Discover the Best Acting Classes Online
Acting is a great art form that can be expressed in a number of different ways. Actors can display their talents on Broadway, in commercials, or in the next big blockbuster hit. Whatever form of acting one chooses to pursue requires hard work and dedication. Another unique quality about acting is that anyone can learn the art.
Why You Should Learn Acting Online
Whatever sparks your curiosity, now is a great time to learn acting. You can learn acting because you are looking for a new hobby. There are a great deal of schools that offer acting courses. Whether it is one-time or several sessions, you can get exposed to acting and grow your school at your own pace. Taking on acting as a hobby can be a great way to break up your day-to-day tasks and something to enjoy in your free time. Acting can also give you access to a larger community of support and contacts. Beginning acting classes at a local school can help you meet other artists and learn about other acting events, organizations, and even national clubs that you would otherwise not be familiar with. Finally, taking an acting class online can enhance your employable skills. Individuals can take an acting class to become more confident speakers, think quicker on their feet, or improve their critical thinking skills. While most acting classes market these skills for aspiring actors, they can be helpful to most people.
Virtual Acting Classes
Virtual acting classes are an excellent opportunity to gain access to the training needed to enter the world of acting. There are some advantages and disadvantages to taking classes online versus in-person. First, online acting classes can be taken from anywhere if you have an internet connection. Whether you are on vacation, stayed over at work, or don’t feel like leaving your couch, grab your computer and log onto your class without missing a beat. Similar to taking classes from anywhere, virtual classes offer you the opportunity to have access to more options. Let’s say a great acting school in LA provides a course, but you live in Chicago. With online classes, you are not limited to acting schools in your area. As long as the course is virtual, you can attend. Finally, there is no commute time, saving you time and money. For example, if class starts at 5:30 but you get off work at 5, there is no need to worry about getting across town during rush hour and finding parking on time. A virtual option offers access, opportunity, and convenience.
Conversely, virtual acting classes might not be the best option for everyone. Certain acting styles might be better suited for in-person, mainly if you are a novice. Additionally, taking an online class means you need your materials which can be costly depending on the course. If the benefits outweigh the cons, then there are plenty of options for virtual acting courses. Voice over courses, for example, are a perfect online option.
Edge Studio Voice Over school has quite a few classes. In addition, they offer a Voice Over Home Studio 101 real-time webinar. The course runs for 2-hours and is led by a pro voice actor. Home Studio 101 will help students understand the fundamentals of creating a professional home studio. The course is aimed to teach students to understand the basics of acoustics to reduce external noise and reflected sound. They will receive equipment software recommendations within your budget, learn how to configure the hardware and software, and various other skills.
If you want to learn how to market yourself as a voice over actor, Voice Over Marketing 101 at Edge Studio Voice Over would also be ideal. This 2-hour webinar for $45 helps students understand the fundamentals of marketing yourself as a voice over talent. If students want to understand the importance of securing voice over work, be able to list and describe the different types of work available, and create a personal marketing plan; this is the course.
Don’t Embarrass Yourself, offered at Edge Studio Voice Over, is about learning to think like a working voice actor and know how to behave professionally to avoid embarrassing yourself and being blacklisted from jobs. For this beneficial course, you can be a casual learner, an aspiring professional, or a working professional; either way, you will benefit. Don’t Embarrass Yourself is about learning basic etiquette and industry terminology in a professional recording studio. Students will leave knowing the entire studio process, understanding their expectations as an actor, and knowing what to do after the session ends. This course is an excellent opportunity to learn or maintain your professionalism as an actor to ensure you have a great reputation in the industry.
Perhaps you need to improve or develop your audition skills; Auditions 101 is a great option. Auditions 101 is a real-time webinar led by a pro actor and a great learning opportunity. This class is high-energy, interactive, and performance-based. Students can expect to read actual scripts and deliver just like they would in a real audition. After the “audition,” students will receive feedback from a qualified coach. Each class focuses on a new set of scripts, so you can attend the course multiple times and still learn something new. Auditions 101 lasts for two hours and costs $45.
Finally, the Voice Over Business and Money 101 course ensures you understand the importance of building your business and properly investing your time and money. There is so much more to being in the industry than just performing; you must ensure you properly invest in yourself and your craft. Business and Money 101 is a 2-hour webinar that will help students consider the financial aspects of being a voice over. Students can expect to walk away with a host of knowledge, such as what insurance they need or even how to get established as a professional voice actor. This course has many class objectives making it worth the $45 investment. In addition, loads of other virtual acting courses are available to view at CourseHorse that will likely fit your acting needs.
Private Online Group Acting Classes
If you are planning your next company outing or a team event, why not consider a private online group acting class? CourseHorse offers online courses tailored for private group events. For example, you can host the Virtual Team-Building Improv Workshop with your team as your next event. Don’t worry about being an actor; this class is designed for your team to have fun, collaborate better, and make quick decisions. It’s a 60-minute workshop that CourseHorse can completely plan for your team. Hosted over Zoom, the price starts at $500 for up to 10 people. Any person after that is $25 per person. You could also have CourseHorse customize the event to cater to your team’s needs.
If the Improv course differs from what you are looking for in a team-building event, don’t worry; CourseHorse can design just about any custom event for you and your team. It could look like combining two different events they have listed on their site or having their team plan an event based on your needs. If needed, your group size can be changed after booking, and there is no booking fee. Once you complete the contact form on the CourseHorse website, you can expect to hear back from an event planner within two business hours.
Online vs. In-Person Acting Classes
No matter the preference, there is a difference between taking classes online versus in person. Online courses offer the convenience of taking lessons from anywhere and connecting with people from all over. While in-person classes do not provide that benefit, they allow for a more emotional connection with other students. Being virtual can make it challenging to connect with other actors, particularly your scene actors, whereas, in person, you all can feed off each other’s energy.
In-person acting also allows for recording a scene and re-watching the recording immediately after for feedback. Acting courses or workshops conducted via Zoom or other virtual platforms make this challenging because if there are multiple students, you must wait until the end to review the entire session. This can limit an actor’s ability to receive instant feedback as they would need to wait until the recording is available after class.
Though there are differences between in-person and virtual acting classes, there are benefits to both. Choose based on your needs; either way, you still have the opportunity to gain a wealth of knowledge from either type of course.
Can I Learn Acting for Free Online?
Yes, you can learn acting for free online. While more formal training is ideal and a preferable way to learn, you can find free online tutorials that can teach acting. Sites like YouTube or online forums are what you need to start learning about the arts at your own pace without the added pressure of needing to complete a course on a deadline. In addition, you can find free books online or at your local library that help you learn basic acting concepts and pique your interest.