Hi! So I'm fairly new to the board, I've only been registered for about a week, so I'll give some quick background into myself so you see what kind of things I should be getting into.
First off, I'm moving to LA in October. I have a stage managing job with an outreach program in my home state of Washington, so I can't make it down before then.
I've done theater since about 4th grade. I had planned on being a theater major but my school's department was cut a few years back.
So therein lies my first issue. I've been apart of a lot of shows in school, some community theater, and civic theater, with acting and also with various tech work. But without a program, I definitely don't see myself as ready to compete skill wise with people who have been working professionally. I'm very proud of the work I've done and I know I have the drive and passion necessary to make it in acting. It's the only thing I can see for myself at this point in my life (Almost 23). But I also understand the challenges I'm faced with as I plan my move to LA and I want this for the long haul. I want to have opportunities to grow and really develop.
My dream is to pursue acting for film and TV, though I still love theater and would absolutely do it also. But I have basically no training for camera acting.
My plan for the first year or so is to work a survival job so I can pay off my student debt, and save money to be able to be more flexible with auditions. So I figure my goal for the first year or so, besides finance things is to just take classes in my spare time.
So based on the very brief background I've given what would you all recommend?
I'm mostly looking for what teachers and classes you would recommend for me? I suppose I should probably start with beginner acting classes? I wouldn't necessarily consider my skills super beginner, but maybe since I lack a lot of professional training, and will be new to the LA scene, it would be more beneficial to start at the core?

The problem with answering your question is that we do not know where you stand as an actor. Most people that have done lots of high school and college theater without training to go along with it have bad acting habits that need to be stripped away. This is most true with people that have done lots of high school and college musicals. They do everything way too big, do too much face acting and they don't know how to listen. However, others are perfectly fine with that and do better with differnt methods. We just can't know without seeing you act.

The first year of Meisner is the most effective way to free yourself from the bad habits if you have them. That is what it is designed for. It could work for you because you say you are just planning to work a job to pay off debts during that time anyway. Those classes are also less expensive than most of the others and take place 2 nights a week so you get more for your money. The ones I would check out if I thought I needed that are the Elizabeth Mestnik Studio, The Ruskin School of Acting or William Alderson. Then you can move onto other things once you have that.

Something else you could do if you have the time and money is to start one of the on camera audition classes on TT59's list after you have been in the Meisner class for awhile. Or maybe just wait to take one between the 1st and 2nd year of Meisner. That will get you ready to start auditioning for student and ulb indie movies to get clips once you know you have the basics. You should also be ready for a commercial class once you have gotten into it past the basics. However, I would not take one of those until I felt like I was ready to go to work.

Thanks!
I don't feel like I have a lot of the bad theater habits. My biggest weakness in theater acting is sometimes it's not big enough (or so I'm told). But yeah, I might just take a beginning level and I can see if it's too easy for me, and go from there to pick out my next classes.

Meisner would be a great foundation for you.

However, almost every working actor whom I have met and who has actually studied with Meisner, have all said that you DON'T need 2 years to learn Meisner or a traditional Meisner program.

So if you don't have that kind of patience, check out these classes. They're Meisner based and are on camera.

-RJ Adams (Actors Workshop)*
-Jen Krater Studios*
-David Kagen*
-Steve Eastin*
-Clay Banks*
-Jeremiah Comey*

Improv is also something that you should take as well. Like Meisner, Improv teaches you how to listen and react and be spontaneous.

And the Big 4 are most preferred by Commercial Agents and Commercial CDs:
-UCB
-Second City
-IO
-Groundlings

It is true that not everyone needs the full first year of Meisner. However, I studied with Steve Eastin for 6 months and my observation was that over half the class would have benefitted from it. There is truth in the saying that slow and steady wins the race when it comes to making the basics something you do automatically. John Ruskin has a interview where he talks about this.

http://starcastaudtns.tumblr.c...of-the-ruskin-school

I do not think that is just a sales pitch. He is right when he says a problem with too many actors in this town is that they want it all yesterday. Only the top 2% can make a living from acting and most of the other 98% think they are much better than they are. Many do not have the looks and natural ability but many of the ones that do would be better if they took the time to get more solid training in the basics with HONEST (hard to find) teachers.

Right. I forgot to mention improv. You need at least one level from one of those schools on your resume to get a good commercial agent interested. I took the first 2 levels at ucb and had a great short form teacher when I was in high school. It is great for making you listen and react. It is also fun and helps build confidence. However, the way it is taught here encourages overacting and quick heightened emotional responses that would not do much to help someone with the problems I mentioned in my first post. Stillness is a huge part of being a good screen actor.

Something you can do where you are to self assess is to record yourself on a camcorder reading scenes with an off camera friend. Set the camera frame in medium close up from your chest to the top of your head and have your friend slightly off to one side of the camera so you don't look straight into it. You will be amazed at how many distracting ticks you still need to work out if you are like most actors with what you said about your background.

