A frequently asked question, ‘are acting classes worth it?’ Acting classes are not a requirement for becoming an actor; if there’s anything that’s 100% certain in this industry, it’s that there’s no single path in becoming an actor both on screen or in theatre. However, with the wide range of unique classes that are becoming available there are always new skills to learn and develop. Courses are adapting to the busy schedule of aspiring and working actors, with short compact tailored made classes becoming the forefront for acting training. Some courses can not only provide specialist technical training but also showreels to stand out to casting directors and producers and offer an opportunity to network with people who might give you work.
You Can Retain and Improve Your Fundamental Skillset
As an actor you have a number of fundamental skills which require constant training to ensure they are on-point for any job or audition that might come your way. Shorter classes and workshops covering these fundamentals can be a great way to constantly improve your fundamental skillset.
This can include voice projection, diction, physicality, emotional range, improvisation, and stage presence. If these fundamentals are left unused for a long time they can become rusty, and nobody wants to attend an audition failing on the basics. At Actors Studio we see students from across the UK and Internationally attend our short in-person and online workshops to focus on refining their diction or brush up on Shakespeare to improve their overall performance ability.
In addition to receiving direct guidance from professional industry tutors, you can also use this as an opportunity to learn techniques used by other actors! Acting courses can provide a superb platform to communicate and network with fellow creatives in the industry, and you might just end up on camera together one day.
Short Term Course Vs Long Term Courses
Short term courses are becoming more popular amongst the types of training for actors. With the busy schedules and ongoing financial challenges the ability for actors to commit to long term courses or attend drama schools has dropped significantly.
Shorter courses come at a more affordable price and often provide fantastic value for money due to their intensive nature. For those who have attended Drama School, short courses provide a chance for graduates to put their training into practice with industry professionals and see what works/doesn’t work for them with a professional director in a training setting, not on the job. Tutors at Actors Studio include BAFTA Award-Wining Directors and Acting Coaches who have worked with the likes of Daniel Craig and Angelina Jolie. These industry professional tutors on short 5 Day Courses will provide actors with honest feedback and an insight into how they can best apply or improve their skillset.
In comparison, longer courses such as our Masterclass in Screen Acting offer a balanced training structure and are often beneficial for those who seek routine in their career to succeed. If you have the time to commit to 4+ weeks of training there can be huge benefits including confidence boosting, continuous feedback from varying opinions and a chance to build stronger relations with industry tutors and fellow actors.
While long term courses have the balanced structure and attention to detail within each element of the training they are equally difficult to plan a life around. Short term courses are on the rise and are something to keep an eye on!
Keep Your Showreel Fresh with Relevant Content
Have you ever delivered what you thought was your best performance on a job, only to find it didn’t make the cut? Whilst a working screen actor can amass a wide variety of material from various jobs, often we’re left with short snippets, an edit that’s out of our favour and little to no complimentary shots highlighting our acting ability, especially in scenes with more than two actors.
Whether depicting the relationship between a parent and child, friends, lovers, enemies, or simply acquaintances, two-person scenes used in showreels allow actors to infuse characters and their stories with intentionality, emotional depth, and nuance. Duologue scenes can be acquired on both shorted courses such as our 5 Day Screen & Showreel Course or Four Week Masterclass in Screen Acting, both giving you a safe space to explore, develop and challenge yourself in an environment with a professional Director.
Showreel Courses appeal to both emerging actors and working professionals for different reasons. Someone new to the industry or recently graduated might be seeking their chance to act on a professional set for the first time and put their acting skills into fruition with a Director. Meanwhile for experienced actors these courses can ensure their skillset is on-point before getting a fresh showreel to highlight newly acquired skills, a variation in look and a character type you seek to play but have no material to showcase. This bespoke footage can often lead to securing more specific work and helps casting Directors better place you.
Attending a course with a showreel included also introduces a number of benefits for actors looking to really make an impact with their scenes. Having the opportunity to refine your skillset before going onto set means you’ll be at ease with the technical aspects and more likely to give your best performance, having spent the days prior working intensively with other actors and a professional tutor. Compared to material you might receive from a job, you’ll have the chance to take risks, make bold choices and fundamentally revive the best feedback from a Director who is solely focused on you.
No matter the experience these ‘short term’ showreel courses are hugely beneficial to actors. Allowing them to have days of intensive technical and methodical acting training followed by on set experience, with professional scenes shot by a professional working crew. These scenes can then be used to showcase your skill, adaptability to characters, juxtaposition in style, look, genre and more.
See our range of upcoming Showreel Courses led by Industry Leading Tutors and Directors:
Looking for something more Bespoke?
We offer a bespoke tailored package that allow you to cooperate with production teams to have a tailored set of scripts written for you to showcase the roles you have been wanting to pursue. Our bespoke showreel package is for those more experienced. You will have a consultation with a script writer to formulate three contrasting scenes, all arranged for you including crew, cast, locations and editing removing any hassle so you can focus on your performance.
You Can Get Found on The Home of Casting
Spotlight connects performers with roles in theatre, television and film productions around the world. Casting professionals choose Spotlight to cast their projects because performers on Spotlight are recognised as the industry’s best. To qualify for Spotlight actors are required to meet their criteria which can include: qualifications, hours of training and accreditations they need before applying.
Spotlight only recognise training they feel meets their strict guidelines in order for actors to qualify. Courses at Actors Studio are Spotlight recognised and use a unique system where actors can earn points to qualify for Spotlight, giving actors flexibility to spread out their training, or work intensively over a shorter period and helps to make our courses, in addition to Spotlight eligibility more accessible.
This is a great alternative to Drama School and again highlights the importance of attending training, especially for those looking to improve their chances of being discovered by Casing Directors.
Ultimately attending courses and top-up training between work is vital for you to remain relevant and continually improve. Whether you’re looking to tackle a new character or develop your vocal skills, we recommend actors of any level to continue training.
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