AboutPeter Messaline Expertise Career advice for high-school students and beginning performers.
Canadian tax advice for artists of all sorts.
Research resources for those looking for performance-related answers.
Experience I am a Canadian performer, tax preparer and writer.
I have supported myself as an arts entrepreneur for thirty-five years.
I am the most-published writer in the business of being a Canadian artist.
I have written on arts tax matters and prepared performer taxes for fifteen years.
Organizations belong to ACTRA, CAEA, AEA, British Equity.
Publications CAEA Newsletter
ACTRA Branchline
The Agents Book
Actor's Survival Kit
Tax Kit 2000+
Making It (Federal government career management for culture workers)
Expert: Peter Messaline Date: 10/29/2007 Subject: from: Special
Question <b>Hello My name is Special. I just turned 13 and I have a lot of experience in performing and being on stage since the age of <u>1</u> and I am very passionate about acting <u>I am</u> ready for the next step such as television shows and productions, I just don't know or have the agent I need to get there. So my question is What do I need to do get to the next step, And what company do I need to get with and since I live in San Diego do I need to Move to Los Angeles I just Need Guidance. Please HEllP!!
Answer First of all, the bad news:
You are now heading into the worst years for getting film and TV work. The reason is that the law and union regulations mean that minors get special treatment on set (fewer hours work, tutoring instead of school) and have less experience than older people who look young. Almost all the young teenager characters are played by eighteen to twenty-something year-olds.
In Los Angeles, you would be competing with thousands (literally) of people for every audition possibility. Notice that I said 'audition' not 'work' -- there are LA actors for whom a good year is one in which they got to audition. Time enough for that move when you have a stunning San Diego résumé.
Most North American working actors have taken a college or university course. A performance course will be looking for high school graduates with good grades and some evidence of a long-standing interest in acting. I'd suggest using the next years to get all the acting experience you can, and to read everything about acting and about being an actor. These are not the same thing! Avoid the star biographies and read books in the Dewey Decimal 792 area (ask your librarian) about how to work as an actor.
There are some San Diego operations you might look at. These are not recommendations, you might hate them all, but perhaps somewhere to start looking. http://www.actorsalliance.com/index.html
this will cost you $45 a year, but perhaps give you a chance to mix with more experienced actors. They have a Mentor program which could be useful.
Young Actors Theatre does not seem a bargain. It would cost $165 for the necessary classes and another $140 to have the chance of being in one of their productions. Look at the video and see that their production is not exactly Broadway quality!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFd5BiNMn_M
This seems to be a better choice: http://www.juniortheatre.com/
Their classes are cheaper, but I don't know how long the term is.
Don't get hung up on turning professional: most SAG members rarely work, and those who did any work at all averaged $5,000 from acting in the last year surveyed.
You have a busy teenhood ahead of you.
Enjoy the trip: read, watch theatre and film, take part onstage and off, and get some classes in basic acting skills so you at least know the language used.
Enjoy your life: it's the only one you'll get. :-}
