Know 10 Bitter Realities to Be An Actor Before You Fall

The Harsh Realities of Being a Professional Successful Actor

The 10 Truths

1. It takes a lot of things to make it as a professional actor or actress in Bollywood or in TV serial. Luck helps. The talent really helps. Grit and guts are essential. Not every actor who moves to Bollywood or is in TV serials is �discovered� and becomes a �star.�

2. If you think that "I will be discovered sitting at home" or "any one from Karan Johar, Sanjay Leela, Bhansali, Rajkumar Hirani, Priyadarshan, Rohit Shetty, Anurag Kashyap, Farhan Akhtar will notice me somewhere on the Mumbai's street" is what acting is about, you are absolutely WRONG and better, think again.

Amitabh Bachchan
Struggled for 8 years before he was an established star.
Madhuri Dixit
Struggled for 5 years before a true break.
Shah Rukh Khan
Struggled for 20 years before his film was a hit- "DDLJ"
Akshay Kumar 
Struggled for 5 years before a true break.
Irrfan Khan
Struggled for 6 years for a true break
Boman Irani 
Struggle period to be in Bollywood-5 years.

• Read more about their struggle here

3. Acting is a serious profession, one with a long struggle and dignified history. Even without achieving a reputation or becoming �stars,� there are many men and women who earn their livings everyday as dramatic performers in films, theatre or on TV in India.

4. If you asked these professionals how they got where they are, they will probably tell you it did not happen overnight.

5. A career in acting takes hard work and dedication.

6. Chances are when you first start out, you will find it tough to make a living from just acting jobs and will need some other source of income. It takes individuals with a true hunger for the art to continue struggling.

7. Yet, however important a desire to perform may be, it is not the only thing an actor needs. Because acting is both, an art and a craft, the more experience you can get and the more skills you can acquire, the better your chances will be of succeeding professionally and excelling personally. That is how acting coach can help you.

8. Such an acting coach can offer you invaluable help in developing your skills as a performer, learning how the business works from the inside, and making useful connections with other professionals in the entertainment industry.

9. A career in acting is not for everyone. In fact, it is probably not for 94%  of everyone. But that is one of the things that make acting so special and that makes a career in acting so fascinating and exciting for those who love it.

10 Finally, if you are going to do it, give it your best and get the right start with a good education.
Partially based on Source

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If Dating a Girl and Boy is Similar to Audition Then How to Win?

Dating and audition. Similarities and how to win

You are excited about this opportunity. You will spend approximately five minutes with a complete stranger, and if they say yes, it has the power to transform your life. You know you have to deliver intelligence, composure, and comfort in this tense situation.

What did I describe? An audition or a dating night with a girl or boy? Both.

Actors believe the key to audition success is to be a better actor by delivering a more emotional, thoughtful performance. Yes, that is true. Mostly. This is certainly the case for major roles.
But what the casting director considers while selecting an actor for the role?

The actor who suits best to the character's profile and gives a unique performance, certainly, but also the actor who has the ability to engage and connect with the concerned people in the audition room. To ensure that the casting session is invigorating and inspiring for the director and producer.

So if you walk in the door and the only thing in your mind is the character and the lines you have tried to memorize, then you have lost an opportunity. Or like a person dating who arrives and blurts out to his| her first time dating event �I was born in Jaipur. I like fast motorbikes. My favorite actor is Akshay Kumar, and my favorite food is Chinese.�

Well, well, well....what you say to that?

You must connect with the people in the audition room if you are to be remembered. And remembered positively. And I imagine the same applies to a fast dating a girl or a boy.
Each audition experience is different. You are meeting different people. They may have had a bad morning. You must sum up the situation in the audition room and fit in, rather than enter and deliver your pre-set approach and glib.

In a nutshell, do not deliver what you want, instead, deliver what they need.

The art of conversation with strangers is a key skill in an audition room. Most likely, experienced actors are at ease in the room. They have done it many times before. But newcomers should understand that casting directors do not get impressed with you only by your performance and performance alone.
How do you practice conversation? Think of going to your first night of dating a girl or a boy!  I imagine the principles are the same. You have five minutes to impress! They don't need each others life story. You merely need to answer the question: "Do I want to see this person again?" And if the answer is �yes� then just be normal and shoot!

And strangely enough, that is exactly the question the casting directors ask themselves in the audition room during casting: �Do I want to see this actor again?� If not for this role, then some other audition opportunity in the future?

In the conclusion, apart from an excellent in portraying a character, it's �The Art of Conversation� by which you may grab the role!

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Details of World Class Actor's Private Coaching

Top International Standard Private Coaching Details

http://topactingcoach.weebly.com/fees--courses.html

1. The coaching is NOT based on a typical school system where students are taught in a bunch of 20 or 30 with a common syllabus for all. A school may not be in certain situations, concerned about whether a student who completes a course gets a break in films or serial or in commercial ads.
  An actor is an artist who masters a highly sensitive craft based on an individual's emotional and attitude built up and therefore there cannot be a common syllabus. As per the survey, the failure percentage of actors passing out of schools in India is 82% (CAA survey).

