GITIS, VGIK, Theater Institute named after Shchukin, VTU named after. Shchepkin and the Moscow Art Theater School are called the “golden five” of theater universities, where everyone who dreams of becoming an actor strives to get. But to do For most, getting there will remain a dream. To be admitted, an applicant must pass at least three rounds of auditions and a competition. First, applicants read the so-called program by heart: prose passages, poems and fables, then take a colloquium on knowledge of the history and theory of literature, theater and cinema. By the end of the selection, out of several hundred applicants, 30-40 people remain.
We talked to those who have already tried - successfully or not - to get to famous masters. They told us why it is easier for guys to get in than girls, which program is better not to read, and how they can be rejected at an audition for not meeting the personal preferences of the teacher, having a Mongoloid face, or having ugly teeth. And the teachers themselves shared what mistakes applicants most often make and what is most important for a future actor.
Yulia, applicant, applied for the first time, did not get in
I went to auditions at four universities from the “golden five”: GITIS, Moscow Art Theater, “Sliver”, “Pike”, at RGISI in St. Petersburg and also at ITI and ISI.
I have a program from two teachers, although this cannot be done, because everyone has their own approach. From prose I have “Letter to Rilke” by Tsvetaeva, an excerpt from Teffi’s memoirs, very funny, about how someone was shot, “The Day of a Business Man” by Averchenko and “Someone else’s Wife and Husband Under the Bed” by Dostoevsky. Several poems and three fables.
Teachers have preferences regarding the program. In “Sliver,” for example, Velikhova listens only to classics. All applicants know Velikhova; she has the nickname “Tooth Fairy” because she loves to look at teeth. She scolded me for putting Teffi and Tsvetaeva first on my profile, and then only Dostoevsky: “Well, you can’t do that, Dostoevsky is third in your list!” Where is Teffi, and where is Dostoevsky!
Only in "Shchepka" are they allowed into the university itself. At GITIS, for example, they generally keep you near the gate before the audition, take you to the audition like cattle to slaughter, and don’t even let you into the courtyard. Of all the GITIS masters, Kudryashov has the toughest selection; he has a preliminary round. At the same time, Kudryashov at least listens - sometimes you are faced with the fact that people do not listen to you. During the first round at Shchuka, the teacher told me that I was kind of arrogant, gave me two lines to read and sent me on my way out.
In “Sliver” they are screened based on the type of face and the shape of the teeth: you are asked to open your mouth, if they hear some kind of defect, they see an incorrect bite - “thank you, goodbye.” This is logical, but quite cruel. They are screened out, and if a person reads well, but reads material that is not suitable for him in psychophysics. At the first round in “Pike” there was a rather plump girl reading an excerpt from “White Nights” by Dostoevsky. She was told that she reads well, but was refused in a very harsh manner because she reads a program for small and thin people. She even burst into tears. In general, applicants often cry. Those who have been enrolling for more than a year have a philosophical attitude towards this, but those who are failing in their first year cry.
You go to the university, and someone meets you in tears, you immediately understand that you didn’t pass
This is, of course, discrimination, but it is clear where it comes from. The master recruits nice people either for their future promotion or for the future promotion of the course. In performances, not only talent is important, but also how you look.
Non-standard appearance is good everywhere, except for “Sliver”, where there are very conservative views. For example, there was a very small chance for children of a different nationality to pass; a girl with a Mongoloid type of face was sent out immediately.
It could also be that you have an interesting type, but the course is recruited at the theater. A very handsome man listened to me, he looked like a rabbit. I saw that he liked how I read, but they didn’t take me. I came in and asked what was wrong. He replied that everything was true, but the course was attached to the theater and they needed types that didn’t exist yet.
In the end, I didn’t get anywhere, I’ll go apply to Moscow State University and VGIK for screenwriting. There is no such bullshit with types. But I will continue to engage in acting. I go to a theater studio, I have a very good director there, I studied with Fomenko and would have worked in his theater if I hadn’t gotten drunk. I will apply next year, and if it doesn’t work out, then in another year. Now I’ll get over my grudge against the whole world and go back to battle. I’m enrolling in acting so that in the future I can enroll in directing, but directing usually takes people who already have one education in place. And if I still can’t get into acting, I’ll finish my studies in screenwriting and go to directing.
Varvara Shmykova, theater and film actress, entered the Moscow Art Theater for the fifth time
No one ever gave any reason why they didn’t hire me. No and no. In this sense, entering theater is a ruthless spectacle, because you can be as beautiful and charismatic as you like, but all masters have different tastes.
