If you’re ready to become an actor, the first thing you have to do is attend acting school. Casting directors won’t even call you for auditions if you don’t have some reputable training, so before you can get started, you’ll need to take some classes. Applying for any kind of school can be daunting, but in this article, we’re going to help you out by walking you through some of the things you’ll need to do to apply for acting school.
DECIDE WHAT CITY YOU’D LIKE TO ATTEND ACTING SCHOOL IN
If you live in a major Canadian city like Toronto or Vancouver, then you’ll already have lots of options available to you. However, if you live in a smaller city, you might need to travel elsewhere or commute for school. Decide if this is something that you want to do, or if you would be better off taking online classes for now. You could also consider moving to a larger city, which is a big — but sometimes worthwhile — commitment. Once you have decided what you are willing to do, you’ll be ready to start researching schools in your chosen city.
DO YOUR RESEARCH AND FIND SOME SCHOOLS
Now that you’ve got a city picked out, you can start looking up schools. It is important to find a reputable school with good instructors, and you will also want to select a school that is within your budget. You can research schools online and look into their programs, but it’s also a good idea to attend some open house events if at all possible. This will give you the chance to meet instructors, see classes in action, and ask any questions that you have.
You will also want to make sure that your chosen school can cater to any specific areas of acting that you’re interested in. If you’re looking for comedy, find a school with improv classes. If you want to be involved in animation, try looking for schools that teach voice over acting.
PREPARE YOUR APPLICATION
Once you have found a school that you are interested in, it is time to prepare your application. Your application will likely consist of an application form and a portfolio. The application form will usually have questions about any prior training or experience you might have in theatre and the performing arts, as well as why you want to attend their school specifically.
Your portfolio should also include some headshots, a CV or resume, and some clips of any past performances you may have done. It is important to make sure that all the material in your portfolio looks professional, as this will be the first impression that the school will get when they are looking at potential students.
APPLY AND ATTEND AUDITIONS
Now that you have your application all ready to go, you can submit it to the school. Some schools may also require that you attend an audition before they make their decision, so make sure you’re prepared for this as well. This might be done in person, or they might have options for you to send a recorded audition to them.
Some schools accept applications all year, but some have specific months during which they receive applications. Make sure you look into this before sending anything.
Once you are sure you have met all the specific requirements for your chosen school — all of this should be on their website, and they will also likely have advisors you can contact — you’ll be ready to send your application.
If you are accepted into a school, congratulations! Now all that’s left is to get started on your training and start making your dreams of becoming a professional actor come true. Good luck!