2. I design a career plan and syllabus based on an individual after weighing the strengths and weaknesses by auditions and by interviews before a candidate joins me.

3. The learning journey of a candidate starts with understanding the "Game" of acting and how can you become a star in Bollywood and TV serials. It continues with types of actors, mastering techniques, camera acting, how to win auditions etc.. Finally leading to the most needed strategy development of how to market and promote yourself to get sure entry into Films, TV serials, commercial ads and print media.

4. A hand-picked list of casting directors and coordinators is provided

5. Suitable candidates get a break in our own short films. 
6. The coaching sessions are taken 2 to 3 days a  week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 2 PM to 5 PM for 5 weeks. 

7. We can train you on Bollywood conversational Hindi and Urdu

How Can We Make You a Great Actor?

Important

The Registration for all below-mentioned courses is one month in advance by paying the full fees. 

Courses and fees

Supreme Individual Course (Recommended)

This course is designed for those who have an ambitious dream to be sure to be an expert in the acting craft and need all the notes and "an excellence certificate from 'A Master Coach' 
Key features:
1.  A SWOT analysis of you to assess by our capabilities and chances of success
2.  An exhaustive and personalized syllabus designed especially for you
3. A practice of all the techniques, emotions, attitudes, acting for camera and other aspects till you are perfect
4. Creation of your website and it's online promotion
5. Creating and filming a monologue for you and promoting online OR creating and filming   video interview and promoting
6. Goal setting 
Duration:
Three to four months depending upon your progress, 2 to 3 times a week in the afternoon

Fees: Rs. 1, 20,000 (One Lakh Twenty Thousand)  to be paid one month in advance

1. The 'Focused Group Course' 

Either one on one or in a group of 3 aspiring actors for a total of 30 hours spread over 4 to 5 weeks, 2 to 3 days in a week in the afternoon. 

Fees: Rs. 20,000 for each of group members

2.  The 'Elite Course' 

Only for you to be trained privately

Absolutely on individual and personal 'on one on one' basis for a total of 40 hours spread over 2 months, 2 to 3 times a week in the afternoon. 

Fees: Rs. 40, 000

This includes:
A. Learning International, acting techniques like Stanslavsky, Michael Chekhov and Alexander techniques
B. Focused acting instrument development like finer aspects of  body and mental health
C. Elaborate camera scene acting
D. Personal S.W.O.T. Analysis (your strength, weaknesses, opportunity analysis)
E. Writing, rehearsing a monologue suited to your profile, making a video film of monologue and its International promotion through internet
F. Goal Setting-Career and life
G. A detailed marketing and promotional plan
H. Long term support

?NOTE: A special Weekend Course ?under this "Elite Course" can be arranged for aspiring actors who are "working"?

3. The Intense Course

It is a special course or "Urgent" course to suit an individual requirement of time/days available at him/ her. Obviously, this means that our other regular batch sessions will have to be postponed to suit this individual. The fees for such "Urgent" courses could be high and would be decided based on dates and time available to this individual.
Please send the details of your specific number of days and dates  available with you and the reason why you want to be an actor and why an acting coach and not a regular school? 

4. The Bullet Workshop 

One day (3 hours) workshop on the fundamentals of acting and acting for the camera. Fees: Rs. 4000
??

5. Monologue Tailored for You??

For writing a 2 minute filmed monologue for you, rehearsing, filming and promoting your film online on media. 
Fees: Rs. 4000

6. Chance in a Film

To give you a chance in a film, we can make a short film  of 15 minutes, at a reasonable cost to you. This will be promoted online Internationally on YouTube and on our websites and blog 

NOTE: Outstation candidates will have to make their own arrangements for a stay.

For more details like my consultation charges if you just want to meet me, syllabus, duration, venue etc. 

Visit my acting coaching website:

http://topactingcoach.weebly.com

Contact:

Email: 

1. actingcoach.kiran.pande@gmail.com 
2. kiran.aged@gmail.com

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Not Promoting Yourself on YouTube? 9 Reasons Why Should You

A Pity! Not Having Your Own YouTube Channel to Promote Yourself as an actor?

Here are the simple ways to be in the Limelight to filmmakers and casting directors through Your Own YouTube Channel

Acting isn't all about an excellence in the acting craft, be able to portray any type of role, feeling the character and being in the moment. If you can't get a job as an actor, being labelled as �an excellent actor� would be depressing to you. Acting is only possible if somebody's prepared to sit and watch you do it. To survive emotionally and professionally, you've got to both earn a living and fulfill your dreams and self-esteem.

Your fears!

The statistics are terrifying, with something like 95% of the trained or untrained actors out of work for perhaps during a long duration of time.
So, what happens? Shattered dreams and a financial catastrophe, resulting in destroying life!

The trick

Therefore, it is to be in the top 5% out of the above statistics.  How do you do it?
The only way is to promote �you� as a �product� as if you are a businessman / woman running your  �Business�. Let the people who matter like casting directors, production houses, directors, TV channels �know you� among thousands of struggling actors roaming the streets of Mumbai.

