Careers: Acting, Performing, Directing/career in film

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Expert: - 11/8/2008


Question
my question is how to sign up in a career in film like starring in a movie.the boy is 12 years old going on 13 next february

Answer
Eon,

Thanks for writing. Unfortunately, your son cannot "Sign Up" for a career as an actor starring in films. That's not how the motion picture industry works. Your son needs training as an actor, an agent, needs to move to Los Angeles, CA, and then must accept that he may never be able to support himself strictly from income earned as an actor. At any given moment, 95% of all actors in Los Angeles are unemployed. Those are the hard facts which means pursuing an acting career and making a living at it is almost impossible.

Sorry for the bad news.

Good luck!

Phil

Careers: Acting, Performing, Directing

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Phil Nemy

Expertise

I am a motion picture and television producer with over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry. I am also the author of the book GET A REEL JOB: Finding Your First Job In The Motion Picture Industry In Los Angeles. I can answers questions on a variety of subjects about careers in film from acting to directing to crew work, getting into the unions, successful strategies for networking, etc.

Experience

Former VP, Production for The Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group Supervised production on such films as ARMAGEDDON, THE PRINCESS DIARIES, REMEMBER THE TITANS, PEARL HARBOR, CON AIR, ENEMY OF THE STATE, THE ROCK, CRIMSON TIDE, COYOTE UGLY, A CIVIL ACTION, ROMY & MICHELE'S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION, NOTHING TO LOSE, EDDIE and others. Worked as an actor, stage manager, director on broadway and regional theater as well as L.A.' Equity-waiver scene. Former Associate Artistic Director of Los Angeles Equity-Waiver theater.

Organizations
Director's Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild, Actor's Equity Association

Education/Credentials
BFA in Acting/Directing from Carnegie Mellon University.

Past/Present Clients
I've worked with such filmmakers as Jerry Bruckheimer, Tony Scott, Steve Zaillian, Scott Rudin, Garry Marshall, Frank Marshall, Michael Bay, etc.

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