Lights, camera...no acting jobs.
Acting is a lucrative career that attracts talented individuals from all walks of life. Whether you love being in the spotlight, want to share your passion for storytelling, or you're looking to add skills to your Modelling background, there are many reasons to want to become an actor.
But becoming an actor also offers plenty of challenges.
Some aspiring actors end up in acting roles that are not exactly what they want. Most actors and actresses who are just starting accept these roles only because they expect that someday their star will shine. Cliche as it sounds, fame doesn't come easy. If it did, everyone who has ever been cast in any movie or film would all become rich and famous.
No, only a select few make it to the big leagues.
Is there something they did differently? Is acting really a good career? If you want to improve your acting and become an actor but don't know where to start, this can be your guide.
Tips for aspiring actors in Australia
Before you embark on your acting career, you need to have a great plan in place. This is to ensure that you will get closer to your dreams faster. Without a plan, you are already preparing to fail. So have a great plan and stick to it.
Here are some tips that might help you if you want a career in acting in this country. These tips might be beneficial in helping you get a better understanding of what's involved in becoming a professional actor or actress, whether it's for a stage production or mainstream media work.
#1. Make sure this is what you want
Do you really want to be in the acting industry? Can you handle the publicity and fame that comes with being in show business? Is becoming an actor going to affect your family life adversely? These are the questions you have to ask yourself and have to answer honestly.
Acting requires grit, so you have to be sure that this is what you really want to do. And it has to be a goal you set for yourself and not for someone else like your partner or your parents. If not, you'll just get stressed every time you miss out on a role. At some point, pressure and the feeling of failure will creep in. In the end, you’ll probably quit, and your efforts towards becoming a good actor would just go to waste.
#2. Acting classes can lay the foundation for your acting career
As soon as you step into high school, consider joining high school plays. This will help you gain the skills needed to act, and your teachers or directors can likely help you find an agent. Get into an acting school or a drama school as those could be good places to start, too. There are all these film academies and education providers catered to this industry that you can take advantage of if you are after formal training.
Participate in acting workshops, acting classes, and masterclasses as an adult. Don't stop learning. Get the education, knowledge, and experience you can get when you can and while you can. This will help prepare you for a successful career ahead.
#3. Acquire more skills
One of the things that can set apart a famous actor from an aspiring actor is that the former have more skills in addition to mastering their craft. It is never enough to have great skills or acting training. If you want to become an actor who's ready for anything, you need to hone additional skills like driving, swimming, horse racing, martial arts, motor racing, speaking foreign languages, having a different accent, speed skating, dancing, skiing, playing musical instruments, and so on.
This will differentiate you from the rest of the pack and help you to get acting opportunities faster. When you are filling in your acting resume, add these other skills you have under special skills. This will also help you land roles that call for these specific skills. Make sure you list these clearly in your theright.fit bio.
#4. Accept that your success will depend on how much you are willing to work
It's important that you are aware that how successful you are as an actor will depend mainly on how hard you work. This includes how good of a job you make of working on your craft, how disciplined you are with regards to practising, how much time and effort you put into networking, how committed you are to self-improvement in your stage skills and the performing arts, how adaptive you are, how focused and driven you are, and how proactive you are with job opportunities that may come your way.
#5. Make your own material
Becoming an actor requires a lot of self-study. You should find scriptwriters or books with writing prompts so you can start reading scripts yourself to use them as an audition piece. If there's already a play or movie you like, spend some time editing one scene from it, so it becomes something unique.
Learn how to do a self-tape audition. Although agencies handle most of the castings within the acting community, you can do your own self-tape audition and provide professional headshots that can be sent to the agency or client. Tape yourself and see how it looks. When the camera starts rolling, you can act as if you're already in front of an experienced agent or casting director. You'll be able to send a professional presentation minus the jitters because you don't have to meet with them face-to-face.
#6. Start auditioning by responding to casting calls
Start auditioning for roles, respond to casting calls, and take whatever comes your way to get the experience. Attend as many auditions as possible. If you want to, audition for commercials, small theatre productions, and short films to practice how it feels when you're in front of a camera or in front of casting directors or talent agents. Remember that acting work is all about how you deliver your lines and how much emotion you can convey to the audience through facial expressions.
