10 Ways to be a Bollywood Actor Without Experience | Money

Dreams and Realities

Dreams and Realities of aspiring actors

"It was my dream to be a Bollywood and TV Serial Actor. I'm handsome and tall, beautiful and  hot. So, I forced my parents to give me money, came to Mumbai. It's 2 years now. I'm totally depressed. I have lost all money, living place, friends deserted me. Nobody here in Mumbai to help me. ?? Mujhe ??? Karo ????? Sir, please help... Help... Please... Please sir!!!"
This is a common email request I receive. I understand their situation and try to help them as far as possible. However, what's the final solution?
Many aspiring actors who are just about to start a career in Bollywood, TV serials or Commercial ads are confused how to get a break
-When you don�t have anything on your acting resume like experience, monologue or show reel of clips of your films.
-With a middle or lower middle class background

I can see how this tricky situation can be confusing to many, particularly to those who just dream and have an attitude of-
Actor Banne Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega

And go out paying for portfolio Rs. 25,000, join some famous acting school Paying Rs 2 Lakhs with no �post training� help from that �Famous School �and jump straight into the industry without knowing the rules and requirements to be a successful actor.

For those dreamers who have financial constraints and have come from a smaller place to Mumbai, trying to fulfill their dreams is a shocking experience resulting into going back home as a broken man/ woman or those who manage to stay in Mumbai, land up doing menial jobs or forced to take up dubious or even illegal activities

Well, I�m not here to discourage you. Get this straight. On the contrary, to tell you how to make success without any experience and small money.

First, the good news: obviously you CAN become an actor with no experience. Everybody has to start somewhere. The key is actually taking action and doing something in order to get that experience.

�You don�t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.�

Here are some sure ways how to become an actor with no experience, when and where to start your acting career.
Once you�ve decided that you want to pursue a career in acting, you�ll need a good plan of action on how to become an actor with no experience.

1. Planning the Top Pririty

To plan you MUST have a solid knowledge and information on Cine, TV and commercial industry in our country. Remember, to be an actor is a �Business�. Get this into your head once for all.

Requirements to be a successful actor in Bollywood, TV or in Commercial ads

•  Self-analysis (SWOT) to judge whether you meet the requirements and what you have to do if you lack in any of the requirements
• 
  

How to get knowledge and information?

• Online from Internet: Just research, research and research for hours, days and months before you jump or leave your town for �Mayanagri�-Mumbai!
• If you do not know how to use computer to surf and find out information, either you learn NOW or forget to be an actor
• Read acting blogs (For example, this blog which has more than 200 posts). I strongly suggest reading good international acting resource websites like http://www.backstage.com/ and others.
• Check and learn from free acting videos from YouTube

2. Set your goal

For example, to be a successful TV or Bollywood or a model cum actor in 3 or 5 years with monthly earnings of  Rs. 50,000

Plan of Action and Sub goals:

Money required monthly to maintain you in Mumbai during the struggle period (for portfolio registration+ housing+ transport+ food etc.)
If you can�t arrange money, no problem. There are ways to become a successful actor without a lot of money.
Firstly, don�t move from your town to Mumbai. Get the experience of plays, theater road shows or write your own 2 to 5 minute story script, shoot films on mobile with your friends near your house, garden, road and upload them on YouTube or Vimeo. That�s it! You have experience NOW!

In Mumbai, go to industry hang out places (Read our relevant post) in Andheri West, Goregaon and other nearby places and contact people. You got to be a great go getter and a true extrovert. Get the necessary information from other actors hanging around there.

