Do you need to go to college long to be an actor or movie director ?

Hi Peyton,

I can't give you much advise on being a movie director, nor can I tell you much about being a movie actor, but I can tell you some stuff about being an play actor and you might find some of that relevant to being a movie actor..

How long you have to go to college to be an actor all depends on the level and type of acting you want to do. For instance I went to a liberal arts college to study computer science but also minored in theatre arts. The theatre part of my education probably would have taken a year if it was all I did. While I'm not a professional actor, I regularly act in sub-professional plays (I don't get paid). On the other hand, I have friends who are acting professionally after 4 years at a liberal arts college (not Broadway or anything, but they're making their living off of it). If you went to a school dedicated to theatre or art in general you could get a better education and possible be able to do it in less time. You can also find schools that offer masters in acting if you really want to pursue certain techniques in great detail. These schools could take an extra 3-5 years after getting a bachelors.

There are also doctorates that you can get in acting that could take any number of years to finish. These are usually for people more interested in the theoretical side of acting or in teaching. That's not to say they're not relevant to a professional actor, but they are less relevant. Usually a good actor can read about the work that such people are doing and apply it to their acting without going through a doctorate themselves.

Now for the little bit I know about movie acting. For the most part, what you learn for acting on a stage can be translated to a movie. Just keep in mind that on stage, since the audience is so far away, you'll have to over-react so the audience can see it. In a movie though, something as small as twitching an eyebrow can be a huge tell in a close-up. Getting into film acting seems to be harder than getting into stage acting simply because there's less people out there making movies. If you find the right people, or advertise yourself on the right sites it probably shouldn't be too hard to find an independent movie shoot, or a commercial audition. To really make it big time though, you'll have to be prepared to travel to wherever they're filming.

Sorry I couldn't help much more with the movie stuff. Hopefully someone else can answer for that. This is my two cents though. Best of luck with you're career. :)

Hi Peyton,

Aspiring actors and actresses can find relevant programs at conservatories and traditional public and private schools, such as the three award-winning and high-ranking institutions profiled below. Students at both Purchase College and New York University can earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts. A Master of Fine Arts program is available at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Unique to the Purchase Program is the chance to participate in a professional audition.

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  State University of New York (SUNY) - Purchase College in Purchase, NY
  School Highlight: The Conservatory of Theatre Arts & Film is one of four schools in the Consortium of Professional Theatre Training Programs. The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Acting program, offered through the Conservatory of Theatre Arts & Film, is a 4-year course of study that includes instruction in movement, speech and voice, as well as dramatic literature and theater history.

  
  


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  New York University in New York, NY
  School Highlight: NYU has a classical Studio and six other studios for students.
  New York University was ranked 32nd overall among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2015. Through the Tisch School of the Arts, students can pursue conservatory training in acting and earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

  
  


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  American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, CA
  School Highlight: Training at the American Conservatory Theater culminates in the MFA Showcase. The conservatory offers a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program to the limited number of students admitted each year. Once enrolled, aspiring professionals study both classic and contemporary works of theater and prepare for the MFA showcase. Through the Summer Training Congress, students can also pursue 2-week and 5-week intensive training sessions. Relevant facilities include ten studios and a black box studio theater for classroom instruction and performances.

  
  

The list with the Top Acting Colleges, you can read in:

http://study.com/top_acting_colleges.html

Have a brilliant career!!!!!!!