Expert author William G. Craig’s gives his tips on how to improve your acting skills: You could probably fill a library with all the books on how to improve your acting! So to save you a little time I have put together a list of 10 tips, that I hope, will help you the most.

• Know your script. Read, re-read and then read again, and not just your own lines. From this foundation you can go on to identify the reason for your lines, this will help you react with the right lines and make remembering easier.
• Listen actively, you should give the impression that what your character is hearing is purely of that moment. Resist the temptation to be quick with your lines, just to prove you know them, it is a conversation after all.
• Be brave, the quickest way to improve your acting is to realize that your first choice will usually be the easiest for you to do – not the best one for the part. Look beyond your initial choice.
• Learn to breath, practice 20 minutes a day. Inhale as deeply as possible and exhale for twice the amount of time you spent inhaling (i.e. inhale 15 seconds exhale 30 seconds). This will help pre-audition stress and stage fright.
• Be professional, turning up on time, or early, will give you all the warm up time and, more importantly, the space you need.
• This one might not be so obvious, avoid bad mouthing your fellow actors. This is not only good advice because eventually they will find out what you’ve been saying, but also the actors who are quick to insult other actors are the ones who blame others for their own shortcomings. If you always blame others, you will miss out on the opportunity to accurately evaluate your own performances.
• If everyone around you is loosing their heads – keep yours. If you find yourself in a situation where every piece of furniture is being chewed by your fellow cast members, hold your nerve and avoid the melodrama. Your performance will stand out like the calm at the eye of the storm.
• Act! The more you act the better you should get. Practice makes perfect after all. The more acting you do, the greater the number of actors and directors you will work with. This will help improve your acting by enabling you to find the truest way for you to develop.
• Improve your acting by making your colleagues look as good as possible. It might sound odd but getting the best from colleagues will reflect on your own performance and help you develop. It will also improve your professional reputation which, in turn, should mean you get more work.
• Finally, be thick skinned. You have to have the courage to stick to your guns when you think your right, even if you consider the criticism harsh, or are getting lots of rejections. Be honest with your self and be brave, most actors get rejected for most jobs most of the time!

Check out Actingbiz.com’s Ruth Kulerman’s Five and a Half Acting Tips Not Taught in Drama Class

1. The Ubiquitous Omnipotnet Comma. (Dethrone Immediately.)
Contrary to actors’ beliefs, commas did not descend from Mount Sinai, written on stone tablets. Commas are the domain of a reader, not a speaker. Commas replace the missing human voice whose intonation helps decode written language and make it comprehensible — a fancy way of saying, ignore commas when you act.

They belong on a page, not in a spoken line. Replace commas, not with pauses, but with vocal variety–or ignore the squiggly critters completely. Do not pause when commas cross your path. Slide right across them. We don’t talk in commas, so don’t act in commas either.

My slogan as the comma cop is DOWN WITH PAUSES CAUSED BY COMMAS!

1.5 The Pause the Exhausts. (Verbal exercise: stretch or leap.)
There used to be a slogan for one of the soft drinks: “The pause that refreshes.” And yet in acting I have heard eighteen billion pauses, mistakenly believed to be dramatic or pregnant or sensitive or something. (“We find the defendant pause pause pause pause not guilty.”) London taught me: “You have to earn a pause.” Otherwise they are self-indulgent, mistakenly thought to reveal a deep and powerful soul. NOT SO.

There are lots of ways to replace pauses with interesting acting moments. To mention a couple: Stretch out the vowel in the word before and after the place you would normally pause. Ignore the pause. Stretch the vowels. Listen to a master do it, Richard Burton.

Another “pause” substitute is to leap over the pause as if you are a verbal kangaroo. Raise the pitch and leap into the word that follows the ignored pause. You can discover many other ways to lead the pause to the slaughter. Do it.

2. The Invasion of the Valley Girl Question (No Admission. Scat!)
Maybe “Valley Girl” isn’t a clear description. It refers to the dreadful habit of ending every sentence with a question mark in the voice: I went to the movies? I stood in line around the block? And in the speech of Olympic offenders, the middle of each sentence is also raised into that dratted question mark. The only thing missing is gum popping “Like, you know.”

