Breaking Into Acting For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Introduction 1 About This Book 1 Foolish Assumptions 2 Icons Used in This Book 3 Where to Go from Here 3 Part 1: Figuring Out the Business of Acting 5 Chapter 1: Staying on Top of the Changes in Show Business 7 Understanding the World of Acting 8 What You Need to Succeed 8 An attention-grabbing head shot 9 A five-star acting resume 9 Polished talent 10 Taking Your First Steps in Show Business 11 Marketing yourself 11 Finding your first ally: An agent 11 Showcasing your talent: Auditioning 12 Discovering the Many Ways to Make Money as an Actor 12 Managing Money (A Little or a Lot) 13 Knowing What to Expect from an Acting Career 14 Chapter 2: Discovering How Show Business Has Changed and Adapted 15 Understanding the Business of Show Business 15 Taking It “from the Top” — It All Begins with an Idea 16 Selling an Idea 17 Producing a Script 18 Going into Production 20 Action: It’s Showtime! 21 Cleaning Up in Post-Production 22 Distributing the Product 23 Chapter 3: From Agents, Managers, and Unions: Introducing the Movers and Shakers 27 Producers: The Champions of Every Project 28 Directors: The Bosses on the Set 29 Writers: The Idea Makers 29 The Studios: The Ones That Make Everything Possible 30 Financing a project 31 Marketing and distributing a project 32 Casting Directors: The Gatekeepers 33 Agents: Your Door to Show Business 34 Personal and Business Managers: The Guiding Forces Behind the Scenes 34 Actors: The Talent in Front of the Spotlight 35 Unions: An Actor’s Best Friend 36 The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) 37 Actors’ Equity Association 38 Part 2: Packaging and Marketing Yourself 41 Chapter 4: Making a Great First Impression with a Head Shot and Samples of Your Work 43 Introducing the Head Shot: An Actor’s Calling Card 44 Examining Variations on the Standard 46 The commercial head shot 47 The theatrical shot 47 Creating the Perfect Head Shot 48 Hiring a professional photographer 48 Picking the right look 50 Making the most of your photo session 50 Getting Your Head Shot Ready 51 Publicizing Your Head Shot with a Twist 52 Avoiding Problems with Head Shots 52 Is that really you? 52 Technical problems: You look great but your head shot still stinks 52 Using Film to Represent Your Work 53 Chapter 5: Creating a Five-Star Acting Resume 55 Tackling the Basics of Creating a Resume 56 Creating an Online Resume 56 Identifying the Info to Include 57 Your name, union membership, and contact information 57 Your physical characteristics 58 Your acting experience and education 59 Your knowledge of special skills 60 Avoiding Resume No-Nos 61 Examining Sample Resumes 62 The beginner’s resume 63 The intermediate actor’s resume 63 The veteran’s resume 66 Chapter 6: Training to Improve Your Acting Skills 69 Mastering the Art of Auditioning: Taking Classes 69 Benefiting from an auditioning class 70 Advancing your auditioning skills 70 Improving Your Performing Skills 73 Stand-up comedy workshops 75 Improvisation classes 75 Speech and accent coaching 76 Singing and dancing lessons 76 Developing Physical Fitness Skills 77 Improving Your Unique Skills 78 Part 3: Taking Your First Steps into Show Business 79 Chapter 7: Representing Yourself, Networking, and Promoting Yourself on Websites 81 Looking for Your Own Work 82 Relying on the actors’ unions 82 Staying in touch 82 Reading trade publications 83 Using casting websites and social media 83 Contact casting directors on your own 84 Advertising Yourself 86 Showcasing Yourself 86 Chapter 8: Seeking Representation: An Agent, Manager, and/or an Entertainment Attorney 89 Differentiating between Agents, Managers, and Entertainment Attorneys 90 Getting the Ball Rolling to Find Representation 91 Discovering potential representation 91 Contacting potential representation 93 Calling for an appointment 94 Staying determined and be positive 96 Interviewing with Prospective Representation 97 Preparing for your interview 97 Arriving for your interview 98 Conducting yourself during your interview 99 Ending the interview 102 Signing On with an Agent 104 Working with Your Agent 106 Staying in touch 106 Following your agent’s advice 107 Sharing auditioning information with your agent 107 Releasing Your Agent 107 Letting your agent go: Why