What to do during your first six months as an actor?
We are here. You have made the decision that you want to act. You are now part of the tribe. As soon as the euphoria fades, the doubts will begin to creep in. What should I do? What can I do to make this work? What are my chances of succeeding? I will help you create a plan for the next six months and dispel any doubts. Grab a piece of paper and a pen, and let’s get started.
1# Become an actor
First, you must be an actor. None of that “I want a career as an actor” stuff or “I am training to become an actor” stuff. It’s your responsibility to take it on board from the beginning. Actors are easy to find if you want to become one. It’s that simple. This is the first step in achieving your life goals. The universe will help you meet your goals if you let it out. That is what I believe. This is not the right path for you if you feel uncertain when speaking it. Be bold and fully commit to your goal. Uncertainty can make your work uncertain. Training institutions, agents, casting directors, and institutions will all be insecure.
2# Six-month plan
Before we get into the logistics and practicalities, let me reiterate this: Be prepared to work.
This isn’t an easy path to choose – it will bring you financial instability, rejections, humiliation and anxiety, and high competition. It doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s not worth it. Every day of my acting career, I have felt grateful and proud. You can build a great community if you’re willing to work hard. Then, the work will come.
You can create your 6-month plan. Here are some guidelines.
- Draw your 6-month plan on large pieces of A3 paper. This is only for your eyes. It should be somewhere you will see it often. Mine is on top of my computer at work. You could place it in your closet, next to your bathroom mirror or even under your pillow!
- Be realistic. In three months, you won’t be a regular lead for the next Riverdale season. In 6 months, you might not have an agent. Do not be discouraged – acting is a profession like any other. You will unlikely pick up a violin and then be at the Opera House six months later. You must train, you have to put together your resources, hustle, and you must build a network. These things require time.
3# Three-year plan
Similar to your 6-month plan, be realistic and be open to change. This one can be written out as well, but it can also be kept private in your closet, on a shelf or in Notes. You can add positive affirmations to it and be as specific as you like. Learn more about yourself as an actor and human.
4# Training
10,000 hours. Malcolm Gladwell’s principle of 10,000 hours of “deliberate practise” is what I use to remind myself. This is the only way to be world-class in any area. Now is the right time to start. There are many options for training. Drama School is my top recommendation. It’s a 3-year full-time course at a respected institution. To get a taste of it, you can also do a 12-week foundational class or an intensive for 1 year on Saturdays. It is hard to beat the experience of working with actors in a group. Being in a class and learning from each other is a great learning opportunity.
5# Actors’ Toolkit
After a few months of training, it is time to start looking at the business side. Each actor should have a toolkit that includes a headshot, showreel and CV, as well as online profiles. This is the toolkit that actors will use to evaluate your suitability for a role. Having an actor’s toolkit is vital because you won’t be able to exist without it.
