some guy Posted March 20, 2011 Author Share Posted March 20, 2011 I think at your age you need to get a bit of experience. They do some courses at Sheffield Theatres in Creative Development and you could also join a school like CAPA at the Lantern Theatre. Get your A-levels under your belt and then start thinking about drama school. You could go to college to do performing arts but this is only worth doing if you go to drama school afterwards. You could do a couple of years at somewhere like Norton College just to get some experience and learn all you can but I would advise you to start applying for drama school as soon as you can because performing arts at college won't add much from a career point of view, only experience. Your best bet would be getting a degree in English first and then going to drama school. You then have a degree to go back to and you go to drama school a bit older, which is prefered. Going to drama school is not the only way to get into acting, but 95% of all successful actors will have gone to just a few of the best schools. You want to look at the main London schools (RADA, LAMDA, Central) and some of the other big ones like Bristol Old Vic and The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff. I hate to disagree with other posters, but I would say avoid sites like StarNow as they are very tacky and don't have real actors on. You might as well just join an am-dram group, as mentioned above, to get experience. Just make sure it is one of the very few good ones. It is worth doing a couple of unpaid things like the ensemble at Sheffield Theatres or student films, but professionals can tell what these credits mean, so you don't need to do this more than a couple of times just to get experience. If you go to drama school you will do a showcase before you leave and it leads to getting an agent in most cases. You will then not have to worry about pimping yourself out on such sites. If you did want to join one then look at castingcallpro. It is a mix of professionals and people trying to get into the business, but it is far more professional than the other ones named. Most working professional actors will be on spotlight and this is what casting directors and professional companies use as well as just going to agents. Hope that helps. Wow that's a lot. But that was REALLY helpful. I can't see myself getting a degree in English however since I am not doing it at A-Level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snook Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Wow that's a lot. But that was REALLY helpful. I can't see myself getting a degree in English however since I am not doing it at A-Level. Well, that's just one option. Like I said, you could go to college, or do some other kind of related degree before going to drama school. Or you could dive right in and start applying at 18. Just be aware that applying for drama schools can be pretty costly. The good drama schools tend to charge you for auditions (around £50) and the odds of getting a place are very small. I really would advise looking into a local school like CAPA. They would be able to teach you more and advise you on the best ways to get into a good drama school. You will need to have some audition pieces and they are very hard to get right, somewhere like that will be able to help (and no, I don't work for them ). http://www.carneyacademy.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ sheffield Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 So you want a high payed pretent job, have a sex change and get married. A bit like the high paid pretend job that is the subject of this post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna B Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Go to University get a good degree in a subject that will enable you to always have a good job to fall back on. While at University set up profiles on http://www.mandy.com http://www.starnow.com and keep an eye out in http://www.gumtree.com for open casting calls. You probably wont get paid for these jobs but it will get you copies of the films you appear in. If you have the time go to some one of the RADA schools around the countries they do adult classes at weekends and it isn't too expensive. They can also point you towards agents. Agents usually like you to have a body of work they can see before they even want to meet you hence the free work I mentioned above. Most importantly be realistic. Acting is a visual medium most actors get the part because of how they look not necessarily because they're any good at acting. So be aware that most casting directors won't see past your headshot on your profile. If you don't look how they want you too it won't matter how good an actor you are. As they say though nothing ventured nothing gained. Yes, acting is a visual medium, but good looking actors are two-a-penny. Character actors are also needed, and unusual looks are also more memorable so don't feel you necessarily have to conform to type to be sucessful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snook Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Yes, acting is a visual medium, but good looking actors are two-a-penny. Character actors are also needed, and unusual looks are also more memorable so don't feel you necessarily have to conform to type to be sucessful. Some of the most successful actors I know get work because they have a 'look'. They aren't always the most talented actors but they get work because they are bald, or overweight, or whatever. As you say, the generic 'good looking' actors are very common and it is much harder to get the parts. However you look, there are parts out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucifer Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Some of the most successful actors I know get work because they have a 'look'. They aren't always the most talented actors but they get work because they are bald, or overweight, or whatever. As you say, the generic 'good looking' actors are very common and it is much harder to get the parts. However you look, there are parts out there. How many actors do you know, I don't know anyone ?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenyweeny Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 my daughter has worked very hard at uni and will be getting her degree this year its her last term at uni.she went to college first then to uni,let me tell you me and her dad have helped her a great deal financially.we are very proud of her but i do not know what the next step is for her when she finally comes home..having this degree will prob give her the edge to finding a job as it shows shes committed to learning etc..she says shes going to take time out get a normal job at first and decide what she is going to do next.possibly take driving lessons and get herself a little car[more expense lol.] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snook Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 How many actors do you know, I don't know anyone ?. Hundreds. Do you also work in theatre/entertainment? my daughter has worked very hard at uni and will be getting her degree this year its her last term at uni.she went to college first then to uni,let me tell you me and her dad have helped her a great deal financially.we are very proud of her but i do not know what the next step is for her when she finally comes home..having this degree will prob give her the edge to finding a job as it shows shes committed to learning etc..she says shes going to take time out get a normal job at first and decide what she is going to do next.possibly take driving lessons and get herself a little car[more expense lol.] What was her degree in? That makes a difference to how much use it is, I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jellychristi Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Hi, simple join acting training classes or perform in colleges,reality shows.And you can try for modelling.Share your updates.Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hriley1987 Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Snook's advice is sound - Couldn't have said it any better myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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