About Arlene Schulman Expertise I have been a director, dramaturg, actor and acting coach for over twenty-five years and am happy to share my expertise in learning to act, character development, taking direction, acting styles and techniques, auditioning techniques, how to choose an audition monologue or song (but NOT specific audition songs or monologues), learning lines, script analysis, acting in musicals, dramas, comedies, farces, mysteries and even new plays in their first productions.
I am NOT a voice teacher or vocal coach. My expertise is in acting and directing, not in singing. I can not advise you on specific audition songs, vocal exercises, how to stretch your range or on solving vocal problems. For that you need an expert on singing and vocal work. And there is at least one very good one on this list.
Experience I have been a director, dramaturg, actor and acting coach in the NYC/NJ area for over twenty-four years. I have directed dramas, comedies, musicals, mysteries, thrillers and farces as well as directing original plays in staged readings, workshops, showcases and world premieres. I have worked with all level of actors from amateurs to Equity, from children to seniors.
Organizations Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers - associate member Literary Managers & Dramaturgs of America - associate member Shakespeare Association of America The Shakespeare Instititute - MA candidate - "Shakespeare & Theatre"
Question Hello I am doing a paper on acting and getting involved in acting. I was hoping that you might be able to answer a few questions. If possible please feel free to email me back. I would truely appreciate your time but if you are unable to respond I understand.
Questions:
1. How does one go about getting into the acting business?
2. What are some of the difficulties of the acting business?
3. Is it true that you have to change yourself in order to be accepted into the entertainment business?
4. About how long is the average amount of time before an actor actually gets a job?
5. What kind of things should an aspiring actor is involved in to prepare themselves for this field of work?
6. Once they get started acting is it hard to find your genre of acting?
7. Is it hard even after you get one job to keep getting roles in other things?
8. Is it more difficult to get involved in Broadway then on screen acting?
9. What is a good age to begin to pursue your acting career?
10. What is some advice that you would give to someone aspiring to become and actor?
11. Is it true the saying “if you set your mind to it you can do it”?
12. Is it a career path that you would recommend?
Thank you again,
Brittany B
Answer Hi Brittany,
Happy to help, if I can. I think I've answered questions from your class in past years (they sound familiar) and I'll do the best I can to answer from my own knowledge.
1. How does one go about getting into the acting business?
There are many different ways to get into acting professionally, but, like with any other profession, the first thing you have to do is to learn the skills and techniques that an actor needs to do his/her work. Acting is one of the most difficult professions there is. It may look easy, but in reality even talent isn't enough. There are many, many skills and techniques an actor needs to learn, including such things as voice, movement, dance, acting techniques, sense and emotional memory, rehearsal and audition techniques, taking direction, script analysis, on-camera acting, listening and reacting, character development and much, much more. The best way to learn all this is to study acting, either in a university program, a conservatory or in a professional acting school. Experience is also essential - you learn acting, in part, by acting; book learning isn't enough. All acting schools and programs include actual acting opportunitys. You can also get experience by acting in school and community productions. Talent, training and experience are all needed to start a career as a professional actor. Once you have those, then it's all about auditioning and networking.
2. What are some of the difficulties of the acting business?
As I said, acting is one of the most difficult professions there is. For a professional actor, there is absolutely no job or financial security - ever! Each show could be your last, even when you are well-known. Most actors spend a huge part of their lives auditioning for show after show after show. The odds of actually getting cast are very small. Acting has the highest unemployment rate of all careers. Of all profession, Union actors, less that 2% actually earn a living by acting. The rest work at a day job to eat and pay the rent while still constantly auditioning and doing non-paying or low paying showcases, student films, and low budget independent films in order to get seen, and while still having to pay out major expenses for headshots, mailings, travel, a wardrobe and more. I know wonderful, experienced, well-trained actors who are still working as waitors or in temp jobs, word processing or proofreading, and still haven't attracted the attention of an agent after years in the business. Actors often work in difficult, sometimes dangerous conditions. The work can be incredibly tedious and boring. Aside from the endless auditions and learning lines and blocking, much of rehearsal time (in theatre) and shooting time (in film) is spent sitting around and waiting. And acting is an art that truly puts an emotional strain on anyone. It is a career in which you are asked to make yourself totally emotionally vulnerable; and at the same time, it is a career in which you are subject to continual disappointment and rejection, as well as life style temptations and situations that are extrememly difficult to deal with emotionally. It is no wonder that so many actors have emotional difficulties. It's definitely not an easy, glamorous career, and fame and fortune is very, very unlikely.
3. Is it true that you have to change yourself in order to be accepted into the entertainment business?
I guess it depends on what you want to do and what you consider "changing yourself". You absolutely have to study and work at your career. Much of the film industry (more than the theatre business) is based on "look". So, if you are going for particular types of roles, then it is likely that you will want to work out, slim down, possibly adjust your look. But then acting is about "becoming" someone else, so adjusting your look for a particular role is something that would certainly be expected. On the other hand, if you are exceptionally talented, well-trained and experienced there are likely to be roles available for you regardless of your look - though maybe less than if you fit a particular "look". Especially in TV, where there are many roles available (think Law & Order) for "ordinary" looking people of many different types. So, the choice is, in part, up to you as to whether you want to fit into "what they want", or if you want to work to make yourself good enough so that they will want YOU and your type.
