Moved here 3/4 months ago from NY with all my materials ready and I signed with an Agent. LA is definetely a place you want to come prepared. It is alot harder to start here. I find being established and grounded before moving here was the best step i could choose
@@shantaparasuraman3305 cold submission. I did prepare a monologue for them. But I didnt have to perform. Me and my agent bonded over our love for MMA haha
It's mostly e-mail or snail mail. No calls. A very rare few take follow up calls. These details are in the call sheet on backstage website. My brother went through a long process before landing his agents. Thought this might help. Great info..love your videos. I just watched the one following you on auditions. Good stuff man!
i live in SLC (for now. working on moving out to LA within the year after several years of building a resume out here) and I remember one time when I was 16 a "acting school" came through town to put on an agency showcase. they promised agents would come out from LA to watch our final show and that was a lie. No one came. it was a scam. That shit is real. Ironically it paired me up with an acting coach who connected me to his agent and I landed an agent in SLC. the world works in funny ways.
What's your advice for those who'd like to submit their self-tapes auditions from abroad or outside the U.S.? What are thr chances of getting the job outside your country? Thanks
Michael Graffel thanks! I would start either looking at opportunities in your town OR make your own stuff! Seriously, it took me a while to realize that making things is the best way to improve (my RU-vid channel). I am getting better by pushing my comfort zone and putting myself out there. You can too for sure!
@@WillyDubz i beg u do that. I live in an area where alot of people aren't interested in acting soo i dont really have anyone that could give me advise so ur RU-vid videos help me alot
I have two questions for you? one is more experience to start my career fast and the last question is will I get more auditions and book the role for commercials, film and theatre as an a young actor? because I'm autistic and I'm 21 years old and I have a lot of acting experience from acting class, singing lessons and dance class and 4 high school plays one church play and 12 community theatre plays equals 18 theatre production overall!
Yo this video was needed! Before this, i didn't even know where to look for an agent. I've just been working on monologues, booking plays and short films. Honestly, the idea of reaching out to an agent gave me anxiety because I felt like I was never ready and didn't have enough work. Now i get it and it honestly eased by fear about contacting them. I'm gonna use this quarantine time to do more research about the different agencies here in NY. Thank you for this video!
Thank you so much for your depiction of the topic. I gather that you need quite a lot of money for the beginning: Car, Deposit for accomodation, rent, professional fotos, entry-fee into an actors union to name a few. That is the first obstacle. Others to come :-)
Do you know that opinions are actually divided according to manager vs agent? I’ve watched a couple of videos on yt which were advising taking a manager first if you’re a newbie, as they are closer to you and it’s just easier to find a manager rather than an agent. I’m getting really confused and as I am a newbie, my haunting should be focused on one side for now. 🙏🏻 thank you for your materials btw! Oh and I’m London based.
Should you put school plays on your resume? I've been doing school plays basically my whole life (I've done 12 so far), and I was wondering if you should include those, and if so should I list them by names or just say the school and number of productions? They're really the only acting experience I've had.
Serena H definitely. List a couple of your favorites or most unique or most prestigious on your resume. Eventually as you do more projects you can whittle them down.
Hello. My name is hannaniah brown and I'm from Dallas, Tx. But I'm doing school in Louisiana and I really love acting very much. It's my dream and what I really hope for. I'm doing school in 9th grade and I really study acting and watching videos like this. Thank you for really inspiring me for my dream and then I'll know I'll accomplish it. I hope we meet someday and talk about our achievements and other goals in the future.
At this point in your own career, are you making a living entirely off of bookings? Or do you still require a day job or other means of income? If the latter, do you mind sharing what else it is you do? (besides vlog). I feel that having a full-time/office job could make the demands of the business a difficult challenge, but I have to save more before I hit LA (again). You guys seem to be doing alright. Besides restaurant work, what kind of dignified work can you recommend that pairs well with the requirements of an actor's schedule? I'm 39, college grad, corp jobs. etc. Taking acting coaching and saving in my hometown. I've lived in LA before. Not sure how one would manage car expenses, rent, bills, acting expenses, etc. in a central spot like Studio City on a waiter and/or barista salary (at this age) as a single person w/o family or roommates. Thanks!
Todd Egan I am not making a living entirely off bookings. I coach a couple nights a week and work as a producer on my girlfriend’s RU-vid channel as well (It’s Me Andie). I am not gonna lie I have inheritance money that helps me with a lot of the day to day. That all being said there are plenty of friends of mine who have come here with all different levels of wealth and have managed to make it work.
I'm glad you came up on my feed. Worth subscribing to. Thanks for the help brother! Many blessings and never give up! You got this! See you at the top!
if you've never acted, start with doing plays or musicals with theatres near you. that will get you noticed. get head shots. build a resume. then go for an agent :)
Thank you so much for sharing this information, your videos make this dream feel a lot less daunting. When emailing an agent for the first time, should you attach your headshot/resume and reel? Or should you wait for them to request your materials? Thank you!
Great video, thanks. Question: when you're doing your monologue, can you modify the character slightly, so it does fit your persona a bit better? Or is that not done? I'm thinking of Miranda Priestly - Devil wears Prada, who is obviously female and more mature, but I think I could make it work as a 35yo male.
Just started watching your channel and just wanted to say thank you! You have amazing content with great advice, thanks for sharing all your experiences and knowledge!
I’ve been binge watching your videos, thanks for the help! Say you meet an agent and you don’t feel that you get along too well, can you pass on that agent? How would you go about doing that without burning bridges?
Jasmine Sim 1. Thank you! 2. I would just say that you’re going in a different direction. And that you appreciate their time and will keep them in mind if anything changes (at least that’s what I said). They shouldn’t take it personally (if you keep it professional). I haven’t had to do that a lot, buy they understand that you should (almost) always just take a meeting to hear their pitch. That’s industry standard.