However, there is a piece of warning!

Have you developed yourself into � A Good Product� of being an excellent professional actor with an unparalleled excellence in acting craft? Have you taken a personalized, professional acting for a better school or better, from an expert acting coach, an artist teacher?

Don't overlook this factor before you start your business of acting!

Now, coming to an important, though the generally overlooked aspect of business by most of you is marketing and promoting through Video channels!

The reason Why Actors Need Their Own YouTube Channel 

Before you start, you must have show reel, monologue, small films which you have made through your own mobile phone or professionally and portfolio slides which could be uploaded on YouTube. (If you need help, join us for a professional one on one training)

1) YouTube is free

For an actor YouTube is the cheapest and most effective way of marketing themselves.
It doesn�t cost anything to upload videos onto YouTube. If you are a beginner or have a tight financial budget,   you must use this marketing tool.

2) Grab attention

Each minute 300 hours worth of videos is being uploaded onto YouTube and over 4 billion videos are viewed daily. If you upload quality video content, whatever it is, then they are very likely to get lots of followers to their page. The better quality, the most attention, obviously.

3) Reach to a staggering volume of traffic

YouTube has one billion users, and this figure will only keep on increasing.
For an actor, this type of pre-existing audience is very attractive. You can reach out to the large number of people throughout the world for free. Since Google owns YouTube, an actor�s video could also show up on Google�s search results, and could reach the top spot, which could mean large volumes of traffic to their page.

4) Market yourself like a wild fire (Viral Marketing)

People love sharing videos with family and friends, and for an actor, this means if someone likes their video they can share it via social media and send it to others.
This type of viral sharing will create a ripple effect, and the video could be shared by thousands or millions of people. Actors can also add a subscribe button to their videos so that their followers can subscribe to them. The more videos an actor uploads to their page the more people will keep coming back to it.

5) Can upload your best work

An actor can use YouTube to show off their best work. It doesn�t have to be just your show reel or a monologue, but any creative short videos that you make.
Actors can also link to certain scenes in the films that they worked on which the viewers may enjoy. Filmmakers are using YouTube to look out for talented actors, and if they see an actor that has lots of followers they are highly likely to be attracted to that actor. You can upload multiple videos onto YouTube to see which ones your followers like the most, and continue with that trend.

6) Add personal website with your link

Some actors have personal websites, especially the more experienced actors. Having a website makes actors look very professional, especially to casting directors or producers.
Actors that have a page on YouTube are adding a link that will take them to their personal website. This will enable anybody or a casting director looking at your videos to get in touch with you if they like your YouTube channel. Actors can also add their social media links so that others can get in touch via Twitter or Facebook.

7) Upload trailers 

Actors can use YouTube to upload trailers that will help to promote a new film that they are appearing in.

8) Can promote yourself 24 hours x 7 days

When an actor uploads a video onto YouTube they are marketing themselves 24/7.
Once an actor uploads a video it�s there for as long as they want it to be. It doesn�t get taken away and so their videos are always out there promoting them and their work. The more videos an actor uploads, the more effective the marketing campaign will be.

9) Chances of more auditions for roles

Directors and writers are turning to YouTube to release independent projects. If an actor is well liked and has a professional looking YouTube page casting director will be attracted to them and could call them for auditions or offer them a role directly (As it happened to me).

As you can see,  YouTube  really can help actors market themselves online, but also bring a lot more exposure, particularly in the beginning of your career. We are in a digital age now, and for actors, YouTube is the number one destination where they can maximize on large volumes of traffic at no cost. Actors have to promote themselves in the business YouTube is the best
So what are you waiting for? Go create your very first YouTube channel right now, whether you�re planning to use it or not anytime soon.
Based on

An Example of a character actor's YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQWl2lRVtVAUP4C4ellX5w

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Not getting Roles? Your Fault! Learn My 3 On-Camera Tips

The secret of success behind becoming a Bollywood star!

Is Your Dream to be a Bollywood Star is breaking into pieces?
Not Getting Roles?
How long would continue with failures? One, two, five years?
Who would financially support a failing actor and for how long?
Do you really know how to really act in front of a camera?

The solution is HERE!!

I'm sure you out there are actual human beings and not aliens from other planets that also might be actors. And most people think that the easiest thing in the world is to just be yourself when the camera comes on. Wrong! I find that most people have the toughest problem, not with techniques about the script and character building and playing emotions and different attitudes, but with-

just looking and feeling like an actual living being, once the camera is running. And, let�s face it, a good acting scene should never look like a good acting scene.

It should look like a reality show that is so natural and real that we forget it is an acting scene.

