As I have moved through my acting career, two common questions I get asked are:
HOW DOES AN ACTOR ACTUALLY DO THE BUSINESS OF ACTING?
WHAT DOES THE ACTOR NEED TO GET STARTED DOING THE BUSINESS?
Acting is an artistic style of storytelling. Actors creatively express emotion, gestures, speech & expressions through characters in a believable way. That is what actors love to do. But much more happens off camera that builds a career.
Once an actor has received acting training, it’s time to begin thinking about how to book acting jobs.
Think of the acting business like you would any other business. The business operates and runs like most businesses do. The acting business has:
Employees
- The actor
- The agent
- The manager
- The publicist
- The acting coach
- The actor’s mentors
A product to sell
- The actor’s brand
- The actor’s talent
- The actor’s skill set
- The actor’s personality
- The actor’s credits
- The actor’s training
Supplies & Materials
- Microphone – they need to hear you clearly in your self-tape videos
- Smartphone with Camera – convenient for self-taping and uploading away from home
- Video Recorder
- Tripod with smart phone adaptor
- Lighting such as soft box light & ring light
- Laptop Computer or iPad for uploading self- taped videos & video editing
- Make-up, even for the guys
- Hand held steamer – wrinkled clothes are a distraction
- Exercise equipment or gym membership, got to stay in shape
- File folders – keeping track of receipts for expenditures may be tax deductible
- Yellow highlighter for highlighting script lines
- Binder with paper & pen for organizing a to do list
Marketing & Advertising plans
- Professional headshots
- Business cards
- Auditions
- Resume
- Casting sites such as Casting Networks, Actors Access, Casting Frontier, & Backstage
- Video reels
- Audio reels
- Film clips
- Website
- Press kit
- Agent
- Manager
- Social media platforms such as IMDB, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
- Press releases
- Social function networking
- Relationships with industry people
- Showcases
- Interviews
- Posters
- Premieres
- SAG-AFTRA membership
Intangibles
- Be organized
- Have motivation
- Stay determined
- Be confident
- Keep focused
- Create time
- Do your best
- Have self – discipline
- Remain positive
- Be patient
- Make creative choices
- Budget expenses
- Consider getting incorporated
- Itemize short term goals that can be reasonably reached
MOST OF ALL, NEVER GIVE UP!
Stay tuned for my next post. For questions or comments, please submit them on this website
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