It Takes More Than Acting To Be An Actor

I'm sure you've thought to yourself how easy life must be for actors. They show up on set, learn some lines, eat craft services all day and pretend for a living.

If that sounds too good to be true...You are correct.  It's not that easy to be a working actor.  In fact, there's a lot of work involved in being an actor before you even step foot on a set.

1. Natural talent only gets you so far - One of the first things you should do is sign up for an acting class.  Taking part in a class will help you sharpen your acting skills, make friends and be around a group of people who understand what you're going through to be a working actor. The Internet is filled with listings and reviews of acting classes and teachers. Try to find one that will take you out of your comfort zone and give you a chance to work on scenes that you haven't had a chance to perform in the past.
2. Be willing to make sacrifices along the way - I don't mean living in a small apartment or eating Spam for dinner.  I'm talking about sacrificing time with friends and loved ones. Being an actor is not a job that only happens during daytime hours.  You have to be ready for late auditions, odd call times, working on scenes late into the night, open mic nights and casting workshops that don't start until your friends are already home from work. You'll have to miss plenty of fun times with your buddies in order to move your career forward.
3. Opt for a "safe" look - This doesn't apply to everyone even though it sort of applies to everyone trying to be a working actor,  There are certainly a variety of parts available for actors of different sizes, styles and looks.  Here's something to consider as you decide on your career path.  Do you think you can get enough work on a long term basis as "the guy with the tattoos who robs the bank"?  How about being the girl with the piercings in her nose and eyebrows trying out for a regular role on a family sitcom?  Does your current look fit in with the type of parts you dream of playing on TV, in the movies and on stage?  Self expression is a wonderful thing but not if it limits the jobs you can potentially get as an actor.
4. Commitment - The idea of committing to a life as a working actor involves a variety of obstacles you will encounter on a daily basis.  Are you willing to be told "No" more often than you're told "Yes" about a part?  Can you handle long periods of not knowing when your next paying acting job will appear?  Can you handle not knowing when your first paying acting job will happen?
5. The hours - This ties in with the fourth point above.  Whether you're the lead of a TV show or an extra in the background of a movie scene, life on a set is filled with long hours.  Working on a set sometimes runs 10-12-14 hours per day.  While you're certainly not working a manual labor job, the hours are consistently long and demanding.  It's up to you to decide if you'd be happier with a 9-5 job instead of long hours, last minute script changes, a variety of working conditions and having to expose yourself emotionally on a regular basis.  Can you give enough of yourself on both an emotional and physical level daily for 10-12-14 hours?

The time and effort put into your career is completely up to you.  It's never too late to change your mind about making acting your career choice.  If you decide to move to Hollywood to be an actor, make sure you dedicate everything you have to realizing your dream.

This actor works to make his dreams come true on a daily basis.