Acting is an exciting career that allows you to travel, meet tons of people, play make-believe, and (hopefully) make quite a bit of money. However, as with anything, acting has a downside. This section isn't meant to discourage you from pursuing acting. I've added this section simply because a lot of people have the impression that acting is easy, but after being an actor for 11 years, I can tell you firsthand that it's not. You need to REALLY love being an actor in order to survive in this business because of a few very frustrating, unfair, and uncontrolable things:

Being talented doesn't guarantee you'll get a part.

This is, for me, one of the most frustrating things about this business. Especially these days, many roles are cast based on how a person looks, so it really doesn't matter if you're the better actor. You may be told that you're the director's first choice for acting, but they went with someone else because they had the "right look". I've had this happen myself, and it hurts quite a bit, but it's something you'll have to deal with quite often.

People with less experience than you will be given parts.

With any other business, the people with the most seniority, experience, and training get the job, but in acting, that doesn't exactly apply. In general, someone with lots of training and credits will have an edge over someone who just decided yesterday that they want to act, but every so often - especially with kids and teens - someone with stars in their eyes will be cast without having worked at all. To me, this is a shame, because it's very unfair to anyone who has taken the time and made the effort to learn their craft and work hard to get where they are. It happens, though, and the only thing you can do is keep your chin up and continue to learn whatever you can, because hard work does count for something.

It's all about who you know.

This can work both for an against you. If you happen to have connections in the business, you're farther ahead than most people. But, if you're like me and are starting from scratch, this is going to make it more difficult for you to get a part. Many characters are cast without even contacting agents to tell them about auditions. Roles will go to the producer's nephew or the girl who flirted with the director at a recent party. Or maybe the production company has a favorite actor that they cast in all their projects. In a lot of ways, it's very unfair, but it happens alot, so be prepared.

The production you were cast in may never be shown, or may not even actually start filming

I can't tell you how many times this has happened to me, and how frustrating it's been! The biggest problem that productions run into is lack of funding, so some films and TV shows that are cast and ready to go may not ever be filmed because there isn't enough money. And, even if you do film a project, it might never hit TV or the theaters, your scenes might be cut out of the finished product, or the production might not even be completed in the editing room. It happens more often than you might think, and it can be very disapointing. You'll have to get used to explaining to people that the project you said you were cast in will never go to camera.

People you thought you could trust can turn around and forget all about you (or worse!)

This isn't just true for the entertainment industry, but it's something I need to mention because you do need to be careful. Unfortunately, acting is a very dog-eat-dog world and many people will do anything to succeed. This means that you could find yourself being lied to, having your money stolen, or being abandoned. Of course, there are many wonderful people out there who would help you, but just make sure you always keep careful records of correspondence with people (it's a good idea to print & file e-mails, save letters, and if you make a phone call, write down the date, time, who you spoke to, and what was said), do research on anyone you plan to work with, and make sure you conduct yourself with the honesty and integrity that you would expect from other people.

You're going to be rejected... a lot.

This is another really difficult thing: being turned down. And it's going to happen a lot, so you need to develope a way to cope. No matter what someone says to you about the way you look or how you perform, always remember that you're a worthwhile person and that what other people think of you is none of your business. People can be very cruel, and especially so in this business. It's best to surround yourself with family and friends who love and support you, and continue to work on your craft and pursue your dream in spite of what anyone tells you.

If you think you can handle all that, and you really love to act, then by all means, go for it! This can be a very rewarding business if you keep your head on straight and make sure that you're always doing it because you love to. But, like anything in life, you need to watch your back, be careful, and take the time to enjoy the little things!