This Valley Girl inflection creeps not merely into ordinary speech but also into many line readings. The astounding thing is that not one teacher mentions it. An actor I worked with inserted the Valley Girl question mark not only at the end of every sentence but also at the end of every phrase in every sentence. He repeated this monotony eternally. It is irritating. It is distracting.

Unfortunately the omni-present question mark did not stop at the California state line. It has crept into people from Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, Canada, Connecticut and South Korea–and that’s in my studio alone! Multiply that by the hundreds of studios and schools and it becomes an epidemic.

The Valley Girl inflection knows no gender lines. It is a pattern in actors on national TV shows. When it hits our great dramatic actors, we will admit defeat and the contagious Valley Girl question mark will, like the cockroach, survive forever. Horrors!

Chase it with whatever weapon you have. Especially become aware of the habit in your own speech pattern. Rid yourself of it before it takes over and becomes “To be or not? to be. Like you know? Like huh.” (And “know” has a meow in the long O.)

Which leads directly into the next unrecognized line disease.

3. Conquering the Question Mark (How to ask without asking.)
In normal American speech we ask a question in several ways: (1) The subject and verb are reversed: He is here –> Is he here? (2) Certain words often imply a question: who, where, why, when, what, how. (3) Most actors see a question mark and head for the lifted sentence ending. That way lies guaranteed monotony. (Its opposite, the dreaded ever-present drop at the end of each sentence, is equally as tedious.)

Let’s consider making that question into a statement, especially if the words of the sentence are obviously written to produce a question; that is, if the sentence uses one of the “question” words or reverses the subject-verb order.

So instead of going up or raising the pitch at the end of a sentence, deliver the sentence as if it were making a statement (that is, the pitch remain exactly the same as its preceding few words or the pitch lowers a half tone). Try it out. It creates interest, adds variety, and avoids the expected delivery (always a goal to be aimed for). And don’t run out of energy as you finish a line, whatever pitch you select.

4. Moxie. A Pox on Modesty (Moxie: The great unacknowledged star maker.)
MOXIE defined: 1. Energy, pep. 2. Courage, determination. 3. Know-how, expertise.

I have almost shouted from the Empire State Building that talent is not all. Yes, talent counts greatly. But it is not the final decision maker in casting or star-making.

A Verifiable Case of Moxie Casting:

A discouraged singer appeared on my horizon last November, to coach her songs and to work on acting. She sang opera but also happened to have a stunning voice for Broadway musicals and a drop dead Broadway Belt, not the usual equipment for a legit lyric soprano.

We tugged, yanked, pulled, threatened and scolded her out of the traditional opera hold-your-hands-in-front-of-you and stand-like-a-tree-trunk making beautiful music. We worked on how to enter the audition room, how to smile, what to wear, how to deliver a song by relating to the words. We selected songs for auditioning. “But I love that song.” “It’s too long, too slow, starts with poor me and ends with boo hoo. You have to grab them in five seconds.” “But that’s not the way this song was done on Broadway.” “Tough. The words allow for drama. The music allows for drama. Dare to try drama. Relate to the words.” Since then, she has booked four paying jobs in three months. And as of this writing, has two major callbacks. But…

A few days ago she had a Broadway audition. On the floor where she was to audition was an announcement board indicating that another invited audition was being held in another studio. Our once shy opera lass asked the director when he popped out of the room if she could sing for him. “I know XYZ,” naming the most famous song from the musical. “Sure, why not. Wait around.” Two hours later she auditioned. Two days later she landed the role. And…

When the Production Director called with the job, I mentioned her talent and her looks. “But,” he replied, “there are lots of pretty, talented singers. What got her cast was her energy, her moxie, her personality and her sassiness. She has what it takes.”

Notice, he mentioned talent–in passing. But talent did not land the job. The first thing he listed was energy; the second was moxie. Moral: Talent is seldom the final word in casting. Moxie is. Energy is. They work! When was the last time you saw MOXIE 101 on a college syllabus?

The truly astounding thing is the courage she had to ask firmly and charmingly if she could crash an invited audition. Now that took moxie. And that is what it takes. Seeing and then seizing an opportunity.

And the last thing you may never have learned in drama class:

5. Semaphore Acting. (Forget their heads! Off with their arms/hands.)
Statement: But I’m Italian, Greek, Martian. I have to use my arms. Response: You don’t fling them around when you talk. Why do it when you act?

