Monday, November 7, 2011

Two Year Acting Conservatory - Finding the Right Trusting Environment

3:34 PM
By Maggie Flanigan


Two year acting programs are commonly known as the conservatory approach. This approach is designed for students who constantly wish to improve in their craft. For centuries, aspiring fine art professionals have sought apprenticeships from trained masters. In NYC, student actors who are looking to improve themselves in their craft should certainly consider a two year program.

Actors who are true professionals know that the process of studying is never over. Years of training are the only way to become a "natural" actor. Separating yourself from the distractions in life and dedicating your time solely to study requires dedication and strength. In order for professional actors to separate themselves from the hobbyists, two year acting programs are a must.

Two year acting programs are a wonderful opportunity to learn the Meisner method. The technique teaches students the basic methods first with the lessons become more and more complicated as each skill is mastered. Meisner training is very rigorous and can feel almost military in intensity. Students have to face the stripping and rebuilding of their identities and beliefs.

The military strives to give the soldier an identity that will survive difficult situations and be an asset to the armed forces. Long-term programs in New York that teach Meisner require student actors to learn more about themselves. This allows actors to become one with their characters instead of allowing their own emotions to hinder their performance.

There is no such thing as a person who is not at least partly controlled by compulsions, emotions, and desires. These personal traits can either help or hinder an actor. Being aware of these personal characteristics is essential to being an successful actor.

It is all too common for actors to develop poor habits. In short classes, actors might be able to partially address these habits. There is no question, however, that two year programs are far more effective at correcting these problems. This whole process is certainly not an easy one as students are required to strip away their exterior and reveal their more vulnerable sides. A two year acting program challenges students to bare their vulnerabilities and put themselves under the microscope all in an effort to make them more capable of creating lifelike characters for the audience. Two year programs allow students to correct bad habits and build more effective ones so that they can work well with fellow actors and create believable characters.




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