Hollywood is not the only place where a person can become an actor. While many actors eventually head to Hollywood to further their career, acting is a craft that can be begun from practically any location. Miami has a thriving film industry and a number of film production studios are based out of Miami. In addition, there are acting schools and classes available, both privately and through area colleges.

Study your craft. In most cases, acting is not an ability that one is born with. It’s a skill that can be learned and can be refined. Success as an actor in Miami will hinge upon the amount of effort that an individual puts into learning their trade. Part of studying your craft is continuing your schooling. When looking into getting into an acting school, check the credentials of the individuals running it. For example, Ralph Kinnard is the director of the Miami Acting Studio and has experience in the film industry and received the “Mara de Oro” Award for Best Movie Director in 2009. Credentials serve to illustrate a course or a school that has real world experience. There are also online websites such as Acting on the Web, which is run by Frank Cavestani, which allow individuals to study acting from within their own homes. Once again, the class is taught by someone who has real world experience and has been mentored by renowned acting coach, Lee Strasberg.

Go to a professional photographer and have headshots and a resume prepared prior to going to auditions. There are a number of inexpensive photographers in the Miami area who charge reasonable prices for headshots.

Read the trades daily. Newspapers like Variety and The Hollywood Reporter keep you current on the industry itself, it will also list upcoming filming schedules across the country. If you see that a production team will be coming to Miami, you can contact the crew from the information listed in the trades to find out if open auditions will be held.

Go to auditions. If you want to be an actor, you’ll need to act — and if you want to act, you’ll have to go to auditions. Miami Today runs a daily column that shows everything that is currently filming in Miami, providing the names of the studios filming and the contact information for the production company. Calling the production companies to find out if they are holding auditions for extras is a good way to break into acting. Many of the shows filming in Miami require extras and you’ll be getting paid while having the opportunity to be around people in the industry.