Acting is one of the oldest paths to fame, and still one of the hardest. There is no single way in. Some actors start in school plays, some in commercials, some on social media, and some as background extras. What successful actors share is training, persistence, and a professional approach to a business that runs on auditions.
This guide explains how to become an actor, from your first class to your first agent, including what every young actor and parent should know about work permits, unions, and scams.
Start With Training
Talent helps, but training is what makes talent reliable. Casting directors expect actors to make strong choices quickly, take direction, and deliver consistent performances. Good places to train include:
- School and community theater: free or low-cost stage experience and a chance to build confidence.
- Acting classes: scene study, on-camera technique, and audition technique are the most useful for screen work.
- Improv classes: improvisation sharpens listening and quick thinking, and helps in commercial auditions.
- College and conservatory programs: a degree is not required, but it offers deep training and industry connections.
Get Your Actor Toolkit Together
Agents and casting directors expect three things from any actor who wants professional work:
- Headshots: a current, professional close-up photo that looks like you on your best normal day. See our guide to headshots and modeling portfolios.
- An acting resume: one page listing your credits, training, and special skills such as languages, sports, accents, or instruments.
- A demo reel: a one- to two-minute video of your best on-camera work. Student films and independent projects are a common source of early footage.
Find Auditions
Most auditions today start online with a self-tape (a video audition you record at home). Common sources of auditions include:
- Casting platforms: Actors Access, Backstage, and Casting Networks list projects ranging from student films to network television.
- Local theater companies: many hold open auditions each season.
- Student and independent films: film schools constantly need actors, and the footage can go on your reel.
- Background work: working as an extra teaches set etiquette and can lead to union eligibility.
Learn to self-tape well: good lighting, clear sound, a plain background, and a reader who feeds you lines off camera.
How to Get an Acting Agent
A talent agent submits you for auditions and negotiates your contracts. Legitimate agents are paid a commission, commonly around 10 percent of union work, only when you book a job. Agents look for actors who are trained, marketable, and already working on their own. To find one:
- Research agencies that represent actors at your level and in your market.
- Submit through the agency’s website with your headshot, resume, and reel.
- Use referrals from teachers, casting directors, and fellow actors whenever you can.
- Consider a manager later. Managers guide careers more broadly and usually take a larger percentage.
Never pay an agent upfront to represent you. Read our guide to spotting modeling and acting scams.
Joining SAG-AFTRA
SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) is the main union for film, television, commercial, and voice performers in the United States. Union jobs pay set minimum rates and include protections and benefits. Common ways to become eligible include:
- Booking a principal (speaking) role on a SAG-AFTRA production.
- Working three days as a union background actor.
- Transferring from an affiliated union after a year of paid-up membership and principal work there.
Joining requires an initiation fee, which is substantial, plus ongoing dues. Many actors build credits in non-union work before joining. Check sagaftra.org for current requirements and fees.
How to Become a Child Actor
Kids and teens are cast constantly in commercials, television, and film. Parents play a central role:
- Work permits: many states, including California and New York, require a work permit for minors in entertainment.
- Coogan accounts: California requires employers to deposit 15 percent of a minor’s gross earnings into a blocked trust account, and states including New York, Illinois, Louisiana, and New Mexico have similar rules, according to SAG-AFTRA.
- Schooling: on-set teachers and limits on working hours apply in many states.
- Supervision: a parent or guardian should attend every audition and set, and handle all contracts.
Be cautious of companies that pressure parents to buy expensive photo packages or classes at “open calls.” Legitimate agencies earn money when your child books work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to live in Los Angeles or New York?
Not to start. Atlanta, Chicago, Vancouver, Toronto, Albuquerque, and other markets have active production, and self-taping lets actors audition from anywhere. Many actors move to a major market once they have training and credits.
How do I get into acting with no experience?
Take a class, audition for community theater and student films, and start building your resume and reel. Every working actor started with zero credits.
How do I audition for a movie?
Most film auditions come through agents or casting platforms. Read the breakdown carefully, follow the submission instructions exactly, and send a clean self-tape that shows clear choices.
Ready for your close-up? Tell us why you wanna be famous.