Here are my crazy 3 tips  to let my students and other hundreds of aspiring actors on Mumbai roads to feel and look like real human beings in a scene:
(Caution: With due apologies to our esteemed directors, many like to focus on �perfection� with the screenplay and does not like to experiment or look for options and especially do not encourage new actors the freedom to do what actors think natural. Of course, there are some notable exceptions (read below) who would experiment and allow actors to �Improvise� and the results are there. Therefore, understanding your director and what he/she really want is important before you read, understand and practice to be �Real You�)
Directors of Bollywood I admire who like to experiment and allow actors to be themselves and improvise:

Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Omi Vadiya in 3 idiots
Boman Irani in Munna Bhai MBBS
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Hrithik Roshan in Guzaarish
Amitabh Bachchan in Black
Director: Anurag Kashap
Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Gangs of Wasseypur
Director: Shoojit Sircar
Deepika Padukone and other new actors in in Piku
Director Prakash Jha's numerous films
(Damul, Mrityudand, Gangaajal, Apaharan,Raajneeti,Aarakshan,hakravyuh, and Satyagraha)

1. Be Lazy

Start by relaxing  and getting into your body by just �loosening and becoming lazy. It�s important to physically loosen your body and to unfreeze it so that you respond and react naturally to stimuli
(Note:
What is a stimulus? Normally we react to things which we see and feel by our 5 senses (eyes, smell, listen, taste and through touch) and then respond. The cause of our reaction is a stimulus.)

• I always teach students a simple relaxation technique of breathing in through your nose on a count of four, holding for a count of seven, and breathing out through your mouth on a count of eight. Deep-breathing is the fastest way to balance and relax. The counting helps your brain to shut down so that you can be more in the moment instead of spinning past everything.
• Then, take a deep breath (raising your shoulders up) and, as you exhale, flop down into your body like you�re a bag of potatoes. Slob out so you aren�t holding your body in a stiff acting position. It should feel like you are not in front of a camera at all. You shall begin to feel the difference between being stiff and locked in your body (fake actor) and freeing your life energy and blood to flow through your veins as though you are real (natural human being). Allow this natural flow to continue as you slide into your character. Make sure you don�t stiffen up again right before you start the scene. 
• Keep tiny movements going on (breathing, slightly shifting your weight, wiggling your toes, etc.) so that you don�t freeze up. Get the flow going and go!

2. Free Yourself

Free yourself as though you are alone and no one is watching you.Do the things you would do if you were alone. Scratch. Get the hair out of your face. Set free natural things to happen so that you are working as a real �living human being�. Allow yourself to feel ugly, imperfect, even boring. Everyone actually looks better in a relaxed mode, as your face and body get a beautiful, natural glow and flow. It will look like you are doing nothing, but tiny nuances will begin to happen that warm up the whole scene. The more you do this, the easier it gets to trust that all the good stuff happens in this zone.

3. Do something which is real

 If approved by the director or in case of an �improvised� scene, give yourself something to do! Anything that is real looks amazing on camera. So really read the book; really listen to the other person; really try to get the piece of lint off of your clothes; really trace a heart in the water spilled on the table.
Use props and bits of in a scene. Adjust your clothes. Really observe the other person in the scene. Feel the breeze on your face. Clean your finger nails. Touch someone with love. Stare so hard into their eyes that you make them tell you the truth.
Doing something also distracts you from feeling like you are acting. If you are busy doing you won�t be stuck thinking. Thus, you will get out of your head (which is making you fake and stiff) and you shall easily get lost in your body and the scene. You are in the moment and truthful!.
Partly besed on

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Don't Frustrate Casting Directors and Ruin Career | Give 8 Things

Success audition tips for Bollywood

Do You Know What Casting Directors Want From You?

Ever had an audition for a Bollywood film or a TV serial? If yes, then you knew you did pretty well? The one in which you were sure you nailed the role? All you had to do was wait for the call from the casting director confirming you have been selected.. But the call never came and you were left wondering what the heck went wrong?
I mean, you're a fantastic actor! Rather than leave you wondering what these crazy casting directors want, I had been consulting a few on-camera casting directors, took their opinion and based on my own experience as a character actor, here are the top things you MUST remember for your next on-camera audition!

1. Don't worry too much about remembering lines

No need to get tensed if you have not been able to memorize all your lines in that freaking short time! Casting directors don't care really much about that. What they expect is that you show the personality and behavior of the character. They know that the actor isn't going to be able to memorize the lines for an audition as he/she got the lines at the waiting room  may be 10 to 20 minutes back.

2. May ask questions -- but only relevant and if you really need to

Sometimes, good casting directors may ask  if you have any questions, it's only to help you get clarity if there's something in the script lines (sides) that's confusing. Very often the best auditions come from actors who just say 'no sir� and just perform. 
Don�t ask silly questions like �kya mujhe role milega? (Am I going to be selected)?� � Sir, aap se mujhe kab call mile ga? (When I will get a call from you�) or �I�m new and this is my first audition. Can you guide how should I do it?� etc.

3. Listen and react

"The camera loves to watch you listen." says a top cinematographer cum director. If at audition, there is a co-actor or a reader (some assistant) for the other character, you make the other person  important, even if the reader isn't giving you back much. Don't be blank when the other guy is speaking the lines. The casting directors like to see the actor listen, think and respond

4. Be the best right the first time

You're not coming to an on-camera audition to get coached by a teacher. Come prepared (know who your character is, what you want, etc.). The guys in charge of the audition should not think maybe next time. They should think that they just saw your best the first time you did it. Don't be a next time actor."

