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Careers: Acting, Performing, Directing/Touring as an actor/becoming a professional stage actor

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Expert: - 7/16/2007


Question
Hi Phil,
The question I had was how does one become a professional stage actor? Also, how does one start touring as an actor, stage or film?

Answer
Andre,

Thanks for writing. One becomes a professional stage actor when one is hired in a paying job to perform a role in a play. One starts touring when one is hired to perform one or more roles in a touring company.

The key to having these things happen is as follows:

1) Talent - if you don't have it, there's nothing you can do.
2) Training - if you've never taking acting, movement, and voice classes, then you need to. Training is VERY important.
3) Agent - you need one to help you get auditions.
4) Headshots - you need professional ones taken of you
5) Resume - you need a professional-looking resume

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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