Howard Fine Acting Studio Los Angeles

Can your Voice handle the truth? YES. Learn innovative exercises that focus on body, breath and imagination. Old habits and rigid thinking that have inhibited your speech will be replaced by healthy habits. You will gain access to your real voice as it emerges in real-time. In this class: Improving your Sound, Stamina, Range & Power Overcoming your nerves and vocal issues... Exploring your On-Camera Voice and Volume Erasing the gap between the Voice discipline and the Acting discipline Discovering new truths through the use of your Voice Tap the link in our bio to join us! DATES: Mondays & Thursdays, May 17, 20, 24 & 27 at 6pm (PDT) Cost for Participants: $250 Space is limited, so register now to reserve your spot!

When you try to make an audience laugh and when you listen for that, you will get yourself off track. - Howard Fine Thank you for the powerful words, Howard! A great note about humor and being in the moment.

Turn Your Fear of Cold Reading into Actual Excitement! In this course, you will boil down Cold Reading to NEW Vocal and Physical Actions, and actually feel, as Mr. Coury says, The ‘sides’ becoming your insides - and that’s exciting! Increase your Cold Reading skills through the use of your Voice & learn with each new script how to: Feel an Instant Connection... Reframe the Concept of Reading Create a Compelling Life Beyond The Words Use Stage Directions in a Vital Way Turn Any Room into The Script’s Environment Improve Your Vocal Quality Hone Your Memorization Skills Level Up Your Listening Keep the Discovery Going DATES: Mondays & Thursdays, May 3, 6, 10 & 13 at 6pm (PDT) 4 classes in total Cost for Participants: $250 Space is limited. Register now at the link in our bio to reserve your spot.

In this snippet from his video on self tapes with @CastingNetworks, Howard speaks to the importance of a backdrop in your home studio. Thanks for the advice, Howard!

Curious about VO? There are still spots open in our 4-session Voice Acting class with Mr. Coury, who will help you tap into your unique Voice talents and strengthen that Vocal Performance Muscle by: Increasing Vocal Range & Flexibility Performing Heightened Reality Challenges Honing Reading Skills... Sharpening POVs Leveling Up Consistency Making Adjustments on Command Training You to Self-Direct Maintaining Vocal Health See the link in our bio to join us! DATES: Saturdays, May 1, 8, 15 & 22 at 2pm (PDT) Cost for Participants: $250 Space is limited, so register now to reserve your spot!

To end the week on a good note, we've got some recommended reading from Marilyn McIntyre! A favorite of Marilyn's, "Zen in the Art of Archery" by Eugen Herrigel is a powerful exploration of Zen concepts. This book discusses ideas especially related to control and direction, and how each of us can apply these practices to both our perspective and our craft. Have you read Zen in the Art of Archery yet? Let us know how you liked it in the comments below!

We are thrilled to announce that our friends at @TSMAConsulting are putting on an Industry Series Panel: Casting with April Webster and Jeremy Gordon! April Webster is a casting powerhouse, having worked on projects like Star Wars, Lost, and Mission Impossible. Jeremy Gordon has worked on projects like the podcast America 2.0 and Rob Reiner's Shock and Awe. You'll be able to see them both talk about the industry and give advice on the panel TODAY at 6:30PM PST! Register today at the link in their bio!

In May of 2019, the studio administrators found a freestanding house on Highland Ave in the heart of Hollywood, that with a little vision and a lot of hard work would soon become the permanent home of the Howard Fine Acting Studio. Though conveniently located at the crossroads of Highland and Fountain, the house was in need of a makeover. Bringing together the studio's rich history, and a renewed vision for the future, the staff and dozens of volunteers renovated, repainted..., and revamped the house into something brand new. With a cozy but functional industrial-chic design, the new location is home to a large blackbox theater, voice studio, and the top programs the studio has become known for. Classes began to overflow, the once dim and dusty house on Highland began to glow, and with new life, new perspective, and new digs, the studio began to grow.

