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By ivi blog Guest Contributor Dr. Rob Moore

From the Advice From Those Who Have Tried and Made It Department:

College

In the first two parts of this series, the need for perspective was emphasized when planning a film career.  (Note: When speaking of a film career, we are generally also including the live stage as well, even when not specifically stated. It is rare for a star of live stage never to be recruited for film, and the reverse can be said to a lesser degree.)

We said that success in Hollywood (film) or New York (stage) does not generally depend on ready contacts. We pointed out that, at times, such contacts can serve to actually  disadvantage the performer, especially if they, the contacts, are used to secure roles which pre-date acting mastery. Incompetent actors are quickly sidelined by the film and stage industries.  First and foremost, for investors, the “business” element of  “show business” is paramount. Anyone  threatening business with inadequate skills is not going to be retained in current, nor recruited for future projects, irrespective of contacts.

Finally, in previous articles, we explained how important it is to accurately evaluate acting successes in high school, college or other amateur venues. With over 5,000 colleges and universities and 30,000 high schools in the US alone, starring roles at that level, although fodder for happy memories, do not necessarily prepare one for stardom.

In this, the third article, we are going to begin to outline how one may go about preparing for a film and/or stage career.

As Abraham Lincoln once said, “I will prepare and some day my chance will come.”

So, how does one prepare oneself to be ready when  one’s chance arrives?

One of the first questions usually asked about preparedness involves whether or not an individual should attend a formal college.

The answer to that question, of course, varies from individual to individual.

College can provide a place to transition from adolescence to adulthood. If an individual is not sure of himself or herself in terms of strengths, weaknesses and life options,  college can be an important step in preparation for entering a very adult rough and tumble world.

On the other hand, for the present, let’s assume the time spent obtaining a college degree could be used to better advantage.

There are plenty of examples of stars who found college unhelpful when it came to supporting their dreams.

For instance, Reese Witherspoon dropped out of Stanford after one year as an English major to pursue acting full time. Ben Stiller left UCLA after a semester and a half. Madonna stopped attending classes at the University of Michigan very early. Sandra Bullock dropped out of East Carolina University to pursue her acting career. Tom Hanks walked away from Sacramento State University to sign on for a three year acting internship at the Great Lakes Theater Festival. Julia Roberts did graduate from Georgia State University, however, her concentration was veterinary science. And, Jennifer Garner, having graduated from Denison University with a major in drama, had to study acting and stage combat at the National Theater Institute,  and then move on to New York before her career began to show signs of  life.

On the directing side of the film equation, even notables like Steven Spielberg dropped out of college (University of Southern California)  because of poor grades. He did turn up 30 years later at California State University Long Beach to receive a degree. By that time, though, Spielberg could have purchased both campuses.

If I choose college, what should I do while on campus?

If you do decide to attend a traditional college, it is important that during your time on campus, you do everything you can to advance your practical stage and screen related knowledge and skills.  Make certain, for instance, you choose modern dance over time on the college’s water slide. Be sure you sign up for the Method Acting course over one involving the finer points of badminton.

The more you understand and CAN DO after graduation from college relative to the various phases of stage and screen production, the better. For example, if a student must choose between a major in drama history vs. a major emphasizing things like stage lighting, film camera work, scenery design, sound board mastery, etc., the choice needs to favor the practical vs. the theoretical. This is because, although drama history may make for pleasant conversation, screen writing aside, it doesn’t necessarily serve to make you more competitive when a casting director is looking for specific kinds of skills to round out a film or stage crew. Remember, you want to get your foot in the door. An individual with lots to say about film history may be tremendous company in preparation for a final examination. However, that knowledge doesn’t do much when a casting director is attempting to cast for a project within a specified budget.

If I have chosen college, where should I attend?

Common sense tells us that the two major universities in the Hollywood area, UCLA and University of Southern California, have very strong performing arts departments. In addition (this is changing to a certain extent), companies providing the companion services involved with making a film, that is, editing, sound, special effects, etc., are based in the general Hollywood area. With the advances in technology, college location has become a bit less important for learning companion skills.

On the other hand, the odds of being seen by someone who can help your career are greater if you are starring in a  play on the UCLA campus as opposed to  top billing on a campus in Granville or Biloxi.

However, and this is important, to depend on college location to drive a stage and/or film career would not be a competent career coach’s first recommendation.

If one lacks insight regarding these issues as a new high school graduate, that is understandable. In those cases, college may be the safest (and smartest) way to proceed.

Then there are those, as mentioned, like Madonna, who, knowing herself, and having confidence in her abilities, was willing to live in squalor in order to have the time to perfect her skills, and seek out opportunities.  (If you are not familiar with Madonna’s background, she came from a large family, dropped out of University of Michigan, and, ignoring the less than modest accommodations that surrounded her for several years, finally emerged a star. What was she doing during her time in poverty? She was becoming a fine drummer, guitarist, ballerina, modern dancer and, of course, singer and actress. Add to that her complete understanding of the promotional aspects of a career in show business, and you have, well, MADONNA.)

What if I don’t go to college and fail to become a star?

Psychologists tell us that sometimes a life of “trying” is as satisfying, or more so, than actually succeeding. How can this be?

When one is struggling toward a goal, one is presented the combined gifts of hope and purpose each and every day.

On the other hand, once an individual has reached the top of ambition’s mountain, disappointment may be the long awaited reward. For instance, Mia Farrow, being rushed by a crowd at New York City’s Rockefeller Center where she had, before her fame on the series Payton Place, enjoyed many hours of private, happy skating, said about her fame, “I’ve made a mistake.”  Also, once one has become an acting “business” asset under contract, image makers take over command of everything that happens outside the asset’s home. The star’s public life is no longer his or her own. For some, this loss of freedom becomes intolerable.

The point is that happiness begins and ends with you, the individual. If you are expecting something or someone out there to MAKE you happy, most competent life coaches would recommend you to stay away from Hollywood and New York show business enterprises until you can generate more inner directedness. We don’t want to see your name among the legion of failed actors who have jumped from the famous Hollywood sign. Nor do we want to see you resorting to drugs and alcohol in order to compensate for a certain emptiness that can accompany a star’s time off screen.

Frequently, actors and actresses will look back on their careers and find that they were truly happy only during the journey to stardom. When the struggle ended, so too the joy.

Next time we will focus on other ways to train for the stage and screen.