Position:Home>Theater & Acting> How hard is it to enter acting?

Question:It's always crossed my mind, and i think of it as the lottery, even if you dont become famous or very successful you still have a chance.

I have NO experience what so ever when it comes to acting, but my question is how hard is it to enter the acting business and get good work?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: It's always crossed my mind, and i think of it as the lottery, even if you dont become famous or very successful you still have a chance.

I have NO experience what so ever when it comes to acting, but my question is how hard is it to enter the acting business and get good work?

I assume you be to become a working actor, because anyone can audition for community theatre and act (and many people DO do this to feed their "bug" while still maintaining a semblance of a normal life and not having to wonder when their next job is going to be!!).

It is extremely difficult to become a working actor. If you're starting from 0 (no experience) I would say it's not unreasonable to expect it to take about 10 years or so to get to a "working actor" level. By that time you should have gotten some great training (you can complete a conservatory program), it's enough time to work up from doing community theatre to professional theatre and to get your SAG and maybe even Equity cards. This is not a busniess where you can expect to become successful the next day. Many of the great actors in Hollywood pursued it for years before they got their break and there are many more working actors who are not famous, but still are able to make their living doing commercials and small roles in films and tv shows. There are many many many more people who try and fail or give up becuase they haven't been able to "break in" in 2 years.

So, to answer your question in a nutshell: Very hard.

If it was that easy, everyone would do it :)

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by Cekker Kwann

Member since:: September 25, 2007
Total points:: 1380 (Level 3)

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Entering acting is easy........staying is the hard part!!

Also, when you are an actor, there is no such thing as "Good" vs "Bad" work. If you're working in the business at all, then it's all good.

P.S.
Learn to love rejection as much as you like breathing. It comes with the terf and there is no shortage of it to go round!!!

Rejection is what stops most people from ever making far in acting. However, rejection is a part of the business, and not all roles you will try out for will be suited for you. You have to get back on the horse and keep trying. Getting into the business is all about persistence - learn to overcome rejection and you'll not only be entering the business of acting, you'll be staying in it.

Think of it this way, the job of the actor is to audition. That is what we do all the time. Getting a role is like the bonus at the end of the year. You can't expect to get too many roles, or that it will pay for your life. between 2-5% of SAG members are able to support themselves solely with acting.

That being said, I adore acting. It can be very rewarding. i do suggest you get some training, check for local teachers, take voice lessons and/or a dance class or two. Knowing how to move is just as important as being able to speak.

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