Help! problems with my acting career?

Question:i know you probably hear this all the time but im 15 from london and ive wanted to be an actress since i was 11.

im not poor persé but i cant afford to go to classes that actually TEACH you how to act, instead i go to free acting workshops where you dont get told how to say things etc. but just get a script and have to read from it and figure out what to do yourself

can anyone reccomend any drama school in london (preferably north/east) that can teach me how to act properly - it doesnt have to be free but less than ￡100 a term...

p.s.i dont know if anyone gets this but at the moment i feel awkward when i act because i can do the correct voice tones but my facial expressions arent strong enough and i need help with how to perfect them

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: i know you probably hear this all the time but im 15 from london and ive wanted to be an actress since i was 11.

im not poor persé but i cant afford to go to classes that actually TEACH you how to act, instead i go to free acting workshops where you dont get told how to say things etc. but just get a script and have to read from it and figure out what to do yourself

can anyone reccomend any drama school in london (preferably north/east) that can teach me how to act properly - it doesnt have to be free but less than ￡100 a term...

p.s.i dont know if anyone gets this but at the moment i feel awkward when i act because i can do the correct voice tones but my facial expressions arent strong enough and i need help with how to perfect them

Use a mirror and a tape recorder. Read poems out loud and look for the subtext, (what's really being said as opposed to what you are saying). Study Shakespeare. Watch movies. Practice your pronounciation and speak SLOWLY, don't rush through it. Look for the pauses, silence can be more powerful than words. Practice re-acting more than acting. Learn to listen carefully, which is much different than just hearing.
Nobody can really teach you 'How to Act', they can only provide you with the skills to use. Skills are developed with practise. You'll never be perfect, but you will keep getting better.
Use your own experiences to aid you. Study regular people and mirroring skills, which is akin to mimicing. Always think about the moment before...what just happened before you entered a room will dictate HOW you enter a room (ex. Did you run up a flight of stairs or take the elevator.)
Life itself is one of your BEST teachers. Your understanding of human nature is a valuable asset. Then, if this is your true passion...NEVER GIVE UP. Determination is far greater than just ability.
I'm the guy who robbed the mini-mart in the movie "Detroit Rock City", so I'm not just making this up. I hope this helps.

Go to:

http://www.notapushymum.com/ and ask there.

It's a UK website run by parents of children who act (and want to act) and there are quite a few kids there as well. They will be able to give you good advice.

Good luck.

.

Do some reading on methods of acting on your own:

An Actor Prepares - Stanislavski
Building a Character - Stanislavski
Creating a Role - Stanislavski
Acting: The First Six Lessons - Richard Boleslavsky
Respect for Acting - Uta Hagen
Sanford Meisner on Acting - Sanford Meisner

Though really it impossible to learn acting through a book, but they can be great supplements to a class. Is it offered at school? You're going to have to do some research on your own - check your yellow pages, use google, check with theatre departments at your local universities to see if they have recommendations.
If money becomes an issue, get a part time job so you can make up the difference.