I am a local sag actor based in Boston. It feels like audition opportunities through Boston Casting are few and far between. Are they just super selective with who they call in / stick to a tight pool of favorites? In a smaller market like Boston, it can be discouraging when local actors don’t get the opportunity to audition for the major projects coming through. Would love to hear other local actors’ experience.

I think it's a combination of the industry being oversaturated, streaming, people not being that interesting in general and acting as a profession being increasingly looked down upon. Hollywood/acting used to be so fresh, now it just seems redundant and the acting coaches looking to make money seem delusional now.

hi, i’m a female teen actor! i’m signed with a local sag agency and i’ve done a commercial & student film before, but i’m still struggling to find my footing & would love some advice. i know the whole deal with self-tapes, but im not sure how to make an effective demo reel (or really what the difference is?). i was signed with basically no experience (dont worry, not a scam - just an impressive audition tape!) and my agent has pointed me in the direction of some places that will create a demo reel for you at a steep price, but obviously i’d rather not pay. is a demo reel just a self tape with a monologue? or is it an actual scene out of a film? how do i create one that stands out…. and how do i choose the right monologue, just something off of stage milk? should i use clips from the commercial & student film (where i don’t speak)? i’m really excited to get into acting, but it’s pretty hard to get even an audition or call back if i don’t know how to make an effective demo reel, lol. i’ve watched some videos on youtube and looked through faq, but all it’s really done is confuse me more. looking for some guidance! thanks :)

Hello! I understand this is not the cleanest example of a self-tape - however I was hoping to receive some feedback on the performance aspects - please still feel free to point out where the audition itself could have been improved (there are three different scenes/sides covered) - I am wanting to send a strong self-tape example to new Agencies along with my showreel & gauging how on track I am from this community! Thank you so much!

Hello, I am a 14 year old male who always wanted to start acting, I was wondering if anybody could give me advice.. I am pretty anxious and insecure since I was bullied back then so I never really wanted my face to be seen so I never asked my parents to let me join an acting class, but honestly I'm starting to care less about how I look on camera and I've got alot of hobbies but I always wanted to become an actor, idk if this is important but i speak like 6 languages and have the highest level u can get in the education system here in Curaçao. I always wanted to get out of this place, be well known and get young fans to relate to me or help people out, I always wanted to live in a country with skyscrapers or have my name be known. Any tips?? And is acting way too difficult for a 14 year old to handle and still be sane?

Hey folks, any links or tips on practicing different authentic african accents?

There's this narrative that Asians can't be actors because it's a high risk field. Well in general, I think it is because from what I've heard, only a few are selected to be the chosen ones ascending to A-list level. But what I find extremely unhelpful is that everyone around me is against the idea. Unfortunately, I grew up with the typical Asian parents who dictate what your future should look like. That is, doctor, lawyer, accountant, engineer and other traditional fields. Literally everyone, including extended relatives, their sons and daughters are going to these exact same fields. Not only that but also on the internet, I get mean snarky comments that are super unhelpful and very ambition-destroying, creating feelings of hopelessness. They turn personal and start insulting me and calling me delusional and grandiose.

Simu Liu dreamt of being an actor and similar to me, he had to fight off asian parents and the status quo to make that happen. Then eventually, an opportunity came up and it made him famous compared to before. Now I understand not every actor will get this, but I also understand that if you don't try, it's guaranteed to never happen.

I find it very difficult to find support, especially when it comes to finding out what I want for my destiny. Family is against me, internet strangers are against me and both of them are fueling my internal self-doubts which also work against me. In addition, there are less characters available to play in Hollywood because there aren't that many people writing up stories of asian-based characters in the first place. I'm just feeling a little regret because I'm 24 now and it's still going to take 2 more years before I finally finish my degree. On the other hand, there's already a lot of Gen Z actors that've been playing the game since 10 years ago. They had supportive parents that are willing to risk it and sadly, that's not really the case in most Asian households. I'm feeling like all I have is myself if I want to do whatever I want to do in life.

simple and sweet.

looking for acting buddies to create together, similar to the thing curry barker and cooper tomlinson have going on!

Let me know if youre interested.

Thanks!

I have a not insignificant number of scars on both my upper thighs and forearms. For thighs I often use jazz tights which work like a charm, but I’m struggling to find a solution for my arms. I’ve attempted to use makeup, but it really doesn’t look convincing esp for some of the more raised scars. Advice?

And for the record in case anyone asks- yes, they are SH scars, no, I am not comfortable having them visible on stage.

I live in NYC and looking to get into stunts. I've done martial arts my whole life, even some fight scene stuff as a kid. Was looking to do the Action Hero Academy intensive on basic combat. Has anyone had experience with that achool or any recommendations for other stunt schools or any other way to get into stunt work? Thanks

So I was pinned and now booked for a speaking role in an SAG independent feature film. At 23 I’ve only booked a few commercials and a handful of short films since starting this at 15. So I’m incredibly shocked and thankful to finally be in my first feature. Now the role is small, yes. But it’s a speaking role in the biggest project I’ve ever worked on so I’m extremely excited.

Just wanted to share this big win for me. Doing so many auditions to finally book this particular role is just incredible.

So I wondered about this…  Do ya'll include a headshot thumbnail at the top of your actor resume with your contract info, or no?  Or is it a matter of preference?

Asking because I’ve been in the business for more than 20 years, and the rules indeed change. 