3. How to  Get Experience?

Go to film training institutes like ZIMA, Digital Academy in Mumbai and contact student directors who would need aspiring actors for their diploma films. They welcome any actor who meets the character of their film. And wow! You have an experience without spending a Rupee!
Try theater in Mumbai. Make a habit of hanging around in the coffee shop of  Prithvi Theatre in Juhu or regularly read a Mumbai Theater guide or shows, acting workshops and other activities at NCPA Nariman Point (Check their website regularly). Be ready to act in any of the plays held at NCPA. There are other places apart these. Search, search and move your feet!
One of the quickest ways is to find out where the different serials on TV are being filmed. For example, start visiting studios like Gemini, Mahboob studio in Bandra or where CID, Savdhan India episodes are being filmed. Get the list of studios and production houses through this blog or on
http://www.justdial.com/Mumbai/Casting-Directors/ct-1061732536.
While on a shoot, contact someone from the production dept. And tell him you are an actor and need a role, even a small one.

4. Read and study

First of all, you need to familiarize yourself with the industry. Know the ins and outs of this business, how it works and what people are involved in it. Reading relevant posts from this blog, talent coordinators and so forth will give you the confidence and understanding of where you want to be, and how you�re going to get there.
Not only that, but reading a lot will benefit any actor�s craft as well. Read books mentioned in the left side bar of this blog. Just click on a book, go to amazon. in and buy books one by one through your credit/ debit card. Don�t have a debit/credit card? Must have if you want to be an actor, maybe with only Rs. 5000 in a bank!

When you�re trying to find the best ways on how to become an actor with no experience and little money, self-education is priceless.

5. Don�t leave your city right away to Mumbai

As an aspiring actor who�s just starting out, your town will probably have small-time theater, plays, social and religious functions where you can create your own small group of performing arts, create plays and perform, including road shows on social issues like-
Public health, adult education, saving water and electricity.
However, remember, your every such activity MUST be filmed on video / mobile camera and promoted on YouTube or similar ones. This would be absolutely GREAT for getting experience, because this could be possible and easier.

Bollywood and TV serials in Mumbai not only very competitive, but  also very expensive.

Don�t move to a big city as soon as you decided you want to be an actor. You need to check whether this is simply an impulsive decision, or you actually enjoy the craft and have the resources to do this for a long period of time. Try to bite off as much as possible in your small town and start building your experience and acting resume.

6. Move slowly

Continuing my point from the above, your goal must be to move slowly, rather than rush into anything. Remember the famous phrase:

Acting is a marathon, not a sprint. 

This cannot be more true. Anybody who rushes into this profession will burn out very quickly. It�s not a smart way to approach this business.

7. Work on your special skills

Being a good actor should always be your main priority. But that doesn�t mean you can�t learn any �accessory� skills that will help you GRAB more acting opportunities. 

Many actors completely ignore this part, and therefore take themselves out of running the race.

Many a times a selection of an actor may depend on additional skills he/she possesses, when many actors are initially shortlisted for a role.
For example, singing and lip-sync, playing some musical instrument, dancing, martial arts, miming, horse riding, biking stunts to name some of the few. It�s always helpful to be able to do something more than acting that a director can use in the film. 

Perfect! Develop  those skills, put them on the resume and see how this can help you with gaining that acting experience.

What more should you be learning? Anything, really.

Juggling, Languages and different accents of Indian languages, different types of walks, postures, laughs, crying,  magic and whatnot.

Try some of the unusual things and put those on your resume, particularly if you already do them. Special skills aren�t the focal point of your resume (which is why they�re usually at the very bottom), but who knows, one day, one of those skills may win you a significant role in a big production.

8. Start working on your marketing

When you have no acting experience  and not running around for auditions, you have time.
I suggest to start working on your marketing and creating your brand as �Mr. Best Actor�. Initially perhaps it may not do good but once you have that acting experience, you can update periodically will be ahead of many other actors who are just catching up with their actor marketing goals.

So what can you do to start building a brand around yourself?

Build your own personal acting website (or you can pay someone to do it for you, but it�s not worth it). Try building it on free http://weebly.com
Learn to promote this website vigorously online.
-Create social media profiles: Facebook (page and not only profile), Twitter, Instragram and whatever else is out there. Make connections online with other actors, directors, producers, screenwriters and industry people.

