Expert: Kenneth D. Plonkey - 7/12/2009

Question
Dear Expert,
   Hi. My name is Breana and to be honest I really dont't know where to start in my career. Let me start off by telling you my passion for acting... I really love acting, I believe that I would make a great actress. This is what I always say: " you can do anything you put your mind to." But anyway my main question is where do I start? I don't know anything about a agent or how to get one... I am.. only 12 but I still believe I can do it because there was alot of young actresses that became sucsessful and look where they are in life! All I want is a little boost to help me get started on my career! can you help me?
  

                       sincerly,
                          Breana


Answer
Hello Brenda.  First of all you have no career to start, so don't call it your career. You are a minor and cannot work without your parent's signing for you. All actors begin getting ready for their careers in their school plays. Until you have been in several of them, playing important roles and doing them well, you have nothing on which to base your love of acting nor your belief that you would be great at it. What you see on TV and the movie screen is not the acting but only a small bit of the work it takes to shoot a scene on film. What you see is an illusion created by editing, lighting, sound, etc.  Many young people like yourself become enamored of this illusion and think they would be good act it.  Your reasoning that a lot of young actresses became successful is not valid because only a terribly small percentage of aspiring young actresses ever do anything even though they have lots of experience and training. The competition is simply overwhelming. What you need to concentrate on is that you must get started by being in lots and lots of plays. The only people who can help you become a professional actress before you are 18 are your parents. There is no other way. God bless, Doc