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Career Advice on How to Become an Actor

Acting Careers, General Information

If your career planning and job search has led you to the conclusion that you want to begin a career in acting, well, congratulations. Now that you have decided to become an actor, you will have the distinct pleasure of disappointing your parents in a way that is usually only reserved for drug addicts and prostitutes. Stating that surviving a career in acting is “tough” is a massive understatement. 
 
Narcissism is rampant in society, and, as a result, everyone wants to be in the spotlight showing off how absolutely fantastic and fabulous they are. This means lots of competition for that acting job, in the commercial where you get to dress up as a giant taco and have a dog use you as a fire hydrant. People are willing to cheat, steal, lie and poke each other’s eyes out for parts that may lead to a career in acting. And those are the nice people! Those thinking about acting careers might also want to consider something easier like, professional boxing or mixed martial arts arena fighting.
 

Acting Careers, Career Facts:

The world of a waiter, ur, I mean an actor, is one spent beating oneself constantly for not being good enough. You will spend countless hours wondering how you could have ever been passed up for that roll as “Victim Four” in that slasher film, after all your scream was the best. 
 
In between all these hours of self-doubt and self-loathing, you will no doubt attend acting workshops where failed actors (disguising themselves as experts) will no doubt teach you to act like everyone else who is “an actor.” When not at acting workshops and competing in cut-throat death matches whimsically called “auditions,” you will be treated to carrying very large trays of artery clogging fattening food to mean-spirited fat people who tip “generously.” Yes, you will spend much of your “acting career” working as a slave in the restaurant industry.
 

For the ladies, and on occasion, really beautiful men, you will be introduced to the “casting couch.” This invention which is popular worldwide, but an actual art form in Los Angeles, will allow you the opportunity to exchange sex for acting jobs, or at least the promise of roles. Oh yes, showbiz is glamorous!

 

Careers in Acting, Opportunities and Job Outlook-Fair:

Job growth for actors between now and 2016 is expected to be about average. As of 2006, there were 70,000 people making a career in acting in the United States. The entertainment career opportunities for an actor that “makes it big” can indeed be staggering. This explains part of the reason why this small army of want-to-be actors persists in their quest for an entertainment career.
 
Job Outlook is Fair  
 

Acting Jobs, Entertainment Careers, A Day in The Life:

The typical individual working an acting career wakes up with an intense feeling of self-loathing brought on by intense casting director, and casting director flunky, criticism of their acting and general looks. This self-doubt is “chased away” by alcohol or often “other” mood altering substances. After an extended beautification ritual (because you never know who you’re going to meet), most actors then get in their car, usually a 1991 Toyota Camry or a similarly ancient automobile. They then proceed to drive to an acting audition where they will park their Camry next to several hundred equally ancient Camry’s and proceed to an audition. This pattern is interrupted by working their tenth year at their “temporary job” as a waiter, waitress, bartender or, occasionally as a bouncer.
 

Careers in Acting, Average Salary:

The average earnings for one in an acting career are about $11.60 an hour. However, this does beat digging ditches, usually. Unless, of course, you hit it big in acting, in which case you will be absolutely loaded down with riches and everything you ever dreamed of owning from your successful acting career.

$24k and up

 

Careers for Actors, Training and Qualifications:

One interesting aspect to acting careers, is that one can acquire a college degree in acting and take numerous acting workshops and still be competing with a dogcatcher that can barely speak English, or even his or her native tongue, for that matter. It’s just that sort of deal.
 
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