Ahead of her Intro to Acting for TV & Film course at Filmbase, Sarah Hone gives us her seven tips for getting started as an actor.
1 - Don't be a jerk!!!!
Sounds obvious, but if you respond to rejection or "constructive" feedback negatively, you will be remembered as someone with a chip on their shoulder and therefore not considered when roles are being handed out. Pick your battles wisely. No-one wants to work with someone with a bad attitude.
2 - Be proactive.
No one is going to come knocking on your door offering you an Oscar. Nor is someone going to "discover" you when you’re waiting for your flight at the airport (unless you're actually Kate Moss in 1988). If you can't get a good agent who is going to find work for you (very difficult to get, even if you’ve been acting professionally for years), then you need to find work yourself. Sign up to Fishpond and StarNow and get into the habit of browsing online audition notices every day.
3 - Do your homework.
When it comes to castings or securing a place in an acting school, find out who is going to be auditioning you and have a general idea of what they have worked on before. If you have taken the time to get to know their body of work, it will show that you are eager to impress and are truly interested in the business.
4 - Don't be afraid to take low-paid (or unpaid) work when you are first starting out.
Join an improv group or co-op theatre company and get experience and exposure in the industry. That way, you'll meet like-minded souls who will inspire and encourage you, as well as allowing potential future employers to see your work. If you are performing in something, you will be able to network and create connections which will hopefully lead to more better-paid work.
5 - Be 100% professional in auditions.
If you are applying for a place in an acting school and part of the audition is a warm-up or improvisation exercise, don't forget that this is still part of the audition where you will be watched like a hawk and judged on your behaviour! The facilitators will be looking for someone who listens to instructions, takes direction well, and is able to focus.
6 – Follow your gut instinct.
If something seems sleazy or unprofessional, then it probably is.
7 – Don’t get disillusioned!
We all have moments where we want to give up and take on a cosy 9-5 with a guaranteed pay cheque and a spinning office chair. If you truly know that acting is your calling and the only path to career happiness, then you need to find some way to make it work. Breathe, reboot, and rage against the dying of the light…
Intro to Acting for TV & Film runs from 22nd May – 17th July, 8 Mon Eves (no class 5th June). This rigorous film-acting course is aimed at aspiring and beginner-level actors, as well as theatrically trained actors wanting to make the transition from stage to screen.
Sarah Hone
Sarah Hone is an actor, casting director, and drama therapist with a BA in Theatre and Performance and an MA in Dramatherapy. She has acted in Ireland, the USA, Australia, and Japan, including a two-year Disney tour. She worked as an extras casting assistant on Mad Max: Fury Road and taught at NIDA and Temple University Japan. In Australia, she ran a Dramatherapy practice. After five years at Ali Coffey Casting, she joined Bow Street full-time as Associate Artistic Director.
