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Question: Is there a film school for a 16 year old in Perth!?
Alright i dropped out of school early to do Cert 2 in Information Technology and i kinda slacked off a bit and i'm trying my best to catch up but i've just got that gut feeling that i won't pass and my mum says she won't let me go back to school cause that's like going backwards in life!.!.!.

anyways i had this feeling i wasn't gonna pass since like half way through ocotober and i just didnt know what to do if i did fail cause if i do i'll have to repeat Cert 2 as i can't get any higher in the Certificates unless you pass cert 2 first!.!.!. and my mum did clearly say if i don't pass she'll pick something for to do which i won't enjoy :(

and just yesterday i went to hungry jacks in freo and the manager there tryed to encourage me to join film school and become an actor or something like that!.!.!. he was like "you should join film school and be an actor because you are a very good looking boy" lol (too bad it wasn't a cute girl saying it)

yeah well anyways!.!.!. it's not simple and i saw it as impossible at first and then i kept thinking about and thought "yeah!.!. this would be awesome," of course it's a big possibility that i won't be an actor or something like that but it's the last shot i've got to do something i love and if i fail that too!.!.!. well idk what'll happen!.!.!. i'm kinda scared for my future if i don't get into either IT or film school!.!.!. and it looks as if my IT future is just hanging by a really small thread!.!.!.

Now i live in perth and i'm wondering if there's any film school or whatever their called in australia (particularly Perth too!!)!.!.

Someones encouraged me to do this and they've enlightened me alot!.!.!. now becoming an actor, movie director, etc is actually my idea of my biggest dream in life!.!.!.

Any help is much appreciated :) as my future hangs in the balance :S

oh and sorry if it was a long boring story lol



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Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Well,

I know that TAFE (thats what its called in NSW, might be different in Perth!?) offers lots of courses like screenwriting, camera operator, producing and acting as proper certificate courses!. From there you can either get into work or you can continue onto Uni and do Drama to refine your skills even more!.

I was very interested in Camera and Sound (I am in Newcastle, NSW) so I rang around local sound studios to find out what they were looking for and where the courses where!.

It turns out lots of studios offer private courses so I did a year long course with a sound studio!. it was tough work, as it was nights after I had already done long shifts at work but was worth it in the end!.

You can also look into intern ships or trainee positions at your local TV and Radio stations, your local uni should have a community radio station and you can get stacks of experience just volunteering their when you can!. This is also a great way to network - meeting people who have been in the industry for a long time and are in a good position to further your career!

I know you probably think - Radio - what's that got to do with acting!?
But it helps you train your voice into an emotive tool, so you can express yourself through subtleties in your speech to portray different emotions!.

If you are seriously serious you can always go for NIDA in Sydney, that's what Heath ledger did and he was a WA boy!.

It does help if you are attractive as you said, but that will only get you so far in the industry - you have to be prepared for lots of hard work, little pay and lots of rejection!. Remember they're not rejecting you as a person, they just have a different vision than you do and if you persist you will find the right role for you!.

On another track, you can always keep an eye out on the big networks webpages, i have often seen ads on them for shows like Home and Away and Neighbours along with smaller shows and pilots!. Sometimes they travel around looking for new talent!.

also, straight away sign up with an extras agency, the legit ones cost you nothing to join (if they insist on taking proper portrait shots at your cost, they're a scam, run a mile), you will get lots of great work, a little money on the side, but again you are putting yourself out there getting noticed, getting experience and getting used to how everything works on set!

I hope some of this helps - good luck with everything!

And when you make it big, be gracious, remember your roots and you'll be fine! :)

PS In the nicest way possible, hello you are only 16! You don['t need to decide what you will do for the rest of your life right now!

I am 27 and have been to Uni twice,
TAFE once, Adult education courses, private courses and learnt alot through my own study!.

I have studied Sound Engineering, Accounting,
Biotech Science and Vet Nursing!.

I have worked as a DJ, in a deli, as a hairdresser, at a service station, at a vet practice plus volunteer jobs with the RSPCA and Wildlife Rescue!.

You will change your mind and fail lots - there is always a way out and a new opportunity!

If I had not of failed my first year of Accounting,
I would not be in the excellent position I am in now, working in a great job and in my spare time making my own short (very short at the moment :)) films in my spare time, entering film competitions and married to a great guy!

I have even had a film recognised by Geoffrey Rush! Not bad for a uni dropout!. :)

Just keep going!.

PPS sorry if its a long boring answer - I just remember feeling like that and really want to help!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You might want to check out theatre!.asn!.au; there are heaps (hundreds) of Perth actors online there who could give you more info!. also, check out WAAPA (I'm from Melbourne, so I'm not sure about specific film schools, but WAAPA could point you in the right direction)Www@QuestionHome@Com