Colleges for Film/TV Acting Majors

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
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<p>I would research this carefully before putting Pepperdine too high on your list if your child is not a religious individual. It’s possible that things have changed recently, but in the not too distant past, Pepperdine was definitely a religious school, with requirements in that area in terms of classes and regular convocation attendance.</p>

<p>It is truly a beautiful location but it is also pretty remote and without a car, it would be fairly isolating.</p>

<p>Any Pepperdine student, unless something has changed, may audition for the shows there.</p>

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<p>Thanks, alwaysamom, I’ll admit, we were taken in by the beautiful location and warm atmosphere. And, yes, without a car, it is difficult to get anywhere. Thanks for the info!</p>

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<p>Depending on what his previous training and professional experience has been, I recommend that he take a serious look at the Rutgers BFA since you’re in Jersey and it would be in-state tuition. A good number of the former Disney and Nickelodeon kids who’ve successfully transitioned to adult careers have gone through Janet Alhanti who teaches her own take on the Meisner work and that’s pretty much what they do the first two years at RU. That progression is a great way to shake off the artifice that can make child and adolescent actors appealing but doesn’t translate well into adulthood if he suffers from that malady at all. (Not saying he does or doesn’t.) The person who had the recurring role as Stabler’s daughter on Law and Order: SVU went there and shot most of her episodes over the breaks while she was in attendance. It doesn’t look like she’s booked much since Chris left the show, but that’s probably more her current type and age as much as anything and you can see the progression in the truthfulness of her acting as time passed if you watch some of her episodes. She did some really excellent work in the later ones. </p>

<p>It obviously isn’t a major in screen acting per se and includes a year in London studying Shakespeare, but my experience is that having spent so much time digging deep into the most difficult work of the classic playwrights has made approaching the lion’s share of the tv and film scripts I now deal with sort like asking a power lifter to move a coffee table around the den. It did take a few post-graduate coaching sessions along with some prescribed viewings to get to the point that I was able to identify and execute the various tv styles straight off the page since I’d never been much of a tv watcher, but it doesn’t look like any of the colleges really teach that to any great extent. And if he’s been doing it professionally, he should already know how to effectively work on camera although there is always more you can learn. It’s different than theatre, but the learning curve isn’t that steep if you already have a rock solid basic acting foundation set in your bones. </p>

<p>Another option is some of the British drama schools who now begin teaching proper camera and mic technique as early as first year. They seem to be doing it well based on this short film made using third year students at LAMDA …</p>

<p>[LAMDA</a> Films: YOUNG RADICALS on Vimeo](<a href=“http://vimeo.com/44216358]LAMDA”>LAMDA Films: YOUNG RADICALS on Vimeo)</p>

<p>If I were grading that, I’d give two A+'s, three A’s and a B. The B might come up to a B+ if the actor could prove to me that he was specifically directed to bound up out of his chair like he did in one shot, but nobody gets away with blowing out his frame in a long shot like he did at one point. Not in my class! :wink: Of course, you also have to remember that all those actors should be just as capable of playing young roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, so that’s definitely a huge part of the training, too, and you’ve gotta love it to live it. </p>

<p>Not to pick on Tisch and Stonestreet in particular, but I’ve looked at a few of the short films on their website. Maybe I was just in a surly mood at the time, but I don’t recall seeing anything to which I’d award an A and there really would have been a good number of Cs and Ds. The shooting styles didn’t reflect what you’d typically encounter on a network tv or major film set, either. Then, I’ve also seen a good number of reels of graduates of some of the other top American schools including my own and had to wonder what the hell they thought they were going to accomplish by showing them to anyone.</p>

<p>There are reasons that the UK and Australian men in particular are currently eating their American counterparts alive on the international market and it doesn’t necessarily have all that much to do with natural ability. They’re from the beginning better trained pure and simple. The emphasis on camera technique is a fairly new addition, too, and isn’t necessarily included in real depth at all their schools. Like I have a friend who went to RSAMD who says they really only had one term of it like in America although it hasn’t seemed to have negatively affected the trajectory of James McAvoy’s career. He’s gooooood … :)</p>

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<p>Fish,</p>

<p>The other day I asked my son’s agent at, as you called it an “A-List packaging company”, if training was the reason why UK and Australian actors are booking over American actors. He said that the training is great but it also has to do with the sale of foreign rights. He also said these actors cost a little less.</p>

