Acting Toolbox
Below you’ll find a list of resources for anyone pursuing an acting career. Acting is a profession that has taken millions of people into a magic world of money and fame. There are so many legends who have been and still are worshipped as role models for the superficial characters they perform in movies.
Please feel free to submit suggested additions. This Toolbox is meant to be a resource for anyone interested in acting.
ACT (AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATER)
415 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102
415-834-3200
http://www.act-sf.org/home.html
http://www.act-sf.org/home/education.html
mfa@act-sf.org
ACTORS STUDIO DRAMA SCHOOL AT PACE UNIVERSITY
NYC and Westchester, NY
New York City Campus
One Pace Plaza, New York, NY 10038
212-346-1200
Westchester Campus
861 Bedford Rd, Pleasantville, NY 10570
914-773-3200
http://www.pace.edu/dyson/academic-departments-and-programs/asds
1-866-722-3338 (General Information)
1-800-874-PACE (Admissions)
http://theactorsstudio.org/actors-studio-drama-school/
http://theactorsstudio.org/contact-us/ (email form)
BROWN UNIVERSITY
Providence, RI 02912
401-863-1000
http://www.brown.edu/
admission@brown.edu
CALARTS (CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS)
24700 McBean Pkwy, Valencia, CA 91355
661-255-1050 ext 2185 (Admissions)
http://calarts.edu/
admissions@calarts.edu
CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
5000 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-268-2000
412-268–2082 (Admissions)
http://www.cmu.edu/index.shtml
DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
2400 N Sheffield Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
312-362-8000
http://www.depaul.edu/Pages/default.aspx
1 E. Jackson, Chicago, IL 60604 (Admissions)
admission@depaul.edu
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
600 W College Ave, Tallahassee, FL 32306
850-644-2525
https://www.fsu.edu/
admissions@admin.fsu.edu
GUILDHALL SCHOOL OF MUSIC & DRAMA
Silk Street, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DT, United Kingdom
+44 20 7628 2571
http://www.gsmd.ac.uk/
Drama Department
+44(0)20 7382 2323
drama@gsmd.ac.uk
Acting Application and Audition Queries
+44(0)20 7382 7149
acting_applications@gsmd.ac.uk
THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL
60 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023
212-799-5000
http://www.juilliard.edu/
Connect with Admissions at
http://www.juilliard.edu/apply-audition/connect-admissions
Admissions Blog
http://blog.juilliard.edu/
LONDON ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND DRAMATIC ARTS
155 Talgarth Rd, London W14 9DA, United Kingdom
+44 20 8834 0500
http://www.lamda.org.uk/
admissions@lamda.org.uk
MASON GROSS SCHOOL OF THE ARTS (RUTGERS UNIVERSITY)
33 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
848-932-5269
http://www.masongross.rutgers.edu/
admissions@masongross.rutgers.edu
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DRAMATIC ART
215 Anzac Parade, Kensington NSW 2033, Australia
+61 2 9697 7600
http://www.nida.edu.au/
info@nida.edu.au
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
633 Clark St, Evanston, IL 60208
847-491-3741
http://www.northwestern.edu/
ug-admission@northwestern.edu
TISCH SCHOOL OF THE ARTS AT NYU
721 Broadway New York, NY 10003
212-998-1900
http://www.tisch.nyu.edu/page/home.html
tisch.student.affairs@nyu.edu
ROYAL ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ART
62-64 Gower St, London WC1E 6ED, United Kingdom
+44 20 7636 7076
http://www.rada.ac.uk/
enquiries@rada.ac.uk
SECOND CITY, THE
(Improv-based Sketch Comedy Training Centers)
1608 N. Wells Street Chicago, IL 60614
312-664-3959
6560 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028
323-464-8542
70 Peter Street Lower Level, Toronto, ON M5V 2G5 Canada
416-340-7270 or 1-888-340-7270
http://www.secondcity.com/
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK at PURCHASE
735 Anderson Hill Rd, Purchase, NY 10577
914-251-6000
http://www.purchase.edu/
https://recruiter.purchase.edu/Datatel.ERecruiting.Web.External/Pages/prospectinquiry.aspx (email form)
