Acting Related Job?

**reon** · 2011-11-29, 04:23 AM

For the monthly budget: I asked in other thread in gaijinpot.

Now:
1-My preparation in both Japanese language (able to read and write in Hiragana & Katakana) and acting skills are in ready mode.
2-I already graduated as a degree level candidates.
3-I have an international passport & tourist visa.
4-My model pictures are ready for the purpose.

I need your guide about:
a-How can I get a working visa or holiday working visa?
b-Where should I start? Apply online as a model or actor, which company? If interview directly at Japan, which company?
c-Should I go directly for acting firms or I need a standy of more reliable job. (**With the fact: I have a very good look.)
d-When will the wage be out (monthly or 2 months)?
e-Is there any Japan website or social network where I can post or they want for model pictures as a display?

Thank You

**KansaiBen** · 2011-11-29, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by reon

I need your guide about:
a-How can I get a working visa or holiday working visa?

if you are from New Zealand Australia, Canada Ireland, France UK you can get a working holiday visa from the Japanese embassy in your country. Americans are ineligible for Working Holiday visas.

There is no work visa for actors except an entertainer visa. you would need to be hired full time and have a sponsor. Usually this means you need to have had acting experience, a portfolio of work.

Foreign actors usually work on TV commercials, bit parts in movies, voice acting and are handled by one or two talent agencies in Tokyo. Not sure of name but i think ABC is one. do a Google search. Most actors here have regular jobs and do bit parts on the side.
Most likely you will have to audition for parts. I know Tokyo Foreign players who put on theatrical productions but they are strictly amateur. All actors are volunteers.

**reon** · 2011-11-29, 10:29 PM

Thanks.

In fact, the entertainment career in my country is very small (several acting firms for primary native in my region and no acting firm for our race).
I have potential (A top model look, fair skin), but situation at my region is not favour toward me (when I say this, it also means the talent agencies in my country cannot give me opportunity to grow because of the industry size and acceptance; race issue).
). So, I have to leave my country for the sake of my career.

Wondering, how can I find a sponsor (talent agency) before I go there? Or, I travel there with tourist visa and get them hire me?
Or any other suggestion?

Please guide me as I don't want to waste the gift that god gave me. Thanks ^.^

**KansaiBen** · 2011-11-29, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by reon

Please guide me as I don't want to waste the gift that god gave me. Thanks ^.^

I'm no expert but I have read some articles about getting acting work. For TV work its based on client needs, if they need a four foot female pygmy they will look for one. some tV programs hire foreigners to talk about their countries, eg cool Japan has people from Egypt, Australia. Malaysia, China and Brazil. Japan is in many ways a racist country. They prefer whites to teach English while they don't want Asian Americans so much. It wont be because of race they dont want you but because you are not what client is looking for. Looks is only one part of it. Do you fit their needs? They will want certain races and ethnic groups for one ad and not for another.

Be advised that its a shark pit here and people get ripped off. Not paid for months or not at all. Being made to do humiliating things. Being dic-ked around.

http://ugnayan.multiply.com/reviews/item/38

**reon** · 2011-11-30, 12:12 AM

I mean my country is not accepting me (Most series are made of their own races, rarely even see 1 foreigner), not Japan. There are a few series made of foreigners (the production is not more than 5 per year).

I am certain that my potential will be awared by japanese which I do not have any doubt.

Just the matter of how hiring is made up and a visa is granted?

Hope people at here can help.

Thanks ^.^

**KansaiBen** · 2011-11-30, 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by reon

I mean my country is not accepting me (Most series are made of their own races, rarely even see 1 foreigner), not Japan. There are a few series made of foreigners (the production is not more than 5 per year).

I am certain that my potential will be awared by japanese which I do not have any doubt.

Just the matter of how hiring is made up and a visa is granted?

Hope people at here can help.

Thanks ^.^

Do what most people do, contact agencies, show them your portfolio and knock on doors. No one is going to hand you a job on a plate, you have to go out and prospect. Just on google alone I found half a dozen names of agencies.

They can only sponsor a visa if they want you full time and no one on this forum can answer that for you. As I mentioned most actors are part time and very few make a full time career out of it.

**NorthByNorthwest** · 2011-12-02, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by KansaiBen

I'm no expert but I have read some articles about getting acting work. For TV work its based on client needs, if they need a four foot female pygmy they will look for one. some tV programs hire foreigners to talk about their countries, eg cool Japan has people from Egypt, Australia. Malaysia, China and Brazil. Japan is in many ways a racist country. They prefer whites to teach English while they don't want Asian Americans so much. It wont be because of race they dont want you but because you are not what client is looking for. Looks is only one part of it. Do you fit their needs? They will want certain races and ethnic groups for one ad and not for another.

