Acting means taking upon oneself the role of a character in a work of art, reflecting the nature and traits of the character in a theatre performance or before an imaginary audience. A male who engages in acting as a profession is known as an Actor while a female who does is regarded as an Actress. Acting is professionally regarded as Performing Arts or Theatre Arts in universities, movie schools and even across movie industries.
Acting is a career we all find ourselves in, one way or another, whether as professionals or natural humans. As a kid, I remember acting in a family drama with my friends a couple of times and I either played the role of the ‘father’ or ‘son’. It was quite fun and I could remember every bit of the scenario. How I would play a random role, carry an old abandoned bag in lieu of a briefcase and pass a message to the remaining characters that I was heading to work. They all would believe because we were simply acting, and it was fun all through.
Most students I have come across – who aspire to become Actors and Actresses tend to have discovered their talents at a very early age and they seem more to be passionate about it. Oftentimes, they are more interested in getting featured in movies than in getting paid for the roles they play. The only issue most of them have is not knowing how they can achieve this acting career dream of theirs, even from an early age.
It is very normal when your passion for acting yearns to be expressed. In this article, you will learn how you can grow from that stage of desiring to act to actually acting onscreen. Take your time to follow up on this article, and note that the guidelines are very relevant in all countries. Before we explore the processes and steps you should put to work so as to achieve your dreams of becoming an actor or actress, let us answer some of the frequently asked questions from students about the acting and performing arts career.
Table of Contents
Frequently-Asked Questions by Students on Becoming an Actor or Actress
1. Do I need a formal education to become an Actor or Actress?
No. Anyone can become an actor or actress without a formal education, but a formal education would distinguish you from your colleagues in the movie industry. You may lose well-paying roles to your colleagues simply because you are not educated.
Personally, I would advise you to go on to complete your education while still pursuing your career as an actor.
2. I am a Graduate of a Different Discipline. Can I still go into Acting?
Yes, as a graduate in a different field or discipline, you can still pursue a career in acting. All you need to do is watch out for auditions and attend them. You may be required to showcase your acting prowess before being selected. However, if you are really serious about pursuing acting as a career despite being a graduate in a different field, you should enrol for a short-term course in acting either online or physically, in an accredited institute to get you through the basics of acting.
You should not take movie directors through the stress of explaining everything to you. That might make them lose interest in working with you next time, resulting in limiting your opportunities. So go get schooled on Performing Arts.
3. How much do Actors and Actresses earn from Acting?
Actors and Actresses do not have a fixed income. What they earn is proportional to how much of acting deals they get featured in.
When you launch into acting, you should not expect to start earning a bogus amount immediately. Your first earnings might be peanuts, but you should not be discouraged by that. Instead, continue acting with passion.
As you become more popular in the industry, your worth would increase and so would your income. Within the shortest time, you might be lucky to be nominated as an ambassador for reputable brands. Also, do not despise the little opportunities you get on social media to advertise brands to your fans for a token.
In absolute truth, we can only give an estimate of what actors earn. This would depend on a lot of things including the country, the number of movies they get featured in, production budget, endorsement deals and social media influence.
In developed countries, actors and actresses earn between $30,000 to $200,000 annually while the range falls between $500 to $35,000 in developing nations.
4. I am a Minor (under 18 years old). Can I Start Acting right away?
Yes, but you will require parental guidance until you attain 18 or 20 years of age, depending on the age set by your country for minors to transit into adulthood. This is to avoid unnecessary exposure and child abuse from adults within the industry.
Ensure you are followed by your parents or an entrusted adult when going for auditions and when onset. This is intended to preserve your innocence until you reach the legal age for adulthood.
How to Pursue a Career in Acting
This article is intended for students who are interested in pursuing a career in acting. However, you are not expected to follow the list below chronologically, but all steps are important if you must attain the climax of your acting career.
1. Take Basic Acting Classes
This is very important if you really desire to become an actor or actress. You should take some classes that will equip you with the basic knowledge of acting. This can be informal or formal – what is important is the knowledge you are to acquire.
If you have taken some Literature classes, I expect that to cover up for this, since it encompasses Dramas and Plays. You must have learnt the rudiments of plays in the course of your classes. Subjects such as suspense, monologue, dialogue, aside, character, prologue, and epilogue should not be new to you anymore so you are good to go.
2. Promote your Talent & Develop Skills
The world has evolved over time, particularly in this 21st century. Technology has taken over a lot of industries while others are riding on its influence. Promoting your talent is something you can do from the comfort of your home.
You can record some funny scenes with your smartphone and upload them to Youtube or Facebook for more visibility and to gain more followers. Also, make sure you are improving on your acting skills as it would bore your audience if you remain an amateur for life. It might be necessary to acquire a digital camera once you can afford it. Your audience wants to see you evolve in your skills and technologies too.
If you have no phone or camera to promote your talent, start by joining your school’s dramatic society. You can organize drama in school fellowships, cultural days, art exhibitions and other co-curricular activities.
3. Research Roles, Attend Auditions & Book Acting Jobs
You would start getting noticed because you promoted your talents. Expect invitations from actors like yourself for collaboration, and if no one invites you, do well to invite them. You might be able to win some of their followers too, even though that isn’t the motive.
Now that you have promoted yourself, watch out for auditions and casting calls around you with search engines and social networks. Attend the auditions and show them some of your clips if necessary. You might be able to convince them of your acting prowess that way. Other times, you might be required to play a live role before casting takes place.
There are also acting jobs such as featuring in commercials. You can source for such jobs by networking with colleagues and joining their social circles. Do not be surprised, you would get more recommendations for jobs if you are good at what you do.
4. Earn a Certification or Degree
This isn’t necessary but important. At least, you should work towards a certificate or diploma in performing arts from a film school if you cannot afford a degree, but a degree is mostly recommended. Apart from giving you access to some personalities, the knowledge acquired would also help you maintain the decorum you need to showcase in such an environment.
Earning a Degree would also give you access to more roles and opportunities. For instance, you do not expect someone who is unlearned to take up the role of a student or a formal role. If he does, he is likely to fumble.
5. Network & Work with Agents
Lastly, your relationships and networking with others in the industry are very important if you want to become a successful actor or actress. Build networks and keep connections. Your friends may have more information on the latest auditions in town, so you should always reach out to them.
Also, make connections with agencies and agents whose speciality is to link casts with audition opportunities. This is only necessary to kick off your career and if you are really good, you would be recommended for other auditions. Most agents would charge a percentage of your wages or an upfront fee for services but are certain they are a legal entity before making any financial commitment to them.
