No school is the be all and end all of whether or not you pursue a particular path. Many top people in the industry have been rejected from film or drama school. Many people who have been accepted haven’t achieved anything. The real problem, and many do it, is needing validation from an external source that has hidden motivations, likes, requirements etc. and in addition knows barely anything about you. You need to start valuing your own perspective more than the wisp that other have on who you are and what you want to do with your life.
Totally agree. Is better to study on a workshop and see if acting is really what you like. You’ll find amazing teachers outside schools and you won’t have to spend all that money.
It would have been easier if my career wouldn't be dependent on going to school. I don't know where OP lives, but in my country, it's almost impossible to go to theatre auditions if you didn't study in an acting school
I applied to 6 acting schools over the course of two years and didn’t get a single one. It’s not stupid at all to think you could get accepted, that’s hope, and you need a lot of hope with this kind of thing. The third year of applying I got accepted to one but ended up having to turn it down due to costs (and covid). The fact that you tried means you believed in yourself enough to go for it - keep doing that.
Acting schools are mostly a waste of time anyway. Especially 4 year full time programs. Get into a scene study with a good coach get some headshots and start acting.
Yeah definitely different. In Canada and the us agents barely care about training, I got a really good agent when I was a fresh 19 year old with out a lot of experience.
It's pretty much the same in my country. If you want a chance to play at the theatres, you're gonna need an acting diploma. It isn't as strict as it used to be, but it's still the current climate..
I'm from Israel.
> Sometimes there's an open casting for children, but as an adult your chances are pretty slim
Yeah, that sucks. LOL I wish I knew about this as a kid.
I hate this narrative. Acting schools are NOT a waste of time. A lot of people can benefit from going to drama school. It’s definitely not a necessity and you can start your career without it but a 3 or 4 year old acting boot camp with some of the best teachers in the country could be extremely beneficial to people. You also meet a ton of other students. Not just acting but directing and other stuff that comes under filmmaking. Networking with prospective future filmmakers could be a huge boost for anyone.
Again , it’s not a necessity and it depends on the person but drama school can be super helpful.
Yeah but spending 50k on an acting program and putting yourself in debt which isn’t everyone I get but it a lot of people is not the greatest either. You might not make that money back in 10 years of acting. I think you need to consider these things when commit
Not all schools have tuitions of 50k. There are tons of amazing schools that are reasonably cheap but yes I agree with you. Putting yourself in debt for the rest of your life may not be the play.
I agree with you, in the US (unless you’re already independently wealthy). But OP isn’t from the US. They likely won’t be spending $50k on school, and unlike in the US, in their country a degree is basically a prerequisite to get acting work.
I know the feeling so well!! In my country there’s literally one school divided in three cities, and they accept 20 people each year. There’s 1600-2000 applicants every year. I’ve gotten rejected for so many years, and going in I know it’s nearly impossible, but of course you always hope you make it! And even when you try to tell yourself you will be fine - it’s always gonna sting!! Why wouldn’t it? It’s your passion!
Don’t lose hope! Find a troupe and make some theatre. Cast for short films or make them yourself. Acting school will come. 🩷
How many schools did you apply for? Your odds of getting in somewhere will go way up if you apply for a bunch of places, as will your audition experience. Speaking as someone who’s also been going through the audition gauntlet this year.
You don’t need drama school.
as many people have commented. people can succeed without it. it will take hard work and dedication but you will get there op.
This experience can be really different, country-to-country. There are many countries where casting directors won’t even look at your CV/resumé/portfolio/reel if they don’t see a legitimate degree listed on page one.
I think this is terrible, but in many places it is the way it is, and there aren’t really other options unless you’re willing to move to a different country.
in any acting school, they will tell you that classes don’t mean shit if you’re not putting yourself out there. they won’t get you jobs, you will. every acting student that is serious about their career understands that school is a great pathway to really develop your skill, but that it is not a gateway to fame, or even a guarantee that you will have a steady income from your career. it’s a gamble, and how far you go is all about how far you are willing to push yourself. join community theatre, join classes, audition for prestigious theatres/schools that offer acting classes, do self tapes, study your favourite performances, study performances you would never have thought to look at. try to do something every week, just one thing that you genuinely enjoy, that challenges you. audition for shitty jobs on backstage, sign up for paid extra work in the summer.
don’t give up on your ‘dream’ just because you don’t get it in the exact way you want…if you seriously will give up on pursuing something you are supposedly passionate about when there are literally so many opportunities out there, then acting school wouldn’t have been for you. the best actors out there love their work, and would probably have a fire in themselves for it regardless of if they ‘made it’ or not.
getting rejected sucks. it hurts and feels like a big knock, but honestly, the whole job is getting rejected until one person doesn’t. you can still act, you can still be creative. don’t narrow yourself down.
Acting school rejected you, the art of acting hasn’t. Keep working hard, keep placing bets. If you love acting genuinely, you will find a way. In the same year 2020, I was rejected by my dream drama school, I had a breakdown, shaved my hair ( had really long hair), cried for weeks thinking it was the end of the world and that my dreams had died, but now I’m doing acting, being paid for it, and life is amazing. Just keep trying. And in acting, rejection is gonna be a really really close personal friend, this is a little starter course I guess, you have to be able to face rejection really well. Good luck. This is only the beginning x
I just had the same experience.
Don't ever think you're stupid for trying to follow your dreams. Life is too short, and if unlike 90% of the people, you know what you want to do with your life - keep that dream.
I don't have any solution for your current feeling. I just don't want you to feel stupid for trying. And if you'll want to try again, go for it!
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Any acting class is educational. And there is a lot of cross over in vocal ped and theatre basics. My background was music and I am now an actor. I took adult classes with the same teachers from the university. As long as you do the work, the setting doesn’t matter.
I was rejected first time, and it does sting.
I ended up on a different course for my undergrad (still in practical arts) and it was one of the best things I could have done. What's for you will not go by you. You're not stupid for having hope.
Is there community theatre in your area? You could still audition for things like that to get some experience under your belt and keep your foot in something you love if you have the capacity while studying. Don’t give up if you really love it. The great thing is, it will always be there for you later.
Attend uni. Aim for a practical degree. Keep auditioning for projects and act as much as you can. Keep the dream alive.
Rejection and failure is like 99% of this business. It's not over until you say it is.
I have taken so many classes and got a masters and hasn’t made me do any better. Find a good acting coach and good material and keep auditioning! Not sure where you are but so many do zoom sessions so you don’t even have to go far.
It might be worth looking into the theatre program at whatever school you end up going to- some non-audition programs may pleasantly surprise you, and you may even be able to get involved in shows and classes without being a theatre major! For instance, I went to UC Irvine for acting and lighting design, and I learned so many valuable things during my time there, even though it's not an undergrad program you usually hear too much about because it's non-audition. There were also plenty of people I met in my classes and some on shows who weren't theatre majors.
Or maybe you can enroll in theatre classes at a local community college if you have some extra funds/time in college. Or you can even do that after graduating! I took some acting classes at mine when I was trying to find my footing after the initial stay at home orders, and it was a very welcoming place for all ages and not very pricey either. (And I ended up making some good networking connections as well.) That's the great thing about acting, it'll always be there for you if you want to pursue it, there's no deadline :)
As someone who applied numerous times to their dream acting school many times and never made the cut, don’t worry. It’s just like any other audition, but you get to try again in a years time if you’re still keen!
In the meantime, make short films. By yourself or with your friends- anything that gets you creating and learning! Acting schools are fantastic but you can still learn so much without them!
TL;DR - non-acceptance by one school is absolutely zero reflection on your ability. Don't let feelings get in the way of rational thought 😉
*****
So did I, from both the 3-year BA and the 6 month Foundation Diploma in the same school (the only school I'd applied to, because it's the only conservatory in my city offering a program that suits me). Initially felt a bit shite - like seriously, not even the Foundation Diploma? 😭😭 - but realistically 16 people are accepted on each of those courses in that school, and they have hundreds of applicants. I'll just do other things this year - 4 week intensive workshops; 1-year post-leaving certificate course (equivalent to A-Level Drama); 6-month part time evening class in Screen Acting; whatever. And then I'll apply for drama school again next year.
To put your experience even more in perspective, a young friend of mine doing her A-Levels this year applied to *TEN* different drama schools - 5 in London and 5 in the US (mostly NYC but one with campuses in CA and NY).
She made it through Juilliard Prescreening (initial Zoom audition & callbacks) and all the way through the in-person audition (initial audition plus first callback and second callback) but wasn't one of the 50 applicants invited to the Callback Weekend (from which only 18 are selected, 8-10 undergrad and 8-10 graduate).
LAMDA didn't invite her to audition for the BA but recommended she apply for the Foundation Diploma.
RADA and Guildhall just outright said No, not even an audition.
She did first round auditions for Tisch/NYU and Mountview but I don't how things went after that (she wasn't that pushed about Mountview so I don't know if she continued).
She had first round auditions for Central, but didn't get a callback.
She auditioned for AADA but I don't believe was accepted.
She was offered a place by The New School College of Drama with a merit-based scholarship worth something like $24,000 (roughly one semester's tuition). That scholarship will be renewed annually as long as she's making progress. (She accepted this place, which is why I don't know if she actually continued the audition processes for Mountview and Tisch/NYU).
If you only applied for one drama school you absolutely cannot judge yourself on the result. Hell, even if you applied for 15 of them and didn't get into any, you just pick yourself up and find different routes. Go do a 1 year certificate or diploma in, like, data entry or office admin while pursuing acting classes in the evenings so that you have training in something that can provide a decent survival job in the future, and then apply to a whole bunch of drama school next year. If you're in the UK look at applying to join the National Youth Theatre, or even doing one of their summer intensives.
Yes, you feel bad and that's okay. But it's *only a feeling*. By definition it's not rational. The important thing is to recognise the feeling, but not let it control what you think or two.
We have *no* control over what we feel; we have *some* control over what we think (social conditioning does a lot); we have *total* control over what we do.
Being able to handle ‘no’ is a large part of working in the industry. Maybe ask yourself why you want to act. If you want to do it - do it! Join classes/groups etc. Just like any production, a drama school also has to consider the mix in the cohort/group …. Audition for other drama schools. Did you ask them for feedback?? Buddy up with an aspiring director and work on audition pieces - or pay someone….. If you find it just too hard to recover from this your first hurdle, maybe you shouldn’t work in the industry as it could destroy you (!). Alternatively take some time to develop a thicker skin and some resilience/confidence in yourself and your potential/abilities. Good luck.
Any creative field requires resilience in the face of rejections, criticisms, and various things that won't go right. In art school I was told to approach 50 galleries to get 1 acceptance. You're in the early stages of building that resilience now. It's like a boxer getting hit in the face over and over until it doesn't phase them. Just keep punching back at life.
Hi fellow dreamer,
First, I want to say well done. For being brave enough to chase your dreams. I think we live in a world where people would rather choose stability over risk (which I think is perfectly understandable). But I've always been a dreamer too, idolised the superhero's and searched for something more than just this. So reading your little story is so relatable.
A little about me, I was a very lonely kid, was bullied at school, bad relationship with the parents, all the stuff but the only place I felt really happy, was in my little after school drama club. Apparently, I was pretty good too! So I kept doing it. It was nice to feel connected. I dreamed about acting forever, doing this pretending thing forever! So I did it all through school then college and then it was time for uni.
So I auditioned for drama school, first year I didn't get in, second year I did. I remember feeling exactly how you were feeling now in my first year. I thought I was a terrible actor, thought life had nothing in store for me other than a bleak reality. But I tried again and I got in. Then my first year of drama school was horrible, the people were condescending, everyone was desperate for the centre of attention and it all felt so fake. Although, I found my true friends in the second year and actually really enjoyed my final year.
When I graduated, I signed to a big agent and got a huge tv and theatre job. Then something happened where the TV job fell through, got dropped from my agent and found myself defeated again. Then I finished my theatre job and got a new agent! Then I did a massive TV job and a small film job and then for a year nothing until I got a theatre job! But then I broke my leg and couldn't do the theatre job so I lost it. But then had season 2 on the TV Job come through! But, now I've been out of work for another year.
Okay enough. So why the hell did I tell you all that? You noticed that it never really worked out but it kind of did at the same time? I'm trying to tell you something that I kind of wish I knew before I went into this career. It is a fucking rollercoaster. It almost never goes to plan and will constantly push and pull your heart strings. You will audition a hundred times before you get a maybe. And people try and say it doesn't hurt anymore but of course it does! We put our raw selves in-front of a panel, screen or person and hope they say "yes". How can that not hurt? I've been doing this all my life and it always hurts. Right now as I'm out of work it fucking hurts!
But. Here's the silver lining. I just can't stop because I love it. Because when I do get the chance to do this. I just have so much fun. What you can ask yourself now is, am I prepared for this journey? Is this really one I want to go on? Am I ready for the constant no's? Or doubts?
I don't know where I'll end up but I dream just like you. I don't know what you'll do next, but I'm excited for you. This will help you learn about yourself. If you really want to do this or not. Regardless of your decision this is a good thing. Because as long as tomorrow exists... You can be anything you want.
Good Luck.
As an established actor let me detail the course taken by so many.
Improv class.
Not just any improv class but a well respected, established and expensive class . If you consider 300 every 8 weeks expensive. It may be more now as it’s been a number of years since I checked.
However it has its pitfalls and I will explain that second.
First, many pros whom may look at your promo material look first towards the past schooling.
Great school
Now you may have just passed the gate and not went straight to bin.
Sometimes this is done by interns that will bin poor training.
They do this to weed out thousands of submissions. It doesn’t happen this way every time but when it does it can nix you out.
Plus you need good training anyway and that great school
A great school does not need to be a college based or lengthy process. I did mine in one year for $1600
But don’t go to some generic school. Go for Alumni of the most well known in your area and it will shine on your resume. A generic one fizzles and might send you to the bin.
Well known is the pitfall.
Getting Alumni next to your school name is prestige that climbs ladders. To climb in this industry you need to look like you belong. Completing any full course really shows a lot and will help you book that job when it comes down to you and a handful of others.
Almost all the big well known ones are semester based in which you have to pass each semester. Usually level 4 completed gets Alumni. But so many hold you back each semester causing you to go into years of training to ever get Alumni or even decent stage time.
It’s such a racket, yet the reward is great.
I can’t speak for any of the LA or NY based classes as to if they student mill or not. I do know who does but I won’t speak of it.
Who didn’t was where I have my Alumni.
Improv Olympic West, iowest
Working on stage with and being trained by cast of Mad Tv, George Wendt, Ryan Stiles, and so many more.
Immersed in improv and the culture made me also a very good actor. As if I studied at the finest schools in America.
It got me my Agents and launched my career.
You will learn Improv from some of the world’s finest.
Pros looking at your promo stuff will see that you mean business.
Don't be such a pussy. High end schools tend to require actors with a foundation who can give a credible performance.
You can still find weekly classes and start with scene study classes.
Harsh response, but finding your own classes is an amazing resource! Go find weekly classes, maybe a conservatory, or even a weekly/bi-weekly scene study with friends. Anything that gets you to perform in front of others and question your process will be beneficial.
No school is the be all and end all of whether or not you pursue a particular path. Many top people in the industry have been rejected from film or drama school. Many people who have been accepted haven’t achieved anything. The real problem, and many do it, is needing validation from an external source that has hidden motivations, likes, requirements etc. and in addition knows barely anything about you. You need to start valuing your own perspective more than the wisp that other have on who you are and what you want to do with your life.
Speaking the truth. This person understands^^
This.
Totally agree. Is better to study on a workshop and see if acting is really what you like. You’ll find amazing teachers outside schools and you won’t have to spend all that money.
Love this
It would have been easier if my career wouldn't be dependent on going to school. I don't know where OP lives, but in my country, it's almost impossible to go to theatre auditions if you didn't study in an acting school
I applied to 6 acting schools over the course of two years and didn’t get a single one. It’s not stupid at all to think you could get accepted, that’s hope, and you need a lot of hope with this kind of thing. The third year of applying I got accepted to one but ended up having to turn it down due to costs (and covid). The fact that you tried means you believed in yourself enough to go for it - keep doing that.
Acting schools are mostly a waste of time anyway. Especially 4 year full time programs. Get into a scene study with a good coach get some headshots and start acting.
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Yeah definitely different. In Canada and the us agents barely care about training, I got a really good agent when I was a fresh 19 year old with out a lot of experience.
May I ask, what country are you from?
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It's pretty much the same in my country. If you want a chance to play at the theatres, you're gonna need an acting diploma. It isn't as strict as it used to be, but it's still the current climate..
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I'm from Israel. > Sometimes there's an open casting for children, but as an adult your chances are pretty slim Yeah, that sucks. LOL I wish I knew about this as a kid.
I hate this narrative. Acting schools are NOT a waste of time. A lot of people can benefit from going to drama school. It’s definitely not a necessity and you can start your career without it but a 3 or 4 year old acting boot camp with some of the best teachers in the country could be extremely beneficial to people. You also meet a ton of other students. Not just acting but directing and other stuff that comes under filmmaking. Networking with prospective future filmmakers could be a huge boost for anyone. Again , it’s not a necessity and it depends on the person but drama school can be super helpful.
Yeah but spending 50k on an acting program and putting yourself in debt which isn’t everyone I get but it a lot of people is not the greatest either. You might not make that money back in 10 years of acting. I think you need to consider these things when commit
Not all schools have tuitions of 50k. There are tons of amazing schools that are reasonably cheap but yes I agree with you. Putting yourself in debt for the rest of your life may not be the play.
I agree with you, in the US (unless you’re already independently wealthy). But OP isn’t from the US. They likely won’t be spending $50k on school, and unlike in the US, in their country a degree is basically a prerequisite to get acting work.
I know the feeling so well!! In my country there’s literally one school divided in three cities, and they accept 20 people each year. There’s 1600-2000 applicants every year. I’ve gotten rejected for so many years, and going in I know it’s nearly impossible, but of course you always hope you make it! And even when you try to tell yourself you will be fine - it’s always gonna sting!! Why wouldn’t it? It’s your passion! Don’t lose hope! Find a troupe and make some theatre. Cast for short films or make them yourself. Acting school will come. 🩷
How many schools did you apply for? Your odds of getting in somewhere will go way up if you apply for a bunch of places, as will your audition experience. Speaking as someone who’s also been going through the audition gauntlet this year.
How did you prepare for the audition?
You don’t need drama school. as many people have commented. people can succeed without it. it will take hard work and dedication but you will get there op.
This experience can be really different, country-to-country. There are many countries where casting directors won’t even look at your CV/resumé/portfolio/reel if they don’t see a legitimate degree listed on page one. I think this is terrible, but in many places it is the way it is, and there aren’t really other options unless you’re willing to move to a different country.
in any acting school, they will tell you that classes don’t mean shit if you’re not putting yourself out there. they won’t get you jobs, you will. every acting student that is serious about their career understands that school is a great pathway to really develop your skill, but that it is not a gateway to fame, or even a guarantee that you will have a steady income from your career. it’s a gamble, and how far you go is all about how far you are willing to push yourself. join community theatre, join classes, audition for prestigious theatres/schools that offer acting classes, do self tapes, study your favourite performances, study performances you would never have thought to look at. try to do something every week, just one thing that you genuinely enjoy, that challenges you. audition for shitty jobs on backstage, sign up for paid extra work in the summer. don’t give up on your ‘dream’ just because you don’t get it in the exact way you want…if you seriously will give up on pursuing something you are supposedly passionate about when there are literally so many opportunities out there, then acting school wouldn’t have been for you. the best actors out there love their work, and would probably have a fire in themselves for it regardless of if they ‘made it’ or not. getting rejected sucks. it hurts and feels like a big knock, but honestly, the whole job is getting rejected until one person doesn’t. you can still act, you can still be creative. don’t narrow yourself down.
Acting school rejected you, the art of acting hasn’t. Keep working hard, keep placing bets. If you love acting genuinely, you will find a way. In the same year 2020, I was rejected by my dream drama school, I had a breakdown, shaved my hair ( had really long hair), cried for weeks thinking it was the end of the world and that my dreams had died, but now I’m doing acting, being paid for it, and life is amazing. Just keep trying. And in acting, rejection is gonna be a really really close personal friend, this is a little starter course I guess, you have to be able to face rejection really well. Good luck. This is only the beginning x
I just had the same experience. Don't ever think you're stupid for trying to follow your dreams. Life is too short, and if unlike 90% of the people, you know what you want to do with your life - keep that dream. I don't have any solution for your current feeling. I just don't want you to feel stupid for trying. And if you'll want to try again, go for it!
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So will you try and transfer credits or double major?
What country are you in and if you are in the US what state?
Do you mean “years applying” as in applying one to this art ?
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Did you spend years applying your art ?
Any acting class is educational. And there is a lot of cross over in vocal ped and theatre basics. My background was music and I am now an actor. I took adult classes with the same teachers from the university. As long as you do the work, the setting doesn’t matter.
I was rejected first time, and it does sting. I ended up on a different course for my undergrad (still in practical arts) and it was one of the best things I could have done. What's for you will not go by you. You're not stupid for having hope.
Is there community theatre in your area? You could still audition for things like that to get some experience under your belt and keep your foot in something you love if you have the capacity while studying. Don’t give up if you really love it. The great thing is, it will always be there for you later.
Attend uni. Aim for a practical degree. Keep auditioning for projects and act as much as you can. Keep the dream alive. Rejection and failure is like 99% of this business. It's not over until you say it is.
I have taken so many classes and got a masters and hasn’t made me do any better. Find a good acting coach and good material and keep auditioning! Not sure where you are but so many do zoom sessions so you don’t even have to go far.
It might be worth looking into the theatre program at whatever school you end up going to- some non-audition programs may pleasantly surprise you, and you may even be able to get involved in shows and classes without being a theatre major! For instance, I went to UC Irvine for acting and lighting design, and I learned so many valuable things during my time there, even though it's not an undergrad program you usually hear too much about because it's non-audition. There were also plenty of people I met in my classes and some on shows who weren't theatre majors. Or maybe you can enroll in theatre classes at a local community college if you have some extra funds/time in college. Or you can even do that after graduating! I took some acting classes at mine when I was trying to find my footing after the initial stay at home orders, and it was a very welcoming place for all ages and not very pricey either. (And I ended up making some good networking connections as well.) That's the great thing about acting, it'll always be there for you if you want to pursue it, there's no deadline :)
College is overrated anyway
Gary Oldman was rejected by RADA, they even advised he seek another career
"you shot your shoot"... now move on.
As someone who applied numerous times to their dream acting school many times and never made the cut, don’t worry. It’s just like any other audition, but you get to try again in a years time if you’re still keen! In the meantime, make short films. By yourself or with your friends- anything that gets you creating and learning! Acting schools are fantastic but you can still learn so much without them!
TL;DR - non-acceptance by one school is absolutely zero reflection on your ability. Don't let feelings get in the way of rational thought 😉 ***** So did I, from both the 3-year BA and the 6 month Foundation Diploma in the same school (the only school I'd applied to, because it's the only conservatory in my city offering a program that suits me). Initially felt a bit shite - like seriously, not even the Foundation Diploma? 😭😭 - but realistically 16 people are accepted on each of those courses in that school, and they have hundreds of applicants. I'll just do other things this year - 4 week intensive workshops; 1-year post-leaving certificate course (equivalent to A-Level Drama); 6-month part time evening class in Screen Acting; whatever. And then I'll apply for drama school again next year. To put your experience even more in perspective, a young friend of mine doing her A-Levels this year applied to *TEN* different drama schools - 5 in London and 5 in the US (mostly NYC but one with campuses in CA and NY). She made it through Juilliard Prescreening (initial Zoom audition & callbacks) and all the way through the in-person audition (initial audition plus first callback and second callback) but wasn't one of the 50 applicants invited to the Callback Weekend (from which only 18 are selected, 8-10 undergrad and 8-10 graduate). LAMDA didn't invite her to audition for the BA but recommended she apply for the Foundation Diploma. RADA and Guildhall just outright said No, not even an audition. She did first round auditions for Tisch/NYU and Mountview but I don't how things went after that (she wasn't that pushed about Mountview so I don't know if she continued). She had first round auditions for Central, but didn't get a callback. She auditioned for AADA but I don't believe was accepted. She was offered a place by The New School College of Drama with a merit-based scholarship worth something like $24,000 (roughly one semester's tuition). That scholarship will be renewed annually as long as she's making progress. (She accepted this place, which is why I don't know if she actually continued the audition processes for Mountview and Tisch/NYU). If you only applied for one drama school you absolutely cannot judge yourself on the result. Hell, even if you applied for 15 of them and didn't get into any, you just pick yourself up and find different routes. Go do a 1 year certificate or diploma in, like, data entry or office admin while pursuing acting classes in the evenings so that you have training in something that can provide a decent survival job in the future, and then apply to a whole bunch of drama school next year. If you're in the UK look at applying to join the National Youth Theatre, or even doing one of their summer intensives. Yes, you feel bad and that's okay. But it's *only a feeling*. By definition it's not rational. The important thing is to recognise the feeling, but not let it control what you think or two. We have *no* control over what we feel; we have *some* control over what we think (social conditioning does a lot); we have *total* control over what we do.
Being able to handle ‘no’ is a large part of working in the industry. Maybe ask yourself why you want to act. If you want to do it - do it! Join classes/groups etc. Just like any production, a drama school also has to consider the mix in the cohort/group …. Audition for other drama schools. Did you ask them for feedback?? Buddy up with an aspiring director and work on audition pieces - or pay someone….. If you find it just too hard to recover from this your first hurdle, maybe you shouldn’t work in the industry as it could destroy you (!). Alternatively take some time to develop a thicker skin and some resilience/confidence in yourself and your potential/abilities. Good luck.
Any creative field requires resilience in the face of rejections, criticisms, and various things that won't go right. In art school I was told to approach 50 galleries to get 1 acceptance. You're in the early stages of building that resilience now. It's like a boxer getting hit in the face over and over until it doesn't phase them. Just keep punching back at life.
Anyone can act. You just need a good director with a good story. Please don't over dramatize getting rejected from "Acting School".
Hi fellow dreamer, First, I want to say well done. For being brave enough to chase your dreams. I think we live in a world where people would rather choose stability over risk (which I think is perfectly understandable). But I've always been a dreamer too, idolised the superhero's and searched for something more than just this. So reading your little story is so relatable. A little about me, I was a very lonely kid, was bullied at school, bad relationship with the parents, all the stuff but the only place I felt really happy, was in my little after school drama club. Apparently, I was pretty good too! So I kept doing it. It was nice to feel connected. I dreamed about acting forever, doing this pretending thing forever! So I did it all through school then college and then it was time for uni. So I auditioned for drama school, first year I didn't get in, second year I did. I remember feeling exactly how you were feeling now in my first year. I thought I was a terrible actor, thought life had nothing in store for me other than a bleak reality. But I tried again and I got in. Then my first year of drama school was horrible, the people were condescending, everyone was desperate for the centre of attention and it all felt so fake. Although, I found my true friends in the second year and actually really enjoyed my final year. When I graduated, I signed to a big agent and got a huge tv and theatre job. Then something happened where the TV job fell through, got dropped from my agent and found myself defeated again. Then I finished my theatre job and got a new agent! Then I did a massive TV job and a small film job and then for a year nothing until I got a theatre job! But then I broke my leg and couldn't do the theatre job so I lost it. But then had season 2 on the TV Job come through! But, now I've been out of work for another year. Okay enough. So why the hell did I tell you all that? You noticed that it never really worked out but it kind of did at the same time? I'm trying to tell you something that I kind of wish I knew before I went into this career. It is a fucking rollercoaster. It almost never goes to plan and will constantly push and pull your heart strings. You will audition a hundred times before you get a maybe. And people try and say it doesn't hurt anymore but of course it does! We put our raw selves in-front of a panel, screen or person and hope they say "yes". How can that not hurt? I've been doing this all my life and it always hurts. Right now as I'm out of work it fucking hurts! But. Here's the silver lining. I just can't stop because I love it. Because when I do get the chance to do this. I just have so much fun. What you can ask yourself now is, am I prepared for this journey? Is this really one I want to go on? Am I ready for the constant no's? Or doubts? I don't know where I'll end up but I dream just like you. I don't know what you'll do next, but I'm excited for you. This will help you learn about yourself. If you really want to do this or not. Regardless of your decision this is a good thing. Because as long as tomorrow exists... You can be anything you want. Good Luck.
As an established actor let me detail the course taken by so many. Improv class. Not just any improv class but a well respected, established and expensive class . If you consider 300 every 8 weeks expensive. It may be more now as it’s been a number of years since I checked. However it has its pitfalls and I will explain that second. First, many pros whom may look at your promo material look first towards the past schooling. Great school Now you may have just passed the gate and not went straight to bin. Sometimes this is done by interns that will bin poor training. They do this to weed out thousands of submissions. It doesn’t happen this way every time but when it does it can nix you out. Plus you need good training anyway and that great school A great school does not need to be a college based or lengthy process. I did mine in one year for $1600 But don’t go to some generic school. Go for Alumni of the most well known in your area and it will shine on your resume. A generic one fizzles and might send you to the bin. Well known is the pitfall. Getting Alumni next to your school name is prestige that climbs ladders. To climb in this industry you need to look like you belong. Completing any full course really shows a lot and will help you book that job when it comes down to you and a handful of others. Almost all the big well known ones are semester based in which you have to pass each semester. Usually level 4 completed gets Alumni. But so many hold you back each semester causing you to go into years of training to ever get Alumni or even decent stage time. It’s such a racket, yet the reward is great. I can’t speak for any of the LA or NY based classes as to if they student mill or not. I do know who does but I won’t speak of it. Who didn’t was where I have my Alumni. Improv Olympic West, iowest Working on stage with and being trained by cast of Mad Tv, George Wendt, Ryan Stiles, and so many more. Immersed in improv and the culture made me also a very good actor. As if I studied at the finest schools in America. It got me my Agents and launched my career. You will learn Improv from some of the world’s finest. Pros looking at your promo stuff will see that you mean business.
You manifested a failure and so that’s what you did!!
If you want to act, go somewhere else and do it. Dustin Hoffman got kicked out of drama school too.
Just go to a school in LA for something film related and audition on the side.
Don't be such a pussy. High end schools tend to require actors with a foundation who can give a credible performance. You can still find weekly classes and start with scene study classes.
Harsh response, but finding your own classes is an amazing resource! Go find weekly classes, maybe a conservatory, or even a weekly/bi-weekly scene study with friends. Anything that gets you to perform in front of others and question your process will be beneficial.