Very knowledgeable teacher, but not a good fit for me…read more I'm new to acting and have been a professional musician my whole life. After injuries from drumming made it hard to continue, I wanted to stay creative--so I turned to acting. Gordon Parks--one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century, and also a director, painter, and musician--once said, when asked why he worked in so many forms: "I'm a creative person. The medium doesn't matter." That's how I feel too. Unfortunately, my experience at Stuart Rogers Studios felt no different than other acting schools I've tried--where ego dominates the room. As a teacher myself, I believe great teaching should be nurturing and empowering. That was not my experience here. I appreciate the knowledge shared, but this studio wasn't the right environment for me for this reason, "The best teachers empower, not diminish" This is just my personal experience and opinion. Others may feel differently.

After many acting classes that were "resume builders" I interviewed with Stuart at Stuart Rogers…read moreStudios. He asked me what my goals were and ultimately, I wanted a solid process that I could trust, that works for me and that I would fall in love with acting again, after so many classes that left me feeling empty and drained inside. Also, before I moved to LA, I was in a film where I was recommended to check him out and was told that "Stuart can look at your acting and diagnose what is going on, on the spot". I found that to be exactly true. I can confidently say I have an acting process that works for me, for how my brain works. With my process, I have found joy and curiosity in my work. The desire to really dig deep and get to the bottom of what makes a character tick. I also love that my process is transferrable to my auditions where I have only a little amount of time to prep. I love that I take me into every character, not putting on a character. Even if this wasn't an acting class, it is a workshop in philosophy and the human condition. I walk away from class wanting to be a better human and less judgemental, but with understanding and curiosity.

What can I say about this class that would appropriately describe its value. For starters, as a…read morenative Angeleno, I once held an internalized contempt for this city; I used to think everyone was either a jaded transplant or an apathetic native, and the acting culture seemed undeniably vapid. Well, lo and behold Lifebook Acting Academy. I joined Lifebook on a whim after getting back into acting in early 2020, and after a global pandemic and two industry strikes, it seemed like an easy way to keep my acting chops polished. In short, Lifebook has not only revitalized my passion for art, but my passion for community. Everyone I have met at Lifebook is a quality human being; there are no airs of pretentious, just fellow artists willing to uplift each other through scenes and student-run showcases. I have made friends that have gone above-and-beyond for me in ways other people in my life have not; they all celebrate each other inside and outside of class; and the genuine love for the art is there! Every student is both passionate AND talented! As for the instructor, Allen Levin, he's an energetic, direct, and knowledgeable creative. Allen doesn't oversell what the industry has to offer and gives raw critiques that push us to grow past memorizing lines and yelling out in forced expressiveness; Allen isn't one to feed your ego, he will give you the needed words for you to look past said ego and bring out the good and bad elements of your life that create characters and moments between scene partners. Allen will tell you that once the bookings come, your attendance will likely drop because you'll be busy on set. As for me, the friends/family I have made at Lifebook will keep me returning for years to come--it's my second home. .

Please try another more professional, less seedy acting class! I will say the teacher here does…read moreknow some of his stuff. He has a lot of insight into the business side of acting which I found really useful. However, I did not find the exercises particularly helpful. It was mostly improv (freeze tag) and cold reads, but none of it was filmed. I was only auditing a class, but I don't know how you could justify not having things on camera when most of the students are presumably pursuing a career in film/tv. Very different from other acting classes I have taken! However, my lower rating stems mostly from some of inappropriate behavior I witnessed from the teacher. I found a lot of his jokes to be kind of offensive. He made a lot of racial and misogynistic comments. He said because he was a minority, he could use slurs. He said he was in an open relationship and made several overtly sexual statements. He also made It clear students were banned from dating each other. The weirdest part was when he insistently urged new students (some as young as 18) to join his nude comedy show (that's right--stand-up routines without any clothes). He also mentioned a cuddle company he was looking to start, where students would be required to audition with him (that is, cuddle with him one on one and see if they were adequate enough to be hired). The whole vibe made me very uncomfortable, and the girl I was with felt the same way. I don't know if he could tell, but I was writing notes on all of it. I have just never seen anything like this in any other acting class. It's a shame because he did give some genuinely helpful advice, and it does seem like a really cool community of people, but I would suggest a more professional class.

The best word I can think of to describe this class is... real. It's real…read more Kevin is a natural-born teacher. He can't help but care about his students. It's almost pathological. I'm kidding. Kind of. I like having a teacher who's also an incredible actor himself. It's so much fun to be around a guy who loves the doing as much as he loves the teaching. He's smart. Crazy smart. Unbelievably kind. And just authentic. A level of authenticity that rubs off on the people around him. I've taken every acting class in LA. This is in a different category.

This class is one of those things you know is special as soon as you walk through the door. It…read morechanged the way I saw things for the better. Acting became so simple and living in LA became so much sweeter. Kevin demanded and allowed me to be truthful to every single part of me, the darkness, the light, the love, the fear...This truly expanded the way I approached things, all of a sudden I was able to access emotions that I did not even know existed. It made my acting richer, more real and it honestly made me a happier human. I will forever be grateful to Kevin. He is an incredible teacher and one of the kindest people I know.

