I have always known that acting was my passion. Ever since I can remember, I have loved spending time on stage, whether it is in school plays or just messing around with my friends for fun. My number one goal growing up was to move to Hollywood and become a star!
When the time came, I packed up my car and headed west with only $200 in my pocket. During those first few months of scraping by, watching countless others succeed while all of my own auditions went nowhere still made me question whether I had what it took to make it as an actor. Eventually though, through some hard work (and lots of determination!), I managed to land several high-profile commercial gigs which helped me gain notoriety within the industry.
To help other actors avoid the same struggles I experienced as a beginner, here are six simple tips to follow if you want your passion for acting to turn into a successful career: Peter DeCaprio
1. Choose Authentic Acting Classes over Traditional Ones-
While attending an arts high school growing up, I was always told that “it doesn’t matter how good you think you are, it’s what industry professionals think that counts.” So when it came time to choose colleges and select classes, I chose those that were highly recommended by my teachers, which just happened to be traditional training programs where students learn how to recite monologues.
Now that I’ve spent some time working professionally in the entertainment biz (and also learned about Brechtian acting theory), I can honestly say that those acting classes were completely useless and a complete waste of time.
2. Stop Wasting Time with Scams-
An important thing to remember when pursuing any kind of higher education is that you should only pay for what you need; more and nothing less. For example, it costs the school nothing to give you a diploma at the end of your studies. This is why classes are offered for free in most cases- it’s just the administration that makes their money off of tuition fees.
Now compare this with acting workshops or “master classes.” If someone is charging you anywhere from $500 – $2000 (or more!) for an eight week course, then they are likely only teaching you information that would be readily available to you online somewhere else, perhaps even for free! And if they’re not showing you how to properly market yourself after graduation, then there’s really no point to attending their program at all.
3. Never Pay For Your Materials-
Just like traditional academics, actors will always need various tools to help them succeed. This includes headshots, resumes, demo reels, and tons of other materials that must be presented when auditioning for a role. Thankfully though, actors can easily find quality material at their local library for free when preparing for an audition!
In the rare event that they cannot find exactly what they need in order to secure an audition, most craft stores offer items such as blank DVDs or CDs which are relatively inexpensive and can be used in a bind. But even in this case, actors should still only pay the minimum amount necessary without going over their budget.
4. Know where you’re meant to Shine-
I’ve always been a big believer in taking a step back from my goals if I ever feel like I’m not making any progress. When this happens, I’ll take a month or two off to study my craft more in-depth while also spending time recharging my batteries so that I can come back strong with an even better plan of attack.
This usually includes honing new skills by studying acting techniques, watching movies on the weekends with friends, taking up a new hobby that will inspire me creatively (such as drawing or painting) and practicing these activities every single day while neglecting others that aren’t closely related to acting. By doing this, actors can experience how it feels to be “at the top of their game” while developing great habits for whenever they decide to go back into full swing later down the road!
5. Don’t stop once you’ve landed a Job-
I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that most actors have heard of the term “networking.” This is essentially where you meet with various members of your community for no other reason than to simply say hello. It’s been my experience that those who network professionally, meaning those who actually make each encounter count by exchanging helpful information with others, are more successful over time at securing jobs as opposed to those who only network as an afterthought or as a last resort.
6. Avoid Those Who Aren’t Serious About the Business-
This is a term that I started using recently to describe those who don’t have their head on straight, are focused on the wrong things, or simply aren’t working as hard as you are. Even though they may be in the same acting class as you and performing at your level, they somehow manage to get all the parts while you sit around waiting for something to happen. And even when it does come time for them to audition, not only do they always book the part but they usually spend only a few minutes practicing before leaving for their callback. This has been my experience anyway since I’ve yet to meet anyone else in this business that doesn’t have these problems going on!
Conclusion by Peter DeCaprio:
Although our journey as an actor can be quite frustrating at times, there are plenty of ways to keep yourself motivated and avoid any bad habits that may hinder your progress. This includes always knowing where you’re meant to shine, never paying for your own materials, taking a step back whenever necessary to recharge, networking only with those who are serious about the business, and avoiding those who are simply not focused on what it takes in order to have long-term success!