Joining Acting Schools? Don't Throw Money | Learn How To Select

One of the Top International actor Al Pacino in one of the best acting school-NYFA

Before You Jump And Throw Money, Remember:

• An acting school / institute can train you in an acting craft and help you as a catalyst. However, do not be under this false hope that they can give you acting jobs.
• Film or  TV episodic  or even commercial ads and documentaries sometimes require huge investments of millions of Dollars and under no circumstances, they can compromise with the characters of their story and be foolish to take actors based on recommendations or on any other considerations. In any good production house or any reputed casting director’s auditions, the selection is based solely on merit and how best and closely you transform into the story’s character among hundreds of other applicants. How can they risk and compromise production’s success factors ? No way!
• It is a large number of cheaters and fraudsters who throw baits to young aspiring and innocent actors who fall prey to such alluring offers due to their desperate dreams to be an actor at any cost.

Some of the important feature that you must look for while selecting the right cinema school or mass communication institute or a radio and tv school.

Infrastructure

It is always good to enroll yourself at a film school that has facilities like the studios, preview center, post-production labs and other facilities. You must also take notice of the fact that the facilities are up to the mark and meet the standards of professional works.

Training Procedure

You should carefully study the training procedures of the film or journalism schools. Preference should always be given to the institutes with more practical oriented training procedures. Especially while selecting among the digital film schools you should look for the digital equipment of latest technology.

Industry Exposure

One of the aspects that are instrumental in shaping your career as a filmmaker or media professional is the exposure to the industry. More and more faculties and counselors from the industry mean more industry exposure. You not only gain from their experience but also build up contacts, which prove to be beneficial in the future.

Cost

Cost is obviously a great concern in the film and television training. Though it is a very expensive field of study, still you must find out the best things and in less price. In respect to the international film schools you get relatively cheaper but quality film education in India.

Before you choose an acting school, go through these steps and then ask discretely the following questions to the concerned  people at the establishment.

Four Important Steps

1. Do a proper online research on the school / institute. Look for reviews
2. Ask questions under comments in acting blogs and websites on schools. Read comments of other aspiring actors related to schools
3. Keep in mind you are joining an acting school and not a school to learn physics or history or French. Acting is a fine art and a game of emotions, reactions and portraying different life than yours. Every actor response to learning acting differs. Some transform quickly while others take time ( Like suddenly crying, fear, instant comedy etc). Be careful if a class has too many students. Though good for scene enacting and group practice, a class with 10 or 20 students may be counter-productive for many beginners.
4. Then visit schools /institutes personally and be a detective. Ask discretely on a suggested pattern questions. The best source could be student counselors (If they have one) or another way is to be pally with receptionists ( I call them ‘gatekeepers’).  It is important to go through the facilities of a number of film schools and journalism schools so that you can get the best of the training because it is the most vital step to launch your career in Bollywood / Hollywood or other forms of media.

A. Who is the teaching faculty? Their background (their films etc) eg director, producer, 

cinematographer, production, actor etc. and their reputation as A TEACHER / COACH?

B. How much time they devote to training? 1 hour, 3 hours each day when classes are held?

C. How many students are in a class and what’s the time duration of each class eg 45 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours or more? Calculate how much time each student gets to learn.

D. What's the syllabus? Is it individualized? (I don’t think they have sufficient time to do this).
What do they teach under acting for a camera?

E. What if you need help after passing out for a school? Like audition sources, production houses, casting directors etc.

F. What’s the fee and duration? If it’s high eg 2 Lakhs or 9 Lakhs then why? What extra or good they provide which others don’t offer?

G. Do they have weekend classes? (For working actors)

Top 12 International Acting Schools In The World

1. Juilliard School, New York City

2. Yale School of Drama, New Haven

3. Oxford School of Drama, Woodstock

4. National School of Drama, Delhi

5. Carnegie Mellon School, Pittsburg

6. Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London

7. DePaul University, Chicago

8. The Actors Studio, New York City

9. Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, London

10. National Institute of Dramatic Art, Kensington, Sydney, Australia 
11. New York Film Academy, New York City, New York · Manhattan (Branch in Mumbai also)

Source for above

12. Subhash Ghai's Whistling Woods International, Mumbai (Reported fee: Rs. 9 Lakhs. Check current status)