Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what first steps I take if I want to get into acting

200 replies

Cloudylemon23 · 04/12/2019 22:15

I’ve saved up enough to devote all my time to this at the moment. Doing some work as a tv extra.
What else can I do? Any ideas please?
Any other related jobs that I can do that would help my CV?
Ps I’m not naive and know how competitive things are.
Any ideas and advice really appreciated, thanks

OP posts:
friedbeansandcheese · 05/12/2019 16:03

Op, why don't you do your own research? That's part of running your own business, which being an actor is. You have to sell yourself, research roles, agents, market yourself. If you can't even google drama schools then sounds like you're not proactive enough to be an actor.

friedbeansandcheese · 05/12/2019 16:08

You're in your thirties? I thought you were much younger. And you've never acted or joined a drama club in 30 years? What do you do now? How did you find out about your current job?

Original poster
Cloudylemon23 · 05/12/2019 16:09

friedbeansoncheese- I am free to post on here as well as doing my own research. Googling doesn’t get opinions about drama schools on mumsnet
Don’t know why yourself and a couple of others are being so unfriendly about it

OP posts:
Original poster
Cloudylemon23 · 05/12/2019 16:10

And I answered honestly about my age as I was being asked

OP posts:
21seconds · 05/12/2019 17:46

Has your interest in acting them come from your work on set as an extra Op? I know that can happen and can build a new pathway from it. From your original post my advise is:

Research and apply for accredited drama schools ( knowing as previous posters have said you may not get in and if you are serious you are looking at a three year commitment)
Try it first through N am experience and if auditioning pay for coaching
Other jobs that might help : train in a second career to support yourself and skill up on skills to help you eg singing, dance, horse riding, languages, bsl, etc
Get a job front of house in a theatre and experience work for free also pay to see other shows and focus your ambition

Thoughtlessinengland · 05/12/2019 17:53

You are in your 30s with an apparent burning passion for a highly skilled and competitive and uncertain profession.

You have no experience of worth in this area.

You have no knowledge it seems of training for this profession in terms of what when where.

You have no knowledge of basic books in this area.

Your answers display a high degree of lack of knowledge, and naïveté (just saying you are not naive doesn’t do it).

Somehow something feels a bit wrong here. I am in my 30s. I’m an acadmeic. It’s a bit like I suddenly turn up on mumsnet to say I want to be a pilot. In my 30s. What should I do? Anyone knows any pilot training academies? Does anyone know a book on piloting a plane? Do you see why the whole thing feels a bit ridiculous.

Original poster
Cloudylemon23 · 05/12/2019 18:16

Thank you 21 seconds - really appreciate that.

Thoughtless in England- that’s why I’m asking questions on here- to get advice. I am doing my own research on it but I value relevant experience on here. Not sure why a few folk are bothering with the thread if they think there’s no value or justification in asking on here.

OP posts:
21seconds · 05/12/2019 19:18

I’m listening tell me your reasons for wa ting to act, your reasons for allotting your savings, I think the why will help the what...

SickNotes · 05/12/2019 20:43

But OP, if you’ve never done any acting at all, how do you know you want to do as a career?

21seconds · 05/12/2019 22:07

Excuse the typos was on the bus .. seriously op age 30 are you not a bit more aware of the world? Maybe not acting but generally.. unless you are some sort of closeted trustifarian you should realise before asking that a 3 yrs training is a basic.. seriously.. did you expect walking down the street or in the background of a film you an agent would see you on the street and go hey you you are just right for a part I have in East Enders.. seriously this does and should end in cornflakes.. and snowflakes.

Back to basics

Get training

Get a job

Get other jobs if you can

May or may not get other jobs regardless of talent

Regardless can I just point out .. you want to as I flagged before make w massive financial and social life choice ... but you have never tried the option once.. this is either troll or removed from the real world trustifarian..

Original poster
Cloudylemon23 · 05/12/2019 23:11

21 seconds- you seem very bitter towards me!!
Again thank you to all the helpful posts.
To answer another question, it was the only other thing I wished to do apart from what I chose to do as a job.
Waiting for some more bitterness though on this thread from a couple of folk unfortunately.
I was only asking advice!!

OP posts:
Thoughtlessinengland · 06/12/2019 05:21

OP you joined mumsnet or name changed to start this thread and it just feels a bit strange to join this particular website just for this question (which seems so pressing for you). Of course the website has numerous topics but a career in acting is sort of not the first thing that is quintessentially mumsnet as opposed to say dunno the doghouse or childbirth or whatever. You say you are in your 30s but your responses seem quite young/naive ish. The 23 in your user name made me wonder if you are maybe younger than you say you are and just in need of a bit more guidance face to face hands on? Or even if not younger - maybe what you need is more support in your real life around careers and decisions and routes forward?

chamenanged · 06/12/2019 05:45

OP if you don't like people being snotty and gatekeeping like on this thread then you really are considering the wrong industry Grin

Lovestonap · 06/12/2019 05:45

Whether the OP is genuine or not, I feel sad reading some of these responses. People telling the OP to forget it, they have no chance etc. That may be true, but, we have ONE Life, just ONE! If someone wants to pursue a dream, however unlikely it is to come true, why not contribute some information which might help? I know this is in AIBU but actually OP didn't ask that, she just asked for some information and recommendations. If you don't have any, or think she is delusional then by all means ignore the thread, but don't try to give someone a 'dose of reality' as you see it.

What was it that dude said? 'tread softly.. you tread on my dreams'.