#7. Gain experience no matter how varied
You may have heard stories of other aspiring actors who started as party entertainers for children, becoming Disney characters or even mascots in the craziest places and events.
There are plenty of good reasons for doing gigs of this kind. First, you get to practice your craft. Then, you'll get an inkling of how well you perform based on direct audience feedback. Kids don't lie. If you bomb, they'll say it straight to your face. Lastly, you'll get to perform scores of parts and lines and bring characters to life that can help you develop your versatility.
After all, how will you get experience in the industry if you don't start somewhere? So, while you await your first big break, you might as well start getting paid for it!
#8. Work for free to gain acting experience
Student films, shorts, music videos, and stage work can boost your acting resume or portfolio. If you're an acting hopeful looking to get your feet wet in the entertainment industry, the academe and theatre are both great places to start. When done right, they can be a stepping stone that leads to bigger and better things.
#9. Join an agency that casts acting talent
If you're looking to become a successful actor in Australia, it may be best for you to start by joining an agency for casting talents. There are several benefits of hiring an agency to help get your foot in the door.
First, you get hooked up with a huge network of people in the industry. You are more likely to get noticed by someone in the industry when there are so many more people who can see how talented you are. It's also easier for an agency to make sure that they send you out on auditions that are appropriate for you and that pay well enough for your current situation.
Moreover, this process can now be done online on platforms like theright.fit that makes it easier for brands and agencies to book talent.
#10. Make use of every opportunity
While waiting for your debut in the acting world, you need to make use of any and every opportunity that comes your way. This can range from working as an extra on television shows to playing a supporting role in an indie movie. This may not be what you expect, but it can make you visible. A producer or director might take a keen interest in your acting skills. The next thing you know, you might already be undergoing contract negotiations for your big-screen debut.
There are a lot of opportunities for you to use television to kick start your acting career. From sitcoms to soap operas, genre television to child actors, you will find something that interests you. Some popular actors today got their start from television. Examples are Ryan Reynolds, Will Smith, Jennifer Aniston, and Nicole Kidman, among others.
#11. Network within the industry
As with any career-related venture, you need to participate in the social game called networking. Don't forget to network! Get noticed and connect with other actors who can refer you. Your success can sometimes depend on how well-connected you are and who you get on board with.
Many actors are also probably trying to figure out how to make it big this way. Network with people related to the profession and stay professional. Just show how passionate you are about your craft for everyone to see.
Common questions you might have about professional acting in Australia
Now that you're equipped with all the general tips that could help you become a successful actor in Australia, it's time to think about the actual industry and the common questions that come with it. As you have hopefully seen from theright.fit platform, there are a number of opportunities for actors in Australia. However, there is no set path when it comes to making your dream into a reality in a snap.
Is acting a good career?
This is a difficult question to answer because there are so many different types of actors. Actors have to have the will and self-confidence to endure rejection time after time, but to maintain their realism as an actor, they must also be realistic about what they want for their future.
Actors can make a living as performers on stage, as talents on camera, voice-over actors, celebrities (usually with enormous fan bases), online influencers, spokespeople, event hosts, acting coaches, and in numerous other occupations involving acting skills.
What are the qualities of a great actor?
Actors can never please everyone, and not everyone will have the same opinions about what being a successful actor entails. Nevertheless, actors must be realistic about what kind of work they want to do and how far their talents can take them.
It's also important for actors to understand what they can bring to a role or how their experiences might help them act convincingly in certain situations.
What can an Australian actor expect from joining the industry?
Generally, the role of the performing arts in Australia is primarily seen as contributing to culture. To this extent, there are many organisations and artists that rely on the help of the Australian Government for funding. The support for actors, models, movie production companies, and theatre companies is extraordinary.
Moreover, valued at AU$1.37 billion and with 351 movies released in 2020, the film entertainment industry in Australia remains one of the most vibrant in the world despite the pandemic. The Australian film industry is known for its use of exotic locations, friendly workforces, and a variety of funding opportunities.
The acting industry in Australia is extremely competitive, and it can be quite hard to progress up the ranks due to inconsistency of work – not many actors actually make it big, which only makes the competition tougher. Do remember, though, that every small step counts.
Make great use of any opportunity you find and do your best!
