I need an acting carrer!

HeyI'm 13 and I know there is a LOT of teens out there that want to act is much as me, but all of us cant act, so i think whoever is really intrested in acting like me should be the ones to succed. If anyone can help us get satrted then PLEASE do. And im not sure if i have to pay to act ina film, but i hope not. I'm sure that most of us dont have a lot of money. If i did recive enough money i would by my family a new house!

Omi - you need serious help learning this stuff.

You should NEVER pay to act in a film, or pay to act in anything, unless it is a profit-share or co-op venture and the terms of work/pay/failure/debt/etc. are clearly set out and agreed to.

I don't think a 13 year old will ever earn enough money to buy a new house, not unless they're the Olsen twins.

[%sig%]

Your going the wrong way about this mate!
Get an agent or go to Auditions
Asking for a part in a film on a site will get you nowhere.
Good luck with the agent hunt.
x

hey, we all wanna act, or even sing, i am more into the acting way, anyways, i am 16, and i can not find anywhere for an acting job, if any famous superstar, or even an actor sees this, please help us!
Na wrote:

You should NEVER pay to act in a film, or pay to act in
anything, unless it is a profit-share or co-op venture and
the terms of work/pay/failure/debt/etc. are clearly set out
and agreed to.

No superstar is going to read this page, trust me.

If you want an acting role, then try getting an agent (boy, I've written this a few times already), go to some classes, meet a lot of people, go to shows (actors generally hang out afterwards), and subscribe to sites like QuietOnSet and Arts Hub. You can also get my ezine, The Prompt Copy, which is for free and has only paid work in it.

I am only trying to point out that there are a lot of mistakes you can make out there, and many of them can lead to you wasting your time and your money, by being involved in shoddy people and/or productions (and there are a lot of people out there who are shoddy). You shouldn't go into these things, wanting to do it professionally, and not consider important stuff like: who pays for the show, whether you have insurance in case of accidents, etc. I am a professional theatre worker, and even in the professional world, many people do not discuss these things.

If you really want to do it, then go out and do it, but don't post your resume here... Theatre is not in your computer.

[%sig%]

I was your age a few years ago and I was doing the same desperate search of trying to get into a film, TV show, etc.

*The best thing to do at first, is to join a DRAMA GROUP(classes/community plays, etc that you can attend during the weekend or something. Drama in school also helps)
Not only will you pick up experience and improve your self confidence / performance skills, you can also develop a portfolio/resume, which you can show to directors and producers later for when you are auditioning

*After a while of attending acting classes/courses, and you are more confident etc, go for an audition. All the time, there are tafe/university students looking for actors for there short films, there are directors of community plays looking for performers, Get in contact with them. A good place to find auditions are on the net, such as the web page outlined below:
http://theatre.asn.au/whatsonnewsletter.php3

Most of these auditions can get you into volunteer acting parts in short films / plays etc. This gets you relevent experience. From there, see if you can join an agency for proffessional work etc.

Not all actors with proffesional careers take this way, but this these are the steps that I have independantly been taking and it is working well so far. Remember to always be dedicated. My parents didn't support the idea of me being an actor but I knew acting is what I like. I have been doing well at it and now they actually support it. Money was also a problem for getting into courses/classes etc. If your dedicated enough, try to get a job to help you out. Even proffessional actors often have other jobs to support themselves. Remember to NEVER GIVE UP and ACT for the PASSION (if you like it) - not just for money and fame.


So, you have read my life story on how I'm going to get into my acting career, Hope this helps !

s2.

Actually kids, the BEST thing you can do for yourself is make sure you don't miss out on your childhood! By all means, continue to cultivate your love for acting by joining a class, learning new skills, etc. But a good actor must have well-rounded experiences of real life to draw from. Don't deprive yourself of a normal childhood by becoming obsessed with the theatre / camera, or by spending all your time preparing for auditions / building folios. Balance your life - play sports, work hard at school, have fun with your friends, spend time with your family, read wonderful books, have hobbies other than acting. If at 12-14 years of age you spend too much time and energy on folios / auditions / classes, and exclude other areas of your life, you will be depriving yourself of the most important and enriching resource for any actor, young or old - life experience.

It's probably worth pointing out that QuietOnSet and Arts Hub both require paid-up subscription for their sites to be of any use.

Don't really need them.

Actually, most people do get paid work through subscribing to them...
But you can always find freebies, like my ezine.

[%sig%]

On my third issue of your ezine Na.

