How to Navigate the Acting World in New York

In New York, unlike LA, actors are judged on their merits and not merely on their looks. Making it in New York is a very daunting task, because if you don't know anyone, it makes it that much harder for you to be able to get in front of a casting director and show them what you can do, and how well you can do it. There are a lot of acting schools in New York, but going to just any acting school is not going to help you. You have to find a school that is recognized for its excellence in teaching its students. When people see schools like T. Schreiber, Stella Adler, Actor's Studio, William Esper, and Black Nexxus on your resume, they'll know that you have been well trained for the career you're embarking on. They'll trust your talents a bit more than the average Joe who went to a school in the basement of a church somewhere.

Do student films

All over New York, there are budding filmmakers waiting to have their big moment. But while they're in school, they're getting trained to be the best they can be. Student films are available in abundance, and you should tap into that resource. One, they give you the chance to put your skills to work. Two they give you the chance to network with future name talents. Brett Ratner of Rush Hour fame is a former NYU film student, so you never know when you're going to run into one of those future masterminds of cinematic excellence.

Go to equity auditions, even if you aren't equity

It's very hard to get a good play in New York if you are not part of Actor's Equity, but there are ways of going around things. For one, you can go to an equity audition even if you are not a member. The one pitfall is that you have to wait until all the equity members have auditioned before you can be seen. Sometimes you might wait out there all day and still not get an audition. You should only do this if you have time to spend waiting for your chance. Sometimes if you get there early enough, you might get seen after the first wave of actors while the producers wait for more actors to come in. If you are going to choose this as an option, you should definitely get there as early as possible, and only do it for a play or show that you really want to be a part of. If you don't have the passion for the piece you're auditioning for, you will have wasted your day waiting.

Do background work

One of the best ways to meet people in the business and to watch professionals at work is to do background work, and you also get paid for it. Background work is very easy, but hard to get by. A lot of background work depends on your look and what set of skills or wardrobes you have available, but they give you a good chance to meet crew members and talk to them. Chances are you're not going to rub shoulders with Brad Pitt, but you never know when you're going to run into people again. When you do background work, you want to make sure you listen a lot more than talk. Most actors spend their time on the set talking, and believe it or not, people remember you and what you do.

Join actor groups online

There are a lot of actor's groups online, and finding one will be very important. The yahoo group Actor's First NY, is a very popular group, because the group's webmaster sends its members daily updates on casting notices. These notices usually cost money on other casting websites, but you get it all for free from AFNY. Joining a group, also give you the chance to network and to meet people who are interested in doing the same things you're doing.

Join a reputable theater company

This one is a tough one, because there is really no way of knowing which Theater Company is reputable and which one is not. The best way to go by this is through word of mouth. If you know other actors, talk to them and find out which theater company they are affiliated with. If you are going to one of the top schools in NY, you should ask your teachers, and I'm sure they'll be able to guide you towards a good company. When choosing a company, it is important that you pick one that gives you the chance to act, which after all is the only thing you want to do.

Write your own material and shoot it

You can also write your own material and shoot it. It's a lot easier than it seems. You can get a few acting or writing friends together and write something that you can easily shoot without maxing out your credit card. This will give you a decent reel so you can use it to showcase your talents to agents and producers. The more shorts you can put together the better off you'll be in the long run. People want to see that you can act, so you should do everything you can to show them you've got what it takes.

Use traditional methods, send out pictures

Sending out pictures and comp cards are the old methods of getting the attention you need, and you should continue doing it. The more pictures you send out, the better chance you have of people getting to know you better. If a casting agent keeps getting a picture from you on a regular with updated information, they'll be a lot more interested in finding out what you can do.