The film industry is nothing like, well, what you see in the movies. No longer can young, fresh talent come to Hollywood with nothing but grit and a dream if they want to establish a stable acting career. And the market has become so heavily saturated with beginning actors, making the competition grow more and more each day. If you want to stand out in the industry you’re going to need a few things before moving to LA.
Learn the Basics of Acting
First and foremost, you need talent. It’s one thing to say you’re an actor, but can you act? When I say ‘act’ I don’t mean having the ability to cry on cue. I’m talking about mastering the basics. The basics give you a foundation to build your acting skills upon. You can’t reasonably expect to advance your career without them. Every sous chef starts out by making PBJs.
So, have you learned the basics?
If you can confidently say ‘yes’ without a second thought, then you probably haven’t. If you can say ‘yes’ because you’ve invested time into training and taking small roles in local acting markets, then the odds are in your favor. If it’s possible, take roles in your current city or move to a large market that’s close to you.
Polish up your resume, demonstrate that you have actual experience. Do this for at least 1-3 years before you even think about moving to LA.
Your Competition in LA
Even after moving to LA, you’ll need to continue working on your image and gaining experience. That’s not to say you should take a gig out of desperation. Instead, go for roles that will bring meaning to your acting career. You’ll be hard pressed to establish yourself as the next scream queen if you start out as a support character in sitcoms.
You’re probably not competing with the actors who think they can take over Hollywood as soon as they finish drama school. Expect to go toe-to-toe with a completely different, much more strategic beast- actors just like you. The ones who continued training before moving, and who took roles in other markets and built up a resume. The ones who have put in the time and effort into learning about marketing for actors.
Competition has a pretty negative connotation, and that’s not entirely accurate in the context of the film industry. While you are competing for individual roles, there are enough productions going on for everyone to find work. Everyone will get their shot at playing the lead. Don’t look at other actors like enemy competition, but rather friendly competition. Networking in the film industry is an important skill that actors need to develop, because you’re going to meet A LOT of people. Making connections with the right people is a surefire way to find the best work.
Develop Marketing Assets for Actors
How do you stand out amongst this crowd though? With an acting demo reel. You should be constantly updating your demo reel with your latest projects to demonstrate that you not only have experience, you know how to persevere in a relentless industry that is always culling the herd. While it may be tempting to show off versatility, you won’t establish a long-term career by dabbling in a little bit of everything. Demo reels for actors need to reflect whatever it is you hope to pursue, to show producers and casting directors that you belong here and you’re not going to budge.
Then there are headshots. A good headshot is a key factor in branding yourself, and the first thing that will be looked at by casting directors and talent agents. Hollywood isn’t nearly as obsessed with stereotypical beauty as you might think. Hollywood, and its loyal audiences, crave originality and authenticity. Momentum comes when you can deliver a genuine performance so audiences can connect with you on a deeper level. If you’re trying to be the next Scarlett Johansson or Chris Pine, you’re already off to a bad start. That’s been done before, audiences have already seen it, studios have no desire to market it.
Of course that acting demo reel and headshot aren’t going to pay for themselves. They won’t pay the bills either. Without a reliable source of income you’ll struggle to meet the minimum cost of living. But you don’t want to get by on the bare minimum, do you? No, of course not! You want to live comfortably and have the freedom to pursue gigs and projects that you want, not take work out of financial desperation. The easiest way to prevent financial ruin before your career can even take off is to create a production company.
Actors Who Own Production Companies Will Succeed
Charlize Theron has Denver & Delilah Productions. It helped bring us Atomic Blonde. There is now a sequel in the works and potential for crossover with the very successful John Wick franchise. Charlize played the lead role.
Just about everyone knows the story of Leonardo DiCaprio finally receiving his first Oscar for Best Actor in 2015. But what some people don’t know is that his production company, Appian Way Productions, is what made The Revenant possible.
Drew Barrymore owns Flower Films. Since 1995 she has produced just about every single movie and TV show she’s ever starred in. She has become one of the most successful actors of our time.
Remember when Straight Outta Compton came out, and it was the only thing people were talking about? That likely had something to do with the fact that Ice Cube’s company Cube Vision was behind this universally lauded film. A film that was partly autobiographical for Ice Cube himself.
I don’t think I need to continue. There is a strong connection between actors who own production companies, highly successful films, and careers that stand the test of time. Actors just like you can access the knowledge and tools you’ll need to create a profitable production company to sustain your lifestyle and career.
You don’t need to move to LA to access it.
You can start your company anywhere and begin producing your own creative content wherever your skills are needed.
You can use the money you make to pay for the training you’ll need for your acting career to thrive.
You can come to LA with more than enough money to live comfortably while you pursue your dreams.
Do you want to be an actor, or just another face in the crowd? You already know the answer, and we have the solution. The real question is…what are you waiting for?