Information on acting?

[We_Are_The_Media]

I'm a female aged 15 and i have been in several school prodcutions and i am currently enrolled in acting classes at South Coast Repertory in Los Angeles, CA. I have a passion for the arts and theatre and can only picture myself doing acting for a living. My parents do not see this as a viable career path for me, yet i still wish to give it a shot. They are skeptical of me getting an agent, so can i get some information on such things? I have a photographer already in place for headshots, so that isn't a problem in the slightest. What are the odds that this career path works out for me? I'm not afraid to work hard and i'm incredibly gifted at memorizing lines. I have been able to memorize an entire role in just a few hours, so that is not a concern for me. Any and all advice is welcome. Thank you. This is a tentative headshot position i was thinking...does it work? http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a...915&type=3

[Anastasia]

Not being afraid to work hard and being able to memorize lines is barely scratching the surface. There's a plethora of things happening on any given set and you need to learn how to cope in such an environment.

Of course, there are those that thrive under pressure and maybe you're one of those people. I don't think it's in your best interest to try to convince your parents of your desire to act. If it's in your heart to do so then you must do it.

Try getting some experience first before getting an agent. Establish yourself a little bit and develop a work ethic.

Good luck

[Cogito]

It's going to take several years at your acting class, and loads of stage experience before you're ready to even think of headshots and agents.
Agents only ever want very experienced and very well-trained professionals. School productions don't impress anyone - you'll need stage experience in community theatre or a good local drama group.

Your parents are right, in a way.
You're highly unlikely to ever make a living through acting - that's incredibly rare. Almost all actors work at least one other 'ordinary' job to afford to live. They just keep it very secret and certainly don't admit to it!
Make sure you have enough skills to get a good job you can work free-lance so you won't keep getting fire by an employer for taking time off for auditions.

Being a hard-worker and having a great memory is great - but just two areas at which you'd need to be seriously talented. I know a student actor who can memorise a whole play in a day or so - but he's a terrible actor. He's wooden, can't project, moves awkwardly and his general education isn't very good.

Forget about the headshots for now. Concentrate on your schoolwork and acting classes.
Learn to sing and dance as well - they're really useful.
Good luck!

[Katrina E.]

Professional acting is a business. Talent agents are in the industry to make money, not make your dreams come true. (They have families to support after all.) Agents are paid a percentage of what their clients make. (Never pay an agent up front.) Since they are paid only if their clients are paid, they can be picky about who they take on as clients. They're looking for people who they feel can make auditions and book professional jobs.

An agent doesn't get you jobs - they get you auditions. You still need to have the talent, training and experience to book the job. And frankly, if you don't book jobs, agents will drop you as a client. And even with an agent, you'll still want to keep looking for jobs/auditions/opportunities on your own. It's not like you get an agent and sit back and they take care of things for you. And in the end you'll still be responsible for managing your career (or finding someone to do that for you). Professional acting involves a lot more than agents -- there's industry contracts, acting unions, entertainment work permits, Coogan trust accounts (that you have to monitor). You have to have a good understanding of how to market yourself to talent agents and casting directors. And you'll need to build a network of contacts. That's why it's so important for minors that their parents are very actively involved in their careers!

The best way to get an agent is through networking. If you've impressed your instructors or an acting coach or a director you've work with or fellow actors - they may be willing to refer you to an agent. You might want to talk to your acting school teachers about the various possibilities and see if they ever have a show case and invite agents and casting directors to come and see students perform (and if they do - who usually comes).

The other option of blindly submitting a head shot and resume to agents in the area is something people do - but it's not always successful. And frankly, the older you are the harder it is to get an interview that way. But if you have a look that the agency needs and/or a good resume, it's more likely. But if an agency is already representing 20 kids with your "look" - then chances are they're not interested in you AT THIS TIME. (You can always try back later.)

As for what your chances are -- competition is fierce. There are OVER 20,000 child actors 16 and younger CURRENTLY WITH AGENTS just in LA. That's not counting child actors with just managers and not agents. child actors with agents in other places like NYC or kids like you who wanna be actors. You're going to be competing against this group for a hand full of roles. And every job you get is temporary. So even if you're able to get a small speaking role on a TV show, it doesn't mean you'll get another job any time soon.

Plus there are a lot of legal restrictions for teens working in the industry, so often producers and directors prefer to hire someone 18 and older to play teens. (See "Why Hollywood is Reluctant to Cast Teens and Tweens" - http://www.backstage.com/news/why-hollyw...nd-tweens/ ). Which reduces the number of available auditions, making it less likely to find an agent.

So it is very difficult to have a professional acting career. Most professional actors don't make a living by acting alone and need a way to supplement their income while they work on starting their career and in between jobs. (Remember - every job is temporary.)

But if you have a passion for acting you can give it a try! Do the best you can to increase your odds of success. Educate yourself on the business end of acting as well as the craft of acting. Find healthy ways of dealing with the rejection, insecurity, competitiveness, and instability that comes with a professional acting career.

Good luck.