Although I'm in WA and there is never a lot of work about! I get by...I like your format and the articles are mostly well written and even mostly about "youth" (And Im a crusty old geezer)


Ive sent the details to my 16 yr old studying and working stepson actor in Sydney. How does he get work? hes got an agent, he goes to drama school of excellence, he tries, practises and never ever gives up. He did over 200 auditions before his first professional job here in WA at age 9. And he hasnt looked back. Why's he in Sydney?, thats where the work is.

And no Im the last one to be a "theatre/TV" parent. He did it and does it because it is his driving desire. He is better, more ablle and more flexible than I. I just earn more money...at the moment.

So any kids reading this..thats what you need. Commitment guts and talent. Having your 8 year old crying his eyes out after his 100th or so rejection, man. I didnt want to go with him to any more auditions. I said to him, no way dude, but he persevered. Next call he's dragging me to the car. I made him make all his own appointments after that. He did.

I reckon your doing a great job Na. Keep it up.

Alan
www.australianplays.com.au

Thou artless beef-witted flap-dragon!

Na, you're full of it. u like to say how crap and beneath you amateur theatre is all the time, then why are u always here, telling people to go look at your lame website? and why is that the only theatre event on your events page an amateur one? isnt that below your standards?

Thanks Alan!

It's always great to hear some feedback, and despite my ever-growing sense that it's all getting out of hand, I can happily relax knowing that I'm helping others...

I've got heaps more plans up my sleeve to help those artists out there... I just wish I had the money and time to do it all!

It's funny when I bump into a friend, or someone I know who's signed up, and they've gone - "Wow, thanks for all that info, I auditioned for this, or I tried out for that, or I applied for..." - and then I realise that I'm doing something that does help, even though I rarely get feedback on it.

... You're so right about commitment. There are plenty of things that all of us could do everyday, but the things that we actually do is because we are committed. You can't just sit on your ass, and say, "well, one day it'll happen", especially in this industry.

You want to be in a show - be committed to taking classes, doing shows, getting to know your local companies, and current issues. You want to get your play produced - find out about competitions, do a course, relearn grammar and spelling, read other plays. You want to make your own show - then you learn about the costs, the requirements of the show.

You do the work, and it works for you...

[%sig%]

First of all, I don't believe amateur theatre is below me. I simply believe it is a different environment and community than professional theatre.

Secondly, the event on my page was listed by request from one of my subscribers - I happen to like my subscribers, and want to help them in any way I can. I will happily promote their shows - but I do not place amateur auditions/job ads into my zine, for the pure reason that it does not help my subscribers get paid, long-term work in theatre.

And why am I here? Because sadly enough, this site is one of the very few places online for Aussie theatre people to chat about theatre issues. I like to read up on the latest events, and not visiting this site would make me very ignorant of the theatre industry as a whole. To produce a zine, or to work in any industry, you must be able to understand its needs, wants, people, and culture. Hard to do, when you don't read other sites.

This is also a perfect place to advertise the zine, as most people involved in theatre know this site much better than others, and regularly post here. - This is pure marketing I know, but I have been posting on this site much longer than I have been running the zine.

Finally - I like stirring things up. If you don't like me fine. But I still managed to get you to visit my site and check my publication out. Most wouldn't even bother...

... Some of my fondest memories of theatre is in amateur. I remember learning with Camberwell Theatre Company, and doing a short stint for Hartwell. But the best performances for me are co-ops with friends...

[%sig%]

Sorry, I also wanted to mention...

I check this site regularly as well because there is usually good information here on classes, auditions, jobs, or current issues, which I can put my zine. This helps the readers to be more informed, and in turn, makes them get more work.

[%sig%]

Na wrote:
> Finally - I like stirring things up.

Let us know when you start.

Actually, I kind of did start. Because of that little posting, I had about 20 people sign up for my ezine.

[%sig%]

Hi Na

Well if you are going to be promoting your ezine here, may I suggest that you make sure your information is correct.

You currently have the stirling theatre's production of Narnia playing right through December and including Christmas Day. I think you need to check your dates for accuracy.

Always a good idea to make sure your information is accurate before publishing it.

Q

and dont plaster your email addreas all over publicly viewable forums

You are rude! Dang you seem like you are the wiked witch of the west. I was saying if i did have enoght money(not from acting) i would by my family a new house. And yes i know you dont pay to be in a movie but you do pay for acting classes,DUHH!!!!!!

dylan horttor wrote:
>
> You are rude! Dang you seem like you are the wiked witch of
> the west. I was saying if i did have enoght money(not from
> acting) i would by my family a new house. And yes i know you
> dont pay to be in a movie but you do pay for acting
> classes,DUHH!!!!!!


