I just completed the Mastering the Self-Tape class with Judy and Spencer. This class was so informative and gave me so much clarity on how best to approach my self-tapes. I learned big and small ways to improve the quality of my tapes. I think this class was immensely helpful given the number of self-tape auditions being sent out these days. It really takes a lot of the guesswork out of the process. Would definitely recommend! read more

Just finished the Master the Commercial Self Tape class (4 weeks) and learned many new computer skills and acting skills from Judy and Spencer. This was well worth the money and time to make a self tape each week for evaluation by Judy & Spencer as well as a CD and a Manager the last week. Kudos! read more

Good teachers overall. Some of them were more personable snd inspiring than others. Didn't fully agree with every single thing with the marketing advice, but teachers teach from their experience and we have to remember that! Grain of salt. read more

Just completed the Master The Commercial Self Tape class with Spencer and Judy. It was exactly the crash course I needed to get back in the audition game after a five year hiatus. You will have an opportunity to self tape, perform in class and observe on the other side your fellow actor's performances. You will get straightforward honest assessments AND tips to change your mistakes in a safe environment. I highly recommend ANY of the classes offered at this studio. read more

After taking a couple years off from acting I needed to warm up. I just completed A-Z for Commercial and I definetily feel the creative juices flowing again. I'm going to go into auditions with more confidence and feeling much more prepared. Highly recommend KIRA courses whether you are new to the game or seasoned and working out. Thank you Judy and KIRA team!! :-) read more

I have been taking classes here for a little over a year now. During that time I signed with an agent and booked my very first commercial and it was a national commercial. The teachers here are awesome. Judy and Spencer are invaluable. read more

I have taken four classes and have had two private coaching sessions with Judy and Tom over a period of five years. I can't say enough about the relevance of the classes for improving my performance and moving me forward in my acting career. All the instructors have been excellent, with focused and constructive comments regarding my performance and professional image. I expect to continue to take more classes at Keep it Real to stay "ready to work" and hone my "instrument." read more

Keep It Real Acting Studio - Performing Arts Near Me

I just finished the commercial improv class with Lisa Fredrickson. Lisa's improv class is inspiring, practical, and fun. I've grown so much as a performer. She's really amazing!!! read more

If you want to hone your skills and learn the Commercial Imrov secrets take this class!

Love taking classes at KIRA!! Just completed the Master the Commercial Self-Tape class series and excited to apply everything I've learned in my auditions and performances. Judy and Spencer really take the time to develop each of the students in class and provide so much valuable insight from their industry experience. I've also taken the A-Z Commercial Technique, Commercial Improv with Lisa, Social Media for Actors with Frankie, and look forward to exploring more KIRA classes! read more

Judy's class was terrific! Getting to be in front of top casting directors and receiving noted from Judy and Spencer each week is priceless. I've booked before and been on avail a bunch but what I learned in the class has taken me to the next level. Looking forward to my next audition to use what I learned. read more

Just finished the Advanced Commercial Callback class & it was amazing! Excellent teaching by Judy Kain and auditioning for a different casting director each week. I highly recommend this class. read more

Keep It Real Acting Studio - Advanced Commercial Callback class with the incomparable Judy Kain & amazing casting director Max Goudsmit of Goud casting! - Performing Arts Near Me

If you want to work in commercials, this is the best commercial class I've ever taken in LA! Judy makes everything fun and I learned a great deal from other students as well. Highly recommend! :) read more

I just finished another round of TV & Film Audition Intensive with Keep It Real and, again, I learned SO MUCH!! The simple tools are POTENT and effective! I love this studio and would recommend ALL their classes to anyone who really wants to BOOK & WORK!!! Brava Judy and team! This is a Quality Investment!! read more

I just finished the Master the Commercial Self-Tape class, and it was incredibly helpful! Most of the classes were taught by Spencer Kramber, an experienced session director and actor. He's very knowledgeable, detail-oriented, and provides great feedback. I especially appreciated how each of us received specific advice on what we needed to improve. In the final class, we had the chance to meet with Judy, an agent, and a casting director. We got to meet with all three of them individually, and they gave us valuable feedback on our self-tapes. Overall, I've learned a lot and feel much more confident as an actor. I'm also more aware of what I need to work on. This is the third class I've taken with KIRA, and all of them have been worth the investment. Highly recommend!! read more