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
900 S Crouse Ave, Syracuse, NY 13210
315-443-1870
http://www.syr.edu/
Office of Admissions 900 South Crouse Ave, 100 Crouse-Hinds Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244-5040
orange@syr.edu
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
Newark, DE 19716
302-831-2792
http://www.udel.edu/
http://primus.nss.udel.edu/mailto/bounce?bounce=y&only_sub_if_passed=y&html_source=http://www.udel.edu/forms/webfeedback/index.html&mailto=admissions@udel.edu&subject=University%20of%20Delaware%20Admissions (email form)
UCLA
Los Angeles, CA 90095
310-825-4321
http://www.ucla.edu/
UCLA Undergraduate Admission
1147 Murphy Hall, Box 951436, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1436
http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/ContactForm/UGADM.aspx (email form)
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
1533 South Main St, Winston-Salem, NC 27127-2738
336-770-3399
http://www.uncsa.edu/
P.O. Box 12189
Winston-Salem, NC 27117-218
admissions@uncsa.edu
UC SAN DIEGO
9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093
858-534-2230
http://ucsd.edu/
http://admissions.ucsd.edu/contact/contact-form.html (email form)
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OF DRAMATIC ARTS
1029 Childs Way, Los Angeles, California 90089-0791
213-821-2744
info@sda.usc.edu
http://dramaticarts.usc.edu/
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
Austin, TX 78712
512-471-3434
http://www.utexas.edu/
Office of Admissions
512-475-7387
P.O. Box 8058, Austin, TX 78713-8058
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
1410 NE Campus Parkway, Seattle WA 98195 (The Office of Admissions )
206-543-2100
http://www.washington.edu/
https://admit.washington.edu/Contact (email page)
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN ACADEMY OF PERFORMING ARTS
2 Bradford St, Mt Lawley WA 6050, Australia
+61 8 9370 6443
http://www.waapa.ecu.edu.au/
enquiries@ecu.edu.au
YALE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DRAMA
222 York St, New Haven, CT 06511
203-432-1507
http://drama.yale.edu/
ysd.admissions@yale.edu
FINDING SCRIPTS
http://www.10-minute-plays.com/index.html
quick scripts for practice
http://www.mocksides.com/
workshop acting
http://freedrama.net/
free workshop plays
http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/YouthTheatre/default.aspx
scripts for kids
http://www.script-o-rama.com/
produced movie scripts
AUDITIONS, CASTING CALLS AND RESOURCES
http://www.acting-auditions.org/
http://www.ace-your-audition.com/
Find parts as a voice actor/find voice actors for your project
http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/casting-call/
http://www.projectcasting.com/casting-calls-and-auditions/
http://www.ace-your-audition.com/free-monologues.html
Information on the costume of the Elizabethan era
https://www.costumecraze.com/r/resource-guide-to-elizabethan-era-costumes
ACTOR’S HEAD SHOT PHOTOGRAPHY
Free Actor Headshot Photographer Comparison www.headshothunter.co.uk
How to achieves the best headshots
https://headshothunter.co.uk/getting-some-headshot-advice
ACTING TIPS AND LESSONS
Audition Practice
http://www.wikihow.com/Practice-for-Acting-Auditions6 simple steps
A guide to becoming a working actor in LA, NYC, or London
http://actinginlondon.co.uk/
Acting Tips and Tricks
http://www.backstage.com/actor101/
Broadway Acting
http://www.broadway.com/groups/classroom/#loc=grpsubnav
Broadway “Camp” for kids
http://www.campbroadway.com/
News and advice for the acting community
http://www.castittalent.com/blog/
How to Begin a Career in Acting and Find Auditions
http://tvdramas.about.com/od/actingresources/a/becomeanactor.htm
10 Audition Tips for Actors
https://www.theproducersperspective.com/my_weblog/2008/12/10-audition-tips-for-actors.html
ORGANIZATIONS AND NETWORKS
http://www.sagaftra.org/
Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
Paid membership open to actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, dj’s, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other media professionals.
