Careers: Acting, Performing, Directing/Advise

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Expert: - 5/9/2010


Question
Hi my name is Addy i am a Nigerian-Canadian, i really love acting and singing i act and sing back in my country. i also write songs and acting is what i am most passionate about but there is no how i can explore my talent here because i don't know any actisthere in Canada so my question is how do  i make my dream come true i mean how do i become an actress or a musician? please i will be glad if you can answer my question thanks

Answer
Addy,

Thanks for writing. You should start by taking some acting classes. There are a number of really good acting teachers in Canada in the Vancouver and Toronto areas. After you've had a couple of years of training, you then need to get an agent to represent you and help you with getting auditions. You can do this by appearing in plays and showcases. Invite agents to see you work. If they're impressed, they may be willing to represent you.

After that, you need to move to Los Angeles as 90% of all casting for feature films and television shows is done in Los Angeles.

Finally, you have to pray. The chances of your ever being able to make a living solely derived from acting is incredibly slim. The odds are against you. At any given moment in the film and TV industry in Los Angeles, 95% of all actors are unemployed. You can see how difficult it is to make a living.

Hope this helps. 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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