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"Act well thy part. There in lies your glory" W. Shakespeare

Advice for young and new actors including links to great acting resources.

*Should you have a different headshot for film, TV, & commercials?
Eventually yes but to start out with no.

*Is a professional headshot really necessary?
If money is not a problem then you should get them done proffesionally. But you could have a friend with some experience and a good camera(at least 35mm or 4 mega pix dig.) do it for you. Keep it simple. Choose a basic, plain, or out of focus(long lens/tripod) background. You should choose a lightly overcast or hazy day to shoot. You really need to be outdoors because God is better at lighting than your friend and renting good lights can be expensive. You also need a white card held just below frame and off to one side to bounce a little light back up into the face for fill. This is the way my headshot was done. It was shot on my back deck by my friend who happens to be a pro fashion photographer but your results should be similar. Shoot at least two rolls of film with a different change of shirt/hairstyle for each. Here's the hard part. Picking which one. You will get everyone you ask to give you a different favorite and everyone will have good reasons. You might not want to ask anyone unless they have a lot of experience in the field. Even then theirs is just another opinion that's no better or worse than yours. The best advice i can give on picking is this. You want a picture that shows some of your personality. It shouldn't be blah.
As an adult i don't need new ones as often as a teenager will. If your look changes a lot you should get a new one at least once a year. This is one of the main reasons you need to get good at keeping your costs down (if money is an issue). Remember, this is a business and you are the manager.
Your headshot shouldn't show one particular character right now because a potential casting person needs to be able to picture your special and individual personality as the character they are trying to cast. You really need to show you. I don't think it matters much whether you are smiling or not in your headshot unless you feel one way or the other expresses you more.

* I've decided to go for a pro headshot, where should I get it done?
Where do actors go to do actor things? A photoreproduction house or drama bookstore perhaps. This is were you will find a bulletinboard with cards from hungry photographers ready to make you a good deal. Ask to see their book first and make sure that the kind of headshots they are doing are what you want. If you are a female or a teenage male i would suggest not going by yourself when you meet a photographer that you don't know.

*What should amateur actors(teenagers) be sure to include or not include in their resumes?
Right now you have to include everything you do. You probably do not have enough to fill a full page yet. If you do then you have been doing this since you were very little and you don't need my advice because you already have an agent and at least one pushy parent. Otherwise, do a search for actors on the web and see what they include on their resumes. I am sure you'll figure it out pretty quick.

*How can you tell if an agency has a good reputation or not?
Bad ones don't stay around that long but it is hard to say. One agency may have a good reputation and do great things for one client and not do much for another. You need to have a good rapport with, and like your agent because hopefully you will be with them for a long time.

*What are some of the top agencies for TV, commercials, and film?
You can call your local SCREEN ACTORS GUILD and ask for a listing of SAG franchised agencies- they will provide you with a FREE list of every legitimate agent out there! Visit their website at www.sag.org
also - See the info at the bottom of this page about the ROSS REPORTS.

*How can an I get an interview with an agent?
It's all about being persistent, serious about acting and pro-active in sending you're headshot and resume to the types of agencies that represent the types you are (do a little research on the agency to find out).

*So it's all about knocking on doors?
No! do not ever knock on an agents door. They won't see you that way! Not even calling. What you want to do initially is mail them your headshot and resume. You can send postcards as well to keep your face in front of them, and let them know what you're doing, if you have any shows coming up, etc... Even if that agent hasn't called you yet still keep post carding them. Show them how ambitious you are. Every few months you can resend your headshot as well. Cover letters are good, but keep them short, agents don't have the time to read long cover letters. A few sentences will do.
When you get the interview you have to have a good short monologue ready to perform right there in their office and or a vhs tape to pop in their vcr. Don't show up with out something to show your acting. It will piss them off and waste both of your time.

*What's a standard Agents fee?
10% of the work they get you.

