by Olivia Westwood

Created on: March 15, 2007   Last Updated: May 15, 2007

Being an Actor: How to prepare and what to expect

Many people profess or secretly hold a desire to be part of the acting profession. For most this will remain an idea or a dream, however for those who are seriously considering pursuing a career in acting there are several things you should know and ask yourself first. In this piece of writing I will attempt to provide advice on actor training, finding representation and work, and what kind of lifestyle you may expect to lead as an actor. There is an incredible amount of information to take in and think about if you are considering pursuing this career, and I am simply providing an overview of the key considerations actor's face. Should you decide to investigate further I have provided a list of useful links. Enjoy!

First and foremost, it is important to emphasise that this lifestyle choice is not a glamorous one, and if you are entering the profession for this reason you will be sorely disappointed. Acting is extremely competitive, very hard work, and is often unrewarding financially. Most actors will have to work for free (or very little pay) at some point in their careers, usually having to juggle one or two jobs with rehearsals and performances just to pay the bills. If you do find paid employment as an actor contracts are often short, and once completed unemployment again beckons. I know many actors who have been on the West End stage for months and are now working in offices and bars (often both!) around London waiting for their next audition to come up. For them, like most actors, there is no such thing as having made it'. There are also lots of different types of acting work, and even if you find paid employment it does not necessarily mean that you will feel fulfilled or satisfied in your job. I know actors who have trained for years and are forced to continually take jobs in areas of theatre they find creatively and personally unsatisfying; again to pay the bills. As an actor it is extremely difficult to have any kind of financial security, and you will find it almost impossible to be accepted for mortgages, loans and deferred payment options without proof of regular income from one source. Most actors have to have something else that they can do when not acting, and if this is a skilled job then obviously the chances of earning good money are better. I know actors who are also teachers, technical staff, plumbers, bar tenders, receptionists and promotion workers. Of course, if you are serious about acting

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