I formulated for myself the reason why they didn’t take me. I have such a bright appearance: freckles, long hair, figure, voice, temperament. My soul was not ready to support such an appearance. At VGIK, Mikhailov told me that, in principle, I had chosen the wrong profession, Lyubimtsev said that he did not like the hollow on my chin. Some people didn't like my height. At GITIS, one day a woman at an audition asked to lift her skirt right up to mid-thigh and look at her legs.
During the years of my admission there was not a day when I did not see some girl crying. I was that crying girl myself. I remember very well my most difficult non-entry, it was precisely the failure to pass at the Moscow Art Theater. There, every year I reached the third round and flew away. It was almost a tradition. Therefore, when I passed the third round with Ryzhakov, I began to panic. I don’t know what will happen next, what to do, how to act, I don’t know what a competition is. I studied at GITIS on the stage, but there is another competition, and here is the educational theater - Tabakov, Zolotovitsky, Brusnikin, students and artists of the Moscow Art Theater. This was a very important event in my life.
Our master once said that everyone has their own type, and we will have to follow it. But I really want to do something new, break stereotypes, expand my horizons. I am a character actress, I can be a heroine, but for this you need to make a lot of effort, meet your director, find your team of people who will be ready to do something extraordinary. Why can't I be Juliet? Or Ophelia? Especially in the theater, not in the cinema! I think this is so stupid. But I struggle with this because I don’t like the stereotypes inherent in the theater.
Admission to theater is a ruthless spectacle, because you can be as beautiful and charismatic as you like, but all masters have different tastes
When I entered all these times, I already had friends who were studying at the institute. I think because they are good friends, they told their teachers something about me. Is it connections, is it cronyism? Don't think. And someone’s daughters and granddaughters simply pay more attention. I personally don’t know of a single example where someone untalented entered because of relatives. Genes usually take their toll, and all the guys from theater families are wonderful artists.
I keep a little eye on how the admission process is going; I’m incredibly interested in attending the auditions. It seems to me that I am closing some kind of gestalt, helping people, relaxing them. I know how difficult it is for them. In recent years, there has been more modern drama and poetry, some kind of personal statement. Husky and Oksimiron are read like poems, which I think is very cool, because it is the voice of the times. If earlier they tried to surprise with something and took a little-known author, now people for the most part have become aware, they talk about what worries them.
I would like to advise those who are entering the theater: guys, understand why you need this. Theater is a school of survival. You need to think two hundred times whether you are ready to give up your personal life, your friends and completely engage in this business.
Anton Petrov, entered for the first time, passed to RGISI
I am entering the first year, I went to all the masters in Moscow in the “five”, I tried to enter the Russian State Institute of Social Sciences in Yaroslavl and St. Petersburg, and in the end I got there.
They complained to me because I was twenty-one years old and that was too late to enter theater universities. And before entering, I studied to be a programmer for a year and a half, until I realized that this was not for me and I had to go into acting. Many people told me: “What are you doing in programming anyway, why don’t you go to theater universities?” And when they told me this the fifth or sixth time, I thought - really! And next year I went to enroll.
When I entered, I had long hair. No one openly told me anything, but I think in many places this could have interfered with my application, especially in “Sliver” and “Pike”. This was one of the reasons why I flew the first time. Types and appearance decide in any case, especially in universities attached to theaters.
"Sliver" and "Pike" are very conservative. The school is different for each university and each master. These universities select people for their theater, and Maly and Vakhtangov are quite old-fashioned. What is possible in the Moscow Art Theater and in the Moscow Art Theater School is considered too modern in “Sliver”, “Pike” and their theaters, but the more different theaters and schools there are, the better, so that everyone can find something for themselves.
Purely statistically, admission is easier for guys. As a rule, there are more places on the course for boys and fewer of them are admitted. But this does not mean that if you are absolutely nothing of yourself and have learned one and a half fables and one poem, you will succeed.
At RGISI they gave a lot of strange tasks: show animals, show a mixer, show a Georgian mixer, a Japanese mixer. After reading the program, everyone had to stand up, introduce themselves in turn, and do something short to be remembered.
One girl said: “I’m the prom queen, I fucked everyone in the mouth,” which is why they didn’t take her, although before that they said they would take her
This could work at GITIS or the Moscow Art Theater, but it’s unlikely to happen in St. Petersburg. Universities are generally very different from each other. In GITIS everyone is alive, everyone is moving, something is always happening, but in “Sliver” everything is measured. The Moscow Art Theater is similar to GITIS, but calmer. There are small rooms and a lot of students walking around, and the props are displayed right in the corridors - all this creates the impression that the performance is about to begin. Applicants immediately take the stage, this sets the tone for the audition. I liked the Moscow Art Theater and GITIS most of all, they are very lively, something is happening there all the time, and I need to constantly recharge my energy, because I myself am a rather dead person inside.
