Your journey on the road to a successful acting career is a long one.  It will have its ups and down.  You will find yourself discouraged one minute and elated the next.  The sooner you understand the nature of the business, the better off you’ll be.  It is also always helpful to remember that this is Show Business.  Your business knowledge and skills will always be called into question.  You are selling the powers that be on you.  How do you market yourself?  Package yourslef?  Carry yourself?

To help nurture your business side of things, we’ve compiled 5 leading websites that you should read on a regular basis.  Stay on top of details like box office charts and trends, films in development and production and behind the scenes industry news.  This knowledge will prove itself invaluable as you move along this road to success.

1) Backstage (Nielsen Business Media) is a weekly publication both online and in print. On the scene for over 45 years, Backstage offers a healthy dose of features including 800+ weekly casting calls, a place to post your acting resume, headshot and reel at no charge, message boards and celebrity interviews. The Advice Column gives actors the ability to submit questions directly to a working professional while also dishing out career advice on the art and business side of acting. http://www.backstage.com

2) The Hollywood Reporter (Nielsen Business Media) gives an in depth view on the business side of things. With the honor of being the first entertainment trade on the web, this website provides movie reviews and box office news with industry blogs and podcasts. Current sections include film news and production listings, tv ratings and charts, and a music calendar with featured interviews. First on the scene in 1930, you can be sure they still get it right. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

3) Variety (Variety Inc.) is printed in a daily and weekly format and is the top choice of entertainment leaders and executives across the land. They are chart-happy and list distributors, networks, production companies and studios (and that’s under just one tab!). You can also find festival info, charts, video and no less than twenty blogs and columnists. As the most widely circulated entertainment business magazine, you’ll find the same data used by the most professional pros. http://www.variety.com

4) Show Business Weekly (Show Business Inc.) is a New-York based weekly publication guiding actors, singers and dancers through their careers. With plenty of auditions and casting calls to keep you busy, you’ll also enjoy the listings of indie films that are in development and in production all over town. Their classifieds section can be a handy tool if you are in New York and on the hunt for headshot photographers, acting classes or singing lessons. http://www.showbusinessweekly.com

5) Playbill (Playbill Inc.) is not only the informative mag you’re handed at Broadway shows. The Playbill website offers a detailed review of all things stage. Browse the site for ticket discounts and other member benefits while getting your complete Broadway news, reviews, celeb buzz and listings fix. Features include a week in review, Broadway box office totals, and an Ask Playbill section. What industry site would be complete without a jobs section? Head over to the Casting & Jobs section and search for your dream job. http://www.playbill.com