The Working Actor Book in PDF, ePub and Kindle version is available to download in english. Read online anytime anywhere directly from your device. Click on the download button below to get a free pdf file of The Working Actor book. This book definitely worth reading, it is an incredibly well-written.
Veteran character actor David Dean Bottrell draws on his 35+ tumultuous years of work in the entertainment industry to offer a guide to breaking in, making a living, and making a life in the fabulous trenches of show business. Covers every facet of the business, including: - Capturing the perfect headshot - Starting (and maintaining) your network - Picking an agent - Audition do’s and don’ts - Joining the union(s): SAG-AFTRA and Actors Equity Association (AEA) - On stage vs on screen - Paying the bills - Self-promotion - Late bloomers - When to get out David Dean Bottrell has worn many different hats during his decades in showbiz: television actor with appearances on Boston Legal, Modern Family, The Blacklist, Mad Men, True Blood, NCIS, and Days of Our Lives; screenwriter for Paramount and Disney; respected acting teacher at UCLA and AADA; and regular expert columnist for esteemed acting site Backstage. In Working Actor, Bottrell offers a how-to manual jammed with practical information and insider advice, essential reading for any artist (aspiring or established) in need of insight or inspiration. Mixing prescriptive advice ("Getting Started," "Learning Your Craft," "Finding an Agent") with wisdom drawn from Bottrell's own professional highs and lows and those of his acting compatriots, this book's humorous, tell-it-like-it-is tone is a must-have guide for anyone hoping to successfully navigate show business.
'You are an actor. You have worked hard to be an actor. You have made a considerable outlay, financially or emotionally, and often both, to do this. So do it. Do it with style. Do it wholeheartedly. Do it every day. Be a working actor.' Being a working actor isn't just about the days you spend rehearsing or performing. It's about approaching your chosen occupation with dedication, energy and focus, so that you always think of yourself as an actor - especially on those days when you're not acting - and that every single day you do something, however small, to help further your career. Written by the Chairman of the Actors Centre, with over forty years' experience as an actor himself, The Working Actor is the essential guide to putting yourself in the best possible position to get work, to keep getting it, and to make a living from it. It covers a comprehensive range of topics including: Finding work: the types of jobs on offer, how to track them down, working with your agent Landing the job: nailing auditions and meetings (and how they can go wrong), writing a winning letter Promoting yourself: compiling a showreel, building your website, choosing (and resembling!) your headshots, networking both on- and offline Supporting yourself: choosing a suitable day job, joining Equity, staying positive, avoiding feeling isolated Each chapter features a work task to inspire you to reflect on what you've learned and to put your knowledge into practice. By the end of the book, armed with your own personal Working Actor Plan, you'll be ready to find your path in the industry, manage your career, and maximise your potential. The Working Actor is an inspiring, reassuring book for actors of all ages and backgrounds - from recent graduates, to more experienced professionals - who want to take their career to the next level. It won't teach you how to act - but it will teach you how to be an actor. 'Paul Clayton's great experience as a working actor shines through these pages. His passion for our profession remains undimmed, but he doesn't disguise the pitfalls and doldrums that are an inevitable part of an actor's life. Paul's book is an essential companion to anyone starting out, and pretty damn useful to those already out there. I only wish he'd written it forty years ago.' Alex Jennings 'The most comprehensive, informed and practical advice on the job of acting you are likely to find.' Paul Clarkson, Head of Acting, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School 'If you need advice as an aspiring actor, Paul Clayton is the man to go to. A must-have - and a good read too!' Anita Dobson
"I was totally unprepared for the transformation that Seth's technique created in me. . . . I realized that what I thought I knew about acting up to that point was largely misguided . . . but I now had a great, talented, dedicated teacher who generously wanted to share his tools with everyone. There is muscularity, not to mention wisdom and truth to Seth's techniques. He is a wonderful teacher, and I know that having him as my first guide is one of the luckiest things to have happened to me in my career and life. And when I can't get back to class with him, I am so grateful I have this book to turn to."—Anne Hathaway "This book is truly unlike anything else I know—these pieces are haikus on specific elements of performance and character building."—Philip Himberg, executive director, Sundance Theatre Institute A collection of practical acting tips, tools, and exercises, An Actor's Companion is ideal for both the seasoned professionals and actors-in-training. The tips—all simple, direct, and useful—are easy to understand and even easier to apply, in both rehearsal and in performance. Seth Barrish is an actor, teacher, and the co-artistic director of The Barrow Group in New York City. In his thirty-year career, he has directed the award-winning shows My Girlfriend's Boyfriend (Lucille Lortel Award for Best Solo Show, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations for Best Solo Show), Sleepwalk With Me (Nightlife Award for Outstanding Comedian in a Major Performance), The Tricky Part (Obie Award, Drama Desk nominations for Best Play and Best Solo Show), Pentecost (Drama Desk nomination for Best Play), Old Wicked Songs (Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award and Garland Award for Best Direction), and Good (Straw Hat Award for Best Direction), among dozens of others.
