Bad Advice for Aspiring Actors

People just starting out in the entertainment industry as an actor or model look to a lot of people and resources for advice. Unfortunately, the people that they go to for advice are usually those that never "made it" in the industry, those that pretend to know everything about the industry and really don't, or those who are basing their own knowledge off of the advice of others. Very few people have the opportunity to speak with and/or listen to successful actors or models on how they got their start in the entertainment industry. The people that they do get to talk to often give horrible advice. Here are a few pieces of advice that you should do the exact opposite of:

Don't Do Extra Work.
Brad Pitt got his start doing extra work. So did countless other actors. They went on set, made nice with directors and other key people, then started getting featured in different projects. These featured extra roles got them noticed by other directors and key people, who gave them a shot at larger roles. Do extra work. Learn what it is like to be on set. Make nice with directors and other key crew members. Listen to them. Don't complain about the wardrobe you are given to wear. Work as often as possible. Try to become a "regular" on a series, such as a paramedic on Mercy or a resident of a fictional town in a show. The more you are there, the more you become recognizable to the director. The more recognizable you are, the better chance you have of being featured.

You Don't Need Experience. Just Get an Agent.
If you don't have any experience, changes are that a legitimate agent will not sign you. Agents want to see experience so that they know they aren't going to send someone unprofessional to an audition or on a job. After all, everyone on the agency roster represents the agency and the booking agent. Agents are in the business to make money. If you are not bankable, you will not get signed. If you don't have experience, you are most likely considered not bankable. Get experience, then get an agent.

Join the union as soon as you can.
When you join the union, whether SAG (Screen Actors Guild) orAFTRA (Association of Film, Television and Radio Artists), you are limiting yourself to the jobs that you are allowed to audition for. Once you are a member of the union, you cannot do non-union work, unless you have a waiver or if it doesn't fall under union jurisdiction. If you don't do work, you don't get experience. No experience means that you will be hard-pressed to be hired. If you happen to be cast in a starring role for a major movie that requires you to join the union, you will receive a Taft-Hartley waiver. This waiver allows you the right to be non-union and accept a union role. HOWEVER, during the time that you are working Taft-Hartley, you will be required to join the union.

You need headshots to be cast.
Nope, so not true. More often or not, the casting call will let you know what is required. Need a headshot? Then, go get them done. Often times, the casting director will snap a photo of you at the audition. By the way, you don't have to spend upwards of $500 on your first headshots. Get them done by a good photographer, then have them edited and reproduced at a good photo reproduction house, such as Reproductions.

You need acting classes.
If you suck at acting, you probably shouldn't be an actor to begin with. No class is going to give you the inherent sense of timing. No class is going to teach you on-camera instincts. No class can give you talent. If you don't have innate talent, find another career path. If, on the other hand, you enjoy taking classes, then go for it. But, you absolutely do not need acting classes to succeed in the entertainment industry.

If you pay XYZ agent, he/she will make you a star.
If you give me $10, I will make you a star, too. I'll cut that star right out of construction paper, stick it in an envelope and mail it to you. Feel free to send $10 for me to make you a star to my shop located at 2468 Montauk Highway, Brookhaven, Ny 11719. And, hey, you can stick that star on your door so that it looks like a star's dressing room. The point is, folks, no one, and I do mean NO ONE, can guarantee stardom for you. It's based on the public. If they like you, great- POOF! You're a star. If they don't like you, then you will disappear into the world of has-beens and never-weres. You shouldn't be entering the entertainment industry to become a star; you should enter it because it is something that you love to do, and can't imagine doing anything else.

The entertainment industry is a cut-throat business, folks. Don't trust anyone. While that may sound cynical, it is true. Agents are out to earn money-- If you can earn them money, fantastic. They'll act like your best friends. Once the money dries up, you'll be out. Other actors often befriend those that they believe they can use to get them to higher levels in the entertainment industry. Unfortunately, you won't know it until after they jam a knife in your back. If you are looking to succeed in the entertainment industry, put yourself first. While this may sound like a selfish perspective, it certainly is the truth. Genuine people are a rare breed in the entertainment industry. Those that are true to themselves are the ones that truly make it.