Discover the Best Acting Classes Near Me
When you think of acting, Broadway or Hollywood might be the first two places that pop into your mind, but not necessarily in that order. Acting is a skill many artists work to perfect long before they make it to the big screen. In fact, some actors likely never dream about making it big; they just love what they do. One of the many great things about acting is there are so many levels in this industry. From being the next big television superstar or voicing the next big animated film to picking it up as a new hobby, deciding to learn acting can come from anywhere and resonate differently with so many people. So even if you do not consider yourself a thespian, you can still take steps to begin learning how to act.
Why You Should Learn Acting
You might be wondering why you should learn acting, but a better question is, why not? Acting is a fun hobby that can relieve stress, improve public speaking skills, and help you step outside your comfort zone. Taking an acting class enables you to remind yourself not to take things too seriously all the time and get comfortable with laughing at yourself. In addition to learning acting as a hobby, learning can also be beneficial if you want to connect with a new friend group. Taking one class at a local acting school or community college can help you find a new community of friends. One class can turn into another, and you suddenly find yourself immersed in the acting community and building a network of friends with each course. Finally, you should also consider learning acting because you can turn it into an exciting career, even if just part-time. Imagine learning that you love acting after a few classes, so you decide to take it to the next level and attempt to book jobs. You can work your standard job by day and perhaps even work voice over jobs or black box theater plays on the weekend. Learning to act can open up additional employment opportunities, introduce you to new friends, and offer a new way to relieve stress. Whatever calls you to learn acting, use that as your sign to begin and see where it takes you.
5 Ways to Learn Acting
There are quite a few ways to learn acting. You could take classes or even hire a private coach for some. The most common is taking an acting class in a more formal capacity, such as an acting school or even a community college. Classes offered at acting schools tend to be in person, and various classes are usually provided. You could also take a live online course, typically offered through acting schools and colleges. Though many consider acting classes an in-person activity, a live, online class can be just as practical and more accessible. A third way to learn acting, and a little more non-traditional, is via a self-paced course or watching YouTube videos about acting. Also, read just about any material related to acting that you can get your hands on. Whether it's a book about acting or even a script or monologue, reading is a great way to learn how to convey emotions and gain a greater appreciation for the craft. Finally, make a list of classic films and tv shows and watch them with a critical eye. Study the actors and how they deliver their lines, pay attention to how they interact with other actors and portray a character; try to immerse yourself into the world of the actors. Some of these ideas are a bit non-traditional and may seem silly, but they can be a great way to begin learning the techniques necessary to learn acting
In-Person Acting Classes
Though there are numerous ways to learn how to act, in-person classes are preferred by most performers. Fortunately, there are quite a few options for in-person acting classes.
The Barrow Group Acting School is a well-known and award-winning Off-Broadway theater company in New York. The Barrow Group offers a wide variety of classes to help their students improve or learn their acting skills. They offer monologue workshops, voice classes, intensive scene study classes, and even teen/tween/kids/youth classes. For example, their Beginner Acting I: The Basics course is designed for beginner/amateur adult actors. Students interested in this course do not need prior experience and can expect to leave with much knowledge. The Basics course is split into eight sessions and highlights quick and powerful ways to improve your performance, making it more natural and spontaneous. Each session lasts three hours, and students must be 18 and older.
If you want to take your basics to the next level, The Barrow Group Acting School also offers Beginners Acting II: Getting Specific as the next option. Similar to the basics course, Getting Specific is split into eight sessions, and classes run for about 3-hours as well. Completing Beginners Acting Level 1 is a prerequisite to joining this course. After that, students can expect to dive deeper into the Barrow Group approach. Each week, there is a different exercise ranging from script analysis to memorization exercises to truly help mold students into actors. Each activity is designed to encourage spontaneity, relax the actor, and help the actor become more sensitive, imaginative, responsive, and alive onstage.
Finally, if you want to complete the series Beginners Acting III: Film/TV is the next step, with Beginners I and II set as prerequisites. In this course, students are expected to apply the skills learned in the first two courses to on-camera work. This course is separated into six sessions, each lasting three hours, much like the other two sections. The Barrow Group can introduce students to beginner-level acting all the way up to preparing them for film and television.
If you are on the West Coast, there are in-person acting classes in LA for all levels of actors. Los Angeles City College offers many courses as a continuing education or “lifelong learning” institute in California. You can find just about any course aimed at learning a new skill or enhancing your current education; the same is valid for acting courses. Acting for Beginners is just what you need if you want to learn the acting basics to pursue a career in acting or meet new people. This class is offered at the East Hollywood location for six sessions. This is a beginner-level class for students 18 years old and older. This course can help you gain emotional depth and confidence and help you feel at ease in most types of acting environments such as stage, television, or film.
The Off-the-Cuff: Comedy Improv (Level 1) course offered at Los Angeles City College is another great way to stretch your acting skills a bit further, or if you want to improve other skills such as public speaking. Actors and non-actors come together in the class to learn the foundational skill used in improvisational comedy. This type of comedic improv acting is not just about being funny. The course is also about communication, teamwork, and trusting yourself. This course is open to all levels of students 18 years old or older and runs for five sessions in East Hollywood.
