Expert: Phil Nemy - 5/12/2011

Question
QUESTION: I'm an 18 year old male with little acting experience but I've decided it's what I want to do. I did some modeling here and there during high school, a few trade for print and some paid but mostly just to build a portfolio. I'm thinking about working along with going to a local community college (I live in the midwest right now) and studying theatre/acting for 2 years along with getting my generals done and saving a lot of cash probably around 2,000 a month for 24 months.

From there I'm thinking after getting some experience and necessary training I'd transfer somewhere around the LA area like UCSB or UCLA that way I can be where I'm supposed to be to pursue this, while trying to gain experince, exposure and better training along with meeting people that could help me out. All the auditions are out there and it just seems like the overall best option. I've also been thinking about NYU or somewhere in that area since I could possibly get a few modeling jobs. Another idea I had was maybe just sticking it out around here, the place I know till I actually graduate, maybe Iowa U or something since it's in state and still, from what I hear, a pretty decent program.

I've put a lot of thought into this, and I just think it's a clearly a better and more realistic option then moving out there with nothing and not attending any school at 18 years old and expecting people to drop everything to represent you.. it's definitely not that easy and I think that's what people don't realize.. either way, I'd appreciate your take on my plan and any advice you have.

It just seems really hard to actually start out in the industry because so many people are trying to do the same thing you are. I've always tried to look up my favorite actors and see how they got their start and it just seems to be a small bit of luck for the majority of them, along with knowing one or two people out there. I'm also semi worried that if I go to school and get my BFA for acting/theatre that it could just go to waste, but I am planning on having a backup plan and taking classes for something that is in high demand, just so I'm not screwed if acting doesn't work out. Thanks for helping out ahead of time. Don't want to sound like a douche at all, but at my most recent modeling shoot the makeup lady described me as an Ian Somerhalder/Taylor Lautner combo, which I took as a compliment although I didn't know who Somerhalder was at the time.. figured I'd throw that out there so you kind of have an idea of my background. I feel like I could definitely do well in this industry, BUT I don't like to take risks with no plan, so I'm trying to check and re check everything.. starting out sucks.

ANSWER: Liam,

Thanks for writing. There are two trains of thought at work here. The first is to get a B.A. training in theater or film at a local school in Iowa and also get an education in a back-up career in case you can't make a living as an actor.

Or you could audition for, and if accepted, enroll in a top-notch BFA actor's training program at a high-level school like Julliard, Carnegie Mellon, NYU, etc. and get the best education and training in acting available, but then you won't have a back-up education experience just in case.

The bottom line is this: having a career as an actor in film and television does not first require a BFA degree from any school, or an education in acting from any school or program. Plenty of working actors today never went to college and never had much training. But my theory and philosophy is that whatever career an individual seeks, regardless of profession, one can ONLY help themselves and better prepare themselves for that career if one can afford and takes advantage of the best possible education in that particular profession.

So having said that, I am a HUGE proponent of enrolling in the best possible acting program you can be accepted into and that you can afford financially. But I would ONLY recommend that you do this if you know, in your heart of hearts, the ONLY thing that will satisfy you personally as a career is that of an acting career. If there is ANYTHING else in your heart that you are passionate about that you can actually pursue as a career, then you should pursue that and put acting aside. The reason I say this is that the chances of you EVER being able to support yourself and your family SOLELY from income derived from acting employment is slim to none. You pursue a career in acting because YOU LOVE IT AND YOU CANNOT DO ANYTHING ELSE! It's the ONLY thing that will make you happy and that will satisfy your passion. But recognize that by following that dream you'll probably be poor most of your life. Regardless of whether you trained in the best BFA program or not.

Does it help that you're good-looking? Absolutely! Will it help if you have raw talent that can be trained? Without question! But neither will guarantee you success! Much of an actor's success is built on luck and relationships. So why not support those with good training so that if and when your big break comes along, you're ready for it?

Hope this helps.

Good luck!

Phil









---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: How would you advise in building these relationships? It seems like a huge portion of it is "who you know", and I'm a blank canvas. I can't really see myself doing anything else. I'm 18 at the moment, almost 19 and I just don't see me working in an office or something. I enjoy modeling, that could be another thing to try, but I see these people in tv shows, movies, plays and the thrill of being able to be and do anything you want just seals the deal for me. The reason for sticking around here and going to school locally was so I could save around 30k after my two years is up, by then I'd be 21 and completely developed I assume, and I'd have a decent savings to pick another school, OR

From your advice I've picked out, either apply for a top notch 4 year program, no community college bs, or just take acting classes, save money and try to find auditions for things online like backstage.com or something, and take frequent trips out to LA while just trying to teach myself as much as possible too. Maybe it's better to take the risk while I'm young, maybe it's smarter to wait two years and get an associates degree in something, save cash, and not even study acting in community college but travel once every few months to LA for acting classes.. then audition to transfer to a program like NYU or something. I just don't wanna set myself up for a disaster.

ANSWER: Liam,

Only you can decide what you think is best for you. But I can tell you that the casting directors that I know all say the same thing to me - it starts with the right look, and then it's all about training. Meaning, the camera either loves you or not and you have the right "look" for the part. After that, they look at your training and if your training is limited to a community college they've never heard of, versus a well-known actor's training program like those found at Carnegie Mellon, Brandeis, NYU, SMU, etc., it could be the difference between getting an audition or not getting an audition. The better known schools also set up auditions for their graduating seniors to help them get their foot in the door. Community colleges don't, nor do lesser known mid-west colleges.

Hope this helps.

Phil

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: sorry to pry, I just have tons of questions.. but when you say "it could be the difference between getting an audition and not getting an audition" what exactly does that mean? I mean, do you need someone to say, hey this kid has it give him a try, to even get a casting directors time of day for an audition?

Another thing I recently read.. When Shia Labeouf was younger he found an agent through the Yellow Pages and was taken on, after pretending to be his own manager. Do you think that could work nowadays? Calling everyone you know and finding who they know and talking yourself up as your own manager? It seems like a long shot, but hey it is the acting business.

Answer
Liam,

There are hundreds of thousands of unknown and unemployed actors in Los Angeles, all trying to get an audition for a film, an episode of a TV show, a commercial, a pilot, etc. This means that your average casting director gets hundreds of head shots every day of actors hoping to be noticed and invited to audition. The first thing a casting director looks at is the actor's "look" - does he/she look right for the part. The second thing they look for is experience, and if there is a lack of that, they look for training. So what I meant was that if you had good training for a prestigious training program, that could be what puts you over the top to get an audition. The lack of it might keep you from getting an audition.

I cannot confirm the story you heard about Shia Labeouf, but it may be true. I don't know. Do I recommend lying? No. At the end of the day, you're either going to have the look, talent and training or you're not. And even those three things are not guarantee that you'll ever have a career as a working actor. It's that difficult.

Phil