because of a deadline.

WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME AN ACTOR

Becoming an actor takes more than just moving to New York or Los Angeles, and getting
headshots. Like any other profession, you have to make an investment. First, if you are
“Transplanting” to another City or State, there are financial and emotional costs involved. Such
as moving your personal belongings and securing a place to stay. Chances are you will be
leaving the comfort of your inner circle; your family and friends. You have to be prepared for
that mentally, because from experience I can tell you that Los Angeles can be a very lonely
place until you make some friends. Among other costs, there is the cost of acting classes – a
MUST if you are to succeed. It doesn’t matter if Drama was your college major. You must stay
sharp.

We all hear stories of how people were “discovered” in a party or at the beach or standing in
line in a supermarket. Or a successful actor that never took an acting class. Now, these stories
may be true, but It is such a minute percentage that this will happen that if you don’t put in the
work and a year or five years down the line say, “I tried and nothing happened,” you are lying
to yourself. If you make the move to a new City but don’t put in the work, you never really gave
it a shot. You didn’t quit acting, you quit on yourself.

I WILL BE HAPPY WHEN…

Many times, we put in our minds that we have to pay dues. Giving the journey a negative
connotation. That we must suffer to get to our goal, and once we reach that goal, we will allow
ourselves to enjoy life. Sure, you will not get the top jobs right away. Chances are, you are not
going to come out of the gate with a leading role in a major motion picture. However, you must
be grateful for every victory, no matter how small. You got a meeting with an agent or
manager, that’s a victory. You got an audition for a one line co-star, that’s a victory. You can
afford to stay in acting class, another victory. We must find happiness along the way because
reaching worthy goals take time. Time, we never get back. Make no sense to go through life
unhappy. You don’t want to reflect on your life from your death bed and say you went through
life unhappy.

DREAM KILLERS

Beware of dream killers. They may or may not be intentional. Most of us human’s base our
decisions based on fear, not on what they really want to do. Some take jobs they feel are
secure but come home every day and complain about their job. Their mentality might be, “At
least I have a job.” You have big dreams and want to realize them. There is a good chance that
when you tell your family that you want to be an actor, their reaction might be to get a “real”
job or you don’t have what it takes. Don’t let this type of talk seep in to your subconscious.
They don’t mean harm; they are speaking from their fear based mentality. Be empathetic, don’t
take it personal and move forward toward your dreams.

Then there are those who are jealous and do wish to derail you. Those you thought were your
friends. You must cut them off because any positive update you give them, they will be sending
you negative vibes in return.

SHOULD YOU EVER QUIT?

There is no definitive answer for this. It is up to each individual. The most important question to
ask yourself is, “Are you enjoying the process?” Doesn’t matter your age, there are roles for all
ages and races. You can be 90 years old and still be acting.

If you are enjoying the process, then thing you must prepare to set you up for success. Not only
working on craft, also having a positive mentality, and positioning yourself financial to be able
to have a life, have a family, and still pursue your dreams. I know, this is an oversimplification.
No improvement is made without some type of discomfort. Just keep in mind that you are one
audition away from having your life changed.

If you are no longer enjoying the process, or there are other life events that won’t allow you
continue pursuing acting, there is nothing wrong with pivoting. Maybe, in the future you may
return to it. Just be true to yourself. Give it an honest go. Don’t half ass it and then say,
“Nothing is happening.” You will only be cheating yourself.

Now, go break some legs.

Casting director workshops are one-time meetings with either a casting director, a casting assistant, or casting associate in a class setting for educational purposes only. If a private institution offers a casting director workshop, the chances are they will charge a fee. However, if you are a member of SAG-AFTRA, you can take advantage of some free casting director workshops. The downside of SAG-AFTRA workshops is that they fill up fast  and getting a spot among the few that are offered is very competitive. When a private institution hosts the workshop, fees will vary depending on the institution hosting them and who the casting person is.

When you first attend one of these workshops, you need to bring a prepared scene, an extra set of slides for your reader, a headshot, and resume for the casting director. The casting director will usually introduce themselves, describing how the casting process works, the projects they’re currently working on, and then open the floor to questions. After the Q and A, they set up the mock auditions. One by one, the actors “audition” for the casting person. The casting person may give the actor some redirection and also feedback on their headshot and resume. The actor will then perform their scene again, incorporating the redirection provided, and then leave.

