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Message Board Homepage Secret Agent Man LA Actors: Question about advancing at The Groundlings School
Message Board Homepage Secret Agent Man LA Actors: Question about advancing at The Groundlings SchoolPage 1 2
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Newbie |
So I just started taking the basic level I improv course this week and I was told not many students advance into the next class, intermediate level II (after their first attempt at the course I'm in). Can any alums of the school or current students in the intermediate level II give me any tips and advice on advancing from my first attempt? I don't exactly have the funds to take the course over and over again. Thanks!
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Julia Roberts |
I personally think that place has turned into a huge actor shakedown to get us much CASH as they can out of actors. Example- I myself was referred there by a manager but failed to mention that at the audition. I had several semesters worth of experience in improv etc and had a great audition. I was told no in regards to level one but "feel free to come and take six months worth of workshops to improve and then you can reapply". Yeah right. Not only that the girl in the office was RUDE. So- I found at recently that a fellow actor I know who is no great improv talent at ALL, went in with a referral and got straight in. He said it is a very much who you know school. I could handle a school being hard to get into becasuse of the level of talent and volume of people who wish to go there. But making a SCHOOL about who you know? Total BS. I wrote the director of the school a long letter about it too!!!!
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Sean Penn |
hahaha. I think the Groundlings is a total scam now. May not have once been, but now... I had a similar experience to M.S. with them so I checked with a few people who confimed that until you spend a whole lot of money there you don't advace. Also I later did an improv thing with a Groundlings level 2 student and I gotta say he was surprisingly unskilled. I asked how long it took him to get to level 2 and he had spent a TON of time and money to get there.
Just goes to show that you can't always go on reputation in this town. |
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Al Pacino |
Wow! That's a lot of bad advice. Where do actors get this nonsense from?
The Groundlings is by no means a scam. That's absurd. They are the number one comedy group in town. Agents, managers, casting directors, developement executives and many others scout the school and performing company for talent. I've signed several actors there and they've done very well for my company. Some have gone on to star on network shows. I've also sent clients there for training and their booking ratio has gone up a great deal. As an agent, I can tell you for a fact that casting directors respond to pitches that involve members of the Groundlings or students who have at least reached Level 3 - Writing Lab. Do you want to know why it takes so long to advance through the ranks? The answer is my second paragraph. They are the number one choice for comedy in town and they are swamped with actors who want in. I know several of the top tier people there and I'm stunned by the numbers involved. It's amazing anyone gets in. So the bottom line is that a lot of actors spend a lot of money to go through all the levels and never get into the performing company. That's a shame but that's just the way it is. Everyone can not get in. That's life. And yes, they charge a lot. Guess what? It's called a business and they have a very high overhead. The cost is the cost. Actors who don't like it have cheaper options like ACME and IO WEST. And here's another point. You got cut after a year and a substantial investment. But you know what? Maybe you got some good training out of your time there that will help you advance in your career. So keep everything I've said in mind the next time you hear some loser actor bitching about how he spent so much money and he didn't get far in the Groundlings. Who knows? Maybe they just weren't good enough. It seems to me like a lot of actors in this town would rather blame others for their short comings. |
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Newbie |
Thanks for your input guys and especially Secret Agent Man. My theatrical agent had said basically the same. I'm not one to do anything half-heartedly and I noticed they're hasn't been an African-American member in the main company in quite some. I'm working to change that.
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Julia Roberts |
Well, I am glad they never got one cent of my money... |
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Sean Penn |
See there you go. Just join the Groundlings and spend several thousand dollars advancing up the ranks and you too can be, uh, what do you get again? Oh yeah you too will no longer be considered a loser actor by the SAM. You will however be considered a sucker by most everyone else. Especially those losers you end up working with who didn't spend thousands of dollars on improv training. Its a name and nothing more. You don't have to spend that kind of cash just to get good training no matter what any loser agent has to say.
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Sean Penn |
and just so we're clear. I have never trained at the Groudlings. I have trained at serverl other improv schools on both coasts and been a member of two different performing troups. I have worked with Groundlings students some of whom are brilliant some of whom are poo. The school has a great name and rep and you're paying to have it on your resume if you so choose. Evidently some of the agents in this town only judge actors by the few schools they may have heard of. Pity.
