Drama school courses vary from three-year degree or diploma courses to one-year postgraduate courses for those who have already attended university or have comparable prior experience. Entry is by audition or interview- talent rather than academic ability is the principal requirement for securing a place - and highly competitive, with some acting courses offering places on a ratio of 1:50. For three-year courses applicants must be 18, many acting courses 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 applicants have a lot of prior experience of performing, others very little, but all must demonstrate a genuine commitment.
Acting / Musical Theatre
While there are no formal entry requirements for becoming an actor and it is possible for untrained people to enter the profession, in such a highly competitive industry it makes sense to have as many advantages as possible. Vocational training on a course accredited by the National Council for Drama Training is enormous advantage. A study 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 vocational training.
Acting and musical theatre students develop the discipline, practical skills and intellectual understanding necessary for building a lasting career, with accredited courses providing 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 also qualify for full Equity membership on completion of their course.
Nine hundred acting and musical theatre students each year graduate from courses accredited by the Council. For those graduates entering the profession the opportunities for work are very varied. Traditionally actors have gained experience by working in regional repertory theatres, though these days 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, small-scale theatre touring, theatre-in-education, and West End productions. An actor's life will usually involve employment at some time in nearly all of these areas.
Acting training can also help prepare graduates for many other jobs related to the performing arts industries (including directing, play and scriptwriting and producing) and those occupations requiring presentation and communications skills such as training and teaching, personnel, sales, arts administration, youth work, or jobs that require creativity such as web design, event management etc.
Stage Management / Technical Production
All accredited courses provide a thorough grounding in all technical areas involved in production such as : electrics and lighting design, sound, wardrobe, scenic construction, scenic painting, prop making and stage management. Most of them offer experience in technical drawing, music score reading, and an introduction to theatre history, research techniques, budgeting, television production and scenic design. There is usually an opportunity to work with professional designers and directors amongst a wide variety of practitioners and to undertake a work placement to a theatre, television production company, or other related professional organisation.
Employment rates for graduates of accredited courses are high. There are a wide variety of places where those with stage management experience and technical production skills are employed. Aside from working in the theatre or in film and television, they provide the lighting and sound production support for concerts. They can be found setting up equipment and organising crews to provide technical services for theme parks, trade fairs, exhibitions, international trade shows and exhibitions.