How to Be a Working Actor, 5th Edition by Mari Lyn Henry,Lynne Rogers Pdf
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.
There is a sense that permeates most acting classes which promotes the idea that acting is hard and you need to do a bunch of traditional steps if you're ever going to get anywhere. The flame of this concept is kept lit for two reasons. One is tradition. Successful actors and teachers in our theatrical history supposedly believed in or espoused such ideas and two; it is easier for teachers and actors to follow a path that is well worn. Actors feel intimidated to challenge the ideas and teachings of past masters. But isn't that exactly how every field of endeavor evolves? Think of where we'd be in science or medicine or sports if no one questioned past methods or tried to discover new ones. This book will show you an approach that is direct and to the point, an approach that will be far easier to remember and utilize. We'll use real life. We call it acting only because people are watching. "If you're an actor, this book will restore your sanity." Steven Pressfield, Author: The War of Art, Turning Pro, The Legend of Bagger Vance
Buckle your seatbelt. The Working Actor is unlike any other acting book you've ever read. Most acting books are deadly dull. They get hung up on intellectual "intentions" and "choices." Not this one. The Working Actor is "a gutsy, funny, straightforward, bawdy, and indispensable book." It'll help get you work. Using real world lessons the author has learned in over three decades in the Acting Game, The Working Actor will help you to: Craft a workable strategy for the Acting Game Create a reliable and repeatable "Method" for yourself Get out of your head and let your imagination guide you Reduce your nervousness and combat your self-sabotage Get an agent to find you Win every audition you go up for Deliver on the set And lots more-including practical acting exercises guaranteed to increase your potential The Working Actor isn't by some stuffy professor that never acted for a living. at Skipper ("An artist. A real actor," according to Titus Welliver, star of Amazon Studio's hit show, Bosch) has more than thirty years of experience acting in films and on television. He's been coaching actors for years. He knows what it takes to become a Working Actor. Do you have what it takes? Read The Working Actor and find out. Praise for The Working Actor: Pat Skipper's The Working Actor is a practical, easy-to-follow, sometimes unconventional and often hilarious guide for actors at all levels based on the real-world experiences of a true Hollywood veteran. I've worked with Pat Skipper on both my TV series and the guy delivered on every take. This made him stand out as a go-to guy. His insights on the business and the craft of acting are well earned and invaluable to anyone who wants to become a professional and always working actor. -Bestselling author & Producer Michael Connelly (Bosch, The Lincoln Lawyer) A powerful message to all actors, both novice and veteran alike. This book is a breath of fresh air, written by someone who has walked the walk. It's a healthy (and welcome) dose of 'tough love' and should be a part of every serious actor's library. -Billy DaMota, CSA (Hollywood Casting Director) Excellent, thoughtful and fresh advice. I just kept laughing my ass off. I would absolutely recommend The Working Actor not only to those thinking of trying a career in film and TV but to those of us who need to reevaluate our situations, give ourselves a kick in the ass, discover something new or be reminded of what we were doing that was working for us before. It is so much fun to read. -Kurtwood Smith (That '70s Show) Anytime anyone asks me what they need to do as a new actor, I'll tell them, "Buy a copy of The Working Actor and read the hell out of it!" This is a gutsy, funny, straightforward, bawdy, and indispensable book. -Jim Beaver (Deadwood, Justified, Supernatural) Get off your ass!! Pat Skipper's wonderful book is a feast of useful information and entertaining stories that will help any actor, new or seasoned, be a better actor, and with a little work, a better human being. Do something! Start by reading this book. -Troy Evans (Bosch, E.R.) Pat Skipper pulls no punches describing acting as a contact sport. As refreshing and exciting as a cold, hard, slap in the face; Welcome to show-biz!" -Mark Moses (Mad Men, Desperate Housewives) A well-written book about the Working Actor's craft. Pat doesn't pull any punches. Every young actor should have a read. -Joel McKinnon Miller (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Big Love)
How does an actor handle the challenge of performing under heavy make-up? What are the special requirements of acting in a docudrama? How does a nonsmoking actor tackle smoking for a role? How do actors deal with the director from hell? And what about nudity? Jean Schiffman knows. In The Working Actor's Toolkit, she amasses the information she garnered after years of interviewing professional actors, master teachers, and directors. Each of her chapters explores a clearly defined craft topic. Because there is neither one way to act nor one approach that works for every actor, each topic is discussed from a variety of perspectives-in often humorous ways. Together, Schiffman's chapters offer a nontraditional set of techniques to fill the gaps left by more academic acting primers. Her approach is eccentric, her range of subjects eclectic, her bottom line indisputable: there are certain truths about the elements of acting-the need to dig deep and personalize, to be specific, to avoid cliche, to take risks, and to remember that, in most cases, less is more. For beginning, mid-career, or longtime professional actors-or devoted fans who are curious about "How do they do it?"-Schiffman provides lively and provocative prose, but most of all practical ways for actors to hone their craft, solve unexpected acting problems, and make themselves marketable.
