Once you get to LA...?

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Question:

where do you go from there if you want to be an actor and avoid scams!? Obviously getting involved in live theater to continue honing skills, but how do you find a legitimate agent to represent you!? Do you just walk into their office and drop off your resume and headshot, or is that a definite no-no!? Anything would help!. Thanks!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

First off, you NEED some kind of classes or training!. It's going to be very hard to get anywhere without them!. There are some great teachers in LA and in the LA area!.

One thing you can do is go to a talent agency and audition right now as sort of an evaluation!. I belong to Lang Talent, which is in Hollywood!. They'll most likely reject you, but they will give you some names of teachers and coaches to start with!.

You should train until your coach says your ready, which can take anywhere from a year and up!.

You also need headshots, which can be fairly expensive!. I got mine done by Doreen Stone, who has very reasonable prices and does a great job!. Here's some tips for a headshot:

-wear bright colors, no patterns, and nothing too revealing!.
-no makeup/barely any makeup
take some pictures with straightened and natural hair
-have different facial expressions, such as smiling with your teeth and smiling without teeth
-pose very natural, such as just sitting down!. have a plain colored background!.

-normally taking them during the day is better
-you photograph them straight on!. they shouldn't turn completely profile, but a bit of an angle is okay
-not sure what kind of lighting you need, but it needs to be balanced!. no shadows on the face
-yes, you can use a digital camera

just make sure all your pictures are natural and not too posed!. they need to look like YOU, not someone else!.

also, do not wear any jewelery such as necklaces, earrings, or bracelets!. don't have your bangs in your eyes if you have bangs!.

a big one is NO MAKEUP OR REVEALING CLOTHES
you want to look young, not like a tramp!.

If you wear glasses, take pictures with and without them!.

Oh, and you NEED to make an appointment before you go into an agency office!. You can't just walk in and drop your stuff off!.
You actually need to audition!.
For your audition, don't wear any makeup and dress nicely!.
You need to have a commercial and two monologues ready!.
One monologue needs to be comic, the other dramatic!.

www!.langtalent!.com has the documents you can download and fill out!.

www!.doreenstonephotography!.com

hope this helps =)Www@QuestionHome@Com

Well after you've gotten a place to live and such, I would recommend getting a job that is still related to the industry!. If you get a job doing behind-the-scenes work on movies, then you can still get paid and at the same time make connections in the industry that you can use for later purposes!.

As for getting an agent, I won't pretend I have an amazing idea of how it works!. However, I believe it works the same as going for an audition!. You mail them your headshot and resume (Stapled to one another, back to back) and if they like you they choose you!. It's also pretty hard!.

And by the way, if you're going to L!.A, why would you hone your skills in theatre!? L!.A is where most of the movies are made in America - hone your skills with film!. Do student or independant films!. Do some before you actually move to LA too!.

Unless you want to be a theatre actor, in which case I think New York is accepted as the best place to go for that!.!.!. what with Broadway and all!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Well, I don't recommend you go to LA until you are an established actor in Atlanta, Dallas, San Antonio, somewhere like that!. But you need a mentor to keep you out of scams!. YOu need to be mature enough to live there and earn a living while working on your acting!. there are lots of non union, paying films and commercials you can get, and don't go there until you know how to get an agent or have a recommendation from your agent where you get established!. It is nearly impossible to get an agent in LA!. going to the agents' offices is a no no, as is calling them without an invite!.
Check their websites for how to submit for representation!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

NETWORK! flirt with random guys then maybe you will be invited to a party<3 once there you have to market yourself and socialize with people who have connections! and you might get lucky and land a acting gig!
good luckWww@QuestionHome@Com

I just answered another question for a new comer!.

Enjoy LA it is a busy place!.

One way to avoid scams is the name of the company + scam on Google!. also, research the company and the people behind it!. So many acting coaches with claim they know the bix!. but when did they last act!. also so many people will say they are performers, but what did/do they really do!.

Get some theatrical/commercial training, the best headshots you can afford that look like you and start putting a resume together!. Get some footage together of yourself actually acting before you send out to agents or stop by or ask for referrls!. Noone is gonig to put you on the next hottest tv show if you do not know your stuff!. Looks easy, but isn't!.

Here's a link for some paid/free casting resources: http://holdonlog!.com/pages/links1!.html

I also highly recommend you investigate the company that I am sending you to HoldonLog!.com!. They have a free newsletter and they post theirs and others free seminars on that and here's a free trial for their software!. www!.ActorTrackTrial!.com!. You can start growing your contacts and adding your expenses now and then your audition and booking stuff later!.

I think they are out of LA so you are in luck if you can go to their seminars too!. Theatre in LA rarely pays, so make sure you have a financial plan!. My neice was in debt up to her eyeballs and was always working in a restaurant r two and never gettingout there!.

Good luck and keep on asking questions!.Www@QuestionHome@Com