No one moves to New England to pursue their dreams of becoming a screen actor. Regardless, you can still participate in the local acting scene in Boston, Providence, and other cities. Here are a few things you should know from the start.
TL; DR Acting in New England can be fulfilling, but it requires a lot of work, patience, and most importantly — passion.
First — why am I telling you this? I’m a Boston-based “actress.” I put that word in quotes because I do not feel like an actress much of the time. Since I started acting two years ago, I have landed a number of commercial gigs, a few music video roles, as well as small parts in indie films.
Acting in New England has brought me so much joy, but also so much frustration. I feel that as a “glamorous” profession, many of us in the industry, myself included, try to put front and center the good aspects and downplay the less-than-awesome parts. If you want to start out your acting career in New England, there are some things you should know.
I want to share with you my thoughts, because I wish I could have had the full picture when I started out. Below are my opinions that stem from my experiences, experiences of those I know, and what research I did as I put this post together.
You will be doing a lot of unpaid work
Con
The reality of acting in New England is that there is so much unpaid work available and much of the paid work is low-paying (like $100 for a full day). If you are getting your start with acting in New England, volunteer work can be a great way to hone your skills, build your resume, and make connections. However, unpaid work, won’t likely pay the bills — so, be sure to prioritize paid gigs when possible.
Pro
Sometimes volunteer work can be really valuable. For example, you may be more likely to get a lead or a supporting role for a student project, than for a big, expensive production. Unpaid work will help you make connections and build your skill set. The more you work, the more you learn, grow, and become a more professional actor.
You may not always see the final product
I got a speaking part in the very first commercial I ever booked and I never saw the final product. It can be discouraging to never see your work showcased on screen. These things used to frustrate me, but now my expectations are lower and I’m less bothered. In my case, the commercial was never released because the company decided against launching the product.
Reasons I personally did not get to see my acting work on-screen:
- Product/ service no longer released
- College student never finished the project
- College student never responded to follow-up emails
- Production quality (sound/ lighting) was so poor that the release was cancelled
- The commercial aired in a state I don’t live in
- I refuse to spend money on the film and therefore will never see it
- I forgot to ask about release details…
When you become an actor (or a model), facial-recognition searches can be your best friend. Through this means, I have found more than one “lost” production, as my face was matched with the final product online.
Your time WILL get wasted
The big secret about acting is — you won’t be doing it all that much. I do not mean this to sound discouraging, but the truth about acting in New England is that you really need to hustle to get jobs. You will make self-tapes (auditions that you record at home), audition (online or in-person), attend callbacks (audition again), and only maybe you get the job.
If you do get the job, show up on-time (or a little early) and with low expectations. I have rushed to acting jobs only to have been sitting around for an hour before I’m needed. I have blocked off whole days, weeks in advance, only to learn later the production had been rescheduled. Once, I took the train for a film shoot, arrived early, and was then told that they wouldn’t even get to my scene on that day. When production runs late, I stay late, and that means showing up late to personal commitments.
Production doesn’t care. You will meet so many kind, talented, and interesting people on productions. However, “production” as a system of processes that must prioritize the bottom line — does not care.
I’m a little salty, so I’m going to share one anecdote:
Clear Communication — Not Always Guaranteed
I signed up through my agency for a modeling audition. Details were scant, but we were told to wear a black dress and nude heels and show up to a hotel ballroom for the audition. About two dozen women were in attendance. The casting director announced that she couldn’t accept women with hair extensions. Just like that— a few women were automatically excluded. They got all dressed up and headed downtown just to be shooed away at the door. The casting director listed a few more no-gos and the bevy of women was whittled down quickly (I was one of the rejects).
I feel upset about the whole experience, because the casting team could have simply listed “no hair extensions etc.” in an email. If the casting had just given the agency and the models more information about their selecting criteria, they could have saved everyone so much time and effort. However, they did not — and this is not uncommon.
Asking people to take time out of their day and show up for you is a big deal. Casting and production won’t always appreciate the time you take out of your day for their creative work. I find it inconsiderate.
Taking classes can be hit or miss
There is great value in practicing your craft. I know those who have taken classes through Boston Casting and highly recommend it. Though I have no personal experience with these courses, I hear that in addition to learning skills, they also can provide good opportunities to network with casting directors as well as other industry professionals. Not everyone I’ve spoken to was interested in taking classes, stating that they would “rather learn on the job.”
At the end of the day, practice makes perfect and classes can be super helpful! However, with costs and time commitments — taking classes is not feasible for everyone. If you are just looking for skills training, online learning, taking opportunities to do unpaid work, and finding mentors in the field would all be better than just winging it.
Landing an agent is only 25% of the battle
Getting an acting agent in New England can be competitive. I applied to several agencies, but only heard back from one. I auditioned (with a dramatic and comedic monologue), had a short interview, and — very fortunately— I was accepted.
Just because you have an agent doesn’t mean you no longer have to hustle. They can help find jobs for you, but if you just sit back and wait, you will be doing yourself (and your agency!) a huge disservice. I could write a whole post on my agency experience (should I or nah? Let me know in the comments).
Getting your SAG card may not be worth it
The Screen Actor’s Guild or SAG is one of the largest actors’ unions in the country. Membership can give actors opportunities to pursue higher-paying jobs, attend SAG events, and vote in union elections, among other benefits. However, it also comes with annual dues and can actually limit the types of jobs actors can audition for. One can acquire SAG membership through background work or speaking roles on SAG productions. Typically, an actor will receive a voucher when they accept such roles. When an actor receives four vouchers (or is it three?), they are considered a “must join,” i.e. they are compelled to join the union before they can accept any more SAG work (note, this is more typical for SAG background work, SAG membership can come quicker for principal roles).
SAG membership can be the golden ticket for those looking to take their acting career to LA where union work reigns supreme. However, for those looking to stay local to New England, nonunion work (especially for commercials) is much easier to come by. New England does have a movie industry. More recently, Hocus Pocus 2 was recently filmed in Rhode Island and parts of Don’t Look Up and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody were both filmed in the Boston area. However, major film studios typically cast principal roles in other parts (LA and sometimes Atlanta). Only the one or two-liner roles and extra work goes to New England residents.
Should I join SAG while based in New England?
In conclusion, if you’re looking to act in New England for the long term, you may want to hold off on SAG work. Though, it’s worth mentioning that there are some complicated not-so-well-explained nuances like “Fi-Core,” which theoretically allows union actors to do nonunion work. Additionally, there are production agreements that allow low-budget and student productions to recruit SAG actors… but I digress.
There’s a Real Community Here
The New England filmmaking community exists. Quick searches including key phrases like “new england filmmakers,” “acting in New England,” “boston acting,” and the like, reveal to you just how many have an interest in the industry. If you are passionate about acting in New England, reach out to others who share that passion. I produced a small comedy sketch once and put out a call for applications on Facebook. There were two final contenders. They’re both great! And, interestingly, by pure coincidence, I have run into both of these women at auditions and acting jobs since.
Acting in New England can be a small world.
When in doubt — be open-minded, be kind, be flexible, and support each other. We’re all connected here. It’s worth it to help each other out.
Can I be an Actor in New England?
Yes — you sure can be! For many, acting is a long road (overnight successes are the exception). With a movie and commercial industry, as well as film schools in the area — New England (and more specifically Boston) can be a great place to dip one’s toes in the acting pool.
One great place to find acting jobs in New England is the website BackStage. Use my BackStage referral code and— break a leg!
What more do you want to know?
What other things would you like to know about acting in Boston and New England? Where to find jobs? How to get an IMDB page? How to get an agent? Let me know in the comments 🙂