Maria, applicant, applied for the third time, did not enter
I am 25 years old, this year was my third attempt at entering a “golden five” university. Before that, I studied in another specialty and earn money by rewriting and copywriting, but I always wanted to be an actress. I don’t want to live only my life, I want to try on other images and situations that will not happen to me in life.
During the practice of admission, I realized that there is only one criterion: you either like you or you don’t. Talent and skills are secondary. At some point, it began to seem to me that they were deciding whether they would take it or not as soon as the group entered the audience.
They may not like me because I’m a comedic actress, they like dramatic ones more, everyone likes it when girls suffer. Andreev said that I was old. We all laughed a lot about this later, because a man who was 88 told me that I was old at 22 years old. Then it turned out that Andreev only takes in 17-year-old tall blondes. They often lie about their age; after all, they bring the documents after the auditions, and the winners are not judged.
Last year at VGIK they recruited based on height: in the second round, the master, even before you started reading the program, looked at height and chose only tall ones. In “Pike” and “Sliver” they love traditional Slavic faces and tragic girls, but such traditionalism is not beneficial. A friend of mine studies at Shchepka and told me that they still teach there like in the 20th century, but now it’s 2018, wake up! And it’s the same in “Pike”, they teach according to the Vakhtangov system and do not deviate a single step from it. Maybe because of this we don’t have good actors, where can we get them?
Now we have introduced an electronic queue. You come at your time, they bug you and you leave, instead of standing there since four in the morning, not knowing whether they will bug you or not. You can’t even go anywhere, because as soon as you go away, they will call you. It’s good that they at least allow you to change clothes before the audition; skirts are mandatory for girls, but it can be cold to stand in them. Now there are electronic queues everywhere except the Moscow Art Theater, there is still a live queue there and you have to get there by seven in the morning. Staying overnight is not encouraged there; they are categorically against the lists that applicants make themselves, to the point that everyone on such a list may not be allowed to audition at all. But even an electronic queue does not guarantee that you will be auditioned: this year Menshikov listened to three dozen, said that he was tired and the audition was over, but he could not re-register.
The most important thing for an applicant is not to be afraid, no matter what you are asked to do.
I reached the competition in four workshops, and the same people were selected at the competitions. Not just similar in appearance, they even read the same program. They still select people for a certain type and certain roles. A role is an internal state; your internal type must be combined with your appearance.
The most problematic admission was from Karbauskis, because his audition felt like bullying. It’s unpleasant when the master doesn’t listen to you and sits on the phone. Then he also asked to sing ten songs. You sing a line, and they say to you: “Another one. Another one." I got to his competition and left after the colloquium, I was hysterical for two days. Getting eliminated from the first round is not as disappointing as getting eliminated from the competition.
A colloquium is a one-on-one conversation with a master or with teachers. Questions can be anything from “hi, how are you?” to “who was the pharaoh of Egypt in some seventeenth dynasty?”, that is, any at all, but most often I was asked about my favorite actor and what performances I had seen. At the colloquium, the most important thing is not to remain silent and not to say that you don’t know something, this is not even about knowledge, but about whether you are confused.
The most important thing for an applicant is not to be afraid, no matter what you are asked to do, but they may ask you to tell the program while laughing or shouting from the window. Many people get lost at such moments. I remember that at Plotnikov’s GITIS, a girl was given the task of telling a program in some fictitious language, and they asked me to read a fable and cry.
Igor Yasulovich, People's Artist of Russia, head of the acting department at VGIK
It is impossible to say unequivocally what criteria are important for admission. All applicants are different people, we pay attention to everything, including appearance. We are not necessarily looking for handsome guys, there must be interesting guys, lively, open, untrained. They come to learn, and not to show what they have already developed.
The main thing is to guess, to recognize whether a person has a talent or not, whether he came to us by chance. It happens that people come who prepare in such a way that it is impossible to understand [what is behind this preparation], they have to warm up. If they are interested, then it is important to understand how much preparation they have done. I repeat once again how lively and open the applicants are, how they communicate is the most important thing. You pay attention to everything, it’s a process, it’s impossible to fully explain what and how. It is very important that a person has a personal element. Sometimes you see a person and it seems to you that there is something about him, that he represents something.