5. Offer options, if asked

This means, you must be prepared to offer the  options of portraying a character. Casting directors love an actor that can take direction well. They are going to throw things at you to see how skilled you are.  For example, they may ask you to play a character in a different way, improvise a scene, speak faster or slower, say again with a different meaning, soften exaggerated gesture etc. You must be flexible to respond instantly.

6. Know what you look like on camera monitor

Camera acting skills always impresses casting directors. They like someone who knows how to do what they need to do with the camera on them.
Learn how to position your body and face so the best parts are seen in the right way and at the most important times. Practice a lot with your acting coach or do it on your mobile camera with the help of a friend and find out what everyone else sees. And just be critical.

7. Know where to look

Have you observed this?
When you are watching a television serial or a film the actors playing the characters are not looking into a camera (means not looking at viewers!). Don�t look at the camera lens unless ask so. Maintain your eye lines. Look either at your partner-actor or reader or a few inches away from the camera. Let your eyes wander -- a little bit. Just don't look down. Lots of us look down to think.

8. You're a person first, actor second

People don't select actors. They hire people who can act. When it's a close competition-- and it often is -- sometimes hiring decisions have to do with the person as much as the performance. 
So what does that mean? Personality. Personality. Personality.

Some more truth about auditions

• Don't be surprised if there isn't a 
• Be nice to everyone -- the receptionist might be the casting director's sister. The director might look like an assistant.
• Never complain about any issue
• Never apologize -- we don't care if you're sorry you did a bad.
• Never blame -- the person that didn't give you the script ahead of time might be the person hiring you, or a transport being late, was not well or had a late night etc.
• Don't try to talk intimately with any one or cozily or gossip -- they hate that!
• Don't look at them like they are about to put you in jail or going to perform a life threatening surgery -- they're nice people.
• Be professional -- after all, it is a job interview.

Based on

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How to Make Video Introduction Casting Directors Want

Arshad Warsi as struggling actor

Whether you're an actor, model, dancer, singer, musician, comedian, variety performer, or filmmaker, it's becoming increasingly important to have a video introduction or a demo reel available online to show off your skills.

Are you a beginner or don't have enough with experience with work (footage) for a video (Demo) reel (film) yet? No professional clips to post?

 Don't worry; there are a lot of solutions available:

You could hire a service like of cinematographer, director, your acting coach or small production houses in Mumbai to shoot your self-introduction or a monologue.
Or even just borrow a friend�s camera, use your Web cam, or record yourself with the video camera on your phone. The video doesn�t need to be long or complex.

Example of my Video Introduction as a character actor

How to?

1. Keep it Simple
2. Keep it limited to around 2 minutes
3. Filming video from a professional source like a cinematographer, a production house for corporate films is preferred, but if you want to save money or have limited financial resources then... 

A. The best option is to contact wedding videographers in Mumbai. Economical and good!

Here are some of them:

http://www.dakshadigital.com/

http://www.3winks.in/

http://www.hirophotographycinematography.in/contact

http://www.radiancevision.in/services/corporate-films/28/#

http://www.webbingsystems.com/corporate-film-makers-in-mumbai.html

The link below is a list and reviews of 18 videographers:

http://www.flatpebble.com/Top-Wedding-Video-Cinematographers-in-Mumbai_SL_32_40_1.aspx

B. Or, just put yourself on tape using any camera you have available. If so then...

4. Make sure the room is quiet (good audio is important!), and ensure that you're nicely lit and framed in the shot.
5. Then say hello, state your name, and say a few words about yourself or your projects. If you'd like, you could also perform a monologue.
6. Then, upload your video to Vimeo or YouTube. (And add your audio clips to SoundCloud.)

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Want to Learn Acting? Why Not From This Acting Coach

This Indian Acting Coach is a true �Teaching Artist�

Profile: Kiran Pande

Bollywood Acting Coach: Kiran Pande

Kiran Pande is a �teaching artist,� and he brings that combination of practical technique and creative inspiration to his work as a unique acting coach suited especially to Indian aspiring actors sat Best Actor Academy. Kiran was introduced to different acting techniques practiced around work in NYC ,US by a leading teacher at a prestigious institute. At US and later in India, he developed his own style and a coaching system, best suited to the requirements of Bollywood, TV serials and a psyche of Indians.  With experience, he concluded that for beginners, the best is to learn acting on �one on one� basis and then he believes, a continued learning with a group in a school setting may definitely help an aspiring actor.

As an actor in "Billy Goes Out"

Kiran grew up in a middle small town of Jabalpur and started acting in college and community plays. His excellence as an actor and success was based on his amazing power of imagination and observation. He learnt to create stories and characters out of what he saw.
Even now, at the age of 65, in between teaching assignments, he makes time for acting, still in demand and continues to play different characters in films. As a coach, this helps him to impart time relevant training to the actors, rather than those teachers who are now no more an active actor and are out of touch with the current realities of Indian cine industry.

