[NEohioPAL]Passing "Stones" - The problem with talent schools

[Carla Grywalski]

I just had to add my own thoughts on this issue!

I agree that it costs money to become a succesfull
actor or model.  The cost is in marketing.  Headshots,
resumes, websites, trips to meet with agents, etc. 
And in some cases, the IMTA is a great place to market
your talent.  But before you can ever become noticed
you have to have TALENT.  You have to have a strong
handle on the craft itself.  You can not expect to be
another pretty face and make it big.  And just by
paying for a $2000 class at an "Acting School", does
not mean you are ready to become famous.  Or that you
can ACT for that matter.

When I was young, I too had been suckered into buying
a $1500 class with an "Acting School".  What was I
given for my money?  Fifteen, One-Hour classes on how
to put on basic make-up, like foundation. They were
taught by different people all claiming to be
ex-actors from LA or New York.  They taught us how to
smile and slate your name for a camera and how to
sound "excited" about everything your saying.  And
after completing the course, I was sent to the
occasional audition for some unkown company and stood
in line with 200 other people who just finished the
same "class".  I too was given the opportunity to go
to IMTA, if I paid for it. And was of course offered
the chance to pay for the "next level" of courses.

One year later, I enrolled in a college and started a
degree in Theatre Performance.  I learned more in 1
week with actual acting teachers than I did out of the
entire program I spent $1500 on. My success rate with
auditions  went from 0% to 90% in just one semester. 

My point is, if you want to become an Actor, you must
learn the craft.  And you can not be taught with 15
One-Hour classes.  I don't care how good the so called
"teachers" are.  And for the price of those acting
classes, you could be half way to an actual degree if
you would have spent it on an actual college or
university.

For the younger actors, there are plenty of programs
offered by the Willoughby Fine Arts and by the Beck
Center that help develop the craft.  And you can rest
assured you are being taught by succesful teachers,
not failed actors.  

And finally, to become successful, you have to get out
and DO IT!   The greatest advice I was ever given was
to audition for everything I could, because experience
makes the difference.  Every school play, every
community production, every commercial and photoshoot.
 And don't be upset if you don't get the part.  It is
by failing that we learn to succeed.

My point is, there are the small few that can find
fame with just one audition, or with just one trip to
LA or New York for an International Competition. And
if you want to gamble your money away on those
chances, be my guest. 

But for the rest of us, the truth is that fame is a
long involved process.  Most famous actors spent years
acting and perfecting their craft.  And there are very
few, if any, that would actually attribute their
success to "acting schools".

P.S. these statements only pertain to acting, as I do
not know anything about modeling.  There isn't exactly
a degree for modeling.   In this case, perhaps such
schools as barbizon are just right.  After all, famous
models can really only attribute their success to one
thing - Genetics. :)