In order to succeed in the film industry, actors must work hard everyday on their acting craft and building a reputation as a committed actor.
An actor’s job may seem extremely easy. All an actor has to do is get in front of a group of people or a camera and say a few lines that were written down for them. Honestly, acting can be an easy job. But before performing in front of a camera there are a ton of other responsibilities and jobs that all actors must do in order to land a role and performing in front of millions of people.
- An actor must study and improve their acting skills
- Figure out how to market themselves
- Know how to audition in front of a casting director, producer and director
- Build a reputation for being consistent and reliable.
1. Improve Acting Skills
To even get the chance to perform in front of people, an actor must first understand how to act. That means taking acting workshops, improv classes, voice actor lessons, or hiring a personal acting coach. An actor must be able to improve their acting abilities and skills consistently so that their acting always appears realistic and entertaining even though it may be forced and rehearsed. Read our guide to how to become an actor in TV shows and movies to give you an idea on where to start.
2. Market yourself as an actor
Developing the best acting skills is useless if nobody knows that you are trying to become an actor. So the next task an actor must complete is figuring out how to market themselves in the entertainment industry. This involves attending open casting calls, performing in network showcases, contacting talent agents, and promoting yourself on social media. Vin Diesel landed a role on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy not because of his acting abilities but because he had a huge social media following. By showing producers that you have a fan and talent base, you are more likely to land a role because producers are interested in making money. Read our guide to the film industry in 5 things only an actor understands.
3. Learn how to audition
Auditioning in front of casting directors is a difficult process and even though you may not hear about this but, actors have to audition for roles over and over again until finally landing a role. Furthermore, each casting director is different and requires and demands different things. It is important to understand what that particular casting director wants and learning how to transform your acting abilities to fit that particular role.
4. Build a reputation for being consistent and reliable
After an actor lands a role, the job of the actor is to show up on time, perform and take directions. As an actor, you take the ideas the producers and writers have and bring them to life and your dialogue is the most important part to creating a story that people want to watch. Outside of acting abilities here are 5 things producers, directors and movie studios look for in an actor.
- An actor that is always on time
- An actor knows their lines
- An actor that is reliable and consistent
- An actor that is easy to work with
- An actor that will go above and beyond to make the scene come to life.
After your acting gig is over your job starts all over again. But, if you do not know how to act or never learn how to improve your acting skills, you may never make it past the audition process. However, learning how to market yourself is just as important as becoming a better actor.
Overall acting requires professionalism and dedication
Becoming an actor is not like going to medical school. There is no set pathway or guidebook that will get you to the big screen. But, you have to be dedicated to learning and committed to being professional. Professionalism can go a long way in the entertainment industry.
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