How could I start an acting career?

The people who have advised you to get an agent are partly right - but in the UK unless you've graduated from a 3-year degree course at a major drama school you won't be able to get one. They're really picky here, and are simply not interested in anyone without a degree. If you are serious about wanting to act, you should start by reading every play you can get hold of, reading books, and going to a theatre club or stage group and learning everything you can. Nothing you are taught at school is a waste of time – you never know what is going to be really useful for you as an actor, and even stuff like history, geography, science, cooking, maths, etc, will probably come in handy when you least expect it. Actors need to be very intelligent, able to understand loads of subjects, well-read, for example able to read Shakespeare and so on. It’s no good reading a script if you can’t understand what your character and the others are talking about! Work hard at all your school subjects and get as many GCSEs as you can so you can get onto a college course in Drama or Performing Arts, with extras like Psychology, English, Sociology, etc. After A Levels, you’ll be able to apply to get into a drama school, although these are all very hard to get into. Up to 4,000 applicants apply for 24 places, in each school, every year. You will need to be able to work on stage as well as to camera. You can't just pick TV. Versatility is vital - stage plays, film, adverts, educational stuff - anything you can get! Singing is often required, so join a choir or try to afford lessons somehow. Dance is also useful. It’s also essential to have some other skill which you can use to earn money in between acting jobs – you’ll need it! Bar work, office work, shop work – that would do, but ideally train in some job you can work freelance so you’ll be able to take time off whenever you need to for auditions and the occasional paid acting job. Make sure you really enjoy it too, as you’ll spend more time doing than that acting! Most actors don’t get more than 2 or 3 weeks’ paid acting work a year. You are looking at years of hard work, very little glamour, terrible rates of pay – if any – doing odd jobs just to pay the bills while you’re auditioning for acting work. It’s not something you should even be considering unless you’re totally passionate about acting and can’t imagine doing anything else. You’ll probably never be famous, or make much money, but if it’s what you really want, go for it. If it’s just a nice idea because it sounds fun and exciting and so on, forget it. But there's no way to make it happen faster. If it was that easy, everyone would do it! And forget about the USA - the acting in the UK is far better, the training is better, and there are just as many opportunities. Good luck!

I'm an LA Actor giving you the REAL DEAL! Here's the cliffsnotes version of what you can do to do to get into acting and eventually get an agent: 1.EDUCATE YOURSELF FIRST! READ (check Samuel French, libraries, and bookstores): *=Highly recommend Acting business: *How to Be a Working Actor-Mari Lyn Henry and Lynne Rogers *Self Management for Actors-Bonnie Gillespie -Acting is Everything: Gold Edition-Judy Kerr -How to Get Arrested-J. Wallach Michael and Paul Thurwachter *An Agent Tells All-Tony Martinez -How To Book Acting Jobs in TV and Film-Cathy Reinking -One Less Bitter Actor: The Actor's Survival Guide-Markus Flanagan -So You Want to Be in Showbusiness?- Steve R. Stevens -Acting Truths and Lies (purchased at www.info4actors.com) Acting: *Book the Job-Doug Warhit *Intent to Live-Larry Moss -Acting for the Camera-Tony Barr -Acting in Film-Michael Caine -Acting Class: Take a Seat-Milton Katselas -On the Technique of Acting by Micheal Chekhov Method Acting: *Art of Acting-Stella Adler -Sanford Meisner on Acting-Sanford Meisner -A Dream of Passion-Lee Strasberg -On the Technique of Acting-Michael Chekhov *Actor's Art and Craft-William Esper -The Power of the Actor-Ivanna Chubbuck -No Acting Please-Eric Morris -Respect for Acting-Uta Hagen -Challenge to the Actor-Uta Hagen -You Can Act!-D.W. Brown -Strasberg’s Method-Lorrie Hull Comedy *8 Characters of Comedy-Scott Sedita -The Sitcom Career Book-Mary Lou Belli Improv -Anything by Viola Spolin -Steve Book on Acting: Improv -Improvise: Scene from the Inside Out-Mick Napier Auditioning/Cold Reading: *How to Get the Part Without Falling Apart-Margie Haber *Audition-Michael Shurtleff *The 15 Guideline Map to Booking-Amy Lyndon -The Best of You-Craig Wallace -Secrets to Successful Cold Readings-Glenn Alterman 2.GET TRAINING! Regardless of how "naturally talented" you might be, you NEED training, PERIOD! Definitely take classes in: -Cold Reading/Auditioning -Improv -Scene study -Commercials 3. Get GREAT headshots Here's is a good place to start: http://bbs.backstage.com/eve/forums/a/tp%E2%80%A6 4. Build Your Resume and Reel Doing Student films and Indie Films. Also do plays to build your acting experience. Sample Resume: http://i707.photobucket.com/albums/ww80/%E2%80%A6 How to make an ACTING resume: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?%E2%80%A6 The ONLY LEGIT Online sites that you can find jobs on your own through: ALL SITES NOT LISTED BELOW ARE QUESTIONABLE! -ActorsAccess.com -LACasting.com -Nowcasting.com -NYCasting.com -NYCastings.com -Backstage.com Free but proceed with caution: -Castingcallsearch.com -Mandy.com -Craigslist 5. Get an Agent Look up LEGIT agencies here: http://www.agentassociation.com/ http://www.sag.org/content/find-agent

There is no easy way to start acting. U need experience and an agent and even w/ an agent it will take a while.

Get an agent and go to auditions.

Get an agent.