A true story: The instructor in one of my London classes saw me fling out an arm for some reason (or, more likely, for no reason). She slapped my arm as hard as she could. “You are allowed one arm gesture per act. Make it count.”

The red mark on my arm faded. The lesson has lasted my career. She continued, “Act with your voice, your eyes, and slightly with your face. Do not wag your head. Keep it straight. Sit as the character. Walk as the character. Be in the character’s body. But do not fling your arms around. Be still. The energy must be used to enhance, not to detract.”

I cannot say it better.

There they are: Commas, Pauses, Question Marks, Moxie, and Semaphores. Five tips which, if used, will not only polish your acting but will help you stand heads above your competition, even if you’re 4’8″. So here’s to high heads! And here’s to moxie without pauses!

Wondering how to get an agent in the acting business? Check out these tips fro the New York Conservatory of Dramatic Arts!

Acting agents + agencies

Burn No Bridges
It may seem like a no-brainer, but always be kind and respectful to agents, whether or not you agree with the way they handle their business. It may seem as though everyone wants to be a famous actor, but the industry isn’t that big, and most agents are well-connected.

Leaving a bad impression with one acting agent can destroy your reputation with others. Conversely, if you impress an agent, she or he may recommend you to colleagues. Remember that many acting agents are creative people as well; they work in the same industry that you do. The more you respect your agent and work hard for them, the more they will work for you. Not to mention that being respectful and professional in all you do establishes you as someone anyone would want to work with.

Choosing an Agent
When you look for potential acting agents, consider where you are in your career. If you’re just starting out, a smaller agency will probably suit you better. This doesn’t mean you have to skimp on professionalism. Any good agency — large or small — will be well-versed in the industry or industries it represents.

Find out how many clients your potential agent represents. This will give you some idea of how much work s/he will have to do while representing you. If an acting agency is handling many actors, then you may add up to only a small part of their business. With large and reputable agencies, this is not necessarily a bad thing, as top names in the industry often have high status attached to them. Be sure the agent who is representing you is not so booked with clients that you become just another headshot and resume on his/her desk.

Making Connections
How connected is your agent? How well-known and well-respected is your agent among casting directors, actors, and even other agents? In order to get you seen by directors, agents need to be seen themselves.

It works like this: An agent will send your acting headshot and resume to a casting director asking for an audition slot. Probably, s/he will attach a cover letter expressing why you are a prefect fit for the role in question (another nice advantage to having an agent!). The better-known the agent, the more likely you are to get that audition. Any successful agent is well connected to the industry, so it doesn’t hurt to ask if the acting agent is connected to any producers, directors, and writers. If your agent is very well connected, it’s a good chance s/he will send you for auditions or interviews that will land you a job more readily.

The Importance of Being Represented
How important is it for you to have an acting agent? The truth is that many actors make a fine living in the acting business without being represented by an agent. It’s a lot of work, since actors who represent themselves have to split their time between honing their craft and doing the business of acting.

The business end of acting includes compiling, updating, mailing out headshots and resumes; researching auditions; networking with casting directors and/or production houses; handling finances, and more. When you have an agent working for you, much of the business is taken care of for you. With an acting agent in your corner, you really only need to keep track of your audition schedule, show up on time, and bring the best of your talents to each meeting. The time you then have to work on your craft and presentation can certainly pay off in the end with more successful auditions…and more acting jobs.

Using Ross Reports to Find an Agent
A great source for agent listings is the Ross Reports. Typically, you can buy the latest issue (they run monthly) at any dramatic bookshop or even some commercial booksellers.

The Ross Reports website lists members of the industry by region, medium, and genre. You need a good idea of what your areas of interest are before you begin. Start with your location (New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Philadelphia, etc.), and begin researching acting agencies that represent actors of your type (commercial, comedic, musical, etc.). Make a list of possible candidates, and then do your research on each potential agent. Ask your contacts if anyone they know has worked with the agencies on your list. Search the Internet for any information about each agent. Best yet, visit the agencies in person to get a fist-hand view of the offices and agents within.

What is an Acting Agent?
So, what is an acting agent? Acting agents are the professionals who have an inside edge on the theater, film and/or television industry. They act as the go-betweens for casting directors and you, the actor. Put very simply, with so many actors looking to get their career in acting going, casting directors need a little help weeding through potential performers. Good agents are well-versed in what projects are in production and for which auditions you, their client, will be best suited.

