I want to be in a sitcom.

Hey guys. Fair enough if you think I sound big headed or under educated in the subject but I just want to ask a question, hope I don't come off wrong here.

I think I have a really good style of comedy facial expressions, good timing and delivery and could be perfect in some roles in sitcoms however I find it difficult seeing how my style could translate into stand up. I would love to take a part in a sitcom - but I have no real acting experiance (Half an A level) and havn't acted in anything really before. I am starting to try write some stuff at the moment, but it's hard for it to be understood in words. I've thought of getting a camera and just doing some little things but.. I don't know really.

Any advice?

Eeeeh.. Also, I'm only 19.

Do you spend a lot of time in front of the mirror?

Welcome to the site.

To perform in a sitcom, is to perform on a stage. Which is where a standup performs too (sitcoms even have warm up guys before the recordings).

If you think you're a performer, then you should start performing. Getting a camera might help, but I'd of thought going to some acting classes or getting involved with the local theatre might work well too.

All sitcom actors are performers in some way, be it standup or they've come from straight acting.

I sincerely hope that comedy isn't just about pulling funny faces. You need to get your audience to sympathise with you. Some people have the natural ability to connect to an audience. But I'm guessing it's still pretty essential to gain that experience through other forms of performance.

In the meantime, you probably should get a camera to practice in front of. If you feel writing isn't a strong point, then I'm sure you'll find someone around here, or somewhere similar to work with and submit a script for you to perform.

Although, I could be wrong about all of it...

Moved to Writers' Discussion as it's avbot closer a fit.

Join a local sketch group/improv group. It'll hone your stage skills and improve confidence and might give you the opportunity to travel to Edinburgh. Essentially you'll need a good resume of performances and probably an agent before you'll get TV work as in a sitcom, but if you get in with the right crowd at Edinburgh you'll be fine!

Also yes, even if you have a web cam, try recording some stuff and YouTubing it. If you've got a thick skin it can't hurt.

Good luck!

Very easy - look at any sitcom from any period and work out how they got there:

1. The overwhelming majority of performers in a sitcom are trained actors with good agents who put them forward.
2. Some of the performers will have been involved in the writing / creation of the project and got to act in it as a bonus (but only on the basis that they could actually do it without ruining the project).
3. A small minority are there playing themselves (because they're famous in their own right), and usually only in one ep.
4. The rest are stand-ups whose agents have negotiated them into acting roles to prolong their careers.
5. A tiny, tiny minority were hired because they were friends with the creative team (like Nick Frost in Spaced).

Work out which category you'd fit most comfortably in and start down that route. I doubt it will be quick, or easy, or certain to succeed no matter how talented you are (the business doesn't work that way), but the best of British to you.

It's you and half the country Paul - good luck with it though.

Empty has got it right
I was an Equity member myself and had an agent but it's usually the top agents that get to know where the best auditions are and those agents are taken seriously by the 'business'