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layboa
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Need some advice!?!

Post by layboa »

Hi guys i need some helpful advice if you have any. I'm 18 and is September in starting university to study music. However ive spoken to my parents and they say if i do music undergrad then i can do drama postgrad in London. The reason for this is because drama schools will if your good enough take you on if you have any type of performing arts undergrad. (we've checked and music is counted). However I am going to have to gain alot of experience in the mean time while i'm at University. I also should add that i hope to do a Acting for Screen course. So how would I do all this without missing school. I know its a hard one but i love to act and this way my parents are helping me :p So and advice, thoughts or feelings :D
LAYBOA
summer66
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Re: Need some advice!?!

Post by summer66 »

University degree in any subject will certainly give you some life experience before applying to drama schools, but it wont give you any guarantee of getting a place. I know that some people feel that the 1 year Post Grad in Acting is an awful lot to take in over a year as it is usually the 3 year course condensed into a year so will be hard going. You could still do a three year course after university, although you will have used your funding for your first degree so you would need to be able to fund yourself. Any reason why you havent applied to drama school to do your first degree? Also summer schools are available at most of the drama schools which would give you an insight of what to expect. Entry into drama school is extremely competitive on both BA and Post Grad courses and usually based soley on how you perform at audition, so they are not really going to be worried about what qualifications you have. I know Rose Bruford do an Actor/Muscianship Degree which might be worth looking at as this would combine both music and acting. Good luck!
pg
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Re: Need some advice!?!

Post by pg »

All good advice from summer66!

What do you hope to do when you graduate? (Apart from go to drama school!). Are you doing a music degree because this is what your parents want you to do? Have you thought about where you hope to be in ten years time for example?

There are no certainties in the performing profession and whatever you do at University won't guarantee you a place at drama school; nor will a place at drama school guarantee you work in the profession.

On the plus side, you don't need to worry too much about "gaining experience" - if you mean acting experience - while you are at University, prior to applying to drama school. Joining a student drama group, getting involved in drama activities in the holidays, going to the theatre when you can, finding out all you can about the profession - all these will count as useful experience. Drama schools aren't particularly bothered about whether you've had professional experience before training.

The accredited drama courses don't concentrate only on screen acting (because we all need as many strings to our bow as possible!). Many schools are sadly lacking in screen acting training (though they all do some). This is slowly changing and all the schools are now tackling this I believe. If you are particularly keen on only doing a screen acting course, then there are some around but they won't be accredited by the NCDT and may not be particularly highly regarded by CDs and agents - they might still be very useful/interesting. You might even be able to fit in a screen acting course during a University vacation (if you can afford it) which could be a good way of finding out a bit more about this sort of work and training while you are studying music.
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