Be advised that its a shark pit here and people get ripped off. Not paid for months or not at all. Being made to do humiliating things. Being dic-ked around.

http://ugnayan.multiply.com/reviews/item/38

Your link included an interview with Motoko INAGAWA - a woman who apparently has a notorious reputation for ripping-off foreign talent; her firm exploits the semi-transient nature of foreigners by screwing them on their pay. And the one name sticks out like a sore thumb in this regard is Inagawa Motoko Office. Here is a Japan Times article that outlines the issues: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-b...0100629f2.html

And, here's another account of someone's experience with Inagawa:
http://www.japanatron.com/japan/show...-talent-agency

One agency that was supposedly founded by former Inagawa employees fed up with unethical practices is called Avocado http://www.avocado.co.jp/ and located in Harajuku.

A list of similar 'more reputable' agencies here: http://goo.gl/HBNyK and here: http://www.mondaiji.com/en/blog/japa...gners-in-tokyo

Also, worth reading:

Extra For a Day: http://www.mondaiji.com/en/blog/japa...iz/1005-extras
Getting Started in Japan's Show Biz: http://www.mondaiji.com/en/blog/japa...apans-show-biz
Q & A About the Japanese Entertainment Industry: http://www.mondaiji.com/en/blog/japa...nment-industry
Why Japanese TV Sucks: http://www.mondaiji.com/en/blog/japa...anese-tv-sucks

**xHime** · 2011-12-29, 09:34 PM

You aren't going to get full-time work as an actor, long-term, in Japan. This means no visa.

You can do background and small parts. You might even get a bigger role once and get some lines. But none of these part-time, short-term jobs will warrant a visa. You could do these things on a Working Holiday visa, but then you'd have to go home.

The only way you could get an entertainer's visa is to get hired doing shows like Universal Studios or Disney's stage shows (but they cast from abroad), or document training experience in drama in your home country on top of getting a sponsor which would mean getting an exclusive contract with a talent agency that can guarantee you constant work. Unlikely. Very, VERY unlikely.

Japan isn't exactly a hotbed of activity for foreigners wishing to act. At least try Hollywood or New York City. By the way, if you do get some acting roles, 99% of the time you won't need Japanese language skills.

**NorthByNorthwest** · 2012-10-16, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by NorthByNorthwest

Your link included an interview with Motoko INAGAWA - a woman who apparently has a notorious reputation for ripping-off foreign talent; her firm exploits the semi-transient nature of foreigners by screwing them on their pay. And the one name sticks out like a sore thumb in this regard is Inagawa Motoko Office. Here is a Japan Times article that outlines the issues: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-b...0100629f2.html

And, here's another account of someone's experience with Inagawa:
http://www.japanatron.com/japan/show...-talent-agency

One agency that was supposedly founded by former Inagawa employees fed up with unethical practices is called Avocado http://www.avocado.co.jp/ and located in Harajuku.

A list of similar 'more reputable' agencies here: http://goo.gl/HBNyK and here: http://www.mondaiji.com/en/blog/japa...gners-in-tokyo

Also, worth reading:

Extra For a Day: http://www.mondaiji.com/en/blog/japa...iz/1005-extras
Getting Started in Japan's Show Biz: http://www.mondaiji.com/en/blog/japa...apans-show-biz
Q & A About the Japanese Entertainment Industry: http://www.mondaiji.com/en/blog/japa...nment-industry
Why Japanese TV Sucks: http://www.mondaiji.com/en/blog/japa...anese-tv-sucks

This is a better post: http://gaijinass.com/2010/06/23/how-...-big-in-japan/

And, apparently some people have indicated that the attitude of Avocado's staff is less than desirable:

http://gaijinass.com/2010/06/23/how-.../#comment-1616

"... April 8, 2011 at 4:16 am
the people at Avocado are complete assholes. You write emails to them, no answer, and on the rare occasion when they do answer, there is a lot of attitude in their replies.

Example: I asked if “my picture would be put up on thier web site,” they answered, I asked again, “If the picture isn’t on the web page then how are the clients going to know we exist” the lady then replied with “…” after her answer, connoting she has a nasty attitude towards people with perfectly PROFESSIONAL questions that anyone with common sense would ask.

Watch out for these people! My friend Josh has also had very negative experience with them as well.

And on a side note, the map they send you is inverted and flipped, making getting to their place VERY stressful! ..."

A friend indicated that he found the experience at Remix (the same firm that represents Dante Carver) to be really pleasant and professional - and he got two casting calls/auditions the next day. Also, he recommended Zenith and indicated they were cool. Neither demanded nominal fees for registration.

**Shakes Spear** · 2011-12-29, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by KansaiBen

I'm no expert

I'll say!!

For TV work its based on client needs, if they need a four foot pygmy they will look for one.

I'm guessing this is where your "knowledge" on this subject came from. Find a little side work did you?

**TJrandom** · 2011-12-01, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by reon

... Please guide me as I don't want to waste the gift that god gave me. Thanks ^.^