you’d want to 108 Leaving your agent: The how-to 110 Chapter 9: Auditioning: The Art of What You Need to Know 113 Looking at the Types of Auditions 114 Going to open casting calls (cattle calls) 114 Attending casting auditions 115 Auditioning from Home 116 Preparing for an Audition 118 Planning ahead of time 118 Deciding what to wear 119 Grooming 120 Arriving at the Audition or Callback 120 Impressing a Casting Director 121 Auditioning: What to Expect 122 Speaking your lines 123 Making your exit 124 Preparing for the Next Audition 124 Evaluating yourself 124 Getting on with your life 125 Hoping for the Best That Can Happen: The Callback 126 Dealing with Rejection 127 Saying Thank You 128 Chapter 10: Understanding Diversity Challenges in Show Business 129 Defining Who You Are in the World of Diversity 130 Finding Representation 131 Seeking Diversity in Casting 132 Acknowledging Diversity in the Academy and Emmy Awards 134 Chapter 11: Adapting to Difficult Personalities 137 Dealing with Professionals 138 Treating the casting director with respect 138 Showing respect to the director on set 139 Considering other professionals 140 Respecting Your Fellow Actor 140 Respecting Everyone on the Set 142 Part 4: Scoping Out the Markets 143 Chapter 12: Acting in Film and Television 145 Landing a Job 146 Filming from Different Locations Using Your Computer and Phone 146 Acting in Front of the Camera Versus Acting on the Stage 147 Fine-Tuning Your Performance on Film 148 Playing to the camera 149 Acting consistently with different takes 151 Successfully acting scenes out of order 152 Hitting your mark 153 Recognizing different shots 154 Dealing with close-ups 154 Performing on a Set 156 A typical day on the set 157 What to do when your scene’s done 161 Participating in Post-Production: Looping 161 Gaining Experience and Exposure by Working in Different Markets 162 Chapter 13: Acting in Commercials 165 Understanding How a Commercial Gets Made 165 Preparing for a Career in Commercials 167 Taking a class or workshop 167 Studying working actors 168 Hiring a commercial agent or manager 169 Auditioning for a Commercial Role 169 Fitting the part 170 Preparing your part 170 Handling yourself during the audition 171 Understanding the Market for Commercials 173 The Wonderful New World of Commercials 175 Chapter 14: Acting in Theater 177 Mastering Your Skills Onstage 178 Gearing Up for a Theatrical Career 178 Taking the academic route 179 Pounding the pavement 180 Auditioning for Theater 182 Finding auditions 182 Being prepared 182 Familiarizing Yourself with Stage Types 184 Proscenium stages 185 Thrust stages 187 Arena stages 187 Rehearsing for a Play 189 Read-through 189 Blocking with stage directions 190 Scene work 191 Work-throughs 191 Run-throughs 192 Technical rehearsals 192 Dress rehearsals 193 Working in Different Markets 195 Chapter 15: Performing without Being Seen: Voice-Over Acting 197 What You Need to Succeed in Voice-Over Acting 198 What’s that you say? Speaking clearly 198 Voice versatility 199 Testing testing: Playing to the microphone 200 Training for a Voice-Over Career 201 Finding Voice-Over Work 201 Preparing Your Demo 202 Including all the right stuff 202 Laying down the tracks 204 Recording subsequent demo 204 Getting an Agent or Manager 205 Auditioning for Voice-Over Work 205 Getting Paid as a Voice-Over Actor 206 Chapter 16: Working As an Extra 209 Delving into the Glamorous World of an Extra 210 Recognizing types of extras 211 Getting work as an extra 211 Examining a day in the life of an extra 213 Appreciating the Advantages of Being an Extra 215 Investigating the technical business of show business 216 Studying the acting side of filmmaking 217 Networking with fellow actors 218 Making a little (emphasis on “little”) money 218 Advancing Your Career Beyond an Extra 218 Chapter 17: Getting Your Kid into Show Biz 221 Considering the Commitment 222 Does your kid really want to do this? 222 Do you really want to do this? 223 Setting goals for you and your child 225 Exploring the Acting Options 226 Modeling 227 TV commercials 228 Film and TV shows 228 Theater 230 Investigating the Biz of Child Acting 230 Starting as a proud parent of a child actor 230 Procuring the paperwork 231 Watching out for your child’s welfare 231 Restricting time on the set 232 Educating on