How to Get a Job As a Television Actor
Television actors can play a variety of roles: main characters, supporting characters or as extras in a commercial, in a series or on reality TV. There are a number of ways to get into the acting business, but however you get there, you will always have something in common with the person next to you: an audition. And getting past the audition will always take a combination of skill, luck and persistence.
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Instructions
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Many actors get their start in youth theaters, honing their craft in school drama clubs, community theaters or in a university or conservatory program. Degree-granting acting conservatories offer either Bachelor of Fine Arts or Master of Fine Arts degree in acting. Many colleges and universities offer a Bachelor of Arts degree program, usually in theater, drama or film. Plenty of actors do not, however, study acting in college or graduate school. Acting classes are available at independent studios all over the country. Acting is a competitive profession, and even if you are a "natural," you will need some training to be able to compete with other professionals.
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Before you can be on TV, you have to audition for the job. Getting seen by a casting director can be either very easy or very hard. The best roles are often only available to actors in the television actor's or the film actor's unions, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and the Screen Actor's Guild (SAG). To join one of these unions, an actor must prove that he or she is a professional with professional credits. Otherwise, you will have to go to a general audition, known as an "open call," and hope you get noticed. You can also attempt to get representation with an agent who can send you to auditions. Some actors get their start as an extra in the background, which is considered to be an easier job to land than to be cast in a role. Many extras are not actors and use it as an exciting way to supplement their income.
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In the audition room, you will be asked to perform in front of a camera. You may be asked to perform an excerpt from a script or to improvise a scene. The larger the role, the more emphasis is placed on the script excerpt, known as a "side." In the room with you could be a variety of people, ranging from the producer, the director, the casting director, various assistants and other actors. After this initial audition, you may be invited back to audition for the same role again. This is known as a "call-back" and means that someone is interested in seeing you again. This is a good sign. You are a finalist for the job.
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You no longer have any control over the situation. If the director and producer liked what they saw, you may get the job. Or you may not. The audition took skill, but to be chosen takes luck. There will, however, always be other jobs and other auditions. The more auditions you attend, the higher your chance of booking a job and becoming a television actor.
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Tips & Warnings
The best and most comprehensive resource for actors online and in print is the trade magazine Backstage. It has profiles of actors, tips on performance, auditioning and getting an agent; ads for classes and conservatory programs; and an extensive list of audition notices for productions all over the country. (www.backstage.com)
Craigslist is also a good resource for audition notices. To find notices in your city, scroll down on the front page of the city to "Gigs" and click on "Talent." (www.craigslist.org)
To book "extras" work, you will need to register with an agency. Try Central Casting, based in Los Angeles and New York. (www.centralcasting.org)
Though there is work all over the country for local TV projects, the majority of work will always be found in New York and Los Angeles. A serious actor may consider a move to one of these hubs.
The best way to learn about opportunities in education and the profession is to talk to a professional whose career has advanced past yours.
