BECAME BOLLYWOOD ACTOR
Bollywood is known as a nickname for the city of Bombay, the center of the Indian film industry. Bollywood movies are extremely popular in India and abroad but are relatively new for Americans. However, if you want to become famous in Bollywood, you must take a slightly different approach than in Hollywood to achieve stardom.
It is possible, although not always incredibly likely, to become a working actress without any prior acting experience. However, the entertainment industry tends to give the bulk of their jobs to established, seasoned actors because they are able to determine whether they have sold tickets in the past. Although it is possible to get discovered at a mall or an in open call, it is not incredibly likely for an actor to get pulled off the street for any reason other than appearance. If you're part of the 99% of actors who are not stunning enough to be models, follow the steps below in order to become an actress with no experience.
It is possible, although not always incredibly likely, to become a working actress without any prior acting experience. However, the entertainment industry tends to give the bulk of their jobs to established, seasoned actors because they are able to determine whether they have sold tickets in the past. Although it is possible to get discovered at a mall or an in open call, it is not incredibly likely for an actor to get pulled off the street for any reason other than appearance. If you're part of the 99% of actors who are not stunning enough to be models, follow the steps below in order to become an actress with no experience.
Ten steps to become a Bollywood Actor / Actress
Looking for steps to Become a Bollywood Actor / Actress? You are at right place and here are the greatest ten tips for becoming aBollywood Actor or Actress.
Bollywood (films) is one of the biggest industry of India. Becoming an actor or actress is not a cakewalk and you have to toil and struggle a lot. Most of the big Stars who are the icons of Bollywood have done their share of struggle and then reached to that level. Assuming that you do not have a star father or relative to launch you in Bollywood – you need other ways to come up in this industry.
To become a Bollywood Actor / Actress you have to be good – well that’s obvious. But we mean it and that is why we are writing it. You have to be good at following – if you have all ’10′ of the following you are a fit for Bollywood struggle:
10 Qualities you need to become a Bollywood Actor / Actress?
- You have good looks
- You have good physique and you maintain it
- You have good voice
- You have good commend over Hindi (must) and English (sometimes optional)
- You have good acting capabilities
- You are a good networker and get along well with people
- You are ready for prolonged struggle
- You can handle relationships and emotional disappointments
- You are ready to learn till death
- You can (sometimes) act selfish for your interests
Now if you fulfill the above criteria then we have next steps for you which you can use and try to enter the Bollywood.
(1) Learn acting: Yes however good you are – formal traing will shorten your struggle so learn acting formally. Apply to Film And Television Institute Of India (www.ftiindia.com) or National School of Drama (nsd.gov.in). If you can not get through them – then try some private institutes like Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares – The School for Actors (www.actorprepares.net). But remember learning formally is a must for you to feel confident on sets and it will be fun.
(2) Learn Dancing: Yep – however good actor you are you are nobody in Bollywood – if you do not know how to dance. So take the formal training from best of trainers – like Shiamak Davar (www.sdipa.com). You have to be good at dancing to be a good actor in Bollywood. Remember the more you sweat in peace the less you will bleed in war – so dance baby dance.
(3) Network: Start networking with folks in bollywood, hollywood (and other woods in India) – use online networking tools, your contacts in a focussed manner and connect with as many people as you can. Have good professional relationships – as you do not know who will be your next help in this industry. Network with guest lecturers in your college, network with directors, photographers, editors, producers etc. There is no need that you have to ask for a role while networking – just connect and make friends. Network, Network, Network…
(4) Learn professionalism: Professionalism is misused word in the industry – so you define what is professionalism to you and follow that. To me it is meeting time committments, delivering what is committed, being at arms lenght distance, keeping personal life private etc. You define your own boundaries and limts and stick to them. There may be instances where you may be asked to compromise – take out your professionalism yardstick and measure if that is what you want to do.
(5) Make a professional portfolio: You should make a professional portfolio including a physical portfolio album, CD portfolio and a website. Make your website dynamic with a blog section in it for your latest achievements. Have photographs taken of yourself by professionals. Make an attractive portfolio send them out with your acting resume to those who matter.
(6) Become known and famous: Yes you have to become famous if you are not getting any direct offers. But chose the route to become famous carefully – it should not affect your prospects in Bollywood negatively. You have options to join any of the reality shows, talent hunt shows, model hunt, Miss India or Mr India shows, do some Modelling assignments (for some big brands). Do not join the small screen in soaps and serials – yes that may harm your interests. Shahrukh Khan may be an exception.
(7) Appoint an agent, appoint a secretary and find a mentor: You will need an agent to survive in the industry. You will find many in the industry circles. Agents are people in Bollywood with contacts and information – they act like your representative and promote you with producers. Hire a secretary to do your correspondence and communicate on your behalf (well it imporoves your value by having a secretary). And find a senior person in industry and ask him to become your mentor to advise you on any issue or concern.
(8) Appoint a PR agent: You will need an professional to do your PR – which not only means releasing your activities to press but also advising you on what activitis to do. Remember the hype is very important for industry and PR agents know how to use print, radio, tv and web to generate interest about you.
