Help Me Follow My Dream to Train at East 15 Drama School

Hi, my name is Rees Matthews and I'm thrilled to share that I’ve been accepted into the MA Acting for Digital Media course at East 15 Acting School—one of the UK’s leading drama schools and a place I’ve dreamed of studying at for years. This opportunity means the world to me and brings me one step closer to turning my passion into a lifelong career.

The MA Acting for Digital Media course offers training in Performance Capture, Voice Acting, and Screen Acting. This training will prepare me to work in video games, animation, and film/television. East 15 is the only drama school in the UK to offer a course that combines all three areas I am deeply passionate about. I’ve always had a deep passion for Motion Capture, and over the years, I’ve dedicated countless hours honing my skills and knowledge, travelling to London to do workshops and courses that would prepare me for this. The technology, the artistry, and the endless possibilities it offers to bring characters and stories to life have always captivated me. I’ve worked tirelessly to reach this point, refining my craft and pushing myself to improve.

When I was thirteen, I watched Rise of the Planet of the Apes. At the time, I was completely fascinated by the character Caesar, portrayed by Andy Serkis. After being so captivated, I looked at the behind-the-scenes footage and was amazed by how it was made. When I realised they used the same technology and acting methods for video games, I knew I had found my calling.

However, pursuing this dream comes with significant financial challenges I’ve been working hard to overcome. In order to take up this opportunity, I delayed the course by a year to keep working and saving.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to get some charitable funding and together with my own savings can fully cover the course fees and accommodation. However as the MA is a full-time, intensive course, it will limit my ability to work enough hours during it to fully support myself while studying if I’m going to get the most from this opportunity.

So I’m also asking for a bit of help. The funds raised through this GoFundMe will go directly toward:

Living expenses while studying

Travel and relocation costs

Basic course-related materials

Any support—big or small—would be incredibly appreciated and will help ease the pressure so I can fully commit to my training.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. If you’re unable to donate, please consider sharing this page. Every bit of support will mean the world to me.

With gratitude,

Rees Matthews