I am so blessed to have come across this class through Melissa Mangum's referral. I had absolutely zero commercial training when I started acting about a year and a half ago and I was booking many non-union commercial and film projects, but felt stagnant and wanted to book bigger projects and demonstrate more range. I gave it a shot with A-Z Commercial Technique class which was taught by Soledad and Jolene. They were so informative! Love the way they break down techniques! I felt like I missed out so much because I've gotten hundreds of rejections from casting and I'm sure that if I had taken this class asap, I would've had a MUCH higher chance. Loved that it was convenient, virtual, and enjoyed doing the weekly homework/exercises. I also appreciated my classmates because they were welcoming and diverse! In the end, I was so grateful that a commercial agent, Peter Kallinteris, was invited to our last class. I reached out after our mock audition in the class and was able to schedule an in-person meeting. Fast forward, Peter's agency (PKA) now represents me for commercial projects. I knew I had to KEEP going and growing with Judy Kain's classes/instructors. So I took ANOTHER class - Commercial Improv (online). Lisa was our instructor and some of my classmates were new and the others were from my previous class. It felt just as intimate (which is something I look for in virtual classes). Lisa is such a gem. Her energy is contagious! On the last day of class, a talent manager, Albert, was invited and I reached out to him as well and still waiting for an in-person meeting. Overall, Judy and the other instructors are VERY HONEST, professional, and helpful. I highly recommend this school, and as a student I learned to let go of my ego! And just take it! Don't fight it! They just want the best results for their students. They KEEP IT REAL. I can't wait to take more classes as soon as my schedule frees up again! read more

4 week youth acting intensive. Firstly Donna is very beautiful and full of great energy. This class is quick and straight to the point (just how we like it) and great for beginner child actors or those who like the slow paced life and plan to be an actor when they grow up. My child who is not a beginner actor was still able to have fun during the class so I highly recommend Judy's youth courses even if your child may not be learning something new it is a great way to take time off from electronic devices once in a while. It is good for personal enrichment and development. However keep in mind that for group lessons the other children may be beginners as we noticed so it is important to keep that in mind if you have a working child actor needing to have growth in their craft it would be more suitable to take private lessons with Judy. We were looking for personal enrichment and development and got what we needed. Thank you Judy, Donna & Doug. read more

This is the third class I've taken with KIR and they don't disappoint! The Booking the Theatrical Audition class I just completed was great! Stacy had fantastic insights into making specific character choices within the scene. And the scenes we were assigned every week were applicable to the auditions I tackle every week as a working actor! The final class with Judy and our industry guests was a lot FUN!!! Such an awesome experience to receive direct notes from working pros. So valuable!!!!! Thanks to Judy, Stacy and the entire KIR Team for making these classes engaging and beneficial and a hoot!!!! read more

Wow, if you're looking to get skills that will help you work, these folks are the absolute masters of the game. Just learned so much in my Mastering the Commercial Self-Tape class. My setup looks better now, and I'm much more confident about what I'm going to be sending to casting directors, in terms of acting as well as lighting. My agent recommended this class to me, and I can see why. Judy Kain and Spencer Kramber, thanks for another awesome learning experience. read more

TLDR: Highly recommend!!! Back to update my review as over the last three years, I have taken a number of virtual workshops, classes and private coaching sessions with Judy. If I could add a star, I would! I am happy to say I have since signed with a commercial agent, joined SAG, and booked three national commercial campaigns so far! I just finished Judy's Advanced Commercial Callback class and actually booked something during those four weeks thanks to the audition techniques that Judy encourages (and a private coaching session I booked with Judy prior to the callback!). Classes are reasonably priced, the right size (not too many people) and translate well over Zoom, especially when many auditions and callbacks are happening over Zoom now anyway! I have learned so much from Judy and plan to take more classes (and book more)! It's been invaluable to be new to the professional side of acting and to have access to such a seasoned actor to really ask whatever green questions I have had along the way in a safe, nurturing space. Judy keeps it all the way real, while still leaving you with a sense of confidence and play that I think is KEY to actually booking. Her joy for acting is palpable and you can feel her love for other actors and the craft through her energy and coaching style. I really think she played a big part in me finally actually trying something I have always wanted to do.. so grateful! Thanks, Judy! read more

It's been a couple of years since my last class at Keep It Real Studio. I've taken every commercial class there and my skills and confidence got better with each one. I even got my agent because of Judy's commitment to the students and their success in the industry. She invites agents, casting directors, and managers to the last class of a session. You never know who will show up. Even though I had taken the Commercial Improv Class before, that's one muscle I like to keep strong. Besides, there was a different teacher. I can not say enough about Lisa Fredrickson! She's warm, encouraging, and fun! And she knows improv! Because of that, we all trusted each other and bonded immediately. That's imperative for any improv class. And watching everyone grow was a joy. I highly recommend the Commercial Improv Class with Lisa, no matter where you are in your career. It will only take you further! read more

