Online Acting Classes

WHAT TECHNIQUE DO WE USE?

In our online acting classes, we teach method acting. Method acting is the technique and skill of bringing you the actor to the material in a truthful, personal, and creative way so you can genuinely experience your character’s journey. The goal is to create a marriage of yourself and the character. The three main influences of actors currently working today are Sanford Meisner, Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg. Sanford Meisner focused on getting the actor’s attention off themselves onto the other character by developing the listening skills necessary to create truthful moment to moment behavior. Stella Adler emphasized imagination and physicality inspired by the text. (working from the outside in). Strasberg encouraged actors to draw emotional parallels from their own past to create the character (working from the inside out) engaging the actor’s five senses (working sensorially) to create the character.

Choosing which technique is best is like debating whether to use a hammer or a saw or a screwdriver to build something. Why not use all three? In Doug Warhit’s on-camera acting classes, we draw from all of these methods to create a comprehensive technique. We teach you to use your imagination and observational skills to get inside the character; to find emotional parallels from your own life to personalize the material; and to get your focus of attention onto the other actor by really listening and thinking the thoughts of the character.

OWNING YOUR TALENT

No matter how talented you are, if you are not confident, it is unlikely they will hire you. Actors often worry about making the “right choice” rather than making strong choices that serve the material. They worry they will forget their lines which is a good excuse to keep from fully committing to the character’s life and needs. They worry that someone else will look more right for the role or be more self- assured; that they are too tall, too short, too fat, their noses are too big etc. By creating excuses and preparing to fail, it won’t hurt as much if they don’t get the part.

You must prepare your audition excited to show them what you can bring to the role. Before your audition you must already be thinking the thoughts of the character and of the challenges your character is facing. Through a variety of modalities and exercises including visualization, reframing, meditation, creating anchors and triggers, finding your inner “Meryl Streep,” and utilizing the power of your past successes, we will help you to break free of barriers and self-imposed limitations so you are no longer waiting for “them” to tell you that you belong. We will give you the tools to deal with rejection, procrastination, criticism, the “shoulda, woulda coulda” blues and perfectionism so you can communicate that you belong in that room and you are ready to play.

THE MAGIC OF IMPROVISATION

Improvisation is an important tool the actor uses in Doug Warhit’s  online acting classes in Los Angeles. Improvisation helps you to think on your feet, really listen and play in the moment. The key is to transfer those skills onto the script. There should be no difference in believability and spontaneity, whether you are doing an improv on the material or doing the script verbatim. You engage with the other characters and sound as if you are saying the words for the very first time.  We use several improvisational tools to reinforce these skills.  You don’t want to just wait for the other actor to finish speaking, or be listening to yourself, or worrying that you will forget your lines.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CLASS SCHEDULE, PRICES AND TO SCHEDULE AN AUDIT, PLEASE EMAIL DOUG AT dougwarhit@gmail.com.