<p>I would never say a degree isn't worth it. I truly think a degree is a great thing. But if your goal is film acting, it doesn't seem to be needed. Just some film classes. </p>
<p>What I gave you was just one perspective from a friend who has been at it for over 20 years. She is educated, extremely intelligent, beautiful and a great person, but the degrees she has have not gotten her the jobs she has had. Again, that is only her situation and her recommendation to my daughter. Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>
[quote]
how many of "famous" film actors have a B.F.A in acting?
[/quote]
This was just being discussed on another forum. Here are a few ...</p>
<p>Julianne Moore - Boston University
Geena Davis - Boston University
Jason Alexander Boston University
Rachel McAdams - York University (Canada)
Val Kilmer - Juilliard
Elizabeth McGovern -Juilliard
William Hurt - Juilliard
Blair Underwood - Carnegie Mellon
Ted Dansen - Carnegie Mellon
Holly Hunter - Carnegie Mellon
Calista Flockhart - Rutgers
Alec Baldwin - Tisch
Adam Sadler -Tisch
Bridget Fonda - Tisch
Parker Posey - Purchase
Wesley Snipes - Purchase
Edie Falco - Purchase
Ed Harris - Cal Arts
Kathy Bates - SMU
Jennifer Garner - Denison University</p>
<p>I want to list one of my favorites, Mary-Louise Parker, but she got an Acting Diploma instead of a BFA from NCSA. I guess she didnt like the Gen Eds. LOL My all-time favorite, Meryl Streep, has an MFA from Yale. There are also a lot of others like Robin Williams (Juilliard) who were in BFA programs for awhile and dropped out. Actually, Juillard has a whole succession of drop-outs that have done well in film. There are a lot more lesser known names with BFAs who are obviously working a lot in film. You can peruse them by searching for BFA under Bios on the IMDb</a> website. It also seems like Ive heard that daytime TV is crawling with young actors with BFAs though I cant find a site right off to search for them.</p>
<p>It is true that you dont need a degree to do screen acting or really any other kind of acting for that matter, but being professionally trained definitely wouldnt hurt and getting a BFA is a good way of going about getting that training. Time is money and a well-trained actor wont use up as many takes getting his/her act together. It is also different, but its not so different that a good, staged-trained actor shouldnt be able to adapt fairly easily. It aint rocket science! LOL I do suppose the one semester acting for the camera course most programs offer might not really be enough for many to get used to the differences. It also helps to have a perfectly symmetrical facial features even for character actors. Some people just aren't going to come across on camera no matter what just because the camera for some reason doesn't like their proportions. Unfortunately, nothing can really be done about that. It either loves you or hates you.</p>
<p>to be honest here, when you think about it, you have a one in a million shot of being a famous movie actress. i'm not saying it can't happen, i'm just saying its very very slim. i don't know what your values are, but personally i would rather have a solid university education rather than run on a wild goose chase through new york city and end up another washed up, under educated waitress with aspirations of fame. there are plenty of actors who have gone to university: brooke shields went to princeton, natalie portman and tommy lee jones went to harvard, kim katrall went to the american academy of dramatic arts... i know some of them had fame before univiersity but the fact that they went despite the money they could already make proves how important and fulfilling a university education is. </p>
<p>i think before you run the streets of LA and NY you need a university education - if you have the opportunity you need to take it. where i come from they have taught us that education is the key to knowledge and success. please do not dismiss your educational goals for a life of stardom. </p>
<p>^ Word. The way I see it, I have as good a chance of joining up with some of my rowdy guitar playing buddies and becoming a famous rock star as being a famous "moovie sta" ... and I'm not even a good singer! LOL Seriously, all you can really control in all this is getting as good as you can be. Anything beyond that is just gravy.</p>
<p>speaking of the american academy of dramatic arts... ( NOT AMDA!) how do you guys feel about that?</p>
<p>i think thats where im heading most likely, and i'd like other peoples inputs. i went to an open house recently, it wasnt very impressive, however i believe could manage! the los angeles campus seems like its a lot better than the new york campus actually.. does anyone have any information?</p>
<p>maybe impressed isnt the right word i should have said lol,</p>
<p>i went to the open house and i wasnt totally in LOVE with the program is what i meant to say, but i think it is growing on me. they are having another open house in november, and ill go again.</p>
<p>In everything that I have experienced and witnessed in the debate of theatre vs film aciting I have found that an actor with good theatre acting training will be much more prepaired to venture into film than a film actor who wants to act on stage. With theatre you have to really learn how to master every kind of moment, from sining dancing acting, to over the top acting, to very real acting and everything in between (i know my terms are not real acting terms, I am just using them to illustrate a point). Film actors often are unable to get out of the mode of acting for a camera that is a foot away from them. They don't know how to act for an audience. At BoCo we learn some very hardcore acting, not just projection and singing and dancing. Our acting classes have nothing to do with musical theatre, we incorperate the 3 mediums later.</p>