Valentina Nikolaenko, actress, teacher at the Shchukin Theater Institute
First of all, we pay attention to appearance. This is a public profession, a person must be charming, attractive, he must be illuminated by something, talented. This is all included in the concept of appearance; appearance is not just a pretty face. When hiring, we are not guided by types; they do not bother us. For a person entering the Shchukin Institute, it is important to have a soul. I didn’t just pick up a story on the Internet, memorize it and scribble it away, it’s not interesting. And when he has made this text his own and he wants to talk about something - about war or about love, it doesn’t matter - then it’s a different matter.
For example, it cannot happen that an applicant is immediately rejected because she is overweight, this is nonsense. Only if the girl weighs about one hundred fifty to two hundred kilograms, and this is clearly unhealthy obesity. I studied on the same course with Gundareva Natalya Georgievna, yes, she had a big figure and a lot of weight, but this does not mean that every fat, overfed girl is Gundareva.
The legends of applicants are complete nonsense. We are talking about the best theater school in the world, in Europe for sure. There are two legends of applicants: I came, farted and they took me right away, and the second - I entered and was immediately told “thank you, no need.”
A lot of mentally ill people come. You listen to such people for a long time, so as not to offend or upset. There are special children who think they can be actors. For example, a person with a tick cannot be offended either, but there is no time to listen to them, because a hundred people or more come a day. At the first audition, we listen quickly, because we check the material, whether he has good looks, charm, and whether he can pronounce the letters. At the next round we will listen in more detail, the competition is very detailed.
If we talk about the recruiting experience, then I can look into the standing crowd and understand that this is not our person, I don’t want that, I want tall, beautiful. I want him to have an invoice, so that he can later act in films, so that he can earn money by this profession. I want to take a course that will create glory for the school and myself, and work in the profession.
Oleg Kudryashov, Honored Artist of Russia, artistic director of the workshop at GITIS
We need, first of all, capable, talented people, who would also be musical, with a good singing voice. I pay great attention to the musical side of training, because I believe that music should be the main subject in the training of an actor, not only in musical theater, but also in dramatic theater.
The face and eyes are the mirror of the soul; I pay the least attention to what can be called cuteness, to pretty doll-like faces. A lively, varied, mobile face, mobile eyes, mobile muscles that respond very well to any internal movement are very important to me. But we don’t have such a criterion that we need to recruit only beautiful young boys and girls.
The first major mistake applicants make during auditions is that they try too hard. They worry too much and give away too much. Secondly, they are extremely insistent on their decision regarding the material. The program becomes incredibly aggressive, very active, and because of this the essence is often lost.
The Russian theater school is unique and known throughout the world. The fact that young actors and directors around the world still recognize and study the famous Stanislavsky system says a lot.
That is why many foreigners prefer to study dramatic art in Russia - the homeland of great directors, playwrights and writers. However, if you decide to study acting abroad, you should pay special attention to choosing a worthy educational institution.
We present to your attention the 5 best theater schools in the world, studying at which will give a great start to your acting or directing career!
1. Yale School of Drama, USA
The school is located in Connecticut, USA, and is a department of Yale University, offering training in all possible theater disciplines, including: acting, scenic design, directing, dramaturgy, theater criticism, screenwriting and theater management.
In the mornings, school students study theory in classrooms, and from mid-day until evening, practical classes and rehearsals continue here. Most rehearsals are held at the local Yale Repertory Theatre, and in the evenings students work on their own projects and realize their creative ideas at the Yale Cabaret.
In addition, several times a week all students attend theatrical performances by their fellow students and teachers, and also regularly visit theaters in New York, which is only 2 hours away from the school. In their free time, school students are actively involved in sports and organize various events together with students from the School of Arts and the School of Architecture.
The school is famous for its practical approach to the learning process, ample opportunities for creative self-realization and graduates such as Meryl Streep, Paul Newman, Sigourney Weaver and others.
2. Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), UK
The Academy was founded in London in 1904 and is the oldest and most prestigious drama school in the UK. Academy students study all basic theater disciplines, and the teachers here are professional actors, directors and playwrights who have a teaching license.
The Academy actively collaborates with other prestigious educational institutions, including the Central Ballet School, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Education here is based on an individual approach to students, as well as on the combination of modern trends and the oldest theatrical traditions.
In particular, Shakespeare, Gogol and Chekhov are staged here. RADA includes five theaters and one cinema, an extensive library, classrooms for theoretical and studios for practical classes, workshops, lounges, student bars, etc.
The list of academy graduates is truly impressive. For example, Timothy Dalton, Anthony Hopkins, Vivien Leigh and others were educated here.
3. The Juilliard School, USA
Located in New York City, the school is one of the country's largest educational institutions in the fields of music and the arts. The drama department of the university was founded in 1968, and today you can get a diploma, bachelor's or master's degree here. It is very difficult to enter the academy; less than 10% of all applicants are admitted to study each year, but the huge competition is worth it, the Juilliard School is a real Mecca for young actors.