I first learned of Acting Pros when I attended a free workshop headed by Wendy Davis at SAG…read more Immediately, I knew that Wendy and her Acting Pros partner-in-crime, Lilach Mendelovich, had a bottle of secret awesome sauce on audition technique. Just this past fall (2019), I had the privilege of studying with Lilach for 12 weeks and doing a special session on close-ups with Wendy. Before taking this class, I did not have a strong process in place to break down challenging sides quickly and effectively. I always spent too much time working on thoughts and backstory that did not necessarily heighten the given circumstances of the scene. I was working hard, but it was hardly working! I was exploring so much, that I got lost in scene execution. Lilach is an expert scene detective. She breaks down the specificity of each moment in a scene, from the scene descriptions to the action lines to the dialogue. Nothing is missed or taken for granted. As Lilach made our class see, all the answers are there in the script if you seek them out and stay true to that script. Of course, there is room to imagine circumstances and use 'as-ifs', but unlike other training, Acting Pros honors the vision of each story and treats actors as key storytellers. Aside from the process of breaking down sides, actors learn important on-camera techniques, such as handling props (when and when not to), executing highly physical scenes, finding the truth in comedy, and some basic do's and don'ts for on-camera acting. If you are serious about improving your acting technique and scoring more auditions, get in this class NOW!

As many actors do, I was looking for a way to improve my skills. I know I have a look that works to…read moreget the audition. I have what it takes to pull off a scene. I just needed to get through an audition. Sound familiar? I attended a free workshop, and yes, I showed up ready to learn something, seem interested, be scared by the price and never go back... but... I actually sat there and considered it, called my boyfriend, borrowed money and signed up for the class. I wasn't sure what to expect, and I'm glad I didn't. I think of it as an acting class surrounded by an audition class. Like a yummy acting taco! Full of all the goodness that will fill your confidence to get into a casting room and give it your all. It's not a guarantee that you'll get every roll you go for, but it will guarantee, if you do your work, that you will give it your 100% at every audition. Julienne Irons was our main instructor. Wendy Davis and Lilach Mendelovich taught us a couple of classes each. Between them all I felt more prepared than ever to walk into an audition confident, ready to take over the room and impress. I may not get the part, but they'll remember me! So, all in all, I recommend the class. So much that I'm taking the Comedy Class with Lilach Mendelovich. Be sure to remember my name and face, you'll be seeing more of me!

Connection, commitment, confidence, focus, and adherence to truth and authenticity- skills every…read morehuman being can be benefit from having, and skills that you will hone in Alex's class. Here, you will learn, develop, and finesse the techniques and mindset crucial to become a professional, working actor. That being said, even though this is an "acting" studio, the process of studying with Alex will surpass far beyond the craft and seep into all areas of your life as you dive deep and discover the complexities of who you are, and what you value as an individual. Alex is intuitive, patient, generous with his time and energy, and constantly evolving within his own craft as a teacher, bringing to the table his rich life experience as well as accredited expertise. He is individualized in his approach, "tayloring" them based on each student's specific strengths, weaknesses, goals, and needs. The only caveat- you have to be ardent and resilient, and you have to put in the work.

By far best acting studio out there. The technique is taught in such a clear and effective way. And…read morethe teacher can really see what you need and knows how to guide each person individually for them to go and unlock what they need for their acting. Every single person in our class came out with their skills just transformed. The atmosphere is also a really great place to grow. It's always super respectful of everyone, it's a safe space, it's focused, and all about the love for the work and the art form. Hands down best acting training out there. I could not recommend this place more!!

These people keep sending me auditions that never start on time. The one time I actually stayed it…read moreended up being a very long process where you need to go to a bunch of 'training' sessions before you can do a show. I don't know why they are on LA Casting. I think this place is good if you never had any acting experience.

This is the studio dedicated to serious actors. For those that are called to the acting profession…read moreby there soul. William and Elaina truly know how to coach and support the actor so that it brings out the best of what each one has to offer from the inside out.

I had the pleasure of working with Stephen at the intro to this technique. There truly is a lot of…read morechoices with regards to working on your craft in this town all which have a story of their own story but if this yelp platform it to furnish some kind of comfort in taking the plunge; the cost definitely feels like a true investment in yourself. I felt lucky to be amongst an amazing array of encouraging talent with this introductory course. If you want to come from a natural truth for your project/character while learning more about the honest spectrum of yourself (as an artist), look no further. Bravo.

I would also like to credit Warner for believing in me, and every actor that is fortunate to study…read morewith her. I booked a feature film (which will be coming out in the fall) and I could not have done it without her life changing technique. Run, don't walk, to study here and be ready to fully embrace emotion with detail.

Shaan Sharma is absolutely the real deal. No BS. His background is legit and he has earned his…read morechops. His approach to teaching is positive. He is one of the most positive figures teaching, influencing, coaching, inspiring, and he's a forward thinker for our industry today. In my 36 years as a Union performer, I have never met anyone who impresses me more with their positive attitude for his own career as well as his fellow peers' careers. Shaan wants you to succeed and he doesn't possess a negative bone in his being. In my opinion, I feel that Shaan's demeanor as a person in addition to his skills and talents makes him the most special. And that shines through in all facets of his interactions professionally as well. With his umpteen years as a Session runner for commercials (not to mention his getting booked for acting work constantly AND currently), he has the knowledge you need and want to get not only your career going, but the healthiest mindset to go with it. Shaan not only is an innovator for his peers in the industry in his private business, but for the unions publicly; volunteering for his fellow SAGAFTRA actors who are studying and advancing their craft. His influence on education in the last few years has been exceptional and a terrific shot in the arm. I recommend, also, you read his book, Commercial Acting in L.A.: A Session Director's Guide - and more than once!

Shaan Sharma's Commercial workshop series is a must for anyone who is serious about acting and…read moreprogressing in the business. He is passionate about empowering actors to be authentic, professional and equipped with all things necessary to thrive from the business to the creative side. Shaan gives all real world & applicable industry tips from his experience as a regular working actor (commercials, TV & film), influential instructor, and SAG-AFTRA member. All helpful and valuable industry info! No fluff! No BS! Plus, Shaan has very easy going personality with a go-getter mentality. If you do anything for yourself and your career, enroll and commit to taking this workshop!