A friend to the stars

Sandra Bullock is among the big-name actors Alan Nusbaum has helped along the way. Picture / Reuters

Alan Nusbaum doesn't believe in lucky breaks. As founder and CEO of TVI Actors Studio in Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago he teaches the business side of showbiz and the importance of becoming a good "actor-preneur".

Over the course of his career he has helped Courtney Cox, Sandra Bullock, Jerry Orbach and Tony award-winner Tonya Pinkins. Tomorrow he holds a seminar about acting in America at the University of Auckland. (The Clock Tower, Basement, Room 39 at 6.30pm.)

Name a celebrity you believe is a good actor-preneur.

Arnold Schwarzenegger. I wouldn't say he comes from a strong theatrical background but he's a very successful actor. It has a lot to do with promotion. He's a genius as a businessman.

What's the first thing an actor should do if they want to break into the US?

Learn about the industry as it works in the US and create a strategy on where you want to work. If your emphasis is in theatre, go to New York. If it's TV or film, go to LA. Like any business, you have to have capital. Start with low overheads.

How do you do that?

Learn who can actually buy your talent. Know who to send your head-shot to. Choose the proper agent to represent you, knowing who's knowledgeable and who's not.

Send out head-shots and flyers. Get into the proper theatres so casting directors and producers can come and see you work in plays. Make sure they're the right plays, in the right theatres, on the right streets. A show that's 40 miles outside of the right street - no agent will come and see you.

Do research - use the internet movie database, imdb.com. Before you go into an audition, find out who cast that show. Find out what else they've cast and look up the other films and TV series. You're basically going in for a job interview when you run for an audition so you want to be able to have an intelligent conversation with the casting director.

An actor has to understand that an audition is a job interview. You want to create a marketing campaign, just like when you're running a business.

How much of this is just common sense?

It is pretty much common sense. Most actors learn the fundamentals of being an actor but they don't learn the process of being in business. They have a popular TV series they would love to be on but they can't tell you who actually hires actors to be in those shows.

What are some of the most common mistakes aspiring actors make?

A lot of actors who come to LA will get an agent and then they'll spend the rest of the day at Starbucks. It's a full-time 40-60 hour work week to become an actor. Continue your training, whether it be vocal or acting, go to the gym, read the trades - Variety for instance - and stay in touch with the agents and managers and casting producers.

If you follow these rules, how long should it take to get a decent job?

There's really no rhyme or reason as to how long it can take. Do it because you enjoy acting, you enjoy performing as an artist, not because you want to be a movie star. It doesn't matter if you're making $500 a month or $500,000 a month because you're doing what you love. It's easier to win the lottery than become a star.