GREGG AVEDON - ADVICE: ACTING
Getting Into Acting
By Gregg Avedon
Unlike modeling, it's really never too late to get into acting. No matter what age, you can embark on this fulfilling journey by taking advantage of the resources available in your area. Of course, if you live in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, or Chicago, your choices will obviously be much greater. Still, it doesn't matter where you live, you can always find an outlet to express your creative talents.
Can you learn to act?
The first thing that you've got to do to be successful in acting is to work on your instrument (that's the term you'll hear in acting), but let's just say that you've got to work on yourself. Just as an athlete trains him or herself to improve performance, so too does an actor. I've heard respected individuals say that acting can't be learned, that it's something one innately possesses. Then again, I've also heard the opposite...that you can learn to act by working on yourself in acting class, as well as out of class. I believe the latter. I do believe that you can learn encompass a character - in a given environment - with a certain set of circumstances, and fill that fictional individual with life.
We all were kids once, we all played make believe, we've all endured life's experiences (whether good or bad), and intuitively we can understand what a character might feel, do, and react in a given situation. As I stated earlier, just as an athlete trains to become stronger, to progress, and to learn about him or herself, you too must train if you want to be a successful actor. You've got to do the work if you want to possess all the colors your palate is capable of holding.
Putting Yourself Out There:
You can get a lot further if you get yourself noticed right away. NewFaces.com is a great way to do just that, actors have access to a bevy of castings ranging from commercials to feature films. Casting agents also regularly browse through the talent, which increases your chances of being discovered.
Getting a Headshot:
When you feel ready to begin auditioning, the first thing you'll need to do is to get yourself a solid headshot. I think the two most important aspects of a solid headshot are: 1) That it represents you, the way you really look, the real you, with eyes that speak; and 2) Having a headshot you feel confident about. There's nothing worse than handing over a picture of yourself that you don't like. You need all the cards in your favor when you walk into any audition, and confidence is probably the biggest key.
Looking in the yellow pages is always a good start, but probably the best way to find a reputable headshot photographer in your area would be to look in your area, newfaces.com has photographers listed in each area for members to contact.
When you meet with a photographer, you can feel immediately whether he or she makes you comfortable or not. Sit and have a chat, be sure to check out his or her book of other headshots, and get some idea as to what you're looking for...then talk price. You shouldn't pay more than $400.00 for your first headshot, rather it should be more in the $300.00 (or less) range. Don't forget that you've still got to have a bunch of headshots printed to pass out later.
Shooting your headshot should be an exciting and fun experience for you. Enjoy the time, relax, talk with your eyes, and connect with the photographer. You'll see those characteristics telegraph through the prints when you check out the results. One thing that I've always found when looking at contact sheets for the first time, is that my eye will immediately gravitate toward one definitive shot. Listen to this intuition, because nine out of ten times it's right. Put the contact shots down for a day or so, then pick them back up and see if your eye gravitates back to that same shot. Of course you'll probably ask several people to check them out, and everyone will have their opinion...hopefully it's the same as yours! The photographer will also mark the shots he or she feels are the strongest shots. Remember, you're the one who has to walk into that audition and hand over your headshot, so you should be happy with it.
It's time to print your headshot, but where and how are you going to get that accomplished? Easy! Just check out the NewFaces.com shop where you can print your headshots and comp cards at prices that are below industry standards!
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