There’s no doubt the film industry throughout the United States has come a long way. It’s also a fact an acting career can generate huge returns in terms of salaries, investments, and job growth.
Nearly everyone, at one point in time, has probably dreamt of becoming an actor or actress. Though a successful career in acting requires equal parts talents and practice, with a bit of luck thrown in, landing a big acting opportunity will give you lots of perks, only accessible by a few people.
Top Benefits of Becoming an Actor or Actress
- Being seen on the big screen: There’s immense satisfaction when your face appears on the big screen, TV, in a theater, or on the internet. You become famous, and people will instantly recognize you wherever you go.
- Playing a variety of characters: As an actor or actress, you have the opportunity to play diverse roles. You get to become a hero or villain, which is a benefit because you get paid for being someone else.
- Bringing joy, inspiration, and influence to others: Many people identify themselves with iconic actors and actresses they see in films or on TV shows. This is because these film characters evoke feelings like joy or inspiration in their fans’ lives.
- Learning new things: As an actor or actress, you learn from your new roles and projects. When researching the character you are going to play, you get to learn about history, places, people, and more.
- No monotony in acting: Actors get to play different roles for each upcoming movie or production. Thus, there’s rarely any monotony to what you do. As an actor or actress, you don’t have to worry about becoming bored in your career.
Becoming a Successful Actor or Actress
Actors often take meandering roads to ultimately arrive at their career goals. The steps to becoming an actor aren’t as clear cut as they are in other professions. One of the most crucial steps to reach the pinnacle of your acting profession is getting a high-quality education. Although a college education is not certainly mandatory to succeed as a professional actor or actress, aspiring performers may benefit from a formal college or university drama degree program.
These programs will not only hone your skills but also help you understand what happens behind the scenes, such as contracts and business dealings. Some classes might include stage production, dance, and music or theatre history.
What Should You Look For When Choosing an Acting School?
It takes a hardworking and passionate person to become a successful actor or actress, especially in New York City. And since there are a lot of schools that offer acting classes, you should learn how to choose between the top acting schools in NYC, before deciding the one right for you.
Here are five things to take into consideration when making your decision.
1. Classes Offered
Beyond acting courses, the right acting school should offer courses in movement (such as stage combat and dance), vocal production, and speech (including dialects, singing, and accent reduction if needed), as well as acting for the camera and auditioning classes.
You might also consider whether the school offers specialized courses such as masks, make-up, and costumes classes.
A Bachelor’s degree will give you more options in the future, like the possibility of pursuing a master’s degree later. But if the school you like doesn’t offer BFA classes in acting, find out if you can earn transferable credits and apply to a school that does offer a degree in acting or theater.
2. School Reputation
After identifying the courses offered, find out your preferred acting school’s reputation. You can achieve this through word-of-mouth or, if possible, ask agents and casting directors at seminars and workshops if they have any recommendations.
Look at how many already-working actors came out of your preferred schools in recent years. Also, determine their acceptance rate and which schools offer auditions. Usually, the best acting schools are competitive.
3. The Focus of the School: Film or Theater
What are your interests in the acting industry? Film acting schools train students better for acting in front of the camera but keep in mind most casting directors still prefer actors or actresses with theater training, even for television and film.
4. Preparation for the Marketplace
Some questions to consider when looking at potential acting schools:
- Are workshops and seminars with working professionals included in the curriculum?
- Are internships in the entertainment industry facilitated?
- Does the acting school have a film department where you can work with filmmakers and get a reel together?
- Is the school you like affiliated with a professional acting company?
All these factors will increase your chances of landing your first acting job.
5. Performance Opportunities
You will want to know how frequently you will be on stage. This is so important because you can’t learn to act if you don’t get lots of opportunities to perform in front of an audience. Schedule a school tour and take a look at their in-house theater(s) and other facilities.
Start Your Acting Career
Your choice of acting school can either make or break your acting career. So, ensure you choose the right school like Shine school of confidence that can help pave the way to your professional and personal success.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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