Actor Job Requirements: What You Really Need to Succeed

Many actors think landing a role is about talent or luck. It’s not. Actor job requirements are real, and they start with discipline, training, and showing up like a pro. 

This isn’t just about saying lines on cue. Acting is about illuminating the human condition, and it requires emotional depth, a vivid imagination, and a solid technique.

The acting classes NYC studios offer can sharpen your instincts and provide the structure most actors never develop. 

MFS was created in 2001 because Maggie believed in a conservatory approach to acting and the understanding that any serious artist masters their instrument. Without real training and industry experience, even the most passionate aspiring actors struggle to establish a legitimate professional career.

In this guide, we’re breaking down what this career really asks of you: the acting skills you need, the tools to stay ready, and the mindset required to work consistently as a professional actor.

Key Takeaways

• Talent is cheaper than table salt; training and perseverance are what will keep you working.

• Acting is a real job, and it takes real discipline to do it well.

• If you want a serious career, you need to treat the craft seriously from day one.

The Job Behind the Spotlight

Most actors work across a range of settings, from local theater and student films to TV, commercials, and larger film productions. No matter the size of the project, the actor's job is one thing: to create behavior. Period. A professional actor must also be able to:

• Memorize scripts quickly 

• Collaborate with fellow actors, directors, and crew

• Make bold, vivid choices

• Navigate rejection and creative failure

• Perform under pressure for a live audience or on a set.

Acting requires a vivid imagination, a pliable body, a resonant voice, and craft.

Many acting roles also demand physical stamina, and will require an actor to have a versatile instrument, and the capacity to handle intense physical and emotional experiences eight shows a week, or dozens of takes a day. 

It’s common for actors to take on everything and anything, especially early on in their careers. It's important to work as much as you can in order to grow and develop.

These demands are why acting training matters. Without it, even talented aspiring actors can struggle to handle the real-world expectations of a professional acting career.

The Emotional Labor of Acting

Acting requires more than skill. It demands emotional depth and personal vulnerability. If you aspire to have more than two lines on Law & Order, you will need a developed instrument. You will need to access all parts of your emotional temperament. 

The emotional depths an actor has to access on any given day, most people experience a handful of times in their entire life. Your rage, joy, grief, fear, embarrassment, shame etc, needs to be accessible to you. If not, how can you adequately illuminate the human condition?

Embodying someone else’s life

Taking on a role means stepping into another person’s shoes. How many parts of the human experience can you identify with? 

Acting is a transformational art, and it's what any serious actor strives to be. Good actors are fascinated with people and with human behavior. It requires a vivid imagination, life experience, a developed voice and body, and a deep well of empathy. 

An actor should always strive to do justice to the character, to bring humanity to every role. If you also have a solid technique and craft, then your talent and instincts can fully operate.

Emotional resilience matters

Strong acting technique isn’t enough if you don’t have the tools to protect your emotional well-being. Many aspiring actors struggle with burnout because they don’t know how to separate their work from their personal lives. 

This is where real acting training makes a difference. The ability to separate yourself from the work, to develop a self-care routine to help you navigate difficult roles, but also the year to year grind of rejection you will certainly face is really important.

Training Is the Job

You can’t fake your way into a serious acting career. Talent helps, but without formal training, most actors will hit a wall. Learning lines isn’t acting. As with any art form, the real work is grounded in craft and technique.

Acting schools, conservatories, and university drama programs exist for a reason. They teach structure, discipline, and craft. Acting classes are where you build habits that translate into consistent, grounded performances. 

This is the kind of actor education that casting directors and talent agents look for when considering someone for professional acting jobs.

Skills every actor must develop

To work in film, television, or live performances, actors need more than instincts. You need specific acting skills that can be practiced and sharpened over time. You need to be able to consistently create organic, vivid, fully realized human behavior. Here’s what serious training helps develop:

• Voice: You can’t reach the back row of a theater or carry a film scene without vocal strength and resonance. Vocal training for actors teaches you how to use your voice with clarity, range, and purpose.

