Recently, I have become far more aquatinted with acting groups on Facebook. I can’t exactly explain how this happened because I don’t even know, but somehow I found myself in two different Facebook groups for “Only The Serious Actors.” These groups had around 200 members each and basically consisted of a ton of actors giving their opinions on different movies, acting advice, or anything else they can possibly type up into a Facebook message! It is an entertaining/ kind of hilarious way to keep abreast with all of the information of the acting world in your area. So if you are looking for a group of actors in your area, I would suggest taking to Facebook. If you are planning on taking my advice and doing so, here is the best way to execute that plan.

1.       Find a group in your area. If you live in Los Angeles, look for people from Los Angeles on Facebook and join their groups. This gives you the opportunity to meet up with fellow actors (if you find someone that you want to be friends with in real life). It also makes finding work easier, because these groups have a lot of people who offer jobs. If you see someone on the Facebook group offering up work, do not hesitate to send them a message if you feel comfortable doing so. Just make sure that you are not being scammed!
2.       Find a group that fits your needs. Read through the posts and see if they are writing about anything you are interested in. If it is a group of beginner actors and they are giving out suggestions on how to get headshots done, it may be something that you do not need. Make sure, before you get all of the group notifications (and trust me, there will be a lot), that you enjoy the group itself. Warning: some of these groups have A LOT of drama going on in them, if you are interested in all of that, then go ahead and join the group. If you are more interested in acting tips and funny anecdotes, then I would suggest finding a different group, it is not worth the pain you will feel in your finger from tapping through all of your notifications.
3.       Make sure it’s a group you feel safe sharing ideas in. If you don’t feel safe and comfortable sharing your ideas within this Facebook group, you should not be in it. When you are in a group the entire purpose of it is to be able to promote yourself and meet new people who are in the same categories as you. If you don’t feel safe with the people in your group, it is time to find a new one. There have been a few stories of people tallying up all of the funny stories that actors have shared and publishing them in a book as their own, but who knows, that may just be folklore. You are better off finding people that you feel safe around, and if you don’t like someone in the group, message the group leader! They may be willing to help you out.

      Those are the tips I have for finding a Facebook group that suits your needs and an actor, writer, director, or filmmaker in general. If you are someone in the industry looking to meet other like-minded people, Facebook can be a great way to connect!