10 Best Acting Classes - Learn Acting Online
The Best Acting Classes and training for beginners to learn Acting in 2024.
Cinema and theatre are mediums that have captivated our minds for millennia, and with time, this art has only become more intense and more technical with the pursuit of perfection. To demonstrate and portray the wide range of emotions that completely immerse the audience, an actor must train diligently.
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List of Top Acting Classes and Certifications
1. Learn Acting by Samuel Jackson
In this online acting class, the Oscar-nominated star Samuel Jackson shares how he creates memorable characters, powerful performances, and a long-lasting career. Learn to master auditions, analyze scripts, and find the truth in every role you play.
The course includes:
- Creating Characters
- Physical Characterization
- Case Study: Caveman's Valentine
- Breaking Down Script for Bettering your Understanding
- Character Biographies
- Voice & Character
- Plumb Your Emotional Depths
- Use Your Voice, Use Your Body
- Working With Directors
- On-Set Collaborations
- Developing Characterization
- Making old Choices
- Enriching Your Acting Practice
- Auditioning
- Growing Your Acting Career
- Hollywood Lessons
You will learn how Sam imbues every role with a sense of purpose and complexity of character—even if they only appear on screen for a few minutes. Here, he shares the fundamentals of his characterization process.
The course dives deep into the myriad ways actors can use their bodies to reflect their characters' personalities. Learn how to use posture, gait, voice, and physical appearance to add complexity to your characters.
After that, Samuel breaks down the nuances of his characterization process and performance as Romulus, a prodigal but schizophrenic and homeless concert pianist, in The Caveman's Valentine.
Apart from that, he also breaks down the Ezekiel passage and walks you through the different ways the character could perform the scene.
Creating an in-depth character backstory is an integral part of Sam's process. He pushes you to develop a connection with Jules by imagining his life story and how he got to this moment in the diner.
The course reveals how his childhood experiences have informed his approach to character voices throughout his career and discuss his method of developing a vocalization plan.
The masterclass analyzes the students' choices of power positions when playing Danny and how movement and stillness can each convey power in a different way. It shows how posture works on each side of the phone as each character is pushed to their limits.
Learn Sam's tried-and-true methods for developing strong working relationships with directors. He describes the movie set environment as "a moving circus." Also, learn his code of on-set conduct, which has earned him respect throughout the industry as a true professional.
You will learn how to encourage and nurture a sense of curiosity and explore stories set in worlds that you are unfamiliar with so that you have a more expansive view of the characters you take on throughout your acting career.
This master class walks you through the most critical business relationships you'll form as an actor and offers wisdom on how to best work with them.
You can take Learn Acting by Samuel Jackson on MasterClass.
2. Acting for Film, Television and Theatre: Introductory Course
Create and develop robust, dynamic, and authentic characters for any acting medium in 12 practical steps.
In this course, you will learn how to:
- create characters using a powerful, dynamic, simple, and authentic technique.
- break open a script or monologue from any acting medium.
- build confidence as an actor and performer.
- audition with more authenticity and power.
- have an in-depth understanding of what's required for complete and compelling character analysis.
Acting for Film, Television and Theatre is a step-by-step course to guide actors from the script to the screen and stage, creating fully realized, dynamic and authentic characters.
This course offers a simple way to break open your characters and bring out your best performance. The system is structured so that each lecture addresses a specific requirement in breaking open a surface.
You can take Acting for Film, Television and Theatre: Introductory Course Certificate Course on Udemy.
- Course rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 (92 Ratings total)
- Duration: 2 h
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
3. Learn Acting by Natalie Portman
In her first-ever acting class, Natalie shows how empathy is at the core of every outstanding performance, how to bring real-life details into every role, and how to build your own creative process. Get ready for your breakout performance.
The course includes:
- Getting To Know Your Character
- Developing Your Character Through Research
- Forging Your Character's Physicality
- Physical Gesture
- Case Study: Black Swan
- Dialect Coaching: Research And Practicing
- Dialect Coaching In "Jackie"
- Working On Set
- Performing On Camera
- Working With Directors
- Working With Terrence Malick
- Playing A Real Character
- Improvisation
- Working With The Set And Props
- Green Screen Acting
- Advice For Actors
- Active Empathy
To fully embody a character, you first need to understand what makes them tick. Learn how to dig for illuminating details, create a personal timeline, and analyze influential relationships.
Real-life resources are invaluable for developing your character. Learn how historical research, documentaries, and even YouTube videos can help you understand your character's motivations and behavior.
To develop your character, you will need to use your body. Learn how to find the correct movements and physical exercises and how to use wardrobe and makeup to embody the role.
Natalie shares three performances by actors who have inspired her, breaking down how they use physical movement to reveal character in surprising ways. Also, learn how she prepared for her role in "Black Swan" as a ballerina losing her grip on reality, which included training with a ballet instructor for months.
When preparing for roles that involve a foreign language, accent, or dialect, Natalie works with her dialect coach. Next, you will learn how they collaborate to shape the voice of a character.
Learn her techniques for working on set. You'll learn how to emotionally connect with collaborators, handle vulnerability and self-consciousness, and maintain energy during a long day of shooting.