9. Welcome  Rejections

Rejection is a part of this business. A big part, actually. Many budding artists do not expect this, but unfortunately, that�s the reality of show business � everybody gets rejected.
Unlike in other walks of life, you have to accept that Rejection (with capital �R�) is completely normal.

�Actors search for rejection. If they don�t get it, they reject themselves.�  

Charlie Chaplin

At this point, don�t go out there to win. Go out there to FAIL. Do your best, experiment, play and enjoy the process. As an actor, you cannot try to avoid failure, ever.

10. Be Patient and Consistent

For months and years! Many top Bollywood stars have worked patients for years and years before they had a success.

Their success mantra? "I never give up"

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Is an Acting Coach Bogus? And a school? Review

Aspiring actor under private coaching

Why You May Need a Private Acting Coach

Here are some of the reasons why actors can choose to hire/ join a private acting coach. The private coaching sessions may be justified  in the following situations and needs of an actor:

1. When you are likely to feel confident in learning privately and not in a group, working men and women and  want to learn according to your convenient fixed days, Or in the comfort of your home eg child actors, aspiring elderly male and female actors, young girls shy of crowds.

2. Or you have apprehensions of being in a group and have a doubt that if others learn faster and better, it may frustrate and demotivate you

3. You need more time individually

4. To get ready before joining to an acting school
5. Want to work specifically on audition techniques to improve your selection chances

6. Trying know and to fix specific mistakes or bad habits you may have as an actor

7. You have some personality deficit like lack of confidence, nervousness, inferiority complex, shyness, inability to imagine and create characters, lack of aggressiveness etc

8. Learning a particular acting skill like playing different emotions, attitudes, voice improvements

9. Want to Learn how to set goals

10. How to market and promote your career- your individual plan and how to monitor
11. How to be an excellent public relation actor

12. Some actors also go to private coaching when they need a long term development and an extra motivation and mentoring to continue on this road

13. Or when you like to get back and reignite the flame of their belief in their ability to act. Experienced acting coaches are good at that.

When Private Coaching doesn't help

This is also true that new aspiring actors must learn in groups, where they get to work off their partners and observe others� work. Also, the fact is true acting is about listening and reacting. You don�t get this opportunity in a private session.

Recommendations

1. Hire/ join an acting coach, initially. This could be economical also compared to a renowned acting institute in India
2. Then, join a good school to continue learning in a group

Once you understand how acting works and you have something specific on your mind, you can give private  coaching a shot.

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How Actors to Beat 12 Physical and Mental Blocks to Success

Bad career destroying habits of actors

This Could be Your Physical and Mental Blocks in Becoming a Good Actor

Correct them before it's too late!

1. Insensitive Face (Poker Face; ?????? ?????)

You have a blank face to reactions to emotional stimuli
This could either be natural due to insensitivity or deliberate. The other person may feel bad if you are not agreeing, sympathizing or appreciating through facial expressions. Meeting another person, nobody likes a blank face. For an actor, a sensitive and expressive face, sending positive vibes are an asset.
Learn to show your feeling to others with an expressive face, but don�t exaggerate deliberately. It may look fake. The first step in improving this is being aware of your type and how your face responds to what you hear. Ask friends, other co-actors, your acting coach.  Develop your power of imagination and feel the world around you.

2. You drum or tap your fingers or shake your legs

Either just a bad habit or a sign of nervousness or lack of confidence.
What it conveys to the other person in front of you? A nervous, insecure or a  hesitant guy. This may put off the other person.
Be aware of what you do while having a discussion with the other person. The moment you become aware of this, just say in your mind �Stop�; count 1 to 10 and continue responding normally

3. You slouch when you walk, stand on one foot or move like a pendulum

Researchers found that when you slouch while walking, sitting or stand awkwardly they experienced worse moods than those who had more pep in their steps. What�s more, participants who walked, sit or stand in the slouchy style remembered more negative things rather than positive things.
Ideally, by adulthood a person will have a normal walking, sitting or standing pose and gesture.
Unfortunately, few of us achieve the ideal gait, and fewer still maintain it. Over time, we may lower our heads and thrust our trunks forward. Instead of swinging, our arms may dangle listlessly at our sides.
Bad habits aren�t the only reason our gaits go awry. A variety of health conditions can throw us off stride, too. Obesity, Arthritis, Asthma or  Orthopedic operations are some of the few reasons.