I hope I don't sound negative like the girl that went on the attack and told me I was going to be a trainwreck when I first started asking questions here. These are just things I have noticed about way too many actors in this town.

I dont think you need Meisner to be a good listener. I know Anthony Meindl's schools is big about listening and reacting.

quote:

Originally posted by Jackson Pollack:
I dont think you need Meisner to be a good listener. I know Anthony Meindl's schools is big about listening and reacting.

Acting is listening and reacting so of course almost every school emphasizes it. Meisner has proven to be one of the simplest ways of learning to be a better listener and reactor for the past 70+ years.

I'm also very open to trying out different things. I've been in situations for too long where the actors don't get training. But that's to be expected especially for the level of the shows I was doing. Because of no program, and a lot of student run tech work, the director would be focusing on everything except the acting.
I'm just ready to clear my mind, and learn some things so I can be better.
It sounds like I might consider something Meisner based along with improv to get started and then from there hopefully I will be able to network with my classmates/teachers to figure out where to go next to tailor to my personal needs, strengths, weaknesses, etc.
Thanks for all the advice it means a lot!

Check this one: www.christianrodrigo.com/ActorsStudio it's quite new in town but it really works!

quote:

Originally posted by It'sRainingGlitter!:
I'm also very open to trying out different things. I've been in situations for too long where the actors don't get training. But that's to be expected especially for the level of the shows I was doing. Because of no program, and a lot of student run tech work, the director would be focusing on everything except the acting.
I'm just ready to clear my mind, and learn some things so I can be better.
It sounds like I might consider something Meisner based along with improv to get started and then from there hopefully I will be able to network with my classmates/teachers to figure out where to go next to tailor to my personal needs, strengths, weaknesses, etc.
Thanks for all the advice it means a lot!

I've had a lot of training within high school, college and with a couple repertories before moving to LA (was never very far from LA to begin with, however). I've found that studying and reading Stanislavski has always resonated with me personally, more so than Meisner.
Saying that Meisner doesn't resonate very much with you or that you haven't studied with a Meisner specific program - to many actors is sacrilegious. But I think what's most important is to spend time studying with someone who resonates with you, who challenges you, who engages you and who makes sense to you.
Many programs/studios/schools have different "methods" - and we all think OUR personal preference is the best. But I think it's most important for you to get familiar with the great teachers in which these programs are based off of. Granted many methods and teachings tend to agree at different points, the foundations generally stem from very universal ideas.
But if you become familiar with what style you connect with the most (for whatever your reasons) your quest will become more specific, and ultimately benefit you even more when you DO decide.

Now to my personal preference, and this is a very PERSONAL preference as I have ONLY studied with this studio since moving to LA, is Stuart Rogers Studio in NoHo.

This is a very low-key studio for the SERIOUS actor (and that point becomes apparent the more you study here). I picked this studio off of reviews, reviews of their shows and MOST IMPORTANTLY a recommendation from someone I know, trust and respect as a dear friend and actor (who is much farther along in their career than I). Their words exactly were "Stuart and his studio, it's a very no-bullshit type of place." The "no-bullshit type of place" really hooked me, but it's not for everyone. It's imagination based and I've never before received such SPOT ON and challenging critiques. This is a place people go to study and generally never leave.

Regardless, ask the opinion of people who you trust in LA, ask people who are WORKING actors and go with your gut instinct using the information given to you.

Best of luck!

I'm looking to take some classes to add to my skill sets. Fighting, horse-back riding, stuff like that.

And looking to for a class with a recognizable name in LA... for resume padding. I'm hoping the coach can improve my acting. Won't know until you try. I've taken years of classes, got a degree, yadda yadda yadda.

I did a class and showcase with Josh Galitsky at The Sacred Actor in Hollywood. We had to audition for it. We all had years of experience for that one. He could teach basics. What he specialized in for us was to dissolve the tension between actors. The trust factor between the cast was through the roof, unparalleled in any other production I've worked in. He also gets you to perform from a truthful place.

He's yet to become a famous acting coach. You may or may not like his advertisement video online. I can assure you that his former students rave about him as a coach, a director (for the showcase), and as a person. He doesn't pass himself off as some sort of acting/life guru. He does sort of have a following... in so far that former students rave about their experience.

Knowing what it is he does, sometimes former students go to his showcases to check out what the new students are presenting. I'll be there too. As to how "well attended" the showcases are (i.e. if agents and CD's will be there), maybe a few. But not like the well established showcases, not yet anyway. So far, honestly, I don't think they're well attended. As an actor who takes classes and wants useful experience, I give it a ten for that.

My next showcase or workshop will be an excuse to give my headshot and resume to an agent or CD. I'll be surprised (and delighted) if I learn something useful for my craft in that scenario.