ADVICE FROM ALAN BECK - BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL ACTOR

FIRST STEPS TO PROFESSIONAL ACTING TRAINING

'You may want the LIFESTYLE of an actor. I hope you want the WORK to get there.'

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING - GETTING AN AGENT - MAKING CONTACTS - BUILDING UP AN ACTING CV

Sit in the front row in studio (fringe) theatres, and LOOK AND LEARN.

Get a professional auditions coach.

Only apply for the best acting schools.

YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACT.

Do alternatives - rehearsed readings (where you invite an audience to a reading with some movement).

Don't be confused about the difference between exhibitionism and performance.

The 'inspirational' teacher traps students into seeking and receiving praise.

WHAT TO DO RIGHT NOW

Go to see acting school shows.

LONDON - information at http://www.spotlightcd.com/calendar/

The site above - "The Performance Calendar is a free service on Spotlight's website which allows you to see which productions are being mounted by Drama Schools with accredited courses."

GETTING TO AN AUDITION AT AN ACTING SCHOOL

OBJECTION 1 = ' BUT I DID NOT GET CAST IN THE AUDITIONS'

OBJECTION 2 = 'But I cannot travel to rehearsals'.

OBJECTION 3 = 'But I do not like Director A or Actor B'. I can't work with them.

OBJECTION 4 = 'I'm afraid that people will think that my performance is rubbish'.

OBJECTION 5 = 'This university (or college or school) thing does not work for me. I've got to become an actor NOW'.

OBJECTION 6 = 'I can't get to see stage performances'

OBJECTION 7 = 'I can't get on with Shakespeare'.

NOTE - Challenging material

Make the most of any acting course you can get onto. Challenge yourself - do not settle for anything else but new challenges! Make sure you cover the serious and the comic and - farce! Farce skills are the most important test for you at an early stage - your starting course - Acting 101 - as Americans call it. (That's my opinion.)

GETTING TO AN AUDITION AT AN ACTING SCHOOL

Get a professional auditions coach. You will have to be prepared to invest in this future choice and pay about £40/hr upwards for at least three training sessions. The first of these will involve assessment of you and your potential.

You will have to put the most into this - if this is your choice. Go for it 100%.

Only apply for the best acting schools. If you do not get through auditions for these top-class schools then there has to be some hard thinking about the future. Directors just will not accept (usually) applications for auditions from people who have been to lesser schools.

HOW MUCH ACTING HAVE YOU DONE ALREADY? How much are you intending to do? This is really the deciding question. You have to build up a CV. You have to test yourself. If you apply to acting school - and you have little or nothing on your CV - what does this mean for your application? YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACT. You always have the opportunity to add to your CV.

 

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This site gives advice about:  'ACTING 101' - FIRST YEAR OF ACTING TRAINING

You have experience of acting in school or pre-university courses? Here is advice for a college or university acting course. Or for an acting school.

 This 'ACTING 101' course plan aims at achievable results for a wide range of students.

ADVICE FROM ALAN BECK - FIRST STEPS TO ACTING TRAINING

'ACTING 101' - FIRST YEAR ACTING TRAINING

ONSTAGE

BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE BEGINS - REHEARSAL AND PREPARATION

To LEGAL DISCLAIMER FOR THIS SITE

Web sites for acting courses in London

Agents, resumes and other information

From -  Jones, Ellis, Teach Yourself Acting, 1998, London: Teach Yourself Books.

Suggested reading list

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