Why attend a casting director workshop?

The main reason actors attend these workshops is to get face time with the casting person–In the hope that they will be remembered the next time they are looking for someone of their “type” for an audition. As a general rule, you can’t get work in film or television unless you audition. To do that, you have to be invited by a casting office. So, if a casting director knows you and likes your work, there is a good chance they will call you in. Does this method work? It can if done correctly. But, there are potential pitfalls.

So, should you attend a casting director workshop?

When I first moved to L.A. I started attending casting director workshops to get known by casting directors in town. I went to see a particular casting director who worked on a top-rated show. Shortly after that workshop, I flew to New York because I was planning on flying to Beijing on vacation from there. While in New York, my agent called me to tell me that I had been invited to audition for that very popular show. I was invited straight to a producer’s session the following day. I confirmed that I would be there. I figured I could fly to L.A. in the morning and fly back to New York after the audition and still make my flight to Beijing. They would let me know if I booked it by the end of the day. All this for a one-line co-star role!

The following day I took an early flight to L.A., landing around 9 a.m. I drove straight to the audition. Needless to say, I was nervous. Unfortunately, I wasn’ focusing on the right things, which added stress to the situation. Because I was called in directly to the producer’s session, I was highly motivated to make the casting director look good. After what seemed like a never-ending wait, I entered the audition room and sat in the chair provided. The casting assistant asked me if I was ready; I nodded, yes. She read the opening line, and on the third word of my response, I stumbled. We started over. I stumbled on the same word again. After a few more tries, I finally got through it. The associate said, “See, you could do it.” I felt an inch tall. The casting director who had called me in was looking down, furiously taking notes.

I got out of there as fast as I could! As soon as I got in my car, I was overcome with intensely self-critical thoughts. It took three years before I was invited back to that casting office to audition. The lesson here is, do not sign up for casting director workshops unless you have adequate training and some auditions under your belt. I recommend taking not just scene study classes but also audition technique classes. Then go out and audition for student films and independent films (both short and feature-length). This will give you get real-world experience, and you may even leverage some work out of it. Then you can start collecting footage to build a demo reel.

For those who have adequate training, attending a casting director workshop can be a beneficial investment. It may help your agent get you more auditions. However, be selective of those you commit to because it can get costly.

The Game Plan

Once you have the necessary training and some experience, make a list of the shows that cast people of your type and shows that always need fresh faces, for example, “Law and Order,” all the NCIS’s, “Grey’s Anatomy,” etc.” Once you have your list, go on imdb.com and look up who the casting staff is on each show you’ve listed. There are casting directors that don’t do workshops, but are instead provided by their associates and assistants. After you have that information, do an online search of casting director workshops. I usually would recommend doing a search of workshops near you. But, since classes have moved online, you can attend from anywhere in the world as long as you have a smartphone, tablet, or computer with an internet connection. Once you have found a school or company offering workshops that interest you, check out their calendar and see which casting directors are scheduled. If you find one that is on your list, sign up. Treat this as if it were a job interview because it is. Read and follow all directions. On the day of the workshop, be as prepared as possible. Meaning–be off book and consider getting some coaching beforehand

This field is highly competitive. To learn more about that, read my earlier blog post, “First steps to becoming an actor in film and television. “ You want to stand out in a good way. This requires a game plan, not a one-shot effort. For example, ask the casting person how they like to be contacted so that you can send them any updates on your career. After the workshop, send them a thank you note. Casting directors see many people, so if you only have had one contact with them, the chances are they will forget you. After three months, you can send them a postcard with your headshot printed on it along with a quick update on what’s going on with you. At the six-month mark, you should consider attending another of their workshops.

The day following day the workshop, call or email your agent and tell them which casting director you met with and essential details of your interaction with them. This way, your agent can call them to pitch you with some “ammunition” to help the casting director remember you.

Repeat this process with the other casting directors on your list until they start inviting you to audition. Also, take note of how you felt at each workshop and make any adjustments necessary to improve your odds of success.

I love hearing from you! Please send me any questions or comments you may have. Also, let me know how the strategy I’ve described works for you.

The term self-tape comes from a time when actors would record auditions on an actual VHS tape, then had it delivered to either their agent or a casting director. Though VHS tapes became obsolete the term “Self-tape” stuck.

