Classes

Tom Todoroff, New York producer, director, actor and acting coach comes to Boston in September to lead his two-day acting intensive.
 
When: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 22 and Sunday, Sept. 23
(Doors open at 10 a.m.)
 
Where: Boston, MA
(Note: Those who enroll will receive information regarding the location prior to the event.)
 
The intensive will focus on scene study, monologue study and audition technique.  Performers work on prepared pieces and will receive personalized coaching from Tom. Attendees will learn to transform nervousness into intense excitement; be expressive rather than impressive; strengthen and find their true inner voice; and think like a producer. Walk away with a deeper understanding of the art, the business and the spirituality of acting.
 
Cost: SAG-AFTRA members receive 20 percent off tuition.

• Performers (work with Tom one-on-one): $359 ($287.02 with SAG-AFTRA discount)
• Returning Observers: $99 ($79.20 with SAG-AFTRA discount )
• Newcomer Observers: Just $10! (Newcomers are those who have not attended a prior Tom Todoroff event.)

 To register, click here. If you have any questions, email BOSintensive@tomtodoroff.com.
 
The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement by the union nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

Are you interested in learning how to sight-read music? Singing by sight is one of the most valuable tools you can have in your arsenal as a singer. Not being able to read music and relying on the knowledge of others only works for a season.   

Join the New York Singers Committee for an introductory class on July 31, 2018. Based on your participation and your feedback, we hope to launch a series of sight-singing courses. Come with questions! This event is open to members and their accompanying guests.

When: 2:30 - 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Doors open at 2:15 p.m.

Where: SAG-AFTRA, Multi-Purpose Room
1900 Broadway, Fifth Floor
New York, NY 10023

To RSVP, click here. 

About the Instructor

Chantel Wright has been actively engaged in transforming lives through music education for the past 34 years. Currently, she is on the music faculty at New York University, is the founder and artistic director of the Songs of Solomon Choir in Harlem, and is in high demand as a choral clinician nationally and internationally. For the past nine years, Chantel has been an active collaborator within the Weil Music Education Department of Carnegie Hall where she spearheaded the Count Me In program that prepares middle school students for the specialized high school audition process. As an orchestral conductor, Professor Wright understands the importance of vocalists being musically literate and has developed methodologies to achieve that end. Her philosophy of music is “Solfege will set you free” and she has helped thousands of performers achieve their goals.   

Please note that the class is designed specifically for learning to sing at sight. The singing that takes place is all related to reading music and being able to perform what is on paper. This is not a solo or group master class platform.

This meeting is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing and their guests. Parents/guardians of younger performers under 18 years old are welcome. SAG-AFTRA MEMBERS, PLEASE BRING YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD OR DIGITAL CARD ON THE APP (paid through Oct. 31, 2018) FOR ADMITTANCE. The information provided through this workshop is given for informational purposes and may not be a suitable substitute for the advice of other industry professionals. You should always use good judgment in these matters and should not act or refrain from acting based solely on information provided through the workshop.

When: 1 – 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8

Where: SAG-AFTRA
James Cagney Boardroom
5757 Wilshire Blvd. – Lobby Level
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Parking will be validated.

Find yourself sabotaging auditions with nervousness or freezing up when you walk in the casting room? Are you frustrated because you can totally kill it in when you rehearse in the car on the way there, but for some reason choke right after you slate your name? There's nothing wrong with you! It's not a sign "from the universe" that you shouldn't be an actor. It's actually the opposite.

Join Holly Shaw, hypnotherapist, bestselling author of The Creative Formula and former actor, to find out how your audition jitters or nervousness can be transformed into your best friend — helping you create magnetic and powerful energy in auditions and on film so you'll have that magnetic "it" quality that keeps casting directors calling you back!

In this two-hour free workshop, Shaw shares her secrets from over twenty years of studying performance anxiety and from learning to manage it herself while performing in TV, film, and on stages all over the world. You'll learn:

• The truth about performance anxiety and what is really going on when your nerves and body act up
• How to channel the "optimum" mindset before stepping into an audition
• Powerful tools for transforming audition jitters into magnetism
• The Biggest Mistake you can make with auditions and how to avoid it

This workshop will equip you with tools to manage your nervousness so that when big opportunities arise you'll know you've done everything you can to be your magnetic best.

