<p>I was just wondering what the general opinion was on this topic? Is it more important to get the best training possible or go to a school that will provide you a better opportunity to use your skills? I know the general consensus will probably lean towards training, but that's only so great if you can't find performing jobs.. I'd appreciate any feedback!</p>
<p>Connections may land you the occasional job, but if you can’t deliver the goods once given the opportunity, they won’t be able to sustain you. Go with the training!</p>
<p>George Burns tells a good story. I know referring to George Burns is an indication of my advanced years - but, young people, if you do not know who George Burns is - google him - you should know about this legendary entertainer who lived to over 100 and whose career spanned vaudeville, silent movies, Television, Broadway, and Nightclubs, and all manner of entertaining venues.
His story is of a very attractive but decidedly untalented girlfriend of an important producer who was once cast in the title role in a stage production of "The Diary of Anne Frank’. The director wanted her replaced, no one in the cast could believe they had to work with her - but the producer insisted she would get better and “needed an audience”. Though George tells the story better - the best testament to how bad this girl was came when the Nazis first entered the home several members of the audience shouted “she’s in the attic!”
This is my way of agreeing with MusThCC. Connections are good to have - but they will not sustain you over time unless you bring talent, training, dedication and good attitude to the table as well. The best way to form good connections is to be a good person. A person that, once a director, producer, choreographer, and even a stage manager has worked with you - they would eagerly seek to work with you again because of the good work, attitude and effort you brought to the production the first time they worked with you. This, by the way, extends beyond the rehearsal hall - I know a very talented young lady who received great reviews for her onstage work and rehearsal process - but her actions off-stage with the cast and constant complaining got her black-balled at several important LORT theatres (because show biz folks talk to one another) and this put a pretty good hurt on her ability to work for a few years.
By the way, I am not saying to be a “yes-man” or coddling up to people you think are going to be (or are) important. Folks see through that quite easily. Train well, be a good person, let your actions speak for themselves - the rest will fall into place.</p>
<p>It’s not “training or connections.” It is training AND connections. You need both. Definitely.</p>
<p>I think your question isn’t so black and white. </p>
<p>If you are talking about how to select a college MT program, my opinion would be to seek out excellent training, first and foremost. When my D was looking at college programs, she wasn’t looking into connections. She looked for a very good program that fit her. And one thing I notice from time to time on this forum is that some think a college program or faculty at the program help you to get jobs. I don’t think that happens a real lot. Rather, they prepare you for the business. Then, many programs have a showcase in NYC and so if that is important to you, select a program that has that because that has the potential to be your transition into the biz, particularly if you can get an agent to represent you from having seen you in the showcase (also casting agencies attend). In that respect, the program is helping you go the next step. But the program, more often than not, doesn’t really get you the jobs themselves. </p>
<p>It so happens that my own kid’s program, NYU/Tisch, has had some benefits for my D in terms of networking. But that was not really why she picked the school. But it has had some positive side effects. And yes, there is networking at other colleges…who you meet in college (your peers and faculty) and who they know and what they work on and so on. Potential is there through who you have met for future networking. While IN college, my D has reaped some benefits and has done work outside of school that happened through networking. </p>
<p>So, that leads me to AFTER you graduate. Yes, networking and “connections” matter. Again, that’s not how I would pick a college or expect the college itself to help me get a job. But there is networking from who you know in college and then after you graduate, you meet new people and networking helps. One thing can lead to another for sure. Someone sees you in something and tells someone else or someone you know is working on a certain project and mentions your name. Networking helps a LOT in this field, but also in many fields.</p>
<p>So, don’t expect your college program to help you find a job, though a showcase will have the potential of landing you an agent and/or jobs. but do expect that once you hit the industry, that networking helps. And sometimes those whom you meet in college are part of that network.</p>
