I'm becoming quite the connoisseur of acting schools in Atlanta. Not really...but we have tried more than a few since my daughter began acting several years ago.
It's kind of hard to measure the efficacy of a program and as long as my daughter was having fun, I didn't feel like it mattered all that much. I try to look at acting classes as both a social activity as well as professional development endeavor. She's enjoyed the classes she's taken but if she missed one, she didn't mind.
That all changed when she began Film Academy with Ken Feinberg at Creative Studios. First off, she LOVES it. She looks forward to it every week and refuses to ever miss class. Not only is it fun but Ken has been able to challenge her and in a very short time, her acting skills have improved dramatically.
She's had an agent since she was 6 years old and has booked a few things here and there. However, in the 5 weeks she's been at CSA, she has booked four big projects!! It's not coincidental because she has used several techniques Ken taught her in class. Recently, a casting director wanted to know where she trains because she was so impressed with her acting skills.
From what I can tell, Ken's approach focuses on the practical side of the acting business--especially for kids. At her age, she doesn't need to be studying acting theory. Nothing wrong with learning it later on, but for now, he has stressed that she needs to take it seriously (this is a business, after all) AND have fun. And, if she can't do both, then this activity may not be for her. Additionally, he has taught her some really useful techniques she can use in auditions. On two auditions, this specific technique has helped her book the job.
If your child is serious about getting into the entertainment business, I highly recommend CSA. read more