Expert: Peter Messaline - 4/10/2007

Question
Hello,
my name is Stephanie I'm 15 years old and I live in Canada. All my life my plan
was to go to medical school and follow in my mothers foot steps, but that not
what I want out of life. I want an acting career and I recently told my mother
about it and she actually approved but we both don't know where to begin. I've
taken drama all my life in school and been in school plays but I don't know the
much about acting in movies. How do I get started? What am I to do? Is this
dream of mine impossible to achieve? Do I stand a chance and if so when I go to
auditions how can I stand out from all the other girls? I'm willing to work so
hard, I'm up for this challenge. So what am I to do? If you could help me out
and provide me with guidance that would be wonderful! Thank you so much!
-Stephanie

Answer
I'm delighted to hear that you and your mother are talking this over, and that she is supportive.
Being a professional actor is a long way from acting in school plays, as you obviously realise already.

The hardest part is nothing to do with acting: There are always far more actors than there is work. There must be, or else companies wouldn't be able to choose the different people they want for their characters. Every actor is looking for work all the time (and generally getting turned down!)

Where do you go from here?
Most professional actors in North America went to a university or college theatre course. "Theatre" meaning "acting", but very few courses have the money to use expensive film/TV equipment and hire good technicians. The basic acting skills are best learned in live performance, anyway, most people agree.
Start getting into a good course now. The competition to get into a good course is very competitive. They are looking for people who are already involved in acting, actively doing what the course will teach them to do better. Join community theatres and school clubs, write to actors and directors and theatres, read all you can about the reality of being an actor. Ask in your local public library, not for books about stars and scandals, but in books with dewey decimal numbers around 792.082. They are How To books about the career of being an actor, and I think they will help you to get an idea of what you'll be facing.
Standing out from all the other girls isn't what happens at auditions. you're called in because someone thinks you could play a part, you read, all the other possibles read when it's their time, and the film or theatre chooses the one they think fits their idea best. It's a lottery, no-one knows how to be best. It's easy to be worst, but only the engager knows who's best.
Visit my website!
www.petermessaline.com
It's still under construction, but there's lots of stuff already in place.
And take a look at our book!
The Actor's Survival Kit.
The fourth edition is just out and will be in stores soon.

Stay in touch!!

Peter M