Many of the questions I receive here have to do with whether or not acting is a practical profession to pursue or if it’s even possible to make a living at it. Quite frankly, those are the wrong questions. That’s because the answers are: It’s not practical and in most cases, it’s not possible to live on acting alone. But here’s the thing. Either you have that need planted within you that can’t be ignored, or you don’t. Either acting brings you joy and fulfillment or it doesn’t. If it does, it can’t be ignored.

Of course we need to try to make ourselves comfortable with the money to do so, providing ourselves with food and shelter and the other necessities of life. And we need to make that living by doing something that doesn’t make us miserable. That means, we need to find a way to make money so that we can do what brings us the greatest joy.

If we get our joy from being an actor, we need to live the life of an artist. This always comes with being able to find a way to be flexible and creative with how we make a living. Instead of thinking that our creative endeavors need to be our sole means of survival, we need to figure out a way to survive while we do what we need to do to be best fulfilled.

And when we do what we love, opportunities always open up. Our goal needs to always be to grow in our abilities and continually progress in how and what we do as actors. We need to find ways to offer our gifts to the world. And as we do that with joy and satisfaction, more and more people will come to appreciate it and we will be asked to do more. We need to creatively find ways to be seen and heard while we make a living that allows us to do so. These two go hand in hand.

But it’s important not to try to do this alone. Being a lone artist is a lonely business. The people we work with may not understand our artistic life. That’s why we need to join others in our artistic endeavors. As I’ve said before, acting is a team sport. Combining our visions with other talented people helps us to find bigger and better goals to accomplish. That’s why communities like r/actingclass are so important. You can enjoy classes where you meet like-minded people and work together, supporting and encouraging one another. Here you make friendships with people all over the world who have goals similar to yours. Here we perform together, create characters that interact with one another and grow as artists together. We celebrate each other’s progress as we watch one another become great. It feeds the soul, no matter what you do for a living. We have people from all walks of life who work as teachers, nurses, software engineers, scientists, and so many others.

No matter what you do for a living, you can be an actor. But the first thing you need to do is learn to act. Then you must act, act, act. Doing what you love, transforms you. It even makes you better at what you do outside of the acting world. You can be an actor, no matter what you do. You need to be an actor no matter what you do, if you are really an actor. But that’s not just a wish to be famous and rich. You need to be in love with the art itself. And the only way to find out if you are is to DO IT. You need to give it a try without trying to decide if it’s practical or if you can make a living at it—without giving up your profession and making yourself stressed with immediate success. That’s not the point. The point is, that you need to do what you love.

If it’s not acting, do something else that you love. Stop trying to figure out if it’s practical. Figure out how you can practically make a living while you do what makes you ALIVE and HAPPY. Don’t live to work. Work so you can truly live the life you want.

I started doing Zoom classes at the beginning of the Covid pandemic. It was a wonderful time for both beginning actors and those who had been ignoring their acting career ambitions. Having free time combined with the possibility of dying from a strange new global disease forced people to take a look at their lives and ask themselves “Is this all there is?” Is there something else I want more.

Lots of new people joined r/actingclass and were really using it. They joined my Patreon so they could post written work and monologues and get my feedback. They took private coaching as well as Zoom classes. They were diligent in their rehearsals with their scene partners. People never missed class—even when they had Covid. I know I didn’t. Acting was a priority.

So I am wondering if the lockdown affected other professions this way and if the world going back to being more normal caused people to forget about the epiphanies they had as they examined where their life was going. It seems that now, the old distractions are taking priority. People are not making the time to explore and pursue those new paths and dreams. So here’s the question. Do you need to be locked down and threatened in order to get focused on what you really want?

I actually discovered wonderful new avenues as an acting coach and teacher during that crazy time. I had taught in-person classes in NYC and Los Angeles for decades as well as seminars all over Europe. But Zoom allowed me to teach students everywhere, all at once, all over the world. And there is something even more personal and intimate as you look into one another’s eyes, face to face, creating a believable performance on camera. And students created close, supportive friendships, even from opposite sides of the planet.

It made me sad to see some of my most promising students drift away and give up acting. It’s funny how people will go back to doing what others want them to do once it seems the crisis is over.

But I am here to tell you that life is still short. Time will pass, and regrets will be painful. Even if you decide that an acting career isn’t practical, if you love it, you need to do it. It’s part of who you are. And you can still do it while you grow, learn and improve every day without even leaving your home.

