We have found 20,083 posts across 4 actor forums:
Awful Things Nobody Tells You About Being an Actor, by Soren Bowie by BernieIsNoSocialist • last post Jul 6th
> Dear struggling actors, the market for fame is saturated. You can all go home. Sorry for getting your hopes up like that. The truth is, you have a better chance of being hit by a satellite than by fame. And just so we're all on the same page, fame is exactly the point of all this. > Any ambition to act for the sake of artistic satisfaction was run down and sucked into the wheel wells under the sports car of fame long ago, because fame makes more money and it's just cooler. > Now most of you probably don't believe me, and that's fine. You've heard that the odds of success are slim, but you're different from all those other people, you have been singled out by providence for this. > Parents, teachers and community theater directors have told you your entire life that you are gifted -- that you are born to make emotions with your face under camera and stage lights, a face that was too optimistic or too young to devastate with brutal honesty. > When your dream is to be an actor, you don't have the luxury of simultaneously perusing a fallback dream. That's why you'll never see a struggling actor holding down a full-time job as a marine biologist. Acting is a jealous and needy career that doesn't like the thought of you keeping your options open. You'll need a job that allows you to leave at a moment's notice for auditions, usually for two or three hours at a time. > Or, assuming you are fortunate enough to be cast in anything, you need a job that allows you to miss work for a week at the very least. The logical solution is to work at night at a restaurant or bar. The trouble, however, is that most of these jobs were never intended to be careers. They have high turnover rates and offer little in terms of personal satisfaction. > And that will all seem fine at first -- great, even -- for building that romantic sense of humility you intend to wear once you're famous. Taking orders from customers and folding napkin fans in wine glasses is just part of the struggle that you will remember fondly while masturbating poolside to your own biography. > That is, until your friends outside of the entertainment industry start developing actual skill sets that lead to raises, promotions and the general advancement of their careers. Everyone who entered the work force along with you will gradually move into better jobs because they've built up experience and because that's how nearly every other profession is designed to function. > Meanwhile, there's no guarantee that you will book a role, ever. All the experience you'll be racking up will just be preparing you for a life in the service industry. Sure, you will still be honing your skills as an actor through classes and auditions, but until your acting resume includes more than school plays and student films, it won't help you get a job, because ... > There are three people featured for about four seconds apiece in an innocuous commercial for Listerine. Each one of them is an actor who had to audition for that role. That may not sound like much, but take a minute to consider exactly what that entails: > All three of them, without a doubt, started with dreams of being respected actors. They likely struggled for weeks if not months to find an agent, and paid upwards of $500 to have headshots taken and printed. > Then they drove to an audition in the middle of a workweek and waited in a waiting room for an hour with 20 to 30 other people who looked exactly like them before being wrangled into a small room four or five at a time to say their names and, finally, to swish. They stood there for a few seconds pretending to swish mouthwash around their mouths. > That's it. That's 80 percent of all the auditions you will go to. Now consider the hundreds of people who also auditioned and didn't get that part. All of that energy, time and money amounted to 10 seconds of moving their cheeks around for a casting director who had already seen scores of other eager young actors do the exact same thing. > Those three actors weren't hired for that commercial based on their acting ability or really anything that they could control. They were hired because they had a look that a Listerine ad sales department thought might sell more bottles, so the purpose of all those auditions was only to be sure that everyone actually looked like their headshots and that they were capable of ballooning their cheeks. > But surely that's just a commercial, right? Actors also audition for meaty roles in movies and television, acting must be the deciding factor there. Well actually, no. > Acting requires about as much faith as religious fanaticism. Performers rely on directors and editors like zealots rely on God; both of them are just doing their best and hoping that the higher powers don't make them look like an idiot in the end. Actress Rosalind Russell once said, "Acting is standing up naked and turning around very slowly." > The point being, actors have to play pretend so earnestly that an audience is willing to forget that it's really just someone standing in front of a green screen, reacting to a water weenie. > As an actor, you also have to trust implicitly that writers, directors and editors have your best interest at heart. And generally speaking, they don't. Actors have an arguably deserved reputation for being kind of shitty people. Anyone making a movie, particularly a low-budget or non-union film, will try to interact with the talent as little as possible for fear that they'll want something. > In addition, a director has a thousand other things to worry about than whether or not an actor looks completely ridiculous. The consequence, however, is far more severe for you than anyone else. > You are the one immortalized on camera with a crying face that looks eerily similar to a pooping face, or while wearing nothing but a dress that is subtly but irrefutably see-through under set lights. > Even if you luck into a film, commercial or show that does well and of which you are proud to be a part, the saddest truth of all is still to come ... > Among the miniscule number of actors who actually book jobs, there is an even tinier fraction of people who manage to make a