You have likely come across a wide variety of acting classes, especially in major cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. If you are close by, such schools may be great options. However, if you live far away from these metro areas, the commute or relocation process can be very expensive and time-consuming.
Additionally, with all of life's challenges, many budding actors find it challenging to arrive at an acting school, in person, several times a week.
Good thing we live in the future.
You can easily grow your acting skills with the help of the internet. As the entertainment industry leaves the world of the pandemic, there is an excess of opportunity in this field, and finding quality acting coaches could be very difficult.
The good news is, if you are looking for online acting lessons, you have come to the right place to learn.
A lot of engagements like classes and meetings are still being conducted over video conference apps like Zoom, and though online acting classes may not strike you as engaging as compared to in-person, such classes are available, and more relevant than ever before.
Whether you are picking up a new hobby, taking a refresher course, or pursuing an acting career, the best option for you right now really might be online classes.
Online acting classes are great if you're still playing things safe when it comes to Covid-19 or you've come to realize that you prefer the work-from-home lifestyle.
Either way, if you are on the fence about deciding if online classes are a great choice, then this guide is perfect for you.
How does one become an actor in this day and age?
To make a difference while acting, you'll need a plan and a process. Luckily, (living in the future) many successful actors have blazed the trail so you don't have to start from scratch.
Obviously, the first step to becoming an actor is learning how to actually act on camera.
Many experts recommend going to school in order to gain a headstart in this industry.
The Philadelphia Acting Studio offers classes at all levels and focuses on everything from stage acting, commercials, to public speaking.
Once you actually have the chops, you'll need to put some effort into getting noticed.
Publicity is everything, and getting your name out there and making connections really goes a long way.
Aimee Mitchell points out in her article "First Steps to Becoming an Actor," it's not exactly recommended to just show up to the director's front doors and demand an audition. Especially when you're first starting out, open casting calls are the way to go.
Of course, if you're already in a location that's an acting hotbed like New York, Philly, or Los Angeles, then you'll have a much easier time finding casting calls.
In fact, Phil Breman highly recommends relocating to such a place in his article "How to Become a Film and Television Actor." But, as it's 2021, the best way for any beginner to find these open casting calls is online, so you won't need to completely uproot your life just yet.
After you have a body of work you're proud of, it's time to start looking for an agent.
Connections are key.
And remember, even once you have everything from your classes to your agent in order, it still might be a bumpy road to stardom. After all of the logistics are in order, it's all about persistence, persistence, persistence.
Read on to learn how online acting classes can skyrocket your career.
Learning how to act online?
Acting is definitely a physical medium, so a lot of aspiring thespians might be hesitant to trust online learning platforms or acting classes.
But just as much as acting is a physical art form, with the most popular forms of acting being television and cinema, it usually occurs behind a screen these days.
Plus, you can lean into the experience and think of it like training with weights. If you can deliver a heart-wrenching monologue or hilarious comedy routine over a poor signal on Zoom, you're probably ready to give it your all and really shine in more ideal circumstances.
The Philadelphia Acting Studio is currently holding all of its classes on Zoom, and this is a great way to get your acting career started if you don't live in the immediate area. The glowing reviews from past alumni speak for themselves, and you can see the entire week-to-week curriculum.
This online acting class isn't just about refining your acting technique, but rather about learning how to really flourish and thrive in the acting industry.
Of course, The Philadelphia Acting Studio's online acting class is also filled with plenty of opportunities to perform in front of a live audience, so you're not just learning theory, but getting the real practice that you need.
How do I prepare my home for an online acting class?
The Philadelphia Acting Studio has created a proprietary series of online acting classes that have left the students both happy and satisfied. While taking online acting classes may be difficult if you live with a lot of people - either roommates or siblings, parents, or children - if you can guarantee that you'll have the necessary quiet and privacy, then home is definitely the best place to take any online acting class.
You probably won't want to deliver a Shakespeare soliloquy in the local Starbucks. That being said, you should probably take some extra steps to make sure you have a better setup than what you'd use for a typical Zoom call.
If you're really serious about making sure your acting jumps levels, then it's worthwhile to splurge for a decent external web camera and microphone so you can really stand up and deliver a full performance from the comfort of your own home.
What are the advantages of online acting classes?
As much some people are probably turned off by online classes - acting or otherwise - there are definitely many advantages to online acting classes.
The first advantage is pretty simple: convenience.
It's a busy life, and sometimes it's hard or stressful to squeeze another location into your daily routine. Taking acting class at home means that even if you're no longer working remotely, your day is that much less stressful; you can go straight home after a long day of work without making any extra stops.
But beyond the convenience, there are pedagogical advantages to online acting classes as well. The first of said advantages, which we mentioned earlier, is that though you may find online acting classes more stressful, that extra challenge may be worthwhile.
