3 Tips for Building Your Career After Acting School

After spending the last two or so years in acting school, your period of learning is finally coming to an end. Every acting class that you’ve taken has allowed you to develop your skills, make a ton of friends and connections, and you are now ready for graduation, which is right around the corner—then what?

Well, obviously, it is to go on and succeed as an actor in the opportunity-abundant entertainment industry.

As ideal as it is to jump right into your first set of roles after acting school, however, most fresh grads find it difficult to deal with the challenges of the real world. Fortunately, knowing how to find your way as an acting professional after spending a few years in acting school and eventually establishing a fulfilling career can be done if you take the right steps.

3 Tips for Building Your Career After Acting School

With a wide variety of skills, training, and determination right under your belt, you can take the acting world by storm. In this article, you will find a few simple yet timeless and effective tips for finding your footing in the acting industry: 

1 – Get your headshots, demo reel, and chops ready

Once you’ve gotten your diploma, the next step that you’ll have to take is to go to as many auditions that are suited for your skills and preferred genre as often as possible. However, you can’t do this without a set of headshots, a demo reel, and a set of chops to perform right on the spot. Generally speaking, headshots, demo reels, and chops are similar to the requirements that businesspeople need to land their dream job or win a client over:

• A headshot is your calling card that a casting director will use to call you for a certain role and any other roles you’d be perfect in
• Demo reels are case studies that show how skilled and capable you are as a professional
• Acting chops are a mix of your sales spiel and ability to perform on the spot that you can use to demonstrate your competency for a specific role

2 – Always come with a positive attitude, and leave on a positive note

Given how tough the acting industry can truly be, it is vital to have a certain level of resilience, optimism, and positivity that will get you through every rejection, criticism, and struggle you encounter on your path towards becoming a successful performer. Both rejection and criticism are inevitable parts of anyone’s experience as an actor, and the best way you can overcome each challenge is to approach them with the right attitude! 

3 – Research as often as you can

Many of the valuable lessons that you’ll learn as an acting professional are found far beyond the classroom doors, and these lessons will play a large role in establishing your career and reputation. The best way to pick up valuable insights and lessons for your acting technique, morale, and demeanor can be best done by continually doing research, such as: 

• Watching plays that well-known and tenured acting professionals star in
• Attending additional acting classes (such as Bernard Hiller’s world-renowned short-term classes)
• Finding a mentor who can guide you every step of the way
• Listening to podcasts that feature industry stalwarts and relevant topics

Once you’ve finally wrapped up your time in acting school, jumping into the real world and establishing a fulfilling career can be quite difficult, but having the right tips in mind can carry you a long way.

If you are looking to become a professional actor, visit the best acting classes in Los Angeles, California today to see how we can help.