Casting directors aren’t the only ones to benefit from the assistance of agents. The acting agent works for you as well. They do all the footwork of seeking out upcoming auditions, sending out your headshots and resumes, following-up on your meetings with casting directors, acting as the your professional contact person, and even promoting you one-on-one with casting directors when the agent feels you need a little push to get noticed.

You and Your Agent
An effective acting agent should have a clear idea of what roles you are looking for. Beyond that, your agent should act as a sort of career counselor, letting you know which roles you should be looking for. Your acting agent should be acutely aware of your “type,” in other words. We can’t all be leading men and women – some of us are . Some of us are character actors who thrive on the diversity of the business.

In order to develop a rapport with your agent, you need to help him/her get a better understanding of who you are. Ask the agent how s/he sees your career right now and where it could be in a year, 5 years, 10 years… You may not agree with your agent, but do listen to what s/he has to say. Objective feedback is a huge asset for any artist.

Check out www.nycacting.com’s tips for nailing a voice over audition, written by aspiring actor and writer Alex Swenson:

Voice over auditions can give aspiring voice artists access to the growing number of lucrative voice over jobs that are available in today’s world. Whether you’re an actor trying to break into voice overs or exclusively interested in voice acting, these tips should help you approach voice over auditions with confidence and some tools to help you get the job. Next time you attend a voice over audition or audition from your home studio, think about these five things:

•Vocal Quality
Some voice over auditions can consist of just one word, so the quality of your voice is very important. Do everything you can to have your voice in tip top shape. Make sure you are well hydrated and try to avoid foods and beverages that will dry out your instrument. The main offenders are cigarettes, alcohol, coffee, citrus, dairy and very cold drinks. Learn and practice relaxation techniques to avoid tension in your voice and make sure you are not holding your breath during your voice over audition. Finally, do a few vocal warm-up exercises if you can, especially if you’re auditioning for a narration voice over job so you can have proper placement and your voice won’t get tired as you read the copy.

•Acting Skills
Approach every voice over audition like an acting audition and you’ll get good results. If you don’t have any acting training, consider taking an acting class to learn some basic acting skills, like how to be truthful under imaginary circumstance and how to create a character. Whether you’re auditioning for a voice over in a commercial or for an animated character in a video game, acting skills are even more important than the quality of your voice. If you want to get voice over narration jobs, it’s also a good idea to spend a little time everyday reading aloud from a novel or newspaper, so reading aloud can become second nature.

•Script Interpretation
Knowing how to quickly break down a script is what will make or break your commercial voice over auditions. Often, commercial voice over copy is very short, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Actually, the one line auditions can be harder to nail then an entire page of promo. That’s because you need to look for clues in the audition script to know what the advertiser is trying to do so you’ll know how to deliver the line. A good commercial voice over class will teach you how to analyze a commercial script and when to use a hard-sell or soft-sell voice. Another way to practice is to start analyzing commercials you hear on the radio or see on TV. Also, if you can get your hand on some commercial scripts, just start practicing cold readings everyday. The more you do it, the easier it becomes!

•Variety
If you audition in a studio, remember that the casting director is here to help, so really listen to direction and don’t be afraid to ask questions (especially if you don’t know how to pronounce a word). Being able to take direction is an important part of being a successful voice actor. That being said, sometimes people don’t know exactly what they want. If you sense that this is the case at a voice over audition, you’ll be ahead of the game if you have an inner checklist of things you can try with your voice to present the client with options. You can play with different voice modulation techniques like pitch, volume, tone, accent, pacing, pauses and dialects. If you’re auditioning for a job online from home, you can record a few different takes to show your range.

•Microphone Technique
If you’ve never worked in a sound booth before, you may want to take a voice over workshop just to know exactly what your voice sounds like when picked up by a very sensitive microphone. You may find that you need to work on your plosives or that your voice sounds particularly good when you approach the microphone from a certain angle (what is known as the “sweet spot”). If you can’t practice with a professional microphone before your first voice over auditions, don’t worry. Just make sure you’re not making popping sounds and avoid wearing noisy clothes or clinking jewelry.

I hope these voice over acting tips help you nail your next voice over audition! You can learn more about how to get voice over jobs here. You can also visit our voice over training guide to get more information on the type of voice over training you’ll need to succeed in different voice overs.

