Act Now!

September 22, 2003
Anyone can tell you that becoming an actor is a long, hard road. But Jazwinski, who runs the acting Web site MyActingAgent.com, insists"you can make it." In this chatty, uplifting guide, he explains how to get your acting career off the ground in an eight-step approach, from taking acting tests and learning how to act, to finding auditions, contacting agents and networking. His book is realistic and motivating, counseling"the only way you fail is by not trying" and advising readers to have a daily goal. Unorthodox suggestions abound, on finding an acting class (avoid six-week courses; ongoing workshops are better), places to gain experience (try the local church or a reality television show), fostering relationships (talk to people at acting classes and filmmaking schools) and more. This is not a book on perfecting the art of acting, so neophytes and those unfamiliar with the industry would do well to pick it up.

September 15, 2003
The business rather than the technique of acting is the focus of these two guides. Though much has been published on how to make it in the entertainment industry, few books are as practical and honest as Act Now! Actor Jazwinski has devised a step-by-step plan that will most definitely help aspiring actors put themselves in a position to get an agent and auditions. He is sympathetic to a young actor's dreams but pulls no punches about the commitment and determination needed to make it. He goes so far as to prescribe affirmations, e.g., "What did I do today to advance my acting career?" In addition to some interesting "acting tests," he also includes helpful information on finding auditions and contacting agents and casting directors. An Actor Prepares takes things a step further. A New Yorker since 1984, Wroe (acting, Sch. for Film and Television) aims "to provide actors with all the information they'll need to survive" the concrete jungle of Manhattan. Unlike Jazwinksi, he does not tell readers how to find an agent or get an audition. Instead, this is a sort of Frommer's for actors that explains how to live inexpensively but well. Chapters cover everything from finding a cheap place to live to getting health insurance. While there is actor-specific information on rehearsal spaces and jobs between "jobs," much of Wroe's advice, e.g., where to find decent public bathrooms and how to secure cheap orchestra tickets, would interest recent transplants as well as those looking to move to New York City. Useful as it may be to a large audience, Wroe's advice is likely to date quickly. Jazwinski's, however, is timeless and convincing and is essential for all libraries serving up-and-coming actors.-Rosellen Brewer, Monterey Cty. Free Libs., Salinas, CA

Copyright 2003 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.