Here is a plan that every rising star needs for how to get on television shows
In an era of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” where it seems that anyone can be on the small screen, one may wonder how to get on television shows themselves. Having dreams of becoming an actor can spark trepidation in even the most confident of aspiring stars. The hoops that must be jumped through, the classes that must be taken, the competition with fellow hopefuls – it can all get to your head, leaving you with a sense of defeat before you have even begun the chase.
Having a plan would be a smart place to begin the journey to Hollywood. With a well thought-out strategy, a thick skin, and a healthy dash of courage and patience, even an everyday citizen can become a television superstar!
Know Your Strengths
If you have been a life-long enthusiast of the acting profession (you were an active member of the Drama Club in school, or are a self-proclaimed expert on dramatic facial expression) then you probably have some grasp on your strengths. Acknowledging strengths and weaknesses in terms of acting chops is profoundly critical to finding success on tv.
Good timing and a laid-back style of personality can easily take an actor down the road of a comedy series, while precise control of facial expressions and the ability to cry on cue makes a prime candidate for a drama series. In the event, however, that the budding starlet has yet to tap into those magical acting powers, they need not fret. This is what acting classes are for.
Acting classes are found to be beneficial for every level of dramatic capabilities, especially for those individuals lacking experience. The basal point of an acting course is to familiarize students with their bodies so that, in the future, it may be used as a tool to properly deliver their character rolls.
Through exercises such as breathing, posture, annunciation, and vocal projection, students develop the qualities that television executives look for in casting calls.
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Every Actor Starts Somewhere
And by ?somewhere,? I mean ?small? – as in ?The-Annual-Community-Production-of-Jesus Christ Superstar? small. Every actor needs to begin a resume, and that means snatching up as many roles as possible on the local level first. Yes, you may have to do one too many renditions of Romeo and Juliet, but these things take time!
After a decent resume has been built from the acting experience gained, and professional headshots have been taken, consider contacting the theater program at the university near you. Performances presented by universities usually reach a wider audience of students and families, as well as reputable faculty to help get your name and talent out there.
Have an Original Product
After the classes are completed, the talent and confidence are locked down, and the ticket to Los Angeles is booked, the hunt for an agent must begin. Talent agents are paid professionals who act as the middlemen between the actor and big-time television executives. Agents use their show business connections to set up meetings for their clients with film producers, casting directors, and the like. They are the ones who will directly show actors how to get on television shows.
This is where the thick skin is required. The fact is that agents are out to make money; they will only agree to work with an aspiring actor if she looks like a promising investment of the agent?s time. So in any case, an actor must be prepared for rejection and have the resilience to not let one agent’s opinion affect their ambition.
When meeting with a prospective agent, as well as in future meetings with directors and producers, it is vital to make an impression. Let us be honest here – you have to sell yourself.
Imagine a day?s work for these people; watching pretty girls and boys recite lines for hours on end, all with some drop of talent. Interest has to be sparked to get a callback for a roll, as well as to be chosen as an agent?s client. Presenting them with a dose originality certainly leaves a mark for them to remember you by.
Be yourself, but more.
Fortune Favors the Bold
The phrase has not been repeated for centuries because it sounds pretty. There is truth in the ancient proverb: the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward.
It is true when people say that Hollywood is a beast of its own. The harsh reality is that it is a machine that chews up ?wannabe? actors every day. This is a sad, intimidating, and downright terrifying prospect to consider.
The advice here, however, is not to deny your fears; fear is natural! The advice here is to not let it restrict your dreams of becoming a television star, and to certainly not let the fear be an obstruction in the road to success.