Achievements

Coaching Awards and Certificates

Personalized coaching and student films

Being a good writer and with a sincere zeal to help struggling actors, he runs a free acting blog http://bestactoracademy.blogspot.com which till date has 206+ posts with great tips.

Key Features of Acting Coaching

• Designing coaching syllabus based on aspirants audition and on his/ her strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities
• Personalized individual coaching
• Creating acting techniques on aspirant's profile and emotional reactions to stimuli
• Acting for the camera
• Goal setting
• How to market and promote career
• Monologue and filming it
• Casting directors, Registration on free audition websites 
• + Many more
• Chance in a film for aspirants

Contact for acting coaching details:

http://topactingcoach.weebly.com

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How Beginner Actors Screw Up Acting Career | 6 Tips to Win

Why every aspiring actor doesn't fail?

Why are you failing?

Why others are getting a break in films and in TV serials?

To which category you belong to...

1. Do you make things happen?
2. You watch things happen?
3. Wonder what has happened?

In 96% of the cases (survey by chitrapat s. asso ltd. 2014), it's the aspiring actor who is responsible for ruining his/ her acting career. There are numerous reasons which we have explained in other posts in this blog

How Not to Quit After Repeated Failures

And so let's start with your dream to be an actor. That is, let's look at the real basics of the basics.  I am an old Olympian in this field, having been way past my age before taking my first coaching assignments. I write this as one who stumbled and fumbled and fooled by my friends and relatives who showered utterly false praise (as I realize now!) on my pictures, height, looks and being a party hero.
Never knew the level of frightening competition, professional acting, acting for camera, voice culture, good muscular body, the role of good computer and internet research ability, marketing and promotion, financial stability to name some of the few. However, I had a quality- persistence and perseverance, a burning desire to learn and never to give up.
So in the end, I won. Became a successful actor, a short filmmaker and an acting coach.

And hence this post to help young aspiring actor who just dream.

SUGGESTED STEPS FOR THE NEWCOMER

1. Self-examination

A vital question: Why do you want to act? The response of many was, "I don't know. It just always interested me."
My own answer: "I wanted to act all my life.� Next question: What is your goal: Fame? Money? Performing?  Many said they just wanted fame and money like Salman Khan or Deepika Padkone. When they can be a Bollywood star, I can.
My own answer: A great actor like an international acting celebrity!.
Another question: How do you feel about the idea of performing in public or auditioning? If it terrifies you, then go back to question #1 and do some real soul-searching. Why? Because acting is something that almost always involves auditioning and performing in front of people. It occurs on a stage in front of an audience or in front of a camera with dozens of technicians around. Acting is in front of people! After asking and answering those questions, what then?

2. What are the requirements to be a successful Bollywood actor and how to meet those requirements?

What Should You Have?

• Good looks may help you (especially in TV serials) though I don't agree fully with it. You can work on your looks or rather on your overall personality by facial exercises, Ayurveda treatments and yoga.
• Good body and its maintenance.
• Good voice. You can develop by various vocal exercises.
• Very pleasant nature. 
• A graduate, good command on HINDI and an ability of a well spoken ENGLISH
• Excellent ability to memorize and that too, quickly. This is of paramount importance, especially in serials where you get your lines just before the shot!
• Good acting abilities. You can learn from this blog, from a good school, by joining our coaching  or online free help!
• Good networking capabilities- building up contacts on line, off line with industry people.
• The tremendous amount of patience, to be ready for a prolonged struggle and willingness to face periods of financial instability.
• Emotional stability.

How should you develop the above Qualities in you?

• Learn professional acting either by carefully selecting a good school or if in doubt, the best option could be a personal and professional acting coach
• Join gym developing a good and HOT body
• Improve your mental health and be strong. Join yoga classes to learn relaxation and mental balance
• Make a professional portfolio of about 7 to 10 pictures to begin with, where you look exactly as you are. No dark glasses (Let casting directors see your eyes!).
• Complete your graduation because it's a long struggle with financial instability. Being a graduate and having an additional skills like IT, Marketing, Teaching, etc. may help you to support financially to fulfill your dream to be an actor. Knowing spoken English well  helps you to network with cine industry and creates a favorable impression, apart from being comfortable with English dialogs in a film / TV serial 
• Start building your contacts in the industry by networking through creating and updating of your profile/ page on a regular basis on social sites, emailing your profile, monologues, your website and show reel.
• Register yourself with at least 3 to 4 good coordinators (Select form posts in this blog) 
• Do not restrict your efforts only to one field, e.g. Bollywood films. Enter in modeling, TV serials, commercial ads and print. Just hit all opportunities available
• Remember that acting is a business and you have to be a good businessman or a woman. You can't live in emptiness without money or with your parents/ relatives/ friends charity forever!
• In a larger city like Mumbai, finding a coach or acting classes is not difficult. In a small town, it may be difficult. The problem is about honesty and integrity of such institutions, some of them becoming just a business houses. Therefore, you have to be careful. 

What�s the next step?

