Starting an acting career can be challenging due to the need for prior experience. Extra roles at local casting agencies, networking, taking acting classes, and finding a commission-based agent are ways to gain experience and launch a career.
Whether you want to act in film, television, commercials or on stage, it can be difficult to acquire the initial professional experience needed to launch an acting career. As is the case with most professions, the people making the hiring decisions often want someone with prior experience, so just walking in the door will likely be the first challenge of your acting career. Through a combination of practice, networking, and study, you can set your acting career on track for future growth.
One of the easiest ways to gain professional experience in the early stages of your acting career is to apply for extra roles at local casting agencies. Sometimes known as “background performers,” paid and unpaid extras are featured in everything from small commercials to big movies, and prior experience is generally not required. In addition to networking on set, extras also have the added bonus of being scouted by film or production crew members and recruited for other projects.
Networking with other aspiring actors and people in the industry is another important component of starting an acting career. Social networking groups, chat rooms, web boards and other online communities are a great resource for staying abreast of new developments and opportunities for aspiring actors in your field. It’s also important to balance online networking with face-to-face networking by attending performances in your area and meeting regularly with a group of like-minded aspiring actors.
In addition to acting classes offered at theater companies and talent agencies, acting classes are also sometimes offered as part of the standard middle school and high school curriculum. If you’re at university and not yet majoring in theater, consider taking some acting classes as electives so that you can gain acting experience while continuing with other academic endeavors. You can also join your school’s drama society or drama club on an extra-curricular basis in order to gain more of the early experience needed to pursue an acting career.
While finding an agent is an important part of starting any acting career, the ideal agency is not one that charges start-up costs, but one that charges commission. This is not only more convenient for you as an aspiring actor, but also a sign that the agency is confident in finding work for its actors. Furthermore, agencies that charge a mandatory portfolio fee to actors should be considered with caution.
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