One Year Foundation courses - Opportunity or rip off?

Location > Networking > Forum > One Year Foundation courses - Opportunity or rip off?

	Topic: One Year Foundation courses - Opportunity or rip off?
Posted : 08/07/10 / Views : 1434 / Replies : 8 /
Ethan Richard Cha... 7 posts last on: 06/02/12 send private reply	One Year Foundation courses - Opportunity or rip off? I am an actor - I have never had formal training but have seemed to manage OK so far with out it. However, I believe that training is crucial in this industry as there is so much to learn and experience it can only be an advantage but as I am sure you all know getting on to an accredited 3 year course is somewhat difficult. So recently I was offered a place on the one year foundation at RADA but I am slightly confused about what to do. The fee for the 22 week course is £10,600 - is it worth the investment? Has anyone else out there done a foundation course? Do you feel it helped you? I would appreciate your advice. Kind regards. Ethan.

[add comments | all topics]

	Reply #1
Posted : 06/07/10
anonymous	Here's the thing - you have got further than many actors with training, ie you have an agent and you seem to be getting work! £10k is a serious amount of money (and debt) to shell out (and then have to repay) at the end of which you may be no better off than before you did the course. I too, have no real training, but have managed to get good work and an agent through hard graft and determination. I wouldn't personally spend the money, I haven't actually ever needed specific training for the TV and film work I've done as the director will talk you through everything anyway. And the technical jargon you learn on the go! But others may have better advice! :) Vanessa x

Reply #1

Posted : 06/07/10

anonymous

Here's the thing - you have got further than many actors with training, ie you have an agent and you seem to be getting work! £10k is a serious amount of money (and debt) to shell out (and then have to repay) at the end of which you may be no better off than before you did the course. I too, have no real training, but have managed to get good work and an agent through hard graft and determination. I wouldn't personally spend the money, I haven't actually ever needed specific training for the TV and film work I've done as the director will talk you through everything anyway. And the technical jargon you learn on the go! But others may have better advice! :) Vanessa x

	Reply #2
Posted : 06/07/10
jessica.dennishot... 33 posts last on: 07/02/12 send private reply	Hiya! Firstly, congratulations on getting onto the course. As you say, getting into drama school is blooming hard. I did a Foundation Course at East 15 when I was just 18. I then ended up getting a place on their 3 yr Acting BA and doing very well with other drama school auditions. For me, the whole experiencce was about growing up, deciding whether this really was the career I wanted to train for and if I was actually good enough to go and do it. It was a hugely valuable experience. I learnt so much about myself, about audition technique and about what it means to be an actor. It is what made me decide to really have a bash at this industry! But, it really was just an introduction. It made me see that I needed full and thorough training. It led me onto a 3 yr course, as opposed to starting my career. However, my course was a LOT cheaper than yours. I received funding for it in the way you would a normal University qualification. Student Loans Company, means assessed on how much of your fees you actually pay. If my course had been 10,000 I almost certainly wouldn't have been able to do it. I can't tell you what to think, so this is just my experience of it. If you loved the school, loved the feel of the place and can afford it. But remember, these courses are called "Foundations" for a reason. They are just the begining, an introduction. Post graduate courses seem to be far more in depth and a more full training (if you are a post grad, which I think you are) in comparison to a Foundation. Hope that helps, any questions feel free to ask! Best of luck with whatever you choose! xXx

Reply #2

Posted : 06/07/10

jessica.dennishot...
33 posts
last on: 07/02/12
send private reply

Hiya!

Firstly, congratulations on getting onto the course. As you say, getting into drama school is blooming hard. I did a Foundation Course at East 15 when I was just 18. I then ended up getting a place on their 3 yr Acting BA and doing very well with other drama school auditions.

