Is it wrong I don't want to study for four years?

fishbowlfreshman
Sat, 19 Oct 2013 09:14:36 +0000

^ Right. A lot of name screen actors dropped out of their programs or were asked to leave although with Robin it was more of a mutual decision than being kicked out. Can you imagine having him as a classmate??? LOL Plus, it’s evident that there was no bad blood since he donates full scholarships.

I think at a lot of mid-high intensity BFA programs, the first two years should be sufficient to move to LA and get specific training to transition into TV and film if you have the goods in the first place. Most of those CDs won’t care too much if you don’t have the degree as long as you also show additional training and/or experience specific to the media. And again, you’ll probably need at least some of that even if you graduate since these schools are mainly designed to nurture theatre artists and the on-camera training at most is woefully inadequate. There’s even a stereotype in Hollywood of the “clueless actor with a lot of theatre training.” That’s not saying that finishing a degree doesn’t carry both intrinsic and practical value.



Fish, I think it’s interesting that you say training in improv is important. I read Tina Fey’s book, and I know she trained at Second City after graduating from UVA. Do college theater programs provide opportunities to train in improv?

Viola Spolin’s theatre games from which what is normally referred to as ‘improv’ are derived are integral to the training at the top schools I know about unless they’re Meisner-based in which case those first year exercises entail a specific kind of improv in and of themselves. It’s a must-have tool for any actor - especially in the on-camera world.

P.S. HEY! YouTube took down the Ben Kingsley interview I linked, but somebody cut the section I referenced to another video. [Inside the Actors Studio: Ben Kingsley on actors as hunters. - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GpkP2n-Y8M)