Here are some tips to correct bad walking and posture habits:

A. Look ahead. Train your sights 10 to 20 feet ahead of you. If you need to check the ground to avoid obstacles, lower your eyes, not your head.
B. Stretch your spine. Your shoulders should be level and square. Tuck your buttocks in.
C. Bend your arms. Flex your elbows at close to 90-degree angles and let your arms swing at waist level.
D. Take measured steps. Too long a stride throws you off balance. Concentrate on taking shorter steps, but more of them.

3. Nose/mouth, picking

This annoying and silly habit of 'digging gold from nose' is one of the worst habits that go un-questioned. This habit is not only bad for common social etiquette, but could be bad for your health. After touching several things and then taking the same finger into your nose, you will land at the doctor's clinic. Hence, stop this awkward habit of pulling sticky substance from your nose, or fetching left over food strands from your mouth.

4. You love alcohol, love to drink quickly and must have every night

Binge drinking (the consumption of an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time) in actors, causes many serious problems.
I have seen many actors whose drinking habits leading to addiction, have destroyed their career, love and family life and unfortunately are on Mumbai roads almost begging to live.

There could be health problems like Cirrhosis of the liver, weight gain and consequent hypertension, heart diseases, dizziness, memory loss, puffy eyes and face, bloody or yellow eyes, behavior changes like becoming an angry man or a woman, over sensitiveness with swings in moods like suddenly crying etc.
Tell me which casting director will approve such an actor for a film or TV serial? No way!

To save you from such damage, the key is just STOP! Develop a strong determination and STOP.
If you can�t then the 2nd key is �limitation�! Learn to have "no alcohol days" and just push the bottle or turn the empty glass on the table after a small one or two.

5. An 'Owl' at night

As an actor if every night is a late night, leading to late mornings or in some cases your morning turns into afternoon, you are screwed! You are killing your own acting career, for sure. Though being in the entertainment business, it�s okay once a while, but if this becomes routine, you will damage apart from career, your body as well in the long run.
For your career, �a late night, actor� presents a lethargic man or a woman with poor energy which is so essential in auditions and for a shoot. As the time passes, you look older than what you are and in films or TV, good looks and a high level of energy is your gate pass to stardom.
The solution is simple:
A. At least get a minimum of 7-8 hours of good sleep on most nights of the week. A good night's sleep also helps you stay awake and fresh throughout the day.
B. Irrespective of when you sleep, your waking time in the morning MUST be fixed. The best time for actors is around 5 AM in the morning.

6. Feel 'lonely'

Though occasional  loneliness may inspire creativity and there is nothing wrong being alone for �Observation� and �Imagination� to create your �characters�, developing a guilty feeling of loneliness can be damaging to your mind leading to depressive moods and negativity.
Be friendly with positive people, who inspire you and from whom you learn an acting craft, industry happenings and know about how they succeed. Don�t join a company of people who all the time discusses when and how they have failed.

7. Carrying a heavy backpack

As actors we love to carry our world wherever we go, because we can't afford to miss a single thing. This habit of hauling the world on the back or shoulder causes lots of harm to our health. Carrying heavy bags can cause various long term effects like serious back, neck pain and poor posture.
The solution is to fill your bag only with minimum required

8. Munching snacks and junk food too often a day and even in the nights

The major consequence of this habit is increase in weight and getting deshaped.
If you disrupt your regular eating pattern, this extra eating can flood your body with extra calories and unhealthy ingredients, which can further cause serious chronic health problems like diabetes, heart problems and acidity.
Though you  may carry small healthy snacks in your bag for long hours of auditions and film or TV shoots, the solution to this addictive habit is to have "time fixed" for your 3 to 5 meals a day and NOTHING in between!

