AboutKenneth D. Plonkey Expertise Questions about acting and directing. Questions about getting started in a careeer. Questions about training and schooling for actors.
Experience I am a retired film actor. I am a retired university theatre program director and professor. I am the author of "The Tao of Acting, Mentoring for the Aspiring Actor" to be published this summer.
Organizations SAG
Education/Credentials BA, MA, PhD in Theatre
Post graduate study with certificate in Media Acting
Awards and Honors John Golden Traveling Fellowship
Question Hi Kenneth ! I have a few questions to ask you about getting started with my acting career ! Well , first of all , i would really love to become an actress but i don't know how or what to do to get started ! I don't live in California so i was wondering how can i audition for anything ? I read along the Internet that i am able to send in a recording of my acting and fill out my resume ! Is that true ? Can i do that to get noticed or is there a brighter idea you have for me ? I have no finished high school yet, but this is my last year ! I am 17 turning 18 in Oct 2009 ! My main question is what should i do to start off my career of being an actress and do i have to be in California ? Thank you so much Kenneth ! I hope to hear from you soon !
Joeleen.
Answer Hello Joeleen, Yours is the most often asked question that I receive. It comes from a misunderstanding about acting and acting as a career. And that is that acting careers do not just suddenly haooen to people who decide to become actors. Auditioning, therefore, is not the first step in starting an acting career.Second, the internet is not a very reliable source of information about getting acting jobs. Now, the very first thing anyone who wants to be an actor must do is build a resume of experience and training. The experience is the most important part. If you have not been in any of your school's plays or never have acted in a plsy, you are at a huge disadvantage when it comes to being an actress, because most of the girls who you will be competing with for roles have done a lot of acting. So. Unless you are interested in spending a few years catching up to these girls choose something other than acting to do with your life. Besides hardly anyone ever makes any money at acting because there are millions more applicants than jobs. The short answer to your question is you get startee by being in amateur plays at school and in the community. IF you have never done that, go to college and major in theatre and do as much acting as you can.Even if you want to be a film actor, stage acting is where you start. This is because it tells you if you can act well or not. Second the internet will not get you noticed. Only being an outstanding actress will get you noticed. You do not have to be in CA, in fact I recommend against it. But you do have to be where there is work. Write me at kencosp@aol.com and I will send you my book on preparing for an acting career. God bless,Doc