Each year, hundreds of aspiring and experienced actors head to LA hoping to make it big in Hollywood. While many of them have their acting chops in shape, few realize what it actually takes to survive in Tinseltown. Even if they happen to make it onto a set, many are clueless about what’s expected of them and how they should behave. Acting in LA: How to Become a Working Actor in Hollywood is exactly what these actors need: a handbook to arriving, surviving, and thriving on- and off-set in LA. Written by veteran Hollywood actor, acting coach, and acting teacher Kristina Sexton, this comprehensive guide takes no prisoners. With just enough snark to keep readers entertained—and on their toes—Acting in LA delivers solid advice on such topics as: Headshots, resumes, and reels How to find your “image” and market it The SAG/AFTRA debate Networking Agents and managers The importance of creating your own opportunities Maintaining a life outside of acting Setiquette On-set terminology And much more A comprehensive guide that can be utilized by actors either inside or outside Hollywood, Acting in LA relies on Kristina’s real-life experience as a working actress and exposes the pleasures, pitfalls, and practicalities of pursuing a career in acting.
Acting -- Make It Your Business by Paul Russell Pdf
Acting: Make It Your Business, written by an award-winning, veteran casting director, puts the power to land jobs and thrive in any medium - stage, film, TV, or the Internet - directly into the hands of the actor. This blunt, wise, and often hilarious guide overflows with cutting-edge audition, marketing, and networking strategies, combining traditional techniques with those best suited for the digital age. Well-known actors and powerful agents make cameos throughout, offering newcombers and working professionals alike a clear-eyed, uncensored perspective on survival and advancement within the entertainment industry. "Huorous and witty . . . Actors everywhere who are trying to succeed in the business, young or old, on stage or on camera, in New York or anywhere in the world, take note: This is your road map." - Bernard Telsey, casting director (Rent, Sex & The City: The Movie, Wicked) "All the right questions asked and answered . . . and with a generous portion of good humor." - Suzanne Ryan, casting director (Law & Order) "Paul's book made me proud to be a part of the acting community in this business we call 'show.'" - Karen Ziemba, actress, Tony and Drama Desk Award Winner From the Trade Paperback edition.
How to Be a Working Actor, 5th Edition by Mari Lyn Henry,Lynne Rogers Pdf
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.
Answers from The Working Actor by Jackie Apodaca,Michael Kostroff Pdf
For nearly a decade, Jackie Apodaca and Michael Kostroff shared duties as advice columnists for the actors’ trade paper, Backstage. Their highly popular weekly feature, "The Working Actor," fielded questions from actors all over the country. A cross between "Dear Abby" and The Hollywood Reporter, their column was a fact-based, humorous, compassionate take on the questions actors most wanted answered. Using some of their most interesting, entertaining, and informative columns as launch points, Answers from "The Working Actor" guides readers through the ins and outs (and ups and downs) of the acting industry. Apodaca and Kostroff share an approach that is decidedly "on the ground." They’ve both labored in the trenches just like their readers—dealing with auditions, classes, photos, résumés, rehearsals, contract negotiations, representatives, jobs, challenging colleagues, and the search for that elusive life/career balance. There are few absolutes in the acting profession and virtually no proven and reliable steps. Unlike books that claim to offer "Quick Steps to a Successful Acting Career," Answers from "The Working Actor" deals honestly with the realities, providing facts, options, strategies, stories, points of view, and the wisdom of experience, while ultimately challenging readers to make their own decisions. This book will give new actors a head start on their journeys and remind experienced professionals that, in the acting business, there is never only one answer to any question.
Amy Lyndon is Hollywood's Premiere Booking Coach and creator of the revolutionary Lyndon Technique: The 15 Guideline Map To Booking Handbook. Besides being a Coach and Mentor, she is also an Actress, Award Winning Director, Producer, Casting Director, and was a CEO of a successful Personal Management Company for 9 years. Her clients are Series Regulars, Guest Leads and Starring in Feature Films around the globe. Some of her Clients include: Nadine Velazquez (My Name is Earl), Adam Brody (The OC), Christel Khalil (The Young and the Restless), Hosea Chanchez (The Game), Sterling Knight (Sonny with a Chance), Kenton Duty (Shake It Up), Matthew J. Evans (Bad Teacher) and Raini Rodriquez (Austin and Ally). Lyndon won one of the Best Cold Reading Teachers in Los Angeles Backstage Magazine 2010, 2011 and 2012! The Lyndon Technique proves to be a practical approach to auditioning and booking the job on the first take. Each chapter provides detailed insight into each of Lyndon's 15 Guideline Map to Booking Technique. Lyndon travels Internationally to teach the principles of Booking, Marketing and running a successful business as an Actor. The information is applicable no matter where you live or where you are in your career.
