REPLY: Class settings, or One on One training.....

This was a reply to an actor's question of "do I prefer one on one coaching for a student or a class room setting?"


My passion happens to be acting and I come from many years in the industry on many levels and many years studying with a wonderful an amazing coach. That being said, I am in the hopes that I can train some wonderful actors down here so that we have a quality talent pool for producers and directors to higher from.

There are only a few coaches I would recommend in the Louisiana area. If you do need some advice I am more than willing to help you. As for me, I do think every actor is different and that is one of the reasons I do not teach a specific method. If I did teach one method then I am saying that there is a perfect way to teach Tv and Film in that method alone. I think most of the methods were devised for stage, so to use methods that were devised years before my creative venue(tv/film) was even invented would be wrong.

As for class settings. Their are benefits of both one on one coaching and for a class full of students.

One on one, I think is wonderful when you focus in on an audition or rehearse and prep for a role you booked. It is also interesting later on when you have moved passed the basics and are delving deep into your work. Even then many things can still be done in a class setting for others to learn and for you to share.

A class setting Is one of the best ways to learn and to absorb the fastest. Our jobs as actors are to be observant and pay attention to the human condition and to create truthful behavior. How better to do so than with a nice group of people to observe? I think many actors find they learn more by sitting and watching a scene or waiting until I speak about the scene then sometimes being in the scene themselves. Sometimes it is easier to see your own problems in someone else's work. However, you also have the advantage of working with many different personalities and walks of life that you would not have in a one on one session. Then once you are in the scene study class and you need to work on a scene then there is no hesitation from living" in front of people in your imaginary circumstance. Acting is- creating real life in an imaginary circumstance.