Professional Acting Classes for Film and Television on the Rise Due to GA Tax Incentives

Georgia has become a very active location for the filming of many film and television projects in the last year.  The activity has resulted in many local actors spending time in the classroom to sharpen their acting and voice over skills by turning to professional training at Creative Studios of Atlanta.  

“The demand for well trained actors in Atlanta is a definite factor for many actors turning to training,” says Ken Feinberg, owner of Creative Studios of Atlanta.  “We handle a lot of casting for commercials, film and television at our studio and I saw the need for more well trained actors in Georgia to handle the increase in demand we are experiencing here in Atlanta.”  Many celebrities such as Betty White, Jennifer Anniston, Dennis Quaid Jennifer Love Hewitt, Alan Alda, Lucy Lui and Ryan Reynolds are involved in filming in Georgia this month.  Professional actors from Los Angeles and New York are moving to Atlanta for work which makes it more competitive for the Georgia based actors.  “Atlanta has some fantastic talent and casting directors across the country are realizing this too.  Professional actors know how critical it is to stay in acting classes.  At Creative Studios we’ve been adding more acting classes and workshops for all age ranges on a monthly basis as our current classes are rapidly filling up, ” continued Feinberg who is a casting director, award-winning film producer and director and was a professional actor in LA with many credits including: “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, “Star Trek”, “The District”, “Charmed” and many more.

Last month, Creative Studios opened its new Educational Annex to accommodate for this increase and also added a voice-over studio.   Creative Studios’ new Educational Annex offers three new casting rooms, educational rooms, and a voice over studio. The voice over studio is headed by multi-award winning talent and audio producer, Deborah Richards.  Voice over classes, demos and recordings are all offered in the new voice over studio. 

Creative Studios seeks out high level professionals who are also outstanding teachers to coach and mentor the talent in classes. Recently, Kate Guyton Morgens, former New York University full time faculty member at the Tisch School of the Arts has joined as a new faculty member at Creative Studios.  One class Kate is teaching is on monologues, a tool every actor needs.  Dave Pileggi, a professional actor, improv coach and comedian will be teaching both workshops and classes on “Commercial and Callback Improvisation.”  A “Transitioning from Stage to Film” taught by Karen Byer, “Foundations for Film Acting” with Tom Thon, “Meisner Technique” with Vince Pisani and Scene Study, Acting for Film and Television (all ages), “Acting Foundations” with Chris Cole Harris and “Voice Over” with Deborah Richards are some of the classes offered at Creative Studios.  Also, an Advanced Scene Study class for professional working actors is being taught by professional actor, Clayton Landey. Classes are offered 7 days a week with both daytime and evening schedules available.

Creative Studio also supplements their training offering Master Level Professional workshops on the weekend monthly by top industry professional brought in from New York and Los Angeles.  In the upcoming month film producer Barnett Bain who’s Oscar winning film “What Dreams May Come” starring Robin Williams and Cuban Gooding, Jr. will be at the studio teaching two workshops October 22^nd-23^rd with seating still available.  In November, multi-award winning casting director for Disney’s Broadway, film and animation, Jen Rudin, will be teaching a weekend full of workshops November 12^th-15^th.  Ms. Rudin will be teaching workshops for Musical Theatre, Film and Television Auditioning and Voice over Animation in separate classes from tweens/teens and adults November 12^th- 15^th.  “We are committed to bringing to Atlanta the best training for our talent,” says Feinberg. 

The Educational Annex at Creative Studios is also the home of the highly selective Kids, Tweens and Teens Film Academy.  The Sr. Film Academy Company members will be airing their new Webisode next month with some of Atlanta’s strongest young, professional actors.

Sadly, one of Creative Studios’ beloved faculty who taught “The Actor’s Journey”, the incredibly talented and soulful Deborah Calloway Duke from “Sweet Home Alabama” passed away this past week.  Deborah’s influence on her students will last a lifetime.  Former student, Isabella Amara recalls, “She had a very special way of connecting with her students allowing you to find freedom, love, security and vulnerabilities to improve your acting and you also as a person.  Every time I saw her she said, “There’s my baby girl. I love you and there nothing you can do about it!”  She made everyone feel special and loved. She was a wonderful actress and coach….a very special person and cool too.”  Creative Studios and her students were very fortunate to have been coached by Deborah who was trained early in her life as an actress by the late Butterfly McQueen from “Gone with the Wind.”  Deborah taught in her own special way of how to really connect down deep and will be missed.

Creative Studios of Atlanta is located in mid-town Atlanta in the Atlantic Station area offering free parking and WIFI. 

For more information on classes, workshops, casting or studio rentals visit:  www.CreativeStudiosofAtlanta.com or call 404.355.4588.