This guide covers a wide range of work available for actors. It offers advice on making the most of: drama schools; audition speeches and sight-readings; letters, CVs and photographs; finding and working with an agent; auditions for musicals; TV, commercials and films, voice-overs and Equity.

Competition for acting work is fierce, and although talent is important, actors need all the help they can get. Now in its fourth edition, this practical, comprehensive guide contains invaluable information and advice to enable actors to make the most of: drama schools; audition speeches and sight-readings; letters, CVs and photographs; finding and working with an agent; auditions for musicals; the fringe; interviews; TV, commercials and films; voice-overs; the Internet; Equity. The author, an experienced director, has drawn on his own knowledge and also on the experience of numerous other professionals to produce a book that has become the standard work of reference for actors of all ages.

The Actor's Business Plan is a self-directed practical guide for actors graduating from formal training programs, as well as for those already in the business whose careers need to move ahead more successfully. Using the familiar language of acting training, the book offers a method for the achievement of dreams through a five-year life and career plan giving positive steps to develop a happy life as an actor and as a person. It assists performers to flourish using the same kind of business/career planning that is a necessary part of life for entrepreneurs and business people. This introduction to the acting industry provides essential knowledge not only for how the business actually works, but also describes what casting directors, agents, and managers do, demystifies the role of unions, discusses how much things cost, and offers advice on branding and marketing strategies. It differs from other such handbooks in that it addresses the everyday issues of life, money, and jobs that so frequently destroy an actor's career before it is even begun. While addressing NYC and LA, the guide also gives a regional breakdown for those actors who may wish to begin careers or to settle in other cities. It is loaded with personal stories, and interviews with actors, casting directors, and agents from throughout the US. The Actor's Business Plan is the answer to the common complaint by students that they were not taught how to negotiate the show business world while at school. It is the perfect antidote for this problem and can easily fit into a ten or a thirteen-week class syllabus. Offering support as a personal career coach, empowering the actor to take concrete steps towards their life and career dreams, The Actor's Business Plan: A Career Guide for the Acting Life is a must-have book for actors who are determined to be a part of the professional world .

Finding your voice can be used as a resource by actors at all levels, form students and young professionals to established and experienced actors. Drama teachers in schools and committed amateur actors who want to increase their vocal skills and understanding will also find it invaluable.

The MAP: An Actor's Guide to On-Camera Acting teaches on-camera acting in a practical and technical way—helping new actors understand the rules of on-camera acting as if they are learning a foreign language and applying that language to their acting skill set. The book gives actors a step-by-step technique on how to audition for on-camera acting jobs and what to do on set after booking them. Many on-camera acting books are written by established movie stars and aren't geared toward actors in an undergraduate acting program or those who are just starting to audition for on-camera jobs for the first time. Stef Tovar teaches his proven on-camera acting technique, shows actors how to make the perfect self-tape, and prepares them for life on set—detailing the differences between working in the theater vs. working in television and film. The author peppers the text with his own stories from set as examples, including auditioning for Lee Daniels and working with Matt Damon, Steven Soderbergh, and many others. The MAP is a funny and encouraging perspective from a seasoned actor who shares with aspiring actors things no one tells you before booking your first on-camera acting job.

An Actor's Guide—Your First Year in Hollywood should be required reading for any young actor headed to La-La Land with a dream in his heart and a shine on his shoes. Sure, it's a great guide to auditioning, getting a SAG card, finding an agent, landing parts, gaining exposure, and creating publicity—but it’s also packed with real-world advice from a fellow actor. Getting to know Los Angeles, finding a place to live and a job to pay the bills. An Actor’s Guide presents the whole picture, for career and for daily life. Remember to thank us when you’re a big star!

William Esper, one of the most celebrated acting teachers of our time, takes us through his step-by-step approach to the central challenge of advanced acting work: creating and playing a character. Esper’s first book, The Actor’s Art and Craft, earned praise for describing the basics taught in his famous first-year acting class. The Actor’s Guide to Creating a Character continues the journey. In these pages, co-author Damon DiMarco vividly re-creates Esper’s second-year course, again through the experiences of a fictional class. Esper’s training builds on Sanford Meisner’s legendary exercises, a world-renowned technique that Esper further developed through his long association with Meisner and the decades he has spent training a host of distinguished actors. His approach is flexible enough to apply to any role, helping actors to create characters with truthful and compelling inner lives.

After the success of my first book MODELING AS YOUR JOB, a step- by- step guide on how you can become a working model. It seems only natural for the series of AS YOUR JOB, to follow with ACTING AS YOUR JOB and here is the reason why. It is a natural transition to go from a career in modeling to a career in Acting. After five years of research and interviews I wrote this book ACTING AS YOUR JOB a step-by-step guide on how you can become a working Actor. In this book I am going to take you step-by-step and show you exactly what you need to do, to become a successful Actor. In seven steps from never have acted before to landing your first gig as an Actor. In this book I will cover the unions, Acting schools, Acting coaches and how to land an agent its all here step-by-step and by the end of this book you will have all the tools necessary to become a working Actor.

"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.

For every actor beginning a career in Hollywood, this indispensable guide will lay out a clear and comprehensible path with tried-and-true advice. Up-to-date resources and new interviews with recently established actors experiencing the current movieland scene—as well as the timeless voices of established actors and industry pros—make this a rich compendium of Hollywood know-how. Delve into the industry with the support from An Actor’s Guide: Your First Year in Hollywood and discover with confidence how to: Find work through a variety of sources Deliver stunning auditions Join SAG-AFTRA Get a great headshot and put together a stunning resume Build your credentials and gain exposure Hone your craft with professional training and classes Snag a top-notch agent Utilize the power of social media From settling into Los Angeles and sticking to a tight budget, to adventures in reality TV and landing the breakthrough parts you came to Hollywood for, any actor eager to learn will get his or her fair share of insider knowledge with this manual and will discover how to create a positive experience while launching an exciting career. Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.