Mate, read your own messages. And be careful of what you post here, because you can't go back and erase things you've already said. Trying to justify it now by back-tracking and contradicting what you'd said only makes you seem a bit dense. Duh.


I can't work out from your topic heading whether you need a carer, a carrier, or a career. I assume you'd like a career...well, people don't just give those out! A career is something you make of yourself, it's not something you can ask others for.

It's also something you look back on, seeing your achievements and what you've done in your life...that's your career. You can hope to have a career, and make plans to start out on a career path....but you'll never actually have one until you can look back on your achievements...that's the definition.


Start working on yourself. You're still young. Get out and achieve something. Hopefully by the time you're my age you too can look back on a long and distinguished career.

Cheers,
Craig

[%sig%]

Hey man take an easy on the boy. That Na person seemed like she was puttind down his dreams. i would have been upset too.

Hey man take an easy on the boy. That Na person seemed like she was puttind down his dreams. i would have been upset too.

Hey take an easy on the boy. That (Na) person was being a little rude. To me it sounded like it was putting down the boys dream. I would be mad too.

Richard Hubb wrote:
>
> Hey take an easy on the boy. That (Na) person was being a
> little rude. To me it sounded like it was putting down the
> boys dream. I would be mad too.


Rich (all three of you), I'm glad you care so much to post so many times (under the same ISP address as Dylan...coincidence?)....but you've got no justified reason to be mad...in fact you've got it completely wrong.

Na was perfectly polite in answering Dylan's post. He sounded like he urgently needed information (i.e. he indicated he thought you might have to pay to be in a film) and Na was simply urgent in her response. He was wrong, and she gave him good information to correct him. Nothing rude about that. I don't see it as putting down a boy's dream, because the dream was rather confused. What she was doing was clarifying what to do to pursue a dream, and I considered it rather helpful.

On the other hand, Dylan was EXTREMELY rude in responding to her help. He tried to make her sound stupid by attempting to rephrase what he'd said. He was terse and arrogant, and I think not at all grateful for the help he'd been offered.


Therefore, you might consider that MY response was a little rude. That's because it WAS. Because I happen to think that it doesn't help anyone to pursue a dream if you suffer fools gladly. If you want to succeed in this industry, you need to be a bit more thick-skinned, and you also need to recognize good advice when it's offered to you.
There are people here who constantly offer excellent advise, and visitors would do well to read the previous posts before asking inane questions & disrespecting the sensible answers.


Cheers,
Craig

[%sig%]

Thanks Craig for sticking up for me.

You know, I'd forgotten this post even existed.

Half the reason I post on this site is because there is an obvious need to help those who don't have that much experience. I've been lucky enough to have some great experiences, and I think it would be unfair not to share the information that exists out there.

I DO NOT ACTIVELY PUT DOWN ANYONE'S DREAMS. If you knew me better, you would know that I spend about 80% of my time helping others obtain professional, paid work in our industry. There is no point trying to get a career in this industry if you are uninformed or naive; and I can (and will) provide that information to those who are willing to take it.

I may not know everything about the industry, but I do know this - there is a difference between dreaming things and making them come true. I have made a few of my dreams come true; I hope to pass on that knowledge to others.

crgwllms wrote:
> If you want to succeed in this industry, you need to
> be a bit more thick-skinned, and you also need to recognize
> good advice when it's offered to you.
> There are people here who constantly offer excellent advise,
> and visitors would do well to read the previous posts before
> asking inane questions & disrespecting the sensible answers.

I agree with Craig. This is a great forum, and for those who use it well, it can provide you with so many answers, you could very well be able to get your dream to come true. There will be many people who will offer advice - whether it is good or bad - but it is up to you whether you take it well, badly, or not at all.

