Should You Join Acting Classes? Good and Bad About Them

Is it your wish to break into film acting and become an aspiring Bollywood/ Hollywood actor or actress? If so, are you or have you recently taken an acting class? If not, you should take this step.
After all, acting classes have their benefits and are essential if you want to become an actor/actress. In fact, four reasons why you should take an acting class are outlined below.

1 – Gain Acting Experience and Knowledge:

Classes for actors, which come in a number of different formats, provide the skills you will need in the acting industry. There are classes that offer onstage experience and for those that want a film acting career, on-camera lessons are offered. Also, there are summer acting camps and programs available for teens.

Remember, you will be gaining experience even if you are just standing in front of the class reciting a monologue. This experience can set you apart from the competition and give you connections to the professional acting world.

2 – An Acting Class Gives You Formal Training For Your Career: 

Receiving formal training in an acting class is typical for directors, producers and especially actors If you were to take an acting course, which is multiple classes joined together, you will likely walk away with a certificate of completion. Although not a degree, it still highlights the training and experience you gained and is considered formal training.

The Formats:
Earlier it was mentioned that acting classes come in a number of different formats, and those that are highly recommended are not just taught by anyone. The professional instructors who provide face-to-face learning are trained in the field of theater, acting, drama and arts. This guarantees that you walk away with a lot of knowledge about movie acting.

3 – Necessary Feedback Provided For Actors And Actresses: 

Remember, you are paying the acting class instructor to improve your acting skills, not to boost your ego. Therefore, you will be getting positive and negative feedback and evaluations from your teacher.

Get Good At Accepting Criticism Of Your Acting Abilities
It will be difficult at first to have your work dissected and torn apart, but, these instructors have been there and they know what improvements are necessary. This criticism can be used to your advantage if you take their advice and put it into action.

4 – Learn Inside Scoop about Acting Classes: 

There are numerous acting classes available today, so ask around and get some input from people you know who have already been around the block. Acting classes are not free, so check around for an affordable rate.

Acting Class Size:
The size of a class can vary from as few as five students to twenty or more. If you have a good networking ability, you may enjoy a public class or for one-on-one help, you can choose a private acting coach.
Learn To Act From Someone Who's Been There, Done That:
Taking an acting class from a former actor/actress or one who has experience in the acting field can work to your advantage. You will have first hand information about open casting calls, agents and audition tips. There is nothing better than hearing this information firsthand through someone who has been in your shoes before.
Since you are all excited and know what's involved in taking an acting class, why not get started today? Even if you decide not to pursue an acting career, the classes will help build your confidence in whatever field you choose in the future.

However, there may be disadvantages of acting classes

1. Teaching acting is not like teaching maths or chemistry where you deliver lectures for a limited time, conduct some practicals and then leave students at their own fate. Unfortunately, this is what happens in most of the acting classes. Once a student leaves an acting school, he/she enters into a world not known to him/her and starts wondering "What to do now"!
2. Acting is an art where an actor has to create a life. Each actor like a normal, non actor person is different and may react to a life situation differently in the terms of emotional and physical reactions and needs a personal syllabus and coaching to develop how to display different emotions and attitudes, as we see in people around this world. Sadly, the acting classes in schools have limited time and too many students to focus  on them individually.
3. Most of the schools don't focus on how an actor should market and promote him or her, when in today's highly competitive cine industry environment, it is absolutely essential. They forget that to be a successful actor, apart from developing craft, an actor has to be a good businessman or woman!

Is there any option other than acting schools?

Yes. A private professional coach!
http://topactingcoach.weebly.com




The advantages:
An acting coach is like a sports coach who would ensure an individual's development to win a highly competitive race of stardom. He/she is supposed to work not only acting techniques, but on acting for the camera, filming of monologues, marketing and promotion of an actor of social networking, online promotion, setting goals and action plan and finally, to give information whom to contact, how to make portfolio etc. He/she would be your personal guide to success for a long time.

Lastly, weekend courses, in good schools is rare, but may be possible with an acting coach.

A must read related posts: 
Acting coach or a school?

An Acting Coach Answers Questions | Inerview

Finally,  before you start and decide to join a school, take this one bit of advice: 

There are many pseudo money making and fraudster schools. 
Therefore, research and investigate!