For me, the whole experiencce was about growing up, deciding whether this really was the career I wanted to train for and if I was actually good enough to go and do it. It was a hugely valuable experience. I learnt so much about myself, about audition technique and about what it means to be an actor. It is what made me decide to really have a bash at this industry! But, it really was just an introduction. It made me see that I needed full and thorough training. It led me onto a 3 yr course, as opposed to starting my career.

However, my course was a LOT cheaper than yours. I received funding for it in the way you would a normal University qualification. Student Loans Company, means assessed on how much of your fees you actually pay. If my course had been 10,000 I almost certainly wouldn't have been able to do it.

I can't tell you what to think, so this is just my experience of it. If you loved the school, loved the feel of the place and can afford it. But remember, these courses are called "Foundations" for a reason. They are just the begining, an introduction. Post graduate courses seem to be far more in depth and a more full training (if you are a post grad, which I think you are) in comparison to a Foundation.

Hope that helps, any questions feel free to ask!

Best of luck with whatever you choose!
xXx

	Reply #3
Posted : 06/07/10
Annie22 557 posts last on: 24/01/12 send private reply	Hi Richard, I had a look at your profile - I think a Postgraduate would be better than a Foundation, if training is the way ahead for you. And I say if. Training is right for some people, not for others. Training has given some actors an advantage when it comes to finding work, but not all. I trained on a Postgraduate course - happiest year of my (long) life so far, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. But I could afford it (then!). This is one decision you really have to take on your own, Richard. Find out as much as you can about all the alternative courses on offer. Find out from industry professionals you know how students from a particular school are viewed. Then see what your gut tells you. All the very best!

Reply #3

Posted : 06/07/10

Annie22
557 posts
last on: 24/01/12
send private reply

Hi Richard,

I had a look at your profile - I think a Postgraduate would be better than a Foundation, if training is the way ahead for you. And I say if. Training is right for some people, not for others. Training has given some actors an advantage when it comes to finding work, but not all. I trained on a Postgraduate course - happiest year of my (long) life so far, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. But I could afford it (then!).

This is one decision you really have to take on your own, Richard. Find out as much as you can about all the alternative courses on offer. Find out from industry professionals you know how students from a particular school are viewed. Then see what your gut tells you.

All the very best!

	Reply #4
Posted : 06/07/10
eringhty 44 posts last on: 07/02/12 send private reply	I agree with Annie. If you feel more training is the way to go for you,, then do a post grad course. Some directors,agents,and CDs, can be dismissive of a Uni degree (which is narrowminded ) so a post grad at a recognised drama school might well be of use. Good luck!

	Reply #5
Posted : 06/07/10
Allan.OKeefe 710 posts last on: 07/02/12 send private reply	Damned if I'd lay out 10 large, to find out if what I was doing, was correct. You are already on the path, Old Son ... don't stray off it, just for the sake of a tag !!!.

