Drama school auditions 2024- Acting/MT

[Mcmumager]

Is anyone starting the journey of drama school auditions and starting to feel the stress? Maybe sending them to drama group was a big mistake lol.

Is that for Acting or MT? Which graduating year group are you looking at? Generally speaking, I think the MT's mostly do graduate with an agent, but it's far from guaranteed for Acting, wherever you train. I've just looked at Central's 2023 cohort and not many of them have an agent either. But we should also bear in mind that at both colleges, they may have secured representation after leaving the college and not updated those pages.
It would be naive to pretend that everyone does 3 years of training purely for the love of it, and that getting representation at the end isn't important, but equally I don't think the purpose of going to drama school is solely in order to graduate with an agent. Surely it's about exploring yourself, others, the world you exist in and getting the best training you can? It's not the only route to a career, of course, and there are still plenty of successful actors who didn't train at drama school, but if you don't have any contacts in the industry it's a way of possibly increasing the chances.

It was acting I was looking at. Last year's graduates

You can click on their Spotlight links for the alumni at most of the big drama schools so it's definitely current. I was surprised how many of the last 3 years worth of grads either had no agent - or no Spotlight (suggesting they've probably decided to do something else) - and very few of those who did have any 23/24 credits.

But also not surprising as there has been almost no work for years now and it's still incredibly slow so agents aren't taking many people on as there's nothing to submit for... and what little there is goes to those who already have a name and a good cv. Pilot season in the USA this year is almost non-existent so it's not just this side of the pond.

On subject of agent representation. Talking to DS last night, apparently all 3rd year MT’s at GSA are in talks with agents so everyone has interest and it’s just decision time. That sounds amazing.

That’s is amazing!

If your DC didn’t get in to drama school and then reapplied the next year and got in what did they do for their “gap year”
DD did an MT foundation in a well recognised school. She had very little experience or training in singing/dancing/acting prior to the foundation.
She is auditioning for BAs but so far has not secured a place.
Her thought is to get a job, stay in London, take classes and apply again.

Any suggestions?

My DD had been at a PA 6th form, so had some experience and had done a few shows through a local MT group. She got two offers, both of which she wasn’t impressed with, but deferred one to take a gap year.

She worked constantly. First she auditioned for the entertainment team at a theme park, doing daily shows and characters. She also worked in the local theatre as a barista and auditioned for a production at a local theatre, which was expenses only, but a good opportunity to perform.

For the summer she has contacted an agency that supplies hosts to holiday parks and has had a recall for that. She also travelled to the USA for a short spell.

This year she re auditioned, dropping her deferred place and has a few offers, from better colleges.

She also auditioned for Disney Paris and got to the last few, they asked her to return and audition this Feb, but she was so busy. However a friend starts a summer contract with them shortly.

Your DD could try agencies for summer work, The Agency Excellent Entertainment is a good one. Also look at Disney Auditions website and or if in London, some of the immersive experiences, London Dungeons etc. rubbish pay, but good on a CV.

Alternatively sign up with an extras agency - DD did a few Netflix and soaps, which she found interesting although again, poor pay!

Where did she do her foundation? Have they not helped her?

@Operagirl1, I'm sure you know but I will clarify for others who don't, that that's only because of the change in the law concerning closed shop unions, introduced by Thatcher's government, rather than Equity allowing a sudden mad free-for-all.

You do not need an agent to be on Spotlight, Spotlight allows people to go in as self-represented, but you do need acceptable credits for qualification and for many that qualification is gleaned by a drama school training. You also do not need to be a member of Equity, but, as an agent, I much prefer it if my clients join the union for the very many protections it offers, along with their pension scheme.

My DC worked at a dance school as their MT teacher and choir leader/accompanist - put children through their LAMDA MT exams and various shows/performances. She was good at it too! Just has a way with children and they love her so at least I know she could teach if all else fails!

If my DD decides on a gap year she will have to get some kind of job and learn to drive. She is also taking a singing diploma in July so could teach if she needed to. It would be nice for her to be able to concentrate exclusively on the audition process without pressure of school and exams. She should hopefully have time for the things she needs and she will carry on with dance and drama lessons.

Absolutely agree about the driving, it opens up so many more possibilities. DD could never have done at least two of her jobs without it.

A Gap year was scary for us as parents, we did wonder if she would be motivated to try again, but it was much easier without the exams and performance by prior to audition. I also think being a year older was good as it showed colleges that even having had a year, she was still determined to follow the PA path.

Has anyone had an offer for Arts Ed for BA MT as yet?

DS's gap year was a bit weird as it was at the end of the pandemic, but when he didn't get the drama school offers he wanted (got into a BA at a 'lesser school' and foundation course offers from GSA/ Italia Conti) he worked at the local cinema, did a remote audio drama for a local theatre and also quite a few online workshops etc.
When it came around to beginning the audition process again he decided not to do it, but to take up his place he'd deferred as a back up, to do a BA Drama at a university instead.
Having been restricted by the restrictions/ lockdowns etc for over a year he was keen to 'get on with his life' and was worried that drama school courses would still be too restricted (people were still wearing masks etc at this point).

He says he thinks he made the right choice for that point in time, and is now graduating and considering some form of extra acting training as a post-grad, or just trying to get started in the industry (he has Spotlight and lots of experience now).

@Scotbean my DD is on the reserve list. She knows of two people who have offers.

ah interesting thanks - mine is also on the reserve list but reserve was all we had heard of - didn't actually know anyone with a confirmed place as yet!

Is she holding out for it? Mine is also on reserve for Mountview and had been holding out for that and didn't expect Arts Ed to even be a consideration so was quite pleasantly surprised to make reserve

She also has some firm offers but either of these would trump those!!

@Scotbean we're in exactly the same position - she has some firm offers but if ArtsEd came through she'd go for that. We're not expecting anything though because i think most people who are offered ArtsEd are going to take it up. Frustrating though to be so close!

There is always hope. My DS and his friend were both holding onto Arts Ed offers a couple of years ago but were waiting for their first choices - they both got them and handed Arts Ed offers back and they also know of a girl who was on reserve and got offered place at Arts in the June. Arts let you hold the place for along time before you lose the deposit so there is plenty of time yet.

One of my singing pupils (male) has a firm offer on BA AMT at ArtsEd

Has anybody on here got any experience of the BOVTS Foundation course? My daughter's been offered a place but it's eye-waveringly expensive, just under £6,000 for ten weeks! It's absolutely her dream school but there are, of course, no guarantees on getting on to their BA Course next year. The promotional video for it features lots of older Americans who appear to be treating it like a summer course. Emailed BOVTS but no reply yet.

I'm afraid that a lot of the summer/short courses at drama schools are exactly what you describe - summer holiday courses! Quite often they are quite separate from any of the accredited courses, with contractors brought in to teach and use the (otherwise empty) drama school facilities as a means of extra generating revenue.
Useful to brush up acting skills etc, but by no means a foot in the door for the BA or anything.

If you want summer or top up courses the NYT ones are excellent. Nothing like 6k either

My dd has just done a recall for NYT. Fingers crossed for 8 May!!! I'll have a look at the summer courses. Are they open to anyone?

I would second the recommendation for NYT. Really great experience. I don't think @somewhereinsomerset was asking so much about summer courses as specifically about the BOVTS Foundation, however.

There are some nyt summer courses open to all I think - depending on age etc

anyone else waiting on an Arts Ed reserve list decision? we’ve not heard back yet. DD’s heart is set on it but luckily we do have 2 other options thank god.