About Soap Opera Stars

Have you ever wondered where the actors on your favorite soap opera come from? They seem so perfect and can usually act with ease. They transport you to their world for an hour a day.
If you watch soap operas regularly, you begin to choose your favorite characters and actors. You look forward to the next episode because, like reading a good book, you can't wait to see what happens next.

Instructions

History

1. 

   Soap operas are considered episodic, ongoing works of fiction that are broadcast on television. However, many years ago, they used to also be broadcast on the radio. These days, people refer to these dramas as soaps. The term soap opera came from the broadcasts on the radio, which featured dramatic, original series for which soap makers such as Lever Brothers, Proctor and Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive were sponsors.
   The radio shows were usually broadcast during the week, when housewives would be able to listen to them. This resulted in the shows' audiences being composed mostly of females.
   Today, soaps are still targeted at a mainly female audience, though some males do watch them as well. They are still broadcast in the middle of the day, though working women typically have to record them to keep up with their favorite shows. DVRs and TiVo have made this process easy.

Function

1. The soap opera star's job is to be as convincing as possible. They must not only embrace their character, but they must become their character. Some soap opera stars have said that they feel as if a little part of their character resides deep within them, thus making it easier for them to transform into that person on screen. Others have said that after acting like their character for so many years, they become a tiny bit like the person they are portraying on television.
   Most soap stars are by no means an overnight sensation. They typically have had formal acting classes or have been actors either on Broadway or on other television shows. It takes a lot of hard work and training to become an actor and be able to embrace a role.

Potential

1. Becoming a soap star these days is no less challenging than it was 30 years ago. New television shows, such as cable network SoapNet's "I Wanna Be a Soap Star," are one way to go about becoming a daytime sensation. The competition takes both men and women from around the country and has them compete in acting challenges, all in the hopes of winning the grand prize: a role on a daytime soap.
   Those who are lucky enough to land a role on a soap can make decent money. For a virtually unknown actor, the salary is approximately $72,800 to $156,000 per year; for an actor who's been working in soaps for about five years, the salary can range from $156,000 to $312,000 per year; and for those who have been around 10 or more years, the salary can range from $208,000 to $520,000 per year.

Geography

1. Soaps stars put in long hours and don't have a choice of where they film. Most soaps are filmed in either Los Angeles or New York City, so in turn, most soap stars must live in or close to these cities. In an effort to get away from the rat race, when they are not filming, some stars to keep homes in other states, and even in other countries.

Misconceptions

1. Not just anyone can turn himself into a soap opera actor. Most actors have gone through their fair share of rejections in an effort to reach soap stardom. Some actors take acting classes and do theater work in either New York or Los Angeles. They typically send agents or casting directors invitations to their performances in hopes of getting an offer after their acting abilities are seen.
   The majority of actors also have agents. The agents serve the actor by helping him get cast for certain roles and by choosing roles that they think he will be qualified for. They are also instrumental in getting jobs and casting calls for the actors.
   In addition to finding and qualifying for jobs, soap actors must also have good memories. They often get very little rehearsal time before shooting their scenes. Being able to memorize dozens of pages of dialogue every day is a key factor in being able to perform the job duties. The bigger the star, the more lines he is apt to have.