<p>I agree with NMR and soozievt. You MUST have good training and talent to be successful in this industry. But it’s not a guarantee that you WILL be successful. I’ve known many talented performers who have been unable to make a living in theater. It’s extremely important to network and make connections with people who can further your career. That means you have to actively cultivate relationships with directors, agents, producers, and other performers who may be helpful to you. By “actively” I mean that you need to find both social and business situations where you can interact with them. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive – a cup of coffee at Starbucks works well, or even chatting on FB! Many people – in any industry – don’t make that extra effort and it makes a big difference. People will remember you if you are genuinely friendly and interested in them. And you don’t meet people by sitting at home – you need to get out there and be actively involved in the business by going to auditions, classes, showcases, etc.</p>
<p>mtdog’s point is also a very good one – your behavior off-stage is extremely important too. If an actor is difficult to work with, he/she will develop a bad reputation no matter who they are friends with in the industry. I know of a quite well-known B’way actress who recently lost a job because the director heard a rumor that she was nasty and unpleasant to work with – he heard this from the wardrobe staff!</p>
<p>Isn’t there usually a correlation between programs with great training and connections. Don’t the programs that offer great training generally have a very talented student body that someday could create good connections along with a strong faculty that can offer connections. I don’t know of many programs that can offer “good connections” that don’t have good training. The difference might lie in the curriculum. Some programs are more “acting” based, some emphasize music and musicianship, and there are often big differences in the amount of dance offered. I think if you have the luxury of making a choice between more than one great program you should take a look at the curriculum and make sure it accommodates your particular weaknesses.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>pohsmom, that about summarizes the answer to kitkatt’s question. It goes without saying that you should get the best training possible to even have a hope of success in this business. Connections and networking are essential elements that need to be cultivated both while in college and afterwards. This shouldn’t be an either/or situation, as both are necessary and I have yet to see a college which provides only connections and not training.</p>
<p>I don’t want to downplay connections made at one’s school. I just don’t think the school gets you the job. But I just got off the phone with my D, a senior, and I don’t want to get into any specifics at the moment, but she told me of about four things (industry related) happening with her yesterday, today and tomorrow and each thing stemmed from starting out at NYU…each thing involved someone seeing her there and/or someone there recommending her for something. Each thing is of significance. </p>
<p>I’ll mention one thing, not including the above vague things she just shared with me…but she is writing and staging and performing in her own musical and her school brought Sam Shepherd, the playwright, in to meet one on one with her (and anyone else who is staging their own original play or musical) about it. The other things I don’t want to get into right now have to do with agents and auditions and casting people. All have stemmed out of being at her school and one thing leading to another.</p>
<p>There’s also a lot to be said about having a campus and a true college experience. You will never get those years back. For those of you who don’t go to school in New York City…you can move there afterwards and still have plenty of time to make your connections.</p>
<p>If you have talent and drive you will make your own connections. When I was young, I wanted to be a TV producer. My parents couldn’t afford to send me away to college, so I attended a local university. I commuted while working to pay for school. I had no connections in television at all. I was determined to work in TV and got a job at ABC in Chicago right out of college and worked as a producer/director for 10 years before leaving to raise my family. Don’t rely on your schools or others to make these connections for you! Also, when my daughter was small, she went to an open call in NYC for a National Tour. She didn’t know anyone. She went in without an agent. She was offered a role in the show and the understudy to the lead. (We turned it down because it was too long on the road for an 8 year old.) Anyway, my advice is to get the training and make your own connections. If you are talented, you can attend an open call and get cast in a Broadway show or National Tour, etc. You can call top agents and make appointments to be seen. If you have the talent, they will represent you! After my daughter was offered that role in the National Tour of Annie, NY’s top agent wanted to represent her. Just a couple of years ago, I called her to tell her about one of my daughter’s friends who is extremely talented. She met with her and offered her representation. This girl does not go to a top MT school, but last week the agent called and asked her to fly to NY to audition for the lead role in Bye Bye Birdie on Broadway. Who knows what will come of it, but she is going to the audition with representation by one of the biggest agents in NY. All from a phone call!</p>