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Sean Penn |
I also auditioned at the Groundlings and was accepted for Level 1. The facilitator was upbeat, professional and direct in how she handled the exercises. The crowd was younger with fresh energy.
I signed up for classes at UCB soon after. 101 which I enjoyed, and 201 which I did not. I may continue there and would highly recommend the place for both entertainment and classes, but I am personally going to enroll in the next Groundlings class available because I suspect it is more well-rounded and of a higher caliber. I have heard quite a few cynical/envious remarks as well. But I think the secret agent guy is probably right here. |
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Newbie |
Hey KV,
Just wanted to see if you ended up enrolling at Groundlings and see how you liked it? Just had the audition yesterday (and passed) so want to make sure this is the right way to go. My only concern at this point is not getting enough practice at Groundlings: I think at second city and UCB you can put up shows at level 1 (I think it's good to have that audience interaction as much as you can get it). Anyone know which top school (Groundlings, Second City, ACME, Second City, IO West) gives you the most practice/stage time? Thanks! |
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Newbie |
Hey keepspullingmebackin,
I did enroll at Groundlings, have passed the Basic I and plan on taking the Basic II class. I can't speak for the other schools because I never checked them out because I was immediately drawn to Groundlings from my audition. So, congratulations! As far as getting practice, everyone in class has to participate and we did quite often. Towards the end of the course like the last 3 to 4 classes, we were paired and performed as the Groundlings do at their shows interchangeably for the last 30 to 45 min. Our only audience was the instructor and our fellow classmates which I loved because we saw each other's growth over time besides it just being really comfortable. My understanding is it literally comes down to the teacher and how open he/she is to re-structuring the class based on everyone's input. Of course, outside of class you can practice independently and/or ask your classmates if they would be down too. My class was twice a week for six weeks and that was enough for me. Hope this helps. |
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Newbie |
I'm debating between taking the 6 week or 12 week course... did you feel overloaded by doing the 6 week course (i.e. you couldn't really soak in everything because it was so jam packed).
Also, are there any teachers you recommend or have heard people should stay away from? Thanks again! |
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Newbie |
Hey folks and SAM,
those of you in the know, can you please recommend the better school: UCB or Groundlings? is it all relative? they have some pretty big names out of UCB as well. |
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Al Pacino |
They're different schools and teach different types of improv. Groundlings and Second City do short form improv like what you see on SNL. UCB and IO do long form improv. Long form usually relies on what was mentioned or happened earlier in the sketch to move forward. |
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Newbie |
Groundlings isn't a scam at all, but like most things in this town, it can get political.
I've taken classes there and know somebody who has slowly risen through the ranks. I've heard that almost everybody is made to take Level 2, no matter how good you are. A few have gotten by their first time but it's not common. I heard this is due to the wait to get into level 3, and well, they make money when you repeat a level. You also have to audition for Level 3 and you get 2 opportunities to do so. If you don't pass those auditions for Level 3, you're done. Or at least you have to start over, something like that. I was told by my 1st Groundlings teacher off the record that a lot of the teachers are a tiny bit bitter because they're stuck teaching while other Groundlings have gone on to have great success. He said the Groundlings isn't as fun as it was back in the day, but back then they weren't making any money and were nearly broke, so it was a different time. And it really get political once you get into level 3 and above. He said your goal shouldn't be to end up in the Main Company, but to take the skills you learn there and get a real acting job. If you end up an official Groundling, great, but that shouldn't be your goal because it's going to take years to maybe happen, if at all. Still, I think their Cooking With Gas show is the best in town and taking Level 1 & 2 is definitely worth it. Enjoy the classes and don't get caught up in the competitive nature and you'll benefit from it. |
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BackStage.com Message Board Homepage Secret Agent Man LA Actors: Question about advancing at The Groundlings School
Message Board Homepage Secret Agent Man LA Actors: Question about advancing at The Groundlings School© 2009 The Nielsen Company. All rights reserved.