Should you go to School to Become an Actor?
By: Robert Gillings Whether you’re just getting into the industry or have been auditioning for a while, debating whether or not to go to acting school is a question everyone asks themselves. Many will argue that acting school is a waste of money, while others will say it has numerous advantages and will help you land a role. Here are the top 4 reasons you should consider going to acting school. #1 Learn How to Take Direction For first timers, taking direction can be awkward and confusing. Acting school helps teach you the basics of staging, camera angles, and how to take direction so that you will understand how and what to do when you’re on a real set. When auditioning for a role, not understanding basic actor terminology or directions can be a clear sign you’re not ready for a serious role. Acting school can help show you the basics, so you’re more prepared in the future.
#2 Practice Your Skills Aside from learning commands, acting school is a perfect place for you to practice and hone your abilities. Acting schools are controlled environments where you’ll be able to play with different styles and characters so you can develop yourself as an actor. Another benefit of schools is that you’ll have other students as well as instructors available to critique and help you improve where you’re lacking. Even people who’ve been acting for years can improve from some time in schools where you’ll see new techniques and learn new styles that are trending. #3 Make Industry Connections Even after you’ve developed your talents as an actor, acting school can still be beneficial as you’ll meet others involved in the industry. Instructors will often have connections and know about the latest auditions and talent searches being conducted. Other students will also know of roles or opportunities. Meeting more people in your field and expanding your network around your area can all help you get into an audition that you might never know about without the help of others. #4 Get Advice from Other Actors While connections and training are all great benefits of acting school, the real advantage is the people there. Class will put you in touch with others in your field of various experience levels and abilities. Seeing and hearing how these individuals act can help you identify your own strengths and weaknesses. Your instructor will also be able to give you advice on what you need to improve or what you’re good at and should focus on. The more feedback you get in school, the better you’ll be able to show off your skills at an audition. Regardless of if you’re new to the business or have been acting for years, acting school can help you in a number of ways. Industry connections, feedback from others, and directly honing your skills as an actor are all things you’ll gain from acting school that will help you land that next job. Robert Gillings is an award winning writer, producer, actor architectural designer, philosopher and financial consultan