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Hollywood will help you...but only once you are making a million dollars and Hollywood can take 10%.

1. BE PREPARED.

The time to learn the basics of acting is not on the way to your first audition or job. Assuming that you have taken an acting class that covers improvisation/scene study/cold-reading, have a great headshot, and a resume that lists your acting acheivements/special skills/classes taken/union affiliations, then I would say that you are on your way to beingg 75% prepared for an audition. I am surprised at how many actors go into an audition without knowing what exactly they are walking into. There are alot of things that an actor can do before an audition to prep themselves...do an internet search on the project- it can be eye opening to ty[e in the director's name and see what types of things come up. Also- for me I have learned that before an audition I need to distance myself from the other people in the room. Mainly because I am really talkative and it seems to break my focus if I am chatting about nothing before I enter the audition.

2. STAY IN-TOUCH/REACHABLE

Join theater groups, hang out where other THESPIANS are hanging, so you can stay on top of gossip and network. Finding out who is who in the local industry will help you play the game.

Build a web site that people can log onto and get all of your information from. Resume, photos, and contact information are vital. If you aren't great at building a website then hire someone that is.

3. CREATE LUCK

I came across a thin-as-a-rail actor named Paul Cram that consistently seems to get lucky. It doesn't make alot of sense considering this guy is almost six feet tall and only wrighs about 120pounds. He seems to be the polar opposite of what an 'actor' should look like. But upon observing what he was doing to market himself and how he handled himself in social and business settings I noticed that he was setting himself up to get lucky. He wasn't sitting back in his chair waiting for lady luck to notice him, he was activly pursuing her. I even noticed that on his car he had written his website "www.paulcramactor.com" I have never seen another actor with that type of enthusiasm.

If you live in a city or state that doesn't film movies or commercials- move.

Some states have agencies that work with film companies to assist in scouting shooting locations and striping away legalities. Find out who they are and if they have a mailing list or another way of finding out in advance if a film crew will be shooting in your area. Then fing out who the casting director is and send a copy of your headshot/resume. Who knows...the road to acting in movies and commercials is long, but maybe your exit is just a few blocks or a mile away.