"Actors are forever trying to be unique, and what they don't realize is that they're already unique. Everyone has their own story." - Howard Fine You are already unique. You are already enough. Authentic use of yourself is the root of great acting.

We still have spots open in our Audition Technique Level I class with Howard Fine! This online class helps you apply Howard’s approach quickly to both Film & Television sides as you prepare for your big moment in the "room" (or rather, Zoom for now!). Howard will explore how to take feedback from casting directors, ground yourself in the moment, handle different kinds of scenes and genres, and much more. Space is limited, so register now to reserve your spot! Here's ...the link to join us: https://www.howardfine.com//audition-technique-10-27-2020/ Dates: Tuesdays, October 27, November 3, 10, 17 @2pm PDT Cost for Performing Participants: $225/4 sessions See more

Whew, is it already Friday?? Guess it's time for us to share another recommended reading from Howard Fine! Today we're spotlighting "On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft" by Stephen King. A personal and in-depth exploration of the craft, complete with practical advice and exercises from years of experience, this memoir actually inspired the title of Howard's own book: "Fine on Acting: A Vision of the Craft." Happy reading, everyone!

"In this world of communication you are not significant unless you are heard." - David Coury Mr. C has built a career of helping performers find and utilize their Voice. You deserve to be heard, and that first step is half of the battle. Where are you on your journey with finding your Voice?

Talent & Insecurity by Howard Fine Q: You have worked with so many famous actors throughout the years. Have you identified any particular traits that talented... people have in common? Thanks so much for your question. I think that my answer will surprise many. In my almost 30 years of teaching and coaching actors I have found that the truly talented are humble and insecure, and that the ungifted think that they’re brilliant. With great talent comes great insecurity! I remember a conversation that I had in the 80’s with an icon in the music industry. She confessed to me that she threw up before every live performance. You would never know this from the air of confidence that she projects when performing. In the years since, I have witnessed numerous examples of this including actors freaking out after they have won some of the biggest awards at the Oscars, Emmys and Tonys. They worry that the great performance was a fluke and that they will never work up to that level again. Let me explain the positive benefits of self doubt. Those who question their talent work harder. The doubt translates to a work ethic. The insecure actor will not take anything for granted. Now, please do not misunderstand me. An extreme amount of insecurity is crippling, and I would advise that anyone who suffers to this degree go see a therapist. If you are not able to function or even to pursue your career because of fear, definitely consult a mental health professional. I am addressing artists who think that they shouldn’t have any self doubt at all. Many struggling actors think that successful actors don’t experience the same anxieties that they do. If you have ever watched the audition rounds of the talent shows, you will see how often the opposite is true as well. Reality television does not create these characters, I can tell you from personal experience that they exist in the real world. Invariably, the contestant who claims to be the next Whitney Houston can’t sing a note. The braggart is without talent. You see this time and time again. At my own studio, we suggest that everyone, even advanced actors, take the twelve week foundation course (Basic Technique). I have had some very big names who insisted on going back to the beginning. They know that there are no advanced mistakes and that fundamentals have to be constantly drilled. On the flip side, I offer an option that allows actors who wish to study at my studio but want to skip the Basic Technique class the chance to audition for a ‘higher level’ scene study class. The vast majority of those who audition are delusional. For these folks, I recommend they find another studio altogether because they have a distorted sense of their level of ability and aren’t open to hearing otherwise. I have been saying this for years. Turns out, my theory was confirmed by Justin Kruger and David Dunning, who did a series of experiments at Cornell University and wrote a Nobel Prize-winning report. The title of the report is Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One’s Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments. It is called the Dunning-Kruger effect. In their experiments, Dunning and Kruger found that people who thought they had scored the highest on the tests they administered had actually done poorly, whereas those who thought they hadn’t done very well were actually at the top. This report is a must-read for all artists. Of course, the truly gifted among you will think that you suffer from the Dunning-Kruger effect. You will be the ones who worry that you are self-deluded, LOL. Trust me; the ones who are deluded will not see themselves! To those of you who feel insecure about your talents, I say: it is your very sensitivity toward life and toward your fellow human beings that is a core part of your talent. You must seek to find balance. It is okay and natural to question your talent. Do not think that this disqualifies you from having a wonderful life and career. In fact, you share the trait with many whose work you admire.

