VCA?
Mon, 21 Sept 2009, 03:44 pmPokey16 posts in thread
VCA?
Mon, 21 Sept 2009, 03:44 pmHi everybody,
Like many, I'm planning to try out for acting schools this year. I currently live in Adelaide, and have my Nida audition on the 14th of Nov and my Waapa audition on the 25th of Nov. I wasn't planning to try out for VCA this year, as they are not auditioning in Adelaide, but I've been told that I should. Now I'm conflicted, because in order to audition in Melbourne I'd have to fly to Melbourne the day following my Waapa audition for the last days of VCA auditions.
It's not that I'm unwilling, but I question why VCA are not auditioning in all capital cities this year. Nida and Waapa are willing to come to Adelaide, so why not VCA? In addition, I've heard things in the past, from this message board too, about VCA 'culling' a lot of students from their acting courses. Now, granted, that post ( http://www.theatre.asn.au/node/1908 ) was referring to Lindy Davies in particular, who has now resigned from her post. But I wondered if anyone on this board knows whether it's still a common practice? Also, VCA is becoming part of Melbourne University next year. Do you think that will change things? As I said above, I will make the effort to fly to Melbourne, but I'm not sure if I'd want to spend a year at VCA only to be failed or forced to quit without any understanding of why I'm not making the grade.
So what do people in the know think about VCA? Is it changing with the removal of Lindy Davies and the connection to Melbourne University?
I'm not familiar with VCA
Sun, 27 Sept 2009, 10:06 pmI'm not familiar with VCA or its staff, but this is hardly just about the direction of the school. When running a theatre course costs millions of dollars and takes in only 15 students per course per year, that's hardly cost effective. (I know Swinburne redid its theatre foyer for several tens of thousands of dollars, because of various safety updates. A lighting rig broke - completely randomly - away from the wall one day, and that cost thousands to replace too. A venue is expensive; likewise, the insurance for teaching in a dangerous work environment, where kids are expected to be doing physical things... etc etc. VCA's costs would be similar, if not higher)
It appears that the changes to VCA come not because of lack of direction or because the staff have 'lost their aims', but because Melb Uni can no longer afford to pay out on a losing college. NIDA, WAAPA and other universities who offer acting/tech courses suffer from the same budgetary issues, with one difference: VCA can not receive similar government funding. This leaves Melb Uni picking up the tab, and at a certain point, the budget crunchers have decided that VCA needs to shape up or ship out.
It should be made clear that the STAFF THEMSELVES at VCA have also condemnded the changes, and have made numerous loud protests over it. That says the opposite of them having 'lost direction', since they too do not support the changes and would like to keep things the way they are - and not reduce the quality of the courses provided.
As for being 'unable' to cope, I think you'll find you can't do much to fight for the courses you teach (and to fight for the curriculum that you've developed) if you've been fired, or have had your hours or pay reduced. You'd have a tough time convincing the people who don't want to pay for your time or knowledge to also convince them (not just to hire you, but) not to kill off the course that is losing the school money. You underestimate greatly the politics that occur within a university, and how even lecturers and course coordinators can be undercut by their superiors and those who are worred about bottom lines.
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