We have found 19,990 posts across 4 actor forums:
LCT 540 S or TLM 103 by Quindex • last post May 16th
Hi, everyone! Quick microphone question: **Is the difference between LCT 540 S and TLM 103 "big enough" to justify paying ~$500 more?** After 2 years with Samson Q2U and EVO4, I'm looking for a 'last mic that I'll ever need' and of course the classic TLM103 is on my radar. But it suure is on the expensive side... So, while still the best choice, I searched for a second best option. From SM7B, OC18, WA-87, C414... I ended up looking at LCT 540 the most. I'm aware that the 540's sound is a bit more open/crispy, with slight boost at the high end...which could be a good thing to my voice, but.. is it good at handling sibilants? Is it on paar with the Neumann in the overall quality? I've watched most reviews, comparisons and I would love to hear what you guys think. *My voice: More on a baritone/bass side (occasionally, I have to record a more tenor-sounding-voice or am working with other actors) and I've a sliiight here-and-there sibilants, mostly controlled with recording technique.* Every advice is much appreciated! *Greetings from Croatia :)*
Actor taxes 2022 by SL578953 • last post May 16th
Looking for some advice here. I booked a job in 2022 and was paid as a w2 employee. My understanding is I can only deduct acting expenses on my 2022 tax return if I am paid as a 1099. Im not booking like crazy so it’s unlikely I’ll book another project that pays me as a 1099 this year. What can I do? Do I set up an LLC and have w2’s directed there?
I left acting and everything has worked out for me, but I'm still depressed whenever I see people doing well in the field. I can't seem to get over it. by asmr1232 • last post May 15th
Hey everyone. ​ I just wanted to vent and see if anyone has any advice for me, as I'm really struggling. ​ I went to drama school and graduated around 4 years ago. I never got anywhere once I left. I got a few cameos on TV shows and that was it, a few low budget theatre shows and I could barely even get a decent agent. Everyone I went to drama school with seemed to get these amazing agents right away and I couldn't. ​ After two years of slaving away in two jobs, one in a clothes store and one in a bar, I ended up quitting. I had an agent that wasn't good, and I'd been to 24 auditions that I'd managed to secure myself and got rejected from every single one. This was after spending 3 years at a pretty good drama school and getting picked for almost all main characters in every show there. I went from doing really well there to getting nothing outside of it. So I noticed that every time one of my friends got a part in a "well known" thing like Netflix or Amazon, I became super jealous. I hated seeing people get things like that. Whenever my friends got less known things but things they were sooo happy about, I didn't care. I realised I was only jealous of those who may become famous. I was in acting only for the fame. ​ This took a long time for me to realise and why I wasn't happy with my agent or anything I'd done. Because I was getting work, just not the best work. I realised I wasn't actually happy doing acting, only if I got a part in something amazing. So I quit it, because it was making me upset. ​ So after two years of leaving acting and getting my foot in the door of a broadcasting company, I have worked my way up to become an editor and it's something I really like doing (I should say before drama school, I studied this in college). While doing this job, I make a ton of money that has made me purchase a house I've always wanted, I've got a pet, I met my dream partner, we get to go on lots of nice holidays and overall my life is so much better than what it was when I was trying to do acting, as I always had to live with other people and work crap jobs and never afford anything. ​ However, I still have this same feeling whenever I see people get famous. Anytime of one of my friends have got a job on Netflix or a Hollywood thing, I get so jealous. I am jealous of every single actor who appears in multiple shows and gets people talking about them. I always wanted to be one of those people who got tons of jobs and every one said they were talented. I am not actually missing acting as such, but I miss the fame that went along with it I would never have appeared on Netflix or something probably, but this is what I struggle with. The fact that there was always that one audition you could've got that made you get that role and be successful. But I know I shouldn't have continued because I was only chasing the fame, not the acting. But I still can't stop being jealous at seeing people I knew get all these roles and fame. I don't know how people who are actually actors deal with this, watching people get all this success while you don't get anything What do I do to stop myself caring so much? I am aware it's stupid and I don't know how to stop myself getting upset with stuff like this. It doesn;t help that online so many people get obsessed over certain celebrities and people in these shows and their fame is EVERYWHERE, everyone saying they look great and it seems that then they get more stuff just for being famous. I don't know what to do, because I get so depressed thinking of this so much
Does SAG-AFTRA actually care if we work non union jobs? by Quantum9594 • last post May 15th
Before joining the union, there was not a single non union job I worked on that didn’t have at least one SAG actor, this was true for all the non union (commercials, short films and, feature films I’ve worked on). And it is so easy to find SAG actors working nonunion jobs just by looking at the cast list of non union productions on IMDBPro. For example, in LA there is one nonunion production I’ve seen post many times on actors access that has over 30 Billion views on their short films and they blatantly use SAG actors constantly and seemingly without any repercussions. Whenever I’ve asked SAG if it’s ok to work on smaller scale production even as a favor they make it aggressively clear that any acting of any kind even unpaid is not allowed unless under a union contract. But if you actually go ahead and work non union anyway they seem to not care. My question is does SAG ever actually enforce these rules, not in theory, but in REALITY? Like do you personally know anyone who’s ever gotten caught? What happened? I’ve basically stopped booking jobs almost entirely after joining SAG and I’m wondering if it’s worth it to start doing nonunion work off the card since that seems to be what everyone else is doing to stay afloat.