After years of performing on camera, Natalie has figured out what helps her achieve her best work. She explains her personal process as well as other tips for making the most of your time in front of the camera.
Learn how to navigate your relationship with the director and bring your own ideas to the table. The course will also guide you through exercises to help you analyze a character arc, conduct character research, and dissect a director's approach.
Playing a historical figure requires intensive research into both the private and public sides of your character. Learn how you can stay true to the facts about your character while leaving room for invention and creativity.
Improvisation is an opportunity to create. You will learn how to engage with your environment, be alert, and actively listen. Next, you will walk through a sample scene and learn how to work with the set, props, and camera.
Finally, Green-screen acting forces you to rely solely on your imagination. Here, Natalie offers practical tips on how to approach this unique acting challenge.
You can take Learn Acting by Natalie Portman on MasterClass.
4. Professional 10 Hour Acting MASTERCLASS
Get Started Today.
In this course, you will learn how to:
- get into character at a quickened pace.
- acting for the camera.
- acting for the stage.
- obtain a blueprint for how to practice in real.
- build believable and honest feelings.
- be able to run through a scene/script properly.
- walk into a room with confidence.
- interact with the director/casting director.
- practice your acting every day.
- what it means to be an actor.
- have a personal foundation for your acting.
- how to have fun again/bring yourself to work.
The course includes:
- Unpredictability
- Listening
- Physicality
- Voice
- Analyzing a Scene/Script & Knowing What You're Trying to Say
- Confidence
- Your Instrument
- Speaking Aloud
- Your Top 10 Actors
- Making The Camera Your Ally
- Memorization
- Your Personal Skillset/Toolbox
- Goals
- Headshots
- The Agent
- Easing The Audition Process
- The Casting Director
- Saying "No"
- Using the Director to Your Advantage
- The Never-Ending Hustle
- Get Rid of Neediness
- Off Days
- Stop Complaining
- Looks
- Kindness
- Become a Sponge
You can take the Professional 10 Hour Acting MASTERCLASS Certificate Course on Udemy.
- Course rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 (1,011 Ratings total)
- Duration: 10 h
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
5. Learn Acting By Helen Mirren
In her first-ever online acting class, Academy Award-winning actress Helen Mirren shares the techniques she has learned through the course of her international career that has spanned stage, screen, and television.
The course includes:
- Helen's Journey in the Theater
- Evolving as a Theater Actress
- Choosing Roles
- Breaking Down a Script
- Shakespeare
- Finding Your Character
- Fictional & Real Characters
- Creating Characters & Costumes
- Preparation And Rehearsal
- Human Behavior
- Film Acting Technique
- Acting on a Film Set
- Characterizing A Set & Props
- Working With Directors & Writers
Initially, you will learn some valuable lessons about voice training, physicality, and control. Helen also gives you a bit of advice for auditions and shares her unique way of assessing a role.
Breaking down a script is a very personal process. Learn Helen's way of tackling a large volume of material at once, and experience the joy of discovering your character's dialogue in your own mouth.
Observe the process for breaking down a Shakespeare passage by working through Portia's "Quality of Mercy" speech from The Merchant of Venice, a monologue she's never performed before.
Also, see the breakdown of her famous speech—"Our Revels" from The Tempest—giving you insight into her profoundly personal relationship with the lines. Learn to find your character in the world around you and the importance of having a personal story that drives you in every role.
In the master class, Helen breaks down her two types of research—literal and poetic—and emphasizes the importance of researching the people in your character's profession rather than just the job itself.
Learn how Helen approached research for historical roles such as Elizabeth I, Elizabeth II, and Ayn Rand. Learn how various costumes serve the characters who wear them and make more thoughtful choices about your characters' wear.
Learn a new perspective on aspects of the preparation and rehearsal process, from learning your lines to working with a dialect coach to overcoming creative blocks. Also, discover the essential human behaviors and aspects of the human experience you'll need in your toolbox throughout your acting career.
Actors may overlook details of set decoration, but Helen encourages you to think about what set dressing can say about your character. Learn how changing the dressing of a set can tell different stories about the character who lives there.
Finally, you will learn how to create successful relationships with writers and directors, and she shares lessons learned from working with renowned director Robert Altman on the film Gosford Park.
You can take Learn Acting by Helen Mirren on MasterClass.
6. Acting 101 for Adults
Acting 101 for Adults.
In this course, you will learn how to:
- master the techniques used by successful actors.
The course includes:
- The Toolbox
- Agents and Managers
- Knowing Your Type and Marketability
- Audition Preparation
- Commercial Auditioning
- Character Analysis and Breakdowns Part
- Basic Slating
- Preparing a Monologue
- SAG-AFTRA and Casting
From working on auditions, monologues, and scene studies to sharing the secrets of success in local markets and Hollywood, you will learn the ins and out of marketing yourself.
This course will give you the tools you need to be a successful working actor.
This course introduces you to various methods used for teaching and enhancing your acting skills. Whether you are just considering an acting career, want to learn new techniques, sharpen your skills, or be a seasoned actor, you can refine your talents.