	Reply #6
Posted : 07/07/10
leeravitz 1543 posts last on: 5 hours send private reply	I'll take a slightly different tack - though, essentially, I'm not conivinced this is the correct use of your money, either. There is no point in doing a Foundation course in isolation - that's the first thing to say. As the name suggests, they are courses that are crafted in such a way that they demand to be built upon with better qualifications from the same, or similar, institutions at a later stage, and leaving drama school with a Foundation qualification alone will not stand you in good stead. There is an ongoing argument amongst actors (we are having it in this thread!) as to whether you need to have gone to a drama school and won a 'qualification' in order to be able to 'rubberstamp' the quality of your acting, but, rest assured, inasmuch as any casting director, director, agent etc. genuinely does care about what drama school you went to, the qualifications that they consider relevant are actual, full course graduations, not qualifications gained at Foundation level, on Summer Schools, or via correspondence courses. The Foundation is there for the reason that it needs to be built on - but, unless you have a bottomless monetary resource - you may so financially debilitate yourself doing it that you cannot then afford to take up, say, a full three year course to build on it. This is why the suggestions that have been raised about e.g. looking into postgraduate options which will give you a better, and more intense, initial training that will be taken more seriously as a qualification for a very similar outlay, are very intelligent. With that said, what we don't really know from your post is the context in which you have been offered the course opportunity. I think this can make a very big difference to how you decide to approach it, especially as the course is being offered by RADA, and I appreciate that you may hold aspirations for going on to train at RADA fully. Is it the case that you applied for a three year course, were considered to have too little 'polish' and have been asked, instead, to take on a Foundation, knock off a few rough edges, and have your application for a three year placement reconsidered on this basis? Or it is just the case that you applied for a Foundation in the knowledge that it might be easier to win the place (which is probably true), and never tried to get onto a higher level course? Or that you have been given other offers by 'lesser' institutions for full time courses, but are being swayed by the offer of ANY course offered by RADA? etc. etc. If there is a fairly complicated 'bargaining' system in place here e.g. that the understanding would be that you might be more eligible for full RADA training were you to undertake the Foundation, then you need to make sure you understand the institution's position on this, and then consider how far your money can realistically stretch to support you in playing this 'long game'. If you are, in contrast, pursuing a Foundation course but feel you may be selling yourself short, I would reconsider: conserve the money, and reapply for a higher level course the following year -because the Foundation in of itself, as I've said, is not really worth anything to you. Or you could conserve your money and avoid the drama school route altogether, or consider possible postgraduate options. The answer is really about knowing what sort of institutions (if any) you are determined to attend, and how long you are prepared to pursue training for. Whether you can afford to do more than one course over the space of, say, eight years is the most important PRACTICAL question you must consider - and I have to say, if you can only realistically afford to do one course - I would avoid making it a Foundation and try and make your money work for you by winning a 3 year or postgrad training, even if that takes a few more years worth of auditioning.

Reply #6

Posted : 07/07/10

leeravitz
1543 posts
last on: 5 hours
send private reply

I'll take a slightly different tack - though, essentially, I'm not conivinced this is the correct use of your money, either.

There is no point in doing a Foundation course in isolation - that's the first thing to say. As the name suggests, they are courses that are crafted in such a way that they demand to be built upon with better qualifications from the same, or similar, institutions at a later stage, and leaving drama school with a Foundation qualification alone will not stand you in good stead. There is an ongoing argument amongst actors (we are having it in this thread!) as to whether you need to have gone to a drama school and won a 'qualification' in order to be able to 'rubberstamp' the quality of your acting, but, rest assured, inasmuch as any casting director, director, agent etc. genuinely *does* care about what drama school you went to, the qualifications that they consider relevant are actual, full course graduations, not qualifications gained at Foundation level, on Summer Schools, or via correspondence courses. The Foundation is there for the reason that it needs to be built on - but, unless you have a bottomless monetary resource - you may so financially debilitate yourself doing it that you cannot then afford to take up, say, a full three year course to build on it. This is why the suggestions that have been raised about e.g. looking into postgraduate options which will give you a better, and more intense, initial training that will be taken more seriously as a qualification for a very similar outlay, are very intelligent.

With that said, what we don't really know from your post is the context in which you have been offered the course opportunity. I think this can make a very big difference to how you decide to approach it, especially as the course is being offered by RADA, and I appreciate that you may hold aspirations for going on to train at RADA fully. Is it the case that you applied for a three year course, were considered to have too little 'polish' and have been asked, instead, to take on a Foundation, knock off a few rough edges, and have your application for a three year placement reconsidered on this basis? Or it is just the case that you applied for a Foundation in the knowledge that it might be easier to win the place (which is probably true), and never tried to get onto a higher level course? Or that you have been given other offers by 'lesser' institutions for full time courses, but are being swayed by the offer of ANY course offered by RADA? etc. etc. If there is a fairly complicated 'bargaining' system in place here e.g. that the understanding would be that you might be more eligible for full RADA training were you to undertake the Foundation, then you need to make sure you understand the institution's position on this, and then consider how far your money can realistically stretch to support you in playing this 'long game'. If you are, in contrast, pursuing a Foundation course but feel you may be selling yourself short, I would reconsider: conserve the money, and reapply for a higher level course the following year -because the Foundation in of itself, as I've said, is not really worth anything to you. Or you could conserve your money and avoid the drama school route altogether, or consider possible postgraduate options. The answer is really about knowing what sort of institutions (if any) you are determined to attend, and how long you are prepared to pursue training for. Whether you can afford to do more than one course over the space of, say, eight years is the most important PRACTICAL question you must consider - and I have to say, if you can only realistically afford to do one course - I would avoid making it a Foundation and try and make your money work for you by winning a 3 year or postgrad training, even if that takes a few more years worth of auditioning.

