So my agent told me when I first signed onto my agency that in the end everything in the film industry boils down to looks. What a savage thing to tell a 17 year old girl, am I right? Haha! Anyway, I’m applying to competitive BFA programs on both the west and east coasts. I’m very curious as to is your “look” is a part of the package they are searching for (Are you marketable- that sort of thing). Now, I’m a petite slender girl, but do I need to like get ripped for these auditions?! I know this may sound that a moronic question, but maybe you hnderstand where I’m coming from?
No, you don’t have to worry about that. BFA programs are not judging you on how “pretty” or “ripped” you are at all. They’re looking at your talent.
The only way that looks sometimes can come into play is in terms of “type.” For example, if the school currently has a lot of tall, willowy blonde white girls in its acting program, then it may try to balance that out by accepting more black girls, brunettes, short girls, heavyset girls, etc. They usually want a variety of “types” in the program. But that only comes into play AFTER talent is assessed. The MAIN thing they’re looking for is talent, above and beyond anything else. Once they’ve narrowed down the applicants based on talent, THEN if they’re trying to decide between two equally talented girls, then type MAY end up being the deciding factor between those two girls.
But that’s something that’s totally out of your control. You have NO way of knowing what types a particular school currently has too much of and what they’re looking for. And it’s not like you’re going to change your hair color or height or whatever anyway! Just be YOU, as authentically as you can be - that’s what they really want to see. Show them your talent and what YOU uniquely bring to the table. That’s all you can do.
Break a leg!
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Thank you so much!
@chloebyoung - @Actorparent is right. Be yourself & give it everything you’ve got! You might want to consider ramping up your fitness routine so are ready for the physical demands of a BFA Acting program. My son is in good shape but he says the movement classes are kicking his butt. Thanked me for having put a jumbo bottle of Advil & IcyHot in his medicine box.
It does help to be fit and strong, but don’t do anything that will add to your stress (like extreme diets or workout schedules). Sounds like you’ve been in the real world, where it counts a lot, but maybe not so much in college.