Zeusthemoose · 06/12/2019 05:54

Sorry I don't have any practical advice but I just wanted to say don't be put off by some of the comments on this thread especially from shatnerswig that has never met you but seems to know for sure acting isn't for you :/

I once met a guy that was doing telly stuff like the Bill etc. He said he'd done absolutely no acting at all untill his 30s then started a drama foundation course and went from there. Best thing he's ever done so he said.
If you've got the funds to persue your goal go for it. Good luck!

Fretfulparent · 06/12/2019 06:10

getintotheatre.org/

www.thestage.co.uk/

Both these sites have a lot of information about training etc.

steff13 · 06/12/2019 06:21

What sort of work do you do now? Is there a local amateur theater group you could join, to get your feet wet? I know a couple of professional actors (not famous, but they work reasonably steadily) and they've done it since they were little. In school plays, local theater, etc. Have you done similar?

SunsetBoulevard3 · 06/12/2019 06:25

LAMDA
RADA
Guildhall
Bristol Old Vic

www.superprof.co.uk/blog/acting-schools-uk/

All highly competitive. Without acting experience you will really struggle to get in.

Acting is a really really tough profession.

ShatnersWig · 06/12/2019 06:46

Zeus Yep. Because I'm in the industry. Have been for a long time. Like most of us, I did a silly short school play at 4. And loved it. I did every school play going. I adored it, and everyone said I had genuine talent. I took GCSE Drama. At 16 I joined two amateur groups. I did A-level theatre studies. I went to the theatre all the time with some older family friends as my parents weren't into theatre. It was what I wanted to do since I was around 10.

It's just bizarre in the extreme to be in your 30s and say it's all you've wanted to do other than what you chose at your job and not even pursued it fairly seriously as a hobby in amateur theatre. If you have a burning desire to act, even if for all manner of reasons you don't follow it as a career, you would at least do plenty of amateur shows, see an awful lot of theatre. The op hadn't done this. And when we've challenged her, I've not seen any PASSION or lengthy rebuttal to prove she had the drive. So yes, with all my experience (and I'm not the only one on this thread you says similar) I can tell acting is not for her.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 06/12/2019 06:53

Does anyone else have the line from Legally Blonde running in their head: Do you think she just woke up one morning and said "I think I'll go to law school today"?

Just me? Grin

HundredMilesAnHour · 06/12/2019 07:08

I think there's been some fantastic advice from @ShatnersWig on this thread. If the OP is genuinely serious about getting into acting, she now knows what she's facing and what a huge mountain she may have to climb. Or she may choose to just keep her acting dream as a little daydream for herself (which seems most likely given all she's done towards the dream in 30 years is post a question on MN).

IJumpedAboardAPirateShip · 06/12/2019 07:09

I’ve met people who are older deciding to change their lives and become actors. But they also started at this place of naïveté, everyone starts somewhere and learn pretty bloody quickly how tough it is.

I’m a director and 15yrs in am still struggling, a lot of my friends gave up acting around the age of 30, it breaks my heart how many incredibly talented and dedicated and brilliant people I know who just don’t get the work. It is hard because there just aren’t enough jobs and the same people repeatedly get the few jobs that there are.

OP your thick skin will do you well but def listen to people on this thread - without going to a good drama school (one that will he visited by agents and casting directors, even directors like I was when first starting out had enough graduating actors from the top schools auditioning for my shows I knew there would be a base level of talent and I never needed to see anyone who hadn’t properly trained) you will find it a million times harder. Within the industry proper training is highly respected AND you know what “type” of actor you’re likely to get - and making contacts while at drama school is worth its weight in gold.

By all means do AmDram to get a feeling for it and a discipline but it won’t lead to work. Having said that you might find you love it too much to make yourself financially reliant on acting and that’s totally fine too - not every actor needs to be a professional one. A friend of mine from Uni is a fab actress but decided the insecurity just wasn’t for her, she constantly performs with her very excellent community theatre group and works as a consultant for a living - she “acts” more than most professional actors I know and can remain in love with it because she’s not relying on acting jobs to pay her mortgage.....

InsideNo · 06/12/2019 07:15

What about trying character acting at an attraction? I worked as a character actor at Warwick Castle for a while. You’ll probably be paid NMW on a zero hour contract, but I had an absolute ball doing it. I left in the end because I couldn’t afford to stay on the low pay. It’s much easier to break into, I had no training beyond my Drama degree, and certainly no agent or showreel or anything. Another option could be auditioning for the Butlin’s Redcoats or similar.

MarthasGinYard · 06/12/2019 07:44

'I’ve saved up enough to devote all my time to this at the moment. Doing some work as a tv extra.'

So you don't work at the moment just as an extra?

Surely those jobs come via an agency etc? Surely you meet many others in the same boat some who are aspiring actors?

It's like saying 'I want to be a pilot, I'm in my 30's and never had a flying lesson'

It's odd

ShatnersWig · 06/12/2019 07:55

I’ve met people who are older deciding to change their lives and become actors

So have I. Some in their 40s, 50s and even 60s. But in every case, they had an innate love for theatre, went to see a lot of theatre, and participated in it as a hobby to a reasonable extent for some years prior. I've never met anyone who just decided they wanted to be an actor who had, to all intents and purposes, not spent some considerable time before hand being involved in it.

I know trained actors who moved into teaching, or coaching in confidence building and public speaking, but perform regularly in amateur shows (and there are some very good amateur groups out there that put on better stuff than some professionals, believe me, I've seen plenty) because of that innate NEED to perform. And they've been able to do shows or roles they would probably never had done professionally, so it's still highly rewarding for them.