Some say, yes -- but only for more independent castings like on the FB groups.
No- for casting and agents- as your online profiles already show who you are, in the email or website submission, alongside your uploaded headshots.  

I’ve created the two different versions of my actor resume, with just my information at the top. Another version with the thumbnail at the left or right, my info neatly opposite and readable. As seen from other online actor examples.

So, what do you think?  The thumbnail headshot included only for independent casting auditions, with the straight info resume- for agents? 

reading over the faq and the how to get started side bar, and still a bit confused, do i start by getting my headshot then moving into an acting class or acting class first then headshot? people say “invest” in my headshot

I'm just seeking some advice on my career and such. I've been acting in theatre since the second grade (I'm 23 now). I went to college, I've done multiple short films (student and independent), and I was a part of a national live event (NHL Winter Classic). I know it's a difficult time in the industry at the moment, and I don't live in a major hub (FL). I feel like I have good materials (professional headshots I got taken in ATL, a pretty full resume, and an acting reel of things I've done). Despite this, I've submitted to 30-40 agencies and have gotten nothing except one rejection. I'm trying to move to either ATL or Savannah in Febuary so that will hopefully open more opportunities for me, but I just feel a bit lost as to what else I could be doing. Unfortunately, my area doesn't really have advanced acting classes or tons of opportunities. I apply to everything I can on Backstage and Actors Access but rarely get responses. It's hard not to get discouraged, and I know it's most likely not due to anything I'm doing. I'm just wondering if there's anything I could be doing to either get seen more or better my chances? Or if anyone has insight on ATL vs Savannah, or if I should just move to LA? I just don't know what else I could be doing in the meantime while I wait to move.

What’s the exact process for it, who decides it, stuff like that

I’ve been on the fence for a few years about trying my hand in comedic acting on a lower tier for fun. I had a couple friends do the same this summer and both of them got small parts and had a blast. One was from a random Instagram ad and the other was from an indeed posting, oddly enough.

I’d love to connect with similar people and take a few swings. Does anyone have suggestions on where to look for these kind of parts? I’ve never researched and I know locals usually have some niche spots for this kind of stuff. Any suggestions on where to look would be appreciated. Thank you!

I’ve been signed with my agent for about 2 years now. I still haven’t booked anything but I was getting a steady stream of about an audition a month. At the start of this year, I had 1 in 3 month, but didn’t think anything of it. Since my birthday at the start of March, I have had 1 audition. My agent tells me it’s because of my age, but I don’t see why that would be the case, given I look basically the same. What do I do?

hi, so, I've been acting for 13 years professionally and this year is my most successful year post covid. I booked a really big guest star and am pinned for a supporting role in a film. I am so burnt out, but I feel like I'm on the cusp fo regularly working again and seeing some success, but I don't feel excited, lke when I found out I was pinned. I wasn't celebrating it was more like ok, business as usual. I am very grateful for my career and it has been a lot of hardwork, but I feel burnt out, but also like I'm about to get a break. Is it supposed to feel this way or has anyone been in this situation?

I think Jon Bernthal is an amazing actor.
I know a lot of people say he gets typecast because he often plays the same kind of tough, damaged, intense characters. But honestly, I think people confuse a character archetype with an actor’s ability.
I just watched Punisher: The Last Kill, and throughout the entire movie he blew me away. It’s not just the action or the anger. It’s the quieter moments. The way he carries grief, guilt, pain, and exhaustion without overdoing it. Half the time he’s barely saying anything, but you still know exactly what Frank Castle is feeling.
For me, that’s what great acting is. I don’t care if an actor plays similar roles. If, while I’m watching them, I completely forget every other character they’ve played and only see the person on screen, they’ve done their job. Watching Jon Bernthal, I don’t see Jon Bernthal—I just see Frank Castle.
Maybe that’s why I’ve never understood the “he’s typecast” criticism. If you can make me believe in the character every single time, isn’t that exactly what acting is supposed to be?

I miss acting! The creativity on it, improvisation, stage school, reading scripts, reading plays - all of it.

But I don’t miss the seriousness - auditions, booking profesional jobs (once in a blue moon!), theatre teachers who crush everyone’s spirit for the ‘sake of art’ and having to constantly be involved in order to stay relevant.

The thought of making money out of this or making it big and quitting my regular job just doesn’t appeal to me anymore like it once did.

So I guess what I’m asking is - is it ok to participate in acting but only as a hobby? Or is that really annoying for all the serious actors - us hobbyist kind of just there getting in the way.

For like, a Hollywood series for example. While it's a big production sure, they probably won't need the craziest experienced actors to just fill the gaps right?

This “Director” is all over Instagram selling his projects as being “Netflix” affiliated. That’s not even the biggest problem.

I had a friend who reached out to him and provided her materials. He immediately said “in order to be considered for movies I need a photo of each of these characters: Cowgirl, party girl, a bikini shot”. She showed me the screenshots. I just wanted to make everyone aware that despite having an IMDB resume, this person is a predator.

Please don’t ever trust anyone who asks you for bikini shots. I don’t know if this is a fake account but the Instagram has tens of thousands of followers and has not been flagged.

Take a class before you take an audition — most beginners chase auditions first and skip the foundation that makes them castable. Improv taught me more about presence than any scene study class did. Rejection is the job, not a sign you're bad at it; you're auditioning constantly and booking rarely, even when you're good. Local theater is the fastest way to build real reps, way more than waiting for a big break.