Being An Actor: What’s It Like?

What does it mean to be an actor? How much do actors make? So many questions, so many stereotypes. The glamour that we see on the red carpet has achieved through hard work, good old blood, sweat and tears. Acting begins long before lights, camera, and action. The actor begins with passion, dedication, and sacrifice. But hell — it’s worth it. We have gathered a handful of valuable advice and answers to some questions we’ve received about the life of an actor.

An actor must know how to interpret and represent a character, a situation, an idea, in front of an audience or in front of cameras, with the support of the text, the scenario and by using techniques of gestural and verbal expression.

What qualities are we looking for in an actor?

Talent. Talent is obviously the most important thing. If the mastery of vocal, breathing and body techniques is the expected basis, it is essential to have a little extra that truly makes the difference. Being passionate about literature and cinema, knowing how to dance, sing, play an instrument or even horseback ride might also come in handy.

How much does an actor make?

The profession is known for its high unemployment rate. That’s why we’re seeing all these actors who are also waiters, baristas, and sales managers that are yet to be discovered. Their true passion is acting and making it in this industry, but the girl’s gotta eat, ya know. If a rookie actor receives a paid gig, they’re lucky if the pay covers a month’s rent. So, it is impossible to tell the average salary, with the amplitude being significant, based on the actor’s reputation, experience and the importance of the contracts won. It’s no secret that overnight success happens after years of hard work, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t make it on your first week or can’t buy a house in Palm Springs with your first paycheck. In the beginning, actors often start with small roles, even just some background or extra work before being given a speaking role or even a lead. On AllCasting.com we have a wide selection of casting calls that are mostly paid gigs, that can vary between $300–500 a day! We also have non-paid jobs that are still great experience and exposure and gives you the precious IMDb credits.

Food for thought:

There are way more artists on the market than there are gigs — the competition is tough. The actors live between periods of activity and periods of unemployment. Even the legendary actor Kevin Bacon once said: “If you’re an actor, even a successful one, you’re still waiting for the phone to ring.”

How to get noticed? Castings, castings, castings

To get noticed by casting professionals, you have no other option but to go through a casting process. Try to spend as much time as possible going to auditions (which fit your profile) to put the odds in your favour. We interviewed our most successful members and you know what they said? They’re doing at least three auditions every week. Now that’s dedication we appreciate! It is possible, of course, that casting directors might give you the cold shoulder and not give you important roles due to your lack of experience. Start small and grow big!

Which type is the best?

Comedian, villain, goofball, dramatic actor, stunt performer, romantic lover, superhero etc.? There is an abundance of types in the acting industry alone, not to mention modeling business. Some actors get typecast, you know the ones who play police officers, detectives or leading romantic character in almost every film you see them in? And they really struggle to set themselves free from the stigma. Allcasting.com gives you the opportunity to try yourself out in every single area if you have what it takes.

What else?

Don’t give up. The actor, to succeed, must be passionate and dedicated. An actor or actress must have the strength to persevere despite the physical and emotional difficulties without being discouraged. To break through, an actor must also have a strong personality, a real presence, and charisma. What is charisma, really? It’s the ability to attract, charm, and influence the people around you. Charisma is often said to be a mysterious, ineffable quality — you either have it, or you don’t — but in reality, it’s easy to break down many of the critical factors that make someone charismatic. Such factors include, but are not limited to: confidence, exuberance, optimism, a ready smile, expressive body language, and a friendly, passionate voice.

Initiative and System D

System D is a shorthand term that refers back to the French word débrouillard, (one who is) skilled or resourceful at handling any difficulty. System D refers to a manner of responding to challenges that require one to have the ability to think fast, to adapt, and to improvise when getting the job done. Are you starting from scratch? Do you not have any professional relationships and friends in the industry? Become a part of the exclusive AllCasting.com inner circle and see job offers and upcoming castings. You can also go to film festivals and other big events to try to meet artists and casting professionals and interact with them — all is fair in love and war.

How to train?

There are no strictly defined limitations for becoming an actor, but training in acting is vital in most cases. Training provided by drama schools and acting classes, even online lessons are important. Additional skills in different areas are often appreciated — singing, dancing, martial arts, etc. But, of course, it is also possible to start as a complete rookie, based on pure talent.

To get certain roles, you as an actor must match the physical qualities of the character, so don’t waste your and other people’s time by going to auditions that are just not suited for you. There are, however, cases in movie history when directors have changed the gender, race or other characteristics of a character based on an audition they’ve seen. They have even added new characters simply because the audition was that good.

What is the actors’ work environment like?

The work of an actor usually takes place on a theater stage, a movie or TV show set or in a recording studio. Some shootings take place outside in extreme weather conditions, both hot and cold and one mustn’t whine when presented with such conditions, after all, it is a part of the job. Look at Leo DiCaprio — he had to endure the harshest of environments to put his hands onto his first Oscar. After the show or movie is done, the promotion of it may require contacts with various media channels: television, radio, press which, by the way, is less glamorous than most of us anticipate. The acting job is demanding. Long hours, night and weekend work are frequent. It requires travel, sometimes abroad (tours, filming, etc.). Having a flexible schedule and physical and mental endurance is essential.

Perfect yourself

Eat well, exercise and have lots of sleep (Unless a role requires you to gain some weight or other drastic changes in your appearance). What can be achieved visually by makeup artists, can’t be fixed any way mentally, if you’re exhausted, which is a real threat for every performer in every field. Some actors go so deep in method acting they exhaust their every resource available to them for the role, ending up looking like the zombie versions of themselves.

Polish and develop your skills of expression, your reactions, practice different accents. Train your vocal cords but also don’t forget to let them rest.

Memorize texts and situations. Adapt your performance to the style of the show. Adapt to different partners. When you achieve success, don’t forget to stay in shape. Remember that the more successful you become, the more people are looking at you, and always, always remember that for some people you’re a role model, especially young children, so be the best possible version of you. The public eye is all-seeing an often unforgiving, so don’t be sloppy. Every role you receive — play it like it’s the most important one.

So, if after reading all this you think you’re up for it, are you ready to put in some sweat and an occasional tear? Look through this week’s casting calls and find your next big gig, be it acting, modeling or voiceover.