by MRS
(San Bernardino)
QUESTION:
I’m a recent high school graduate living in Southern California and am preparing to enter College up North in the Fall, but I am at a loss regarding my future career. I have always had an interest in acting but have never pursued it. I enjoy watching plays but I would prefer auditioning for film roles. I have no experience but am eager to start somewhere now since I feel 17 is too late to begin an acting career. I live 2 hours away from L.A. and plan on visiting frequently throughout the summer. Do you know of any places I can visit that will assist me? Your feedback is appreciated.
ANSWER:
It’s a great idea to take advantage of the summer to explore Los Angeles and what it has to offer to actors.
If you want to get a taste of what it feels like to be on stage, try to find a class that culminates with a performance or better yet, an agent showcase. If you don’t have the money for a class, look into doing an internship over the summer for an agent or casting director who casts film and TV since that’s what you’re interested in. Entertainment Careers.net usually lists quite a few internships in LA. If you’re going to college, it can’t hurt to have an internship on your resume anyway.
If you can’t commit to coming in the city every day, there’s still other things you can do. Look for castings of short student films at the film schools in LA when you visit and drop off a headshot and resume. Sign up for actorsaccess and other legitimate casting websites to see if you can get a few auditions. Also check Backstage – The Actor’s Resource for any open calls you could go to.
If you want to get a feel of what it’s like to be on a movie set, you could also do a few days of extra work (www.extrasaccess.com), just don’t put it on your resume and obtain a work permit first if you’re not 18.
The LA Film Fest is also starting June 16th. You can get a student pass for a really good price, see tons of screenings and possibly have an opportunity to meet indie filmmakers.
Good luck!