Traumjob Schauspieler – So hart ist das Business | reporter

Becoming an actor – for many, still a dream. Every year, thousands apply to drama schools, but only a very few are accepted. Among the most prestigious drama schools in the German-speaking world is the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin. More than 1,000 people apply there annually, but only 25 secure one of the coveted training positions. One of those who made it is Jan Meeno Jürgens. He is about to graduate, and Tim has been following him: at drama school and during rehearsals, right up to his first major audition. It quickly becomes clear: the path to that first job is anything but easy, because the competition is fierce: around 200 graduates from state-run drama schools and 400 newcomers from private schools enter the job market each year – and that means a cutthroat competition in the casting and audition marathon. To help aspiring actors break into the industry, the Rhineland State Theatre in Neuss organizes a "Central Audition for German-Speaking Universities of Drama and Performing Arts" every year. The list of participating drama schools is long: Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts, Folkwang University of the Arts, Otto Falckenberg School Munich, Rostock University of Music and Theatre, Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media, and so on. They all send their acting graduates to the central audition, where they have the opportunity to showcase what they've learned in their training to a professional audience (directors, casting directors, artistic directors, etc.). Those who impress are invited to "real" castings – for theatre roles, series, or films. However, a job offer doesn't automatically mean a major breakthrough – quite the opposite: there's hardly a profession where dreams and reality diverge more than for actors. Television, the silver screen, the red carpet on the one hand – existential anxieties, temporary employment, and job centers on the other. According to a 2011 study by the University of Münster, around 55% of actors earn less than €20,000 gross per year – 20% even less than €5,000. Only 5% earn top salaries exceeding €100,000 per year. While fees of €1,000 to €2,000 per day of filming are not uncommon, which sounds like a lot at first, this is a flat rate that usually also covers preparation, rehearsals, learning lines, PR appearances, and any necessary dubbing. Filming days can easily last 16 hours. Those who manage 40 days of filming per year are among the absolute top performers. Many others are happy if they can record an audiobook or teach courses at drama school in between. Some even drive taxis, wait tables, or live on welfare for a time. Poverty in old age is also a concern. In short, only a minority can make a living solely from acting. That's why Tim investigated what it REALLY means to become an actor and gained insight into an industry that's far more than just glamour and flashing lights. Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts: https://www.hfs-berlin.de/index.html Here is the link to the University of Münster study "Survey on the Working and Living Conditions of Actors in Germany": https://www.uni-muenster.de/imperia/m... Information about the central audition in Neuss, including a list of all participating drama schools this year: https://www.rlt-neuss.de/index.php?pa... ZAV Artists' Placement Agency - contact point for job-seeking actors and organizer of the casting workshop featured in the report: https://zav.arbeitsagentur.de/ Article "Nightmare Job: Actor" (Süddeutsche Zeitung): https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaf... Article "Actor Casting - Always the Same Faces on TV" (Tagesspiegel): https://www.tagesspiegel.de/medien/sc... Article "Nightmare Factory TV: Actors Trapped" (DWDL Media Magazine): https://www.dwdl.de/magazin/27542/alp... Federal Association of Actors - Represents the interests of actors in Germany: https://www.bffs.de/ueber-uns/ The funk format "reporter" ended on December 31, 2023. We have therefore deactivated the comment function for further comments. If you have any feedback or suggestions for us, please feel free to contact us via our contact form: https://www.funk.net/kontakt Team: Tim Schrankel, Maik Arnold, Sarah Sanner, Sven Feller Music: Creep – Deadmau5 Waiting Times – A. Suchanov You can also find us here: Facebook:   / reporter.offiziell   #reporter is part of #funk: YouTube:    / funkofficial   funk Web App: http://go.funk.net Facebook:   / funk