questions about a gap year in LA

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

<p>Hi. This is my first time posting on this forum, although I (like many others, I'm sure) have been lurking and silently reading the wonderfully helpful posts on here for quite a while. I want to start by saying thank you to everyone who posts here, especially the people who post regularly and continue to contribute even after they are done with their own audition process. I also want to say that the parents on this forum are specially inspiring; as my parents are not very supportive of my decision to pursue an acting career and don't want to be involved in my college applications, I truly appreciate that there are people out there who go out of their way to support their kids and increase their odds of success. </p>

<p>As for my actual questions:
I am a HS senior, graduating this month, and have decided to take a gap year. I thought a lot about this, and had it somewhat figured out since last summer; I live in a small town and could not afford to hire a private coach, but I was going to continue to take acting classes and remain active in the community theatre scene, seeking as many performance opportunities as I could, while preparing more intensively for auditions and working/saving money.
However, in a strange (and sudden) turn of events, my dad's job is transferring him (and, by extension, me) to Los Angeles the day after I graduate. I know this is technically a good thing because there are a lot more opportunities in LA, but it has also been a bit overwhelming.</p>

<p>Because there are SO many places to find training, I can't be sure of which ones are good and which ones are a scam; I am also not super experienced (one of the reasons I'm taking the gap year), so I don't know which classes would be appropriate for my level and which ones are more advanced. I've been researching and asking the few people I know who live/have lived in LA, and what I've gathered is that a good option would be to do the Meisner program taught by one of the teachers who were approved by Meisner himself or William Esper, since that would give me more of a structure and is appropriate for beginners. But it's a two-year program, and I was planning on applying to schools next year, so would it benefit me to do just the first year or is a bad idea? </p>

<p>Also, due to other strange circumstances, I now can afford to hire a private coach, but have the same problem I did when looking for classes; how do I know who is good or not? Plus, most coaches there focus on helping actors with professional - not college - auditions. Does anyone here live in or around the LA area and can give me recommendations (privately, if you don't want to share it in this thread)?</p>

<p>Does anyone have any other advice, general or specific, about gap years, or LA, or anything like that?</p>

<p>I'm not expecting people here to give me all the answers, but I appreciate any help you can give me. Thank you very much, and sorry for the length; I'm just really confused.</p>

2

<p>@lesliek - I have no information to offer on LA, but I wanted to say welcome, and to good luck with your journey!</p>

3

<p>@fishbowlfreshman knows a LOT about this. Why don’t you try a search for her posts and then maybe try PMing her with questions. </p>

4

<p>Yes fishbowl freshman is a great resource.
And Meisner is a 2 yr sequence. I would not plan to do all of year one without planning to stay for year two.
That being said some teachers and colleges will teach you some exercises from year one often as part of a tool box approach. This is common and acceptable.
If you are planning to audition for college for fall 2015 admission, I would use your time and financial resources to hire a coach to prepare for auditions. You could be auditioning by November of this year, which isn’t that far away. If you have to do a pre screen you will need to be ready before that.
Private coaching is the most efficient way to advance. </p>

5

<p>Who? Me a great resource? Thanks! :)</p>

<p>I basically took the opportunity to hijack this thread awhile back so as to throw in everything including the kitchen sink that I know about LA training … <a href=“Is it wrong I don't want to study for four years? - #9 by fishbowlfreshman - Theater/Drama Majors - College Confidential Forums”>Is it wrong I don't want to study for four years? - #9 by fishbowlfreshman - Theater/Drama Majors - College Confidential Forums;

<p>If you’re just planning to do a gap year in LA and don’t want to commit to a two year Meisner or Adler program, the two studios I’d most recommend that are theatre-based and will most closely resemble what you’ll learn in a good college program as to acting technique are [Berg</a> Studios](<a href=“http://www.bergstudios.com/]Berg”>http://www.bergstudios.com/) and [Howard</a> Fine Studio](<a href=“http://www.howardfine.com/]Howard”>http://www.howardfine.com/). I’d give the nod more to Berg since you are guaranteed to put up work every week plus you get the opportunity to sit in on the Master Class whenever you want in which there are numerous working actors who already have degrees from top schools. Berg and his staff teachers also coach people for BFA and MFA auditions, so it might be a good fit. I like what he’s saying in that video of him working with Penelope Mitchell who is now a series regular on “Hemlock Grove.” Hell, I might eventually end up taking a class there if I ever get the time and feel like I need a major tune-up. Dude knows his stuff. But, any of those other studios I mentioned could certainly be worthwhile. Just audit a few once you get there and see what you think. </p>