SAG-AFTRA organizes work; negotiates wages, working conditions and health and pension benefits; preserves and expands members’ work opportunities and protects members against unauthorized use of their work.
http://www.sagfoundation.org/
Screen Actors Guild Foundation
A national non-profit organization that provides assistance and educational programming to the professionals of SAG-AFTRA while also serving the public through its signature children’s literacy programs.
http://www.actorsequity.org/
Actors’ Equity Association
Seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society.
http://www.hollywoodnorth.com/
create free actor or model talent portfolios/talent network
FINDING AN AGENT
Call Sheet (formerly known as Ross Reports)
Details about casting directors, talent agents, managers, and production companies
Found in most book stores and also online at sites like http://www.backstage.com/mailing-labels/ ;
http://filmtvcareers.about.com/od/gettingthejob/a/AT-GetAgent.htm
http://www.nycastings.com/dmxreadyv2/blogmanager/v3_blogmanager.asp?post=secretstogettinganagent
http://www.sft.edu/tips/acting-agents-and-agencies.html
RECOMMENDED VIEWING for Actors
BROADWAY
(popular and entertaining shows and musicals)
Cats
Chicago
Grease
Les Miserables
Momma Mia!
Phantom of the Opera
The Producers
Rent
Wicked
Top Selling Broadway Shows
http://www.ranker.com/list/the-most-popular-broadway-musicals-ever/constance-bennet
FILM
Film Career Advice – https://www.simplylearningtuition.co.uk/resources/film-career-advice/
(stand out performances and method acting)
A Beautiful Mind (with Russell Crow)
Alien (with Sigourney Weaver)
Cast Away (with Tom Hanks)
The Dark Knight (with Christian Bale and Heath Ledger)
Dead Man’s Shoes (with Paddy Considine)
Django Unchained (with Christoph Waltz and Jamie Foxx)
Gravity (with George Clooney and Sandra Bullock)
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (with Jack Nicholson)
The Shawshank Redemption (with Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins)
There Will Be Blood (with Daniel Day-Lewis)
V for Vendetta (with Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving)
What Dreams May Come (with Robin Williams)
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (with Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio)
Top 200 Movie Performances by Total Film
http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the-200-greatest-movie-performances-of-all-time
Top 10 Movie Performances by Movies-Films-MotionPictures
http://moviesfilmsmotionpictures.com/2011/01/27/top-ten-movie-performances/
Top 25 Movie Vocal Performances by IGN
http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/08/01/vocal-heroes-the-25-best-voice-only-movie-performances
Top Actors based on Popularity
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls050274118/
http://filmschoolwtf.com/best-hollywood-actors/
http://movies.amctv.com/movie-guide/the-50-greatest-actors-of-all-time/
Top Actresses based on Popularity
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls000055475/
http://filmschoolwtf.com/best-hollywood-actresses/
http://movies.amctv.com/movie-guide/the-50-greatest-actresses-of-all-time/
TELEVISION
(stand out performances and method acting)
Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead)
Anna Torv (Fringe)
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Hayden Panettiere (Heroes)
Hugh Laurie (HOUSE)
James Gandolfini (The Sopranos)
Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld)
Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
Steve Carell (The Office)
Tina Fey (30 Rock, SNL)
Best Tv Actors of All Time by Ranker.com
http://www.ranker.com/list/best-tv-actors-of-all-time/jordananderson
Top Paid TV Actors of 2014 by Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/eimi45emdi/the-highest-paid-tv-actors-of-2014/
YOUTUBE
Acting Tips and Stories from Popular Actors…
Actors Against Acting Athletes with Gary Oldman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIaWo-BlBjs
Bryan Cranston’s Acting Secrets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBa6u3Ab2Do
James Franco on Method Acting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZVsMP8I9eM
Jennifer Lawrence on Wanting to be an Actress
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_07ArKMzQE
Jim Parsons answers 10 Acting Questions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_4uQkwLJaE
One Minute of Acting Advice from Robert De Niro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4K2znuYjwI
Acting Tips from Directors…
Acting Audition Tips From a Casting Director
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He4kSZSO1Ao
Casting Director Acting Tips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB43avXbQ8o
How to Stay in Character in On Camera Auditions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNyW6zm2pT8
Tips For An Audition: What NOT to do
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcEBJfy0myg
PHONE APPS
Actor Genie
http://www.actorgenie.com/
iPerform
http://protalentsoftware.com/ip_features_iphone.html
Line Learner
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/linelearner/id368070258?mt=8 (iPhone/iPad)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alldayapps.android.linelearner (Android)
My Lines
http://www.mylinesonline.com/
Rehearsal
http://www.rehearsaltheapp.com/
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rehearsal-2/id408873298?mt=8 (iPhone/iPad)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rehearser.rehearser3free (Android)