• Movement: An actor’s body is another essential form of communication. Movement training for actors should help develop your physical instrument. You want a body that is pliable and capable of supporting an emotional experience without strain and tension.

• Listening and responding: Listening is the bedrock of acting. Most actors wait for their cues. A well-trained actor is fully present, in the moment, fully listening and responding in every moment. This requires spontaneity and an ability to go from unanticipated moment to unanticipated moment. This is the foundational beginning of the Meisner Technique. 

• Script analysis: Actors break down scripts; it is a core part of their skill set. The ability to craft in a simple, personal, and specific way is what will separate the vivid actor from the general hack. You want to be able to break a script down into beats, implant meaning, create impulses, justify text, and do actions. If you don’t understand this, learn how. This is also foundational to the second year of the Meisner Technique training.

These are the basic skills needed to become a professional actor, and they don’t happen overnight. It requires an acting studio that will help instill these fundamentals in you. They ultimately need to be second nature, and over two to three years, you can become second nature.

The Actor’s Toolkit: What You Need to Get Cast

Professional acting training will get you ready for the work, but these tools can get you in the room. 

Casting directors need to feel confident that you know what you are doing and will not embarrass them. Their reputation is built on being able to bring in the best actors for producers, directors, and networks to evaluate. They need proof you’re prepared to do the job. That’s where your professional assets come in.

Headshots

A professional headshot is your first impression. Do not try to take the cheap way out and have a friend take your photos. You want the best quality shots possible. 

Your headshot should grab a person's attention, make them pause, and actually turn your photo over to look at your resume. Casting directors look at thousands of photos a week, so yours must be captivating.

In a competitive industry, an audition opportunity begins with a great photo that captures your essence and personality.

Acting résumé

Your résumé should be error free, and organized in an easy to follow format. Relevant work and training is a must. 

DO NOT LIE ON YOUR RESUME. I promise you, it will come back to bite you at some point. Unless you want to be seen as a background actor and an extra, do not list this on your resume. No one cares, and it will not help you get into the room. 

If you don’t have any legitimate acting work to list just yet, that's ok. Start auditioning as much as you can, and if you do good work, you will start to book jobs, and your resume will grow.

Casting directors and talent agents scan these quickly—format matters, and clarity is nonnegotiable.

Demo reel

This is where you show what you can do on camera. Keep it short and specific. Use clips from past performances that highlight your acting skills, not fancy editing. 

Do not grab your phone and have some friends shoot some gorilla scene work. It’s beyond amateurish. Only put the best quality work on your reel. Student films, well-shot indie shorts, and your more substantial scenes are key. Your real should not be more than 2 minutes long. No one will watch more than that.

If you don’t have enough material yet, I would recommend a company like REELARC. The students in our Professional Actor Business Program get excellent demo reels through them. 

Website and online presence

Working actors need a place where all their materials live. A simple, professional website with your headshot, résumé, demo reel, and contact info shows you're professional and ready for work. 

Some actors also share updates on current projects or clips from recent performances. In an industry shaped by film, television, and digital media, your online presence matters.

Your website and assets will continue to grow and evolve as your career moves forward. You’ll update your materials constantly as you train, work, and grow. Each project, each acting class, and each new role adds something to your profile. How you present yourself to the industry is really important, and you want to look and feel like someone who can handle themselves in a professional acting job.

Beyond the Role: Self-Marketing and Career Maintenance

Your professional assets can get you an audition, but if you do not have a solid process for creating behavior, it will be very, very hard to have an acting career. Training is what will separate you from the tens of thousands of wannabe actors. 

If you can also embrace the notion that you are the CEO of your company and manage the business side of your career, then your odds get a lot better. 

Stay connected and visible

Most successful actors don’t wait around for someone to hand them opportunities. They build relationships with other actors, directors, producers, and theater companies. They attend industry functions, show up to acting workshops, talk to casting directors at events, and keep in touch with people they've worked with before. 

In a competitive industry, being present and engaged matters. Much of your success as an actor will be built on the relationships you form. Be nice, be on time, be open and willing to collaborate, and surround yourself with talented people. 

