Acting is an increasingly competitive career. Work is sporadic. Equity - the actors' union - calculate that a high percentage of their members are unemployed at any given time, with actors working professionally an average of 11.3 weeks of the year. Except for those at the top of the profession, actors earn comparatively low salaries and most have to undertake temporary periods of alternative employment between engagements.
To succeed an actor needs to be intelligent, sensitive, observant and imaginative. Equally important are physical and mental resilience and self-discipline. Because of the precarious nature of employment in the performing arts industry no one should consider being an actor unless they have the determination and stamina that will be demanded of them. For those who do aspire to a career in acting it is not all bad news. Despite the gloomy statistics the personal rewards involved can be immense - how many people can claim they are making a living doing something they really want to do?
There are no formal entry requirements for becoming an actor; it is possible for untrained people to enter the profession. However, in such a competitive industry, it makes sense to have as many advantages as possible. Vocational training on a course accredited by the NCDT is one of the greatest advantages of all. A report carried out by the Institute of Manpower Studies on behalf of the Arts Council of England found that 86% of actors working in the profession had received formal professional training, and that the vast majority were satisfied with their preparation for working, the careers advice and guidance they had received and the overall quality of their training.
The benefits of vocational training are numerous, NCDT accredited courses provide not only the discipline, practical skills and intellectual understanding necessary for building a lasting career, but also opportunities to be seen by agents, casting directors, theatres and television companies, so vital in securing that all-important first job. Graduates of accredited courses, who are legally entitled to work in the UK, also qualify for full Equity membership on completion of their course.
Drama school courses vary from three-year degree or diploma courses to one-year postgraduate courses for people who have already attended university or have comparable prior experience. Entry is by audition - talent rather than academic ability is the principal requirement for securing a place. For three-year courses applicants must be 18. Many drama schools prefer to take students who are older, they are looking for people with the maturity to cope with the demands of actor training. For postgraduate courses the minimum age is 21. Some students have a lot of prior experience of performing, others very little, but you must demonstrate a genuine commitment.
Whilst all drama school courses aim to prepare students to enter the profession, the philosophy of actor training varies from school to school. Some place great emphasis on classical theatre training, others focus more broadly. Certain courses are specifically targeted at those who wish to make a career in Musical Theatre. Anyone considering applying to drama school should research their options carefully and consider what sort of career to which they are aspiring.
The majority of students on accredited courses are from the UK but a significant number of places are offered to people from other parts of the world, in particular from continental Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, North America and the Far East. Many people who have trained at UK drama schools have returned to their own countries to pursue very successful careers. -
It is important to make a distinction between vocational training courses and the vast number of performing arts courses on offer at UK universities. The Higher Education Funding Council funds over 2,100 degree courses with Drama or Theatre in the title. These courses may appear to have a connection with the industry, but most do not. University courses are generally more academic and do not aim to train people as actors. For more information on University drama courses contact the Standing Conference of University Drama Departments at http://art.ntu.ac.uk/scudd A one-year course accredited by NCDT may be a suitable choice for those who have already completed a drama or theatre studies degree.
For those graduates entering the profession the opportunities for work are broad and varied. Traditionally actors gained early experience by working in regional repertory theatres, though today they are just as likely to secure their first job in television. An actor's career may also involve work in film, corporate training videos, radio, commercials, voice-overs, cruise-ship entertainment, small-scale theatre touring, theatre-in-education, and West End productions. An actor's life may include employment at some point in nearly all of these areas.
Further Reading
- The Conference of Drama Schools Official Uk Guide to Vocational courses for Drama and Technical Theatre, available free from CDS - write (including a 44p SAE) to Conference of Drama Schools, PO Box 34253. London NW5 1XJ
- Being An Actor, Simon Callow, Picador USA, August 2003
- Other People's Shoes, Harriet Walter, Nick Hern Books, 2003
- The Complete About Acting, Peter Barkworth, Methuen Drama, 2001
- Teach yourself Acting, Ellis Jones, Hodder & Stoughton Educational Division, 1998
- The Stanivslaski System: The Professional Training of an Actor, Sonia Moore, Penguin USA,
- First Steps Towards An Acting Career, Nigel Rideout, A&C Black. 1995
- Careers In The Theatre, Jean Richardson, Kogan Page, 1998
- An Actors Guide to Getting Work, Simon Dunmore, A&C Black, 2001
- Contacts, Spotlight, available from good bookshops or The Spotlight
- The Stage, weekly from newsagents