About Arlene Schulman Expertise As a professional director, dramaturg, acting coach and actor for over 25 years in the NYC/NJ area, I can help with questions on acting technique, character development, audition and rehearsal techniques, dealing with directors and stage managers, what directors are looking for, and other aspects of the acting and directing professions.
Experience A professional director, dramaturg, acting coach and actor for over 25 years in the NYC/NJ area, I have directed in professional, university and amateur theatre and have directed and acted in dramas, comedies, musicals, Shakespeare as well as collaborating closely with playwrights in the development of original plays and musicals.
Organizations SSDC associate member Advisory Board - Isle of Shoals Productions Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of America associate member Shakespeare Association of America The Shakespesare Institute -
MA "Shakespeare & Theatre" candidate, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
Expert: Arlene Schulman Date: 3/24/2008 Subject: switching careers and LA
Question I intended to pursue an acting career when I was young but for various reasons I did not. Now I feel a pull towards acting. How difficult do you think it will be to train and land roles starting at age 47? Also, if I want TV/Film roles is LA the place to be?
Answer Hi Anthony,
I was in a similar position. I started studying acting when I was 34, and I loved it. And I know a number of other actors who also started late.
As for how difficult it will be... well, that depends, I suppose. It depends on how talented you are. It depends on how committed you are and how much time and money you are willing to devote to the pursuit of this new career. And it depends on what your expectations are for an acting career.r
Acting at any age is one of the most difficult professions there is. If you have no training and are starting essentially from scratch, you will need to take classes... at a good acting school, or even perhaps go back to college (for an MFA, perhaps, if you already have a BA in something else). That may sound daunting, but I can tell you from experience that it is not impossible. If you think you are "too old" for that, know that I went back to school and earned an associate degree in theatre when I was 37 - and then went back to school again at age 57 (I'm 60 now!) and am currently studying for a MA in "Shakespeare and Theatre" - at The Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon, UK, of all places! I am currently directing professionally and, while not "making a living", I am working continuously at paid positions and doing what I love best. The fact is that if you want something badly enough, and have the talent, determination, and passion to achieve your goal, you can find a way to do it. The question is how much you want it.
So training for a change in career is certainly not impossible. As for landing roles... again, that depends. If you understand the market, and know the kinds of roles you are right for, there is a chance you can get cast. You are a man - which is an advantage. There are a significant number of roles for character actors approaching 50 and above, especially in film and tv. Of course there are also a more than significant number of actors in that catagory. But, being absolutely honest, the odds of actually making a living by acting alone are very small. Not because of your age or late start, but simply because that's what it's like in the business. Fewer than 2% of ALL professional (that is union - SAG, Equity, AFTRA) actors actually make a living by acting alone. The median annual income for union actors these days is $5000-7000 - well below the poverty level, and many actors go years between being cast in paying roles.
Of course there are many who do get cast and those that make a living as well. So it's up to you as to whether you are prepared to take the risks that are part and parcel of an acting career.
As for whether LA is the place to be for TV/Film roles... my expertise is in stage rather than film or tv so I can only go by what my friends and colleagues in the business tell me. LA is always the place to go for film. However (as with NYC and theatre) LA is also where there is the highest concentration of actors and the competition is the fiercest. If you are just starting out, you might be much better off staying where you are and looking for auditions for independent film and tv projects. There are many TV shows that film in many other cities (NYC, Las Vegas, several cities in Florida, and other places). Actually, if you are planning to do film or tv work, you should plan to travel to auditions, shoots, etc. anyway, so where you live is less important than where you can travel to. Naturally one of the major cities where film and tv work is done is more likely to have opportunities close to it, but also alot more competition.
For film, too, an agent is fairly essential, since there are far fewer open auditions than in theatre and most are by agent submission. And to get an agent you first have to work enough to put together a reel so they can see you. Independent films, which often do have open auditions, are your best bet for that, and they are generally made outside the major centers (in fact, I'm currently coaching a little girl for a film being made in NJ).
But your first step is to get some training so you have some idea what you are doing. Acting classes, including acting for the camera if you are intending to do film, character development, script analysis, scene study, and more. And you might want to try to find a class in "the business of acting" if you can. It would really help you find your way around contracts, agents, managers, headshots, resumes, mailings, and all the other aspects of the business side of acting.
I hope this helps, Anthony, and I wish you great luck in your new career.
