Most of us know that we were meant to do something, or be someone. We all have a vocation. Some find that vocation and succeed in fulfilling their dreams. Others go down a different path but still enjoy their work. We all want to be successful in our goals. The difference is, those of us who want to act want to shine. That is, most actors want to be celebrities. However, being a 'star' is not quite as easy as we expect it to be. There aren't any celebrity training courses. And you can't apply to be a celebrity like you can apply for a job. Unfortunately, for many start - hopefuls, where to begin and how to continue sparkling is not always so clear. This piece was written to simply guide you and help you look at the reality behind becoming a star, and of course it should help you look at this in a different light, too.


When I speak to careers guidance counselors, it becomes clear that they see dreams like becoming a star are all pie in the sky - it's literally too hard to achieve, and the stars (or celebrities) that you see in the media only make up a very tiny fraction of the population. This is because it is difficult to have the talents necessary, or be in the right place at the right time, to be a major movie or TV star. However, this isn't to ensure that I put you off your dreams - exactly the opposite. I want to highlight just how you can become a star in your own right.

So maybe you're really happy doing a 'regular' job on a daily basis. If you like movies, consider working at a movie theater or at a local television station. If that's not enough, maybe you can consider moving to Hollywood or New York City to get a job as a Production Assistant on a feature film. Or, perhaps, you might even find a job as a celebrity assistant. These jobs are obtainable. They might not be your dream job but they can get your pretty close to the movie and celebrity scene. And that's pretty darn exciting for most humble people. Of course, if you have to become a star, and acting is what you want to do, then you can still maintain these day jobs and audition and rehearse in your spare time. Opportunities just won't come your way though, you seriously have to know the industry that you want to be a star in, then follow your nose.

This aside, you can be a successful actor / singer / dancer in the industry even without being a celebrity - you can be your own star, doing something you love and being in amongst people whom you love to be around. Think about it, you might become a dancer with the next big dance act - your name will probably never be as known to the world as a celeb, but you've got your foot in the door and the pay isn't bad either! You might play a small part in a Broadway show, you've made it and you are that star we were talking about earlier.

Look at it the other way - are you the person that wants to be successful but not a well-known star. The fame and the celebrity can knock a person down when they least expect it. Many popular celebrities have had their careers take a turn for the worst simply because of the celebrity status that continually follows them around. This celebrity status can take its toll on people and can easily cause career or even mental and physical breakdowns.

Quite sincerely, we're all looking at a huge industry. You need to read the above and ponder why you want to become a star, who you want to be, whether you want fame or fortune - or both?

Once you know who and what you want to become, dress well and give off good vibes. Be confident about the sights you have set upon. Dressing as who you want to be, rather than who you are, gives off a superb impression as some think of you as 'that kind of person' before you've even shown them any of your best bits of talent. Being confident about becoming that person, without having your head in the sand and being too arrogant about it ) putting some employers off before you've set that one foot in the door, will mean that this vibe is echoed throughout the office / company / industry - you never know who's watching…

See my next article in which I lay out just how you should know exactly where you want to be in this dog-eat-dog world.

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Aimee Mitchell is an acting coach, short story author, community theater director and playwright. She has spent the better part of her adult life working with young actors and actresses.

Copyright © Aimee Mitchell. All rights reserved. Used with permission of the author. Not to be reproduced or distributed.

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