The study programs here are designed for 4 years. At one time, such actors as Robin Williams, Kevin Spacey, Marcia Cross, Val Kilmer and others became graduates of the school's drama department.
4. National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), Australia
The university is located in Kensington, a suburb of Sydney, and is included in the Top 10 drama schools in the world according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The university was founded in 1958, and today it offers training programs in the fields of acting, directing, design, etc. The competition for admission to the educational institution is huge, only 1 out of 100 applicants are admitted here, thus, for example, only 20-25 new students are accepted into acting programs annually.
In addition to undergraduate and graduate programs, it also offers short courses and educational programs.
The university campus includes 4 theatres, various studios and Australia's largest subject library, including 45,000 books on art and history, as well as 26,500 plays.
Every year the university stages about 20 performances, and education here is based on a balance of theoretical and practical classes. Cate Blanchett, Mel Gibson and others became graduates of the university's drama department.
5. American Conservatory Theater, USA
The theater is located in San Francisco, California, and regularly stages classical and contemporary plays. The theater is not an educational institution, but it does offer a popular 3-year acting curriculum. Students who already have a bachelor's degree can receive a master's degree upon completion of the program; all others are issued professional certificates.
The popularity of the program is due to the fact that training takes place in the conditions of a real operating large theater, and as part of the practice, students play on the same stage with famous actors.
US acting institutes are well known outside the States. In the ranking of universities specializing in teaching the performing arts from the QS World University Rankings 2016, the first place is occupied by the American educational institution - The Juilliard School. And graduates of US theater universities shine on the best stages in the world and conquer the carpets of international film festivals, glorifying the names of their alma mater.
Acting education programs in the USA
Students who choose theater as the main direction of their studies study a variety of aspects of dramatic art - from costume design to current trends in modern theater. Other media are not left out: students can purposefully prepare for an acting or directing career in film and television.
The degree that future actors, directors and screenwriters receive upon completion of their studies at the university is called Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). Some universities also offer master's programs - Master of Fine Arts.
It must be said that you can study acting or the history of theater not only in acting institutes. Many liberal arts colleges offer similar programs. However, in the labor market in all countries of the world, it is diplomas from specialized schools that are most valued.
Top Acting Universities in the USA
The Juilliard School, New York
For many years, The Juilliard School has held the title of the best educational institution in the world that trains future actors, musicians, and dancers. In 2016, the school once again topped the global ranking of performing arts universities from the QS World University Rankings.
Yale School of Drama, New Haven
Yale School of Drama occupies 25th position in the above ranking. The school has programs in all theater disciplines: acting, costume design, lighting design, sound design, directing, playwriting and drama criticism, theater management, etc. The school has more Broadway productions and Tony Award nominations than any other school. theater school of America.
Tisch School of the Arts, New York
Tisch School of the Arts trains not only theater actors. The list of school programs also includes courses such as acting in film and television. Among the people associated with Tisch are many famous film and theater actors, directors, playwrights and producers: Anne Hathaway, Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone, Debra Messing, etc.
UCLA, Los Angeles
Unlike many of the other schools in the rankings, UCLA is not a theater school. However, university training programs for actors, dancers, and directors confidently compete with similar courses in specialized universities. Many UCLA graduates today work on Broadway and in Hollywood.
Also in the Top 25 were such American educational institutions as 25 UC San Diego, The Old Globe & University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theater Program, Columbia, A.R.T. at Harvard, CalArts, Rutgers, Carnegie Mellon, American Conservatory Theater, DePaul, University of Washington, UC Irvine, USC School of Dramatic Arts, Brown, Boston University, University of North Carolina, University of Wisconsin, Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University .
Tuition fees for acting universities in the USA
Studying at a prestigious theater university in America costs a lot of money. For example, a year of study at the Yale School of Drama will cost about $30,000. You will have to spend about $20,000 more per year on educational materials, room and board.
At the same time, many American universities are not averse to paying (in whole or in part) for the education of talented students. At the same Yale School of Drama, the maximum scholarship amount reaches $35,500.
As a rule, scholarships are awarded based on the student’s academic achievements, a portfolio of work including photo, video and other format materials and/or auditions.
Pace University, ranked No. 25 by The Hollywood Reporter, works closely with the Kevin Spacey Foundation, which provides scholarships for theater students.
The amount of financial aid is $10,000 per year - a quarter of the total cost of education at Actors Studio Drama School. The scholarship is awarded annually to 7 outstanding students who have chosen to major in the following areas: Acting, Theatre, Musical Theatre, Directing, Theater/Film Production.
