Michelle Danner Golden Box technique draws upon Meisner, Strasberg, Adler, Hagen, Chekhov & the Stanislavsky Technique. You will form a toolbox of  your own and develop a comprehensive set of “acting tools” when approaching a role or a scene whether it be for film, television or theater. Michelle teaches acting classes in Los Angeles a technique that is effective for actors of all different levels. The Golden Box emphasizes on how to get out of one’s head and learning to completely live in the moment, by finding unique emotional triggers based on personal experiences. You will learn how to access their full range of feelings and emotions in an instant. Actors around the world have found success studying with Michelle because she takes the emphasis off of the “method”, and helps actors rediscover their own creativity.  Michelle will push you to grow out of acting, and into artistry.

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Actors practice in front of the camera with sides from movies and TV shows ranging from comedy, sitcom, romantic comedy, slapstick, dark comedy, and all genres of dramatic writing. *Playback is watched on television and the big screen. Students learn to stamp their signatures on a character with unique choices. This class aims to exercise an ease working in front of the camera and the confidence to perform and to shine in every audition.

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Actors are taught the foundations of technique through opening emotional exercises which are used to warm up the actor’s instrument and introduce the tools that will be applied to their scene work. In this acting class, students learn how to use all of their technique, and harness it for performance. Students will explore how to apply a back story to the characters that they are creating while working on contemporary and classical scenes and monologues. This weekly workout allows actors to test their performance abilities in a safe and playful environment while discovering their strengths and weaknesses with the help of a trained teacher’s eye. Emphasis is placed on learning to make the best physical, emotional, and vocal choices.

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This is an improvisational workout geared towards helping actors find creativity and enhance their skills as a performer. Build scenes, Take risks and find unique choices that are memorable, Develop strong and exciting characters, Get out of your head and open your eyes to new performance possibilities.

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Script analyze and work on scenes from different genres of screenplays, television, and plays such as Match Point, Tootsie, American Beauty, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Little Miss Sunshine, Golden Boy, The Rose Tattoo, Bridesmaids, My Week with Marilyn, and many more.

• Students will work through a thorough comprehension of breaking down
• Students will work through a thorough comprehension of breaking down story, characters, conflicts, and language from dramatic and comedic scripts.
• There will be in depth discussion of all the tools an actor applies to create their performance.
• The class will help to acquire the tools to break down a story thematically and the discipline to make powerful choices whether you are auditioning for a project or have booked the part.

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– Getting a headshot and show reel that stands out among hundreds!
– How to get into SAG-AFTRA!
– How to create a resume that gets you called in!
– How to find agents, managers, lawyers and publications!
– How casting works!
– How to develop an individualized strategy for your career!

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Do you have a Demo Reel that represents you at your best?  Let’s be honest, as actor’s we work in an industry where the people that need to know who we are, are often too busy for us to make a personal introduction.  First impressions are everything, and it is important to have a Demo Reel that a CD, Agent or Manager can look at in 90 seconds and say, “I need to meet this actor!”

 Your demo reel should showcase your work and presence on camera, but it is equally important that your Demo Reel looks professional and that it represents your best work to date.  This part of putting together your Reel can be challenging if you do not have a lot of credits on your resume.

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Our unique approach to voice is designed to liberate the natural voice and thereby develop a vocal technique that serves the freedom of human expression, helping actors produce a full-bodied performance. When you access your inner strength, you’ll not only empower your acting skills, but you’ll increase your bookings.

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Having cast pilots for over 20 years, Natalie can give invaluable insight on auditions and what makes the difference when booking the job. She will also provide insight that all actors need to understand about the business of the business.

It is a three part class, one day a week over three weeks. Demystify the casting process & go through the casting process of a Pilot! Get prepared for pilot season. Emmy nominated Casting Director Natalie Hart will breakdown the process a casting office goes through, such as:

•   Audition technique

•   Working on co-star

•   Guest star & series regular’s scenes

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Actors will be required to perform one monologue-fully memorized and in front of the class using Standard American Dialect. It is to be chosen from a Contemporary source. The Contemporary monologue can be from a film, TV show, or from the theater.

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Stella Adler believed that an actor’s talent lies within his imagination. She trained with Stanislavsky and studied the method, but didn’t believe that an actor needs to relive past experiences to connect with the character.

Here are the main points of this approach to acting:

Acting is Doing
The actor must always do something on stage. He looks for actions in the script (for example, “to teach, to confess, to beg”, etc.) and finds the human conflict in them. He must have a justification for each action (know exactly why he is performing each action).

Developing the Imagination
An actor develops his imagination by first observing the world around him in very specific details. He can then create specific images in his mind in order to surround himself with things that are true to him on stage. If he succeeds, the audience will see through his eyes.

Training The Mind
Actors must have a real understanding of the play in order to reveal its secrets to the audience. They must study the text and its ideas but also research the social situations of the play.

Size
Actors need strong bodies and voices for the stage so they can bring size to their actions. Adler encouraged actors never to be small. Her students learned to always bring a bigger meaning to the text. Below is a short video where she discusses this “sense of epic” the actor must have.

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The second half of the class consists of scene and monologue work, during which time you will apply what you have learned in the exercises to your roles.

The training begins with a three-month period of intensive improvisational work, including the ”Repetition Exercise” in which actors learn to take the attention off themselves and put it on their partners’ real behavior, allowing it to affect them and cause a truthful reaction.

Students then apply this strong beginning in their ability to “live truthfully” to modern scene work. The second half of the class is devoted to a heightening of this sense of truth and the actors’ emotional depth through more improvisational work and scenes.

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