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What Acting Classes Should I Take?

When I first started my career I spent a lot of time thinking about the question “What Acting Classes Should I Take?”. With the many options available, this can often be a very complicated question,

Below you’ll find an outline of the various class options based on your skill level.
If you’re new to the craft of acting this should help you point yourself in the right direction!

If your experienced and just thinking “what acting classes should I take next?”, this will hopefully provide some valuable insights as well.

Your Experience Level

Beginner Actors

If you’re new to acting, focus on building foundational skills that will set you up for success in the long run. Everything starts with fundamentals:

• Introductory Acting Classes: Learn the basics, from stage presence to understanding scripts. These classes help build confidence and give you a strong foundation.
• Improvisation Classes: Improv helps you think quickly, overcome stage fright, and develop spontaneity—a must-have skill for any actor.
• Voice Training: Acting isn’t just about how you move; it’s also about how you speak. Voice training classes improve diction, projection, and control.
• Movement and Physical Classes: Learn how to use body language and movement to convey emotions and bring characters to life.
• Cold Reading Classes: Perfect for auditions, these classes teach you how to deliver lines from a script with minimal preparation.
• Voice-Over Classes: Break into the world of voice acting with lessons on character development, commercial reads, and narration.

For Intermediate Actors

If you’ve been acting for a while and want to expand your skills, intermediate classes can help you deepen your craft:

• Scene Study Classes: Focus on analyzing and performing scenes from plays or films. You’ll learn to dive into a character’s motivations and relationships.
• Advanced Improvisation: Build on your basic improv skills by exploring more complex scenarios and techniques.
• Dialect and Accent Training: Want to expand your character range? Learn accents and dialects to bring authenticity to your roles.
• On-Camera Acting Classes: Acting for the camera is very different from performing on stage. These classes teach you how to adjust your performance for close-ups and screen presence.
• Story Structure Classes: Understanding the message of the story requires a deep knowledge of story structure. This is the place to begin to learn.

For Advanced Actors

For seasoned performers, advanced classes offer a chance to refine specialized skills or explore challenging techniques:

• Method Acting Classes: Learn to immerse yourself fully in a character using powerful techniques like emotional memory and sensory exercises.
• Shakespearean Acting: Tackle classical texts and master the unique rhythm and language of Shakespeare’s plays.
• Audition Technique Classes: Perfect your audition game with strategies to stand out in competitive environments.
• Advanced Story Classes: Master the finer elements of story to capture the truth in every performance.
• Advanced Improvisation: Recommended for all seasoned actors to keep their instrument sharp. Practicing improv is one of the best ways to keep a performer on point.
• Mime & Space Work: Physicality is beyond important for the actor to master. These classes focus on developing the actors mastery of physicality and spacial work, just think Chaplin.

Specialized Acting Classes

Sometimes, your interests or career goals might call for a more focused approach. These specialized classes cater to niche areas of the craft:

Musical Theatre

If you dream of performing on Broadway or in local musicals, these classes are essential:

• Singing for Actors: Vocal training designed specifically for actors in musical theatre.
• Dance for Actors: Learn choreography and movement to complement your acting skills.

Choosing the Right Acting Class for Your Goals

So how do you decide?

Sort Out Your Career Objectives

Are you aiming for a career in film, theatre, or voice acting? Or do you want to build confidence and try something new? Define your goals to narrow down your options.

This should be the number one factor in determining what class to take next. Now a special note here is that certain classes are benificial for all actors and ideally would be taken on a regular basis in order to keep yourself sharp.

No matter your goal, voice acting, film, theatre, social media, it doesnt matter, you should be in an improvisation class. Improv keeps you sharp, quick, narratively focused, thinking about story on a regular basis. It keeps the mind tuned into the frequency of performance and growth. Exactly where you want to be as an actor. Granted, a lot of this will depend on having a good coach! So make sure to do your research.

Research

Look for instructors with professional experience and teaching credentials. Read reviews, attend open houses, or even sit in on a class to ensure it aligns with your learning style. This sitting in on a class is key, it allows you to be confident with what your getting into. This is no different then taking a car for a test drive, its a safe, simple way to see if your interested.

Considering Class Formats

• In-Person Classes: These offer hands-on interaction and networking opportunities. You’ll benefit from live feedback and real-time collaboration with classmates.
• Online Classes: Perfect for busy schedules, online classes offer flexibility while still providing valuable training. Schools like Blackbox Academy offer interactive virtual lessons for actors of all levels.

Conclusion

Find clarity in what you desire. Where do you want to go? Is it just for fun? Are you aiming at mastery? Do you want a career?

Take the time to assess your goals, research your options, and find classes that fit your needs. With clarity of purpose, your decision should be easy enough!

If you still need help, or you’re ready to start or advance your acting journey, consider exploring programs like those offered by Blackbox Academy.

Additional Resources

1. Actors’ Equity Association (AEA)
The U.S. labor union representing American actors and stage managers in the theatre. AEA offers resources, job opportunities, and crucial industry information that can be vital for navigating a career in theater.
Visit Actors’ Equity Association

2. The Spotlight
Based in the UK, Spotlight connects performers with roles in theatre, television, and film. It’s a great resource for casting calls and career advice, helping actors find opportunities that match their skills and ambitions.
Visit The Spotlight

3. Casting Networks Inc.
An industry-leading platform used by casting directors to find, audition, and book talent across film, television, digital, and commercial projects globally.
Visit Casting Networks

4. Backstage
Backstage is a platform where actors can find auditions and casting calls for theater, film, television, commercials, and voiceover roles. It’s also a great source for acting advice and industry news.
Visit Backstage

5. The Internet Movie Database (IMDbPro)
IMDbPro offers a tool for actors to manage their professional presence online, find contact information for industry professionals, and access in-depth casting information.
Visit IMDbPro

6. Playbill
For actors focused on the theatre, Playbill is the go-to source for the latest news, auditions, and Broadway job listings.
Visit Playbill