If you are planning to become a Hollywood actor and have already bought a ticket to Los Angeles, congratulations - you are a very arrogant person. Especially for people like you, film and TV producer Alina Trigubenko studied Hollywood from the inside and found out which American schools teach acting and whether it’s worth spending your hard-earned savings on them
Los Angeles is an ideal garden for cultivating and properly nurturing acting talent. In the city, new schools, workshops, studios, and universities are growing and opening like mushrooms. This is facilitated by the ideal climate, geographical location for filming and the patronizing Venus - the planet of beauty, creativity, harmony, vanity and artistry.
I clearly realized that I wanted to give the embryo of my acting talent into the loving, caring hands of a master who would not make an ikebana out of me, but carefully, guiding me to the source of the creative channel, would allow what had already decided to rise to grow.
I dedicated a month and a half of my life to walking around Los Angeles in search of interesting schools and studying the atmosphere, coaching methods and their capabilities. Below are 10 of the most intelligent and useful educational institutions that I discovered.
Ivana Chubbuck School
Ivana Chubbuck is very popular all over the world and has been especially popular in Russia and Europe in recent years. The school has three levels of training: beginners need to take a certain number of classes, months or years with different teachers in the introductory class, then (or immediately, if they have some experience in the profession) move to the advanced class. Only after this, and also if Ivana chooses your resume from hundreds or you pay for her private course, will you get to see her personally.
True, all of Ivana’s classes are overcrowded and no one guarantees that you will be able to receive the master’s cherished comments on your game every week. But there is also a plus here: being an observer, seeing the teacher work with others is also quite useful. A feature of Ivana’s technique was the priority of intellectual work over the work of the body, and besides, the principle of her acting is based on the use of sexual energy. All teachers at the school teach students the original Chubbuck technique, which is beautifully outlined in the book “The Craft of an Actor.”
The probability of getting to Ivana herself is not so high, but there is. Everyone decides for themselves whether it is worth studying with a little-known teacher under the guise of her brand, which, by the way, was made famous by Chubbuck’s star students - Beyoncé, Charlize Theron, Jessica Biel and others.This school, like some others, provides a great opportunity to meet casting directors, agents and producers.
Margie Haber Studios
This is a studio named after the famous coach Margie Haber. Before taking classes with Margie, here, too, you first need to study for some time with other teachers. If you have already acted quite a lot, then the chances increase.
The peculiarity of this school is that all lessons are recorded on camera. A learning experience: the recording mercilessly exposes mistakes, nervousness and shortcomings. They say that Halle Berry was very pleased with Margie’s system called “Three Pi”, which, according to promises, removes: Panic (panic), Pain (pain), Performance anxiety (fear of failure) and brings “big Pi” to the role - Power ( force). Brad Pitt, Vince Vaughn, Kristin Davis, Molly Sims and others also took lessons from Margie, but, however, they did not leave reviews.
Larry Moss School
One of the most famous acting teachers in all of America is Larry Moss. He admits that he hates Los Angeles actors for the posturing, superficiality and lack of diligence with which their New York colleagues work.
Larry perceives each student first as a person, and then as an actor. As if he were examining his inner world under a magnifying glass, he compassionately sends everyone to a psychotherapist, and prescribes a doctor without fail several times a week. Larry does not tolerate lazy people and hacks - he will smash them to smithereens, but, really, with love, in a fatherly way. All his students are required to work with voice and body, master the Alexander technique (a Western alternative to the Stanislavsky method) and stage speech skills, and be very educated and smart. That is why the actors in his classes are at a completely different level than in most other workshops.
The opportunity to get to Larry is only four times a year - twice in New York and two in Los Angeles. But you can always come to an audition, that is, watch the master at work and at the same time enjoy the work of professionals, famous and not so well-known actors. It’s not a fact, of course, that you’ll see Leonardo DiCaprio, Hilary Swank and Helen Hunt there, whom Larry prepared for their star roles, but what if you’re lucky? Judging by his students' list of awards, Larry brings good luck.
The school called Larry Moss Studio has nothing to do with Larry Moss. It belongs to Michelle Danner, Larry's former business partner, with whom he once stopped working, but could not change the name of the school or take the brand with him.
Sharon Chatten Studio
Sharon Chatten runs a small studio, teaches herself and, on principle, does not want to put the school on stream. This is a woman with character, who mainly works with established actors and celebrities like Vanessa Williams, Will Smith, Jim Carrey or Cameron Diaz. Sharon does not accept everyone and makes strict demands on candidates. Her approach to learning is both physical and mental. The actor is obliged to study every nuance of the work, understand every shade of meaning and, more importantly, cleanse his body and speech of clamps and other husks that interfere with free play. Sharon does open up many students, but most often find her too heavy-handed and critical.
