If you are thinking about starting a career as a professional actor, you will certainly need to read this article first. These are starting points that will hopefully get you thinking about why you want to be an actor and whether it will really be the career for you.

So You Want To Be An Actor

If you’re thinking of acting as a profession there are some important elements of the business we think you need to know first.

  • Entry into the profession is extremely difficult.
  • There is no one way or formula to becoming ‘successful’. Success is not measured by level of fame but by self satisfaction at level of work.
  • There will never be any secure jobs as work is not regular. Theatre work is poorly paid and there is very little film and TV work.
  • There is more work for men than woman – the ratio of female to male students training in acting is 3:1!
  • This is a seriously overcrowded profession, with a huge amount of competition. Spotlight, the leading UK casting directory of actors, lists over 30,000 people. This figure does not include the number of actors in training or actors registered on other casting websites.
  • As well as being talented you do need to be good with networking with professionals. Being in the right place at the right time and having good contacts is important and will have a factor on how much work you get.

If you do not like the idea any of the above, then acting as a career is not for you. If you don’t like the idea of having a hard time of paying the rent, rehearsing long hours, constantly training, having to look after your health, having little control over a finished project and not being famous, then acting is not for you.

But;

If you absolutely love performing on stage, enjoy working with and meeting new people, are well disciplined, determined, enthusiastic about your craft, have the stamina to perform every day, have the dedication to stick with what you love, then the rewards will come to you.

“One must never go into the business lightly; one should embark upon a career in acting as seriously as though you were embarking upon becoming a doctor – the road is that long and that hard.”

Los Angeles based casting director Taylor points out that to have a professional career as an actor you need an overwhelming, intense desire to act – anything less is not enough. We love what Taylor has to say so make sure you visit her YouTube video ‘How Bad Do You Want It?’ for some good advice from an industry professional.

The Competition

It’s important to know that acting is one of the toughest professions in terms of competition. The industry is incredibly overcrowded. There are thousands of actors in the industry with a small percentage of actors actually getting work. The actors we see on television and in films is reportedly a mere 1% of the acting profession. The same 100 or so actors who are well known are repeatedly getting the work because they are established.

So if  you have to be aware that you will be unemployed the majority of your career. It’s likely that for every ten jobs you’ll have an audition for, you might book only one. You will face rejection and criticism everyday, which can be very hard on the self-esteem. Get grounded and start to think realistically about how many jobs you may actually book now – this will help you prepare for the feelings of rejection.

Acting Does Not Equal Fame

It is foolish to choose want to be an actor so you can be famous. Any goal to achieve only the glitz and glamour of the media is shallow – the true goal of a passionate actor is to be a great performer. Fame is a byproduct of that for a very, very small amount of actors. As you will understand from reading the above, acting professionally does not make you rich and does not make you famous. The media bombards us with images of bright lights, red carpet events and a beautiful, popular life. The reality for all actors is far from this and any wannabes going into the profession expecting this life are in for a shock!

If you want to be an overnight star, acting is not the right choice – instead submit for reality TV. Acting is a lifelong career where you will need to train hard to beat the competition and even take up extra jobs to pay the rent when no auditions have come through. It is no easy ride.

Make Acting Your Goal

With all the images of beautiful, famous actors in the media, it is easy to starting dreaming of achieving a life like theirs. Dreamers, we believe however, can get stuck dreaming. Avoid dreaming about your goals, take action to achieve them! ‘Do-ers’ can be separated from dreamers because their actions physically take them closer to achieving their goals.

“It’s not a dream you have to become an actor, you’re beyond dreams now. Dreams are intangible and cannot be touched, therefore they cannot be achieved. So, stop thinking of it as a dream, and see it as your target, your goal in the near future.” Mark Westbook – Acting Blog

This is why in order to survive the acting profession, you need to be willing to take action. Research everything you will need to know, find the books you need to read, gather the tools you will need to survive. This is why it is essential you are enthusiastic, passionate and dedicated to acting – if you are not you will get knocked easily.

The only reason to chase a career in acting is if you’re passionate, wholly committed as well as completely and utterly certain that acting and performance will be the only career that will make you happy!