About Holly Shaw
Holly Shaw is a San Francisco based bestselling author, creativity coach, and hypnotherapist who has worked with hundreds of actors and performers, some of them Emmy-award winning and Grammy nominated. She has helped them to overcome performance anxiety, impostor syndrome, and creative blocks so that they can totally kill it in auditions and performances without feeling like they're selling out or losing their sanity. She is also the host of the Performers & Creators Lab Podcast.

You must RSVP to attend. Spaces are limited.

To RSVP, click here.

Questions? Contact (323) 634-8277.

This workshop is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing. Unfortunately, no guests allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. SAG-AFTRA members, PLEASE BRING YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD OR DIGITAL CARD ON YOUR APP (paid through October 31, 2018) FOR ADMITTANCE. This workshop is not intended to imply an endorsement of any individual or company by SAG-AFTRA. The information provided through the workshop is given for informational purposes and may not be a suitable substitute for the advice of other industry professionals. You should always use good judgment in these matters and should not act or refrain from acting based solely on information provided through the workshop.

When: 2 - 4 p.m., Thursday, July 26

Where: SAG-AFTRA
James Cagney Boardoom
5757 Wilshire Blvd. – Lobby Level
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Parking will be validated.

Join us for another great workshop of our series of presented to SAG-AFTRA members by The Second City Training Center. Second City has been doing improv for 55 years and is commonly referred to as the Harvard of comedy. Improv is practically an industry standard on set and in auditions; you’re going to be asked to do it at some point if you haven’t already.

In this free, 2-hour workshop, you’ll be learning the fundamentals of improv where we’ll discuss the basic concepts, how it applies to acting on stage, on camera, and to your life in general. There will be games, laughter, and we promise, lots of fun! You don’t need experience, just the willingness to explore your creativity.

You must RSVP to attend. Spaces are limited. To RSVP, click here.

Questions? Contact (323) 634-8277.

This workshop is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing. Unfortunately, no guests allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. SAG-AFTRA members, PLEASE BRING YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD OR DIGITAL CARD ON YOUR APP (paid through October 31, 2018) FOR ADMITTANCE. This workshop is not intended to imply an endorsement of any individual or company by SAG-AFTRA. The information provided through the workshop is given for informational purposes and may not be a suitable substitute for the advice of other industry professionals. You should always use good judgment in these matters and should not act or refrain from acting based solely on information provided through the workshop.

When: 1 - 3 p.m., Wednesday, July 25

Where: SAG-AFTRA
James Cagney Boardroom
5757 Wilshire Blvd. – Lobby Level
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Parking will be validated.

In this advanced and fast-paced class, learn exactly why social media is necessary in our current and changing entertainment industry, how to grow your social media pages exponentially and use them for your career, and monetize your newfound following or current following through lucrative partnerships and sponsorships. With a background in casting for Narcos, Pixar's Coco and Mistresses, instructor Ryan Walker (@iamryanwalker) will guide you through utilizing your platforms for future and ongoing success in the industry. Walker founded TSMA Consulting, a nationally recognized and publicized social media educational company that works with some of the industry’s leading influencers and businesses, one of which will join us as a guest speaker at this event. 

You must RSVP to attend. Spaces are limited. To RSVP, click here.

Questions? Contact (323) 634-8277.

This workshop is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing. Unfortunately, no guests allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. SAG-AFTRA members, PLEASE BRING YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD OR DIGITAL CARD ON YOUR APP (paid through October 31, 2018) FOR ADMITTANCE. This workshop is not intended to imply an endorsement of any individual or company by SAG-AFTRA. The information provided through the workshop is given for informational purposes and may not be a suitable substitute for the advice of other industry professionals. You should always use good judgment in these matters and should not act or refrain from acting based solely on information provided through the workshop.

When: 7 – 9 p.m., Monday, July 23
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Light refreshments will be served.

Where: SAG-AFTRA Plaza
James Cagney Boardroom – Lobby Level
5757 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Parking will be validated.

