Ask An Acting Question
Michael D. Nye is the author of two books: Dynamic Acting and 101 Questions Actors Ask.
As an actor Michael is best known for playing the assistant principal in “High School High,” and as Pa, a recurring character on the HBO series “Carnivale.” His acting resume also includes principal roles on “House,” “Heroes” and in the upcoming film “Priest,” as well as in many stage shows and national commercials. He can be seen in the role of Mr. Walker on the new season of HBO’s “Big Love.”
Michael has written, directed, and/or produced two independent feature films: “Night Tour” and “Grave Images,” as well as many stage shows. He directed the pilot “Comedy On A Roll” for NBC, and was a founding member of the Film Artists Network.
Michael is a former Groundling and has performed and taught improvisation for over twenty years. He co-founded the troupes “Mockingbird” and
“Loose Cannons,” as well as “Spontaneous Solutions,” which uses his improv methods to increase imagination and creativity in businesses.
Michael has been an acting teacher, guest speaker, and workshop leader for over two decades, teaching in Los Angeles and Santa Cruz, CA, and Austin, TX. He continues to teach, write, and act in Los Angeles.
Whether you are new to acting or have been at it for a while, there is important information you need to know in order to advance in your career. This information might concern the right kind of acting classes to take, how to find a good acting teacher, what makes a great headshot, how to get an agent, etc.
Are you an actor who is living in Los Angeles and is still not sure of all the different ways you can qualify to join one of the unions? If you don’t live in LA or NY, how can you create and star in a film, a play, or a television pilot - without leaving your home town? What’s the difference between an agent and a manager - and do you need both? What are the best and worst things you can do at an audition?
These questions and others are in the book “101 Questions Actors Ask,” but we are going to answer many of them right here on this site at no cost! And the answers you receive will be the most researched and straight-forward you will find anywhere!
The answers to your acting career questions will contain the latest, most up-to-date information available, especially when it comes to the rapidly changing world of “New Media.” We talk to the unions, and to agents and casting directors, as well as to other working actors who are making a living by acting. We don’t hold back, nor glamorize our answers - we will tell you the good and the not-so-good about the subjects we discuss. We will help you make quality contacts and aid you in avoiding the hustlers and predators who can not only waste your time and money, but could put you in danger as well.
There are so many factors that go into successfully pursuing a career in acting that it’s no wonder we all get frustrated at times. Even when we have successful moments - like when we finally sign with an agent - that feeling of accomplishment can quickly vanish when the phone doesn’t ring with auditions. But there are things you can do about situations like that - all it takes is the right knowledge, and then putting that knowledge to work. The “business” of show business is just that - a business. And with the growing use of the internet, both for casting and for promotion, the actor’s job of getting a job has become far more complicated than it used to be only a few years ago.
We must not only know our craft, we must also know how to use the many different tools and media available for actors. We can’t just wait for our agent to call us with an audition - we must be proactive with our careers by understanding the business side of show business.
The purpose of this site is to help you, the performer, sort through the often confusing array of information you need to know to make the most of your time and energy. There are many false rumors and other incorrect information that are exchanged between actors that can waste your time, money, and spirit. For instance - it is a well-known fact that you can’t get a union job unless you are in the union, and you can’t get in the union without a union job. Well, there are well over a hundred thousand union actors in Los Angeles alone, so there must be a way of breaking that rule, right?
Whether you are thinking about acting, are already performing in your hometown, or are starting to get acting jobs in one of the larger markets like Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago, “Ask An Acting Question” is here to help you separate truth from falsehoods.
Each week on the “Questions” page we will have a featured question along with one that is submitted by one of our readers.
Remember to bookmark this site and return weekly for new questions and answers, as well as tips and quotes. And don’t forget to send a question! (See the page “Questions” for information on submitting a question.)