Are you looking for a different way to get started in the acting world that does not involve being on stage? Voiceover work might be something worth considering as well. Mt. San Antonio College, for example, offers a Voice-Overs - Now is Your Time class at their Walnut, California location. This $35, 2-hour class is precisely what you need to feel excited about breaking into the voiceover acting world. The Now is Your Time class is taught by Wendy Shapero, known for her successful career as a voice artist and actor, and she spends the time discussing how you can use your speaking voice to land commercials, films, and videos.
Finally, you may stick with the more traditional avenue of acting but would like to take your scene study to the next level. IK Connection Method: Scene Study offered by Acting Class Now is what you are looking for in a course. This class, delivered at the Koreatown Downtown location, is broken into four sessions. As a scene study class, you can expect to fully engage in the space to gain and improve your physical ability to connect with other actors. You can expect to be on your feet for this 3.5-hour course and using your body. The Acting Class Now school believes that acting is an art form of self-discovery and uses exercises that teach actors to trust their instincts and impulses to be present in the moment.
Virtual Acting Classes
Virtual acting classes are a great way to expand your opportunities and take classes from just about anywhere. Especially, depending on the style of acting you are looking to either learn or advance. Online acting classes can save time because you don’t have to commute and could ultimately save you money. Say goodbye to paying for parking and gas. While these are great benefits, some might feel as though online acting classes have some disadvantages also. One of the main disadvantages being difficulty connecting with other actors without being in the same room with them. Though this can be challenging, it is not impossible particularly with different styles of acting.
Voice acting is all about your voice and a large part of it is keeping your voice healthy. The “Vocal Health” Course can help you do just that. This is a real-time webinar led by a pro voice actor to help students keep their instrument, their vocals, in tune and conditioned. In this course some of the objectives you can expect to leave with are an understanding of the basics of how the voice works and how speech is produced, the ability to identify common medication conditions and medications that can negatively impact vocal health, and skills to help you develop a daily vocal care routine.
Now that you have learned how to keep your voice healthy, you might want to learn how to be a professional, aspiring professional, or a casual voice actor and secure auditions. Don’t Embarrass Yourself offered by Edge Studio Voice Over offered just that and more. This class will help students learn the basic etiquette and industry terminology of a professional voice actor so that you don’t embarrass yourself during a recording session or audition. Students can expect to have knowledge of the entire studio process for auditioning and recording sessions, understand all the necessary action to take prior to a session to be fully prepared, and know what to do after a session ends, just to name a few course objectives. This is a 2-hour course for only $45.
Finally, being able to market yourself as a successful voice actor is not a skill that comes intuitively. Edge Studio Voice Over understands this and developed a course to help. Voice Over Marketing 101 is what students need to learn the fundamentals of marketing themselves as a voice over talent and making a voice over career profitable. Marketing 101 explains the basic concepts behind establishing a personal voice over brand and securing work. Each student is given the knowledge needed to create their own personal voice over marketing plan to eventually build out their own client base and book more work. The class teaches students a wealth of knowledge and skills such as being able to list and describe different types of voice over work available and potential sources for each. It also helps students understand the importance of securing work and improving their skills as a voice over artist. Marketing 101 is a 2-hour course for $45 that is led by a real-time webinar pro voice actor. Online acting classes are not limited to just voice over courses, you can find a host of options for courses through CourseHorse.
Private Group Acting Classes
Private group acting classes are an excellent option for learning but also a great opportunity to connect with others. CourseHorse offers private group acting classes for larger groups as a fun team-building event. For a great team-building event that encourages everyone to put on their acting hat, the Virtual Team-Building Improv Workshop is just what you need for your next company function. During this workshop, you and your team will learn improv techniques that will help you all improve your collaboration and quick decision-making skills. In 60 minutes, your team will practice listening, collaboration, and problem-solving and get the chance just to be silly. It starts at $500 for ten people, with an additional charge per person after 10. You could customize the worship for an additional $150 with an expert to cater to your group’s needs.
If you are looking for something different or aren’t seeing what you need online, you can contact CourseHorse via their contact form, and their free event planning team will help you. Simply tell them what you are looking for in an event and the number of participants, and you can expect to hear back from someone within two business hours. You don’t have to worry about booking fees; changing your group size is easy. CourseHorse is there to set up a great private event for you and your team to make your next big event a success.
What Will I Need to Learn Acting?
While it might feel cliche to consider, you are usually the only material needed when learning acting. Therefore, you must bring your body, voice, and energy to each scene. In some classes, you may be required to get a monologue depending on the class type, but those can be provided. So much of acting requires you to connect with yourself and others; it is essential to remember that taking care of yourself is not easy. Not needing additional materials might seem easy because there are no additional upfront expenses, but taking care of your body means resting your voice, getting rest, and eating properly to ensure you aren’t sick before a performance. Those things can feel like an enormous task if it does not come naturally.
Is it Difficult to Learn Acting?
Is acting difficult? Well, it depends on who you are asking. Acting can come naturally to some, but even still, it can be a tough road to becoming a great actor. Acting is a layered field from learning theater acting, voice overs, tv, and film; there is so much to absorb. Additionally, it is a craft that can constantly be perfected as you continue to push yourself further to expand your skills. While learning acting can be difficult, that does not mean it is impossible. There are numerous ways to improve your skills, from online to in-person courses, books, and even webinars. How far you go depends on your dedication to taking your talents to the next level. If acting is your passion or something you want to explore, go for it!