How much do you really know about your Local Conservatory? This is your chance to learn! 

Presented by the Background Actors Education & Outreach and L.A. Conservatory Curriculum Sub-Committees.

The SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Conservatory offers a low-cost opportunity for members to come together in creative fellowship to develop and hone their craft through classes, workshops, lectures and panels.

Join class category experts from the L.A. Conservatory Curriculum Sub-Committee and staff including Kevin McCorkle (Business classes), Shaan Sharma (Theatrical/Commercial classes), Mark Atteberry (Theatrical classes), Kym Jackson (Mindset classes), Paul Hungerford (Improv classes), Aseem Tiwari (Self-Taping classes), and Victoria Hoffman (AFI Casting). They will guide members through the many offerings of the L. A. Conservatory and how the program can assist in your career development.

Conservatory classes and programs include: On-camera, Audition-Style Prepared Reads (for specific genres), Young Performers, Improvisation, Business, Social Media, Voiceover, and "Actors Evenings,” which provide opportunities to meet casting directors, agents, and other industry professionals in a moderated panel with a Q&A format. In addition, Conservatory members are eligible to be cast in AFI first-year student films, allowing you to gain vital on-camera experience.

There will also be interactive exercises where panelists will lead the members through exercises and/or sample lessons. So, take this opportunity to learn all you can.

This workshop is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing. Unfortunately, no guests allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. SAG-AFTRA members, PLEASE BRING YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD OR DIGITAL CARD ON YOUR APP (paid through October 31, 2018) FOR ADMITTANCE. This workshop is not intended to imply an endorsement of any individual or company by SAG-AFTRA. The information provided through the workshop is given for informational purposes and may not be a suitable substitute for the advice of other industry professionals. You should always use good judgment in these matters and should not act or refrain from acting based solely on information provided through this information session.

You must RSVP to attend. Space is limited. To RSVP, click here.

Questions? Contact the Background Actors Department at backgroundactorsinfo@sagaftra.org or (323) 549-6811.

When: 1 - 4 p.m., Wednesday, July 11

Where: SAG-AFTRA
James Cagney Boardroom
5757 Wilshire Blvd. – Lobby Level
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Parking will be validated.

Learn how to optimize every variable in your control to support high-level creative output. This workshop will cover topics such as the huge differences between auditioning and casting for the theatrical and commercial sides of the business, training and development, having a support network, nervousness and confidence, the entire process of casting through booking, online casting services, headshots, reels, branding, marketing, representation and so much more. 

Shaan Sharma, working actor, veteran commercial casting session director, acting coach, Backstage contributor, and SAG-AFTRA Conservatory Committee member will be sharing game-changing information and strategies to successfully pursue a commercial and on-camera acting career. You’ll even pick up a few insider auditioning and casting tips. Sharma will expand upon his “4 Steps to Becoming a Working Actor” as well as his, “The 4 Pillars of a Joyful Acting Journey.” To supplement this information, he will provide a FREE PDF copy of his book, Commercial Acting in L.A.: A Session Director’s Guide, as a gift to all attendees.

Due to mature language, this event is recommended for adults only.

Doors will close at the beginning of the event. No latecomers will be admitted.

You must RSVP to attend. Spaces are limited.

To RSVP, click here.

Questions (323) 634-8277.

This workshop is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing. Unfortunately, no guests allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. SAG-AFTRA members, PLEASE BRING YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD OR DIGITAL CARD ON YOUR APP (paid through October 31, 2018) FOR ADMITTANCE. This workshop is not intended to imply an endorsement of any individual or company by SAG-AFTRA. The information provided through the workshop is given for informational purposes and may not be a suitable substitute for the advice of other industry professionals. You should always use good judgment in these matters and should not act or refrain from acting based solely on information provided through the workshop.

Registration Deadline – July 2

SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles is pleased to announce the next series of sight singing classes with Gerald White as instructor. These classes are geared toward professional singers and are designed for learning to sing at sight. The sessions will cover reading music and performing what is on paper. SAG-AFTRA members pay $100. No refunds after the first class for any reason. Click here for details and to enroll.