I would like to get into acting, how would I proceed?
This might seem like an odd question, but I like to ask everyone who wants to be an actor.
Do you want to act?
or
Do you think acting is a career that could lead to fame/wealth/international stardom or even making a living?
The answer about how you proceed is different depending whether you're really intersted in the craft of acting regardless of fame/wealth/ or making a living or whether acting is just a route to fulfil your ego fantasies (nothing wrong if it is).
This also the same question I like to ask filmmakers, as the issue is the same.
If you want to act the answer is pretty simple, take a part time acting course and see how you get on with it. Get involved with theare and local indie filmmakers. Just by doing these things you have become an actor, especially if you don't need to be paid.
If you see acting as potential career this is a whole other ballgame.
Step One - Be honest with yourelf, do you have the face and body of someone who gets regular work on TV or in films, if not you are going to have to work twice as hard to make it as a character actor (It's worth understanding the potential work you might be hired for based on an honest accessment of your looks. It's not about looking like a baywatch bimbo, it's just not trying to get that kind of work if you've gat a face like a bulldog licking a nettle)
Step two is do some research into the backgrounds of the people who you most admire in the business. Find out where they trained. Usually it's the oen of the same three schools. In the UK it's RADA, Central and the Italia Conte. Time for more research, find out what each of these schools is looking for from it's students. Then start training, not to act but to get through the audition proecess for the school you want to be in.
When you get in make friends with everyone, work like a dog and perform as often as you can. In the course of this process you should make the contacts that set you up for the rest of your career (which will probably earn you less than you would have earnt working at Walmart). However you will have given yurself the best possible shot at making it as an actor.
There is of course the cynical route. Invest massive amounts of money on clothes that fall off in front of pres cameras and plastic surgery, hang around in the clubs that people from the industry go and pick up an existing celebrity therefore getting yourself into the magazines (breaking up a long term marriage is always good for press, combined with accidental release of you home made porn tapes on the internet) Once the press is on you, get an agent and land an acting part from a cynical producer who wants to cash in on your name, surprise everyone by being good in the part and keep the ball rolling. Put at least half the money you make a away to pay for therapy you're going to need for the rest of your life.