[%sig%]

I want to thank you for posting that about your stepson - all his auditions, his age, his insatiable desire to perform... and what he went through so far on his way to 'success'... my daughter has just turned 9 - we've been on this roller coaster since she was 6 - she couldn't even get parts until this year and even then, learning she was 8 and then 9, people weren't sure but gave her the benefit of the doubt - which was lucky for her because she landed herself parts then - but up until this year, the only way she could perform was enter talent quests and eisteddfods (which she wins or comes 2nd) but its not the same as doing a stage performance, a play or something, is it :) Anyway, I showed her your post about your stepson and I could see in her eyes that it helped in some way - she is as determined as ever but she seems to be aware that landing roles isn't an instant or a guarantee... especially at her age and given the fact we live in Mandurah - which is not a bad thing because not having the same opportunities as the city kids, she is forced to have "a life" and be a kid... which is important - if we lived in Perth, I fear she'd be like your stepson - I'd spend every day sitting and waiting during her auditions! And like you, I'm not a stage parent - I insist she does other things and I have tried to interest her in other paths but the funny thing is ever since she could walk and talk she has always said when she grows up she's going to perform for people! Heck, maybe she knows something I don't :) But thanks for your post - it is so timely... my daughter is going to try out for an audition coming up that I'm told kids are welcome to, and they give them a pretend type audition, but they never give roles to kids under about 10 years - other parents have told me this many times too... but this time I did the unthinkable and have everything crossed, fingers, toes, eyes!, that I haven't harmed her chances - IF she ever had a chance... you see, the stupid thing I did was to enquire about an audition pack for her (she wanted it) and in conversation standing there, I was asked her age, which I gave, and got the usual reaction! So I explained she'd already had a speaking/singing role in The King and I and part of the chorus, singing and dancing, in Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat - in addition to some very small school stuff, and then I got the spiel about the long hours and late nights... so I mentioned she is a night owl and late nights are the norm for her - other kids go to sleep but she's just coming into full gear around midnight! I still got "that" look. Then I found out my daughters class at school is having their first holy communion the same day as the audition! She's not a catholic but she is expected to be part of it - it's a big deal for the catholics! The catholics among you will certainly understand this and no doubt be mortified by the mere suggestion that my daughter would even think of missing this... so here's the awful thing I did... do you think I've hurt her chances doing this? I emailed the person in charge of the auditions and explained and asked if she could register at 11 am instead of 9 am because of this church thing... this person is away and hasn't read this yet but someone else did and told me that the answer would probably be no and if my daughter was serious she'd have to show her dedication by being there at 9 am. So I left the choice to her and she's going for the audition... I then sent a second email to the audition person to tell them to ignore my first email, no longer required an answer because she had decided to risk the wrath of her school by going to the audition instead that Sunday morning - and I hoped this would prove HER dedication and that she would be given a fair audition in return, given that she is only 9 yrs. So - what do you think? The reason I felt the urge to do this is my daughter is like alan's stepson... and the first time she auditioned for this particular place, whose name I won't mention, she was about 7 I think... and she was lined up in 2 rows of young kids and they were all made to sing together - nothing individual - AND she had a tall boy standing in front of her so she wasn't even seen, let alone heard! Then they were told thank you, you can go now. My husband was there to collect her and he heard one of the male organizers say to the other, "Well, that's over, now we can get on with the real auditions!" To say my daughter was devastated is putting it mildly. She wanted with every fibre of her young being to be in that particular production - even if she was just a singing curtain for heaven's sake! :) She had rehearsed weeks in advance, even asking a drama teacher at school to help her in her lunch breaks - she was just 7 but took this as seriously as any professional adult. She was early at the auditions, she did everything right - she was sooooooo keen. To end up singing in second row, behind a tall boy, and not be seen or heard - well, you can imagine... So now you know WHY I'd want her to have a fair audition with these people this time - if she is going to miss what is the most important event in the Grade 4 schedule this year to do this audition, knowing what I know from last time, I certainly don't want her to waste her time for nothing. Whether she gets a place or not is neither here nor there - getting a fair audition IS what matters this time round. My emails were not rude or aggressive - they were just informational. I figured if they are going to be concerned about her age, 9 yrs, and her 'dedication' and wonder if she'd be a risk and therefore not take her seriously and give her a "Clayton's audition", I figured if they knew what she was giving up to attend, they would at least give her a fair go - especially as she has been in 2 productions already this year and proven she is old enough and capable enough... I just didn't want her rocking up again at 9 am - then we wait heaven only knows how many hours, then she is called with other youngsters, lined up in rows and no real audition given - just humouring the young ones... know what I mean? what do you think? Huge no-no? Sensible? Hard to tell? I don't intend doing it again - it's just this particular company - because of past experience - and the fact she is foregoing something taken very seriously in the Catholic school calendar in order to have an audition with them again... shouldn't they know? This means so much to my daughter - I wish I hadn't sent any emails... but then part of me realizes, if the same thing happened as last time because of her age, and she'd sacrificed what she has this particular sunday, for nothing, then I'd be angry and wish I HAD told them... I do realize it is not the done thing... but, under these circumstances, if they did to her again what they did a couple of years ago, I don't believe that is acceptable either... or shouldn't be. But on the other hand - we're just talking about a theatre company in a country town - not the West End in London or Broadway... producers etc. are still people, aren't they? Surely they'd understand why I'd want them to know - and give her a fair go this time? What do you think? Aaagghhh! There are times I wonder why my daughter couldn't be obsessed with golf or something else instead!

