Technologi

It's almost unheard of for an actor to achieve overnight fame. Most of today's biggest movie and television stars got where they are only through years of struggling and very hard work. The secret is not to give up but many big-name actors also got a head start by taking acting classes in Los Angeles.

Being a good actor requires more than just talent or a pretty face. Just like a talented pianist has to take lessons to learn different techniques and then practice every day before he or she can become a concert pianist, you need to hone your skills as an actor. Good actors have learned and perfected the different techniques suited to the different genres of acting.

An example of the type of training you'd need is knowing how to adjust your technique according to the medium. On stage, the audience can't really appreciate your facial expressions unless these are quite exaggerated. Using these over-the-top expressions for a film close-up would look silly, however. In fact, a good film actor can convey a thought or an emotion with the smallest movement of facial muscles.

During classes where you learn how to act, one of the main things you learn is how to use your voice. On stage, for instance, you need to project your voice so that the audience can hear you, without making it sound as if you're shouting. You also learn how to use your entire body, as well as techniques like stage fighting.

People who just stumble into a career as an actor without any training are often very limited in their scope. With training, you learn everything from comic timing to how to cry on demand. You learn how to act in comedies, dramas, musicals, Shakespearean plays and action films, so you have a wider range as an actor and can choose from more roles.

Depending on the drama school you attend and the type of course you choose, the curriculum will also include other aspects of life in show business. You may learn skills from make-up and costumes to the technical aspects of a production, such as sound and lighting. You may even learn how to go for auditions or handle interviews with the media.

A big advantage of taking acting classes is that they focus on practical work. This means that you'll get plenty of opportunities not only to watch other actors in action but also to act in stage and short film productions yourself. Agents and other industry players are often invited to the school's stage shows and may decide that you're the talent they've been looking for, which could mean your first big break as an actor.

Of course your chances of being spotted by a casting agent are bigger if you attend drama school right there where the action is. Los Angeles is the perfect place to learn acting because this is where the television and film industries are based. Most of the institutions where you'll be able to take acting classes in the city are located in or near Hollywood.