I am an aspiring actress. Which is better, a 4year acting school or just taking some acting classes?

Answer 1

Well, your question has two extremes there... I have several friends, colleagues and associates who fit somewhere in the middle; some got in through amateur dramatics and made use of good timing, some did night school and concentrated courses and some did a one year, two year and three year course.

The upshot is, they all got in through luck, perseverance, specific talents like voice, characterisation and/or availability (that last one is a surprising qualification). They have all had varying degrees of success, they all had different experiences and they would all have different tips - but not all of those who trained got lucky....

I have even more friends who did long courses and still haven't had any bites - and that's the biggy.

If you can support yourself on a course that lasts a long time, take care of your own finances and have the availability to explore any kind of work that comes along - then go for it.

If you can adapt to what comes along, can turn your hand to most things (hobbies, jobs, theatre assistance posts etc) - then go for that!

You see, all experiences contribute towards acting skills. However, not all acting skills will contribute towards making a buck, and at the end of the day, you will have to consider paying bills, paying out for costumes/beauty/fitness/auditions etc.

So, the real question is much more likely going to be....
"Which is better?"

A four year financial burden that will explore all avenues of performance?

or

A series of short courses that will explore specialisations and still give me the freedom to do other things/be available for other things/ not weigh me down with debts that might become tiresome in a few years....

...not that I'm biased you understand. Good luck with your choices!!

Answer 2

Why either/or? While there are exceptions, most people don't learn to act at a professional level in college. A lot of it is picked up from actually working with people who know what they're doing. If it's the right acting class, you'll find actors working at a higher level than you and an instructor who has a technique that you can apply to improve the quality of your own work.

That said, I'd go to a 4-year college with a strong acting program. It will give you a sense of the traditions and history of acting/theatre/film/etc. But more importantly, acting is more about who you are than what you do and a college will open you up to experiences that you won't find in narrowly focused acting classes. The more interesting you are as a person, the more interesting you'll be as an actor.

Answer 3

before everything, you need to be functional - one in a million is ever going to get a functionality like those - you're aiming a techniques too extreme for the 2d. you are able to desire to graduate from a sturdy appearing college, then get a super selection of journey doing point performs, pupil movies, short movies etc, then you quite could be waiting to get an agent. in basic terms approximately all appearing roles are solid with the aid of brokers, yet they're stressful to locate - actual ones, besides. you will in all risk ought to commence on the backside, like maximum actors, with walk-on areas, labeled commercials, tiny roles right here and there, and progressively artwork as much as extra exciting roles. It takes years of very stressful artwork to alter right into a expert actor - and extremely few ever have the potential to earn money - maximum have a 2d, 'common' interest to arise with the funds for lease and nutrition. Be functional and attempt for a whole-time direction at a sturdy drama college once you end extreme college. that could supply you a extra effectual risk of success. sturdy success!

Answer 4

The more education the better.

Answer 5

I would go to NYU's theater dept.