Customer Reviews

Acting Is a Job: Real Life Lessons about the Acting Business

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This is the most helpful book about acting I have ever read. It is honest, candid, funny and so true! No sugar coating, no "just do this and you will make it!" It's a truthful look at how hard a business acting is, and how long it takes to build a career but also how rewarding it can be if it is your passion and you are patient and willing to stick through the tough times. This book shows you that it's okay to be an artist and a business person, and once you meld the two, you can have a career.

A smart, funny and realistic view into the business of Acting, that should be a must read for new and veteran actors a like!

ACTING IS A JOB: REAL LIFE LESSONS ABOUT THE ACTING BUSINESS provides both humor and solid insights as it covers the basics of the acting world and uses interviews with other working actors, agents, and directors to fill in any gaps. From a review of lie theatre, film and TV opportunities and experiences to the basics of locating good-paying work and how to handle training programs, ACTING IS A JOB covers everything you'll need to know about the industry.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

For the first time, an accurate and hilarious breakdown of what the acting business is really like. Thoroughly entertaining, concise and informative, the author strips away the frothy fantasy of Hollywood that is sold to the public and to beginning actors, preparing his reader for the emotional, practical and economic realities of the entertainment industry. A must read for veterans, novices, and their confused parents.

This a great, smartly written book. It is useful for both actors who are just starting out, as well seasoned professionals who want to get back to the basics of the business. The book gives new insight into the other side of the acting business, brilliantly articulating how important it is to be your own best agent, producer and ally - and taking it to the next step by giving practical advice on making that happen. Pugatch's retelling of his peers' experiences, as well as the use of his own personal trials and tribulations are both entertaining and invaluable. He reminds us that how no matter where you are in your career, there are always hurdles, as well as triumphs, along the way. I highly recommend this book.

I had always wondered what the life of a normal actor was like. This book should seriously be read by every young actor with dreams of Hollywood and Broadway. It's funny, informative, interesting, and easy to read.

Pugatch addresses things that really needed to be said about training programs and other astronomical expenses for those pursuing an acting career. He's writing from the trenches, and is the first to be specific about the endless unreimbursed time and money and actor must invest in every audition. He even confronts the subtle rule-breaking that fills the business, such as submissions made my managers and callbacks that rename themselves to get around union rules. I'm so glad actorjourneys.com recommended this book.

Not just great, indispensable information for actors, but a great read too. The stuff you need to know as an actor is woven into real life stories in a very compelling and entertaining way. You'll have fun reading this and you'll learn a lot. I teach acting classes in Chicago and I've bookmarked 24 pages in this book to refer to in class. Jason's attention to detail means you get a great acting resource in this book. I predict it won't be gathering dust after you read it, it'll be coming back off the shelf on a regular basis.

This book should be required reading for every Conservatory, BFA, and MFA acting program in the country! For any actor in NY or LA, or considering a move there, this book gives it to you straight up - the reality of life as an actor, with no apologies!

Insightful, funny, and extremely informative, Acting Is A Job is a road map for actors at every stage of their careers. I wish I had read it several years ago, when I first moved to the city. I'm grateful that I stumbled upon it now.

Jason Pugatch spells it out - the good, the bad, and the ugly...unions, contracts, agent meetings & representation, job hunting, grad schools, regional theaters, the film and television business, commercials, typeing, auditions...how they all work and what your options are, in specific detail. Pretty much every question I've had about the industry and how it works, what's expected of actors and what we should expect from the business has been answered for me in this book.

Actors need to be well-informed, and this book does just that, expertly. It's a no-nonsense, cut-to-the-chase, lay-it-on-the-line book that can only help you get a leg up on your career. It's quite possibly the best $20 I've ever spent.

Great Book! Very helpful for anyone in or interested in the acting profession. If you are an actor that has a family that doesn't have a clue what you do-think you are fooling around or lazy- give them this book: They will have a better understanding of what it is you do all day. It is filled with insightful interviews, helpful tips, and anecdotes about many aspects of the business of acting. I highly recommend it. Truthful and honest, it doesn't give you that, "Anyone can be an actor! Just buy this book!" advice like so many you see on the shelf. It also gives you the facts so you can make informed decisions about how to pursue your career.