Few actors work full time, and many have variable schedules. Early morning, evening, weekend, and holiday work is common. Some actors work part time. Work hours for actors are extensive and irregular. Some actors in touring companies may be employed for several years.Īctors may perform in unpleasant conditions, such as outdoors in bad weather, under hot stage lights, or while wearing an uncomfortable costume or makeup. They are frequently under the stress of having to find their next job. Work assignments are usually short, ranging from 1 day to a few months, and actors often hold another job in order to make a living. Professional, scientific, and technical services
The largest employers of actors were as follows: Self-employed workersĬolleges, universities, and professional schools state, local, and private Some actors wear elaborate makeup and costumes.Īctors held about 50,600 jobs in 2021. Some actors teach acting classes as a second job. Most actors have long periods of unemployment between roles and often hold other jobs in order to make a living. For some roles, an actor must learn a new skill, such as horseback riding or stage fighting. In some stage or film productions, actors sing, dance, or play a musical instrument. Some actors do voiceover or narration work for animated features, audiobooks, or other electronic media.
Some work as “extras”-actors who have no lines to deliver but are included in scenes to give a more realistic setting. Most actors struggle to find steady work, and few achieve recognition as stars. Perform the role, following the director’s directions.Discuss their role with the director, producer, and other actors to improve the overall performance of the show.Rehearse their lines and performance, including on stage or in front of the camera, with other actors.Research their character’s personal traits and circumstances to portray the characters more authentically to an audience.Audition in front of directors, producers, and casting directors.Read scripts and meet with agents and other professionals before accepting a role.They interpret a writer’s script to entertain or inform an audience. Learn more about actors by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.Īctors must memorize and rehearse their lines.Īctors express ideas and portray characters in theater, film, television, and other performing arts media. More Information, Including Links to O*NET Similar OccupationsĬompare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of actors with similar occupations. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.Įxplore resources for employment and wages by state and area for actors. Job OutlookĮmployment of actors is projected to grow 8 percent from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations.Ībout 7,000 openings for actors are projected each year, on average, over the decade. The median hourly wage for actors was $23.48 in May 2021.
How to Become an ActorĪctors typically enhance their skills through formal education, and long-term training is common. Work assignments are usually short, ranging from 1 day to a few months. Work EnvironmentĪctors work in various settings, including production studios, theaters, and theme parks, or on location. Quick Facts: ActorsĪctors express ideas and portray characters in theater, film, television, and other performing arts media. This thesaurus of action words is indispensable in developing mood, line readings, and acting choices for each and every line.Please enable javascript to play this video. All with a view to helping actors get to the heart of meaning and to a great performance. ACTIONS: The Actors’ Thesaurus by Marina Caldarone & Maggie Lloyd-Williams has gathered together the (formerly) dogged-eared photocopied lists of action verbs from greenrooms and rehearsal rooms and put them together in this pocket-sized thesaurus. ACTIONS is a thesaurus of active verbs that the actor can use to refine performance until s/he hits exactly the right one to help make the action come alive. ‘I tempt you.’ ‘You taunt me.’ In order to perform an action truthfully-and therefore convincingly- an actor needs to find exactly the right action to suit that particular situation and that particular line. Verbs are an aim to achieve, an action to perform.
Actors cannot ‘act’ adjectives, they need verbs. ACTIONS: The Actors' Thesaurus is a vital companion for actors in rehearsal-a thesaurus of action words to revitalize performance.