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Becoming an actor

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  • 31-10-2011 3:04am
    #1
    newmug
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,571 ✭✭✭


    Hi folks. In a nutshell, how do you become an actor in this country? Is there a course, do you need x amount of leaving cert points if there is, how does a potential actor go looking for work?


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    #2
    jaykhunter
    Registered Users Posts: 12,013 ✭✭✭✭jaykhunter


    i'd imagine you'd sign up for an acting workshop and get some plays/gigs that way. i sincerely doubt there's any "leaving cert" requirement for it!!


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    #3
    MrStuffins
    Registered Users Posts: 19,198 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    "Right this way Mr. De Niro.

    While we DO think you're perfect for the role, i'm afraid you didn't get the required 400 points in your Leaving Cert and you got a B- in Irish which is blatantly unacceptable!

    We've given the part to Corey Feldman"


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    #4
    ICANN
    Registered Users Posts: 350 ✭✭ICANN


    My housemate went to drama school for 4 years in London and is always doing acting and theatre courses. She works in a pub though...


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    #5
    jaykhunter
    Registered Users Posts: 12,013 ✭✭✭✭jaykhunter


    I can only imagine how difficult it is to make it in acting. Isn't there a lot of nepotism/who you know etc


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    #6
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,678 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Moved to Film Production.


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    #7
    LighterGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,243 ✭✭✭LighterGuy


    newmug wrote: »
    Hi folks. In a nutshell, how do you become an actor in this country? Is there a course, do you need x amount of leaving cert points if there is, how does a potential actor go looking for work?

    :pac:
    no such thing as needing leaving points to act man! :)

    Basically, the first thing you should do is to see if acting is for you. There is a pretty popular boards.ie drama group. ( here is the link ) - You should go there some time. (dont worry, its a fun atmosphere)

    Also www.movieextras.ie ... You can learn alot just by watching others (just like anything)


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    #8
    newmug
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,571 ✭✭✭newmug


    LighterGuy wrote: »
    :pac:
    no such thing as needing leaving points to act man! :)

    Basically, the first thing you should do is to see if acting is for you. There is a pretty popular boards.ie drama group. ( here is the link ) - You should go there some time. (dont worry, its a fun atmosphere)

    Also www.movieextras.ie ... You can learn alot just by watching others (just like anything)


    Excellent, thanks for that! But what then? Isn't there an actors guild you should join if you are serious about making a living from it?


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    #9
    LighterGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,243 ✭✭✭LighterGuy


    newmug wrote: »
    Excellent, thanks for that! But what then? Isn't there an actors guild you should join if you are serious about making a living from it?

    Take one step at a time mate :)
    First things first and that's learning the craft.

    For the record I ain't no actor :) ... I've done a course, attended the no drama group for a bit.. and also know people who have gone down the acting road. Nothing to write about. But here is some tips to save you making mistakes:

    - Don't pay any mental amount of money for an acting course. The Gaiety School of Acting in particular is scandalous. They just want your money.

    - I know a girl who has been acting for most of her life. I asked her once "whats the best way to learn to act?" - she replied with saying what is acting? that we act in our every day lives .. with people and situations. Some may disagree with this but my belief is that you teach yourself to act.

    - If you decide to go through the MovieExtras.ie thing to get experience, be warned as an extra you are not allowed to chat to the main cast of the production. Its the whole 'hierarchy' crap :rolleyes: and is seen as "unprofessional" by you, just an "extra", speaking to them...

    - On the subject of Movie Extras. Often an Extra is given a speaking role (eg, guy in pub who says "pint of larger please" in the background etc etc) this pays more. Of course only if you are lucky enough to be asked .. But if you are do your best to hit the line in one take. While the main cast can take up to a few takes to get it right. You as an extra are expected to hit it right first time. Otherwise some other extra will gladly take your place. (even within the extras its cut-throat)

    - Dont quote me on this one, but I have heard that you should put certain things on your acting CV. Like, if you can do a really good cockney accent or if you know a martial art. You can get more work potentially. Of course, don't exaggerate :P 'Cause if you get asked to do a cockney accent in an audition and end up sounding like an aussie :P .. you may of just wasted your time going there. Nothing wrong with a bluff tho :P just not a full blown "yeah, i'm awesome at it" lol.


