How can one get into acting?

I'm a producer, and if you want to go to school and learn to be an thespian actor thats fine. But here in the hammer lane, it really depends on what type of acting you want to do? Stage? TV? movies? commercials? In some instance's you dont want to waste your time. If you have some basics down, or took drama in highschool, thats a plus if your young.

Instead of jumping right up on stage I recommend that you work with the production crew on the set on stage or behind the camera. Its the easiest way to get on a set and see how real actors work as well as gain experiance so you can learn to communicate with everyone and you gain skills and become comfortable in that type of enviroment.. Its a lot easier than going from audition to audition, waiting by the phone for the call that never comes. If you want to get into acting you need to be a mover and a shaker. Get off your butt. Do the commercial if its tasteful, don't do a laxitive commercial unless you want to be a comedic actor. It will give Jay and Dave a laugh if you ever make the Tonite Show.

Do anything that will get your mug on TV or on the screen, even the radio, sell your soul, but not your body, never do porno. People want to see what type of personailty you have, make it a positive one, always smile, never let anyone ever never see you get mad or angry unless you dont ever want to work again, if you can tell good stories or jokes thats a plus, people love humor. They will remember you for it.

The most important rule of thumb is reading, practice reading aloud. If you cannot read or anunciate very well you cannot act! I dont care how funny you are, or how good your moves are on the dance floor, if your think your hot, nine times out of ten, your really not. Prettygirls and guys are a dime a dozen. You may look like the bomb in your new Gap denim, or Fubu threads with the phat sketchers, but auditions are not fashion shows. No producer is going to take you seriously if you can't memorize and read a script....so stay in school, and good luck.

Take acting classes. Better yet, get a degree in drama/theatre. Better yet, get that degree from a prestigious acting school.

After you have the degree from the prestigious school, you need to eat, sleep and be acting. It needs to be your life. Forget about a family, forget about a life. You can be an actor and still have a family, life and so forth, but you will never be a successful actor. You have to be completely devoted to your work, otherwise you will never get far.

After you have taken on this mindset, you will need to audition for everything you can. Take any role you get. The more roles you take on and the more you audition, the greater the chances of being noticed.

You also need to have very thick skin. Directors are ruthless, and if you are emotionally sensitive, you won't last. You need to take all the criticism given to you, apply it and let it make you a better actor.

Good luck!

I disagree--I think you can have a family and still be an actor--a family can be a great moral support team, plus it will give you a reality check.
My advice: Join a local theatre group and do anything that comes up. My friend David Nathan Schwartz and I are in the same writers & actors group here in L.A. and writers do cold readings of scripts twice a month--great experience for them! David has 20 years of teaching experience and offered these tips in an article I just wrote about acting classes...
http://wehow.ehow.com/how_2023862_acting-class.html

All of the answers here are good, some more sound than others.

Any Art form is subjective, unlike science; there are no hard, firm "rules of proof."

Before I give any advice, I would respectfully submit the following. The reason I begin here is to let you know I come from a professional lifetime of performing arts experience.

I was in this [acting] field for over thirty-five years. Whatever you can ask about acting and/or "What did you do?," I did it. My copious resume includes training with "the best (NY/SF)." More later on "training." I have done theater: NY, LA, SF and national tours; experience also includes feature films, independent films, industrial films, television (PBS), commercials, music videos, voice-overs and print. I have done theater and film consulting, producing, directing and casting. I have had the honor and privilege of having positive reviews and articles in newspaper(s), plus national magazine articles.

I had my own teaching studio in San Francisco for over twenty years; my Master Class in acting and directing had a one year wait list to get in even after interviews and/or auditioning! I have coached thousands of nationals and international actors and directors. I had my own acting company.

Yeah, it’s a lot; it's a lifetime of work. So, hopefully whatever I opine here, you will weigh carefully and take under serious consideration. So, let's begin...

There is a myth in this business about “luck.” YOU make preparedness and opportunity. As the door opens, you will confidently walk through. Let's proceed:

The very first comment I would make to you is to seriously ask why you want to be an actor. Believe me, this is not a simple question! If the craft of acting is what you are really wanting; that is, knowing the art of telling a good story, then you can follow almost any professional suggestion. If you "want to be a star," "want fame and notoriety," or just plain "want attention," this is not the profession for you. Telling a good story, regardless of form, is the thing. Pure and developed talent around this essential and important ingreident is always very obvious.

