Advice for getting started - Actor Video Transcripts
Video 1 Transcript
Hello, I'm Kamri Fox. I am a Utah-based actress and I work in film, theater, TV, and then my family also has a YouTube channel called Working With Lemons. So I spend all my days doing acting stuff. Tips for getting started. If you're wanting to get into theater, I suggest if you can get into a class at school, that's great. Finding auditions for community plays. If you're interested in film, Facebook can be a great place to find audition resources. In either area, if you can find some sort of class to just get your foot in the door and start getting familiar with these different industries, that can be really, really helpful.
Video 2 Transcript
I'm Sunshine and I just want to give you a little bit of advice and some experience that I've had with getting started acting and that is making sure that you have good headshots. So good lighting, you want a good backdrop in your in your headshots and trying to develop a good reel. If you can't have a reel yet because maybe you haven't been on set and had the projects, you want to make sure that you record with again a good backdrop, good lighting, good sound with no other sounds in the background, a good monologue. You can also continue to develop your craft which means going to cold read classes, improv classes and just continuing to network and submit, submit, submit to those projects and have fun doing it.
Video 3 Transcript
I've gotten this question a lot and I think the best response I've ever been able to give and also receive from others when I was first starting was if you want to get into acting, get started in acting, start doing theater. In theater you'll learn the craft of building characters and collaboration and then as well as doing theater, jump into improv. Improv will teach you so much about being in the moment, being present, being receptive to whatever another actor, the information they give you and then responding naturally and organically. So theater and improv, that's where you should get started.
Video 4 Transcript
Okay, my advice would be do not do it. Seriously, I'm not joking. That's my advice. Don't do it. It's too crazy. It's too insane. If there's anything else in life you can do, I mean, you might have this burning passion or you think you do, you probably don't know what it's like to be an actor. And that's not the topic for another day. But but if you have anything else you can do, even if you really want to be an actor, let's say you also want to be a lawyer, you also want to be a doctor, you also want to be a teacher, whatever, go do it. Yeah, you'll have a much better life doing that, I promise. But if you can't do anything else, you don't want to do anything else and you want to be an actor, advice for getting started, get really good, just be a fabulous actor. And then you've got a shot, a minor, infinitesimal, small shot, but you've got a shot.
Video 5 Transcript
For starting out in the industry, I would definitely recommend taking as many classes as you possibly can. Definitely improv, but there's also tons of stuff you can study, like you can do on-camera classes, Meisner, Alexander technique, you can do clowning, basically any type of class that helps you exercise that muscle will make you a better actor no matter what kind of actor you want to be. And then it also helps you make friends, and other people that are making things and creating as well. And you can start making projects together and taking part in the things that they're creating, because being an actor is so much about community and finding the people that you really like to work with.
Video 6 Transcript
My name is Khalees Gibby. I am of course a younger actor and so I would say that the most valuable thing is really just throwing yourself into it and putting yourself out there because of course it's going to be scary and you might not even know where to like look for places to start but I think you just have to audition for that show or volunteer somewhere or look at your high school or college programs or look at maybe even like designing things like just everywhere that I have been there really is just so much room for you to be able to volunteer or audition and just throw yourself in and while it's a little bit scary you get used to it and I think like that's really just the best way to get started.
Video 7 Transcript
The day of waiting for the gig and getting the part is over. Don't... yes, try to audition, try to get the part, that's great, but you can just make your own movies, and you might be like, ah, roll your eyes at that, but you really need to. You're going to learn so much more if you start learning how to edit, if you learn how to direct other people, human beings in the same room, to get to a unified vision at the end. You're going to realize how much harder that is than you might anticipate, or how enjoyable it is, or all of the other elements of that. Learn to do everything, is my suggestion, because then, as an actor, you're going to be so much better. You're at least not going to do the things. You'll learn which things you could do as an actor will hinder the other processes on the set and make people dislike you, and you'll learn how to help them and help the movie get made, and that's going to help you get hired.
