i'm 18 years old, i wanna be an actor because it's my dream to be...how can i get this or how can i enter?

Answer 1

Almost every working actor today has completed a college degree. The tiny percentage that didn't almost always became famous doing something else (modeling, athletics, comedy, hip-hop) first.

Your first step toward your career is to earn a bachelor of fine arts (BFA) degree from the best university program you can manage.

Since I don't know where you are educationally, I'll try to address both possibilities. If you are already out of high school then it's too late to get in to one this year, so go to your local community college and take general education courses, hoping that you'll be able to transfer them and save yourself from losing a year. Now, if you're currently in high school, similar advice applies--but you don't want to look at community colleges.

In the meantime, do as much theatre as you can. Audition for roles in school plays (not only your own, but other nearby colleges and universities if they hold open auditions). Also volunteer to help backstage or in front of the house--professional actors today not only know acting, they understand all aspects of theatre: lighting, props, sets, costume, make-up, ticket sales, house management, directing, stage management, etc etc etc.

Immediately start looking for universities that offer a bachelor of fine arts (BFA) degree in theatre. Your high school counselor or community-college career development office can help; also ask every contact that you have in school or community theatre. You should identify three or four schools that you will apply to: 1 or 2 that are a real challenge to get into (tip-top programs like Yale); 1 that will probably accept you (a good state university, maybe), and 1 that accepts everybody (that's your safety net).

Get your applications in pronto! Many of the programs will require that you be accepted as a student at the university and then will require another application and auditions before they accept you as a theatre major (if you don't get into the theatre program, they try to get you to major in something else there--like accounting or nuclear physics--that's why you have a back-up plan). So it's essential to have your university acceptances this fall if you want to start your theatre degree in fall 2008; early admissions also will put you earlier in line for more types of financial aid.

The BFA program should give you all of the training and knowledge to become a working professional actor eventually--many of the finer ones even include instruction in such niceties as how to navigate the subway system in New York City :-) So get into a good, fully accredited BFA program and you'll have the best shot at your dream.

Answer 2

TR has missed this one by a mile. Very few and only the most expensive colleges offer any real acting training. Unless you can qualify for Yale or Julliard or a couple of others, never mind. I know for a fact that most college and university so called actor training is a huge swindle as is most of the professional acting schools. You can become an actor if you have lots of experience(on the amateur stage will be fine), determination, drive, willingness to work, and the proper looks needed for a professional career. Read my profile by clicking on my name, I mentor aspiring actors.