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Writer's pictureMatthew Kevin Anderson

Quality Advisory: The Misconception of ‘Taking’ Class

I want to talk about QUALITY OF TRAINING.

“What makes for a quality training program? It’s not the talent or experience of the trainer, it’s not the comprehensiveness of the training, nor even the innate talent of the people participating in the training. The key to having a quality training program of any kind is the desire within everyone concerned that the training be a success.” – Some smart guy

When an actor comes to class dressed like a schlep and not knowing their lines or their eye lines or if their sides are from a comedy or a drama and then look at me and say “Oh, I’d never do this in an audition”. I want to light that person on fire.

Literally.

Young actors, you have a challenging career path. You toil away at your “regular” job that you don’t always love to make money to get headshots and TRAIN. I don’t know why you spend all that hard earned money on class and then choose that time to become lazy, phone it in and waste the great opportunity you have made for yourself to learn, grow and do what you love.

It’s called QUALITY OF TRAINING.

Just because you’re IN a class doesn’t mean you are getting really good quality training OUT of it. The teacher can do his best to help you but it all depends on what you bring in.

YOU GET OUT WHAT YOU PUT IN.

THERE IS NO PRIZE FOR JUST SHOWING UP.

The student that comes in and treats class like a real audition – dressed for the role, off book and with some interested choices made is getting the most out of class they can. They could get a great scene they can show their agent. They can explore different character choices, play with props, LEARN.

The student that comes in unprepared is missing out on all those things because they are just trying to get up to speed before their time is up. You do it to yourselves! You take away an opportunity to work hard at the thing you love and push yourself and make something cool for the time YOU PAID FOR WITH YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY!

THEN you tell me you’re not getting out that much!?! Well if laziness is what I see you bring into class how can I assume you bring anything other then that into your audition process? I can’t really help you. You are tying my hands and yours and doing everyone a disservice by not working hard. AND YOU PAID FOR IT.

So don’t get comfortable in class! That is a trap. Once you get comfortable you think you can get away with cutting corners and that no one will hold you accountable for being lazy. Why does everyone want to be in a safe comfortable space to play? COMFORT IS THE ENEMY OF ACHIEVEMENT. You think Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron like to be comfy?

I guarantee if you treat every audition technique class like you are auditioning for a JJ Abrams movie and you push yourself and challenge yourself – you will learn more, you will create a strong standard for quality of training for yourself that will affect everything else you do in this industry and people will take notice. You will build confidence and learn who you are as an actor. And most of all you will get the most value out of the class you are paying for with your own hard earned money.

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