Self taping wasn’t used much until recent years. Though casting directors usually still preferred you audition in person. Some would not even accept a self tape. As technology progressed it became more accepted. Now with Covid-19, it is pretty much the only way to submit an audition.

Let me give you some critical guidelines for self-taping.

Pros of self taping.

The growth of self taping has been beneficial because you no longer have to drive all over town to get to an audition. This saves you time and wear and tear on your vehicle, not to mention money.

Often, self tapes are due the following day, which gives you the freedom to record them at your convenience before the deadline. So, you get to audition for more projects, improving your odds of booking one.

If you record your self tapes at home, you have the luxury of multiple takes and less anxiety because you are in a place where you feel comfortable.

Cons of self taping.

Depending on your living situation you may not have someone to read the other characters lines for you. This means you might have to go to a studio that offers self taping service, which can get expensive. Also, with the higher demand for self taping, many of these studios are booked up.

If you can record the self tape at home, then you have to be a one-person producer. This may require that you buy extra equipment, and learn basic editing.

Elements for self taping at home.

As a serious actor you should already have three things:

• A smartphone
• A computer
• Printer
• Internet service

Additional equipment that you will need:

• A tripod
• A smartphone tripod mount

Optional equipment that is highly recommended:

• Ring light
• Smartphone microphone

Self tape set up.

Most of us don’t have the luxury of dedicating a room for self taping. But choosing a wall to self tape can be a little tricky. You want to find a wall in a part of your home where there are a few to no distracting noises (cars, airplanes, neighbors voices, etc.) . However, that wall may not have the best lighting. That’s why I highly recommend buying a ring light.

The wall you choose should also not be distracting. It should be a solid color, possibly blue or gray. If this is not an option, you can always hang a sheet for the self tape and remove it when you are done. This works well if you need to conceal a bookcase. Some people like to use a pop up background which can be easily collapsed and stored. I don’t recommend these options because you are required to give a full body shot for most slates and such backgrounds are not big enough for this purpose. Actors may also be required submit self tapes for commercial auditions which are generally shot wider than theatrical auditions and again don’t cover enough surface area. However, pop up backgrounds do work well for more close-up static shots or for your Zoom meetings.

A smartphone is more than capable of shooting your self-tape. Just insert your smartphone into the tripod mount and attach that to your tripod. You want to mount the smartphone horizontally or in landscape orientation. Then set up the shot according to the audition instructions.

Make sure you are in focus and you can be heard clearly. That is pretty much all the technical set up out of the way. Just know that self tape’s have made acting more competitive because casting directors can now see more actors’ auditions. For this reason I highly recommend getting a light and microphone. I like to use an inexpensive lavalier microphone compatible with smartphones with a headphone jack and DSLR cameras. It makes you look more professional and hopefully making a casting director watch your entire audition. With a larger pool of actors to choose from, casting directors can be more selective. Let’s not make it easy for them to pass on the audition that you put so much work into.

Submitting your self tape.

Casting director’s sometimes will put a specific note to see if you follow directions. So make sure you edit, label, and submit the audition according to their particular directions. Your files do not need to be large, that just takes more time and hard drive space. So, if you recorded your audition in 4K for instance, when you are exporting that file, it doesn’t need to be larger than 720P. Casting director’s often forward your self taped audition to director’s that may view it on their smartphone. You don’t want to have it continually buffering or not loading at all because the file is too large.

The secret to self taping.

Whether you are a filmmaker or not very tech savvy, it doesn’t matter what camera, lights or other equipment you use to record your self tape if the work is not there. Before you go out and spend thousands of dollars on equipment, that money is better spent on acting classes or coaching. With things in this industry moving so fast, casting directors are too busy to send the actor’s feedback. What happens more often than not is that you will submit your self tape and not hear anything back. Pretty much the only feedback you get is if that same casting director requests that you audition for another project or role in the future.

There are times when you are away from home and are asked to submit a self tape. You might have to record it in a hotel room, a relative’s house and the conditions will not be optimum, or you just can’t afford the extra equipment, so the work has to be compelling. Some technical things can be forgiven if the acting is solid, but not the other way around.

Self taping tips.

