First of all, the best advice I can offer you on this subject is take advantage of every opportunity! Don't procrastinate - Don't say "Oh, I'll call her tomorrow" or "I'll mail it next week". DO IT AS SOON AS YOU CAN! No one is going to hand you an acting career on a silver platter, so get out there and work for it.

Where can you look for auditions?

Open auditions - where everyone can attend - will usually be advertised on TV, on the radio, or in the newspaper, so keep an eye open. Also check bulletin boards in universities or at the union office for auditions, although these will likely be mostly for theater.

Try calling the theaters in your area to ask when they're holding auditions for their next production. You can also ask if they offer classes - most of them do.

Also check out film schools in your area and ask about auditions for the student films. These films are a great way to get some tape of yourself, and you have a better chance of playing some really meaty lead roles.

Another avenue to take is film institutes. In Canada, there is the National Film Board of Canada (http://www.nfb.ca) or the National Screen Institute (http://www.nsi.ca) - there are likely similar organizations in other countries, so check the phone book and ask around. Contact these places to ask about how to get involved with independent films.

How do you meet people in the industry?

One of the best ways is through volunteering, whether it be at film festivals, fringe festivals, workshops, or plays. It lets you be behind all the action, and you'll be able to learn a lot... for free!

If you find out about any sort of industry parties - openings/premieres are the most common - try and find out if you can go.

Take classes. That's a great way to meet people.

Keep an eye out for meetings, workshops, and socializing events - if you're in the union, get out to any of the meetings and workshops they have. Try joining any local film groups, such as Women in Film & Video, which has chapters in several cities. If you hear about any sort of event that's film-related, do what you can to go.

Basically, just get involved with everything you hear about. The more people you know, the better off you'll be.

What can you do on your own?

If you've got a few buddies and an idea, write and produce your own play! Or even take an existing play and perform it. Why not?

If you have a video camera, you can use that to practise. Do a monologue and play it back to see what worked and what didn't. Or get a friend to read scenes with you. Watching yourself is a great way to discover how other people see you.

Another helpful activity is people-watching. Character is how you do what you do, and if you watch how different people walk and talk, you'll be able to recreate that in the characters you portray. For example, someone who goes to private school will probably carry themselves differently than a street kid. Watch people and learn... even keep a little notebook of your observations.

Go to as many movies and plays as you can and really watch closely. Try and figure out what you liked and didn't like about the acting and why.

How can I learn more about acting outside of classes?

Read books about the industry and the craft of acting. Also read as many plays as possible to get familiar with the structure, different characters, and different writers. As they say, knowledge is power. For a list of books I recommend, check out my Recommended Reading section. You can even purchase them through the links on my site.