american actors will need to Jeff Labrecque, in an article in Entertainment Weekly, spoke about the impact that the immigration of British actors has made upon the welfare of American actors in the United States. He pinpoints training as the main issue. There are far too many American actors who are prone to laziness. Far too many young people who come to New York or LA in search of an acting career are not there to learn, but are there to become famous. In contrast, British actors spend years learning how to become better actors. They work on their voice, versatility, and speech. They also spend time practicing on the stage itself. In the 1940s and 1950s, Harold Clurman spoke about the extensive training required by every actor who wishes to improve in their art. Lee Strasberg, Elia Kazan, Sanford Meisner, Stella Adler, and Bobby Lewis are just some of the prominent actors and acting teachers who spoke often and emphatically about the importance of frequent and continuous acting training. This is a belief that has largely been lost today. All art forms require that one spends significant time and energy studying and learning about his or her chosen profession. Any real artist knows that the learning process lasts a lifetime. In order to have a successful career, an actor needs to be creative. Each detail of an actor's craft is important; they must possess both artistic abilities and perseverance. Treating acting as a real art form is not something that most American actors understand. The superficial is often what is most valued in our society. Money is pretty much the focus for Hollywood. Networks are focused on fame and will most often look for the most well-known individual to represent their studio. For this reason, most actors focus solely on making sure they know their lines and nothing else. These big names and personalities flood the Hollywood and acting community. The result is often a bad one. For an actor who is serious about their work, this is beyond frustrating. There are countless young American actors I have spoken to who have said that they feel that they cannot commit to two to three years of continuous training. Even those who are still young want to skip the education and go straight to working. They seem to have a hard time understanding that acting requires constant practice to improve upon. In Britain, actors are required to improve upon their skills on the stage. You won't see them signing up for a short class that promises great results in a short period of time. However, in the United States, many actors are sold these lies. Far too often, actors here are fooled into believing that, in order to succeed, they need to spend money in order to be seen by a casting director. This is all too true, especially in cities such as LA and NYC. These cities are full of aspiring actors who are spending tons of money for no reason at sub-par acting studios. Even if the result is only to get a couple of lines on a television show, these places draw people in with promises of fame and fortune. This has resulted in training losing its importance in today's acting world. The end result is the better parts being given to British actors. In order for actors in the United States to be able to successfully compete with British actors, more emphasis needs to be placed on training. It's crucial that they begin to see the value in technique and craft. Knowing their abilities and developing their instrument is the first step. American actors need to realize that, for an actor, nothing can take the place of training and perseverance.
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