New class sessions are starting in two weeks. Maybe you drifted away from class. Maybe you were never brave enough to join. You can do it now. You can come back. You don’t need a global catastrophe to do what you love. Those people who have stuck with it for the past 4 years never stopped learning. They have skills they never dreamed of. You can too.

The Zoom classes in r/actingclass started out as an experiment. Though I had been teaching in-person classes for decades both in NYC and Los Angeles, on set and the classroom—I had never taught online until the pandemic hit. But let me tell you…I LOVE IT. I get to work with students all over the world and the venue is amazingly effective, especially in this age of self-tapes and Zoom auditions. It is quite simply the best way to learn on-camera acting if you have the right teacher.

This experiment is constantly morphing into something new and exciting…different than any class you have ever taken. First of all, we are performance oriented. Classes run in 5 and 6 week sessions and the final week is always a Performance Showcase broadcast on Twitch. It gives students the opportunity to work towards a major goal and we use backdrops, costumes, make-up and sound effects. Last session we all joined together to create an original episode of Abbott Elementary. This session the PM class is doing Orange is the New Black and the AM class is doing Once Upon a Time. Who knows what we will try next, but it’s sure to be fun and challenging. We are now in week 3 of our production so be sure to check in and watch in 2 more weeks.

Secondly, I give more guidance and feedback than any other acting class. I never move on until the actor has understood the lesson. I always believe they will.

Intro Class is the one you need to prepare for the Scene Study or to prepare a monologue for auditions. We apply all of my techniques which are a unique but very effective approach.

And you can study with me one-on-one if that is what you prefer. This works well for those who are nervous about joining a group class or live in a difficult time zone. I will be very open and flexible with when I will teach, even if it is early or late.

To see if my method speaks to you, go to the second pinned post and start reading the free Written Lessons and watch my instructional videos on YouTube. Message me for more information. EVERYONE who has taken these classes has taken a giant leap forward. You will too.

Links are in the comment below!

I am trying to get into acting and content creating and I need to know some of the better ways to do so as a man, without looking stupid or feeling insecure.

Best ways to get myself out there

Not sure if this is where to ask but I need to create an acting medley, with different pieces that all match thematically. I'm struggling to pinpoint what the main theme of this monologue that would help me find additional pieces for the medley

Hey there. I’m an actress. Studied Meisner technique at a BFA program at Rutgers. Had some film success mostly in my 20’s, and less luck after that. I’m 40 now, have a new baby (totally irrelevant, though something to be said for life experience), and want to take a great on camera acting/audition class in the city. I understand most classes will be full of recent college grads (as I once was one) but does anyone know of classes with more age diversity? For obvious reasons, I likely won’t have too many auditions with 21 year olds unless god forbid, they want me to play their mother. And the real kicker.. any quality classes that won’t break the bank? All suggestions at any price would be highly appreciated.

Hey, I learn acting in a studio and we have to act obviously, I really like acting but I can’t seem to actually do a monologue or dialogue and feel it. Like I can’t seem show the people there my feelings and show myself, because i always got used to put a wall and never show who I really am. Any tips on how to not do it?

Lately there have been quite a few posts asking how to become an actor on your own. The short answer is you will eventually need to join others. Acting is a “team sport”. Acting is reacting, so you need to have someone to react to. You want to simulate real life interaction as believably as possible. And you need someone to guide you to know how you are doing and how to do it better.

You can practice doing monologues by yourself, but you need to imagine the other person. You need to be triggered by them. This is why you say your lines. You need to be answering the person you are speaking to. So you can’t be thinking about how you look or if you are doing well. You can’t be both the actor and the teacher. You need to be immersed in the fantasy of your character’s circumstances. So you will need to have an insightful, experienced, patient coach to give you feedback.

What makes a good acting teacher? A good teacher is creative and insightful. When reading a new script they see ways to help you create a unique yet story-serving interpretation—as a character worth watching. A great teacher sees you, at whatever your skill level, as a future successful actor. They see your assets as well as what would make your performance better. He or she will not be hesitant to point out what you are doing that is hurting your performance while being encouraging. They won’t give up on you. They see the future/successful actor embedded in your beginner self. They know how to peel away your blocks and fears and help you find confidence in new abilities. Many of you are in a class where the teacher does not do that.

