When do you know you should give up?

Wow, first let me say you're in England? LUCKY....I would kill to live in England or Ireland or Scotland - those three have THE cutiest accents and Ireland is the home of Thomas Andrews Jr....My hero anyway back to your issue.

Have you thought of applying for a O1 Visa? It allows actors from the U.K. and other countries to come to the U.S. and work and it's not expensive, a lot of actors have done it, I'm sure - Gerard Butler, Ewan Stewart, The guy who played in The Artist - can't think of his name. Getting to the US and getting work would be great because you'd really get access to roles and such.

The question I have is, were you born in the UK or do you just live there thus - in England's eyes you're considered a foreigner?

"entertainment" visas are not for every actor/entertainer. You have to be established/known actor with representation in your country to be qualified for Entertainment visa.
 
Ok....wow....that makes it difficult then....Wow. I wonder how actors like Ewan Stewart and Jonny Phillips did it? They're both not American actors but have played in numerous American films....
 
I still think there has to be a lot of lead role casting calls in the U.K., I just got finished checking for some online and I saw a few. I would try applying for those, if you're born in the U.K., you should be able to get them if your audition goes well. If you're not a born bred Englander then....Honestly? I would suggest traveling to the U.S. some how via a green card and get acting work here, just continue adding up acting job after acting job until you become known and then go from there. It might be easier to land jobs here then in the UK. Here being an extra or having a minor role on Scandal or Criminal Minds means a lot, it looks great on a resume....
 
I still think there has to be a lot of lead role casting calls in the U.K., I just got finished checking for some online and I saw a few. I would try applying for those, if you're born in the U.K., you should be able to get them if your audition goes well. If you're not a born bred Englander then....Honestly? I would suggest traveling to the U.S. some how via a green card and get acting work here, just continue adding up acting job after acting job until you become known and then go from there. It might be easier to land jobs here then in the UK. Here being an extra or having a minor role on Scandal or Criminal Minds means a lot, it looks great on a resume....

Honestly? I would suggest traveling to the U.S.
- I KNOW!!! :( But not so easy! :(

Here being an extra or having a minor role on Scandal or Criminal Minds means a lot, it looks great on a resume
- DUDE! You want to see what films are on my resume? 2 HARRY POTTER films in which one I was stand-in and worked shoulder-shoulder with Daniel Radclife and the director, X-Men: First Class, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Avengers: Age of Ultron , Rush, The Double, Clash of the Titans

I also worked on DEREK and LIFE's TOO SHORT with Ricky Gervais - BUT ALL AS AN EXTRA = who cares!?!? In the UK it's worth as much as toilet paper

I also did 3 commercials - semi featured

BUT... I was not born in the UK so... I am OUT
 
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so far the only thing of yours I've seen was the one with the egg being threatened.

Is it that hard to get into other low/no budget stuff around there? Not even talking paid gigs.

You could also do a guest spot for mussonman in his new web series
http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=55502

I did one to help him out because I like his stuff. Tried my best to give a decent performance but I've auditioned enough people to know there are a lot of folks out there more talented than me in that department.

This is a long shot, but take opportunities to showcase your range. You never knew, someone from this board might be famous in a couple of years and petition for you to get a work visa for one of their projects.
 
I want to be an actor and I also like making films.
You picked a long-shot industry. Any creative occupation is a long-shot... musician, actor, director, painter, etc. Very few are very successful. I know LOTS of people who have real talent who never made it. Often it comes down to whether you have that X factor that just really resonates with people. It just happens that the creativity that you do naturally happens to be what lots of people love.
 
Any creative occupation is a long-shot... musician, actor, director, painter, etc. Very few are very successful.

That depends to a large extent on how define "very successful". There are a couple of dozen or so who earn millions directing or producing theatrical features but there are many thousands who earn a living from directing.

I know LOTS of people who have real talent who never made it.

I've known a few people who had so much natural talent they could potentially have risen to the very top and even possibly have redefined their particular field and yet ultimately never even succeeded in becoming a professional. I've known others with lesser talent who have risen to amongst the top in their profession and one, with roughly the same amount of talent as those who never managed to become a professional, who not only reached the very top but did indeed redefine their field. In other words, talent is only one piece of the puzzle and truly great talent is a two edged sword which is still likely to result in failure.

Often it comes down to whether you have that X factor that just really resonates with people.

It's called the "X factor" because it's not easily defined and it's different from profession to profession and even within the same professions. For example, with the "front man" in a rock band the "X factor" is appearance and stage presence, while musical talent/ability is often a distant second or even a complete irrelevance. While this can also often be applied to actors, stage presence and appearance doesn't necessarily count for much as say a Director or painter. The average professional musician or director doesn't need loads of "X factor", they just need to be a good, solid professional. And of course in many cases, the "X factor" which we perceive has little or nothing to do with natural talent, it's been manufactured and sometimes not even by the person themselves.

It just happens that the creativity that you do naturally happens to be what lots of people love.