• If you don’t have a reader, you can have someone on a video chat feeding you the other character’s lines. Try not to record the other character’s lines. It sounds terrible and messes with your acting because the timing may be off.
• If you have a small space and going wide to get a full body shot reveals parts of your place you don’t want in your shot, turn the camera vertical or portrait view. Then you can rotate the picture with your editing software. Only do this for full body shots. For everything else shoot it horizontally.
• Have your reader step back or speak in a lower volume to not be so loud since they will be closer to the microphone.
• Casting directors are expecting your best work on these self tapes, so be “off book” as much as possible.
• Take an auditioning class, where you can learn other tricks when “action” or movement is required.
• Submit early. Don’t wait until the deadline to submit. It is rare, but if a casting director likes your work but wants to give you some direction, you want to have time to resubmit with this new direction.
• Work first, all else secondary.

If there is something you would like to add to benefit the community, please feel free to do so.

What is an audition? An audition is simply an opportunity to act. We actor’s make audition’s way more than they have to be and psych ourselves out. Causing us to get nervous and not have a good experience. We put the carriage before the horse. We get caught up on things like, the size of the project, the size of the role, who is casting, how much money we will make, the exposure we will get from the project. None of it having to do with preparation, with the current moment.

The audition email from your representation.

When your agent or manager emails you an audition, READ THE ENTIRE EMAIL BEFORE REPLYING. Make sure you don’t have any conflict’s with the date’s requested. It is okay to pass on the audition if you do have something that cannot be rescheduled. Do not make it a habit though. You are of no use to an agent if you are never available. Either way let your representation know right away, when you reply, that you will attend the audition request or not.

Some roles require nudity and/or simulated sex. If you are fine with that, then you can go ahead and confirm the audition. However, if you are not, it is perfectly fine to pass on it. This is a case where your agent shouldn’t be upset if you decline. If they do get upset, find another agent. Don’t worry casting director’s will not black list you because you declined an audition because of those special requirements. Also, I just want you to know that agreeing to do nudity will not jump start your career. It might give you some exposure(no pun intended), depending on the project, but not go further than that.

How to prepare for a film or television audition.

First, get as much information about the project and those involved. Many times you may just be given a few pages of the script, sometimes one page, depending on the size of the role. Ask your agent if the entire script is available. Also, sites like imdb.com have a wealth of information. Sometimes imdb.com will not have any information on the specific project, but you can still use it to find out information about the producer’s, director, writer’s, etc. You can find out useful information as to what genre’s they usually produce. This might give you some insight into the tone of sides you have been given to prepare. Side’s are simply the pages from the script that have been chosen for your audition. If your sides are posted on actorsaccess.com, chances are that there are sides there for other characters of that project as well. Read the other characters sides(if available). The more of the story you know, the better choices you can make in your preparation.

When auditioning for a film, you might be able to find an interview online to give you some more clues. Auditioning for television can have more info, if the show is already airing. If it is already airing, then you must watch at least one episode. I recommend watch the most recent episode because this gives you the most current storyline. I understand you have a job and might not have time to watch an entire episode of a show, so watch as much as you can or see if you can find a trailer. It is important that you know the genre of the show, the pace at which the show is written, and who the other characters are on the show.

Using your acting discipline or style.

Now that you are armed with all this information on the project, it is now time to put all those acting classes to use. Use the acting discipline you have been studying to bring those written words to life. Remember, auditioning is simply an opportunity to act. With that said, auditioning is different to acting in that when you audition there are no props (for the most part), it’s usually just you, your sides, and a chair. The reader in the room simply reads the other character lines with no emotion. Where if you were acting on set, you would have props and the actor opposite you would be reacting to you. Don’t let the coldness of the room throw you off. Focus on what you/ the character are there to communicate.

The day of the audition.

On the day of your audition, you want the least stress as possible. Have your wardrobe ready the night before. If you are planning on driving, you want to make sure there is enough fuel in your car to make it to the audition. Have a couple of headshots with the resume stapled to the back of your photo and cut to match the size of the photo. Give yourself extra time to get to your appointment because Murphy might be enforcing his law that day.

You are a professional actor so you must act like it. Be on time. When you get to the office, if you have to use the restroom, do it before signing in. When you sign in, you are saying you are ready to go when they call you. Once in the waiting room focus on your work. It is not the place to chat or compare yourself to the other actors. If you see someone you want to catch up with, do it outside after both of you have auditioned.

