Drama school - To go or not to go? How old's too old to go?

Mark - your comments are on the ball. and I agree with your posting completely, listen to Mark if you want to know the truth of it, not the thick of it:)

The reality is, as in all walks of life, people are different and being an actor is no different from being a person and in that - all actors are different and approach their careers and work differently.

The one point most people have missed is that Drama-school is part of the vetting system, as are the top agencies. The BBC would be inundated with 'talent' if they didn't use some form of vetting, Drama-school gives you opportunity and the contacts you make in Drama-school will also be invaluable when you leave. But of-course performing well in a fringe play and getting an agent from it can lead anyone, trained or non trained, to the hallowed doors of the BBC(then hopefully beyond!).

This is the business of broken dreams after all, and being lucky, unlucky, having the right look, meeting the right person are all a big part of getting there, each decision you make give or take away your chances, the top 8 drama-schools are really the only ones that will give you a better chance, audition, if you get in there's no doubt you will be given a better chance. The Casting Director that snubbed you - yeap, its true, they can be very harsh and snobbish about actors, its almost as if with no pedigree you are a peasant(I have been in rooms with big ones, and you wouldnt believe how kurt they can be about actors) Hence, i actually recommend if you get in a top Drama-school, you really must go.

All the best.

Rob :( :)

• 12 years ago
• 41

Hello! Hmm, a very emotive subject this. I speak only for myself and only offer personal observations. I came into acting in my late 30s and had no formal training other than a short course on Acting Craft taken at a prestigious institution which took my money, taught me nothing, but looked better than an empty CV. I can honestly say that no one at a casting has ever asked me where I trained or been in the slightest bit interested. Neither was my agent. As other people have alluded to you can't wake up one day "not-an-actor", go Drama School and come out the other end "an-actor". It simply doesn't work like that - it is a natural talent which can't be taught, but it can be built on and refined. Whether you need to spend tens of thousands to do this is the crux of the argument. I have to say that five minutes watching playback on a monitor teaches me more about the flaws in my acting than a three-year course ever would! You may well be able to teach "technique", but that's not the same as being able to give a "truthful" performance, it's completely different. And no CD is going to be duped into casting people due to their mastery of various techniques. Ironically I was once complimented by an industry professional on my Meisner technique which made me chuckle as I've never studied Meisner! Turns out it was all about "listening to the other actor" which just seemed like common sense to me without knowing there was a term for what I was doing instinctively or what the label for it was! :) Anyway, I only work in Film and TV so have no informed opinion on theatre, I will leave that to the experts on here who work in that field! I have worked with lots of actors and have never seen training resulting in a guarantee of better acting ability. The best actor I've ever worked with has no training, as far as I can recall, as was amazing. He was amazing because yes, he was an excellent natural actor and he was also a very safe actor to work with, he was unselfish, sensitive, respectful and took emotional risks. On set what you DO need is intelligence and flexibility following direction, common sense, the hunger to learn, humility and a sense of humour.

Is it worth paying a lot of money to be told how to tart up your CV or get good headshots done or market yourself? Well...Spotlight and the internet (and this forum!) between them can probably sort those issues out. As for learning about ourselves as people and as actors, well we do that continually on the job, so that comes as part of the package. Maybe coming into it older and having had some life experience under my belt means I didn't need to re-discover all my irritating neuroses again! But this is all just my opinion from my own experience, I'm sure it varies for everyone. :)

• 12 years ago
• 42

Hey Jay!

I think it's a personal thing in the sense that, some people are certain you'll get nowhere without drama training, but than again there are very successful actors who DIDN'T go to drama school, so it's not impossible.

Personally, I want to go to drama school because I know it will increase my chances of being seen/getting the audition and equally if not most importantly I know how much I will learn if I get in.

As for being too old, you're never too old! Some other members have mentioned people in their 70s attending drama school and at my DSL open day we were told that their current group of students were 'young' ones in their 40s! Sometimes having life experience give you an advantage as an actor AND there ARE 70-year-old men and woman on TV too ya know!

You CAN be an amazing actors and not have drama training and natural talent DOES exist, but when a casting director is looking through 1,000s of applications for the lead in their next big blockbuster hit it's no skin off their nose to just discard all the CVs that don't have NCDT on them and this does happen, I'm told, 98% of the time.

I decided to audition last minute for DSL after attending an open day there and, while I unfortunately did not get a call back, their feedback was vitally important and I know what I have to work on to have better luck next year, specifically getting voice lessons to improve my projection and get rid of my squeaky girl voice.

On one hand it's easy to give up, thinking that think that a year is a lot of time to sacrifice, but if I get into drama school next year or even the year after I know it will benefit me for the rest of my life.

If it's what YOU want then go for it! And don't give up until you get it!

Cat -x-

• 12 years ago
• 43

Right guys, I really appreciate all the responses, but nobody seems to have noticed that I wrote that originally in 2008!! Things have changed a lot since then and the question is no longer relevant for me.

That said, there may be those who come to the forum seeking similar answers and for that reason, your answers may continue to be relevant, so if you wish to continue contributing to this debate, that's up to you. But just don't continue answering on my account! :-)

Cheers!

• 12 years ago
• 44

LOL!

• 12 years ago
• 45