The acting industry can be hard to enter. Auditions are daunting and requisite, whether for a well-known actor or a beginner. The opportunities for getting a call for an audition, let alone getting a callback for a role, is very inconsistent and can vary between having an audition once a week to once every five weeks, if not less.

Harbingers’ Magazine interviewed five young actors, mostly teens, about what it takes to succeed in the field – their hopes, their dreams and their fears. While each had their own perspective, a common thread ran through all their answers: a deep passion for acting and the chance to “live a thousand lives”.

Jarryd

“Acting is a form of art in which I get to live a thousand lives and express myself while sharing the stories of others,” said Jarryd Brown, 17, who emphasises the importance of teamwork. “I rely on my wonderful agent to find amazing audition opportunities and market me in rooms I otherwise wouldn’t be in.” Still, he insists that being self-motivated is essential for success, noting that he also spends time extensively searching for opportunities on his own.

While Jarryd usually has an average of three auditions a month, he has dry spells. He says this can be a tough mental block to overcome, as it affects his confidence and the ability to perform under pressure. He advises releasing the tension around an audition the moment it’s over, “because the more you think about being rejected the more it impacts your ability to have fun!”

Grace

Tally

Tally Roberts, 15, loves acting more than anything. “I think it teaches you really important life skills.” She has an agent and even though most of her auditions come from them, she keeps an eye out for open calls as well. Sometimes she gets lucky and has two or three auditions in a week, while other times there are none at all.

The inconsistency doesn’t bother her. For auditions, she believes in preparing “to 1000%” and presenting yourself uniquely to stand out. Tally also recommends letting go once it’s over: “I have no place worrying about something I can’t control.”

Kavan

For Kavan Meegamuge, 17, acting is both thrilling and terrifying, and that’s exactly why he loves it. “You never feel safe or know exactly what you’re doing on each project,” he says. Although he has an agent, Kavan still looks for open casting calls on his own, even if most of those are for over-18s. He mainly uses international casting agencies Casting Networks and Backstage to find opportunities.

Eleni

Eleni Cassimatis has been acting professionally for a decade and loves the storytelling power of the craft. “Losing myself in a character teaches me more about people and what it means to be human,” she says.

With a supportive team of agents, Eleni treats finding work as a shared effort: “When we work together toward a common goal, success comes more easily.” She looks for opportunities through casting agencies Showcast and Starnow (both focused on Australia and New Zealand), and by connecting with creatives she admires. “Sometimes that means reaching out to someone who inspires you and asking to grab a coffee.”

Her advice to young artists: focus on life between gigs. Eleni spends time with loved ones, goes to the theatre, enjoys the sunshine and improves her skills through acting classes and workshops. At auditions, she reminds herself, “Today I get to play this role for half an hour,” and if it doesn’t work out, “I dive into the next good thing on my list.”