Another AMA. Full time voice actor and coach for anime, video games, commercials, etc. by brentmukai • last post May 15th
I’m hopping on a flight tomorrow morning early, so ask any of your vo questions and I’ll answer them on the plane while I have nothing to do! Hoping to help y’all out again, spread the word!
VERY BAD haircut on movie set…I’m screwed lol by actionj32 • last post May 15th
I’m a 23M african american actor with a curly-fro hairstyle. A movie I did some work on required me to cut SOME of my hair to fit the time period. Long story short, they cut off almost ALL of my hair so now it looks terrible and extremely awkward. I’ve struggled with a balding & receding hairline for the last couple years(that I warned them about) which wasn’t very noticeable with my longer hair style but now it’s completely visible & makes me look much older than I am. My problem is now I look nothing like my current headshots which I just recently got. (I’m not getting new ones with this look). Not only do I think it’s not safe to submit for projects with my headshots that I look nothing like, but I have other projects i’ve already booked that are happening the next couple months. To grow my hair back out to half the length will take at least 3 to 4 months. I’m just very furious with how careless they were with my hair and lost as to what I should do now. And before you say “it can’t be that bad” It is, because as soon as the barber finished they immediately started apologizing. On top of that people were asking “why they cut my hair like that” and telling me to shave it bald after we film. I was miserable the ENTIRE 14 hours on set because every conversation I had with people, including the main cast with well-known actors, was about how bad my haircut was. If that’s not enough, the production paid me an extra $100 as an apology.
"Actors With Issues" Podcast - Interviews and insights from professional actors to artists everywhere! Link in the comments. by iJuanAyala • last post May 15th
do I move to L.A after high school by No-Hyena9959 • last post May 15th
I’m a M17 and have been acting professionally for about a year. I signed with a agency last year and have gotten a few jobs in a couple short films and commercials. This is my passion and I’ve always been great at it. I assumed I would grow out of it and realize I need to get a normal job but I’m 17 and being a full time actor is still what I want to be. Where I’m located right now I can get a lot of little jobs but nothing big enough to go full time or get casted in a big movie or show. But I’m just confused on how people move to L.A who don’t have connections. Do you try to sign with a L.A agency before you go. Or do you try to find one once you get there or what.
Best time of year to look for a new agent? by sailor_melody • last post May 15th
I’ve been climbing up the ladder and looking for stronger rep, and my agent’s communication style is no longer meshing w me so I’d ideally like to leave soon. It’s busy season in Toronto and I have a few projects still under his belt so I wouldn’t want to leave yet. When’s a good time, calendar wise, to search and leave for a union actress in Canada?
Acting career question by ZookeepergameNo3630 • last post May 15th
Can I get into an acting career without having a job currently? I can't really find a job right now, but I want to become an actor I don't really have any bills, so I'm fine there
Walk in to a Talent Agency, or call and email; May 2022? by Failed2launch • last post May 15th
For background, their are a number of talent agencies in the San Francisco area. I am considering a "rapid fire" walk in approach to all of them. What would you do, as a starting voice actor, or, as a voice actor who is not happy with their current talent agency? Select an option or leave a comment, Thank you. [View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/uqc8np)
New Actress Advice: by Frostjewel • last post May 14th
Hello, I’m a new actress that has only acted in one show. Should I start applying for casting calls now or should I just wait until I get more experience? I don’t get it because how can you expect me to be experienced if you don’t give me the opportunity? Not even just that it’s also an age problem. I have been looking for work on Instagram/Facebook but usually they want me to be 25 or a teenager (I’m 21). Have I been looking in the wrong places? Any suggestions on where to find work?