I really loved the Booking the Theatrical Audition class. It's very helpful to receive so many scripts and work on them together in class. I especially appreciate having the opportunity to audition with actual casting directors and talent agents for the final class. Thank you so much Judy and Stacy for putting together a comprehensive class. I look forward to continuing the work with you. read more

This is the first acting studio I've taken classes at since the pandemic happened. I had done a free commercial coaching with Judy and she recommended I start my training with the Commercial Improv Intensive. And oh wow, I'm so glad I did. The class was taught by Lisa Fredrickson over zoom, which at first I was apprehensive about bc improv over zoom can be a hit or miss, and this class was definitely a HIT. Lisa created such a safe and fun space to play and take risks. This class inspired me and opened my eyes to how much we can (and should if it makes sense) play with X/Y Axis + depth and distance with the camera over zoom auditions and self-tapes. This class really helped me open up and listen more actively to my partner and it boosted my confidence for the next class I took. The next class I've taken is Commercial Technique A-Z. This class was/is so freaking valuable. I've learned so much from the INCREDIBLE coaches, I grew way more confident and comfortable in front of the camera - from personality style auditions, MOS, spokesperson to partner auditions, I feel way more knowledgeable and empowered. It was also so dope to practice what I was learning in the auditions I was getting while taking the class. I'm excited to continue my training at Keep It Real Acting Studios. So grateful to learn with and from all the amazingly talented actors from both classes, all of whom made these classes so fun and nourishing. Shout out to Jolene Kay & Soledad Campos for their amazing insight, guidance, and for the safe creative space to learn and grow. Thank you to Judy Kain, Tom Burke, and our industry guest for all of your advice and keepin it real hehe read more

Keep It Real Acting Studio - Performing Arts Near Me

I took the A-Z commercial technique course and it was super fun! Ms. Judy and team were awesome to work with. The industry knowledge alone was worth it. They hold tons of experience and wisdom. I'm speaking as someone with zero experience. There was no intimidation. No discouragement. Every instructor gave hope and spoke life. I'm grateful. read more

KIRA is an amazing studio and deserves all of its praises. I just finished the Master the Commercial Self Tape intermediate class and I took the A-Z Commercial Technique beginner class right before it. I am commercial model and completely new to acting, and have learned so much in the past 9 weeks. I am from the Bay Area, where most of the commercial opportunities involve acting, and was very happy to find a reputable online class that was after work hours. I went from reciting the script to the camera for auditions to actually acting and living in the moment, and am really happy with my progress. The teachers are working actors and amazing teachers and gave me specific, actionable feedback that helped me grow a lot. The classes also allowed me to meet other actors in the industry and get feedback from casting and talent agencies. I highly recommend the KIRA classes! read more

Coming back into the business after many years , KIRA is a wonderful place to take commercial classes. The teachers are professional , specific and really know their stuff. My auditions have turned around for the better due to this school and I feel ready for any kind of commercial audition that's coming up! Lauri J read more

Keep It Real Acting Studio - Performing Arts Near Me

I just finished my first Judy Kain Commercial Acting Technique class. I have been in the business for some time now, but I have never been in a class like this one. Every week I learned something new about commercial auditioning. I will take this info to my next audition. The Teachers were amazing with great feedback. The class was made up with New Actors to Veteran Actors. I look forward to taking the next level. read more

Keep It Real Acting's A-Z Commercial Acting Technique course is excellent. I learned that when I receive the sides, I must see it as an invitation from the commercial project to collaborate - as a writer, director, and actor. With that approach and using the Commercial Worksheet, Judy's book "I Booked It," and the personalized technical guidance, I'm sure to book. Tom Burke's The Castable Actor course is a great education. He teaches each actor to understand their visual type, brand, and marketability. With his teaching, you can then get headshots that actually work for you to book jobs. And you will know precisely what roles to audition for. To me, Tom's course is worth more than a university degree. Keep It Real Acting's Dress for the Audition course is essential for any actor who wants to book any job. Judy and Tom will show each actor specific clothes items they need (already in your wardrobe or need to buy) for five role categories. With these "uniforms," we can then make headshots and present at meetings and auditions that result in bookings. Dress for the Audition and the other KIRA courses are bargains for the great value they provide. read more