9. Lying constantly

In order to get quick success, some develop the habit of lying. The worst consequences of such habit are
A. Exposure of a lie
B. Living in a constant fear and anxiety that  someday they may be exposed.

Now you how detrimental this habit could be?

The solution is: Remember, when we define an actor, he /she is a person who lives truthfully under Imaginary circumstances. Then why not to be truthful in real life?
Acting is a business and an actor in the long term can only be successful with truthfulness and honesty.

10. Skipping breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and especially for actors, who require a lot of energy in running around for auditions and shoot. Your performance in a scene also require a lot of energy. If your entire breakfast comprises one cup of rushed tea or coffee and a toast , then you're setting yourself up for an unhealthy future. This will affect your energy reserves and negatively affect your metabolism. If you skip your breakfast, you are likely to eat more during the other meals and this can lead to weight gain.
The best way is to have sumptuous breakfast comprising of nutritious food to keep on toes with a positive mood

11. Nail biting

A sign of nervousness, which can be easily caught by people you meet. This habit could be responsible for your rejection in auditions as nobody likes to hire a nervous guy. The nervousness depicts a poor confidence and a sign that a person couldn't be depended upon.
So, stop this dirty habit right away!

12. Bad Speaking habits and voice culture

A. Repeatedly using the word �I� (In Hindi �Main�) for example �I like this" and that etc. (Main ja raha hun, Mujhe ye acchha lagta hai, mera ghar etc.)
Instead, learn to speak �We, Us, You� (In Hindi Hum, Aap)
B. Speaking with a heavy accent of a regional language
C. Wrongly pronouncing some words like Shaaa to Sa or Sa to Shaaa
D. Speaking too fast, thus mixing words
E. Speaking in a low volume. The listener has to exert a lot to hear what is being said
F. Speaking with effort or haltingly or with a slight stammer
G. Saying �I think� too often (In Hindi- Mere vichar se or Main sochta haun ki�or Mujhe lagta hai ki�). This shows lack of confidence and that you are unsure
H. Giggling or laughing too often unnecessary.
An actor must be trained in speaking and voice culture.  He/She must have good speaking habits and a good voice. This means quality, clarity, pronunciation, diction, different accents of speaking Hindi like: Punjabi, Haiyanvi, Rajasthani, Bhojpuri, South Indian, Bangali etc, volume, speed, pitch etc.

This training can be provided by your acting coach or a good school which spends sufficient time with individual students.

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Struggling Actor No Luck? Follow 4 Easy Astrological Steps

Astrology for an actor's success

Actors looking up at stars for success

This is not related to any religion,  but recommendations from a predictive science-Astrology. If you believe, read and try to follow as this may accelerate fulfilling your dream to a great actor. If not, then either forget or follow what's possible. You may improve your LUCK if nothing else!

What to do Astrologically to be a Successful Actor?

If you believe in astrology or if even not, follow these simple solutions to be a successful Bollywood actor in a short time

Do's and Don'ts

1. Avoid using Red Color in any way

2. Wear Opal and Pearl (Ask how to wear from the you buy. Usually they know)

3. The Worship Lord Shiva�s idol of dancing Natraj (Not  �Tandav Nitrya� angry  one) by chanting simple Mantra �Om Namah Shivaya� (? ??? ?????)-  9, 18, 27 or 108 times daily after bath, as per your convenience or, buy a small "Shivlinga" (???????) of mercury (????) and worship daily with above mantra

4. Preferable:  Get your horoscope checked by an astrologer if your �Venus� (Planet Shukra) is strong. If it is strong, then astrologically, to be an actor will be easy for you. If not, then an astrologer can suggest you how to make it strong.

Good Luck!

||Om Nanah Shivaya||

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