Acting & Modelling

Admit it! Atleast for once you have fantasied yourself as the actor in your favourite movie. Whether it was you imagining yourself as the Batman in The Dark Knight or as Ranchod Das Shamaldas Chanchad in 3 Idiots, the fact remains acting is one of those careers which attracts a huge number of youngsters. The reasons are many and quite clear! Apart from the glamour, fame and money, actors and actresses become part of people’s memories and are recognised as ideals.

Acting as an art evolved from theatre, dramas and opera to modern day movies and epic blockbusters. A career in acting and modelling includes several aspects. Potential actors are in trained in things such as:

• Basic preparation exercises such as relaxing and sensitivity

• Overview of what acting is – and what is good or great acting

• Runway Modelling, Stage Presence & Movement

• Hair and Make-up/ How to Look Great

• Language, speech and dialogue delivery

• Physical prowess – stunts

Nowadays, actors also train in martial arts, different types of dance and even singing. On one hand, the advent of computer generated graphics (CGI) has greatly eased the burdens of acting, it still remains a very demanding career.

Top Acting Institutes

Scope

1. Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune

2. Barry John Acting Studio, Mumbai

3. National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi

4. Ramesh Sippy Academy of Cinema and Entertainment (RSACE)

5. Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares, Mumbai

6. AAFT (Noida, Mumbai, Kolkata and New Delhi)

7. Famous Alumni of AAFT

8. Whistling Woods International, Mumbai

9. ZIMA, Mumbai

10. R K Films & Media Academy, New Delhi

There are a number of national as well as international options that open up once you start acting .E.g. movie industries like Hollywood, Bollywood, Tollywood, and other regional cinema offer a lot of options, for amateur and expert models. Theatre and musicals also make up other career options.

Usually, actors and actresses have to work up their way from acting in small and supporting roles to higher and important roles. This may take several years.

An important thing to note is that in order to succeed in acting, one has to possess an unmatched talent rather than pursuing courses and degrees. Pursuing related courses will surely help but it will be the talent that can launch one’s career. Also, one may have to start acting in local theatres and drams before moving up on the ladder of regional, national and international cinema.