How to obtain a career in acting

“Riches, fame, and fortune are as ephemeral as lightning,” in other words, fame and fortune is not everlasting but in a sense is temporary and can vanish in the blink of an eye. All throughout my childhood I’ve watched my favorite basketball players, musicians, and actors on television being adored by millions of people worldwide. Curiosity grew inside of me as I pondered to myself exactly how it feels to have people all over the world screaming your name in admiration for you and your work. My two favorite hobbies have been to play basketball and watch all genres of movies. Although my career goal in life is to be a corporate lawyer, my dream has always been to be a famous actor in movies not so much for the fortune but for the fame.

Fame to me is not something I want to attain for selfish pleasure but for confidence. I would hate to be known infamously for a crime or being bad at something. I would use my fame in a positive way in the manner of a role model or leader. Looking back over the years, I’ve always had a lack of confidence in myself. Trials on the basketball court and social tribulations led me to believe that I was inferior to others. Not only were in-school issues a negative on my mind state, but family issues were also catalysts for my drive for admiration amongst the masses. Being a famous star in successful motion pictures and knowing the amount of people that are satisfied and entertained after watching, would leave me feeling confident in my work. My inhibitions have worked hand in hand with my hobby to create a force of determination to reach stardom and greatness.

My father explained to me that the process of becoming an actor is a very slow process. He would tell me that before actually getting a shot at being on camera I would have to be a “starving actor” out in California or New York where the majority of the big business is. Being an actor is not just a job; it is an art and takes practice. The starting block for becoming an actor is enrolling in acting classes. Many famous actors from television, movies and Broadway plays have attended NYU to study and perfect there craft in theatre. After attending the proper schooling, the next phase in the process is to compose a resume with a headshot included to shop around to different agencies and casting directors. Another tactic is to look online or in local newspapers of casting calls or auditions to attend and try out for to add on to your resume. Along with all of the other aspects and steps, an important saying to remember is, “It’s not only what you know, it’s who you know.” Many prominent actors have been beneficiaries of others who know people in the business. Due to who they knew in the business, they’re connection helped them by eliminating some of the steps in becoming an actor. It is very helpful to have a person you know in the business but it doesn’t happen for everyone. Knowing how tough the business is to get into, I understand this process is nowhere near as easy as it looks. There are many obstacles and stumbling blocks that will be ahead along the way to becoming an actor. During the auditioning process, there is no guarantee that you will get the part. There will be many times in which you will be rejected or never called back for the part. Other times, you may only be allowed to be an extra in the work. Not everyone who does this ends up a successful movie or television star. Along with the proper schooling and talent, it is important to stay focused and determined in order to have a career in the acting business.

It is said that one of the most helpful and important things to do as an aspiring actor, is to hire an agent. An agent acts as your representative in the business by negotiating or discussing contract proposals as well as finding different roles for you to play. As an aspiring actor, you may or may not know what is good for your career. An agent is hired to help you with decisions and give guidance for what will benefit you both. Agents also shop you around to different companies as well as keep you informed on a variety of workshops or conventions in which you should attend. These types of gatherings are good for your career because it helps you meet people that are in the business.

Apart from practicing and talent in the art of performing, it is said that the “right personality” is also needed to be a good actor. The right personality type is loosely explained as being willing to accept criticism and being able to strive through the grueling process of the industry. There is no easy way of becoming a successful actor but through hard work, perseverance and a good mindset of what the business is about, will aid you in a quest for an acting career.

