A complete beginner

https://actorsstudio.co.uk/ is an incredible place to start, they have great courses and a 4 week masterclass that pretty much teaches everything, and with a couple of showreel scenes filmed and professionally edited thrown in for good measure.
This week I attended the multicam course with Richard Lynn, superb training from industry heavy hitters, and I fully plan to be back to Pinewood Studios for the Masterclass in 2022.
In my opinion you couldn't get a better start into the industry than the Actors Studio Masterclass, take the leap, and have a great 2022 Samuel!

• 2 years ago
• 1

Hi
Check out the Soldiers' Arts Academy - this is a great organisation that provides arts (theatre/film/arts) opportunities for veterens and their families. Lots of areas across UK. I think they're doing something with Midsummers Night Dream soon and have a show of 10 minutes plays staring in January, in London. Plus filming opps. Good luck!
Cheers,
Deb

• 2 years ago
• 2

Thank you both for the great replies, I appreciate it and will be looking into both.

• 2 years ago
• 3

Hi Sam,

Firstly, well done mate, making the conscious decision is the first step. You can find some decent online courses, as John and Deborah have mentioned. I did a few courses at https://www.cssd.ac.uk/ - The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and would highly recommend them. The tutors were great, it was reasonably priced for a 4 week course and I met some lovely other aspiring actors who I still keep in contact with.

I would say that ideally you would need to do a course or two before you start a student production as in my experience (not tons btw!) they have so much to focus on and sort out that it's hard to get from them exactly what they want and they tend to leave the acting choices up to you! I did a few courses before I got my first gig and they really helped.

Then I would say apply to everything, stay positive and continue to read up and study when you can. It's a long road, especially getting onto Spotlight without credits or without formal training but it can be done! Network like crazy and create your own stuff and you'll get there. But in my experience it is a marathon not a sprint, it comes in big waves, one minute you'll have three self tapes and the next you won't have a whisper. But just KEEP going.

Good luck and break a leg!

Cheers

Ben

• 2 years ago
• 4

You know what I love about these forums. Fellow thespians encouraging new starters in the industry and genuinely helping each other. Unlike social media acting groups (I think we all know a few) who say “Oh too risky, industry’s saturated” or are really hurtful and negative towards a new starter.

Samuel if you would allow me to put my encouragement in mate. I never went to drama school, or trained at Uni, I did short workshop courses. And got in touch with students who were filming in my area at the time.

I built it up and up to a point where I’m a fully professional Equity UK actor.

I didn’t start acting till I was 25. Because as much as I loved it I found it a world away for a working class Scottish guy ha ha. But you have to follow your passions.

Contact me personally if you want any further help or advice.

T. :)

• 2 years ago
• 5

Hi,

I would also recommend the Actors Studio (I have been on some great one-day workshops there). Like you, I started as an SA (only I was much older). In 2020 and 2021 I trained with the Actors Cafe and I would recommend it as the course also includes filming so you can purchase scenes for a showreel. Doing some acting training has made it easier to get roles in films and TV shows and to show up to set feeling confident and ready to film. It can also give you enough credits for Spotlight. But as others have said it is a marathon, where you often feel like giving up but overall the journey is a lot of fun. Good luck with it.

• 2 years ago
• 6