New talent will need to invest money in their career in entertainment. Though no one can be sure how much money you will spend, you should focus spending on specific things like talent development and increasing opportunities.

You may need professional training, which means you will have to invest in acting classes or an acting coach to boost your chances at being successful in a career in entertainment. New talent always needs some kind of direction; how much you spend on it is up to you.

Headshots and comp cards will cost money too. New talent interested in pursuing a career in entertainment will absolutely need comp cards. The headshot is the centerpiece of the comp card, and a good one could cost you a lot of money. You may also need to spend money on new clothing and makeup for your photoshoots.

Breaking into a career in entertainment will also require networking; this may mean that you will have to spend money to attend events. You will also need to spend money on transportation if you want to get to your auditions and other meeting.

Fashion week is a week-long event in the fashion industry that usually takes place in the fashion capitals: New York, London, Milan, and Paris. Modeling careers are launched at fashion week, a chance for fashion designers to display their new collections. How do models secure model jobs for fashion week?

First, you will need to be represented by a high-profile modeling agency that cares about their clients’ modeling careers. You will also need to meet the almost impossible requirements of fashion week standards: tall, thin, unique face and look. Competition for model jobs in runway modeling is fierce, and you will really need to make a lasting impression.

Models just beginning their modeling careers will have a better chance of walking for a new designer than an established designer. The casting call information for these types of shows is usually easier to access for models seeking fashion week model jobs. Walking for an established designer is usually a privilege reserved for models with either lots of experience or luck.

If you would like to become a model, you will need to be open-minded about modeling opportunities. You might be able to find modeling jobs in other countries, if you’re willing to travel. When you book your first international photoshoot, you will need to know how to prepare and what to bring.

To pursue modeling opportunities abroad, you will first need to obtain a passport. You can apply for a passport at your local post office. If you want to become a model in another country, you will need to learn the basics of the language. Purchase a travel-sized translation dictionary so that you can communicate the details of your modeling opportunities.

Also, you will need to understand the currency and the exchange rate in the country that you’re visiting. When you get paid for modeling opportunities, you will need to make sure that no one is trying to take advantage of you. If you want to become a model, you should be smart and savvy about the industry; some people might try to swindle you so be an educated traveler.

The west coast is known for oceans, Hollywood, and glamour, and the east coast is known for subways, fast-paced life, and skyscrapers. When you are serious about pursuing modeling opportunities, where should you live?

Take your model development to the next level by committing to a big move. Much of this depends on your style and aesthetic. The Los Angeles aesthetic is laid-back and beachy, while the New York City aesthetic is chic and edgy. Both cities offer modeling opportunities for different types of models.

While undergoing model development, consider your look and personality. Could you see yourself living in Los Angeles? In New York City? Do these cities have agents that would hire you and help you find work? Are you ready to take your career and modeling opportunities this seriously?

When you begin your acting career, you might wonder where you should live if you want to expose yourself to the most opportunities. New York City and Los Angeles are generally known for their vibrant acting communities, and many people move to one of these two cities to become an actor or actress.

People pursuing acting careers generally move to New York City if they are interested in live theater like Broadway; they move to Los Angeles if they want to become an actor or actress who works in film.

Moving is a big decision, and you will want to consider all factors. Who will you affect if you decide to move to a new place to become an actor or actress? Are you sure about the kind of acting you want to do? Are you completely serious about your acting career? If you have any doubts, you should seriously reconsider your desire to move.

If you’re unsure about making a big move, and you don’t live close to a big city, you can pursue local theater and film opportunities first. Students are always looking for extras to appear in student films, and community theaters are always seeking actors. Acting careers have been launched from small-town beginnings.

Even though working with a big talent agency can seem like a great honor, working with a small talent agency has its advantages too. New talent should consider working with agencies of all sizes; you never know which agency can best help you with your career in acting.

Small talent agencies usually have a strong commitment to know their new talent personally; they take the time to develop relationships with their clients. Your career in acting could benefit from someone who truly cares about your well-being and success.

Agents and employees at small talent agencies are usually part of a close-knit team that is devoted to securing employment for their new talent. Each agent will have his or her own specialty and a small pool of clients. They only choose new talent most serious about pursuing a career in acting because they will devote all their resources to them.