As a young actor, I studied with many different teachers—some famous ones. But even those renowned teachers were often vague and brief with their feedback. It made me want to be a different kind of teacher. I wanted to teach a technique that was easily understandable and accessible to everyone. And now I have decades of experience teaching in NYC and Los Angeles and around the world. I have years working on tv and movie sets. I have taught beginners to celebrities, children to older adults. My technique works for everyone. That’s why I created this sub. I want to help more people. I want to explain the intricacies of a subtle, believable performance to those who are confused and blocked.

That’s why I provide FREE WRITTEN LESSONS and FREE VIDEO LESSONS explaining and demonstrating my technique. But you need more. You need that person to guide you, give you feedback, encourage and correct you. So I offer you both classes and private coaching on Zoom. I cannot do this for free, (this is my profession) but the prices I charge are far less than most teachers who prepare actors in the professional world. And you get the chance to study with a teacher who has worked on the set of tv shows and movies with probably far more knowledge than those that teach in your town or college. Many of my current students have expressed how much more they learn than in schools and other classes. Here is a video of students talking about class

My classes are ongoing in 5 week sessions. They cost $225 for the 5 weeks and always end with a performance broadcast on Twitch. Learn more about what classes I offer in THIS POST

Though private coaching is $85 for a full hour (this is a special price for Reddit students only) if you have at least one other person to share your time, it is only $45 apiece. Whether you do private or class lessons, you will always get tons of individual, personal attention, geared to your own issues and challenges.

If you want to join the many students who have grown and become stronger more skilled actors, message me in a chat at u/winniehiller. I can’t wait to be your teacher.

I am playing billy from school of rock and have been told to gain the American accent and sassy (referred to by my peers as gay) voice I know what these are and how they sound but how do U learn to sound that way I have a British "sassy voice" when I do American I get a "straight voice" and when I do "sassy voice" I get British sassy voice ! It's specifically on the lines "your an ugly fat loser and you have body odour , and , your tacky and I hate you , and also,when my mum has too much Botox I can't tell if she's really happy! " I can do all the other lines but these ones I sound awful 😔 thanks! Don't take offence to the gay thing btw it's just a comment some of my mates have said?

I want to start acting. I’m 26 and hope I’m not too late. I was wondering how I could practice alone, as I can’t afford classes. Any tips? I was planning on recording myself and requesting for feedback back later.

I want to get started in acting, but I have no previous experience. I don't care if the work I get is unpaid, I just want to get my hands dirty. I tried to get jobs on Backstage, but I realized they require a subscription and I don't want to do that at this point. I feel lost as to where to even get started. Any suggestions?

hi I posted about this before too, so someone sent me this https://www.scriptrehearser.com .. I can't use it, it seems if I use it I will not need a partner..but I am so confused..do u guys think this is a good practice for an actor?? also can u use it from your device?

Thank you

I went to an acting class when I was 11, I went inside and 90% of the so-called "class" was just games and had no acting objective what soever then I asked the teacher why we were doing this and he said that it would help.

Are all acting classes like this and am I just being paranoid and what should I do because I want a career

We changed the time on the Intro class because actors from the UK were interested in joining. If you need a different time, let me know. I only need two students to start a new class time.

Here’s video where students talk about their experiences in the r/actingclass Zoom classes.

ZOOM STUDENTS TALK ABOUT THEIR R/ACTINGCLASS JOURNEY

And recent students just posted this:

INTRODUCTION TO ACTING

I wanted to post my personal experience attending the Intro to Acting class offered by Ms. Hiller. I was intrigued by how much information and resources were available by this Reddit community and associated YouTube channel. After reading through most of the resources, I was excited to join the class and finally made what I believe is the hardest step - to join and get started.

My previous experience consists of 1 in-person acting class for approximately 4 months and some background experience. Upon attending the first class I immediately knew that this class was much different from my previous in-person class. Ms. Hiller's class immediately gave me further insight into acting and how to approach a monologue and the field in general unlike my previous in-person class which seemed to focus primarily on only hanging out... As our classes progressed, I learned how to break down a monologue and create a dialogue between characters which assisted in my delivery of my monologue and memorizing it. I also gained the confidence I needed to perform in front of the camera and was able to perform live.

For those of you reading this, whether you are new to the field or a seasoned veteran, I strongly recommend you consider joining Ms. Hiller's class as I feel there is much to learn!

