Acting - The Highs And Lows Of The Job

Actors use their movement, voice and gesture to embody and perform as different characters. If you have a good memory, can easily adapt to different situations, and don’t want to work fixed hours then this might be the job for you!

Becoming an actor

While acting training increases the chances of being offered work, you don’t have to be professionally trained to become an actor. The work of an actor requires talent (the ability to quickly slip into different roles), but also solid craft and various performance techniques which can be learnt at an acting school. Working on stage or in front of the camera is challenging and intimidating at first, but acting lessons can be the first step towards overcoming this challenge, while also working on yourself simultaneously. It is very common that if you constantly switch between different roles and characters, you will also be confronted with your own personal issues. This is naturally another challenge to face.

What’s life like working in front of the camera?

Day-to-day work life for actors is different from person to person, but most actors will encounter the same difficulties along the way. Actors for daily soaps, commercials and other film productions often start and end their day by learning their lines. Before filming, they spend time with a stylist and make-up artist . Once lines are learnt and make-up is in place, the cameras start rolling and it’s time to perform. While it is important to perform as best you can, small mistakes can always be rerecorded. Scenes are rarely recorded in chronological order, instead the actors jump from scene to scene. This means that stamina and reliability are essential, as well as talent and professionality.

How much do actors earn?

Hollywood stars bask in fame and fortune. Some TV stars also earn thousands for a single film or episode- like 200,000 euros for one episode of Tatort! But this is certainly not the norm; most actors have a much lower income- around half of actors in Germany earn less than 20,000 euros a year. Young actors start out with a rather modest entry-level fee. They then slowly build up their level of recognition with film and television credits, which in turn leads to new offers and higher fees.

What does the job market for actors look like?

When starting out as an actor, it is definitely not easy. There is very little full time work, so they will mostly start as extras or background actors, which naturally doesn’t pay as well. Actors are registered with agencies with connections to the theatre, film and advertising industries often get better job offers and opportunities than unregistered actors.

Registering with a trustworthy and reputable agency

Are you an experienced professional or newcomer and think you have what it takes to be an actor? starboxx offers new and exciting job opportunities in front of the camera every day. Register now for free and show us what you’re made of!