3. Goal Setting and Action Plan

• Set your goal - 5 years, then 4 years, 3, 2, 1 and then an action plan for this year, finally monthly weekly and daily objective and action plan
• Monitor this goal and action plan otherwise your wasting your time and money. Forget being an actor. Go back!

I strongly feel that a brand-new adult actor should consider a personal coaching rather than taking a class--unless he can find a class composed solely of serious adult newcomers like himself--not dabblers or fun seeking rich youngsters. Being in a class with younger or experienced actors can be embarrassing and overwhelming. This is the most vulnerable stage in a newcomer's acting life. Avoid discouragement at this step.  Discouragement awaits us all, but hopefully by the time it hits we'll have enough confidence to not crumble. A newcomer's confidence level is notoriously low. So go the coaching route rather than the class route. There's less stress and more personal attention. Later, for networking, group practices, building contacts, and lots of other industry related information, you can join a good acting school.
In a small town, the way to start acting is in local theaters, cultural dramas and one act plays, festivals etc. If necessary, form your own group.

4. What are the really basic necessities?

A. One absolute necessity is knowledge of the vocabulary of acting. 

For stage plays, you have to know Stage Right, Down Stage, upstage left, close-up, hit the mark, and... Action!
For Camera auditions for films, TV serials and commercial ads Apart from knowing, acting for camera, you should know slating, camera shots and angles like master shot, mid shot, close up. Extreme close up, establishing shot, dolly shot, blocking, props, eye lines, pack up or wrap up, cut, take, re-take, framing, camera cheating and many such relevant names.
Where to find such vocabulary of acting?
Search relevant posts in this blog. I have given everything
Search internet with a keyword- acting vocabulary or motion film vocabulary
Buy a book on Acting Vocabulary from amazon.in

B. Second absolute necessity is long term financial stability

The acting career in Bollywood, TV serials or commercial ads is full of long periods of financial instability and unless you have the resources to maintain yourself for a long period, you will get frustrated, handicapped and may start thinking to quit!
For aspiring actors with limited financial resources, my strong advice is to become a working actor. Take up a job, may be on a part time basis or a night job as at the International airport in Mumbai, or in a restaurant / hotel or working on an online job on the computer.

5. Working with the material 

Another "must" for an adult newcomer is to start working on material (script, lines, character) immediately. The most basic acting requirement is the ability to say a line and sound real. It's hard to imagine an audition or a scene without having to speak. And his /her potential to sound real when he / she says a line is precisely what all beginning actors must discover. This is BASIC.

Warning! If you cannot learn to �sound and act� real, then acting is not for you.

6. The Power of Imagination

The thing which separates a good and successful actor from a mediocre one is �The Power of Imagination�. Develop the habit of visiting places and observing things (people, plants, animals, things, behavior) regularly. Create stories around them and play. Imagine and create stories from words or things. Recollect your own memories from the past

To summarize, if you are an adult who has always wanted to act, begin either with coaching sessions from a personal coach or from a good school After several lessons you can then decide, based on an intelligent assessment of your potential and an honest evaluation by your school teacher or your personal coach, if you want to spend the next several years following your dream.

Join us to know how to be a successful actor and be one!

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Top 7 Casting Directors with Contact Email of 5 to Help You

Clockwise: Shanoo Sharma, Atul Mongia, Shruti Mahajan, Mukesh Chhabra, Honey Trehan, Vicky Sidana, Nandini Shrikent

Email contact at the bottom

Wanna Make Your Bollywood Dreams Come True?

They are known as casting directors or star makers who are responsible for selecting or short listing actors for specific characters from the script of a film, TV serial or commercial ad.
Now a day, these guys are highly talented  and play a significant role in the film making process by helping to identify good actors with whom largely depends the success of a film, a serial or a commercial ad. New successful actors like Ranveer Singh and Parineeti Chopra vouch for the vision and talent of these casting directors.

What to Expect?

When you're called in for an acting audition, the people present at the audition will include you, the casting director, and maybe a handful of other complete strangers. Some of these other people may be the producer, a camera operator (if they're taping the auditions), the casting director's bored friend or relative, a representative from the advertiser (in the case of a commercial audition), or a dance choreographer or musical director (in the case of a musical).

By the time it's your turn to audition, the casting director has probably seen hundreds of other people ahead of you, which means the casting director and anyone else in the room is likely to be tired, bored, and irritable. Make the director's job easy and you increase your chances of having a successful audition. Make the job harder (by not being ready, talking too much, and so on) and you may seriously kill any chances of getting any role.

Take care! Top 3 Tips!

1. Memorize your line perfectly

To an extent that you don't have to think about lines anymore.

2. Mind your  auditioning manners

A lack of courtesy shows disrespect, no matter where you are in life
Never touch the casting director or any of his or her possessions, such as the notepad, laptop computer, food, and such. Doing so is rude and definitely works against you.

3. How to enter and exit

Enter smiling. Mildly nod or  wish elegantly
Complete your performance, wait for about half or a minute, listen if they give any comment or instructions, nod smilingly, thank them and leave elegantly.
Well, this is in a nutshell.


