There is always a debate about the optimal age for an individual to start a professional acting career. While there are differences of opinion, there’s no doubt that those who start acting at a younger age have a slight edge over those that do later. If you’re the parent of a child who shows glimpses of an acting career, you can find the best acting schools for children in Orlando here to help nurture this talent.
Best Age to Start Acting
There is no specific age for entering the acting industry. What might count as the “best” age for some people may not be for others. Whether you start acting at the age of 7 or 70, all that matters is your commitment. For most people not familiar with the industry, acting seems like a laissez-faire profession where the players get to do their thing as they please. However, this is a huge misconception.
Acting is a career, much like the legal profession or any other. It requires a passion for what you’re doing, hard work, and a certain level of relentlessness. Having good looks and charm are not automatic guarantees that you’ll make it as an actor. Without dedication, an aspiring actor will be just another statistic, an individual with potential who never made it in the industry.
Such factors lend credence to the fact that age isn’t relevant. If you start your acting career in your mid-40s and are dedicated and hardworking, there is no reason you shouldn’t enjoy the same level of success as somebody who started as a teenager.
Of course, many movie producers prefer to work with children compared to middle-aged individuals. One reason for this could be that children are more malleable; this means that certain acting traits can be instilled into them more easily than in adults.
Is Acting School Necessary?
Many great actors never attended any formal training yet they’re at the top of their profession. This has led many people to believe that acting is simply a matter of showing up and being able to rehearse lines and recite them in front of the camera. While it would seem that some people have a natural charm that makes them more likely to succeed as actors, training is still necessary, at least in some form.
Before the advent of many acting schools, aspiring actors took informal lessons from those who were already in the industry. While such lessons didn’t lead to certificates, they undoubtedly honed the aspiring actors’ skills. Of course, if you have confidence and the other traits necessary to becoming a great actor, your learning curve will be much smoother than someone without them. However, having such traits does not obviate the need to attend acting school.
At What Age Can You Join an Acting School?
Most acting schools in the past only catered to adults. You had to be at least 18 years to join one. These days, there are acting classes for children as young as eight. This means that just about anyone can join an acting school as long as they’re dedicated to pursuing it as a career.
Are There Any Advantages to Starting an Acting Career at a Particular Age?
Many people believe that starting an acting career as a child is better because it offers the opportunity for experimentation. After all, children are still developing emotionally and mentally. The argument is that acting at a young age will help them discover themselves more quickly and mold some of their personality traits to fit the necessities of acting. Children also tend to be free from most other responsibilities, meaning they can dedicate most of their time to honing their acting skills.
There are advantages to starting an acting career as an adult too. For one, adults usually have more life experiences than kids. This alone can be tremendously helpful as acting requires a certain level of improvisation. Being able to draw on a vast amount of real-life experiences to connect them to a particular stage character is a huge plus for adults.
As an adult, you’ll likely have more clarity about your interests and personality in general. This will mean you have more confidence in your choice to become an actor. This isn’t a luxury that kids have because most are still trying to figure out what to do with their lives.
All in all, you can make the most of your age as far as starting an acting career goes. Dedication and hard work will erase any perceived advantage any one age group may have.