4. About how long is the average amount of time before an actor actually gets a job?
There is no way to answer that question. A few get cast right out of college (or even before if they know the right people, are very talented, and happen to be in the right place at the right time), but a majority find getting a role extremely difficult. It also depends what you mean by "getting a job". Many actors do get roles in non-paying showcases student films or sometimes low-budget indies with either low or deferred pay. Some work in industrial film jobs or other non-entertainment type acting. But it usually takes a number of years to actually get your Equity or SAG card (that is, to join the acting unions), and getting paid for acting is something that many actors never really get to do on a steady basis.
5. What kind of things should an aspiring actor is involved in to prepare themselves for this field of work?
Study acting, observe the world and people around you, and audition and act in everything and anything you can.
6. Once they get started acting is it hard to find your genre of acting?
Assuming you want to find a "genre", it depends on the person. Some people know right away that they want to do film or tv, either because they prefer film acting or because, for the most part, that's where the money is. Others love theatre. Some have strong talent in comedy or drama. Some have musical talent. Much of the choice depends on your particular talents, needs or desires. Sometimes the choice is made for you, either because chance keeps getting roles in a particular genre, or because of the way the camera likes (or doesn't like) you. Usually it's not about it being "hard" or "finding it", it's about your own abilities and chance.
7. Is it hard even after you get one job to keep getting roles in other things?
Yes! It is always hard to get cast. There are tens of thousands of actors and very few jobs. Getting one job does not guarantee another one (although doing a good job may help get you an agent who can then help you get more jobs, and it may also cause a director to want to read you for another job).
8. Is it more difficult to get involved in Broadway then on screen acting?
Broadway is almost impossible. Remember, there are only a few shows running on Broadway at any one time. There are thousands of actors. Additionally, because producing Broadway is so expensive (and the returns so much smaller than film which is distributed all over the country and, indeed, the world) that more and more film actors being cast in Broadway shows to increase the draw, limiting even further the availability of roles for even the best stage actors. Films, on the other hand, may have huge casts and hire a great many more actors, in general, than Broadway by itself. Be aware though, that this country (and the world) is filled with alot more theatre than just Broadway. Off-Broadway, Off-off Broadway in NYC, National Tours, Regional theatre all over the country, including huge theatre communities in Chicago, Boston, LA and other cities. And then there are the small professional theatres, dinner theatres, summer stock, musical theatres, and so much more. And that's just in this country. Great Britain has a huge theatre community, including London, Stratford and many theatres throughout the country. Other countries, including Canada, France, Germany and others also have their own theatre communities. Broadway is only a tiny part of all theatre done in the world.
9. What is a good age to begin to pursue your acting career?
It depends what you mean by "pursue". If you mean actually "going professional", there's no way to give you an answer. If you mean when to start studying, then, while answers vary with different people, I can give you one answer. If you want to be an actor, you can start by doing high school and community theatre. Sometimes you can attend a performing arts high school or take acting, voice or dance classes, even as a youngster. But understand that acting as a career is something that you can only decide on when you are old enough to understand what that really means and make an informed decision. I strongly suggest going to a university acting program, getting a BA in theatre (or even majoring in another area and double majoring or minoring in theatre) and then going on for an MA in acting, directing, film, musical theatre or what area you want to focus in. Once you have your training and some experience is when you should start to "pursue" an acting career.
10. What is some advice that you would give to someone aspiring to become and actor?
Don't! Seriously. Acting is an art, and an actor is an artist. It is a career which is so difficult, both financially and emotionally, that I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. It needs an incredible amount of talent, determination, perseverence and a very thick skin in a very sensitive person. There are some people who really NEED to act, who have it in their blood, who feel incomplete if they don't have acting in their lives. If there is ANYTHING ELSE that you can do that will make you happy, do it. But, if you are one of those people who can't even imagine a life without acting then I say go for it with everything that you have and don't let the disappointments and rejections stop you.
11. Is it true the saying “if you set your mind to it you can do it”?
It depends. I believe that you can do anything you set your mind to. At age 57, after 23 years as a stage director, I just started to study for my MA in "Shakespeare and Theatre" at the Shakespeare Institute of the University of Birmingham in England. How? I wanted to, so I worked out the finances, applied, was accepted and began my studies this summer. That was something I never thought I would be able to do. But I did. Because I set my mind to it and made it happen. However, and it's a big however, you can't control other people. You can make happen what YOU do. You can't always control the results. So, yes, you can do anything you set your mind to. But you can't make anything happen that you want to happen. I can get my MA, but I can't guarantee that that will make someone want to hire me to direct Hamlet. However, when I get my degree I will be capable of doing that, and if I want it bad enough and I can't get someone else to hire me then I will put a show together and produce my own production of Hamlet that I will direct. I can do it if I set my mind to it (but I can't guarantee that I can get someone else to do it). So... if you set your mind to it you can become a really good actor. What you can't guarantee is that someone will hire you. You can't guarantee a career, but you can become the best you can be.
12. Is it a career path that you would recommend?
No. Unless it is something that you really, truly need to do. Unless you won't be happy unless you're acting. Unless you don't care if you eat, or get married, or have children, or make money. Unless acting is the most important thing in your life. Then, if you have no choice, I say go for it.
