Acting has been an occupation since the Ancient Greeks, yet centuries on, it remains a growing profession in the UK. It’s a chance to earn a living from being creative, expressive, and morphing into characters. For a slim few, it may result in fame. While many actors start young, age and training are not necessarily a barrier to becoming an actor. Jason Statham was working as a model and market trader when his agent suggested he audition for a role in a film. That film turned out to be Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels – a career-defining title for Statham, who is now one of the UK’s highest paid actors.
From the outside, the worlds of theatre, television, and film can seem like closed ones. So how to start acting and go about breaking into the industry? Try these six methods.
1. Join a drama group
Check in your local area for amateur dramatics societies. If they hold open casting sessions for their plays, you can audition. Though ‘amateur’ usually means unpaid and these roles may seem smaller than the ones you’re dreaming of, they can be a useful and enjoyable way to develop your skills and play leading roles that would typically go to seasoned professionals. Joining an am-dram society is a chance to be part of a network of aspiring actors.
2. Apply to drama schools
The UK, and London in particular, is home to some of the world’s leading drama schools – Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (Central), and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama among them. Studying at a leading drama school not only provides extensive and well-respected training, it’s also an opportunity to meet other aspiring actors and forge relationships with future collaborators. It’s also an opportunity to showcase your talents to agents, many of whom attend the end-of-year showcases held by leading drama schools. A qualification from a leading drama school will also stand you in good stead when applying for agency representation.
With many drama schools charging between around £10,000 per year for their undergraduate acting courses, this may not be a route that’s open to you. Don’t despair, though – there are efforts underway to improve access to these courses for people from lower incomes, such as RADA’s Access and Participation scheme. Some drama schools also offer shorter, cheaper courses, like this six-week beginner’s course from RADA, which can be a good introduction. Outside the main drama schools, there are many other options, including this online course from the BBC led by Brian Cox.
3. Gain some acting credits
If drama school isn’t your thing, or if the cost puts it out of reach, you could try gaining some practical experience instead. You probably won’t get seen for major roles without qualifications or an agent, but apply to open casting calls for small parts and background roles. Once you have some credits on your acting CV, you can attract bigger roles and, if you want one, land an agent.
4. Market your acting skills
Whether you’re building up slowly in small roles or throwing yourself into a drama course, you’ll need to build an online presence to advertise yourself. Start by creating a profile on a casting platform, uploading your acting history, headshots, and showreel.
- Headshots are head-and-shoulder photographs that should give casting directors an idea of the breadth of roles you’d be suitable for. You could ask a friend with a high-quality camera to take your headshots, but bear in mind that if you’re hoping to attract an agent, it’s usually worth investing in professional headshots.
- Showreels are a video portfolio of your acting work. A showreel should include a tidily edited set of clips that show off your range. It can include snippets of you acting in professional roles, amateur performances, or even practising at home. Once you have more professional roles under your belt, these should be swapped in. There are companies you can pay to make a showreel for you, or you can follow guidance online on how to do this yourself.
5. Prepare for auditions and self-tapes
Once you’ve established your online presence and are applying for roles, you’ll soon find yourself being asked to self-tape an audition. This usually involves recording a video clip of yourself speaking lines from a script – usually part of the script for the role you’re trying to get – so that the director and casting agent can see what you look like, how you act, and if you might be a fit for the role.
While self-tapes don’t have to look like Hollywood blockbusters, you’ll want to show yourself in your best light, so be sure to record a practice run first to assess the lighting, backdrop (a blank wall is best), and sound quality of wherever you’re recording.
6. Secure representation
While you don’t necessarily need an agent to become an actor, most professional actors have one – and there’s a reason for that. As you progress in your acting career, you’ll need to sign contracts, agree to fees and rights, find work, and ensure you’re seen for auditions. Agents can take care of all these things for you and will have an interest in your career too, since they’ll only get paid if you work. They usually take 10% to 15% of your pay as commission.
Once you get an agent, you’ll be able to register with Spotlight, which is Europe’s largest casting service, with over 65,000 performers registered. To join, you must either have an agent, have completed two professional performances, or have one year of full-time (or two years of part-time) training in performance at an acceptable level. You’ll also need to pay the yearly fee, even if you have an agent.
There’s no limit to where acting could take you. Even the smallest roles can be an outlet for your passion, as well as providing an income. Take your first steps today. Who knows where you’ll be tomorrow?