living doing it. First, there is the matter of digging yourself out of a hole of expenses. The costs surrounding a struggling actor can seem almost like a malicious scheme to take money from naive, handsome people. > I've already mentioned that headshots cost hundreds of dollars, but you'll need one for commercials, and one for dramas, and one for vampire movies, and one for sports stories. Ultimately, you will have around five different headshots of which you will need to print hundreds. On top of that, you can expect to do the whole process over again in three years when you no longer look like the person in the picture. > You can also prepare to sink around $60 a week into parking tickets. This will obviously vary from city to city, but in Los Angeles, there isn't a reliable public transportation system to get you everywhere you need to go for auditions. > Driving is the only option, and metered parking is ubiquitous. An audition can take anywhere from 10 minutes to two hours, so you never really know how much time you'll need, and you can't run out in the middle of an audition to feed the meter. So be prepared to collect at least one parking ticket a week. > Lastly, when you do finally get a job that pays you actual money, you will owe around 15 percent of that to a manager and 10 percent of it to an agent, all before taxes. > These are the people responsible for getting you auditions and, ironically, ensuring that you aren't screwed over once you book a job. Add actual taxes to that and your take is less than 50 percent of whatever dollar amount appears in the contract. > So, assuming you are doing a SAG Ultra-Low Budget shoot because you aren't a member of the union yet, you will probably be paid around $100 a day, of which you will actually take home about $40, or roughly the price of a Greyhound ticket back home. From here : https://www.cracked.com/blog/5-awful-things-nobody-tells-you-about-being-actor
How do actors deal with acne? by daisycookies • last post Jul 6th
How can you keep your confidence? Are actors sometimes not hired because they're having a bad skin day? Tomorrow I'll have my first live audition for tv since covid. Normally, all would be fine, but this last week my skin has gone really bad and I'm afraid they'll turn me down because they might think it's what they'll get when they hire me. Should I explain it to them in advance? Or even apologize that I look like this?
French Canadian Song About Wanting to be an Actor (With translation) by FurmidableCat • last post Jul 6th
I wish you could understand this French Canadian song about trying to make it as an actor so I searched the translation online. It’s called Ti-Cul by Les Cowboys Fringants. I think it can be meaningful to many of us. https://youtu.be/73ZHgol796M Little Shit didn't go / To his classes this morning / Because somehow he knows / That they're no use to him / He decided he'd rather hang out / In the student lounge / Rather than be bored to death / Listening to an annoying teacher / He's doing, without ambition / A college degree in Humanities / A little reluctantly / Without putting too much effort / He wanted to be an actor / But his parents told him / That it wasn't a good path / To be happy in life... / So now he's there and wasting time / He goofs off in his studies / For him this is bullshit / A complete and utter bore / The only thing that gets him excited / Is his improv group / Or the joints that he smokes / When he does his radio show / But his mother hopes / That he'll become a lawyer / That he'll make a good salary / Somewhat like his father / But Little Shit's not an idiot / He knows that to be happy / You need to live for your own beliefs / And not for those of your parents / Why look for a meaning / In all their bullshit ? / Little Shit, take your chance / And make your own way in this world / Because in the end, real happiness / Is maybe just in not knowing / How will end / Your little story / And there's his older brother / An insignificant type / A cellphone salesman / Who only thinks about money / Who tells him: "It's a shame / You'll never get a job / Because becoming an actor / Is like chasing dreams" / His life is all mapped out / He never questions himself / And to hear him speak / You'd think he was always right / Except Little Shit doesn't care / He knows that narrow-minded people / Just want to hide their lack of power / By trying to put you down / Why look for a meaning / In all their bullshit ? / Little Shit, take your chance / And make your own way in this world / Because in the end, real happiness / Is maybe just in not knowing / How will end / Your little story / It's a good thing he has his girlfriend / A really nice girl / Who understands him, at least / And knows he has talent / She tells him to hang on / And to keep believing / That maybe he'll be accepted / At a conservatory / And there's always the option / Even if it's just in the meantime / To be an extra / In a soap opera / Because to live out your passion / And not regret it later / Reason stands that you need / To start somewhere / That's why tomorrow / He's going to drop everything / And to hell with the jerks / That don't want to encourage him / Because he knows that real happiness / Is basically just in not knowing / How will end / Your little story / Keeping his spirit free / Finding some balance / As for the rest, he doesn't care / Little Shit can't wait for tomorrow... https://lyricstranslate.com/en/ti-cul-little-shit.html
Do those of you who have managers still submit yourself for jobs? by Pearlet2 • last post Jul 6th
I have been modeling for 5 years, and am now getting into acting. I feel more constrained by my manager than I do empowered. I am not submitting myself for jobs because I cannot book my own jobs. It seems like all actors that I speak to insist that the start of their career consisted of submitting themselves to a lot of different jobs, and my fellow actor friends who are also newer to acting have said that they submit themselves for most everything. My manager is focused on me continuing to model in Los Angeles (just moved), and on getting me strong rep after I am done with my current acting program. She does have contacts at HRI talent, WME, and Abrams, I'm not sure where else, but I am having a hard time trusting her process.