*How should an amateur dress or present themselves?
Like i said with the headshots you have to be yourself. This is very imortant to remember. You are not stuck with the character you are playing. Your charactor is stuck with you. It is much easier to be calm and cool(which is proffesional) when you are being yourself. Now the big question, are you comfortable with yourself? Why do you want to act? Will it kill your soul not to be an actor? Just because it seems like a glamorous life is not a good enough reason and i'll tell you why. Because unless you are born into a Hollywood family there is so much in the world stacked against you making it as a big star. God has to really be smiling on you and all the stars have to line up just right to get that one in a million break. But before you will ever be concidered for that break you need to have some solid acting abilities under your hat.

*Is it important to do well in school? Why or why not?
It's very important because you have to be real with yourself. I have known so many people who wanted to be actors and found out how hard it is and later gave it up. If you compare making it as an actor to being rich, you see that money will not make you happy. You have to be happy with nothing first. Money is just nice. Being a star means you have an enviable job but it doesn't make you a better person. You can't let the pursuit of stardom make you lose site of reality. Education is never a waste of your time.  It will serve you in ways you won't even know about. That said, if you have the drive of Madonna and know that this is all you want then waiting tables is all you really need to do. It's the perfect job because you can try out different characters on customers and you can usually get someone to cover your shift when you have an important audition. A very wise performer once said to me. "To make it you need to keep so busy doing your thing that when it is finally your turn for stardom you are almost offended that you have been interupted in your work". "doing your thing" means your acting, your story telling, your writing. You are an artist and if you create the perfect part for yourself you have a better chance of making it.

*What qualities do i need to be successful?
Hard work. Have a serious attitude. You really should be actively studying your technique. Not everyone has the natural ability to act in front of a camera or audience, but that doesn't mean they can't learn to be a good actor. Initially it's your look that will get you in the door. Casting directors are always looking for certain types, and if that happens to be what you are, then you'll get the chance to audition. Once you're in the door you'll need to show that you have some talent.
When i was a young kid i could act and i was good at it. I had no training. It was just natural and it was real acting too. I mean i could cry real tears at the drop of a hat and shut it off at a snap without being emotionally attached to the feelings i had to create. Like a switch. I am not saying this to brag but to tell you that i lost it over the years. Reality sort of sucked it from me and i let it happen because it happend very slowly. I had to take lessons as an adult for years and i still have not been able to get back to that state i once had as a kid. My point is that if you can keep life from stealing you spontinaity and your imagination then you will probably need a lot less acting lessons in your future.

My8by10.com -This is the best place online that i have found to promote yourself. You only need email and internet access to have a proffessional page that you can direct potential casting peeps to. You don't have to have your own domain. Even if you do, you should sign up with these guys anyways because it can't hurt to be seen in as many places on the web as you can. After only one week of signing up with them i got a call from a casting person. Right now it's free and i hope it stays that way.

*There is no need to sign up for those so-called "casting services" that ask you to pay high fees in order to access their casting calls. Most companies who promise to provide you with the names and addresses of agents and casting directors are perfectly legitimate, however, you can get ALL OF THIS INFORMATION AND MUCH MORE by buying a copy of the ROSS REPORTS. This is a booklet published monthly listing the names addresses, contact phone numbers, etc. all legitimate agents, managers and casting directors in NY and CA.
It also describes and details TV shows and movies that are in prodction, and who is casting them. In addition, there are tons of ads for photographers, messaging services, temporary housing, etc.
You can get this HIGHLY RELIABLE AND REPUTABLE publication at any Barnes and Noble Bookstore or online through backstage.com, or rossreports.com This costs about 6 bucks an issue, and is well worth it!

MyActingAgent.com is a site by a guy named Peter Jazwinski. He sells a book or audio course called 'Act Now'. The audio course is only $20 for 6 CDs. The book is $10.40 from Amazon. Sounds like it's money well spent for any actor who is serious about busting into the business.

Good luck with all you try, stian nilsen

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