Of course that's an incredibly long shot because it doesn't just require that natural creativity, it requires the talent and resources to express it, almost perfect timing (which is largely down to pure luck) and lastly, a great deal more luck in getting "noticed" by someone who recognises the potential (of the creativity and of the timing) and who has the power/influence to help create a career. That's a lot of "if's" and a great deal of luck, which all add up to an incredibly long shot! Instead, if one directs/targets and develops one's creativity towards the industry, rather than hoping the industry moves towards you, one dramatically increases one's chances. This comes back to the attitude/approach I talked about previously.

G
 
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I understand exactly where you are coming from. Cliche as it sounds (and we all love a good one of them, say what's that? The Eiffel Tower from my hotel window?! Must be in France!) you have to maintain a level head and persevere. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I find that the invention of YouTube, social media in general, is a two-way street. First, it's so easy to get out there without anyone's help. On the flip side, it's like swimming in an endless ocean with no land in sight. You have to be prepared to suffer in the hope that you'll be picked up by the SS Famefarmer.

Interestingly enough, I was reading about Rupert Wyatt, director of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. What struck me about the film, and it's a damn good one, is this director. Who was he? I'd never heard of him which is odd considering this is a massive film. One would think a director of considerable reputation would be on board, but Wyatt had one previous film to his credit and that was it.

Some research later I found this great article which I think you should read. It isn't a 'magic bullet', but it helps put the nature of the business into perspective I think.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/...g-out-gave-me-an-opportunity-to-break-in.html
 
I don't know why we're acting like this is a black/white issue, as if you're either entirely putting in effort, or entirely not.

Look, if you had ever truly put in 100% effort, you'd be telling us about that time that you flew to Los Angeles, with nowhere to live and nothing more than $500 in your pocket, hoping to get a job as a production assistant.

I'm not belittling what you've done. All I'm saying is that, the smart person that you are, you've tailored your filmmaking plans, based on the life that you're comfortable living. So, keep doing that.

Life situations change. Our own attitudes change. Your filmmaking goals need to fit the particulars of your life. That doesn't mean you've given up. That just means you're being pragmatic. I see no reason to ever stop dreaming the dream, no reason to ever stop taking action to make it reality. Finding balance in life is NOT the same as giving up.
 
I don't know why we're acting like this is a black/white issue, as if you're either entirely putting in effort, or entirely not.

IMO, when it comes to film, 100% in marketing effort is absolutely required. 90% likely will result in failure and eventual badmouthing of the whole marketing process. There's no shades of grey in marketing success. You go all in.
 
so far the only thing of yours I've seen was the one with the egg being threatened.

My favorite Lukas DiSparrow film

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCek_Xn_he8

I've never watched this film in it's entirety as horror films creep me out, and this one creeps me out before I can finish it.

Lukas, don't take it personally, about being a foreigner in the UK. I'm sure being a foreigner in any country isn't easy for actors. If I go to France and speak French with an accent, it's unreasonable for me to play a part where I'm expected to be a native speaker, so the number of roles for me will naturally be less. I'm not trying to discourage you. Rather I'm saying, try to figure out what parts are suitable for you and then go all in for those parts.

I can tell you one thing as someone who recently went through a four day audition process. Most people come to auditions unprepared. If you really want a part and prep for it, and know every line, and you have the look and feel for that part, you're going to get the part. 80-90% of actors come in and start reading, like it's an audition for English reading or something. If you know the lines, and form your own opinions about the role, you'll get the part almost every time. I'm certain of it. :)
Best,
Aveek
 
IMO, when it comes to film, 100% in marketing effort is absolutely required. 90% likely will result in failure and eventual badmouthing of the whole marketing process. There's no shades of grey in marketing success. You go all in.

100% of what? Do you mean to say that someone should quit their job and spend every second of every day focusing on marketing, without ever sleeping? For those of us with day jobs and limited budgets, what does 100% mean?

I think it's up to the individual to figure that out.
 
100% of what? Do you mean to say that someone should quit their job and spend every second of every day focusing on marketing, without ever sleeping? For those of us with day jobs and limited budgets, what does 100% mean?

All your free time, and more. Contrary to some opinions here, marketing doesn't have to cost much. Start a blog, get 5000 friends on FB, 2500 fans of your FB film page, 1000(?) twitter fans, 6116 instagram friends, 1000(?) Pinterest followers, plus google circles, tumbler and more. I have all these and more and none of them cost me a dime.

Sure, it took me a couple years to build up, but hey, that is 100% marketing.

I think it's up to the individual to figure that out.

Sure, but if they don't do 100%, they'll be here whining about how marketing isn't working for them.
 
Sure, it took me a couple years to build up, but hey, that is 100% marketing.

Marketing is the promotion AND selling of a product. Maybe you've put 100% effort in promotion for a couple of years but unless that promotion and effort has resulted in considerable sales, or at least enough sales to cover the time and effort you've spent promoting plus the costs of making your film, then you are closer to 0% marketing than 100%!

G
 
Marketing is the promotion AND selling of a product. Maybe you've put 100% effort in promotion for a couple of years but unless that promotion and effort has resulted in considerable sales, or at least enough sales to cover the time and effort you've spent promoting plus the costs of making your film, then you are closer to 0% marketing than 100%!

G

No.
 
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