Greating!!my name is MICAILOU ,i'm originally from BURKINA FASO situated in WEST AFRICA and got a high school diploma from there .I joined the army 2 years ago as an active duty and getting out in one year and half and i've always wanted to play in an acting or been a comedian ,that's like a passion for me .But i'm afraid of hanging around or end up doing something else after i get out the army
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Hi Micailou!
I’m a filmmaker and not an actor, but I can offer my thoughts as a filmmaker who works with actors.
Like a filmmaker, you need both education and experience.
For education, you can go to a formal acting school or actor’s workshops or even learn on your own, studying the master acting teachers (Konstantin Stanislavski, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner, Michael Chekhov, David Mamet, and more).
I would encourage you to research acting and storytelling in your own region of West Africa, which has its own rich tradition.
In fact, I think this is what will make you unique from other actors. As my artist friend’s teacher told him, “Don’t forget where you’re from.”
To supplement your education, you need experience, which you can obtain by working on small projects like short films, corporate video, or community theater.
Then you can build an acting reel (a portfolio of your work) for your acting website.
In addition to education and experience, I would highly encourage you to become a producer, creating your own personal projects and telling your own unique stories.
Many actors in Hollywood are also producers as well as writers and directors.
Then you can hire yourself, give yourself opportunities, and showcase your talents.
Becoming an actor is extremely challenging, and there’s a lot of competition.
Hopefully, this advice can help you get started. Good luck on your career!
Best wishes,
Ming Lai
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