	Reply #7
Posted : 07/07/10
Rachel.Dashwood 24 posts last on: 07/02/12 send private reply	I did a foundation in musical theatre; a one year course with a dance college, straight out of 6th form. For me, it was the most gruelling, tough and important experience of my life as an actor yet. I was thrown into full days of dance 8-6 and had to learn the harsh brutalities that I thought I already knew. However, I learnt so much, not just about performing but about myself, and I made some good contacts with both teachers and students and am competent in skills I otherwise would not have learnt. (breakdancing...me, really?!) Personally, I would only recommend doing a foundation if it's a subject you are pretty new to as you're taken right from the beginning. The individual time is usually much better as you're in a smaller group.

Reply #7

Posted : 07/07/10

Rachel.Dashwood
24 posts
last on: 07/02/12
send private reply

I did a foundation in musical theatre; a one year course with a dance college, straight out of 6th form. For me, it was the most gruelling, tough and important experience of my life as an actor yet. I was thrown into full days of dance 8-6 and had to learn the harsh brutalities that I thought I already knew. However, I learnt so much, not just about performing but about myself, and I made some good contacts with both teachers and students and am competent in skills I otherwise would not have learnt. (breakdancing...me, really?!)
Personally, I would only recommend doing a foundation if it's a subject you are pretty new to as you're taken right from the beginning. The individual time is usually much better as you're in a smaller group.

	Reply #8
Posted : 08/07/10
Ethan Richard Cha... 7 posts last on: 06/02/12 send private reply	Thanks for your comments everyone. I have made my decision not to take the foundation. I have never done any training professionally and I have managed to do OK with out one so far but I believe this industry is hard enough anyway and the more you have going for you the better. As well as hoping to get the chance to see the best agents, and have a nice respectable name on my CV I also genuinely want to learn this craft inside out - I find it interesting, it excites me! I have auditioned for three year courses for the past two years - RADA, LAMDA, Guildhall, Drama Centre and I never seem to get anywhere with them - I just find it so frustrating! I am going to hold off from the foundation and give it my all agin working towards a three year course. Thanks again for your advice - great to hear how others have gone about it! best wishes. Ethan x

Reply #8

Posted : 08/07/10

Ethan Richard Cha...
7 posts
last on: 06/02/12
send private reply

Thanks for your comments everyone.
I have made my decision not to take the foundation.
I have never done any training professionally and I have managed to do OK with out one so far but I believe this industry is hard enough anyway and the more you have going for you the better.
As well as hoping to get the chance to see the best agents, and have a nice respectable name on my CV I also genuinely want to learn this craft inside out - I find it interesting, it excites me! I have auditioned for three year courses for the past two years - RADA, LAMDA, Guildhall, Drama Centre and I never seem to get anywhere with them - I just find it so frustrating!
I am going to hold off from the foundation and give it my all agin working towards a three year course.
Thanks again for your advice - great to hear how others have gone about it!
best wishes.
Ethan x

[add comments | all topics]

Please note: Messages written in the forum do not represent the views of Casting Call Pro, nor have they been vetted by Casting Call Pro staff. If you read something which you believe to be offensive or defamatory, please contact us and we will take the appropriate action.