Anthony Meindl Actor Workshop
The philosophy of the Anthony Meindl Actor Workshop, which differs from other schools, is very close to the Russians, with our eternal search for the meaning of life and fatalism. Anthony Meindl places great emphasis on the spiritual aspect of acting. In Los Angeles, spirituality and esotericism are now in fashion - every fifth guru is an enlightened person. Teachers are also included in the statistics.
At this school you learn acting and at the same time undergo personal growth training. As students say, Anthony looks into the hidden corners of your soul, changes your life, helps you discover self-love and develop self-esteem. Carmen Electra, for example, believes that it was Meindl who gave her total self-confidence and emancipation, and therefore the admiration of the audience.
Ruskin School & Theater
John Raskin is a student of the famous Sanford Meisner (American actor and teacher) and a carrier of his technique. In Hollywood they like to refer to their acquaintance with Meisner and call him their teacher, but more often than not this turns out to be a pure bluff. John is a pleasant exception in this sense. In a prominent place in his office, he keeps indisputable evidence - a photograph with the master.
Ruskin School & Theater has daytime and evening groups for beginners and professionals. People with no experience, already established actors or simply those who need to discover themselves take entry-level classes. Classes are more reminiscent of psychotherapy sessions: in a soft, trusting atmosphere, everyone pulls out from their consciousness what prevents them from finding harmony with themselves and opening up in order to move towards peace and success. Lessons are held twice a week. First, students work on their personality and learn to feel the mood and state of their partner, and after a month they begin to actually practice acting. On weekends, for particularly advanced actors, that is, already existing actors, well-known people in the industry teach - Anthony Hopkins, for example. The principle is the same as in other studios: a skit and analysis for 20-30 minutes.
This school has three advantages. Firstly, it gives you the opportunity to look at yourself and your talent from different angles. Secondly, it gives you a luxurious chance to make friends with professionals and be noticed. Thirdly, if you show yourself well, you may be offered to become a theater actor at school. From the point of view of connections and prospects, it was a wonderful experience.
John Ruskin himself is an interesting, involved person; he takes every lesson through himself and creates an atmosphere of joy, calmness and confidence. All his students usually become friends.
Berg Studios
Not a very well-promoted school, a pure pearl in the ocean of studios actively promoting themselves and aggressively making money.
In this studio, unlike most others, what is more important than name, fame and money is real art, training, transfer of knowledge and skill, comprehension of the inexpressible, magic. All three teachers of the school are very professional, interested in the progress and success of each student; they complement each other perfectly, each has a very deep approach and a unique method of relaxation, self-knowledge and the highest meaning of the art of acting. In addition to stagecraft, there are many pleasant bonuses: classes on analyzing the script with insight into history, culture, the spirit of the times, seminars by invited industry professionals and much more. There are good opportunities for establishing useful connections: Berg's actors star in top films (House, Spider-Man, Hancock, Star Wars, Changeling).
Gregory Berg, the founder of the studio, in my opinion, is a real genius. He has an inexplicably subtle sense of what and how to tell his student, and instantly finds the necessary lever to turn off the falsehood and make you live the life of a hero. Simple words, simple advice - but in this simplicity lies the whole essence.
Eric Morris School
A well-known teacher in Hollywood and the author of amazing books. Morris is a small school with a special atmosphere. Touching, charming, kind, he is also focused on art rather than making money, radiates love with confidence and shows high professionalism. He teaches exclusively himself - in his studio it is easy to open up and get out of the shell that hinders real mastery. It has its own, very interesting technique, based on physicality and feeling.
Acting schools in Los Angeles are a very lucrative industry. In addition to truly talented teachers, there are many who have achieved little so far and have appeared in films at most three times. Eric’s numbers are very impressive: he has been teaching for more than 53 years, has starred in 25 films, 85 shows, 50 plays. Unlike many other coaches, he will not fill the hole of unprofessionalism by mentioning big names of actors, supposedly his students. By the way, the foreword to his book No Acting Please was written by Jack Nicholson.
Howard Fine Acting Studio
Howard Fine, the founder of this school, was named the best acting teacher in Los Angeles in 2006 by Backstage West magazine. In his studio, mostly professional actors improve their skills. All classes are built around the personality of Howard himself, on his very subjective taste. A very specific technique that is not suitable for everyone. But if you have similar interests, the studio will offer you quality classes in vocals, speech, improvisation and the Alexander technique. Famous directors and actors write gratitude to Howard, such as Martin Campbell (Casino Royale, The Mask of Zorro), Chris Pine (Star Wars) and Victoria Burrows (The Hobbit).
