Are you looking to find out how to get into acting in TV, Movies, or Commercials, either for yourself or for your aspiring child actor? Then you should look here first.

The first step of the aspiring actor or actress is to find out what it will take to be successful in the industry. If you don't already know someone personally who is working in the entertainment industry, a good place to start is by checking out trade societies. In doing my research, I have found that there are tons of them available if you know what to search for.

One such site that has good information for beginners is "The Actor's Checklist". Scroll to the bottom of the page and you will find links (not to other sites, but within the site itself) to some of the basic information to get you started including training, finding an agent, looking for work, and getting your first audition. The site also talks about the business side of the industry (taxes, marketability, and more). They have extensive information, but remember that this is only the beginning. There is much more free information available that I will be letting you know about in the future.

A really good way to gain experience before you even apply to your first casting call is to get practice locally first. Start out by going to the library or a bookstore and getting a few short monologues to practice. Read them aloud and memorize the lines. Once you have the lines comfortably in your mind, try performing them in front of a mirror. What did you like or dislike about the performance? If something doesn't feel or seem right, change it...improve it.

The next step in this process would be to perform the monologue in front of others. Choose friends and family you trust to give you honest feedback about your performance. Perform your monologues and then listen to ALL of the feedback, good and bad. Use the criticism to better your craft. Reading, memorization, and being able to take and utilize criticism is a must in this business.

The next thing you can do is try out for parts locally at community theaters, community centers, churches, and colleges/universities. You may or may not get a part immediately as an actor, even in these settings, but you can gain valuable behind-the-scenes experience by volunteering to make sets, make costumes, help with advertising, or do other necessary tasks. Don't get discouraged. Keep trying out for parts until you get one, and keep practicing until you do. Once you have that prized first part, you can truly see if acting is something you really want to do and you can begin building your resume with all the work you have done locally. Local, volunteer experience looks much better on your portfolio than no experience

.

Once you have had some training and/or a few parts under your belt, you will need to set up your resume that you will send to agents, casting directors, directors, or studios to get auditions. With each part or class, you should add to your resume to show the work you have done up till now. The following is an example of what an actor's resume might look like:

Another item you will need in your portfolio along with your resume is the cover letter. The cover letter is used in much the same way as if you were applying for any other job. It is a greeting. It gives the recipient a quick synopsis of your experience or talents and why you think you would be right for the job, or in this case, the part for which you want to audition or why the agent should represent you. The following is an example cover letter to an agent for representation:

March 08, 2009

Dear Mr. Smith,

My name is Amy Golding. I am currently searching for representation and you came highly recommended. I have enclosed a few photos and my resume in the hopes that I might set up an appointment to speak with you to discuss my training in dance, drama, and voice, in addition to my experience in television.

I can be reached at (555)444-1234 or agolding@myactingjobs.com. I hope to hear back from you soon.

Sincerely,

Amy Golding

This one is an example of a cover letter you might send to a casting director :

March 08, 2009

Dear Ms. Werner,

My name is Amy Golding. I am an aspiring actress with formal training in dance, drama and voice. I have also had some experience in TV comercials and print modeling. I've enclosed my resume and a few photos for you to peruse. Currently, I am living in the Los Angeles area and would like the opportunity to audition for any upcoming casting calls or television roles that you think might fit my characteristics and experience.

I appreciate your time and consideration. You can reach me at (555)444-1234 or agolding@myactingjobs.com. I hope to hear back from you soon.

Sincerely,

Amy Golding

Your cover letter doesn't need to be a complete reiteration of what's on your resume, but it should highlight some of the training and experience related to what you are looking for. Be professional and polite and as always, provide a way for the recipient to reach you, either by phone and/or email.

A headshot and full-body photo, along with your cover letter and resume is generally what is minimally required when you contact an agent or apply for an audition.  More photos may be requested or even a video of you performing something to give them a better idea of what you can do.  If experience is not expected or required, it will be noted in the casting call or in any ads placed by an agent looking for new talent.  Be sure to follow whatever instructions are given in the ads or casting calls you respond to.  It will make all the difference between your success or your information being tossed in the trash.

There are a few websites online that you can visit to find good practice monologues if you don't have the time to go to a bookstore or the library. These sites cover everything from men's monologues, women's monologues, and children's monologues...to mistakes to avoid when delivering monologues and techniques for memorization.

Arts on the Move is a British website, but it has quite a few monologues for adults as well as for kids (including those under 12). Most of the monologues should be quite familiar if you have taken an English Literature course in the last 20 years (and actually paid attention). They also have articles encompassing different acting styles and techniques (drama, comedy, creating characters, etc.) geared toward the inexperienced actor. This should be a useful site to get your feet wet with.

Again, with an emphasis on English Lit., is a site called The Monologue Archive. Lots of skits from Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, and the like, this site contains nothing too recent, but there should be some good practice material, none-the-less.