Video 8 Transcript
Hi, my name is Jason Wade. I've worked in the Los Angeles market, New York City markets. I have worked in the Colorado and Utah market. I love them all. There's plenty of work out there. But for you, you honestly have everything you need in your pocket. Pull out your phone. They all shoot on 4k at this point. There is nothing that's going to hold you back. Grab some friends together, put something together, be goofs, make something up, write something goofy and get out there and shoot it and see what happens. I started in theater, so I highly recommend starting in community theater. It's a great way to get into some meaty roles in a very small, not so competitive market and hone in your craft, hone in those skills and then find classes and instructors that you absolutely trust, really trust. Be careful with that. There's a lot of people out there that don't really know what they're talking about. But yeah, you got everything you need. Pull out your phone and get going.
Video 9 Transcript
My name is Travis Norman. I am a Utah-based actor. I also play Santa Claus. And the only way to get started, I think, is just to jump out there, start getting acting jobs. There's a lot of ways to do that. You know, there's utahactors.com. There's places on Facebook you can go to. If you want, find an agent and they can get you jobs. Just community theater, plays, stuff like that. Just get out there, get yourself seen, and you'll get noticed. I've been in eight, nine movies now and I'm just having fun doing it. Thanks.
Video 10 Transcript
Well, you need to start acting. That's basically the advice for getting started. Get into plays, those are the easiest things to get into. Community, college, elementary school, semi-pro, you know, church and family, whatever. Just get acting. If you're already acting and you already are an actor, then the next step is going to be getting an agent, and that's gonna come through networking and the people you know. Or you can look it up, Google it, you know, talent agent in your area, and reach out to them. And quite often they take unsolicited submissions. Many of them will accept at any time a submission. So I'd at least call them and ask if they're accepting new clients. And that's probably the best way to get started. Just start doing it.
Video 11 Transcript
The best advice I can give you for getting started is to get an acting class. Find an acting class in your area and get into it and get started. You're going to meet people, you're going to find good connections, you're going to open your eyes to what you're capable of doing and what you're not as well. So, great place to network and get started there.
Video 12 Transcript
This industry, like any industry, is not just about who you know, but it's about who knows you. People want to work with people that they like and that they know, so how can you get involved in your community? How can you start going to acting classes, going to networking events, and start getting to know the people that are also working in your same field? I would go on Facebook and search, you know, blank your city or state film community or casting calls for blank or whatever. Just start in getting yourself involved in those places, submitting to things, networking, and at some point you're going to want to get headshots so that you have a professional looking image of yourself that you can use to submit to things. I would recommend taking classes and start getting trained on your skills so that you have something to offer as an actor, and then eventually you're going to want demo reel footage too. If you don't have footage of you acting that's professional yet, start putting yourself on camera with a self-tape. Pick a scene that works really well for you, film it as a self-tape, and use that as a reference until you start getting real demo reel footage. You got this.
Video 13 Transcript
My name is Lincoln Hope. I'm a professional actor in Los Angeles. That's how you spell my name. You can follow me on Instagram and that's where I have links to everything on there and then there's my website address. So, tips on getting started as an actor. Well, the first thing that I usually tell people is to not move to Los Angeles or New York. Stay right where you are because there are a lot of great opportunities in local markets and you can become a big fish in a small pond. I started with doing background extra work as well as where I really got my education was doing student films. Lots and lots of student films. Got a lot of experience doing that and the other big thing is train. Find a great teacher and learn your craft. Nothing will replace good acting. It looks simple but it's hard to make it look good on camera.
Video 14 Transcript
All right, guys, my advice for getting started in acting, uh, it might seem pretty obvious, but, uh, it's just, just take every opportunity you can to act. The only way to get better and to get noticed is to get yourself out there. So take advantage of every opportunity to be an extra. You're probably not going to land your, you know, dream part. Uh, your first time it takes, uh, you know, you have to kind of build a resume. So the more you can get on camera and screen time, the more opportunities you're going to get also learn the other aspects of, of, of film, not just acting, uh, being a producer's assistant or, or working even in craft services. Um, there's a lot of opportunities for work and to just be around the environment will help you, uh, get some really cool opportunities. So yeah, just put yourself out there and, uh, amazing things will happen.
Video 15 Transcript
My advice for getting started is to get on Facebook, look up your local filmmaking and acting groups, and find some acting classes. Ask around, see what's good, and network with all the people in that class and start making stuff with them. That's the best way to get started in my opinion.