I wanted bookings to happen for me earlier in life, but it is happening later. by June_Etoile • last post Jul 6th
Are there any older actors on here that it happened 'later' here for? It's finally taking off. After the years of drudgery, I am on set. I am booking. It's happening much later than I wanted it to. It is very hard not to get envious on sets where the 'hot' superstars who are in their late teens and 20s are getting what I have dreamed for all my life and not be jealous that they are getting it in the time frame I had wished for. I'm looking at my sagging skin. My aging body. This is not how I wanted the dream to happen. People that had it happen at an older age : Do you have any advice for me?
any tips on becoming a better actor at home? by Zealousideal_Bug_150 • last post Jul 5th
i just can't seem to get any acting jobs so i'm still not progressing in any way tbh. are there important yt videos or movies i could watch, that teach the most important stuff about camera acting or is there anything else i could do just by myself to train myself and become better at acting. i was in an acting workshop before and it wasn't too helpful and i'm also out of performing arts class now so i feel pretty stuck. does anyone else feel that way and maybe knows what to do?
Audacity: Should you delete it? by BrianWigginsVO • last post Jul 5th
There's been a lot of news in the last 24 hours about how Audacity was acquired by a private firm and how many ITSEC professionals are calling the new version of the application spyware. [Here's a good article that explains what's going on with the application.](https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/07/04/open-source-audacity-deemed-spyware-over-data-collection-changes) # Is it spyware? Maybe. It looks like version 3.0 has elements that will harvest data from your computer that the owning firm, Muse Group, has said that they may turn over to the government or sell to 3rd parties, as detailed in the user agreement. # Is that legal? A bit fuzzy here. The biggest concern is that most people wouldn't expect an offline desktop application to be used in such a way (as opposed to, say, playing an online game like MtGA where you know you are connecting to other users through a remote server). Another concern is that the company is based overseas, and may have contacts with potentially unfriendly governments. It is absolutely illegal to harvest information from minors under the age of 13. Muse Group has tried to make it clear that people under 13 shouldn't use the software, but as of right now they don't have any hard controls on that. It is yet to be seen how much this "strong warning" will shield them from legal proceedings, should they arise. For adults...still fuzzy. It's definitely shady, as they are still purporting Audacity as "open source". # Do I need to delete Audacity? That's up to you. It looks as though older versions, prior to 3.0, don't have these "features", so it shouldn't be harvesting any details. For example, I'm running 2.3.3, so with it being 3 years old, it doesn't have this new code. As long as you are running an older version and don't run any updates on the software, you should be OK, but really, that's a judgement call on your part. Personally, and this is just my opinion, I wouldn't recommend downloading Audacity for any new voice actors out there as of now. It's probably worth it to get a license for Reaper. Maybe this will change in the future.
