Thinking of moving to New York...

Broadway is a whole creature unto its own.

You need to be a triple threat to get on Broadway. Truly a triple threat.

Off-off broadway is probably a place one could get into. Since the term "broadway" is only a classification of stage venue on the technical end.
 
Los Angeles and New York have equal the amount of excellent acting coaches and schools. Location has zero bearing on your acting education and ability. Your statement about real actors are in New York is preposterous. It's simple, if you want to be a theater actor, New York is the place to be. Los Angeles theatre is terrible, I admit. If you want to study film and television and become a film actor, you need to stay in Los Angeles. This is the only difference between the two cities, one is specialized in theatre, the other in film.

Good luck tho, I totally support that move and hope theater is where your heart is. But keep in mind, I know several actors that go there for training, come back and realize they've spent ten years learning theatre and can't hold up in front of a camera to save their lives. Two VERY different schools and you should take that into consideration. Granted, there are exceptions to everything I've stated, of course several big actors started in theatre, but John was spot-on, you're reasoning is what's in question, moving from Los Angeles to New York to study acting is backwards logic. Unless of course it's all about theatre for you in which case, bravo and happy trails :)
 
Of course, if you really want to learn the Theater craft, there is no place like London and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Just look at Patric Stewart and Ian McKellen.
 
Mark Harris said:
Agreed, that's the thing Tommy has to be aware of, he's not going to show up and start doing Broadway. I have friends I went to acting school with almost 20 years ago who are just now getting into Broadway. It;s a whole career of its own.

However, I do think there is a good chance, if one is serious, of falling in with good people and a good teacher(I can recommend some) and learning a lot and doing a lot of work to grow. If that is his goal, I agree with him that he can do it here.

That said, Tommy, what kind of training do you have? You can get good training in LA too, and that is also a good way to meet other people as serious as you about the craft.

M
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I'm not expecting to be in any Broadway shows at all, not for about 20 years like you mentioned. I would be working for Off Off, then Off, and hopefully Brodway.

Right now I'm not training anywhere. The training that I do have is from college theatre classes and then shows that I've been in. I'm not even sure who the great coaches are here in LA, minus of course Larry Moss and the other better ones.

That being said...

alveraz said:
Los Angeles and New York have equal the amount of excellent acting coaches and schools. Location has zero bearing on your acting education and ability. Your statement about real actors are in New York is preposterous. It's simple, if you want to be a theater actor, New York is the place to be. Los Angeles theatre is terrible, I admit. If you want to study film and television and become a film actor, you need to stay in Los Angeles. This is the only difference between the two cities, one is specialized in theatre, the other in film.

Good luck tho, I totally support that move and hope theater is where your heart is. But keep in mind, I know several actors that go there for training, come back and realize they've spent ten years learning theatre and can't hold up in front of a camera to save their lives. Two VERY different schools and you should take that into consideration. Granted, there are exceptions to everything I've stated, of course several big actors started in theatre, but John was spot-on, you're reasoning is what's in question, moving from Los Angeles to New York to study acting is backwards logic. Unless of course it's all about theatre for you in which case, bravo and happy trails :)
Click to expand...

Honestly, if I could really hone the craft and become a great actor here, then I would. I like film acting because it's more realistic (so to speak). The props are real and there's no voice projection and extra large gestures, which I'm not crazy about. I love film and I suppose I'm under the assumption that theatre is the best way to create a base acting technique.

But no, theatre isn't the end goal. Film is.

Weighing the pros and cons...

Staying in LA:
Pros
- I'm already here
- I have an apartment that costs me less than 800 a month
- I know the city well
- I know quite a few people here who are pretty close friends

Cons:
- Theatre here isn't very good
- It's hard to be taken seriously as an actor. (Of course, building a resume here and getting good training might change that)
- I would have to sell everything I own

Moving to New York:
Pros
- Good training
- Good theatre

Cons
- I don't know the area at all
- I've never been there
- Like Isaac said, it's expensive

What a friend of mine told me is you're taken more seriously as an actor if you've done a lot of theatre. All of the actors that I think are great film actors (Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman, Sean Penn, etc.) started on stage. That friend of mine is a producer and he said he wouldn't hire me because I don't have 2 dozen NY theatre credits on my resume. That might just be his opinion though. I just don't know. I want to have just a good of a chance as a NY trained actor does in film. Film really is the ultimate goal...
 
maybe I'll take your L.A. apartment Tom lol :). Seriously though that might be a possibility. All depends really.
 
Tom Marshall said:
I'm not expecting to be in any Broadway shows at all, not for about 20 years like you mentioned. I would be working for Off Off, then Off, and hopefully Brodway.

Right now I'm not training anywhere. The training that I do have is from college theatre classes and then shows that I've been in. I'm not even sure who the great coaches are here in LA, minus of course Larry Moss and the other better ones.

That being said...



Honestly, if I could really hone the craft and become a great actor here, then I would. I like film acting because it's more realistic (so to speak). The props are real and there's no voice projection and extra large gestures, which I'm not crazy about. I love film and I suppose I'm under the assumption that theatre is the best way to create a base acting technique.

But no, theatre isn't the end goal. Film is.

Weighing the pros and cons...

Staying in LA:
Pros
- I'm already here
- I have an apartment that costs me less than 800 a month
- I know the city well
- I know quite a few people here who are pretty close friends

Cons:
- Theatre here isn't very good
- It's hard to be taken seriously as an actor. (Of course, building a resume here and getting good training might change that)
- I would have to sell everything I own

Moving to New York:
Pros
- Good training
- Good theatre

Cons
- I don't know the area at all
- I've never been there
- Like Isaac said, it's expensive

What a friend of mine told me is you're taken more seriously as an actor if you've done a lot of theatre. All of the actors that I think are great film actors (Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman, Sean Penn, etc.) started on stage. That friend of mine is a producer and he said he wouldn't hire me because I don't have 2 dozen NY theatre credits on my resume. That might just be his opinion though. I just don't know. I want to have just a good of a chance as a NY trained actor does in film. Film really is the ultimate goal...
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Really not following you Tom

If moving to New York is something you feel will help you (Grass is greener) then by all means.

But being in the mecca of Actors Sanctuary is where you need to be.

The theatre isn't any good in L.A. ? It may not be Broadway, but come now.

The only hing holding you back from becoming a successful actor is you. You have the gear to star in your own projects, the training and workshops are abundant.

And before you take offense at my blunt assessment ? I speak for myself (preach). Nothing is holding me back from becoming a filmmaker but me. Being in L.A. or NYC isn't going to make or break anyone living in L.A. or sitting on enough gear to make a feature film.

But ...

If you wanna go to NYC ? By all means. Just make sure your reasons are for the right ones.
 
Hey tommy, here's one reason to move to NYC. You find great little gems like this:

1227476633.jpg


Went to a party with timur last night and he snapped this...
 
And think, you get to hang with me and my baby:

1227476880.jpg


Timur, send tommy the nutcracker video, let him know what kind of fun we have here.
 
hey man... leave my lady friend out of this... that nutcracker video is used as a daily reminder of why i no longer want a girlfriend.... its the single life for me.....
 
1300 for a place in Harlem? Damn, that isn't cheap. My place here which is a studio is 780. And it's a decent neighborhood. Not the best, but it's not the hood...

There's no way I could pay 2500 - 3000 a month. Waiting tables doesn't pay that much.

Maybe I am better off staying here. Nick just pointed out that Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman both got their start at the Pasadena Playhouse and it's about 15 miles from where I live right now.
 
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