Acting In LA
I was fortunate enough to have Kristina Sexton Taylor coach me last week and can tell you that in one lesson, she cut to the crux of our session with humour and so much sage advice, I immediately wanted to purchase this book. Currently, I'm awaiting delivery. As Kristina joked in class, the message wasn't lost on me. Australians and in fact all actors, must keep learning. It is what I tell my students too. Why would you think you could play a piano concerto at the Opera House in Sydney with a few lessons? Or play Federer without practicing everyday for years with great coaches, the best nutrition and a healthy confidence in your abilities? When you have a passion for something, you keep working in it, on it and applying it, right?
Being in the same space as Kristina is something I encourage everyone to do. If you can't see her in person, you can always go online to her On Set Coaching programmes and cherry pick from all the courses available. With Pilot Season being cast around the world, it has opened the doors for undiscovered talent from LA to the GC and allows Reel Mgt to be part of this dynamic, exciting process. Read on to find out the truth and how you can start Acting In LA.
Here's the blurb from Booktopia:
"Each year, Hundreds of aspiring and experienced actors head to LA each year, hoping to make it big in Hollywood. While many of them have their acting chops in shape, few realise what it actually takes to survive in Tinseltown. Even if they happen to make it onto a set, many are clueless about what's expected of them and how they should behave. Acting in LA: How to Become a Working Actor in Hollywood is exactly what these actors need: a handbook to arriving, surviving, and thriving on- and off-set in LA.
Written by veteran Hollywood actor, acting coach, and acting teacher Kristina Sexton, this comprehensive guide takes no prisoners. With just enough snark to keep readers entertained-and on their toes- Acting in LA delivers solid advice on such topics as:
Headshots, resumes, and reels
How to find your "image" and market it
The SAG/AFTRA debate
Networking
Agents and managers
The importance of creating your own opportunities
Maintaining a life outside of acting
Setiquette
On-set terminology
And much more
A comprehensive guide that can be utilized by actors either inside or outside Hollywood, Acting in LA relies on Kristina's real-life experience as a working actress and exposes the pleasures, pitfalls, and practicalities of pursuing a career in acting.
About the Author
Kristina Sexton is a former working actress in Los Angeles with more than twenty years of experience in the entertainment industry, including a recurring role on the TV series Greetings from Home as well as roles on The Shield, Cold Case, Crossing Jordan, and other productions. She has trained in LA, New York, and London, and she earned an MFA from the California Institute of the Arts.
In addition to her own acting, Kristina has worked as an acting coach, dialogue coach, and acting teacher around the United States and in Australia. . She also teaches online acting classes through her own coaching company, On Set Coaching. She currently lives in Santa Monica, California but also has a home base near Brisbane, Australia."
Here's just one review from Good Reads
Katie gave it 5 Stars
"Must read for all LA bound actors! Kristina shoots it straight but also makes it seem so very possible to pursue an acting career! An honest, straightforward, incredibly helpful and humorous read. She offers advice that you are looking for but then gives you nuggets of gold you didn't know you needed too. She knows her stuff! I will recommend this book to everyone who is about to make the jump into Hollywood."