Job offer in London and Melbourne, which city will be better for my Acting career? by Roll_Exotic • last post Jul 5th
Hi all, I will keep this as short and sweet as I can. I have been studying physics for 7 years and over lockdown was looking for a PhD. I have been offered two places, one in Melbourne Australia and one in London, UK. I am also an actor and things are really picking up for my career (relatively for me), I will be in two short films in the next few months and hope to get an agent next year. I am planning on doing this alongside my PhD, if things ever kick off, I will pause or leave the PhD as acting is my dream, but I have commited to physics for so long, that it is too risky to drop it all for acting. I also am 25 and not in a position to not work to support my acting career and generally just live. I need to make a big decision on whether or not to say in London or move to Melbourne. Melbourne is exciting and 'shiny' but I feel London is better for acting. Does any one who has more info on the industry know if there are good opportunities for actors in Melbourne? I also want to get into Theatre as well as film, but due to my age I am conscious this might be unlikely anyway and living in Melbourne is a huge opportunity, but I want to put my career first. If any one has ANY advice on this I would love to hear from you!! [View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/oe99z8)
I’m scared of Deepfakes and post mortem holograms by BernieIsNoSocialist • last post Jul 5th
I know that it only happens to very successful actors but isn’t it everyone’s goal here to become very successful ? It freaks me out
Is it possible for South Asians to have an acting career? by Mobile_Kaleidoscope6 • last post Jul 5th
Hi everyone! I’m ethnically south asian (think india/pakistan) but I was born and raised in the US. I’ve always loved storytelling and became interested in acting a while ago. I’m attending a few classes and I really like it so far, which has made me wonder how viable acting could be as a career. I know it’s an extremely tough industry and takes a lot of hard work and luck to succeed. I’m willing to put in the effort, but the lack of south asian actresses in hollywood kind of discourages me. Growing up, I barely saw any type of representation in tv/film and things haven’t really changed too much now either. Does anyone have any experience being south asian in the industry or advice? Thank you so much!
Separating Self From Character by justintimeforstuff • last post Jul 5th
i’m an amateur actor and was basically just wondering how you separate yourself from the character. for example, if you need to portray strong emotions because a character is in a very dark or intense situation, how do you do that while preventing yourself from losing yourself or getting into that dark of a mindset? I don’t know if i’m making any sense at all lmao but this is something that kinda scares me basically i just want to know how to embody a character while staying mentally safe and healthy (and maybe some resources like books if possible)
London Acting Classes - Actor Door Studio by LucozadeBlue • last post Jul 5th
Hello Internet, I wanted to see if anyone had any experiences with Actor Door Studio in London? I'm in my late 20's and I'm looking into joining an acting program that grants membership to Spotlight (which this one does). I've taken classes on and off in the past few years, but never pursued it seriously until I moved from Texas to London recently. Have you studied at or know anything about the studio above? Or do you have any recommendations for other programs around London? I'm a working professional with a somewhat flexible working arrangement (workday ends at 4:30, senior so control my own schedule, can disappear for an hour here and there as I work remote, etc.), so my criteria are the following: 1. Acting classes that offer a route into Spotlight 2. Program that offers an organized curriculum 3. Classes that are in the evening/weekends so I can do my day job The only studio I have found that offers membership into Spotlight, has an organized curriculum, and is catered for adults with day jobs is Actor Door Studio, but do you know of any other similar places? I take classes on and off at City Academy on the weekends as well, depending on the offerings. Quitting my job to do one of the full-time day programs is not currently an option due to current personal circumstances, so I'm trying to find other routes. Any thoughts, experiences, or advice? Thank you! :)
I made a really bad decision that could ruin an amazing opportunity in my career. by Rainingsun15 • last post Jul 5th
Alright, here’s the (abbreviated) story. I am a 19 year old actress and I just wrapped a movie where I think I did a good job acting wise and was fun to be around. I worked really hard and never complained. The director gave me props and told me he is considering me for another project (that I really want to be apart of). I wrapped a week ago and they flew me back for the wrap party 5 days ago where I had a good time and people were happy to see me after a week away. Everything was going so well, I was networking, and the director brought up the new project again which really excited me. The party was over and all of the adults were going to the bar. Someone offered to give me a fake ID but I decided against it. Then me and the 2 other underaged people were offered alcohol (gin) from one of the production people. I haven’t drank in 2 years (last time I got a concussion) and I don’t go to college (so I don’t usually have these opportunities) so we accepted the alcohol and headed to my hotel room (that production paid for). We just chilled, listened to music, and drank for a while. Not entirely sure what happened next but I got sick (again, I don’t usually drink) and the other girl's mom called the police. Yes. She called the police on her own daughter. So the police were at the hotel and they threatened to send us to jail. They didn’t end up doing it and I slept outside my hotel room because I couldn’t find a key. Fast forward to the next morning and someone (well meaning but nosey) told the production team. I got a call on my way to the airport from the line producer and he asked me if I had a rough night. I told him exactly what happened because I’m not a liar (just wanted one fun night because I usually live at home) and he acted fairly casual and even a little jokey but said “this isn’t the behavior we expected from you”. That broke me. So I know that the line producer and producer know and from what I've pieced together, neither of them are SUPER angry about it (both have made a few jokes) But still it makes me seem like a liability I'm sure. Also the director most likely has heard about it from them. Anyways that basically it by I would love to know is it a normal reaction to still be thinking about this a week later? Just a recap, They loved me and my performance A LOT, made a serious offer to test me for another project (din writing), I got drunk and the cops came to my hotel room, and production found out. So I’m just curious: 1. How big of a deal is this in the long run? 2. Will they be understanding about the situation? (I'm sure they've had their own nights like this) 3. Will this affect my standing on the other project they're (mostly the director) is considering me for? 4. 4. is there any action I can/should take at this point or it it better to just leave it alone? I sincerely appreciate any advice on this as I have been tearing myself apart over it since it happened. I swear I’m usually a good person I just made one mistake and now all my hard work could be for nothing.