If you are a beginner there are opportunities for you to tell a story NOW. These suggestions are merely a way to check in with your own personal realities surrounding your stability, intellectual and emotional motivation, objective, and creativity without the enormous expense of time and financial investment. That will come later. In any self-employed company (YOU the artist) these investments are the given and never ending.

The following EXERCISE does not require a headshot or a resume--I offer it here as a kind of homework:

1) Gather your favorite monologues from plays and/or films. Start with three contrasting pieces that can be put in an order of a beginning, middle and end. All great stories have this element; where you start is not where you end. Each singular piece should be no more than two minutes. These three pieces are now your “little” play. The pieces should have a common through line, i.e., a THEME of love, or family, relationships, work, death, etc. Yes, as long as the theme within each piece is connected to the whole,it doesn’t matter whether you mix drama with comedy or use a mixture of any genre.

2) Prepare these pieces for performance. It can be as simple as “a stage reading.” In this case, you literally read these three pieces before a live audience. However, AND MUCH BETTER YET, prepare these three pieces “as if” you are doing a one-person show. Truth is, you are.

3) Next pick and/or create a space where you can perform this “One Act.” For you the beginner, I suggest a large living room, a garden, a basement; an intimate space. After all, I suggest that you will only invite ten to fifteen people. Keep it simple. These invitees can be family, friends, and acquaintances. These invitees do not include professionals from the business. At least, not this time.

4) Make invitations: another examination of your individual creativity and of your existing knowledge and ability to self promotion and self market. I also suggest that you make a “performance questionnaire” to pass out after your One Act. You might say in your invitation that you are going to request their opinions afterward and that there will be an “open discussion.”

5) After your performance, say maybe around cake and coffee, pass the questionnaire out, telling each invited member that you are counting on their honest, objective evaluations.

6) Be open to LISTEN with your whole mind and body to whatever is said and to whatever is not said. I further suggest that you make an audio and/or video tape of this experience. Keep the questionnaire for reference and study.

The reason I begin here with this personal exercise might be obvious. However, I offer that this is a beginning, a safe way to create and perform before a live audience, albeit family and friends. It will be an invaluable experience and will inform you of many things, not the least of which is how you FELT doing it. It (and others like this) will truly give you the opportunity to actually witness your talent, motivation and commitment. While it is true that in this exercise you are not performing for an unknown audience, the experience will be excellant and may offer insights to your understanding of "why," "what," "where," "when" and "who."

This simple performance also allows you to influence those that care for you to encourage your efforts in pursuing a professional career. They will understand that your desire to perform is “of want” and not “of need.” What you will need is all the people around you now to encourage you through your development in the art and business of acting.

Of course, you will remember that these invited people are family and friends. Most likely they will be giving you overall praise. Hopefully, you can yourself encourage their honest critiques. However, it is only YOU who can intuit your own physical and emotional realities that arose during this “exercise.” I would suggest you keep a journal about the entire experience. One must always, freeely and openly, know what one does well and what one needs to work on to grow . This is called, "balance."

I make the exercise suggestion because it is, once again, the never-ending developing craft of telling of a story that is most important for a sound and healthy career and allows you to "begin" somewhere. It also allow you to examine your career direction without harm.

Frankly and simply put, if you cannot do this performance as an exercise, you are probably not emotionally CLEAR to proceed in the performing arts and acting. Unless, of course, you create a better idea for exercising. At this point you are simply gathering: every experience and every bit of advice (including mine) is “just information.” Good or bad ... these are guidelines and "instructors" on their own. The inner you -- the one that tells you the real truth -- will always be your best personal guide for your best career direction.

About training: there are many different kinds of acting techniques -- everything from “the Method” (psychological), “the London school” (very physical), to “ Being Work” (Eric Morris’ -- Jack Nicholson’s early coach; very intense and personal); and “Transpersonal” (Sense Work -- Ned Manderino), plus many, many other specific courses for EACH niche within the field of performing.

The mentioned techniques are all well known to students and professionals alike, but they do not, necessarily, teach on-camera vs. commercial vs. voice-over work. And, except for few creative circumstances, none of these offer concrete classes that include instruction in “creating the business of acting.” You probably already know there is a plethora of “how to” books. Although books may "inform" they never "teach." As another answerer said ... "it must come from doing!" It is the only way.

