How to Become an Actor Without Experience

To become an actor, you must seize any opportunity that even hints at involving acting. This is the best way to build up your acting ability and help you gain stage experience, even if you're not getting paid for it.

Things You'll Need

• Full-length mirror
• Several play books or scripts (check your public library)
• Video camera and tripod
• Tape recorder
• Children's storybooks

Instructions

1. Practice in front of your full-length mirror every chance you get. Read aloud from play books or scripts until you've memorized a good selection of lines. Once you have some lines down pat, put the book aside and start acting. Study your hand gestures, your posture and your facial expressions. All of these are vital to your ability as an actor to convey emotion and what you are thinking.

2. Use the video camera to film yourself when you're confident in your role. Study the video you've made of yourself acting. Are you believable? Are you audible? Are you conveying emotion with your body as well as your voice? What do you need to improve?

3. Study the actors in every movie or video that you watch. What made Humphrey Bogart great? Why do people believe Will Smith in the many characters that he has played? Now switch your viewpoint. If you're a man, study several great female actors. If you're a woman, study several great male actors. While all of them make acting look easy, most of them put in many hours and years of very hard work. Is there something from their lives that inspires you, that you can copy? Can you keep going because they did? "Adopt" those accomplished actors as your mentors.

4. Call in to local radio shows on a regular basis, and tape-record your comments and opinions each time you're on the air. Do you have a "twang" or an accent that you need to lose before you try out for the big time on stage or screen?

5. Look for acting classes at your local college or university that you can take. Even if you have to audit them, rather than paying for full college credit, get some classes on your resume, too. Some universities also have radio stations that you can volunteer at and work your way up to an on-air position. The same thing is true with TV classes, which may be offered through the journalism department rather than drama. Volunteer to go on TV for a local charity's fund-raiser. It'll be for a good cause, and you'll get some exposure to an audience.

6. Read to children every chance you get, whether at your public library or the holiday family reunion. Kids are tough critics, and if they don't believe a story you're telling them, they'll let you know it. When you can keep a group of kids interested for a story or two, you're making progress in your acting. And that adds a little more experience to your background. Actors also frequently are shopping mall Santas, fast-food mascots, Easter bunnies, parade float characters and sports team mascots, so keep an eye open for these opportunities.

7. Think carefully about opportunities for public speaking in your town. A civic group might want to hear a stirring patriotic poem read aloud. An organization might like to host dramatic readings, but it doesn't have any money to pay for someone to do that for an annual luncheon or dinner. You could perform a short skit for a group like that in return for having a very good dinner with the "movers and shakers" of your community. Don't overlook "reading with feeling" to seniors living in retirement homes, children or veterans in hospitals. During the holidays, many church and civic groups like to have a special skit on giving thanks, or a reading of O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi," or another popular piece. You'd have a tough audience, but one that would be very appreciative of your work and talent.

Tips & Warnings

• Volunteer not only to set up a talent show at your church or club but also to be the show's emcee. You'll get some stage experience right there!

• If you have a computer, hook up one of those tiny cameras that sits on top of your computer. Write a weekly two-minute skit, memorize the dialogue, start your camera and send your teleplay via computer to several friends.

• Update your resume every time you get something that involves any tiny bit of acting.

• Don't overlook any local theater group or club that's within a reasonable distance of your home or work. Meeting with other soon-to-be actors will help keep you focused.

• Don't turn down any acting work offered you, even if it's just your local radio or TV station needing some voice-over work. You never know who might be listening!

• Don't overlook the various Internet sites that post short videos from peers, either. Get together with some friends and make "demo shorts" for each one of you to post.

• Remember, to be an actor, you must audition at every opportunity, no matter how small the part. If you've done all the things listed here, and worked hard at them, you will showcase your acting ability, and your first break will find you.