It will explain the essential tools for your toolbox, including a resume, headshot, website, manager, demo reel, and proper warm-up. From working on auditions, monologues, and scene studies to sharing the secrets of success in local markets and in Hollywood, you will learn the ins and out of marketing yourself.
You can take the Acting 101 for Adults Certificate Course on Udemy.
- Course rating: 4.4 out of 5.0 (799 Ratings total)
- Duration: 7 h
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
7. The Captivating Actor - A Complete & Comprehensive Guide
With YouTube Star Rick Segall - How to improve your chances of success in your craft & your career.
In this course, you will learn how to:
- achieve the things you want in your career, and get more out of your craft.
- avoid the failures and pitfalls, so many actors get caught up.
- magnetically attract the right people for your career, and make influential friends in the industry.
- eliminate the fear of rejection and judgment.
- gain more power, control, and influence in your life, your craft, and your career.
- overcome stage fright and anxiety.
- gain a deep, core understanding of yourself as a person, as an actor, and as a vital part of the entertainment industry.
- realize the only two things that can stop you from being an actor (and why so many actors fail to see it).
- understand the entertainment industry from all angles and how you can stand out from the crowd.
- gain clarity in your acting and career goals, including tools to help you achieve those goals.
- find out the reality about theater and the industry about which nobody wants to conversate.
- master the two most powerful things an actor can do when it's showtime.
- tip the odds in your favor during auditions and callbacks.
- uncover the secret why the best actors don't actually act.
- be able to create truthful, believable characters in a few simple steps, and generate real emotions.
- build genuine and lasting relationships with industry professionals who can help you achieve your dreams.
- be empowered not only in your own work but in your life, in your career, and as an invaluable contributor to the art form.
The course includes:
- What Every Actor Has To Know
- The Truth About Acting And The Entertainment Industry
- The Business Of Acting
- The Industry & You
- How To Captivate Your Audience
- Your Understanding Of The Craft
- Your Understanding Of Technique & Theory
- Your Understanding Of Auditions
- What It Takes To Be Captivating
This course includes everything from technique to social media & headshots to representation. You'll also discover the hidden realities about the entertainment industry.
You can take The Captivating Actor - A Complete & Comprehensive Guide Certificate Course on Udemy.
- Course rating: 4.3 out of 5.0 (160 Ratings total)
- Duration: 4 h 5 m
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
8. Directing the Actor: A USC course with Nina Foch
Learn directing and acting techniques from renowned actress Nina Foch in this USC Master Class.
In this course, you will learn how to:
- take acting lessons for Actors and Directors.
- analyze scripts and manage successful castings.
The course includes:
- Breaking Down The Script
- Casting
- Quick Tips: Casting
- Video Scene Analysis
- Directing Lessons
- Quick Tips: Directing
- Acting Lessons
- Quick Tips: Acting
- Showbiz Tales
- Nina Foch Critiques Herself in "Illegal"
The course covers script analysis, casting, directing, and acting.
You can take Directing the Actor: A USC course with Nina Foch Certificate Course on Udemy.
- Course rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 (1,251 Ratings total)
- Duration: 4 h
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
9. Shakespeare Unlocked: Learn Classical Acting
How to use your voice and body to perform classical monologues on stage with confidence, clarity, and emotion.
In this course, you will learn how to:
- perform a Shakespearean monologue with confidence and clarity
- understand your strengths and weaknesses as a performer through individualized feedback on your performance
- approach a Shakespearean monologue or text, analyze it and understand it
- warm up your body and voice to perform anywhere
- bring clarity of thought and expression to your classical and contemporary acting
- speak Shakespeare and be understood by your audiences
- be focused and free from distraction on stage
In this course, you will learn how to use your body and your voice to express yourself on stage. At the same time, the focus is on Shakespearean text, the methods, and techniques that the course teaches are foundational to all types of acting.
After this course, you will feel confident to tackle any Shakespearean monologue or scene. You will know how to bring your performance to life and have it filled with emotion, truth, and your own vibrant presence.
You can take Shakespeare Unlocked: Learn Classical Acting Certificate Course on Udemy.
- Course rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 (84 Ratings total)
- Duration: 3 h 5 m
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
10. Acting MASTERCLASS: Be a Working Actor and Book Auditions!
Step-by-Step acting guide on making it as a working actor.
In this course, you will learn how to:
- build a solid and reliable acting technique that books jobs.
- act for the camera.
- effectively practice acting every day.
- stay confident and conquer anxiety.
- take control of your acting career.
- find an agent.
- book major TV and film jobs!
- understand the winning formulas for a compelling Picture, Resume and Demo Reel.
- master the art of auditioning for the camera.
The course includes:
- Promotional Materials That Book
- Finding An Agent
- Easy Steps to Breakdown Down Scenes
- Audition Technique
- Memorization Master
- How to Tame Your Nerves
- Dealing With Rejection
You can take Acting MASTERCLASS: Be a Working Actor and Book Auditions! Certificate Course on Udemy.
- Course rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 (132 Ratings total)
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
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