[extropy-chat] Re: [ExtroBritannia] Please help finding college for daughter

[Natasha Vita-More]

At 03:44 AM 3/23/2005, Giu1i0 Pri5c0 wrote:

>My 17 yrs old daughter is a very talented but not very focused girl
>(like someone else at the same age, at least she is much more socially
>skilled than I was).
>She speaks fluently English Spanish and Italian (all three at native
>speaker level) plus a couple of other languages less fluently. Her SAT
>score is about 1100, surprisingly since she never studies.
>She is very much into acting, is in a performing school here in Madrid
>and went a few times to acting summer schools in UK and US. She wishes
>to study something suitable for the movie world, like acting,
>film-making, or creative writing.
>I will appreciate all ideas and suggestions.

I would be delighted to speak with your daughter about acting, the arts, 
and whether to go the academic route or hands on.  Many of my friends who I 
worked with over time did not study acting, filmmaking, and writing in a 
scholastic structure, but jumped in and worked their way up at studios, or 
in theater.  Some used all their connections and got bit parts, then 
secured an agent, and they started going on auditions quickly.  Others went 
to private acting schools such as Lee Strasberg http://www.strasberg.com/ 
and Peggy Fury's "The Loft."  (I studied at The Loft for several years.  It 
was in its hay-day the top place to study - as Angelica Houston, Jack 
Nicholson, Natasha Richardson, the brat-pack, and so many others studied 
there.  It was very exciting to learn the skills in such an environment.) 
http://www.actorstheatreworkshop.com/  But, then going to a school like 
Yale has been very helpful to actors like Meryl Streep and I think it gave 
her a sense of herself that added to her demeanor.

More than anyone offering their advice on what school your daughter might 
consider enrolling in, I think that you need to sit down with her and 
objectify her goals.  Does she want to be in Hollywood type films, or on 
the stage?  Is she primarily interested in drama or comedy, or is she 
better as a commercial actor.  Would she be a good candidate for a 
character actor, or a leading role?  This is how agents and casting 
directors look at an actor - by where they fit in to the large scheme of 
the industry.

My own experiences in the arts is that getting a formal education is 
necessary - a bachelors degree in an arts program specialty, to go to a 
university that has a good art department (including fine art, theatrical 
arts, filmmaking, electronic arts, etc.); and then to work in a small 
theater group. She will quickly learn where she wants to focus her talents.

One of the shortcomings of not going to university and studying is that 
artists tend to find their own subculture and forget to focus on the 
goal.  Going to a university first and then getting accepted in a private 
acting school (like I went to (above)) refines the talents and is a 
marvelous introduction to professionals.

I don't think the specific school matters, but I do think establishing what 
her goals are do matter greatly.  I also think she needs to feel 
comfortable and decide if she likes small campuses or large campuses, or a 
very specialized campus.

Best,
Natasha

Natasha Vita-More
http://www.natasha.cc
[_______________________________________________
President, Extropy Institute http://www.extropy.org
[_____________________________________________________
Founder, Transhumanist Arts & Culture http://www.transhumanist.biz
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