Acting

Acting Fact: The secret to great acting can be told in a simple metaphor. An actor must create a sturdy raft to support him/her. A raft made of all his characters circumstances, and he must allow the raft to be carried along down a river of spontaneous REaction to what's happening to him/her. Go with the flow.

TVI Actor's Studio - TVI is a nationally reknowned school with locations in NY and LA. This site has everything a young acting student needs from phone numbers to audition info. Also, under "Headshot Galleries" are lists of talented photographers in both NY and LA who can take your headshots for you.

New York Film Academy - An international school with locations in NY, LA, and in London. They not only offer classes in acting but also directing, screenwriting and computer animation. Steven Spielburg and Pierce Brosnan thought enough of it to enroll their sons there.

Neighborhood Playhouse - Home to the late, great Sanford Meiser, the Neightborhood Playhouse is one of the most intensive and well-respected acting schools in the country, if not the world. Their alumni is teeming with the greats of stage and screen

Ed Hooks - In addition to offering acting classes, under "Links and Resources" and "How To Get Into Acting" Hooks has a lot of good, free advice and links to many other valuable resources for young actors trying to make their way in the biz

Playbill - Everything you could want to know about the present state of the theatre world is right here. Theatre news from the U.S. and abroad, audition info, ticket info, reviews of plays, etc. Even track Tony Awards status! What more could you need?

Theatre Communications Group - Designed as a meeting place for non-profit Theatre organizations, TCG is there to help those of you interested in founding or promoting a theatre company. You can register your company through a link on the left, and add your name to the ever-growing list. Last I looked it has over 400 theatres.

Theatre History On The Web - Anyone in need of research on theater history in ANY period going all the way back to the ancients are sure to find valuable info here. Links on the left break the whole down into historic periods, like Classical, Medeivel, etc. It's very easy to navigate.

American Theatre Web - This database contains listings for over 3000 Theatres and 7000 productions happening right now and in the near future in the U.S. Includes access to call boards and ticket info for many. There's even a registry to which you can add your own theatre's info

Audition Agency - With mounds of information on auditions and casting calls, tips on where to look for and how to pick a good agent and links to specific photographers, directors and agencies this site is an invaluable resource. Definately wortha look if you're in need of representation.

Casting You - They offer helpful news on upcoming feature film casting calls and shoots and offer a database service which actors can use to post a headshot and resume. It can't hurt your chances, but take a sec to read their disclaimer that they guarantee nothing.

Actor News - A free resource for hungry actors that is updated constantly. On the far left side of the page is a column of several links to various different casting calls. They're divided regionally, making it simple to know which link is for you.

Acting Resource Page - Don't be fooled by this page's understated face, it has a lot to offer. About halfway down the page is a small link labeled "auditions" It will take you to a list broken down state by state. Not all states are listed, but most are and they are constantly updating and adding.

Actor Source - Everyone from a total rookie to a seasoned veteren could find something of use here. They offer advice on how to get started, how to find an agent, and the ever-daunting how to chose good monologues. It even has a feedback form in case you DON'T find anything useful.

Screen Actor's Guild - If you want to appear on screens big or small you're going to need to join this union. The site has info on how to join, news on members past and present and some useful links. In case you're intimidated, it even has a Flash-based guided tour.

American Federation of TV and Radio Artists - The Federation is another entertainment union, but unlike SAG it excludes film and includes radio. The site is more about the inner workings of the industry rather than acting, but offers great news and related links.

The Internet Movie Database - THE source for all your film actor research needs. Complete filmographies of just about every star you can think of, past and present, which are all cross referenced with every other star you can think of. Every actor has a brief bio, and every film has a brief description. 1000's of pictures too!

Exposure - If your an actor looking to make some connections, this is a good site. Exposure offers a constantly updated list of festivals and discussion boards where you can pose questions to film-makers young and old. Also great links for useful film-making tips and hints.

American Dialect Links - A massive resource to any actor needing to learn just about any regional dialect from the U.S. or Canada and even the Caribbean. Scroll down past the list of links labeled GENERAL INTEREST and you'll see hundreds of links listed, all broken down by regions.

Samuel French- Dialect Tapes - At Samuel French you can purchase audio recordings of hundreds of different dialects from around the world. Listening and repeating is a solid learning technique for dialect work. Prices range from about $12-$35, not including shipping or tax.

Animation World Magazine - This is a great site for CARTOON voice acting specifically. Near the top on the left is a links section labeled Magazine Favorites. Click on the link for Voice Over. Here you'll find an archive of AWN's most useful and interesting articles on voice acting for cartoons dating back about six years.

Voice Acting Alliance - If your an amateur voice actor this is a good source of info and contacts. For the most part it's for amateurs and by amateurs, but they have a lot of good info. Down the right side, starting about halfway down are links to several helpful tutorials.

Open Directory: Animation: Voice Actors - So many links to explore, so little time! This page is a collection of literally thousands of links to various sites ranging from individual pages devoted to specific voice actors to news and even downloadable sound clips.