"I Want to Be an Actor!"

I'm happy for you. I want to climb Mt. Fuji in Japan !

Sarcasm is an unfortunate part of the creative spirit. But, there's a method to the madness. So hear me out.

You want to be an actor . Now what?

To be successful at anything you must know what that "thing" is. To just say you want to be an actor is a pretty broad statement. Do you want to do stage, film, video, or commercials? Will your acting style be comedic, dramatic or real person (not to be confused with reality TV )? Are you willing to be background or is your goal to have only principle roles?

Here is your first lesson -

TAKE A CLASS - You must learn the craft first! I don't care if Meemaw and Peepaw think you're the next best thing since sliced bread . Being an actor takes so much more than a really good personality.

Are you familiar with terms such as "staging", "background" and "principle"? Have you ever seen a "callsheet?" If you were told to "Get on your mark" would you crouch down in a runner's position?

I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But, if any of those terms are foreign to you then you are not ready for film or TV. And if you crouch down when someone tells you to get on your mark, I am so certain they will ask you to leave - unless, of course, you look exactly like Brad Pitt and can take direction really, really well!

There are millions of people who want to be an actor. Most successful actors I've heard being interviewed say they studied people whose styles appealed to them, they took classes to enhance their delivery and hone their style, and they surrounded themselves with books, films and other materials that would give them insight into all aspects of the business (e.g., technical, theatrical, financial). So, before you pack up and move to L.A or New York in hopes of being the next big star, get cracking on your homework.

Familiarize yourself with resources that will help you learn your craft. Do not (again) DO NOT JOIN A UNION!!!!! Learn their guidelines and familiarize yourself with their offerings. You will learn about unions in a later lesson. That lesson comes after you learn about agents. Right now you need to learn what this acting thing is.

So my first suggestion is that you take an Intro to Acting class. Community colleges are your best (and most economical) bet. If you live near a major city there will be reputable facilities that specifically teach all things acting. Check RESOURCES tab on the SAG website. They have their offices listed by division. You'll need to find the office closes to you. They can guide you to classes and seminars near you. You must gain the knowledge of this business before jumping into it.

BREAK A LEG (BAL)

* I really do want to climb Ft Fuji. It's a bucket list thing.