​ You ​ Several months ago, I decided that I needed to up my commercial game. I am not a newcomer to the business and, frankly, there aren't a lot of commercial classes in the Deep South. None that I could easily drive to, anyway. So, I figured that maybe what I needed was a good book on auditioning for commercials. While I was scouring the internet I came across Judy Kain's "I Booked It." The reviews were off the chart so, I promptly purchased a copy and read it cover to cover. It was filled with so much practical advice that I read it again! By the time I got through my second read I decided that I really wanted to get into her class to get a second set of eyes on what I'm doing when I audition. Thank heavens her classes are all on Zoom, so it didn't matter that I wasn't in Los Angeles. I signed up for the six-week A-Z Commercial Technique and completed the final class a few days ago. As others have said, if I could give this class 10 stars I would. Although it is marketed for newbies do not let that deter you if you have experience. I worried that maybe I wouldn't get that much out of the class because I was not a newcomer. Let me assure you, that is not the case. Each week is a deep dive into various types of commercials and how you approach the auditioning process that is specific for each one. The classes focused my attention on areas that I was weak and gave me much needed tools to overcome those weaknesses and book the job. Classes are taught by working actors/session directors with a final class taught by the great commercial master herself - Judy Kain, with industry professionals also in attendance. No matter what your level of experience is, take this class. Judy Kain's A-Z Commercial Technique helped me so much that I just signed up for the next class! read more

Superb training with industry professionals. I signed with talent agents in NY and LA soon after completing this training AND implementing their advice. HIGHLY recommended! read more

I just completed Judy and Tom's "Learn How to Dress to Book the Job" class. It was amazing! I came out with 4 different looks, that will help instantly brand me with casting and directors. It was such a fun format too, each actor shared outfits, looks, and ran back and forth to our closets to really dig to find the shirt, jacket, pants and accessories to finish off the wardrobe. I learned so much from them, especially that I was dressing for auditions with MYSELF in mind, vs the character/type I was auditioning for. Highly recommend! read more

Keep It Real Acting Studio - Performing Arts Near Me

I just completed another Advanced Commercial Call Back Class with Judy Kain and it was as always FABULOUS! Judy is always so so helpful with tips and positive coaching to help you improve. The students were seasoned and very good and the guest casting directors were FANTASTIC. Judy runs a "practice" audition every week, all on zoom, in front of top Casting Directors. After we do our audition, we then have a chance to hear comments and feedback from the guest CD and Judy right after our audition one on one. And the at the end the entire class gets to have Q and A time with the Guest CD. .... This class is like going to the gym but for acting. Great teaching, great networking, great experience. Just keeps getting better. Thank you Judy for creating such a wonderful class. You are so talented, thoughtful, and fun. I highly recommend this class for actors who want to keep their skills sharp. read more

Judy Kain is awesome . She is a good actress and an excellent teacher!! Check her out

I just had the great privilege of taking "Master The Self Tape" class with both Judy Kain and Spencer Kramber. This was by far the best commercial acting class I have ever taken-- Judy and Spencer are incredibly knowledgable, and help you gain confidence as well as crucial skills for the new world of self tape auditions. Over the span of four classes, I learned more than I have in my three years of taking classes in LA. Not only are they great teachers they are also great people. Could not recommend enough! read more

The 6-week A-Z Commercial class with Judy Kain was full of helpful information, as well as opportunities to practice. Excellent!

My daughter really enjoyed this class and learned a lot. The coaches were very friendly and helpful and her agent is pleased with her progress. read more

Just completed my A to Z Commercial Technique class. Loved working with my Teachers Eva and Spencer. They make you feel so comfortable and give you tips on how to perform better. My best one was improv. it made me so relax and flexible with my creativity. I learnt a lot as a beginner to commercial. Already started booking couple principles roles. Looking forward to my Improv class and much more. read more

I just finished the Master the Virtual Commercial Audition class. This is my 2nd class here and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I especially appreciated the practical tips on creating the self-tape and applying the techniques for feedback. If you're serious about your career as an actor, Judy's classes are such an important addition to your foundation, I'm planning on taking another one. Thanks, Judy and staff!! read more

I just finished the Booking the Theatrical Audition class with Stacy Edwards and Judy Kain. I absolutely loved it! They both provided great insight, techniques and feedback for all levels of actors. Our final class had some really wonderful industry professionals present too. I'd highly recommend this class for anyone looking to up their game in the theatrical audition world. read more

Keep It Real Acting is Amazing! The teachers are all working actors and very helpful. I suggest the 4-week Theatrical Class for beginners or more advanced actors. There is always something to learn, and Stacy sees what you need to work on and has a lovely way of teaching you and helping all in the class. The last class, Judy, is your teacher and two industry professionals to see your work. I love this studio. I am signing up for the Commercial Class. read more