Acting experience?

Question:Do you have to have acting experience/past in order to get a part in a movie, tv show etc..or can any normal person who really wants it just go into an audition and get the part regaurdless of their past experiences?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Do you have to have acting experience/past in order to get a part in a movie, tv show etc..or can any normal person who really wants it just go into an audition and get the part regaurdless of their past experiences?

It can happen - and it has, but having experience really does help.

I just helped a friend of mine run auditions for his feature film. And yes, for one or two characters he was looking for a certain look - and probably would have cast someone who had that look, so long as they were decent actors - regardless of whether they had prior experience.

However, what prior experience is good for, besides helping the actor know how to audition and play scenes and act for the camera (or stage) - it helps to tell the director more about you. The director I was helping was interested in seeing the kinds of roles actors had played before and where and who they've worked with.

In several cases, the director also checked references for the actors he was interested in. In film, an actor can ruin an entire project if they're not dependable, can't memorize lines or take direction, is difficult to work with, or may quit on you.

The director I was working with found out that one actor who had auditioned and the director really liked had bailed on another film project just 4 days before they were going to shoot. The actor wasn't cast in this film because he couldn't be trusted, even though he was really good and had a lot of experience.

There was an actress that the director was interested in, but she was young (a teenager) and didn't have much experience, but he contacted the place where she had taken acting classes and asked her teachers about her. They thought she was reliable, worked hard, and was a very promising actress. So then he contacted her parents, let them know what would be required, let them read the script - to make sure they were okay with everything in it. And once everything was cleared with her parents, she was offered the role. And it is an important, prominent role in the film.

So though she didn't have much experience, she still had SOME experience - she had taken classes and the director was able to find out more information about her from her teachers (who cleared it with her parents before giving any information to the director - since she's a minor.)

However, even with no experience a director may use you as an extra to begin with. And then if you do a good job, work hard, are helpful - they may remember you and use you for another project - in a larger role next time. Sometimes you really do have to start small in this business and work your way up.

You do not have to have past experience to get a part. If you have what a casting director wants and you have talent, then there won't be problem in casting you. Some actors (the little girl in Poltergeist) were approached by a casting director because they had the right "look" for the part in a movie. A little acting experience never hurts though.

Yes, they can. :) I've never auditioned for something like that myself, but I'd like to someday.

Go here,
http://castingaudition.com

I knew a lady once who was 55 years old when she got her first role in a movie Irma P. Hall (google her) with no experience.
You should start by getting some really great headshots (contact any local talent agency for recomendations) Then send your headshot (with resume) to all of the talent agencies in your area you can find reputable ones at the screen actors guild web site (www.sag.org)
Your resume (if you have NO experience) will give your name at the top then height, weight, eye & hair color. and then you would give what special talents you have such as you can ball room dance, or sing or even hula-hoop for 24 hours straight. You may start off doing print work, then you may get a commercial or a small part in a tv show or movie. It does not usually happen overnight. In the mean time you can build up your resume by doing community (or church) theater, taking acting classes, voice lessons (voice over talent make good money and are always in demand so find yourself a reputable voice over teacher!!) singing lessons, dance lessons etc.
Break a Leg!

Well, it is not a requirement, but it really, really helps. Normal people get roles with not experience? I don't think so, Extraordinary people, perhaps. Very gifted or those having a particular look the producer is seeking.

You can, but it's way better to have acting experience.