| I often get asked, 'Is it important to have a | | | | reduce. With more focus being put on academic |
| degree in acting?'. | | | | study, the craft will suffer. |
| My answer is 'definitely not'. In fact, it can be a | | | | The other reason I hear people give for doing a |
| hindrance. | | | | degree in acting is that it is a safety net. If the |
| Acting is not an academic subject. Sure, you need | | | | acting doesn't work out then you have a degree |
| to analyse a script logically, but you don't need a | | | | to fall back on. |
| Ph.D. in acting to be able to do that. More | | | | This can be a counter-productive thought process. |
| importantly, you have to be able to take impulses | | | | Having the 'net' in place can subconsciously give |
| and actions. | | | | people a reason to fail. In fact, the 'net' |
| In my experience, too much thinking is a killer in | | | | unconsciously becomes the plan, because the |
| creating good acting. | | | | belief that you can actually make it was never |
| Over-analysing and academic approaches don't sit | | | | deep enough in the first place. Hence the reason |
| well in the professional acting environment. Acting | | | | for having a plan B from the outset. |
| is a practical activity. Acting training requires | | | | At this point I would like to tell you about the |
| constant 'doing'. It requires you to take action...to | | | | Mongolian army in the 14th century. They were a |
| act. | | | | force to be reckoned with and never lost a battle. |
| Often students take the degree route so that at | | | | The reason? They created conditions which, if |
| the end of it they can say they have a degree. | | | | they lost, would have devastating effects. When |
| Why? Well, it's really an ego thing. It sounds good | | | | they went to battle they took their wives and |
| to say you have a degree but, trust me, it won't | | | | children to the battlefield. If they lost the battle, |
| count for anything in the audition room. | | | | they lost everything. The result was they never |
| Casting directors and agents couldn't care less if | | | | lost. They didn't have a net. It was all or nothing. |
| you have a first in acting. What they want is to | | | | Now, I cannot say what is right for you, but what |
| see is the goods in the audition room. If you have | | | | I can tell you is that having a plan B can work |
| spent years with your head in a book instead of | | | | against you. |
| in practical acting courses then it will show. | | | | My preference is to build your acting ability to an |
| The current situation in the UK is that many | | | | exceptional level and teach you the business of |
| drama schools and acting schools are aligning | | | | acting so that you succeed first time round. |
| themselves with universities to ensure student | | | | When you are looking at this choice - between a |
| intake and funding from the universities. If it's an | | | | degree or practical acting - you have to ask |
| academic course then the government will throw | | | | yourself what you really want. If you want to be |
| grants at people. | | | | an actor, then nothing beats acting courses that |
| Because of this, I predict that the quality of | | | | focus on the practical application. |
| actors emerging over the coming years will | | | | |