Especially if you're planning to pursue TV or movie acting roles as opposed to theater, it's worthwhile to get used to acting behind a screen. Plus, Zoom has a great built-in recorder that will allow you to easily record both the lectures of your acting classes and the performances you deliver throughout the course.
No more bugging someone else in the class to record you on your phone or reminding the teacher to send you their copy; you'll always have perfect game tape and you'll be able to rewatch old lectures (at double the speed, of course) as an easy and convenient form of review.
The Lee Strasberg Institute also points out that online acting classes allow you to control your environment and maximize your potential.
With these epic benefits, you'll find yourself preferring online acting classes to the old-school method in no time.
What are some great ways to practice at home?
There are always ways to practice acting even when you're alone and don't have an audience available. You can surely find a slew of warmups and vocal exercises that you can practice whenever you're able to steal a minute or two and even make part of your shower routine. This will allow you to compare your performances to the real action and pick up on the details that will lead to a natural acting performance when the time comes.
Lee Strasberg also points out that the age of social distancing could be a great time to learn a skill that's not directly related to acting. You never know when a role will call for someone who can play the guitar, and it's never a bad idea to be more confident in your singing voice.
Of course, you can also record yourself and listen or watch the recording to pick up on your habits. Just like how athletes go over the game tape to learn what they're doing right and wrong, so should actors.
A little creativity and a can-do attitude means that no matter where you are, there's a way to make sure your acting skills stay sharp.
Will I learn awesome acting techniques?
Any acting class worth it's salt will teach you the key acting techniques that will elevate your stage presence to the next level.
From scene work to vocal exercises to visualization techniques, we want your class to make you the best actor you can be. Here are just some of the crucial acting techniques you'll learn in a Philadelphia Acting Studio online acting class.
A lot of budding actors really struggle with nerves and stage fright. Plenty of non-actors even take acting courses just to get over their fear of public speaking. Tackling this fear is pretty much the first step you'll need to take to becoming a great actor and having a strong stage presence. After the Philadelphia Acting Studio online acting class, you'll be able to deliver a captivating TED Talk while feeling in complete control.
There's a reason that we all still know the beginning of "To Be or Not To Be." There's just something wonderful about a good monologue that really captures an audience.
If you want to be the center of attention, then you'll have to add this acting technique into your repertoire. You don't need to be a hardcore method actor to deliver a speech that will be remembered for decades. In just a few short weeks, you'll be performing impeccable renditions of the "you can't handle the truth!" scene.
This technique ties into the first technique of this section, but it's no less important.
Every athlete has one teammate who's better in the practice room than on the court, every musician has one bandmate who's better in the studio than on the stage, and every actor has one castmate who's better during rehearsal than during filming or the live performance.
Make sure you have everything in order so that you can audition like a pro and you'll never have to feel like you choked or didn't live up to your potential when push came to shove.
How can an acting class help me find great roles?
As we said earlier, connections, connections, connections.
Most good acting professors were successful actors in their own right, and they're sure to have some solid connections for you if you impress them and build a good relationship. Of course, this is doubly true of The Philadelphia Acting Studio, and with over 20 years of professional acting experience, founder Bernard Glincosky's resume speaks for itself.
But besides the connections - and the actual skills you learned in your acting courses - you can think of an acting class the same way you'd think of a college degree: it looks good. People are much more likely to give you a shot at an audition if you have observable credentials and they don't have to take your word for it that you can actually act.
Becoming an actor isn't only about acting, The Philadelphia Acting Studio understands this fully and took great measures to make sure that their online acting classes don't neglect the business side of acting.
The Acting Accelerator Class covers becoming an in-demand actor, type/packaging, professional self-tape set up, auditions, and help w/ agents & managers.
The skills listed above will help boost your career in many different ways
Will I be able to achieve solid roles?
Absolutely!
Between the Philadelphia Acting Studio classes that give as much attention to the business side of acting as to actual acting techniques, the connections you'll make during the acting course, and the leads you'll have access to upon finishing the class, this is the best acting school to make sure you land that role that will throw you into the limelight.
You'll also have free access to an Alumni Facebook group, so your fellow classmates and alumni might end up being just as helpful as the talented teachers and staff members. Online acting classes don't hinder your ability to make connections, and with a little effort and perseverance, your career will be in motion.
Post-pandemic changes in the industry
Like almost all businesses, the industry has really changed since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. A lot of sets have reduced the number of people on at one time, and some TV shows and movies began having actors come to set only while filming scenes they were in.
Some animated programs were even recorded remotely, with actors delivering their lines from a home studio.
Of course, theater took the biggest hit from the age of social distancing, as live-audience events were canceled for a long time.
As things are going back to normal, we'll most likely see a return to crowded sets and in-studio voice acting, this is course something we are very excited about!
If you want to learn how to become an actor and are looking for a method that will teach you a variety of skills, click here.