Horton's Free Monologues is a unique site. There are monologues available from only one author, G.L. Horton. What makes the site unique, however, is that some of these monologues have video or audio demonstrations available to help you learn and practice. There are also what are referred to as "one-minute-mouth-off monologues".

Do a few searches on YouTube combining the term "monologue" with various other search terms like "auditions", "for men/ for women", "from movies/from plays", and you are bound to find something you can use for home practice, or your own audition.

These are just a few resources to help you get started. There are many more available. Make good use of your search engines, and you won't have to pay a cent (other than for your internet access) to prepare yourself for that first audition.

There are good talent agencies out there and bad ones, and the bad ones are getting more clever with their scams. So, here are a few things to look for to help you weed out the scammers from the legitimate agencies.

1. If a talent agency places an advertisement, which rarely happens, pay attention to any mention of fees. A legit agency will not charge up-front fees of any kind. A good agency (or franchised agency) earns their income from the jobs they get for you and it is usually a percentage of what you earn for the roles they get for you. Also, in regards to advertising, they don't generally need to because they get plenty of word-of-mouth advertising to fulfill any client needs. The good agencies also won't agree to represent you if they don't think they can "sell" you to casting directors, directors, or producers.
   
   Furthermore, they won't require you to take classes provided by their agency or have photos taken by a photographer of their choosing (it is against the law in most states for them to do so). That doesn't mean that they might not make suggestions as to classes that might benefit you or to certain photographers they know to be good, but you have the ultimate choice. If an agency tells you that you have to use the people they choose, then run for the hills...it's a good bet it's a scam and they're getting a kickback.
   
2. Ask if the agency is franchised. If not, investigate any claims they make. Ask for a list of a few people they represent so you can call them to verify that they are actually getting jobs and are happy with their representation. Also check them out with the Better Business Bureau and The Rip-off Report and do a search on the agency name . Any complaints should be taken seriously. You can find a list of franchised agencies in most states at the Screen Actors Guild website. You can also talk to local casting agents and ask what agencies they work with. If they have never heard of the agency you are considering, you should suspect that they aren't actually getting jobs for their talent.
   
3. If they promote themselves as being able to get even someone new to the business a high salary, be skeptical. You will most likely have to gain experience with bit parts before you are "discovered" and are really making the "big bucks".
4. When you visit their offices, do you hear phones ringing? Are they actually booking jobs? Is there a license or something showing that they are franchised posted on the wall. If not, check the company out before signing anything.
5. Agencies are a Monday - Friday, 9 am - 5 pm business. If you are asked to meet with a talent agent late at night or on the weekend, be suspicious.

Keep in mind that these are only a few of the things to look at when searching for representation. As I said, the scammers are getting sneakier with their scams, so be on the lookout for anything that doesn't seem right.

In researching how to become a working actor, I have found a few resources for open casting calls that might be of use when you begin looking for roles to audition for.  The following list of links are available to the public at no charge:

1. Open Casting Calls blog - This is a blog written by an industry insider.
   
2. Directory of Talent and Model Conventions - Talent and modeling conventions are a good place to network and meet the right people to get a foot in the door.
3. ABC
4. CBS
5. TV.com - search their forums for casting calls.  Every once in a while there are casting calls listed for major movies and TV shows.
6. NBC
7. FOX
   

You can also look at Yahoo Groups and search for local film/tv casting groups.  The Dallas- Fort Worth area has one such group called DallasFilmCasting that lists open casting calls.  The Actor's Checklist also has open casting call listings.  This is only what I have found so far.  I will be updating my posts as I find more information.

The Coogan Law, named after the 1920's  child actor, Jackie Coogan, protects the child actor's earnings from unscrupulous parents who would otherwise use their children for a paycheck.  Before 1939, the earnings of a minor belonged to the parent(s).  Coogan Law came into effect in California in 1939, but it had many loopholes and only marginally protected the child.  These days, the loopholes have been weeded out for the most part.  Coogan's Law requires a "Coogan Account"  or Blocked Trust account to be set up for a minor child in any entertainment industry career with 15% of the child's earnings from any and all work being deposited into that account.

Not all states have a Coogan law in effect, but in general it is a good idea to still set up a Coogan Account for your child actor.  In certain states, it is required that the guardian must show proof that a Coogan Account exists for their minor child to be allowed to work in the  entertainment industry.

There are other legal issues that will need to be addressed in starting a child's acting career.  Children under 18 years of age are required to obtain work permits signed by their parent(s).  Some states require one for each job the child gets, while others require one that is in effect till the age of 18.  It is a good idea to contact your state's workforce commission to find out local requirements.

Education is another issue you will need to address.  SAG contracts  for minors require that the producer supplies a teacher if a child works for 3 or more consecutive days,  but your child can only become a SAG member once they have been hired for a SAG job (the  actor can then join SAG after 30 days).  Contact your state's Education Agency to find out more information about local education requirements for child actors.