When you are called, walk in confidently, follow directions, do what you have prepared, and have fun. Also, do yourself a favor and keep your sides in your hand. if you should blank on a line, that’s fine. Just simply look at your sides, pick up the line and continue. Don’t ask for another take, casting director’s will give you another take if they feel it’s necessary. Thank them and leave with your head held high. If you feel it didn’t go well, don’t be abusive to yourself. It serves no purpose. Instead, be grateful you had that opportunity and think about what could be improved for the next one, take notes if you have to. Casting director’s know that sometimes actor’s have an off day. It happens to everyone. But, if you feel it hasn’t gone well two or three times, then you might want to hire a coach or get into an audition technique class. You want to get to the source of the issue, because the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

If there is something you feel, I’ve missed or there is a specific topic you would like me to address, feel free to let me know, and don’t forget to check out my other blog posts.

Breaking into film and television requires perseverance. Along the way, there are many costs associated with the pursuit of this career. Those costs range from housing, photos, continued training, getting to and from auditions, etc. To give yourself a better chance at longevity, you need to set yourself up with employment that both covers your overhead but also, leaves time open to go to auditions.

“You are either training or working.”

One thing that I want you express to you, is that acting is very competitive. You must put the work in. One huge mistake that I see many actors make is that they take an acting course and think, they are ready. There are some courses out there that require a two year commitment. If you are just starting out, this is only scratching the surface. If it is a technique you like, sign up for their on-going classes. The pursuit of acting is often compared with a marathon. To run a marathon you must continually train. You can’t say I trained for a marathon five years ago, so I can finish one now. I have wasted time and some good; possibly life changing; opportunities because my mentality was, I have enough training.

Find yourself a good acting studio to train in, you can refer to a prior post(first steps to becoming an actor) for tips on choosing one. Most acting studios range from $250 – $350 per month. the price could depend on how many times a week the class meets, to the reputation of the studio/instructor. Some added costs to classes include purchasing the study material(which are usually plays), meals, and transportation.

Professional marketing material.

An actor’s business card is their headshot. An actor’s headshot is a close up photograph of the actor from mid chest up. Actor’s headshots are an entire other topic all together. So, I will cover them in more detail in another post.

A professional headshot photo session varies widely in price range and package, they can range from $250 – $1,200. For women, having a dedicated hair and make up person to take care of you during the shoot can cost you at least another $150. Sorry ladies. For adults, these headshots should last you a couple of years before you need to get new ones. Children and teens tend to change more dramatically in a shorter time period, so they may need to update their photos more frequently.

Once you have your headshots, and you have narrowed the choices down, you will have to upload them to the casting sites. Each casting site charges a different fee. If you don’t have representation, there are some sites that will charge a monthly fee. The main ones are Actor’s Access, Casting Networks(NY), and LA Casting. On these sights you can submit yourself for projects that fit your description. Starting out, I would also recommend a subscription to Backstage.com. Backstage has great helpful articles, they have a list of agents and casting directors, and casting opportunities. You can also upload your headshots there and submit yourself to various projects.

In this digital age, you don’t have to print out a large amount of headshots unless you are going to do a mailing to agents or casting directors. If you are just starting out, I wouldn’t recommend doing a mailing just yet. If you want, you can print a small quantity. Most printing companies will have a 20 copy minimum. Just in case you get an audition from one of the smaller productions and they ask for it. In the larger productions they don’t really ask for headshots anymore. I don’t remember the last time I was asked for one.

Research

To be competitive as an actor, it is required that you are familiar with the television shows you will be auditioning for. Which means you will need to either get a subscription to the online platforms(Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, etc.) or purchase the shows a la carte. Unless you have access to someone else’s account(you didn’t hear that from me). To good part is, if some get’s on your case for watching TV, you can tell them you are doing research.

Self-tape auditions

Although, more and more auditions are self tapes with online callbacks, you still have to live locally to get to the set if you book the job. A self tape audition is an audition you record outside of the casting office. This type of audition can be recorded at home or in a studio. If you choose to do it at home, a smartphone will suffice, no need to go out and buy a professional camera. You must, however, use a tripod and I highly recommend getting some type of microphone to connect to your smartphone. I almost forgot, you’re going to need reliable internet service.