Pick a Hobby

“Riches, fame, and fortune are as ephemeral as lightning,” in other words, fame and fortune is not everlasting but in a sense is temporary and can vanish in the blink of an eye. All throughout my childhood I’ve watched my favorite basketball players, musicians, and actors on television being adored by millions of people worldwide. Curiosity grew inside of me as I pondered to myself exactly how it feels to have people all over the world screaming your name in admiration for you and your work. My two favorite hobbies have been to play basketball and watch all genres of movies. Although my career goal in life is to be a corporate lawyer, my dream has always been to be a famous actor in movies not so much for the fortune but for the fame.
Over the course of history, there have been many devices used to create or project images on the screen that led up to the development of our present day motion picture devices. In 1867, an invention called the “Wheel of Life” or “Zoopraxiscope” were patented in the U.S. as the first device to show animated movies. This was invented by William Lincoln and “consisted of moving drawings or photographs which were watched by a person looking through a slit similar to a peep hole on the invention.” As technology developed and advanced, the Cinematograph was invented and is credited as the machine that popularized motion pictures in 1895. Another developer of motions picture inventions was the Edison Company. The Edison Company is responsible for the development of the Kinetoscope which allowed a single person at a time to watch moving pictures. Shortly after, in 1896, Edison upgraded his invention and developed the Vitascope. The Vitascope is a projector and was first to experience commercial success throughout the United States.
All throughout my education I’ve attended small town Christian schools. I graduated from a class total of 34 students. In schools such as the ones I attended, it isn’t difficult to be well known by majority of the student body. My curiosity stemming from my movie watching hobby has given me the drive to want to be adored by millions of people. I’ve shared this dream with my family and friends and the result has always been a discussion on humility. My mother and father try to teach me to be humble and not obsessed with vanity or what others think of me. This task is either said then done. I ask you, who doesn’t want to be loved? Who doesn’t want to be admired by many? Who doesn’t want to be respected for they’re art, craft or skill? Year after year, during school, I can remember seeing the most talented basketball player or the best actor amongst the halls. I can honestly say that never once was I envious of them but motivated and encouraged to one day have that status on the global level. I haven’t been considered a jealous person but more of an evaluator. I enjoy sitting and listening to others to observe how they work, to learn what the do correct and incorrect. I am a listener and thinker as opposed to a “shoot first” and make hasty actions type of person. I look forward to using these tactics to help fulfill my dream of attaining fame.
Fame to me is not something I want to attain for selfish pleasure but for confidence. I would hate to be known infamously for a crime or being bad at something. I would use my fame in a positive way in the manner of a role model or leader. Looking back over the years, I’ve always had a lack of confidence in myself. Trials on the basketball court and social tribulations led me to believe that I was inferior to others. Not only were in-school issues a negative on my mind state, but family issues were also catalysts for my drive for admiration amongst the masses. Being a famous star in successful motion pictures and knowing the amount of people that are satisfied and entertained after watching, would leave me feeling confident in my work. My inhibitions have worked hand in hand with my hobby to create a force of determination to reach stardom and greatness.
Many people view my dreams and ideas as unrealistic. I honestly don’t think I have a career on the big screen in Hollywood but that’s the reason why it’s a dream. I would love for that to happen but realistically, it doesn’t seem to be in my path. Instead, I will just have to do my best to be admired and respected for the career I’ll have in the law field. As a lawyer, I will do my best and work hard for all of my future endeavors and have to gain respect in this aspect of life. This task isn’t easy either and will take time, focus, determination and prayer to accomplish this. Although the afore said quote states that fame is ephemeral or temporary, I believe it can have longevity throughout a lifetime. When I do attain my confidence, respect, and admiration from fans, I will enjoy it with modesty and cherish it for as long as possible.

All-Star Weekend

As many people know, basketball is my favorite sport. With that being said, I was very excited and anxious to watch this year’s NBA All-Star weekend. All-Star weekend consists of many of the NBA’s most popular players of the current season. They compete in different events such as the rookie – sophomore game, 3 pt. shooting contest and the slam dunk contest which was judged by Julius Erving, Dominique Wilkins, Michael Jordan, Vince Carter and Kobe Bryant. The following day, Sunday, the most popular players from both the east and western teams come together to play against each other. I enjoyed spending this weekend indoors in the warmth with friends as we watched the game together. Kobe Bryant is my favorite player so I thoroughly enjoyed watching the game as he took home MVP honors. Watching any game with my friends never consists of really “sitting down and watching” because we spend majority of the time arguing with each other back and forth on behalf of our favorite player. These arguments start out friendly and escalate to a completely different level as if we ourselves are the players we argue for. Looking from the outside in, this can be a confusing sight as many people don’t understand why we as guys take these types of things so serious. All in all, All-Star weekend was entertaining and exciting to watch with friends and spend the weekend inside away from the freezing temperatures of the winter.

Labyrinth Story

During my reading of this story, I began to imagine that I was on the journey along with Searchall. I especially liked the character names. In most stories there are names of people, animals, or creatures that really leave you in the darkness and wondering where or why they have a certain name. With this story, the names Searchall (or Ubiquitous) and Delusions are very distinct. They are very different from names of characters found in your regular fictitious adventure story.
The Labyrinth story reminds me of stories such as Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia due to the fact the main character is on an adventure. While on this adventure or journey, the main character runs into a foreign character who then aids them through the journey. I especially like how the story just seems to capture you into it and give you the feeling that you are on the journey along with the characters. As I continue writing and practicing to become a better writer, I would love to be able to write creative stories like this one. I have written fictitious stories in the past but I want to be able to write stories that are thought provoking and mind boggling not as to leave my audience in a state of confusion but with a feeling as if they themselves are the characters in the literature.

VQ Question

Over the years, I've had to write many reasearch papers. The topics were usually related to science or history. My sophmore year of highschool, I had to write a research paper on abortion. Doing research for me isn't very exciting but I know I have to gather as much information together as possible to earn a good grade on the paper. When writing on the regular, I traditionally write to an authority figure. Whether its to a teacher, parent, principle or even a college board for admission. My favorite setting for writing is in a dark room. I do my best work sitting in a dark room in front of an illuminated screen. I usually sit with my headphones in as well as I listen to familiar music. I avoid listening to new music while I write because it will distract me from my writing thoughts or ideas. Personally, writing is a major way of communication. It is also an art form and is prevalent in almost everything that we do in society.