As you might have guessed, acting is an incredibly competitive field in South Africa. But while it’s difficult to find your big break, it’s also not impossible.
It turns out there’s a difference between the salaries of actors on M-Net soapies versus their counterparts on SABC1 shows. And with the main characters? They can make even more.
The main characters make more
As the main character, you’ll get paid more than your supporting cast. The reason for this is that you are the star of the show and people tune in to see you. As the main character, you’ll have more lines than those who play secondary characters and more screen time as well.
M-Net soapies pay the best
M-Net soapies pay more than other local producers, they pay more than international producers and they pay more than local film producers. They also pay more than international film producers and local TV producers.
This is because M-Net soapies are paid for by subscription fees paid by the South African public who have been trained to watch their shows, not just once but twice in a row and sometimes even three times each day! That’s why it’s called “re-run”.
They don’t mind paying for things that aren’t always available to them in real life such as cars, houses, yachts or even private islands if need be! As long as it’s aired on M-Net then these items will be yours forever!
I’m going to try acting.
There are a few things you should keep in mind before setting out on this journey:
- Acting is a competitive business. There are tons of people out there with similar backgrounds as yours who also want to become actors, so competition for jobs can be fierce. If you’re looking for work as an actor and struggle with getting cast, consider taking some additional training in other areas like directing or set design so that your skill set will be more diverse when applying for roles. Besides working hard at learning more about acting, also spend some time reading up on best practices for creating an effective resume and cover letter—these documents are often what agents use when deciding whether they’ll take someone on as a client!
- Acting requires long hours and patience (and maybe even tolerance). Many actors report working fifteen-hour days on set during filming seasons; others say they spend upwards of eight hours per day rehearsing new scripts while preparing their next role in between gigs doing theatre shows around town! As such it may not be possible (or financially feasible) for every person who wants to pursue acting professionally because it means dedicating most waking hours to making sure everything goes smoothly during each project’s run time instead of hoping something else comes along soon afterwards.
How much do actors get paid?
The salary of an actor gets depends on their experience and how well they know how to negotiate with producers. For example: if you’ve been acting for 10 years and are super confident about your abilities (but also humble enough not to demand too much), you could ask for between R20,000 and R30,000 per call (with a 12-hour day). If you’re new to this kind of role or don’t yet feel confident asking for that much money (or more), then try asking for between R5,000 and R10,000 instead—but be sure that they know what they’re getting into!
