An Actor's Guide--Your First Year in Hollywood [Paperback]

Michael St. Nicholas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1996

In this friendly and authoritative companion, a working actor offers essential information for every actor beginning a career in Hollywood. Coverage includes: getting to know Los Angeles, finding a place to live, earning a living while auditioning, getting a SAG card, finding an agent, auditioning, building credits, getting exposure, contracts, publicity, landing parts, keeping the right frame of mind, and more. Interviews with well-known casting directors, agents, and actors provide firsthand tips. Useful lists of contacts and a glossary are also included.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Nicholas has penned a pep talk and warning for the novice actor intent on finding employment in the performing-arts mecca of the world. An actor himself, he provides personal tips and insight, including a questionable chapter on how to stay mentally, emotionally, and physically fit. On firmer ground, he includes advice from casting directors, photographers, agents, other actors, and a writer/producer, a publicist, a manager, and an acting coach. He coaches how to become an extra, what are the requirements for membership in the Screen Actors Guild (a sample SAG contract is included), and how to audition. Nicholas emphasizes the importance of photographs, resumes, and, most of all, perseverance. Addresses for soap operas, game shows, and talent agencies are included. Encouraging but mostly realistic, Nicholas's book could be helpful to those who will not be disuaded from moving to the coast in search of glamor, but libraries that already have M.K. Lewis's comparably priced Your Film Acting Career (Gorham House, 1993) can make this an optional purchase.?Kim R. Holston, American Inst. for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters Lib., Malvern, Pa.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"I'm buying up a bunch of copies to keep in my back pocket for everyone who asks me how to get into this business." (Sinbad ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Allworth Press (January 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188055934X
• ISBN-13: 978-1880559345
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,186,790 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great!!, January 20, 2006

By 

Brittany - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Actor's Guide-Your First Year in Hollywood (Paperback)

I absolutely love this book. I have been buying a lot of books similar to this one and I can honestly say this is the best book. It has great information. It has great detailed facts and if you plan to move to L.A. this will be very helpful....

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Has some good advice, January 13, 2003

By 

Todd Vaccaro (New York, New York USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An Actor's Guide-Your First Year in Hollywood (Paperback)

I liked this book it had some good tips and how-to advice.
I also loved Twelve Step Plan To Becomming An Actor in LA
It is a work book which guides you through your first year.
Itis written by a therapist,so it also teaches YOU how to take care of yourself emotionally, which is Key. Buy them both and have an edge over the competition

2.0 out of 5 stars Outdated and misleading, December 31, 2011

By 

GRACE E WRIGHT (Los Angeles, CA, US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Actor's Guide: Your First Year in Hollywood (Paperback)

I love the author's ebullient enthusiasm and clear intent to motivate and inspire his readers. However, this third edition was updated in 2006 and even in 6 years this book has become outdated and is lacking INTEGRAL information. I am an actress who recently finished my degree at USC and my school has tried to prepare me for the realities of the show business industry in a way that many theater schools do not. I have been fortunate to meet many casting directors, agents, producers, writers, and young working actors through my school's many resources and I can say that based on my firsthand knowledge, I found the information in this book to be staggeringly limited.

This book does not cover self-submissions or casting websites (it only mentions a site called "[...]" which does not exist/is a website that has nothing to do with breakdowns), it does not cover personal branding and self-promotion, and doesn't go in depth enough regarding means of finding representation, the pros, cons, and differences about agents and managers, is not detailed enough about how to find "money jobs," or which areas/neighborhoods are good/bad to live in. It gives a basic overview about casting workshops and showcases, but as important as those are to actors just starting out, I think more coverage of those topics (which lead into finding representation, which is your #1 goal starting out and can make or break your experience) is necessary.

The BEST parts of this book are the last chapters--"Creating a Positive Experience" and the later interviews with people in the industry. That said, many of the industry interviews in this book are with people who have good advice but aren't YOUNG, or up-and-coming. I think that is a relevant perspective that is starkly absent from this book.

This book is a fine jumping off point if you're right off the turnip truck/know virtually NOTHING about the industry or LA. If you have even a basic understanding of the city and the business then this book is a little bit.... rudimentary.

A better book is "Hit the Ground Running" by Carolyne Barry: Hit The Ground Running The Smart Actor's Guide

While I disagree with plenty of her advice and opinions, I think this book is more relevant and up-to-date. I'm certainly not saying to follow this book as a Bible... but at least it's a more current guide.