Drama Schools
Sat, 22 July 2006, 11:15 amAdrian6 posts in thread
Drama Schools
Sat, 22 July 2006, 11:15 amHey all,
Well, it's almost August, time to really put my head down and find a drama school for next year!
I'm a Melbourne boy, however i am more then willing to move to Sydney.
Just wondering if anyone has any comments on:
The Actors Centre
The Australian Academy of Dramatic arts (aada)
and; Actors college of theatre and television (actt)
Do you know how many people apply for these courses, and how many are sucessful? Do you feel
that they are well know in the industry and can produce an industry trained actor?
And if anyone has any experiences with the National Theatre in Melbourne, could you also please sgare your
views, and answer the above questions and whatever more you can.
I am being realistic here, and yes, I know the whole NIDA, VCA thing, but I know I am far to young
for these places.
Thanks alot for your time guys, all answers are greatly appreciated. :)
Adrian
Where to go?
Wed, 26 July 2006, 11:56 amAdrian how old are you?
Age isnt necessarily always an impediment. There are plenty of people who have graduated from NIDA / VCA at 22 and 23 years of age (eg Sam Worthington).
Im currently at the actors centre in their one year course (The Power of Acting). It has radically changed my perception of acting, but that is largely to do with the fact that i was fairly new to it when i started the course at the beginning of the year (i had no interest in acting until my second year of uni). Their philosophy revolves largely around the individual, opening up your emotional, physical and intellectual being so to encourage organic and truth based acting.
As a place to train i can recommend the actors centre. It is gaining quite a recognised place in the industry, in particular its full time course. For instnce Hugh Jackman all those years ago did the journey programme (their full time course).
The best advice i have ever received was from a NIDA grauduate - it doesnt matter where you go, because its how much you as the individual make of the place that you are in. For instance the Actors centre doesnt have anywhere near the amount of facilities that NIDA has but that doesnt necessarily matter, because if you put in the work for the time that you are there then you will reap what you sow.
ACTT and AADA are both quality actor training places. My tutor at the Actors Centre also teaches at ACTT and i know of one graduate of AADA who has had a steady stream of work. This though can be said of most actor training institutions.
When i audition for the major performing arts courses im going to go everywhere because there is no certainty. Id follow naomis advice do a medium length course maybe over a year and set yourself up for a full time course. That way you put yourself in a better position to show them what they are looking for. With my course its a reduced version of the full time programme, so i know that ill have something to show when the auditions start up.
But its purely up to the individual. Success is achieved through training (in some cases) and largely hard work. Along the way enjoy the ride...
Paul Mclaughlin.