Thank you for your great information....I am also passionate about films and acting...I am planning to go to USA in 2022 ....hoping for a great future in Hollywood
how should i put together a resume if i have no previous work? i’m in college now taking acting classes and i have no work yet but most auditions need previous work so how do i start?
Hey I wanna start acting but I'm a complete beginner also I live in the middle East so I'm not that familiar with agents and represantions , I don't really understand acting agents can someone please explain what represantions and acting agents are ?
you have good videos for beginners. i enjoyed your videos. my question: if you are a newbie in an industry, how do you interpret your character in the movie without help from the director?
Hi Will, first of all many thanks for sharing your experience, i find it really interesting and it gives me (and others i'm sure) a new way to see the actor's life, work and challenges. I just subscribed to your channel and i'm going through it, i was wondering how did you start in LA, did you have a past experience in another country before or you just dropped a job you were not happy in and pursue your dreams? Cause this is actually my situation, i did classes in Paris few years ago but an opportunity of business showed up and i decided to give it a try with the idea that could help me in the future to support me financially when i would move to US. Things didn't turn the way i was expecting and here i am 8 years later with a different life and and a job that pay well but don't get me excited... and of course my acting dreams still present and strong. The good thing i would say is that I gain in maturity in what i really want. Sorry not the best place to post such a long message but could not find another way to contact you. Going back to learn from your videos , cheers!
bruno cingo I’m working on something right now that talks about more of my story. Unfortunately, I don’t know when it will be ready or whether or not it will meet my standards, but I have always had my sights set on acting and production. I have too much fun doing it to stop. I’m happy that it sounds like you’re having a stimulating journey and I wish you the best of luck.
Beauty Swatch I started with a canon EOS M5. (Link in description). But I now use a Canon 1DX Mk 2 (expensive and way more than you need to start). TBH I highly recommend a good point-and-shoot camera and a mic with a wind-screen if all of those are outside your price range. For a lot of my self-tapes I use my iPhone and that works just fine!
@@WillyDubz Looks good! Listen thanks again for all the info. would love to see a video of you about your goals with acting 5 years from now and also more on monologues and side jobs to pay living expenses in LA!
The problem is that I live in Cyprus and I’m 14, and recently decided I want to become an actor. I feel that I chose that a bit late in my life, do you think I will be successful?
Hi there! Very informative video. This may seem like a silly question- but if I don’t have any experience acting yet- as I quit my job to pursue this do I put job experience that I have outside of acting on the back? Or are they not interested in this?
Is that necessary to have a monologue? We need to have it to get an agent? Because i don't know what monologue about is and also how can we have the script before the audition to prepare it? Where can we get it? I hope you answer this!!!!!!!!!
DEV PRATAP SINGH I think it is possible, but you gotta do it in order. Start small and get bigger as you go. Rehearse something, make stuff & put yourself out there. It’s not just going to happen, you have to make it happen!
This might be a dumb question but next week i have an audition and i have to do a monologue...do i have to give the casting director a copy? can i wing it and just act like im in a scene and just think of stuff as i go?:$
Esmeralda Reyes I don’t think they need a copy (unless they ask for it). You should be able to answer questions about the piece you’re reading from though.
I would love a video that goes more in detail about cold calling. It seems like many agencies don’t take “unsolicited materials,” so would cold calling get you blacklisted?
Grace Agencies get enough calls that, unless you’re being ridiculous, I don’t think they would notice or care. I wouldn’t call places that don’t take “unsolicited materials.” Hopefully there are plenty of other agencies that will take your call. I’ve found that most agencies accept submissions in some way except for some more exclusive set-ups.
You said that you had to pay around $1000 for your voice over demo. Who did you have to pay to get that done for you to read over different commercials?
Hey Will, got a question. Would you say that live auditions are held more commonly Monday thru Friday than during the weekends? Or are all the days of the week just as likely to have auditions scheduled? I'm moving to LA to act and I'm trying to decide the best way to structure my work week to remain as available for auditions as possible.
Hey Will, great video. I have a question: I'm a 16 year old actor from Colorado but I haven't done anything pro yet. do you think I need to get an agent, start working by myself or study acting before i begin my career?
@@WillyDubz Thanks. Honestly, I'm hungry for success and want to start my carrer, but people are telling me to slow everything down so I'm glad you said this. your videos really help me btw so thanks
Check out the Colorado Film School. They're always looking for actors to cast in the short films they make. It's a great jumping off point, a fun way to get on sets, and a good way to get reel footage (the students are required to give you a copy of the film if they cast you).
Hi I have a quick question regarding the resume . I have made movies and I sometimes starred in them as well. Would it be a good idea to apply the movies that I have made as well in my resume or just the work that I have acted in? Thank you!
Hi Willy ! Thank’s for sharing those tips it helps a lot ! I was wandering if RU-vid is a great thing to put on my resume ? Even though I don’t have a million subs ? :)
Pauline Loko I think it depends on the content. Generic RU-vid videos are not a good idea (you don’t see any mention of my channel on my acting resume). Something well produced or original like a web series or a RU-vid Red series would fit well on your resume. This is how people may be seeing you for the first time. You want to leave a good impression. Think “what would someone who doesn’t know me at all think of this?”
K C If you’re 16/17 I think you’re fine to call on your own, any younger than that I would have a parent or guardian call. Regardless, if you’re under 18 you’ll need a parent or guardian to sign on your behalf.
Bro you make some really great content! I wish ppl showed u more love. Ik the grind of making videos and editing. Keep pushing fam! Check out my videos if you get a chance. I have some improv on my Channel. Good luck
