Kurt Schneider broke into acting after spending many years in the business world. Here’s how he did it.
Apply to roles of every caliber.
“Gaining experience, honing your craft, and learning the ropes only come with repetitive acting roles. No role is too small. I am just starting and am constantly applying for roles.”
It’s never too late to change course.
“I was in business for over three decades, most recently as a CEO for nine years. I decided I wanted a change, and I have always had a desire to act, even though I had not done any training at all. Last year, I finally did something about it and went to London to take an intensive acting for film class, where they fit a 20-week course into 20 days. It was intense but awesome. The next-oldest student in the class was half my age.”
How to Become an Actor With No Experience Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
“I [build relationships] by asking a ton of questions. There are a lot of great answers out there; you just need to ask.”
Find the opportunities around you.
“I live in NYC. So many projects shoot in the city, from feature films to scripted TV shows to student films, that the opportunities are manifold. Just say yes.”
It can’t be overstated: Gain experience above all else.
“I took background roles [on ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ and ‘The Gilded Age’] to learn what it was like to be on the acting side of the camera, to be on a shoot and see the ins and outs of the production. I [also] did student films to get experience with speaking roles.”
This story originally appeared in the Feb. 16 issue of Backstage Magazine.