Acting is a profession that has become highly visible and idealized in the last decades.
With the development of new technological advancements, from radios, films, and television to current streaming services available through the Internet, actors have become part of our lives.
In our globalized world, a few of them have also become stars or celebrities, famous for taking part in successful films, shows, or theater plays.
Even though many people might want to become actors, only a few are truly able.
In the next few sections, we’ll review basic facts about actors, how to become one as well as the cost of acting classes.
Table of Contents
What Is Acting?
Acting, as part of the Arts field, is the profession of representing a character of a story, generally from a book, theater play, or a writer’s script, before an audience or before cameras.
Acting is performed by actors.
What Is an Actor?
An actor is someone that represents characters, or acts, as a career.
Not every actor is considered to be a professional actor, though.
This tends to depend on the focus of the actor, their career and educational choices, and their talent.
What Does an Actor Do?
Acting does not involve just reading a script and acting, it also entails several other activities that they must do before and after acting.
Among the most common of these activities are reading the part of the selected script, auditioning in front of casting directors, producers and directors, memorizing their lines and adapting their performance in order to match the selected character, work as part of a team along with other professionals of the area before finally representing the chosen role.
Should I Become an Actor?
Even if it might seem an easy profession for some, acting can be very challenging.
Talent is not the only required skill to become an actor.
Numerous elements can influence the probability of someone becoming an actor that can actually earn money and have a steady job.
However, certain personal skills or traits can be a good sign that acting is the right profession for you, such as having a passion for theater and films, you are comfortable with and truly enjoy performing in front of others, you like to research about a story and its characters, you are emotional but can still handle rejection, and you are able to work as part of a team.
How Do I Become an Actor?
There isn’t a specific pathway for becoming an actor but in general, people who aspire to become one, can either work with their natural skills or they can enhance them by taking acting classes or by obtaining a higher educational degree.
Acting Classes
Taking acting classes is one of the most common choices aspiring actors make when starting their career journey.
In these classes, students learn from experienced actors the most important techniques and exercises to start becoming an actor or improving the skills already acquired.
Acting classes can be individual or one-on-one classes with an instructor, or group classes with other students.
Higher Education Degrees
Various higher education degrees can be obtained in community colleges or universities.
The most common are Associate’s degrees and Bachelor’s degrees in acting, film and television performance, performing arts, or fine arts.
There are also Master’s degrees for those who wish to continue their education and enhance their skills.
How Long Do Acting Classes Last?
The duration of acting classes is going to depend on the type of program you choose.
Academies, community colleges, and universities offer classes in short courses or single classes that students can take as they prefer.
How Much Do Acting Classes Cost?
Several factors can affect the cost of acting classes.
The city where you want to study, the type of institution you choose, the instructor’s experience, and the type of course or the number of classes you take, are all elements that have an impact on the cost of acting classes.
For individual classes, you can expect to pay from $50 to $200 per hour.
For group classes, the average cost is from $35 to $85 per hour.
If you’re looking to obtain a higher degree in acting or performing arts, the cost can be from $25,000 to $85,000 per year.
