Class Descriptions Audiobook Express, Levels I & II Accent Lab (Study & Workout) Private Coaching (Audiobooks & documentaries, vocal & speech production, accents, audition/role coaching, speech making & presentation) Reading Aloud for Fun or Profit Conservatory Seminars, Workshops & Curriculum Design Demo Production & Web Design     Audiobook Express A fast-paced, concentrated and practical course for those looking to jump-start into the professional world of audiobook recording.  Targets fiction and/or non-fiction as per client needs.   Level I covers creative and technical preparation, choices, approaches and productivity; Level II continues  with creative choices and on-mic techniques. AE Level I: Six hours of of intensive audiobook technique & practice including, textual approaches and analysis, character voicing, pacing, text prep for high productivity, industry terminology, reading aloud, genre analysis, and survey listening.  A must for anyone looking to gain competetive edge in the industry. See Schedule: Choose a Saturday (12-6PM) or Sunday (10AM-4:30PM)  $250* (includes Student Handbook) *For discounts, see "Bring-a-Buddy" and "Audit Option" below. AE Level II: Four personally coached, on-mic recording sessions at a professional audiobook studio.  Using 3 assigned texts and 1 Actors' Choice, participants practice microphone technique and performance approaches including dynamics, breathing, character voicing, punch-in recording, using textual clues and creating nuance.  Builds confidence, awareness and practical ability.  See Schedules:  4 weeknights (6:30pm-9pm) $585* (includes $25 materials fee) *For discounts, see "Bring-a-Buddy" and "Audit Option" below. AUDIT OPTION: Students rave about the wealth of unexpected benefits from this MasterClass observer experience. Now, auditors can get all these benefits, too. This option is ideal for anyone with limited funds who wants to see the "in the booth" experience up close and observe a professional director at work. An amazing value and a great opportunity for aspiring audiobook directors and engineers as well. (Offered for AE Levels I & II only) See AE I & II schedules "BRING-A-BUDDY" $50 DISCOUNT:  Get $50 off the price of AE class for you and a friend when you sign up together.  Talk about a win/win situation. Applies to Audiobook Express only. See "Bring-a-Buddy" payment option on Registration & Payment page. Click to Register Accent Lab Once upon a time in the USA, using stereotyped accents was acceptable.  Thankfully, this is no longer the case. Contemporary demands of stage, film and audiobooks require true-sounding characters. The challenge with accents is to acheive a natural sound, yet be fully understandable to the American ear. To be expressive, yet with no "slips" when a character's emotion or stress is high.  Accent Lab gives you the 3 fundamentals for each accent studied: rhythmic/intonation patterns, vowel & consonant changes, and dialectical changes for each. Class meets for three, 90 min sessions to establish the fundamentals of each accent (typically a Mon/Wed/Mon). Students then return to any and as many Accent Workouts for on-going, practical usage sessions.  After the initial 3 classess, you work at your own pace, on a conbination of my/your own material.  Students may return to Accent Workouts for practice, audition prep, or role coaching as desired. Accent Lab grounds the actor in the sounds, music, stress patterns and physicality of the desired accent. Accent Workout fine tunes the work, incorporates the release of action and emotions on text, keeping it active, expressive and consistent in performance.  Accents Offered: RP and Cockney.  A thorough knowledge of these two British accents is the bedrock of the American actor's accent kit bag. From here you can make ajustments for other U.K. accents. The American South: A must for the American actor. Two basic variations are taught which can be used as a basis for more localized work when you know specifically where your character(s) is from. Irish & French: The "Lucky Charms" sterotype sound is unacceptable and offensive to many Irish. However, Irish characters are routinely found in American literature, so you be wise to be prepared to do it well. An artistic mecca and a new world colonizer, France spread its language to the Caribbean, Africa, Russia, Indonesia, Canada and our own Louisiana.  But so many actors find it hard to do French well and be understood. Not after this course. Africa & the Caribbean: Africa is a huge continent with myriad languages spoken. But finding the underlying rhythm will help you anchor it down. Covers differentiation between major language groups, including clicks. The "Island lilt" is often a stumper for actors.  However, we increasingly encounter characters from the Islands and a solid foundation of Jamaican (the most widely heard) will allow you to modify it for other island dialects.   Accent Workshop: A monthly, 90 minute pratice session that lets you paractice until you've mastered it. Focus is on 1st and 3rd person exposition. Advanced participants tackle dialogue wtih character switching. Mon & Wed: 4PM-5:30PM and 6PM-7:30PM  $45/Study Lab $35/Workout Lab   *Private and full production coaching is also offered. I recommend coaching begin by 2nd week of rehearsal. Please inquire about accent varieties. Click to Register   Private in-Home/in-Studio Coaching Work on what you need, when you need it, be it artistic, technical, even a career change transition! We can work on vocal strength, stamina, voicing and characterization, accents, textual nuances, marketing strategies, or preparation for your audiobook/documentary film auditions & bookings.  You can even bring in your current demo for a quick assessment.  $95/55 min session / $425 for pkg of 5 (saves you $50) $135/80 min session / $625 for pkg of 5 (saves you $50)   $125/hour for in-home coaching *Returning Audibook Express students recieve $10 off above rates.   Reading Aloud for Fun or Profit A great survey class for non-performing arts professionals covering approaches to differnt kinds of material, from children's books to mainstream fiction to non-fiction. Helps build confidence and expressivity. Includes: Coached practice sessions with lots of hands-on attention, Approaches to different texts, character & dialogue voicing, and Speech & voice production workout.  2 Saturdays 12pm - 3pm $75. Click to Register Conservatory Workshops & Seminars Uphold the standards of conservatory level training for your voice over, narration or accent study classes. You get comprehensive content that addresses the academic, artistic and real-world considerations of both institution and student.  Curriculum design consulting, full semester, 1/2 semester and short workshops are available.  Fees vary according to needs (class size, curriculum content, faculty training, etc.). Please call to access curriculum pages.

Demos & Web Design Demo Production Your Demo is your strongest marketing tool. It makes sense to ensure its quality. Opt for "The Recession Special" (recorded in a quiet room) or Studio Quality demo, both with coaching and guidance. (Robin Miles will oversee the material selection/editing process, coach and direct you through delivery and interpretation, all with an eye toward highlighting your strengths.)  Recording/editing done in collaboration with John Marshall Sound, Spoken Word Grammy winner of 2004. See Demo page for options.