By Eve Pynoei
Is the world your stage?
The life of an actor involves long periods of unemployment, intense competition for roles, and frequent rejections in auditions. They need formal training through a university though some of them do get roles on the basis of their experience and talent alone. They have to hold other jobs to supplement their erratic incomes.
Actors strive to deliver flawless performances. Their job is to express ideas and create images in theater, film, radio, television, and other performing arts media. They should be physically fit and have the necessary stamina and coordination to move about theater stages and large movie and television studio lots. Actors need talent, creative ability, and training that will enable them to portray different characters. Experience in horseback riding, fencing, or stage combat are add-ons that can get them early recognition amidst fierce competition.
Acting as a career is for those who love it passionately. If you're passionate about acting then it is certainly worth the time and effort and any sacrifice you make for it seems worthwhile. You will perhaps have to take a part-time job to pay your bills while you pursue your acting career or work evening hours to leave the daytime hours free for acting auditions and classes to further your acting training. During these taxing times it's only your passion that can keep you going and striving to improve your acting skills.
Nothing short of such dogged perseverance will do for making an acting career a success. It is not a smooth career, even for the best actors and actresses. You have to learn to take the punches. You have to learn to handle rejection. And at the same time, you have to go on trying and not accept no for an answer.
Many professional actors rely on agents or managers to find work, negotiate contracts, and plan their careers. Others rely solely on attending open auditions for parts. Trade publications list the times, dates, and locations of these auditions. If you are thinking of becoming a professional actor, you should start getting practical experience to build an acting resume and get involved in lots of local community, school and church plays. Go to as many auditions as you can. If you don't get a part in a play, then volunteer to help on the stage, costume, set design or lighting crews to gain experience in how the performing business works.
But if you truly love acting and you can take the ups and downs that go along with an acting career in your stride, then you should put in your best to make a success of it. Get the training in a college and study drama or get a private acting coach. In the end, the rewards that come from an acting career are worth the struggle, provided you're made of the right stuff.
[Eve Pynoei is the administrator of AA Acting which is a valuable resource for up and coming actors and actresses. For more information go to: www.aacting.com.]
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