i want to be happy, not famous

I have only just come to this website and already my jaw has hit the floor. I'm sorry, but so many teenagers don't realise how hard this industry is. I'm 16 and I've come to terms that I'll probably be spending my days with an apartment void of furniture eating stale crackers and vegimite. Okay, a little dramatic, but I'm an actor. Actors have the hardest job in that they're a nobody until they get somewhere and become a somebody but nobody will look at them until they're a somebody. So thats when you slowly squeeze up through the ranks.

It really annoys me when people say they want to be an actress and go to hollywood and be famous. But hey, I cant judge, I wanted that too... for about 5 minutes. If you do, well then good luck. Heres what you're going to need:

1. an agent. A good agent. Audition, get on their books and make sure they remember who you are.

2. contacts. If you live in Sydney or Melbourne, you're probably going to have to spend a bit of cash so you get into all the best bars/ get the best training etc to make contacts who will remember you and hopefully in the future you can score work off. If you live in Brisbane especially, you have the harder job. Sydney especially is where you'll find really professional work, but they don't recognise any Brisbane training/ experience etc due to our bad past. So you'll have to start from scratch. Also get contacts with people you work with.

3. Training. If you want to land an agent and land work in film you'll need training. Not just on improving your acting ability but also on learning all you can about film. Shot sizes and how to act in them, where you look, what everyone does on set. Don't be naieve- learn what assistant derectors, lighting technician and boom operator etc do. When you forst start out, these people will be ordering you around.

4. An american accent. If you want to work in america, you'll need this. GET TRAINED in this. You'll be laughed oout of the room when you turn up to a casting with a way dodgy accent. You think you can do an American accent but trust me, you probably cant without the training.

5. An easygoing nature. Most people start out as an extra, not the main star. Don't hassel the director, stay out of Tom Cruises way (be sure not to make eye contact with him) and listen and do everything to the best of your avaliability. You're an extra, they can fire you if they want. People who are easygoing, the director remembers in the future.

6. Luck. With a 98-99% unemployment rate, the chances for you to become famous are slim.