How to get into acting (QUICK STEPS)
Behind the Scenes from WARGAMES
We have a lot of young aspiring acting talent who follow our work. Here is our tips for someone trying to get into acting…
STEP ONE - DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS
Acting is a skill that you need to work on to develop - it’s not as easy as it may seem. So putting the time in from day one - and continuing to develop throughout your career - is vital. Some ways you can develop are…
Watch YouTube videos about developing your acting
Film yourself doing acting exercises (e.g. monologues, embodying a character’s physicality, accents etc.), watch back and then redo to improve
Watch people when you are out and about - see how they move, talk etc. (but don’t be a stalker!)
Coaching - this can be expensive but there are cheaper coaches out there too!
Work with the people around you and get feedback from them - make sure you can trust them to be honest
Step Two - Get Work / Create Work
The next step is to get work. Working as an extra is a good way to get the vibe for working on set - and on some sets like ours, could lead directly to bigger roles. However in general, these roles won’t get you into the acting roles you want. Instead you need to find roles and apply. The best way to do this is…
Social media - follow the casting directors or agencies and whenever they post a role THAT YOU FIT apply. Don’t just apply for everything because that makes their life harder.
Backstage/Spotlight/Star Now - there are acting websites which you pay for to advertise yourself as an actor. These can be good for beginners but generally the roles won’t be as good even as the ones on social media… but it can get you experience!
To apply you will need a headshot (don’t panic - it doesn’t have to be an expensive professional photo, a clean clear photo on a phone of you will work but it can’t just be a casual photo out with friends). A showreel is also ideal (footage/clips from your previous acting roles) but don’t panic if you don’t have this yet.
BUT applying for roles can be very difficult as there is a lot of competition. So our best advice is to create your own roles. Find people around you with a passion for making films and GO CREATE! It doesn’t have to be the best thing, and it could even be filmed on a phone camera… Just focus on the story and the acting. This can then be used for your showreel, but also you could post it online or even submit to film festivals to get some recognition! Don’t underestimate how useful it is to be able to just go and create work, both now and later in your career!