You have decided to make a career in the film, television, and entertainment industry. Wow! It’s really great news. Most of you will be on your path as per your made plan for an acting career. However, some of you still have confusion and would be unable to decide whether you should join acting classes or not. Infact, you should never follow the crowd and should make a wise decision for a brighter career in the film industry. To make a decision, you should explore what you will get and what you will lose from joining an acting school/class.
Advantages of joining acting classes
Usually, people do what is beneficial for them. The same thing is here. Have a look at some benefits of acting classes:
- Structured training – At an acting school, instructors teach you what is under an acting course whether it is a certificate, diploma, or degree course. Whatever you learn is in a proper way and serial order.
- Knowledge gain – Through self-study, you will gain knowledge. However, this knowledge will not be the one you will gain from an institute offering acting courses. At an acting studio or school, you have both theoretical and practical knowledge. In self-study, you do not have enough practical knowledge and guidance.
- Improved communication – At a respective studio or training centre, you are taught how to speak well and how you should communicate with others. This communication training helps you improve your skills or gain what you don’t know about effective communication. Gradually, you will have enhanced communication.
- Instructions for improvements – For some career options such as acting, theoretical instructions have no greater impact. However, practical guidance matters a lot. The instructors at an acting school are normally actors and have sound knowledge about acting. And hence, they keep a close watch on each thing when you are playing a role. Your instructor guides you on what you should do and what you shouldn’t do and how you can improve your movements, voice, etc.
- Connections – Joining acting classes is highly beneficial. It helps you have connections with some of the best aspiring actors and industry leaders. Your connections with them can help you know something that you haven’t learnt yet.
Disadvantages of joining an acting school
Similar to other works, there are some points/drawbacks that can make you think you shouldn’t join acting classes. Here are some disadvantages of being at an acting school or attending acting classes:
- Different learning methods – Teaching and learning at a drama or acting school is totally different for conventional learning at a school/college. At an acting school, there is no fixed time for a teaching/learning season that you usually have in your science or literature classes. Aspiring actors have to be practical in their own way and get instructions if they don’t act as per the script.
- Higher cost – Studying at an acting or drama school is highly expensive. You may be lucky enough to get a berth. However, some of you may not think of having a seat in a prestigious drama school. Further, you might have to arrange costumes yourself as per the scene. These arrangements will make your study costlier.
- Physical and emotional tolls – Joining acting classes brings some physical and emotional tolls on you. For better acting, you have to make your body more flexible. Bringing flexibility can cause you physical issues like pain. Further, you have to play a role. And as per the role, you have to come out of what you are. Here, you have emotional tolls.
- Ageing – In general, people can’t do acting after a certain age. Aspiring actors can age a lot in establishing themselves if they haven’t started learning acting skills in their childhood.
Conclusion
Till now, you have gone through a few advantages and disadvantages of acting classes. It is you who have to decide whether joining acting classes is worthwhile or not. Whatever decision you make must be based on the compare and contrast of both pros and cons.