Some actors believe in “study first, then perform,” others believe “perform, then study.” I personally believe it is important to do both at the same time. Further, I do believe strongly to be well versed in practice and policy in ALL the techniques. Every show requires the actor to create very unique "character design and personalization" based on the Given Circumstances of a script. One shoe does not necessiarly fit all. And, believe me, sometimes its just utter joy to combine techniques within a role to tell a better story within the whole.

More on training: although a college degree will never hurt you, the “awful truth” is that few if any [known] directors will take a degree from a college as “serious training.” Most directors will consider professional class of “more consequence.” Rarely will a director turn talent away, even if you are not cast for a particular role, for they most always remember excellence! It IS a very small industry in terms of word of mouth! That said, I do agree that if you do choose to go to a school, attending a prestigious acting academy or university can be another kind of start and will offer "connections" of a kind.

By the way, auditioning and performing should always be a pure pleasure and privilege. It should never be a test of your "endurance" or "just how thick your skin is!" IF you feel this, seriously question WHY.

My point is, in the beginning you must really know why you want to spend a life pursuing the performing arts and seeking this kind of knowledge and experience. If you understand this (and even this will develop), you will have a better intelligence of what your very next step is.

Your talent may be your gift, but a joyously CHOOSEN career which, in this case, includes the expression of our common human experience through stories is a absolute privilege. All successful careers, regardless of industry, are honed with hard-core work, study, expense, experience and insight.

My last comment is to remind you that your individuality is unique. I do believe that most people can discover their honest purpose in life. Whatever this may be for you, I send my best encouragement to continue your journey.

There is so much more. Let me know after you’ve done this exercise. I will freely assist in any way I can.

* By the way, “a thick skin” gets thinner when you know you can create with or without being cast. Just remember your first exercise. Take a step at a time. Who knows? Maybe your fifth experience will be hiring a director and a theater for a one person show!!

I know many actors and directors who got their “start” by ... as a previous answer said ... “just doing it.” One of my favorite examples of self starters is Robin Williams who did what is called “street theater” for years in San Francisco, studying, mimicking and interacting with people as they walked down the street!

One last example: I had a client years ago, a model/actress who was signed with a notable agency in San Francisco. She simply hadn't been "sent out" by her agency for months. Fed up, we decided she could do her own campaign. Somehow! We brainstormed together. We talked about what she DID when not acting! Turns out she lived on a ranch, could drive a huge semi, and rode motorcycles. I asked her what she normally wore when on the ranch. Her ansmwer? "Jeans!" We proceeded to beg, borrow and practically steal professional photos of her, FEATURING the [brand name] Jeans. She submitted this delightful, well thought out package directly to their coporate office. The best? She signed a two year
contract with them to do jean commercial ads.

My last favorite? Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and "Good Will Hungting."

Where there IS ... there is always a way.

Start by going to acting school. Make sure it's a good one. From there, you will be on your way to the big screen if you're good enough.

I agree with the school advice, and in addition:

Start doing it. If you have any talent or skill at it, it is usually easy to get a part in a play at a community theater if you have one locally. If you don't get a part right away, start working at a local stage theater to see how actors work and what directors do and how theater works. If you work at a theater, you can probably get in to see rehearsals - watch and listen then start doing the kind of things the best actors do.

By hanging around with theater people at school and work, you can build a network of contacts, and most people get into their field through personal contacts. Once you get a role that you believe shows you at your best, invite your best contacts to come see you act. If you can impress the right people...

You can also try to get into recording local radio advertisements or radio drama so that you can build an audio portfolio that you can then demo to employers that interest you.

I can not guarantee that any of these things will work for you, but they are tools that can help. For most, acting is hard work and tedious. You have to rehearse the same lines over and over. You have to work with other actors and directors who may be difficult people to please. In film/TV acting you may have to shoot the same scene dozens of times before all the right people are satisfied and to get the three or four camera angles used in a given scene. You also have to be willing to endure things that normal people would not consent to do, like wear a thread-bare costume for hours in the freezing cold, or heavy clothes in very hot weather under very hot lights, or much worse...

So, learn a lot of patience, learn to memorize lines quickly, learn to take direction, learn to be flexible and learn to live with criticism and abuse.

you're half way there, referring to yourself as one is a good place to start, now refer to everyone else as Luvey and you're sorted..