Careers: Acting, Performing, Directing/modeling and acting

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Expert: - 12/4/2007


Question
Hey Phil! My name is Zach and I've been modeling for about 5 years now. I've been flown out to California, from Ohio, several times for modeling. I love it. But my real passion is for acting! I have no experience in acting besides in a small commercial for a local ice-cream shop. How do I get started in acting? I don't just want to be a small time actor. I want to be that guy that everyone knows, ex. Brad Pitt, Matt Damon. My goal is to be in a SAG film. Can you help me?

Answer
Zach,

If you want to be a successful actor, and you have no experience, then you should begin by taking some acting classes. Once you've got some good classes under your belt, get your print modeling agent to introduce you to some talent agents in LA and fly out to have an interview with them. If one of them is willing to sign you, then you'll need to move to LA to be available for auditions.

Once you're in LA, sign up again for some acting classes, making sure to study cold readings.

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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