Do not hang out with the lazy, the untalented, or those who want to complain and bitch about how the world owes them something. The creative community you foster will go a long way toward your success.

Your reputation can lead to more casting calls, referrals, and callbacks. That only happens if you keep showing up prepared, professional, and open to growth.

Keep training and updating

Acting doesn’t have a finish line. If this is truly what you want to do with your life, then you have to look at your career as a marathon and not a sprint. 

Even working actors who’ve booked film or television jobs keep training and working on their instrument. Industry standards shift, casting trends change, and directors expect more range than ever. 

If you want to land bigger projects, you have to keep sharpening and expanding your skill set. That could mean returning to acting classes, taking voice lessons, or working on scene study with a coach. It might also mean adjusting your résumé or reel as your acting experience grows.

Ongoing training keeps you grounded and ready for whatever comes next.

Treat it like a career

Actors work in different settings—local theater, television sets, short films, or web series—and each requires professionalism and preparation. That means being ready when the opportunity comes, not scrambling at the last minute and phoning something in

Have your materials ready. Know how to talk about yourself and the type of work you see yourself doing. Understand your type and how it fits with your career goals. The more you treat acting like a career, the more the industry will respond in kind.

Marketing yourself is about clarity, consistency, and doing the work when no one’s watching. That’s what separates a professional actor from someone who likes acting as a hobby. There’s nothing wrong with that approach, but just be real with yourself. You may like acting, but just not enough to really pursue it professionally. 

Choosing Your Path: Stage, Screen, or Both?

In my opinion, a real actor is capable of doing anything and has trained themselves for such a career. There isn’t one way to build an acting career. Some actors find their place in theater, others work on film or television sets, and many move between mediums depending on the project. 

Each path comes with its own demands, and knowing what you're drawn to can help shape your training and professional goals.

Screen acting

Yes, there are technical aspects that are unique to screen and stage acting. But acting is acting, and the first thing you need to be able to do is create behavior. If you know how to do that, then learn the technical requirements of the medium. Screen actors work in film, television, and commercials. The work is more intimate, and every small gesture counts. 

You’re often working closely with camera operators and video editors who shape the final performance. The pace is fast, and scenes are usually shot out of order, which means you need to stay emotionally connected with little build-up.

In this space, voice control, subtlety, and internal work are key. Most successful actors in film or TV have strong techniques and are comfortable adjusting quickly between takes.

Stage acting

Theater is a completely different animal. You either have the physical instrument and craft to sustain a two-hour show, or you don’t. 

Most film actors who have never trained will come to NYC to do theater, only to be exposed as a hack. You can’t hide on stage, and you don’t have an editor choosing your best moments to create your performance.

Stage actors perform live, up to eight shows a week, in front of a real audience. There’s no second take. Your voice has to carry to the back of the house, and your performance needs to be consistent every night.

Conservatory training, like the programs we offer at MFS, is especially valuable for stage actors. Theater demands a deep understanding of language, movement, and timing—skills that require serious, focused training to develop fully. 

Performing live, night after night, takes real stamina and discipline, and that kind of consistency only comes from doing the work in a rigorous training environment.

Voice acting

Voice acting is another lane that sits within the larger performing arts world. It requires vocal control, timing, and the ability to create character using nothing but sound. 

This path often attracts actors who have a strong vocal range and experience in live readings or classical training.

Choosing what works for you

There are several factors to think about when choosing your focus. Your strengths, your interests, your long-term career goals—all of these play a part. I would suggest that you start with professional training. Learn how to act, and develop a solid process for yourself.

Some actors also start in school plays or local theater before making the decision to begin formal training. Others get their start on camera and later realize that acting training is going to expand their opportunities. 

The industry offers various settings to seek out and apply your craft. What matters most is developing strong foundational skills, staying open to different training, and remaining flexible. Each medium will shape you in a different way, and every role adds something valuable to your career.

The Unseen Responsibilities: Reputation, Conduct, & Set Culture

Just as in any profession, there are professional standards and expectations when it comes to the industry. 

