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How to Be a Working Actor: The Insider's Guide to Finding Jobs in Theater, Film & Television
The celebrated survival guide for the working actor - now completely updated and expanded with a foreword by Tony award-winning actor Joe Mantegna!
Renowned for more than two decades as the most comprehensive resource for actors, How to Be a Working Actor is a must-read for achieving success in The Business. Now this "Bible of the Biz" has been completely revised and greatly expanded to address new markets, ever-changing opportunities, and the many new ways today's actors find work. Talent manager, teacher, and career coach Mari Lyn Henry and actress, author, and spokeswoman Lynne Rogers combine their extensive skills and years of experience to cover all the essentials of how to market yourself, land roles, and manage a successful career. They also include expert advice from scores of other industry experts - well-known actors, agents, managers, casting directors, and teachers.
How to Be a Working Actor is loaded with advice on how to:
- put together a professional wardrobe
- get a head shot that brings out the real you
- create a resume that really works
- find the training to develop your talents
- communicate effectively with agents and managers
- use the internet to promote your business and explore new opportunities
- get the most value out of union membership
- excel at auditions and screen tests
- discover how to get work in regional markets
- cope with success
How to Be a Working Actor takes a no-nonsense approach to the whole business of being a working actor, with detailed information on how to live on a budget in New York and Los Angeles, what the acting jobs are and what they pay, even how to find a survival strategy that will augment your career. And an extensive section on script analysis shows you how to investigate the depth of a character to create a memorable audition for roles in theatre, film, and television.
Renowned for more than two decades as the most comprehensive resource for actors, How to Be a Working Actor is a must-read for achieving success in The Business. Now this "Bible of the Biz" has been completely revised and greatly expanded to address new markets, ever-changing opportunities, and the many new ways today's actors find work. Talent manager, teacher, and career coach Mari Lyn Henry and actress, author, and spokeswoman Lynne Rogers combine their extensive skills and years of experience to cover all the essentials of how to market yourself, land roles, and manage a successful career. They also include expert advice from scores of other industry experts - well-known actors, agents, managers, casting directors, and teachers.
How to Be a Working Actor is loaded with advice on how to:
- put together a professional wardrobe
- get a head shot that brings out the real you
- create a resume that really works
- find the training to develop your talents
- communicate effectively with agents and managers
- use the internet to promote your business and explore new opportunities
- get the most value out of union membership
- excel at auditions and screen tests
- discover how to get work in regional markets
- cope with success
How to Be a Working Actor takes a no-nonsense approach to the whole business of being a working actor, with detailed information on how to live on a budget in New York and Los Angeles, what the acting jobs are and what they pay, even how to find a survival strategy that will augment your career. And an extensive section on script analysis shows you how to investigate the depth of a character to create a memorable audition for roles in theatre, film, and television.
- GenresTheatreNonfiction
432 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1986
19 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 14, 2018
This book was incredible! It was also, very long. But, considering all the things I know now, that I didn't know before, I would say it was 100% worth the read!
Not only did Ms. Henry devote entire chapters on how to find work, where to find it, and how to develop character: she also devoted portions to how to find work in certain cities (Miami, DC, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York).
She included sample monologues created by other working actors (which were very good) and how to study and create a character through them. She even devoted chapters to child actors, disabled actors and "how to deal with success" once you have it.
She spoke with an enormous number of professionals to create this book, and I was incredibly impressed! Acting is a daunting profession, but I feel much more confident in navigating our crazy world after reading this.
I even jotted down all of her Recommended Reading and just about every play, soap and movie that she mentioned (particularly if she mentioned it more than once) and now I have a ton of side homework - which I am giddy about!
The biggest takeaway from this book is that: Acting is not for everyone. It's not for people who want money or fame. It's for people who love to perform.
Orson Welles: [Actors are highly paid] because they're paying us for all the time we spent [auditioning and waiting]. Because they know that we would gladly act for free.
Not only did Ms. Henry devote entire chapters on how to find work, where to find it, and how to develop character: she also devoted portions to how to find work in certain cities (Miami, DC, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York).
She included sample monologues created by other working actors (which were very good) and how to study and create a character through them. She even devoted chapters to child actors, disabled actors and "how to deal with success" once you have it.
She spoke with an enormous number of professionals to create this book, and I was incredibly impressed! Acting is a daunting profession, but I feel much more confident in navigating our crazy world after reading this.
I even jotted down all of her Recommended Reading and just about every play, soap and movie that she mentioned (particularly if she mentioned it more than once) and now I have a ton of side homework - which I am giddy about!
The biggest takeaway from this book is that: Acting is not for everyone. It's not for people who want money or fame. It's for people who love to perform.
Orson Welles: [Actors are highly paid] because they're paying us for all the time we spent [auditioning and waiting]. Because they know that we would gladly act for free.
May 22, 2022
How to Be a Working Actor helps actors get on the map. It covers finding an agent, succeeding in auditions, and getting professional headshots. This book is slightly dated and is targeted at an American audience.
Why choose this book? It offers some valuable insights into marketing yourself as an actor who is just starting out in the industry.
FilmD, London
Why choose this book? It offers some valuable insights into marketing yourself as an actor who is just starting out in the industry.
FilmD, London
April 1, 2018
Useful and full of coaching! Great reference for Actors/Actresses who become Professional Actors!
January 15, 2009
I wanted to know...book was okay. Not very helpful.
November 24, 2014
Lots of great tips in this book although a bit NYC-centric.
March 13, 2014
It might be time for a new edition. While a good amount of the info is still relevant, all the union stuff is from before the SAG/AFTRA merger and it doesn't handle internet in much depth.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews