Looking for guidance… My son is an actor and has been doing theater most of his young life, he is quite good and has an incredible passion and its all he wants to do. Although now he wants to focus on film/television. I have explained than any great actor needs the theater component as well, and i do believe he will miss theater if away from it for long, he is young and he may not realize this yet. He is a brilliant boy, an honors student with great grades…he attended MFI gold program this summer in Greenport Long island and acted in 2 shorts, he loved this program and also found a passion to write for the screen. We are current researching our options for college… as a Mother who wants him to have a safety net and not be a starving artist, i am encouraging a well rounded program with ? writing? business ? maybe a double major, a minor… I realize some conservatory programs wont allow this… of course he wants west coast but is open to all… any advise?? and $$$$$ I cant afford to help him completely and i dont want him to graduate in debt on an actors salary…
Check the theater and musical theater boards. There is a ton of information there. Many parents and students have posted about programs that allow minors or majors with BFA Acting and some BFA Musical Theatre programs.
Also, you will find many schools offer a class or classes in Acting for the Camera. And some of those same schools will tailor a minor or certificate to help the student individualize their education.
Here are some links:
If he has excellent grades and test scores, then Northwestern University comes to mind, as they have great theater, film/TV, AND it’s a great university with the chance to double major in something in the College of Arts and Sciences. Just so you both know, double majoring where the primary degree is still something like a BFA or B.Mus will most likely take five years.
You really want to check the theater/drama major forums to get a well rounded list of schools and the process. But I can’t help but recommend two schools based on the details in your post. Sadly neither on the West Coast. There are also really great options on the West Coast, I went with great options with better price tags, because I agree with you that student debt is a horrible way to start a career as an actor.
First, DePaul in Chicago. This is a really well-recognized Acting BFA at the Theatre School within a larger university, that also has a strong film program. The benefit here is that your student can get excellent well-rounded acting training in a conservatory setting, pick up a minor outside the Theatre School in the university at large, and audition for roles in the film students movies. DePauls graduates within the past ten years have had a lot of onscreen success and can currently be seen on film, and having principal and featured roles in series on Hulu, Netflix, HBO, Showtime, and network tv. The past year had three recent alums up for major awards including a best leading actress Oscar nomination, a SAG award, and a Tony. 100% of accepted BFA Acting students receive a substantial non-need based talent scholarship for all four years. In addition to that, tuition is locked for four years so that it will not raise while your student is in the BFA program, and additional credits are included in the price so it also will not increase when you add a minor. Most Acting BFA’s do minor, and the school is supportive of it. Screenwriting is a popular minor option, and IMO a smart one for actors to learn how to create their own content. But business, marketing, programming, etc are all options.
UNCSA in Winston-Salem, North Carolina is the other. This school is another very well respected acting program that also has a strong film program offering the opportunity to study acting seriously while participating in student films. It seems to turn out more Broadway actors than screen actors in the past, but they have recently brought in Bob Krakower as their on screen acting instructor. Your son probably worked with Bob at MFI and as he’s considered essentially the gold standard for professionals getting on screen acting instruction, I think UNCSA is going to be a force in on screen talent as much as they already are for Broadway talent. They do not guarantee every student scholarships, but are known to give out some generous ones, and their starting price is significantly lower than many BFA programs. It is strictly an art school so you will not have access to wider college offerings and it is very hard to pick up a minor here, and the school is not very encouraging of it. But their curriculum is extremely in-depth and students come out with a vast knowledge in a lot of areas that will help them get jobs, and get hired a lot. One area they’ve increased focus is on devised pieces and that would also allow your son to participate in content creation.
This process is hyper competitive. Both of the schools I mentioned above have anywhere from 700-1200 students auditioning every year for thirty spots. That is fairly standard for BFA acting admissions. Many of those auditioning will a lot of training and very strong resumes that include pre-college summer intensives, national awards and/or professional theatre or film work. Because of that, you’ll want to start early, and apply widely to a well-balanced list of schools. Try to encourage him not to limit himself geographically. Many schools outside of the West Coast and East Coast bring in agents and casting directors from those areas throughout the four years, and some will travel to those areas for a semester or showcase so your student will still have the opportunity to build a network out West. Both DePaul and UNCSA do LA and NY showcases for graduating seniors.
Best of luck. There are several other really great programs, and even though the process is…a lot, most kids find their place and I am sure your talented son will be one of them. Definitely check out the theater/drama forum as you’ll get more advice there.
^ DePaul is a great suggestion (for Midwest). And given OP’s post, her son might be in strong contention for merit. At least as of a few years ago, you could go right to their website and arrange for a financial aid estimate to be sent directly to you. We found that to be very helpful when my D16 was considering schools in Chicago.
Chapman University in Orange has a Screen Acting MFA which is a joint program between the College of Performing Arts and the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. They not only allow but encourage at least one minor–it’s almost a requirement, those who don’t do a minor must do a “cluster” which is pretty close to a minor as part of their General Ed. Double majors are not uncommon either, They also incorporate theatre/stage acting in the major. Lots of merit aid as well as need based aid at Chapman.
Thank you!!