Studying to be a successful actor is the best thing that you can be doing for yourself as you start your acting career in Detroit. There are many out there that think that they do not need to learn about filmmaking and acting before becoming an actor in Detroit or anywhere around the country for that matter, however the most important thing you can do for yourself is invest your time and effort into learning about the thing that you want to pursue in life and then learning about what you can do to grow and hone your skills as an actor.
Think about it. If you want to be an Olympic ice skater, you are not just going to show up at the Olympics and try to get it in. You're going to practice ice skating, you will go get a coach, you are going to compete in competitions and you are going to do everything you can to hone your skills to give the best performance. You need to do the same if you are looking to become an actor in Detroit.
You will get to know the industry by going to school, you’ll learn more about the history of the industry and you’ll get to know the films and actors who shaped it. Many phenomenal actors and filmmakers in Detroit have gleaned wisdom and advice from those who have gone before them. For example, John Krasinski mentioned that he got the inspiration for his film A Quiet Place from films like Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line. Both of these were directed and written by influential filmmaker Terrance Malick, who’s known for shooting the majority of his films outdoors, likes to shoot in natural lighting and mostly uses steadicam shots. These are the kinds of things you’d learn by going to school in Detroit.
For actors, school can help you gain confidence, give you a perfect platform to actually use your talent and allow teachers to offer helpful advice and guidance. Often actors have little acting ticks they don’t recognize or see. Some over use pauses or sighs or have a go-to stance they use over and over again for different characters. Acting teachers can help you break out of those ticks and help hone your skill at the same time.
Practice makes perfect in Detroit, in order to grow and mature you need to be making content. I heard once that it takes 10,000 hours for a creative to really master their craft. So if you are an aspiring actor, being in school can give you the time you need to practice as you get your start in acting in Detroit. Having feedback from your lecturers can give you insight into areas you didn’t realize you need to work on. You will find that having peers to practice with can be really insightful as well. Acting is about teamwork. If you don’t have the luxury of connecting with friends who can help you expand your network and help you build your skills as an actor, a school can be a really great place to find others that are working towards the same goals that can help.
You will make connections in Detroit. Think of a film set like it is a mini city. You’ve got medical professionals, chefs, artists, creatives, builders, painters, accountants and IT techs etc. It really does take a team of people to create a movie. Many of these teams are built in Detroit because of film and acting school. It’s a natural way to build up the connections you make, especially if the school you go to has guest lecturers who work in the industry. You never know who may see you and ask you to be part of their next film or ask you to audition for their movie in Detroit.
You may find that as you attend school in Detroit, that it helps you realize another area in film that you want to work in, but never thought of as being something that you could do. Students of acting and film really have the most natural place to keep learning, growing and connecting with the film community that can give an edge to their future careers. It is definitely worth thinking about and seeing if going to school is the best idea for you.
