People attend acting classes for a variety of reasons: to do something fun and challenging for a couple of hours each week, to meet new people, to take a break from their spouse and the kids, to improve confidence and social skills, to improve their everyday career prospects, or to learn how to act as a means of gaining a foothold in the film and television industry.
No matter what the reason, acting classes will give you the edge you need to succeed in life.
Over the years I’ve taught doctors, lawyers, nurses, salespeople – in fact people from every walk of life and conceivable background. And they have all benefited from learning how to act. After all, acting is really the ability to communicate and relate to other people – essential training, especially for anyone dealing with the public on a day-to-day basis.
The transformation by learning how to act can be nothing short of amazing. I’ve had people in my classes who could barely conceal their fear when entering the classroom for the first time. I really admire anyone who can confront their fears and I have the ultimate respect for any new student who attends classes. Some of these people were painfully shy with barely adequate communication and social skills – but within a short time they emerged from their protective shells and were transformed into confident, self-assured and socially capable human beings.
For all of the students I’ve trained who have gained a foothold in the industry – either in front of, or behind the camera – it’s the people I’ve helped improve their lives and the way they feel about themselves that gives me the most satisfaction.
I remember a very young teen whose mother basically forced him to attend acting classes as a means to overcome his painful shyness. This young lad would go so far as to hide in a closet whenever anyone came to the house as his shyness was so debilitating. At first he was reluctant to join in with the other teens so I told him he could just sit and watch and join in when he felt comfortable doing so. After a couple of weeks he joined the others and within fifteen months he was a leader on his school’s debating team. I’ll never forget that young boy and I’m proud to have had the opportunity to help him develop into a fully rounded person.
Another case was a young man working in a dangerous and ultimately dead-end job repossessing cars for banks and finance companies. His mother saw an ad for my school the Screen Actors Workshop and encouraged him to attend classes as a means to enhance his life skills and future career prospects. He took to classes like a duck to water and over the course of the three years until he graduated I secured him a speaking role in a popular Australian film along with a couple of television commercials. But he was never interested in becoming a professional actor as his goal was to become a leading sales and marketing executive.
Not only did he achieve his dream, but he went on to become one of the country’s most in-demand corporate speakers and trainers. He credits his success to learning how to act as the acting skills he gained changed his life forever.
So don’t assume that acting classes are only for aspiring actors. They have lifelong benefits for everyone.
Get more out of life by taking acting classes.
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