Here are 7 of the top most casting directors of Bollywood who have become a celebrity in their own right with their right actor pick up ability:

1. Shanoo Sharma

Star finds: Ranveer Singh, Parineeti Chopra, Arjun Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar, Bhumi Pednekar

Arguably the biggest name in the casting circuit of Bollywood, Shanoo Sharma is the casting director of Yash Raj Films and has blockbusters like Dhoom 3, Jab Tak Hai Jaan,Ek Tha Tiger, My Name is Khan, Band Baja Baaraat etc to her credit. Sharma's big break came in the form of Karan Johar's 2009 thriller Kurbaan which got her noticed after she handled a celebrity star cast beautifully.
A decade into the business, Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor are considered to be her biggest draws and the young stars have publicly gone on record to say that they owe their careers to Shanoo!
Contact details: casting@yashrajfilms.com
Facebook page for message: https://www.facebook.com/Shanoo-YRFcasting-201876266557914

2. Atul Mongia

It was his interest in film making that eventually helped Mongia cast and deal with actors better. Post his teaching stint at the renowned Barry John School of Acting in New Delhi, Atul moved to Mumbai and got busy training actors for Dibakar Banerjee's relatively fresh cast in Love Sex Aur Dhoka.And that's how he was handed over the responsibility of finding actors for films.
Contact details:  atulcasting@gmail.com
Facebook page for message: https://www.facebook.com/atul.mongia.1

3. Shruti Mahajan

Chakravyuh, Ram Leela, Mary Kom and Finding Fanny are some noted milestones in Shruti's portfolio as a casting director which have sealed her career in the big league. And with plum upcoming projects like Bajirao Mastani, Gangajaal 2 and AR Murugadoss's next, the future looks promising for this girl.
Contact details: shrutimcasting@gmail.com
Facebook page for message: https://www.facebook.com/shruti.mahajan.5855

4. Mukesh Chhabra

Star finds: Rajkummar Rao, Sushant Singh Rajput and Amit Sadh

A casting director by a stroke of luck, Mukesh Chhabra, also lovingly known as Casting Chhabra, is another name deeply respected in the industry. His journey, which began accidentally by casually helping Vishal Bhardwaj cast kids, saw him eventually launch big names like Rajkummar Rao, Sushant Singh Rajput and Amit Sadh.
Chhabra got his first big break with Imtiaz Ali's Love Aaj Kal but it was his immaculate casting in Anurag Kashyap's Gangs Of Wasseypur that made him a name to reckon with. Presently casting for Aamir Khan's upcoming wrestling film Dangal, Chhabra has no reservations in helping his friends within the industry with casting.
Contact details (Address): Bunglow No 160, J P Road, Andheri West, Mumbai - 400058, Aaram Nager, Part 2
Send portfolio: casting@mccc.in

5. Honey Trehan

Another theatre product from Delhi, Honey Trehan worked as a stage director in New Delhi. However, his chance meeting with Vishal Bhardwaj in Mumbai changed the course of his career. Trehan worked as an assistant director in Bhardwaj's Makdee and later showed interest in getting actors for Bhardwaj's movies. That is how Maqbool, Omkaraand Kaminey happened and there was no looking back for Trehan.
Trehan's first independent assignment was Aamir Khan's production, Delhi Belly. However, it was his dream to cast for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Ritesh Sidhwani, which also happened with the time. Today, Trehan is content with the way his career has shaped up and feels there is plenty of scope for casting directors in the industry
You can tweet to Honey Trehan: https://twitter.com/HoneyTrehan
Facebook page for message: https://www.facebook.com/honey.trehan.3

6. Vicky Sidana

Star finds: Kartik Tiwari, Divyendu Sharma and Rayo Bakhrita

Vicky Sidana struck gold after his casting for Pyaar Ka Punchnama hit the bull's eye! While life got tedious after the movie, the challenges of his job have always excited him. Sidana has been a part of marathon auditioning processes to filter people for Special 26and Pyaar Ka Punchnama and has only gotten better. And with Bodyguard and Baby also to his credit, Sidana has rapidly found a footing in the industry.
Facebook page for message: https://www.facebook.com/VickySidanaCastingDirector

7. Nandini Shrikent

It was her internship with Govind Nihlani on Takshak which changed the course of her career.
Nandini got her first big break when she got a chance doing the casting for Lakshya. However, her very first assignment was more of a challenge for Shrikent when she was asked to cast 72 actors to fit Lakshya's war set-up. However, her performance in Lakshya ensured that there was no looking back. Her next few projects, Luck by Chance , Rock On!!,  Life of Pi, Student of the Year and most recently, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani established her as a name to reckon with.
Facebook page for message: https://www.facebook.com/nandini.shrikent
Info source

Contact Emails 5 casting directors

1) Mukesh Chhabra

casting@mccc.in

2) Vicky Sidana

vicky.castingdirector4@gmail.com

3) Nandini Shrikent

morecasting@gmail.com

4) Shruti Mahajan

shrutimcasting@gmail.com

5) Shanoo Sharma

casting@yashrajfilms.com

Updated post from 7.3.2016 

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