the set 233 Managing all that money 234 Helping Your Child Deal with the Ups and Downs of Show Business 236 Part 5: Managing Your Money as an Actor 239 Chapter 18: Don’t Get Ripped Off! Avoiding Con Games, Scams, and Self-Destruction 241 Identifying the Elements of a Con Game 242 The hook — Baiting the suckers 242 The line — Exploiting your trust 242 The sinker — Taking your money 243 Exposing Common Show Business Con Games 243 Fake screen tests 244 Phony agents 244 Shoddy photographers 247 Worthless acting schools 247 Sleazy casting directors 249 Meaningless beauty pageants 249 Shady get-rich-quick schemes 250 Dealing with Dishonesty 251 Potential problems with non-union productions 251 Unscrupulous business managers 252 Casting and networking parties 252 Missing residuals 253 Protect Yourself: Beating the Con at His Own Game 253 Being Your Own Worst Enemy 255 Dealing with drug abuse 255 Separating sex from show business 256 Dealing with alcohol and drug addiction 257 Curbing excessive spending 257 Avoiding criminal activities 258 Handling emotional and psychological problems 258 Chapter 19: Working to Pay Your Bills until You Hit It Big 259 Considering What Kind of Employment You Want 260 Getting temporary work 261 Getting full or part-time work 263 Considering supplemental work 263 Working for Yourself 263 Getting a Job That Pays You to Be Entertaining 264 Teaching traffic school 265 Performing on the street 265 Amusing patrons at an amusement park 266 Entertaining the kiddies 266 Catering to the public or the acting crowd 267 Working in a film or television studio 267 Reading scripts for payment 267 Winning big on a game show 268 Doing a song and dance in a casino 269 Performing on a cruise ship 269 Acting in an interactive play 270 Reading for actors during auditions 271 Getting “extra” time in the studio 271 Chapter 20: Managing Your Finances 273 Handling Your Money 273 Saving it! 274 Dealing with income taxes 275 Digging yourself out of debt 276 Investing your earnings 278 Living Well Without Going Broke 279 Dealing with housing expenses 280 Eating cheaply 280 Buying clothes 281 Deciding When to Quit Your Day Job 281 Part 6: The Part of Tens 283 Chapter 21: Ten Myths Debunked about Show Business 285 Myth #1: Show Business is Closed to Outsiders 286 Myth #2: It’s Who You Know, Not What You Know 286 Myth #3: Only the Young and the Beautiful Get Work 287 Myth #4: You Have to Move to L.A., Vancouver, or New York to Succeed 287 Myth #5: Plastic Surgery and Body Implants Get You Work 288 Myth #6: You Have to Sacrifice Your Principles 289 Myth #7: You Can Break into Show Business by Taking Off Your Clothes 289 The myth of posing nude 290 The myth of sleeping with someone famous or powerful 290 The myth of appearing in adult movies 290 Myth #8: You Can Be Discovered and Made into a Star 291 Myth #9: The Right Agent, Manager, Coach Can Get You Work 291 Myth #10: Show Business Will Destroy You 291 Chapter 22: Ten Traits of Successful Actors 293 Respecting Other People’s Time 294 Planning Ahead 294 Being Flexible and Adaptable 295 Being Professional 296 How a professional actor behaves 296 Acting professionally with your agent 297 Acting professionally with casting directors 297 Acting professionally on the set 298 Being Yourself 299 Being Well-Groomed 299 Being Persistent 300 Avoiding Mind-Altering Substances 301 Being Willing to Improve Yourself 301 Believing in Yourself 302 Chapter 23: Ten Tips for Improving As an Actor 303 Mastering the Art of Auditioning 303 Knowing How to Audition and Act for the Camera 304 Auditioning for the camera 304 Acting for the camera 305 Expecting the Unexpected: Improvising 305 Developing a Sense of Humor 306 Overcoming Stage Fright 307 Understanding Human Psychology 307 Developing Your Voice and Improving Your Body 308 Your voice 308 Your body 308 Maintaining a Reliable Source of Income 309 Avoiding Guaranteed Failure 309 Staying Sharp 310 Chapter 24: Ten Ways to Act Just for the Fun of It 311 Join a Community Theater Group 312 Become a Storyteller 313 Join an Improvisational Group 313 Volunteer at Your Local School Drama Department 314 Put on a Play for a Charity 314 Appear in a Student Film 315 Work as an Extra 315 Volunteer at Your Local Museum 316 Appear on Public Access TV 317 Produce Your Own YouTube Show 317 Index 319