<p>I noticed that this trend is also happening with women. If you take a look at this years pilots UK and Israeli actresses are taking the airwaves by storm. </p>

<p>I think this is a good reason for my son to involve in his studies screenwriting or creative writing, so that he can also create content. It’s something he is enjoying now while in high school. That philosophy is serving several of his 20 - 30 year old co-stars over the years very well. </p>

<p>Rutgers would be a logical choice, the only issue is my son has voiced wanting to take that so called toolbox approach to training and expose himself to many acting techniques not just Misner. </p>

<p>I think after starting this thread he and I have come to realize that as long as he has training he will be able to use it in any discipline.</p>

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<p>Ewanes and Shacherry, I called Chapman a few weeks ago because my daughter is interested in the BFA screenacting program and they told me that as of Fall 2014 incoming students will audition right into the BFA program for theatre and screenacting. I am not sure if I saw the BFA for TV/Film acting but that may be what I am calling the BFA screenacting. </p>

<p>We also are planning a fall visit out to CA to look at USC, CALARTS, and Chapman. I was very impressed with the program at Dodge.</p>

<p>I am looking through my notes Shacherry to see if you have to audition on campus and I cannot find that answer but will give them a call back and see what they say. We are thinking about auditioning for all of the CA schools in person.</p>

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<p>Thanks threed your really good at this!</p>

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<p>At Chapman, you have to either audition on campus, which is strongly recommended, or submit a taped audition. (I auditioned on campus this year for BA Theatre Studies.)</p>

<p>There isn’t a separate program for Television acting, although there is a separate Television/Broadcast Journalism major within Dodge. I got the impression that there is a little acting involved in this program, but the heavier emphasis is certainly on story compilation.</p>

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<p>Ok, I just called Chapman and to piggy back on Aspiring 776.</p>

<p>You can audition for Chapman by video (anyone) or on campus ONLY. There are no offsite auditions.</p>

<p>As I mentioned before Chapman University is changing things for Fall 2014. Students who enter at this time will have to audition to go directly into the BFA Screenacting or the BFA Theatre Performance. They will still continue to have the BA theatre which you also will have to audition for. If you do not get into the BFA program you cannot opt for the BA. You have to make a choice when auditioning.</p>

<p>They do have Early Action, according to the student that I spoke with.</p>

<p>The BFA in screenacting in the past has been heavy into technique (editing, screenwriting, etc.) and that is changing as of Fall 2014 to more of a focus on performance. The BFA in screenacting students take 1/2 their courses with the Dept. of Theatre and 1/2 of their course with Dodge Film school. Dodge Film school has tons of students films and are always looking for actors from the program.</p>

<p>The BFA in Theatre Performance in the past has been a very comprehensive performance degree. This MAY be changing for Fall 2014.</p>

<p>The BA in Theatre in the past has been less performance heavy and more flexible. This MAY be changing for Fall 2014.</p>

<p>They do allow tours. Shadowing, the student was unsure of.</p>

<p>The dates for next years audition have not been released yet but watch the website for that information.</p>

<p>Hope this helps:)</p>

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<p>really great info Threed!</p>

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<p>My son is a freshman at Chapman, and in Dodge. Home is 8 hours away so he only came home for the holidays. And his friends all stay at school on weekends, too. I would not call it a commuter school. The great majority of freshmen live on campus.</p>

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<p>On LongRange’s note, when I toured, they said that a lot of people technically consider it a commuter school because technically a lot of their students do commute … because they all live in the neighborhood that immediately surrounds Chapman. I think they said something like 85% of commuter students live there, and because a majority of the non-freshmen prefer to live off-campus, that is sort of how it got its rep. The guide said that campus is pretty much the hub for these students though, so it doesn’t necessarily clear out on weekends, and if it does, it is because the school is so close to L.A. and Disneyland (8 minutes away!) that there is a lot to do off-campus on the weekends.</p>