In 2011, a team of enterprising actors and entrepreneurs based in Melbourne, Australia contacted Howard in the hope of convincing him to host a four-day Master Class in Sydney and Melbourne. After a series of discussions (and after initially saying no), Howard was destined for ‘the lucky country’ in June of that year. The Master Classes were a sellout sensation, attended by hundreds of actors. The overwhelming response to the work was the genesis for the Melbourne-bas...ed Australian Studio. This led to a series of transatlantic flights, late-night Skype conversations, and caffeine-fueled discussions to organize the logistics of making such a venture possible. Just four months later, Howard returned to Australia to host another Master Class and to launch the Howard Fine Acting Studio, Australia. The HFAS, Australia became a thriving artistic hub with our LA faculty making frequent trips to teach and develop programming in Melbourne. But back in LA, in those brief 5 years on La Brea the industry had been shifting rapidly. The business was changing, fresh perspective was needed, so the studio set its sights on new ideas, new approaches, and yes, a new space...

"The camera is the most intimate acting partner that you will ever have. It sees everything." - Marilyn McIntyre How do you find your spontaneity in front of the camera? Do you notice a difference in your acting experience when your audience is a camera vs a room of people? Tell us below!

"You must have your Voice." - @MrCoury As Mr. C knows, we are our Voice. But what does it mean to find it? What does that look like for us as performers? Start the week off well with a little wisdom right from the expert's mouth. If you're looking to raise your voice over game with Mr. C, check out our Stories for more info on his upcoming classes, find your Voice in "Voice & Speech", and raise your VO game in his Voiceover Intensive!

Looking to try out a new accent OR perfect one you've been working on during quarantine?? In our upcoming one-of-a-kind class, "Acting & Accents," you'll get the opportunity to work with both celebrity acting coach, Howard Fine, and world-renowned vocal coach, David Coury, on just this! You will work on a monologue of your choosing with guidance from both coaches as they break down the specifics of acting technique & then adding an accent to the mix. From that point, you...'ll learn how to add the accent without losing the acting, and how to find the voice of the character in you. Here's the link to join us: https://www.howardfine.com//acting-and-accents-10-16-2020/ Dates: Fridays: October 16, 23, 30 and November 6 @ 6pm PDT Cost for Performing Participants: $225/4 sessions Requirements: The use of a phone, iPad, tablet or computer to join online class via ZOOM. See more

Here Be Dragons As actors, we must have the courage to show up and be seen; each and every time we sail off into the fictional world. It is not our job to create the dragons our emotions. They already exist. Our job is to build the boat, sail to the edge of the map and navigate them. In this FREE lecture, @Marilyn_McIntyre explores some of the concepts and vocabulary we use to understand the difference between the internal (living, passion, empathy) and the external (wat...ching, desire, sympathy), and how those concepts apply to our acting. When we have the emotional courage to explore and experience the internal life of our character, which means we have to explore our own internal life, we are able to take our audience on a journey into the unknown, to let them experience the character’s world. Here's the to join us: https://www.howardfine.com/eve/emotional-courage-10-11-20/ Date: Sunday, October 11th @6 PM PDT Requirements: The use of a phone, iPad, tablet or computer to join online class via ZOOM.

Where we last left off, the Howard Fine Acting Studio had left the old Playhouse Theater for a more modern home, namely a loft space on La Brea. For the 5 years following this move, a converted blackbox theater with offices became a functional multipurpose studio space for learning and performing. The studio's on-camera classes took wing and standing out among the eclectic range of courses, the SFA Voice program became extremely popular & hosted many performances to packed houses. Celebrities, industry guests, and hundreds of actors came to the La Brea space for coaching and took part in a widely viewed "In Conversation" series. With the studio settling into the La Brea loft, Howard's teaching began to gain recognition and expand overseas...