Qualifications and Roles of Acting Coaches
– Acting coaches possess a talent for reading people, including their utterances and body language.
– They are often referred to as ‘people whisperers’ similar to horse whisperers who train animals.
– One of their roles is to ensure that actors understand the character’s objective in a scene and have a determination to achieve it.
– Acting coaches help actors connect with the emotions of the character they are portraying.
– They also assist drama students in auditioning for college.
Notable Individuals in the Acting Coaching Industry
– Major acting coaches include Larry Moss, Ivana Chubbuck, Michelle Danner, Geoff Colman, and Terry Schreiber.
– Other notable acting coaches are David Mamet, Lee Strasberg, Michael Woolson, Stella Adler, and Sanford Meisner.
– Chambers Stevens, Paula Strasberg, and Justin Trudeau are also recognized acting coaches.
Working Conditions of Acting Coaches
– Acting coaches can work as freelancers, hired on an hourly or daily rate, or on a longer-term basis by film, production, or theatre companies.
– Some coaches have developed unique methods and established their own acting schools.
– Income for acting coaches varies greatly, with those training top Hollywood celebrities earning significantly more than coaches working with community theatre troupes or high school musicals.
– Acting classes can be conducted in person or online through platforms like Skype.
– Coaches may offer private coaching, group sessions, or a combination of both.
Other Roles of Acting Coaches
– Acting coaches are sometimes hired to train singers in acting skills, especially for live concert shows and music videos.
– They may also assist Classical music singers performing staged operas.
– CEOs and leaders may hire acting coaches to improve their performance in speeches and general communications.
– Some acting coaches mentor directors on how to improve their direction of actors.
– Acting coaches may provide introductions to the acting industry, helping new actors learn about auditions, casting processes, agents, and industry organizations.
Intimacy Coordinators
– In the television and film industry, production companies are increasingly hiring intimacy coordinators.
– Intimacy coordinators ensure that actors’ consent is obtained before shooting romantic or simulated sex scenes.
– They address concerns about vulnerability and power imbalances by advocating for the actors’ boundaries and comfort.
– Intimacy coordinators act as a mix of acting coaches, ensuring scenes look realistic, and advocates for the actors’ physical and emotional well-being.
– HBO has implemented the use of intimacy coordinators on their shows to protect actors during intimate scenes. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acting_coach
An acting coach or drama coach is a teacher who trains performers – typically film, television, theatre, and musical theatre actors – and gives them advice and mentoring to enable them to improve their acting and dramatic performances, prepare for auditions and prepare better for roles.
