Are you thinking about doing an acting course in Scotland? Don’t let naysayers put you off doing this for fun, for interest or for a career. There are plenty of options to consider here and avenues to explore that could help you explore acting for fun or a living. Let’s explore some of the options and determine which one could be the right fit for you.
Join a Local Acting College
You might want to start by exploring whether there is a local acting college in your area that provides drama courses or acting classes. The big benefit of this option is that it’s a free choice. It can be a good starting point to gain basic levels of training but will not be useful if you need to hone your skills to a professional level. While there are sure to be plenty of other students to make friends with, this is also going to mean standing out will be difficult. That’s particularly true when you consider that the number of performances that an option like this can provide will typically be extremely limited.
University Theatre and Drama Course
Are you looking to study the theoretical side of acting and are you keen to delve into a course where you’ll spend most of your time on academic papers? If so, then this could be the choice for you but it’s not going to provide you the experience you need to crack into the acting industry. It will teach you the theoretical side of acting but it won’t show you how to perform. Even if you do find a practical course at uni, you will often discover that contact hours are very limited. You might also be shocked to discover that directors aren’t particularly impressed by actors with university degrees.
Drama School
This is often going to be the best option. You’ll gain the intensive practical actor training on drama courses designed by and for professionals. You will also have ample opportunities to perform and potentially be seen by an agent or casting director. A professional acting course in a drama school is also going to look fantastic on your CV. However, these acting courses are incredibly difficult to get into, with some being impossible to access for the typical student. About 1.1% of applicants succeed in achieving a place, which can be pretty tough if you were in the top 3% but didn't get in ! As such, it won’t always be a realistic option for everyone.
Private HND Acting and Performance
If you can't get into drama school, you don't want a mind-numbing university theatre studies course and local college has too many other students on the course, and not enough public performances and opportunities, then a private HND acting and performance course could be the solution
Although they are private, HND acting courses attract government funding. The class size is much smaller, the opportunity to take part in a high number of public performances is greater too. You will be taught by experts in the industry who will help you hone your skills and ensure you reach your maximum potential in this industry. For this reason, HND acting and performance at a private college could be the ultimate solution. However, competition for a place can also be really tough, and you should always audition as early as possible.
We hope this helps you determine which avenue for training as an actor in Scotland will be the right choice for you.