Any advice for beginner actors? by Tishe_O • last post Jul 5th
I'm 16 and I've always wanted to become an actor. I'm not able to go to acting classes at the moment due to covid, and I'm homeschooled so I can't attend school plays, so does anyone have any advice on what I can do for now (like good books to buy for absolute beginners, websites or courses). It will be very helpful :)
Comedic Character character Actor gets In·gé·nue role!!!! by prizzthetheatrekid • last post Jul 4th
Hey yall, so I recently just got cast as Desdemona in Othello but I'm definitely more of an Emilia. I am such a character Actor, I rely heavy on comedy. Although I still work well with Dramatic acting. I am rehearsing my lines and I am literally cringing at Desdemona saying "my dear Othello" , and "I missed you." I don't know how to say it!! Like where are the jokes! It's making me so nervous. Also top it off the guy playing Othello is GORGEOUS so he makes me so nervous! Any tips on how to exercise my damsel muscle? Tldr: I'm used to being comedic relief, and now I'm playing leading lady. H E L P.
Request post - Looking for male and female VA'S for my passion project! (Paid work!) by FluffyBed8 • last post Jul 4th
Hey guys! This is my first time posting in voice acting so hope I'm doing everything right! I'm seeking voice actors for my paid passion project! (USD, payment through PayPal, Venmo or cash app) There are 10 episodes in total, characters tend to take turns getting the main plot line but there are a few that are relevant through all episodes! Pay is between $30 - $150 per character! All experience levels are welcome! It's kind of a silly project that is based on a MTV reality show! If you like silly things you'll probably like this! My casting call on CCC has all the information you need about payment and what the project is! Here are the links! Female casting calls [here](https://www.castingcall.club/projects/ayto-barbie-s2-female-contestants) Male casting calls [here](https://www.castingcall.club/projects/ayto-barbie-s2)
Attending different courses/ drama schools at the same time? by Wise-Gene2895 • last post Jul 4th
(For context, i’m 30 years old, not in the US. I have done some short acting courses through the years, but i’m a beginner) This year i would like to go a little bit deeper with acting, and i’m planning to attend to some evening courses. All the different courses around my area offer a 2-day a week programme. I was thinking of participating in various courses from different schools, to make it more intensive and learn faster. Unfortunately, I have no way to know which is the best school/ the best teacher. Most probably they are all around the same (mediocre?) level. The only reputable and well know drama schools are the national,full time, only for young people; about the private courses there’s not too much being said. None of the teachers of the schools available in my area seems to have impressive careers as actor/director, so i can’t go with that either So, do you think it would be good to do something like: . Mon and Wed night acting course (theatre) at school A . Thu and thur night acting course (theatre) at school B . (Maybe) sat afternoon acting course (cinema)at school C Would it be too many different styles, confusing? Or beneficial? (Note that there’s no mention nowhere of pedagogical style. No talk about method or meisner or nothing of the sort) Should i just focus on theatre acting and leave the camera acting for later? Thanks
Self tape vs auditions by Own_Outlandishness21 • last post Jul 4th
Actors: If you get to choose which one would it be ? [View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/odhq3y)
Actors Discord by siresaix • last post Jul 4th
Hey guys, Here's an acting discord aimed at connecting actors to other members of crew. They hold weekly table reads and movie screenings as well as giving access to resources that might be difficult to aquire. It's an active comunity looknig to foster a more inclusive enviroment and get actors who've been stuck inside back on track. They have a welcome gate to locks out bots, alternate accounts, and trolls so you'll be sure to be among those who take their craft quite seriously. They even have a readers section if you're ever look for a reader and your normal ones aren't around. Give it a look! [https://discord.gg/GTwZ76t43z](https://discord.gg/GTwZ76t43z)