News from the Real World

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
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<p>Some of you asked if parents of us who had kids who were "working actors" might fill you in on how it goes. I have been silent for awhile because life is crazy! My D graduated in June from UCLA BA Theatre (with honors, thank you.) She also did a semester at LAMDA and a summer at BADA. We were lucky. Right away she got theatrical and commercial representation, but from a non-SAG agency (which means they take 20 percent.) Was school worth it? Well, she goes back and forth on that. UCLA has helped her open a few doors. She thinks it helped her get a new agent, one of the best, because the head agent went to UCLA. (That was one of the reasons she decided to go there over CCM and CalArts and Emerson... she thought UCLA may have more pull.) Also, one of her teachers at UCLA cast her in a t.v. gig on the Discovery Channel. (You can't underestimate the power of the school you select's name recognition and power to get you work.) She also learned some really good things from her professors. Key among them is this: if your agent takes 10 percent, your agent is responsible for 10 percent of your career. You are responsible for the other 90 percent. My daughter works relentlessly self submitting herself for plays, commercials, music videos, internet series, and t.v. and film work on casting web pages she belongs to. She has gotten a lot of her work on her own.</p>

<p>Her training made her a little "theatrical" which her agents are trying to beat out of her for commercials and t.v. work. I think this is a risk for all of the kids who go to traditional theatre schools. If you are planning to go into film or television, you are going to have to retrain yourself when you get out. Her agents send her to commercial training classes and improv classes which are very different than everything you learn in school. Most of her work is now internet ads and internet series which pay $100 to 150 a day. Theatre doesn't pay that much better. If she is lucky, it is $500 a week. </p>

<p>She managed, with hard work and doing lovely extra work (sarcasm) to get SAG Eligible within six months of graduation. She still has not joined the union because it leaves her eligible to build her resume with non-union work until she is a "must join."</p>

<p>Most of her actor friends did go to school - NYU, CCM, UCLA, USC. Those are the people she sees and hears from the most in La-La Land. </p>

<p>It takes discipline, lots of gas, parents to help support you (or another job), and an understanding that you have to always be "building credits." In some respects, going to a recognized school has helped her do that, but it was the name, not necessarily the training, that did it. </p>

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<p>"(You can’t underestimate the power of the school you select’s name recognition and power to get you work.)"</p>

<p>You may get quoted on this from time to time. Thank you so much for looping back and updating. Excellent post!</p>

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<p>Sure. We thought that may be important when she was picking schools. But it has definitely helped her in a few things already. (Although maybe the USC people turn her down for the same reason… Ha Ha!)</p>

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<p>Very interesting, Chrissyblu! Thanks for the report from the trenches.</p>

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<p>Thanks for this report. Very interesting! Such a difficult life, isn’t it? You definitely have to have the drive and perseverance. Your daughter sounds very driven and disciplined, which is great. Just a note: If you want to go into classical theatre as opposed to film/commercials, I have heard from working directors that they are looking for the excellent training and that they don’t see enough of that (voice, movement, etc) . </p>

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<p>"(You can’t underestimate the power of the school you select’s name recognition and power to get you work.)"</p>

<p>There is an undercurrent of exactly this in every report from working grads. Along with a zillion posts about how much it doesn’t matter. Now, no-one was ever going to convince my kids that it didn’t matter, anyway. But. it’s interesting. Thanks. </p>

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<p>For those of us who are not in the business and have no idea what schools these would be, could you guys list these schools? </p>

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