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    #10
    newmug
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,571 ✭✭✭newmug


    So where is the best / most common place in Ireland to do courses? Where did all the Fair City people do it for example?


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    #11
    LighterGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,243 ✭✭✭LighterGuy


    newmug wrote: »
    So where is the best / most common place in Ireland to do courses? Where did all the Fair City people do it for example?

    For one example,
    I remember reading that Colin Farrell was doing one of those long courses in the gaiety school when he was 18 or something. But he only did a few months and went his own way :pac: .. thats how he got his start. Might be more to the story but thats what I remember.

    As for the actors in fair city? ... A good example. No offense to them but they cant act (seems to be everyones opinion too :pac: ) Wouldnt be suprised to hear a few of them did one of the rip off courses with the gaiety or abbey. But again, look at their talent. Kinda goes back to what I was saying above about paying for those course... doesnt automatically make you a great actor. you teach/bring yourself along.


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    #12
    LighterGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,243 ✭✭✭LighterGuy


    Oh,
    and as for where to learn?

    Well, I am thinking about giving acting a proper go. and not doing something like the mickey-mouse course i did in 2006 with the gaiety. So everything I say is my current opinion :) (like, its not fact or i am someone with great experience/knowledge)

    But i'd do the movieextras.ie thing ... its can be a load of balls but 1, you'll at least get paid (usually around 70euro a day) and 2, you are around acting. No matter what it is you can pick up something by being around it.

    But ultimately you need practice... a drama group is the best way. Its cheap and can get you experience acting. But be careful which one, my gf paid a couple of hundred euro for a course once. Utter rip off. And this was a local drama course :rolleyes:

    Still probably think the boards 'NO Drama' group is a good start. Its cheap (10 euro per session, or at least was as of last year) ... you can find out if its for you ... and if its something that is for you can then perhaps think about doing something more.

    It would just be stupid to pay any good price for a course while you dont know if acting is for you.


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    #13
    newmug
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,571 ✭✭✭newmug


    LighterGuy wrote: »
    For one example,
    I remember reading that Colin Farrell was doing one of those long courses in the gaiety school when he was 18 or something. But he only did a few months and went his own way :pac: .. thats how he got his start. Might be more to the story but thats what I remember.

    As for the actors in fair city? ... A good example. No offense to them but they cant act (seems to be everyones opinion too :pac: ) Wouldnt be suprised to hear a few of them did one of the rip off courses with the gaiety or abbey. But again, look at their talent. Kinda goes back to what I was saying above about paying for those course... doesnt automatically make you a great actor. you teach/bring yourself along.


    I'm not so sure! I think some of the FC actors are top class. Its the lines, the sets, the unrealistic come-outs of some of the characters. Basically they're doing their best with what they have.


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    #14
    AnonoBoy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,559 ✭✭✭✭AnonoBoy


    newmug wrote: »
    I'm not so sure! I think some of the FC actors are top class. Its the lines, the sets, the unrealistic come-outs of some of the characters. Basically they're doing their best with what they have.

    Fair City is ****e but there's some decent actors on it. Watch them on stage or in other shows/films and they deliver good performances.

    I think you'll find that people who sit there going, "All the people on Fair City are rubbish actors" are people who have very little if any experience of actual acting in a professional capacity.

    As for people giving out that extras aren't allowed chat with the cast on big productions it really depends on the production and when the 'chat' is happening. You might call it 'hierarchy crap' but the fact of the matter is that these people are there to work and to the shoot that's happening the cast and crew are the most important. Distracting them from their job isn't what the extras are there to do.

    I've seen extras talk so incessantly to cast members that they've driven them away from the catering tables and had to ask someone to go get them food. I've seen extras hit on cast members and ask them out. I've seen extras try to sell their ideas to a director while he's in the middle of setting up shots with his DP.

    And while you may just want to have a small chat and it might be fine - it's the people who don't know where or when it's appropriate to do so that make it easier for some big productions to just keep the extras away from cast and crew for the most part.


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