At MFS, I expect my students to embrace those standards. Be on time, show up prepared, be a good collaborator, and don’t be the problem. Be a problem solver. Being an actor goes beyond what happens on stage or in front of the camera. How you carry yourself in rehearsal rooms and on set shapes your reputation and the work environment around you.

How you show up matters

Directors and producers remember the actor who’s prepared, respectful, and focused. The way you collaborate, take direction, and support other actors affects everyone working on the project, from voice coaches and crew to camera operators and stage managers.

Lead actors often set the tone on a project. A grounded, professional presence helps create a space where people can do their best work. That kind of consistency makes a difference. Also, just be nice. No one wants to work or be around an asshole.

Hold yourself accountable

The job continues when the scene ends. Being on time, listening actively, and treating every person on set with respect speak louder than talent alone. Long-term careers are built on how you work with others.

Formal education and conservatory training reinforce this. At MFS, our conservatory training reinforces this. We train actors to show up with professionalism, discipline, and the kind of character this industry demands at every level.

The Long Game: Persistence, Patience, and Process

A serious acting career rarely takes off overnight. Most actors spend years auditioning, working other jobs, and developing their skills before landing consistent work. 

Only 14% of all SAG/AFTRA actors earn the yearly minimum of $26,470 needed to trigger your health insurance. 

Let that stat sink in. If you are entering this business because you crave fame and celebrity, you are going to be sorely disappointed. That kind of success is a byproduct of hard work, resilience, grit, and perseverance. 

Most actors quit within five years of pursuing a career. So make sure you love it, make sure you want to do this with your life, and make sure you can handle rejection and financial uncertainty. 

The actors who succeed are the ones who stay in the work. Whether you pursue a bachelor’s degree, formal education in the performing arts, or conservatory training, growth takes time.

Maggie Flanigan Studio trains actors for the long game. We teach discipline, process, and the kind of mindset that helps you stay grounded, focused, and ready no matter how long it takes to build your career.

Why Training at Maggie Flanigan Studio Matters

If you want to become a professional actor, your training should reflect the seriousness of that goal. 

At the Maggie Flanigan Studio, we offer conservatory training rooted in the Meisner technique. Our approach moves actors past surface-level performance into emotionally honest, grounded work.

We offer a two-year conservatory program, a six-week Summer Intensive, and MFA-level classes in voice, movement, classical text, mask & clown, script analysis, theater history, and film history. You’ll train alongside fellow actors who are committed, focused, and ready to do the work.

Some of our students come with a bachelor’s degree or a university drama background. Others arrive with no formal education but a clear passion to act. Wherever you’re starting from, our program helps close the gap between where you are and what it takes to work professionally.

If you're ready to train with discipline, grow with purpose, and treat acting like a real career, apply to Maggie Flanigan Studio today.

Conclusion

Acting isn’t guesswork—it’s a craft. If you want a professional career, you have to train like it.

The real job starts with showing up prepared, knowing your work, and being someone directors and fellow actors can count on. That kind of consistency comes from discipline, structure, and a clear understanding of what the industry expects.

There are no shortcuts. Most actors spend years working other jobs, auditioning, and training before anything sticks. The ones who make it are the ones who stay in the work, keep growing, and don’t flinch when things get hard. 

If this is the life you want, you have to build it like a pro—one rehearsal, one scene, one honest performance at a time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the requirements for being an actor?

Becoming an actor takes real training, emotional accessibility, physical stamina, and a strong work ethic. 

You need the skill to do truthfully under imaginary circumstances, the discipline to keep growing, and the professionalism to handle the demands of working with directors, other actors, and production teams.

Do acting jobs pay well?

Some acting jobs pay well, but most early-career work does not. Professional actors often move between short-term projects, and steady income can take years to build. 

The actors who train seriously and stay consistent in their craft have the best shot at booking higher-paying roles over time.

Is it hard to get a job as an actor?

It is. Competition is fierce, and most acting jobs are short-term with no guarantee of steady work. Success comes down to preparation, persistence, and professional training, not just talent. You have to stay in the work long enough for the opportunity to meet preparation.