Help me choose by grassy03 • last post May 14th
Hey Everyone! Im an actor living in sweden repped by a manager ( Maria Vascsak at IMA Content ) i need some help choosing a path to follow. Im about to graduate high school, im 18 years old and have experince in both theatre and film. Ive played a leading role in a short film recently along with other projects in film. I do also have extensive experince in theatre as ive been in theatre since i was a kid! As i said, im graduating soon and i dont really know what to do… I have thought of moving to LA to study acting and auditioning as much as i can. My goal is to be able to be an actor full time but opinions from my family have made me feel like its a bad disicion to study acting ( they see it as putting all my eggs in one basket ) My question to you all is, should i study acting or should i study something with a more stable job perspective? Id love to delve deep into different techniques as i really enjoy studying acting and have seen some great success in it in the past year or so but the only thing holding me back is the unstableness of the career and the industry. What do you guys think? ive thought if maybe studying media as it is still related to the industry but its not really enticing and seems like a betrayal to my dreams… Please give me some advice and some thoughts in what you think i should do. It would be greatly appreciated! Side note! My manager is really established in LA with a good base there in terms if contacts and connections. Thank you
Is it appropriate to call an agency for advice? by moonkitchen • last post May 14th
The idea was recently suggested to me to call a local agency and ask them what steps they think I should take or what I can/should be doing in the area I’m in. I’ve tried very hard to find work here on Backstage and Actors Access but it’s a small town and there isn’t even any work towns over. But then a friend of a friend says they know somebody signed to this agency who DOES get work here and sent me the agency’s info saying I should ask them. Would it be annoying to them or make me look like someone they’d never want to sign?
I so truly so wish I had the chance to be among child actors by SaleSubstantial9962 • last post May 14th
This is it. I wish I had the chance to discover my calling when I was a child to get into acting and be among child actors. I feel my experience would have been built up into a long and successful career. I am 21 and am not an actor and even if it happens, I kind of feel like it won't reach the same longevity it could've if I had been as enticing and interesting as Tom Holland, Woody Norman or Asa Butterfield. I love expressing myself in daydreams and feel like with the right script, emotions and crew that I can let myself out and make art. Idk what to feel or how to think at the moment.
Actors’ Equity Open Access by spinalgeometry • last post May 14th
Does anyone know if a W9 would be accepted as proof of employment for Equity’s Open Acess program? I can’t find an exhaustive list of proof they accept, only the website saying “pay stub, W2, 1099, etc.”
How can I improve further as a Voice Actor? by HiddenNightmares • last post May 14th
Hello again! I asked a similar question around two years ago and that advice greatly helped me. I have a few gigs under my belt now but I know I can vastly improve from where I am right now. A typical answer that is said alot is coaching but right now with college (Theatre Major) I can't afford it. (Mostly because most coaches charge a fee greater than my rent) Thanks and have a great day/night :)
Acting?? I don't know what or how? by Lnaejr3 • last post May 14th
Hello, everyone!!! I am trying to become an actor, but I wanna know what strides to take. Hete are some strides, I've taken (not many). 1. In most of my Digital Video Production projects I play as the main actor, and my teacher always compliments my acting and such. 2. I very recently made an Instagram account, wete I plan to post my content. - My very first post was of a music video that my friend and I made. The artist reposted the reel on her story!!! It was awesome!! Yet, alot of ppl are looking at it, but nobody is liking it. I know, I know it's the first post, gotta keep expectations low... But idk if my acting account would get lots of views and stuff compared to like an art, cooking or editing account. Like I'm doing worse than the bare minimum... Okay, so I know that's it's not alot of strides and lots of rambling. But this year, I plan to get a job and pay for some type of acting class to bulid up some skills. I wanna expand more on my IG account, try get noticed. Even, get into YouTube.I wanna try to audition for a community a thearte (trying to be the next Wayne Brady) before I graduate. (Class of 2024) Anything else you would recommend? Any advice on the Instagram stagram account thing? What acting class, I should take? (Online or In-person) Would like to see some of my work, give critiques? Anything and Everything is Welcome! Thanks in Advance
I recently did a BG job for a major TV production for the first time and just got asked back to come back for an actor role by Neenabubba • last post May 14th
What exactly does this mean?? I’m non union and only did one BG gig which was the one I did before I got asked back to come back for an actor role. How is this different than a regular BG role? What’s the pay like? This is in Toronto, Canada