I'm going to leave myself free and open to attack here. Just scanning over these posts, and I am amazed to see the level of discussion that came off a 13-year-old wanting to act. I find it so interesting when people attack each other and pick up on inconsistencies all the time on forums. Obviously a lot of nit picking recently went Na's way because she is very involved in this site and openly promotes herself and her work. I don't blame her for doing this, although I do see why her 'help' to young aspiring performers can sometimes be misinterpreted. She has a way of phrashing things that can be blunt and insensitive, and it can come off as arrogant and devisive. But understand that Na is being a realist and generally gives good and informed advice. The great thing about this site is that you can get a variety of advice from a number of people, and yes, there is a lot of professionals on this site, not just amateurs. Of the people I meet in the industry, most are insecure about themselves and their work. Attacking people who are doing their own thing and finding themselves independent work is often easier than admitting to yourself you are too lazy, afriad or misinformed to do the same. Or perhaps you just enjoy a fight. This is an insecure industry because most people feel there is a lot at stake, and there is. Because emotional investment is needed to get along, not just determination, experience and all that jazz. I suppose I'm not making a specific point here as such, more of a reflection. Feel free to call me self serving for that. Cassie Dart Actor-Writer-Director cassie.dart@fixedpoint.com.au

You make some interesting comments; very blunt yourself. With me, the blunter and more honest the better - but I often forget that other people do not appreciate this tack as much as I do. And I'm sure I've said elsewhere on this site - tone of voice can not be assumed or infered from the typed word. That is where most of the trouble starts I believe. (There's no smilie for blushing! But I'd add one here if I could) I hope that I give realistic and informed advice; I am an advocate of the arts and an advocate of helping emerging artists be informed. The Prompt Copy Networking emerging theatre professionals www.thepromptcopy.com Sticky Apple Legs http://stickyapplelegs.artsblogs.com Puppets in Melbourne www.freewebs.com/puppetsinmelbourne

:) The Prompt Copy Networking emerging theatre professionals www.thepromptcopy.com Sticky Apple Legs http://stickyapplelegs.artsblogs.com Puppets in Melbourne www.freewebs.com/puppetsinmelbourne

Wow alot of fighitng from one child who is learning about the industry for the first time. To those out there I'm supporting Na. Na's done alot of good work and offers very good advice in my opinion. Cassie, Craig and Jeff the same. Don't discount what they have said. I agree posting openly on a website like this will get you no where. It has to be physical and active struggle - especially in this industry. I just don't see the point in bickering on this post and picking small silly details to attack people. People are possibly going to attack me also for saying so but be sensible people! if you wish to bicker then be brave and send a PM to who ever is giving you trouble and don't play like 4yr olds fighting over a pink and blue crayon! ~ Tari The Writer is a child forever listening at the keyhole of the adult world.

Thanks for your support Tari! :) The Prompt Copy Networking emerging theatre professionals www.thepromptcopy.com Sticky Apple Legs http://stickyapplelegs.artsblogs.com Puppets in Melbourne www.freewebs.com/puppetsinmelbourne

Here! Here! Cassie Dart Actor-Writer-Director www.fixedpoint.com.au

I have carefully refrained from commenting on these silly children who expect the world to lie down at their feet other than once I think suggesting they don't put e-mails on the site. You were quite correct he or she is a spoiled brat. Life's too short to stuff a mushroom www.tonymoore.id.au

Um... if your serious about acting you should learn something about it!!! You don't pay to be in films... they pay you. Practise, practise, pratise the craft of acting. It is not something everyone can do. There are only a few natural actors and even they have to study and PRACTISE!!!

Maybe try some classes. Then some auditions. It's not all it's crcked up to be - everyone else here is doing something else other than theatre to live! Try it and see if you like it first, you never know - maybe you'll like something else better.