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<p>Hi Threed, you sent my a private message, but I can’t respond because I haven’t posted enough yet. It sounds like you have done your research and know a lot about the Chapman program. We have visited the campus a few times, including when my daughter auditioned and we attended the Informational event the same day. I was able to see a panel of the faculty speak. My daughter was accepted early action at Chapman. She has been accepted into several of her non-audition back up schools including UCSB, U of Minn BA program, Purchase BA program, but has been rejected from U of Minn BFA, Purchase BFA, and CMU. We are waiting to hear from USC, UCLA, Fordham, DePaul, NYU, and Boston U. We were very impressed with Chapman, and at this point unless she is lucky enough to get into UCLA, her first choice, she will most likely choose Chapman over any other option. She is interested in Screen Acting and The Film School is very impressive. At the same time, there are opportunities to do all kind of other performances including an association with the Orange County Shakespeare Company. We attended a production performed by the students and co-written and directed by John Benitz, and we were equelly impressed with the quality of acting as we were when we attended a performance of USC BFA students. The professors seem tough but personal in their approach. She wants a school that is overall academically strong. Every student or alumni that we have talked to from Chapman seems very happy with it. It is right down the street from Disneyland and my daughter has always wanted to be a Disney princess. Plus, they are generous with financial aid and my daughter received a large scholarship which makes it financially feasible for us. Let me know if you have any other questions and good luck with your search/application/audition/ and decision process!</p>

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<p>dramamom13; thank you for your response. </p>

<p>My daughter is also interested in the Screenacting program which when I called a few weeks ago they mentioned is changing to more performance based in Fall 2014 and also will be audition only instead of having to audition as a sophmore. </p>

<p>Is Chapman real big on academics for this program? I noticed that the requirment for the BFA in screenacting was 78 credits and that the program was geared towards those who want to act professionally in TV and Film. I could not find the General Ed requirement and was wondering if it is heavy on the History/English side or if it included alot of Math and Science. I am assuming that is where the remainder of the credits fit in but could not find the total needed to complete the degree. I am excited to see this program, due to The Dodge Film School. </p>

<p>We also plan on visiting USC, however, I believe they are more academically orientated and also are huge, but we will be there so may as well check it out. We visited Depaul this past Monday and I am happy to inform that my daughter really liked it alot. I cannot wait until the Fall to check out the CA schools which I think will really excite my daughter and give her something to consider that may be a better fit. Looks like your daughter went for quite a few programs, that is great she was so open to that. UCLA only has a BA right?</p>

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<p>Something to keep in mind when you book your very exciting LA trip – when you tour Chapman, you will need to request a separate tour of Dodge, or at least see if faculty will let you tour the building at your on-campus audition, because Dodge is actually located off campus and is thus not covered on the typical campus tour (which I would still recommend taking!)</p>

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<p>Dramamom13,</p>

<p>My son received his acceptance for Chapman, too, and with a nice scholarship. We visited when he auditioned, and he really liked it. We are on the West Coast. Waiting on the rest of the financial aid packages and a few more schools to hear from. Anyway, just wanted to connect and say hi!</p>

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<p>Threed: My daughter has a strong academic background and was actually looking for an academically rigorous school, which Chapman has a reputation for. For example she did not apply to the pure arts schools such as Julliard or Cal Arts. Chapman was the only school with a BFA where we were told you could actually get a minor along with it, so I think there is quite a bit of room for general ed classes, but it sounds like there is also flexibility in what general ed classes you take. Also, in terms of the number of schools she applied to, it seemed excessive to me to start with, but once you go through the process, you realize that there are so many talented kids after very few spots at each school, and there is a great deal of luck involved, so I am glad she applied to so many.
Ewanes: congratulations to your son!
My daughter just received her rejection from UCLA today, which was very disappointing, but does make Chapman her most likely choice. She is going to the Panther for a Day event on April 3 and will attend a class in the theatre department, and we are going to try to make the event on the 20th, although she is in a community theatre show that afternoon! Hopefully that will give her more of a feel for the school and the program.
Keep in touch and let me know what your son decides. My daughter would love to connect with another potential fellow student.</p>

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<p>shacherry, interesting question to your agent. We have friends on the “camera” side of film who hail from England. They live here in the states now and have traveled back and forth across the pond over the years. They have had the same observation regarding the increase in foreign actors, as you did. And we have had interesting conversations about the “why?” One very good reason they have given is that there has been an increase in “period” pieces aka, Les Miz, Lincoln, etc…and it is hard to find folks in the states who haven’t been cosmetically altered such that they are not appropriately cast in an 1800’s period piece. People did not have perfect noses, full lips, smooth complexions back then. With high definition and 3d film techniques, these things become really noticeable on film.</p>