(9) Chose your fist film carefully: Be it the script, be it the banner, be it the co stars, be it the role – chose your first film carefully. I know sometimes beggers can not be the chosers – but remember do not do a movie which looks flop from the drawing board.
(10) Have faith in yourself and keep trying: Yes and many ask how long we keep trying before giving up? Well if you ask me I will say till you get it. But being practical – try after after you have started from step 7 for at least three full years before giving up or taking an alternative career.
I hope that these tips will help the budding actors and acress to have a clear thought process and make their plans effectively. If you follow these tips and find them useful do write in the comments below and share them.
All the things you need to know before you take the first step to winning the hearts of the bollywood frenzy India
Bollywood is one of the biggest industries of India, which provides employment to thousands of people. Passionate and skilled individuals can have a very bright future here if they know the tricks. Some people often misunderstand that making a place among the known actors in Bollywood is a child’s play, it surely is not. Every successful actor has a story of struggle behind him and it takes a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck to become a successful actor. Unless you have a relative of yours in Bollywood who can launch you, you will have to start from the scratch. You need to proceed strategically and logically to fulfil your dream of becoming a known actor in Bollywood. Here are some tips that can help you.
The first step is to move to the right place, which is Mumbai. Being in this city will help you develop connections with the people in the industry. You also can hone your skills in an acting school. Actors are born as well as made. Being a part of an acting institute will give you a feel of the Bollywood. It will let you know what your profile demands and how you can face real life situations. Most importantly, it gives you a platform to practice your passion of acting and improve every day.
Besides enrolling in an acting institute, you need to create an impressive acting résumé to show it to various casting agents. You should always keep your eyes open for any kinds of auditions going on – be it for TV or movies – and give all the auditions. The more auditions you will give, the closer you will be to success. Though you will be rejected in many of them, do not get disheartened. When you decide to make an acting career in Bollywood, you should prepare yourself for a prolonged struggle and emotional disappointments. You also need to improve your looks, physique, command over Hindi and English, voice and of course acting skills.
Whenever you go for an audition, you will be asked for your portfolio in addition to the résumé. You should collect different headshots portraying various moods and styles of yours. This also includes all sorts of your acting experience till date. You should always keep it updated and never ever miss to mention even smaller assignments that you have done. Getting help from a professional agent could be beneficial.
Keep yourself abreast with all the latest news and activities in the industry. You should know which of the directors are looking for new people and which casting auditions are going on. You should remain constantly in touch with numerous casting agents to try your luck in any audition. You should keep trying to make as many contacts as possible because links help a lot in this industry.
You should also groom your communication and marketing skills and do not hesitate to start with a small role. It is just about getting the right break for after that sky is the limit.
- Make an appointment with a photographer you trust, and ask them to take color headshots of you. Be prepared to pay between $150 and $600 for your photos and ask that they make at least one original of each picture you are planning to use. You should have one friendly looking photo for your commercial headshot, and a more serious looking photo for your legit headshot.
- 2Print out a resume created in Microsoft Word or your favorite word processing program. Your resume should include your theater, film, and TV experience, your education, and any special skills you may have. A school or church play also counts as an experience, so if that's your only credit, put it on your resume and feel proud of it. If you have ever been in a school play, put this on your resume as well. Staple your resume to the back of your headshot.
Tips & Warnings
- Although everyone has a starting point, getting experience is crucial to becoming an actress with long-standing status. Be patient and do not expect your acting career to take off overnight.
- Do not attend any auditions that appear to take place in a residential home or apartment. On auditions, do not go into a locked room with only one individual.
How to Become an Actor or an Actress Without an Agent---
The main goal of an agent is to help an actor or actress book work by submitting their head shots and resume to a casting director so they’ll be considered for a part. An agent can be helpful for actors and actresses, but when you first start out, getting one may be difficult, especially if you don’t have much experience in the industry. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get work. It just means you’ll have to be diligent about doing the legwork yourself. Once you start to pick up steady work, you can consider working with an agent to help you get high-profile jobs and parts you may not otherwise know about.
Have professional 8” x 10” head shots ready to give to casting directors at all times, even when you aren’t at an audition. Your head shot should look like you – no retouching should be applied. If you change the color of your hair or get a different haircut, you need to update your head shots. Your head shots should have your name and contact information clearly printed below the photograph.
Keep up-to-date copies of your resume along with your head shots on hand at all times. Highlight relevant work experience, separating work into categories like theatre, television and commercials. Don’t include non-professional work like school plays. College work and education is acceptable, especially if you attended a notable school with a well-known program. Useful skills like juggling or dancing should also be included. If you don’t have anything to put on your resume, take some classes at a local community college or university and audition for community theatre productions to build your resume. Limit your resume to one page and make sure the font is 10-point or larger.
Audition for and join a casting service that books extras and actresses for minor roles in commercials, television and films. Most major cities have a variety of different casting services that book actors for these types of projects. You’ll need to take your head shots and resume when you audition for a casting service.
Audition for and join a casting service that books extras and actresses for minor roles in commercials, television and films. Most major cities have a variety of different casting services that book actors for these types of projects. You’ll need to take your head shots and resume when you audition for a casting service.