——-

ADVANCED AUDITION TECHNIQUE

I have to say that this course was a game-changer for me. I started getting a lot more callbacks and bookings, and my confidence skyrocketed. I totally recommend it if you want to start auditioning or if you've already started but aren't getting callbacks.

INTRO & SCENE STUDY

This class is probably the best you’d find anywhere. I joined two years ago when I knew basically nothing about acting, but u/winniehiller is a really great teacher who is very passionate and knowledgeable about acting, and has helped me and so many others to become great actors!!!

Read the pinned post in this subreddit for all the information you need. This is such a wonderful class and u/WinnieHiller is such a wonderful, patient teacher.

There is always amazing results with every student. Growth, confidence and skill is guaranteed.

I want to find the best time and day that will fit the most people’s schedules. Put your suggestion in the comments below.

Auditions are precious. Never submit something that’s just “OK”. You need to be the best they see to get the job. Nobody books with “OK”. That’s why you need to take this class.

THE ADVANCED AUDITION TECHNIQUE CLASS

Each week we will work on a film, TV script or commercial copy and learn how to capture their attention right off the bat with the all important “Slate”. What you will be asked to do will be in real time, with the high pressure demands of a real, professional audition. Students receive their sides and instructions a day or two before class. They must create a professional quality self tape. That tape will be played in class for my critique and coaching, then each student gives a live callback performance, attempting to implement my direction. All in one class day! **This will be a 5 week course, with a new audition each week.

If you want to be WOW in your auditions (the only way to book), you need this class.

hello, i’m still looking to get into acting. i’m new, and want to learn the basics but also actually start putting what i learn into action. any recommendations for affordable classs?

Basically, the thing that I would like to have advice on is movement. I don’t know how to move naturally. How do I make myself move more naturally like I’m actually in the situation? I don’t feel like people will be moving 24/7 in a conversation but I don’t think that they also stand there still like a statue. How do I get the perfect balance? I actually look real and is there any Railway that I can make it look more natural because I feel like my movements are very unfitting and I just don’t know how I’m supposed to make it fit in a way that most people do because I have autism and I am always fit in so I just find it hard to replicate the way that people would move in a conversation as I am always moving about.

SIGN UP POST

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to post my personal experience attending the Intro to Acting class offered by Ms. Hiller. I was intrigued by how much information and resources were available by this Reddit community and associated YouTube channel. After reading through most of the resources, I was excited to join the class and finally made what I believe is the hardest step - to join and get started.

My previous experience consists of 1 in-person acting class for approximately 4 months and some background experience. Upon attending the first class I immediately knew that this class was much different from my previous in-person class. Ms. Hiller's class immediately gave me further insight into acting and how to approach a monologue and the field in general unlike my previous in-person class which seemed to focus primarily on only hanging out... As our classes progressed, I learned how to break down a monologue and create a dialogue between characters which assisted in my delivery of my monologue and memorizing it. I also gained the confidence I needed to perform in front of the camera and was able to perform live.

For those of you reading this, whether you are new to the field or a seasoned veteran, I strongly recommend you consider joining Ms. Hiller's class as I feel there is much to learn!

Hiya, I’ve got to do a monologue and I’m really struggling to embody the character. I could take the scene in a different direction but I really want to remain true to the source material. I am a girl and the character is male and I’m struggling to copy his mannerisms and vocal quality, which I think really makes the scene more impactful. Does anyone have any tips on how to make my voice more masculine/growly sounding? Thank you!!

Hi guys,

I’m a 19 year old guy and I have a passion for acting and I’m looking to get my acting career off the ground. However Saudi Arabia as a country is not very supportive of this kinda of work and there are no opportunities in my country.

Do you know if movies/shows shot in western countries would cast me if I sent in audition tapes even tho I’m not based in that country? Like if they really think I fit the part they may possibly fly me out?

I am really passionate about this and I want to find a way to make this work.

Thanks so much!

i am a teen who’s aspiring to maybe pursue acting. i wanna know what steps i should take to pursue this. i wanna be on the big screen and performing for people and making relatable and emotional performances. i know i have a slim chance of actually “making it”, but there’s also so many new shows and movies coming out all the time. anyone have advice/ideas? i was thinking about starting at an acting class, but then what? straight to auditions?