Breaking In The Show of Business

So you want to be in show business!

Being an actor can be your reality. Let me show you how.

Yes, you can do it! All you need is GRIT - because it is a very tough business to crack. My humble acting career began in my imagination at the young age of 5. Being an actor was always in my blood.  I didn't need a paid gig or an agent to know that I was an actor.  I created commercials and TV shows on my own, in my head,  my audience existed past my image in the mirror. I could see the camera, I knew my lines as they entered my head and there I was, in an actual acting production- just because I said it was so!

I acted out all sorts of things, my favorite were commercial products, from hair products to clothes, making my sister and cousins be my co-host during all pretend productions. They still make fun of me till this day about those golden years. I have been acting on and off for over 40 years! The process to become a professional actor isn't that difficult to do, but getting consistent work is! The great thing about show business, it's for all types of people and you can do it until any age. Here are some recommendations that you can use to get started in the business.

First, you need to decide what kind of acting (show business) you want to focus on. If you want to be "Talent" for different kinds of work styles, there are several to look at. You can be a voice-over actor, theatre actor, TV commercials, film, television, industrial (corporate videos). I would recommend trying to do it all - but as you hone your skills, you can begin to focus on certain areas of the business that you feel more comfortable doing.

Regardless of where you live, you can get started right now where you live. You don't need to live in New York or Los Angeles to get started. As a new actor, you'll want to gain as much experience as possible before you head to the big leagues. However, when I was 20, I did just that. I moved to LA shortly after I graduated high school. It was a different time back then, we didn't have the internet, or widely viewed taped auditions that can be filmed anywhere and sent instantly for someone to upload and view. You had to be where the action was to be seen. Most new actors looking for their big break moved to these big cities, so you were amongst those who were newbies and the more experienced actors were all mixed in together. Today, you can be seen by casting directors in a major city from your small town. There are a few things you need to know about this and I'll speak more on this in a later post, but for now, just know it is possible.

Start training, gaining experience, go to school, watch YouTube videos, join a theatre group, do whatever you can to get EXPERIENCE. Find out where your local media schools are, submit to audition for any upcoming productions. Usually, major universities have a Theatrical Department that you can contact to find out when they audition for their student projects. This is one of the best ways to get experience with other people who are learning their craft behind the camera. You can now Skype with professional acting coaches in major cities. If you have the money to do this, that is great! Get a list of professional coaches that offer online training. You can get recommendations for coaches through your local talent agencies. (be careful with talent agencies, only work with union certified agencies) There are a lot of scams out there and agencies that are union SAG-AFRTRA certified (this is the safest way to go because there are a lot of scams out there). I'll explain union agents and jobs in a later post. Just google "Union Talent Agencies in (your city)" and ask if they have coaches they could recommend training with. If you have a limited budget, watch videos on YouTube, join an online Master Class in acting. Click here to learn more: Masterclass .  Remember, that you'll have to spend some money to gain training, it's an INVESTMENT in your career. The important thing about this recommendation is to just go out there and get experience. You'll need it for your resume later.

Check out Part 2 in my next post.