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I have received so many inquiries about getting started in the business, that I thought I’d devote a page to it! Please keep in mind I do not guarantee success; I am merely offering advice that I have collected over the years. And remember one more thing: Advice is worth what it costs!

First and foremost, take an acting class and make SURE you LOVE it! This business is too competitive for someone who is merely playing around (no pun intended!). There are classes available at high schools, junior colleges, universities, community centers and privately. Ask around. There is a HUGE difference between acting in front of your mirror at home and acting in front of an audience (This alone keeps many people away from the business).

If you know you love it, and you want to make it your career, then the following tips should be of some value.

• Get a listing of the franchised agents in your area from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). http://www.sag.org/sagWebApp/application?origin=hnav_bar.jsp&event=bea.portal.framework.internal.refresh&pageid=Contact+SAG
   
• Contact the agents about their procedures for submission.

 
• Some agents ask that you mail in a headshot & resume; in this case, you need to find a good photographer in your area. If the agent will see you without a headshot and resume, make sure to ask what they want you to bring. Some agents will want you to perform a monologue for them; some will want you to read from a script. Be prepared to perform! Some will just want you to bring some good pictures of yourself… but make sure to ASK!

 
• If you do need a headshot, try to find a photographer who you are comfortable with and whom you can talk to. Make sure the photographer understands what you need and doesn’t let you walk away with pictures you can’t use. The photographer should also tell you what the pricing is up front, and should tell you exactly what you will get for your money. (Generally here in the San Francisco Bay Area, you pay anywhere from $65-$150 for one to two rolls of film, your proof sheets and one to two 8x10 prints. The turn-around time is anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks.)

 
• The photographer should show you a proof sheet. From this proof sheet you will choose your headshot. Look closely at each picture with a magnifying glass… what looks great small sometimes looks horrid when enlarged!

 
• After you’ve chosen and received your black & white 8x10 glossy photo, you must send it out to be reproduced. There are only a few places I am familiar with, but maybe you know of one in your area. I have used Anderson Graphics (818)909-9105 and Grand Prints (818)763-5743 . For your first picture I would only order 100 copies. If all goes well you can always order more! (You generally get reprints, or "lithographs" because sending actual photos would be too expensive. Lithographs look and feel like pictures and they are what the agents will expect.) On the picture you will have printed your name, and if you like, your height, weight or size, hair and eye color. This is not required but some agents prefer it. The turn-around on your pictures is generally two to three weeks.

 
• Now that you’ve gotten a picture, it’s time to work on your resume! This means TAKING CLASSES, at a community college or with a theater group (or anywhere you can find one!), getting into any and all productions you can, doing student film work, etc. This will mostly all be NON-PAYING work. If you don’t like it enough to do it for free, you’re in the wrong business! Besides, you need to build up your resume, so take what you can get! J These will be valuable experiences for you. You may decide after your first play that it will be your last! Watching someone act and actually performing yourself are two very different things. Make sure you really love it! You may also learn that you love the stage and HATE working in front of a camera or vice-versa. It is very important that you find your niche.

 
• Once you’ve got the headshot and resume, meet with agents. Some tips about agents: you PAY THEM NOTHING UNLESS THEY BOOK YOU FOR WORK. Do NOT sign on with someone who charges you a fee to get you work! An agent signs you because they think you can get work. That is really the bottom line. If an agent doesn’t feel confident that you are going to land jobs, they are not going to sign you. If you are lucky and do land an agent, make sure not to pester them. It’s good to keep in touch, but do not harass them about work. Chances are they are sending out your pictures regularly… sometimes your pictures just don’t bring you work. If that’s the case, sometimes getting a new picture helps. Other times, there are just too many people of your type/age in a category, and that is something you have to deal with. 98% of the time, the business is subjective, and you just have to go with it. Don’t take it personally! If you aren’t getting work, it’s also a good idea to ask your agent if they can offer you any tips. Sometimes they’ll tell you they need a new picture, sometimes they may ask you to get a new hairstyle… they are not always right, but they do have a lot more experience in the business than you do.

 
• Lastly, Audition, Audition, AUDITION! Try to go on every audition you can. The rule of thumb is 50 auditions for every job you land (yes, it’s true!), so do as many as you’re able to. If you feel like you do poorly in auditions, try to work with an acting coach or teacher who can direct you – or who can, better yet, teach you to direct yourself.

• The next step is to record a demo reel. There are two ways to go here: if you have the money, hire someone to do the CD for you ($800-$1500 investment). If you don’t have money, follow the steps below ($500-$600 investment).

 
• Collect samples of commercials that you think you can read well (from the radio—write them down—or from the TV). You can usually look in the phone book for local music production places. It the Bay Area there are several, including The Annex. You must block a minimum of time in the studio, usually 4 hours. They charge you an hourly rate and it could cost anywhere from $250-$500. This includes the assistance of an engineer to actually do the technical computer stuff. If you are lucky, or if you request it, you can sometimes find an engineer who is also a good director (They hear this stuff all the time, so can often provide good tips). Otherwise, bring an acting teacher or fellow actor with you to give you suggestions. Just BE PREPARED to record when you get there, or you will be wasting your money!

 
• You will record several pieces onto the reel—usually strive for several different types of pieces to show your range: character, straight narration, dialect, children’s or character voices, etc. Each piece should be about 10 to 20 seconds long.

 
• After you’ve recorded everything, the engineer will bring you in to listen to everything. If you’re not happy with something, RE-RECORD IT. Keep doing it until you’re happy—remember, this is ALL the agent will go on when considering you for work—make sure it is the BEST you can do! Also, make sure your reel opens with your slate (Name and greeting) and your strongest piece.

 
• After the engineer finishes your reel, you will be asked about reproduction. They usually do it on-site, and it runs anywhere from a few cents per tape to several dollars, depending on the quantity you request. I recommend getting the smallest quantity possible—usually about 25 CDs to start. You can always get more later! They may label them for you and everything—take advantage of whatever services they offer!

• Contact the franchised agents and ask if they book a lot of voice-over work. If they do, ask what their procedure for submission is and follow it. Follow-up with the agents after a couple of weeks to make sure they received it. If they like it, they may call you in to meet you. If not, keep trying! This is a tough business!

• See lots of movies. Watch big budget movies and art films alike. Study the acting.
• Watch TV. Study the acting.
• Attend the theatre. Attend your local theatres, school theatres, whatever you can afford. Study the acting.
• READ plays. Familiarize yourself with the classics and hunt for new works.
• READ scripts. Sometimes the script of a movie is totally different in your mind than in the director’s mind. A good source is a Film/Theatre/Drama bookstore or Scenario Magazine.
• Read books about acting and the industry. I have a list below of books I have read and recommend. You can order them right here if you are interested

Kristi
Recommended Books:   
 

Lee Strasberg, A Dream of Passion	Sanford Meisner, On Acting
Constantin Stanislavsky, An Actor Prepares	Constantin Stanislavsky, Building a Character
Constantin Stanislavsky, Creating a Role	Linda Buzzell, How To Make It In Hollywood
K Callan, How To Sell Yourself As An Actor	Robert Cohen, Acting Professionally
Michael Caine, Acting in Film	Uta Hagen, Respect For Acting
Joan See, Acting in Commercials	Uta Hagen, A Challenge For The Actor
Michael Shurtleff, Audition	Robert Cohen, Acting One

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