How do i get a career in acting started?

Question:im 16 and i really want to get into acting, where do i begin.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: im 16 and i really want to get into acting, where do i begin.

Glad you asked--lots of young people want to be actors, but few follow a realistic long-term plan. It's important to work hard and to never lose heart; 90% of those who try to enter acting as a profession will give up and go work in some job that's easier to get.

So you need a long-term plan--

Right now:

Get into as many shows as you can. School plays, and also amateur community theatre, local college theatre, and even local semi-pro productions if you can find them. Look for announcements of auditions in weekly entertainment newspapers, and phone community troupes and college departments to find out if they have a role you might play in an upcoming show. If not, volunteer to work backstage or with the audience if they'll have you. This will give you experience, plus it will build a network of people who love theatre and who are knowledgeable.

Take instruction--classes, workshops, seminars, lessons--in acting, voice, dance, acrobatics, diction, fencing, horseback riding, any other skills that an actor might conceivably use. Also, read lots of plays--start with the masters, Shakespeare, Miller, Sophocles, Williams, etc.--also read books about acting (Hagan, Lewis) and other aspects of theatrical arts.

In high school, prepare for college by taking four years of English, four of math, biology, chemistry, physics, foreign language, history, and a range of arts and humanities. Phys ed is good, too. If there's a drama club, join it and work your way to a leadership position.

In your Junior Year:

Work with your counselor and also any theatre contacts you've made to identify 4 or 5 colleges where you can get a bachelor of fine arts (BFA) in theatrical performance. NOT a plain bachelor of arts (BA), that's an academic degree, the BFA is professional preparation. Pick 1 or 2 "stretch" schools that you'll need to be lucky to get into, 1 or 2 "likely" schools that are competitive but that probably will take you, and 1 "safety" school that accepts everybody.

In your Senior Year:

Early in the Fall, apply to your selected colleges. Doing it early puts you in line for more financial aid, but it also is often necessary, after the college or university accepts you as a student, to then apply and get accepted to the theatre program. The theatre department will want an acting resume (which lists major instruction you've had and roles/tasks you've performed in shows), perhaps a head shot (a photo of you, no makeup, regular hair), letters of reference (best ones from theatre people, particularly college theatre), and an audition (you pay your own way there).

The BFA program will hone your skills and will teach you the ins and outs of the business end of show business. Complete that, and you're ready to start clawing your way into a reliable career.

One final word of advice: there will be agents who will offer to kick-start your career for a fee. Ignore them; no legitimate agent collects a fee up front, they agree to represent you and they collect a percentage of your pay from acting jobs. Also beware of agencies that will take you for free but require you to take lessons or get photos from their exclusive providers--those lessons/photos will cost more than typical and some of that gets kicked back to the agency. Don't fall for that kind of scam--rule of thumb, no agent with any integrity will want to represent any actor who isn't qualified to join one of the professional unions (Equity, SAG, or AFTRA).

That's the plan that the majority of professional actors follow. Break a leg, kiddo!

the best thing to do is find an agent or casting agency near you by looking on the internet or in the phone book. Also there are newspapers like the stage and Barnes and nobles depending on where you live. Try to finish school because its always better to enter acting as an adult and not as a child because then your taken more seriously. You've got too be determined and be completely sure this is what you want.GOOD LUCK

Start taking acting classes/workshops and get involved local plays then if you think you are really good at it, find an agency and get one of there agents they will help you get jobs. And they you will just get more movie roles from then on. Good luck and have fun =)