Acting Schools and the Business

Being in the spotlight requires good business sense as well as good acting skills

Acting schools are well known for providing an actor with a comprehensive grounding in acting techniques and exploring the different types of acting or, providing a solid grounding in one specific area of acting. Either way acting schools support and nurture the experimentation of different styles and aspects of the craft and encourage lively discussion to develop an actor’s understanding and ability to act.

They also concentrate on the business side. Many believe that the nuts and bolts of the business comes after an actor has had some paid work, when in actuality it begins with an actor exploring him or herself. In essence it comes from day one.

Once an actor understands themselves, their instrument if you will, then they have a good knowledge of what parts they are best suited to play. Choosing the right auditions increase their chances of landing the role, and subsequently, provides a competitive edge. The business side of the profession starts from day one.

As an acting career progresses, the business aspect becomes more important and often influences an actor’s choices. It is often reported that an actor has turned down a part to avoid being typecast, and not because the part was unsuitable or unappealing. This is a business decision, rather than an artistic one.

Acting schools devote a large amount of time educating actors in this regard, often holding workshops and boot-camps on the subject in addition to teaching the business side in acting classes. Auditioning techniques are vitally important. The audition is the first step for an inspiring actor to become a professional, and once the first role is landed, the business side becomes even more important. Many actors find they devote more time to it as part of the job, as well as finding it influencing their decisions.

Taxation is another area an actor needs to understand and factor in to their earnings. Many actors as have often been caught out by the taxman in the early part of their careers. This is not simply about paying a percentage of their earnings, but also how best to use the money they have to pay the least amount of tax possible.

Agents are an area which is vital to the success of an actor. A good agent makes all the difference to the actor, and so does a bad one for entirely different reasons. An acting school will show the differences and give an actor the knowledge to choose the right agent for them. Many good acting careers are built around an actor having a good relationship with his or her agent.

Should an acting career not be a successful one, despite an actor clearly having a fair amount of ability, the chances are it is the actor’s approach to the business that is in some way skewered, and hampering their career. Through close examination and talking to teachers and other students in the actor’s acting class, can well provide the enlightenment they need to bring about the change an actor needs.

Acting and the ability to do so, comprises just one part of a good acting career. The business side is an important area that needs to be factored in to everything an actor does from day one. Saying no to the wrong part, can be just as important to saying yes to the right one. Acting schools, empower the actor in this regard, as it is vitally important to their career.

How To Stop Faking It from Brian Timoney on Vimeo.