Lisa Robertson Studio
There is a very soft, feminine, respectful, careful approach to students here. Lisa helps each bud to open in its own time, in its own mode and style. Unlike many other schools, there is no imposition of certain techniques and special tools. The main thing is to reveal your vision and feeling. After classes, you don’t want to leave Lisa’s studio. She worked with many actors from the Twilight saga, as well as from the now popular American TV series Walking Dead and The Riches.
There are a lot of temptations in Los Angeles, but if you have a clear goal and understanding of the path, then all these wonderful pretentious parties with and without celebrities will not allow you to turn aside and lead you away from understanding the paramount importance of work, work, hard, daily, even fearless in a way. Exploring yourself is the most unexpected, exciting and risky journey. You never know where and who you will end up with. Good luck!
© V. Bogdanov / RIA Novosti
Those who want to study to become an actor often try out for all theater universities - the Shchepkinsky School, the Shchukinsky School, the Moscow Art Theater School and RATI/GITIS (and even one non-theatrical VGIK). Most people don’t care where, as long as they take it. The average applicant has no idea where he is applying and how one school differs from another. Therefore, already standing at the cherished door, they share rumors, more or less fantastic. Most of all there are myths about which university looks at what. The price includes any details: “it all depends on the type”; “VGIK can even take 25-year-olds, but theater universities take young people”; “Boys are needed at the Moscow Art Theater”; “GITIS and Shchuka are more playful schools”; “Pike is like a circus: here you need to perform some act”; “GITIS is like a big mental hospital”; “Ryzhakov is recruiting for the Moscow Art Theater this year: there are rumors that boys are asked to rap at auditions.”In Shchepka, they say, a certain type is welcomed: stately Russian guys with heroic physiques and well-bred girls with braids and high voices. A student of the acting and directing course at GITIS says that during her studies at Shchepka she played only grandmothers from the Urals, because the Shchepkin school is focused on roles and appearance is everything. Students of the Moscow Art Theater School believe that at GITIS it is easier to get a discount on the invoice: “At the Moscow Art Theater I was never, not once asked to show character, but at GITIS they immediately told me: “Read like a drunk.” But the Gitis students themselves say the opposite: “Our teachers do not fit you into a ready-made scheme, but try to discern your individuality and go from there. At GITIS they look at your inner world, and at Shchuk they look at your appearance.” Regarding what kind of appearance is valued in Pike, the testimony differs exactly the opposite. Who says that they take the same type of handsome men and beauties here, the same ones from year to year: tall, dark-haired and “heroic”. And who - that in Pike they love funny, wonderful, kind of fools, and the younger, the better. The rector of the Shchukin School, Evgeniy Knyazev, assures: “It happens that we receive those who do not go anywhere: they are small in stature and their voice is not the same - but we find some kind of individuality in them.”
The Moscow Art Theater School is a university that is most open to new trends. Students here feel in good standing, speak confidently about their prospects and easily compare with other theater schools: “At Shchuka they pay more attention to movement, but there students have too much free time: actors study for an hour and a half a day - this is in the third I know! And we don’t have a free minute. Mastery classes are held twice a day, morning and evening, sometimes you have to prepare two sketches at once. And at GITIS, mastery classes three times a week - how can this be?”
© Sergey Pyatakov / RIA Novosti
The Shchepkinsky School is a leader, first and foremost, in ensuring safety. While on duty at GITIS, I dialed the number of the dean's office of the acting department, introduced myself, and they immediately let me through. In Shchuka, the security guard himself volunteered to catch me actors in the crowd of applicants. And I passed the security of the Moscow Art Theater School-Studio completely unnoticed. The Shchepkinsky School was the first (and, admittedly, the only) school in which they demanded from me an official letter addressed to the rector and an official pass certifying the right to ask questions to students and applicants of the Higher Theater School (Institute) named after. M.S. Shchepkin at the State Academic Maly Theater of Russia. This was the first tradition that I encountered as soon as I crossed the threshold of the oldest theater school.
Students here are protected from new trends with about the same zeal. They are brought up in the spirit of patriotism. When talking to me, the Shchepkinites were not shy about pathos and sublime words: Shchepkin preserves classical traditions, and traditions are good; the classics are harder to grasp than the modern; theater has always been a reflection of social life; Plays must be staged as written; the theater must weed out vulgarity; any action must be psychologically justified; everything should be real, like in life. I ask: “Which of the last performances did you like or remember? Which theater? - “In Maly. The last amazing performance was “The Queen of Spades”... I don’t remember whose production it was.”