Position:Home>Theater & Acting> Everyone tells me I should be an actress. Should I give it a shot?
Question: Everyone tells me I should be an actress!. Should I give it a shot!?
Since moving to a big city, where no one in particular stands out, I have been told a minimum of at least 20 times (by different people) that I should be in the entertainment business (currently I am a mature student in the dental field with a previous degree in multimedia)!. I have always had this feeling that I was supposed to be in the entertainment business (actress/singer/model etc) however I've never really acted on it as I assume everyone has this dream of being recognized for a talent that they THINK they have!. I'm a 24 year old female, who has been told that I have the comedic timing and talent of someone like Ellen Degeneres, I've somehow been gifted at imitating accents, I'm musically inclined (done telemarketing and have been told I have a very smooth, sweet, commercial type voice), I'm moderately attractive (been told more than once that I look like Britney Spears, Kate Hudson and Kim Basinger)!.
I really would like to pursue it but I'm not sure how to go about such a thing!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
If you want to just give acting a shot and see if it's for you, I suggest auditioning for some community theater!. It's very much on the bottom rung of the acting world, and doesn't pay, but it also won't require you to quit your day job and you'll be able to see if you genuinely have a knack for it!. You could also consider taking an acting class, which you should be able to find if you're living in a reasonably sized city!.
If you do that and you find that you do well enough to actually pursue acting professionally, go ahead and get some headshots done (shouldn't cost more than a couple hundred for a top-notch professional photographer, or if you have a friend who's handy with a camera you could ask them to do it), and try to land yourself a good, legit SAG-franchised agent!. Franchised agents don't advertise, but there's a handy search engine on SAG's official website that'll help you find some reliable agencies in your area!. (SAG is the Screen Actor's Guild, by the way!.) They should pretty much all have their own websites, most likely with instruction on how to submit your information to them (likely either e-mailing or snail-mailing a headshot, resume, and cover letter)!. If they don't specifically tell you how to submit, call them and ask; if you submit in a way they don't prefer, your info will most likely end up in the trash without anyone even looking at it!. Once you have some representation, they'll start sending you on auditions for professional gigs!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
im an actress/singer/writer and i've tried so many times to get into the acting business!. i want it so badly, and if its what you think its what you want, then go for it!. no one should be able to tell you your not gonna make it, because if its what you want, just believe and you will achieve!. (my motto)Www@QuestionHome@Com
go for it!Www@QuestionHome@Com
Speaking as an actor myself, now is one of the worst times to try to start out in the proffession because of the current economic situation!. Everyone's roles and jobs are being slashed!. If you could be fulfilled doing ANYTHING else in this world, i'd advise you to do that instead!. If you feel that acting is literally the only purpose in life for you, then, and ONLY then, embark on it!.
It's a hard way to live your life!. When it's good it's amazing, but to get one job, you may first be rejected from 6 or even 10!. You have no routine and no stability!. It's full of people one minute and very lonely the next!. If you think you can cope with this sort of life-style on a regular basis, then do it!. but it's really not for everyone!. I've seen many talented actors lose faith in themselves and become depressed and that's why I advise you this way!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Give it a shot only if YOU really want to give it a shot!. Those twenty compliments a day will feel very far away once you get into the daily grind of building an entertainment career!. You will meet and see every other beautiful actress who has been told the same thing by twenty people a day wherever they are from!. You will see women that if they don't look like the sister you do or never had, look EXACTLY like you!. It will be humbling!. The constant rejection that all actors go through will be brutal and unrelenting!. Ellen, Whoopi, Morgan Freeman, any actor will tell you about the hundreds and thousands of auditions they went to that they DID NOT get for every one that they did!.
So, the first thing for you to do is enroll in some kind of acting or comedy workshop!. I don't know which city you are in but if you're in NYC pick up a copy of Backstage, in LA visit any Samuel French bookstore and peruse!. There'll be all kinds of advertisements for classes and improv groups and you should audit a few to see what fits you best!. This first step should keep you occupied!. Auditions, agents, unions!.!.!.all that stuff will come with time!.
Good luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com