Online acting classes are a great way to hone your craft and improve your acting from your home. There are massive advantages to online acting classes which make them a great option for a wide range of people.
How Does an Online Acting Class Work?
There are two different types of online acting classes. The first is a pre-recorded class which you pay to watch. The second is an interactive class that happens over a video conferencing site like Zoom.
If you pay for an online acting class in the UK which is a pre-recorded lesson for example, you’ll pay for access to watch the video. In a pre-recorded acting class, a professional will give you techniques, advice or strategies to improve your acting.
This could be likened to the online video equivalent of reading an acting book, you’re still getting great advice and useful techniques to better your acting but you might feel you’re missing out on that interaction with a coach. It also might not be ideal if you’re looking for very specific, personal advice.
If you opt for an interactive online acting class your experience will be very different. A professional will still teach you techniques or new styles, but you’ll have the chance to practice your skills and receive personal feedback on your acting.
This can be very valuable for young actors or even those with more experience. Letting an acting professional critique your performance can make a world of difference to the quality of your acting.
What Are the Advantages of Online Acting Classes?
Online acting classes can be completed from your home so there is no geographical limit to the classes you can take. If a class takes your fancy but it’s American, no problem.
Not to mention that being able to access classes from all over the world means you’re much more likely to find exactly what you’re looking for. If you’re looking to improve something very specific or wanting to find out more about a little-known new technique or style, you’ll be much more likely to find what you’re looking for online.
Because acting teachers don’t have to pay to rent out physical spaces and Studios online classes can often be much cheaper than in person. This is another big draw for those looking to improve their acting in the early stages of her career.
Being able to draw on the skills you learn and acquire through the course of online acting classes is also a huge advantage.
For people that may be shy in their work and day to day lives, stepping out of their comfort zone and undertaking acting classes can do wonders. For example, one of the best team communication tools in the workplace is confidence and the ability to be able to project your voice and personality and acting classes online or otherwise can help you achieve just that.
Are There Any Disadvantages to Online Acting Classes?
One of the potential drawbacks to an online acting class is that you may feel your coach can’t take in the entirety or acting. As Theatre life has become more popular, we have got used to seeing actors on the screen doing live performances, but if you’ve seen one of these performances, you’ll know that it’s just not quite the same.
Without a coach there, physically in the room to see every minute detail in person, it may be that your feedback is slightly more generic. This does of course depend on the quality of your coach and many professionals who teach acting classes but able to give fantastic feedback that helps actors improve on their craft.
It’s also worth considering looking for many jobs you need to send over tape as opposed to a live audition, so getting used to acting on screen is not necessarily a bad thing.