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An acting career - where do I start?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Work & Study
Basically, I'm in my second year, earning a degree in drama. Drama is what I'm good at, it's what I love and at the end of the day it's what I want to make a career out of. I really love my course, but it's starting to dawn on me how much I really want to try and become something. What I mean is, next year is my last year at uni doing this degree, then I have to decide where to take it.
This year I have a job, it's only 12 hours a week but it slides into the free time I have when I'm not at a lecture or in lessons. Yeah I do have free time, where I catch up on work (read texts, essays etc) as well as lead a social life which isn't as alcohol and partying related as some would probably presume! I have been involved in a small directed piece already this year, and before xmas, I got called back for 2 of the 3 major productions for the 1st semester - but couldn't attend due to work commitments, so I feel like the opportunities in uni are hard to get hold of as I'm restricted.
It must be the crappy television shows my housemates watching 24/7, but I'm starting to look at myself and consider how I could go about improving everything - my looks, my figure, my teeth, everything. I know I shouldn't be so critical but deep down I have aspirations to have a full and fruitful acting career. I can sing too and I'm fairly good looking so I feel I have a few qualities to offer.
I've been looking online, and there are agencies, websites which host your information for a one off fee and then tell you about opportunities, offers of creating a porfolio etc...and I'm lost as to where to start.
I would like to build a portfolio, have pictures taken but I haven't the money. I received an email this morning coicidently through uni for people looking for a male and female to do a shoot for a magazine - all free and they primp and priss you up, take photo's and mentioned the portfolio. I was considering enquiring...but I don't know. I'm attractive-ish but I don't want people to think that I think I'm good enough to be a model! I just...want to help myself...grrr I don't know where i'm going with this.
What I'm asking is if I'm to make something of myself (outside of London also being an issue), am I wasting my time looking before the end of my degree, or can anyone recommend how to begin. Should I be paying to build a portfolio, finding an agent, moving to London?!
Sorry if this makes no sense, appreciate any feedback.
This year I have a job, it's only 12 hours a week but it slides into the free time I have when I'm not at a lecture or in lessons. Yeah I do have free time, where I catch up on work (read texts, essays etc) as well as lead a social life which isn't as alcohol and partying related as some would probably presume! I have been involved in a small directed piece already this year, and before xmas, I got called back for 2 of the 3 major productions for the 1st semester - but couldn't attend due to work commitments, so I feel like the opportunities in uni are hard to get hold of as I'm restricted.
It must be the crappy television shows my housemates watching 24/7, but I'm starting to look at myself and consider how I could go about improving everything - my looks, my figure, my teeth, everything. I know I shouldn't be so critical but deep down I have aspirations to have a full and fruitful acting career. I can sing too and I'm fairly good looking so I feel I have a few qualities to offer.
I've been looking online, and there are agencies, websites which host your information for a one off fee and then tell you about opportunities, offers of creating a porfolio etc...and I'm lost as to where to start.
I would like to build a portfolio, have pictures taken but I haven't the money. I received an email this morning coicidently through uni for people looking for a male and female to do a shoot for a magazine - all free and they primp and priss you up, take photo's and mentioned the portfolio. I was considering enquiring...but I don't know. I'm attractive-ish but I don't want people to think that I think I'm good enough to be a model! I just...want to help myself...grrr I don't know where i'm going with this.
What I'm asking is if I'm to make something of myself (outside of London also being an issue), am I wasting my time looking before the end of my degree, or can anyone recommend how to begin. Should I be paying to build a portfolio, finding an agent, moving to London?!
Sorry if this makes no sense, appreciate any feedback.
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Comments
It makes perfect sense.
i did an english and drama degree and a lot of my budding actor/actress friends on the course took the drama school route after graduating. This sort of training is pretty respected but isn't guaranteed to give you a route into stardom. My friends have had mixed results, but if anything it'll hone your skills, allow you to work with talented teachers and fellow pupils, and give you some exposure to some influential people within the industry.
i did an english and drama degree and a lot of my budding actor/actress friends on the course took the drama school route after graduating. This sort of training is pretty respected but isn't guaranteed to give you a route into stardom. My friends have had mixed results, but if anything it'll hone your skills, allow you to work with talented teachers and fellow pupils, and give you some exposure to some influential people within the industry.
as for uni stuff, when my friends wanted to get more stage experience they put on their own productions and this gave them the freedom to time it around their own work commitments - you could even have a bash a writing your own stuff.
:thumb: There's me dilly dallying with trying to earn a career in it ;p
Thank you all for your help, I really appreciate it. I've been looking at postgrad courses in London drama schools, I'm with stupid you were an immense help in giving me an idea of a process for it all and thanks wildchild for the link - I'm having a gander as we speak! Thank you!
Everyone knows you need an agent, plus you don't pay them ANYTHING until you actually make it big so if you don't get the job you pay them hee haw.
They can direct you and advise you on what avenues to take to sustain a career and I intend to turn to them nearner my 3rd year but they're not gonna put me in contact with people doing tv or something like that because they're teachers and are just able to advise really. We don't get 'exposure' as such considering as it's a degree in a large uni and only on rare occassion are there talent scouts, we don't really do many performances for the paying public, they're more for the department and within the department as a showcase of talent to others on the course. So in terms of 'exposure', the course isn't really about that, it's about teaching skills for you to apply later.
At the moment I'm just looking at the direction I need to take once this degree is under my belt and I've seen some interesting postgrad courses in London, but they're presitgious schools who like you have to some experience and I'd like to get some experience but I don't know how to access it! Though the info I've been given is great, thanks guys :thumb:
An acting career, it may depend on where you live and what you whant to do. You may be able to get a student equity card, if you can i recomend joining your local actors centre. You may be able to join an agency through them, a proper one, not the pay us money we'll get you work kind. They help with CVs etc.