Housing and transportation

The cities where most of the larger productions take place are going to have a higher cost of living. Depending on what stage you are in life, you may be fine with sharing costs with a roommate. This can help considerably with keeping your costs down. Once you are ready to make that move, you want to make sure that you are not that far from the casting offices because that is where you will spend most of your time going. Remember that these are added travel expenses on top of your job commute. In New York, chances are you will not need a car. However, you will need one in Atlanta and Los Angeles.

I have lived in both New York and Los Angeles. It’s been my experience that in New York the trains are pretty reliable and give you the opportunity to go over your audition material on your way to auditions. I would not recommend driving into Manhattan during the day. It is very stressful and you will end up paying too much for parking.

In Los Angeles, Driving is how you get around and you will spend a lot of time in your car. I recommend getting yourself a reliable, fuel efficient car. Use that time to listen to audiobooks. You can download them for free from the library app when you sign up for a library card.

So, before packing your bags and moving to another city to be closer to the action, consider all these added costs. The internet has opened the door to many “gig’s” you can do to make money on your own time, even job’s we didn’t know existed. We all have different talents and there may be someone out there who needs that particular talent. The internet has expanded our network.

The last thing you want to do is uproot your life to pursue your dream and not be able to move forward on it because you are just struggling to survive. If you already live in a city where film and television productions take place, then take the steps necessary to get yourself moving toward your goal.

I hope to see you soon on screen. Let me know if this was helpful and if there is any other topic you would like me to cover.

If you are reading this, you at least have a curiosity about how to become an actor in film or television. Hopefully, I’ll shed some light on the process and how to take action to get there.

What is life, if you are not pursuing your dreams. Most people go through life working at a job where they are not happy, just to hopefully be able to retire with a pension and “maybe” at that time do the things they really wanted to do in life. Don’t put your dreams on hold. Life is too short. In this blog, I want to cover, starting from the beginning. Some of you may have some experience and this may not apply to you. But, who knows, you may learn something.

Prepare mentally and financially

Now, I want to be clear, this journey, is not an easy one. But, that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. It doesn’t mean you have to have a dead-end job.  However, it does mean you might have to be creative about how you earn your money. With the internet, there are so many more options of earning money on your own time. If you’re smart with your money, you may reach a point where you only have to work part time or not at all until you start earning money from acting.

Now don’t get caught up on the “Celebrity.” Red carpet events, personal trainers, chef’s, mansion’s, private jets, etc. I want you to focus on the craft. This is your foundation. Set up that solid foundation and rest will come. Hard work will beat talent, if talent does not work hard.    

Whatever stage you are in life, see what adjustments you will have to make to pursue this dream of becoming an actor. The changes don’t have to be all at once. You can continue to adjust as the need arises. For instance, having the money and time to attend an acting class. You might be able to get passed the cost of class by volunteering at the Theatre or School you decide to attend. If you reside in a city where there are no acting schools nearby, you can try working with someone online. I mean working with a live person online. You want someone to be able to give you feedback and adjustments. I know that there are online acting courses available out there, but until you have understanding, I feel it’s better to work with someone. Working with a live person also helps with accountability. It is very easy to buy an online course and never do anything with it.

Selecting an Acting class

Before deciding on who to train with be sure to audit one of their classes. Which simply means observing a class but not participating. Most schools allow you to do this once for free. Check out a few and see if you like the instructor. Does the instructor take time to work with each student or rush them along? Does the acting teacher go on long winded stories about the days when they were actors? Are the actors treated with respect? How many times a month do you get to work? How many times a week do they meet? (Classes are generally once a week). Depending on the class size, you may not work every class. By work, I mean, rehearsing a scene you have been assigned in front of the class.

There are also different methods of acting. See which one works for you. You most likely will not know this from one class. If you join a class and after a few sessions realize that method or style is not for you, don’t be afraid to make a change. You should look forward to attending class. Whichever method you chose, make sure it’s not a therapy session. NO ONE should be asking you to share personal traumatic events from your life.

Last but not least, price. Prices vary depending on who the teacher is, what city you live in, reputation of the studio, etc. As you do your research, you will see what the average price is per month for classes. Use that to make an informed decision and see what fits in your budget. Now go out there, break some legs, and start your journey to becoming an actor.

Please let me if any questions come up that I can answer for you.