Want to be a famous movie or TV star?
How to become a famous actor
Acting
holds great allure for many people, offering a chance to explore different
aspects of themselves and in a multitude of settings. From the images on our
screens, it may seem glamorous and fun but it’s important to understand that in
order to get opportunities with substance those talented professionals have had
to work hard at their craft. Raw talent or a hint of aptitude is not enough to
“make it” and sustain a career as an actor. Acting classes, personal insight
and development, and a depth of character that includes core values such as
diligence, openness, resilience, ability to take criticism (humility), sensitivity
and vision are traits common to most hugely successful actors.
Skills to cultivate to become a competent actor
Acting requires certain skills: the ability
to feel and visibly express those feelings, to empathize, to understand others
and walk in their shoes, to memorise large tracts of text, to adapt to changing
circumstances and generously accommodate the needs of colleagues during
dialogue. Quick-wittedness and the ability to “think on your feet” is also a
helpful skill. Acting may require linguistic diversity – such as being able to
speak in different accents, or with a voice that can span a range of ages.
A lot of the work of becoming an actor is
done in private, though the support of peers at a good acting school can be
invaluable. It can be a very inward journey. Testing skills and putting them to
work in small productions such as short films and plays is an essential way to
improve your skills and grow in competency.
Understanding scripts and analysing the
writer’s intent is also vital, and this can be helped along by literature
classes, participation in book clubs and advanced reading groups.
Acting classes, are, of course, vital to
skill development and building professional confidence. It is also important to
understand some of the technical aspects of filming for TV and cinema, such as
camera positioning, sound requirements and so forth. Even an exceptionally
talented performer will miss out on further opportunities if they have a
reputation for consistently messing up the shot or sound, thereby being branded
as “hard to work with”. On a big film set this can mean additional costs
incurred and the producer is unlikely to be very happy about that.
Five tips for wanna-be professional actors
If you are serious about taking on acting as
a profession, not just as a fun hobby, then the following five hints will help guide
you to achieve your dream, so that when a big opportunity comes, you are ready
to do it justice.
1. Learn the
craft of acting
Think you are “a natural”? You may be, but
chances are, you are not the exception to the rule. Besides, natural talent
will only get you so far, and you are up against others with similar talents
but possibly a greater professional diligence. If you really want to be a
famous actor then you, like everyone else, will need to become a master of the
craft. To do this, you will need to explore different styles of acting, various
techniques and find the method or methods that work best for you, or for the
script or character you are given next.
The learning never ends – even established
actors continue to explore new techniques and expose themselves to new ways of
learning and developing characters.
2. Understand
the sacrifices an acting career requires
If you have ever worked on a film set as a
runner or extra then you will know that the days can be long, and there is lots
of time sitting around being quite bored. Acting is not a nine-to-five job and
sometimes you may need to work through the night, in the pouring rain or
freezing cold, or wake up before dawn to be on set for sunrise. Before you get
on set, there’s a load of work that has already been done – learning scripts,
attending wardrobe fittings, meetings with the cast and directors and so forth.
Once shooting begins it can be two, three,
four months before you get to go home. While you are at home, you may also be
quite annoying to be around, as you try to learn lines or explore new ways of
being to help you understand a new character. Oh, and the pay is terrible to
begin with and very uncertain. You may not know when your next pay cheque will
arrive.
In short, being a working actor can be tough
on relationships, friendships and your bank balance. It takes a certain level
of commitment to choose the craft over loved ones, or to put some aspects of
your life on hold while you work towards your acting dream.
3. The good
guy wins
Acting is a long haul game.
In fact, all aspects of film and TV production are long haul games. What that
means is everyone involved in creating the finished story has had to be
extremely good, hard-working, professional and diligent for a prolonged period
of time whether that be in sound, lighting, production, directing, camera
operation or acting.
If you want to have a
successful career as an as actor you have to take a longer view, and approach
each new person you meet as a new relationship to nurture (or at least not
sabotage) over the coming years. Be nice to people! The gaffer you meet on your
first show might end up being the cinematographer on a major film you are
desperate to be part of in 15 years’ time. Don’t annoy them today: you might
want their help in years to come.
Rude people and prima
donnas don’t get called back to work on the next ad or short film, and that
means there may not BE a next short film, ad, or TV show for you.
4. Give
yourself up
Being an actor does not
mean “putting it on”, or “pretending” to be someone else: a good actor BECOMES
the character with authenticity. You are not trying to “trick” people, or
convince the viewer that you are that character. The line between the character
and you dissolves. For that magic to occur you need a thorough understanding of
who you are in the first place, so you can recognise when “you” might be
interfering with an accurate expression of the character you are portraying.
You can call it ego, or id,
or any number of things. The ability to give yourself up, or let yourself go,
is the mark of a truly brave and capable actor. “You” might never raise your
voice to a child, swing your hips when you walk, or think murderous thoughts.
The character you are playing, however, may do all of those things and more.
You need to be able to remove your normal filters, and put yourself aside to
allow the other to come to light.
It takes courage,
self-awareness, and sensitivity. That’s why acting classes can be so powerful:
it’s in class that you learn tools and tricks to help wind back the filters and
explore unfamiliar territory within your own soul, safely.
5. Be
accessible to the right people: casting directors, agents, filmmakers
What does that mean? It
means that if most of the castings for the big TV and film jobs are in Sydney, Melbourne,
LA, Montreal, New York, Mumbai, etc, then you need to be able to get along to
them. If you don’t put yourself in the right place, then the work is very
unlikely to come to you. Sure, from time to time major movies are filmed in
smaller locations, and there can be some local casting calls, but chances are
the leads have already been set and it’ll just be extras or secondary
characters they are looking for. Want a lead role? Put yourself in the path of
a good opportunity by basing yourself in the right place. Don’t wait for some
imagined talent scout to hunt you down. It won’t happen.
Becoming a famous actor
will not happen overnight. In fact, it may never happen. You can do the work,
master your craft, and still find that recognition eludes you. After years of
patient, diligent, quality work and commitment, success may slip through your
fingers. If acting is a true calling, however, none of that will matter. You
will have created a fascinating journey for yourself and be satisfied with the inner
growth that has occurred as a result of your commitment. You’ll have found ways
of earning a living that cover your rent and food costs that possibly sit
outside of the theatrical world, and will be reasonably content.
One thing is certain,
though, if you never try then you will never know whether life as a famous
actor was possible for you.
Screenwise
is not only leading the Sydney Acting Schools in both performance and program
content, it is, and will continue to be at the forefront of acting education
nationally and internationally offering the very best the industry has to offer.
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