Tips and Encouragement for the Aspiring Actor

So you want to be a working actor — key word here is “working.” There will be plenty of challenges ahead of you, so get started on the right foot and maintain a healthy outlook. Let’s think about your road to success in two categories: facts and feelings.

Facts

• You will have to audition. Excessively. This means having professional quality headshots and resumes ready and with you at all times.
• Acting is visual and physical, so your body matters. Sometimes you will not be the right body type for the role. You also have to watch what you eat and drink. Food is fuel and a hangover is unbecoming on everyone. Plus, don’t be afraid to hit the gym a few days a week.
• No one is an inherently perfect actor; you need to take classes as you are never done learning. At the very least you will meet other industry professionals and learn how to work with a great variety of actors.
• Timeliness matters. Being late is inexcusable and being on time is actually late. Always arrive early and be ready to work at call time.

Feelings

Show business is a tough field to work in. You will be rejected far more often than you are chosen so you have to find a way to keep it all in perspective. Imagine yourself behind the table in the audition room, overwhelmed at the quantity of actors to choose from. Find a few inspirational sayings that center you. Pinterest has these in abundance, make one the lock screen on your phone or print and hang some on your mirror.

Count your blessings: you’re not homeless! Even if you are, tons of actors have persevered through financial struggles and even homelessness to ultimately find success.

• Before Daniel Craig’s career took off he spent some time sleeping on park benches in London. If he’d given up, he never would have been “Bond, James Bond.”
• In the 1970s, Sylvester Stallone lived in a bus station until he could get back on his feet. Then he wrote and starred in “Rocky,” and a legend was born.
• When Halle Berry left home to start a career she had to choose between being financially cut off and going home. She toughed it out and spent time in a homeless shelter until she could find work, according to Exposay.

The work you do will sometimes be fun but more often it will be challenging, frustrating, and emotionally draining. Resist the urge to get negative and down on yourself when things get tough. No matter what your feelings are on a production don’t badmouth anyone in the heat of the moment — especially on social media — reputation and behavior are important. Megan Fox got fired from the blockbuster “Transformers” franchise for having a bad attitude and badmouthing Michael Bay.

Keep in touch with friends and family. Your schedule is going to be all over the place and many of them won’t understand it. You’ll have to decline and miss calls at what they think are normal hours to be available (like 7:30 PM on a Thursday) so you’ll need to make an effort to reach out and stay connected.

Wanted: Actors for Weekly Blog Writing

Website for Actors is looking for four actors who are interested in writing weekly blog posts. Some topics include business of acting, social media, review of computer/iPhone/iPad applications helpful for actors, and internet marketing.

Writers will be assigned topics based on the editorial calendar. Blog post ideas can be submitted for approval.

Compensation: Each post will have a picture and bio of the writer with link to their websites and projects. There is no finical compensation at this time. Potential finical compensation in the future based on advertising, popularity and increased client income.

Interested? Submit writing sample (300 words) to Dennis Baker at dennis@websiteforactors.com