Hal Masonberg's Commercial Acting Workshops

Hal Masonberg's Commercial Acting Workshops

5.0Exceptional(7 reviews)

About

First, I will take you behind the scenes of the entire casting process --from slating to booking-- and make sure you know how to successfully navigate the auditioning world as a professional, working actor. Then, by keeping our class sizes small (8 students max), I will work closley with you to make sure you organically and intuitively understand how to find yourself in any script; how to bring your stories and unique perspectives to life beyond the words on a page. i.e show casting directors and directors what is distinctive and invaluable about YOU as an actor.

I also record our classes and send them to you via a password-protected link so that you can view your in-class work, as well as my direction, at home.

With over 25 years under my belt as a Casting Session Director for both commercial and theatrical auditions, I have worked with the biggest casting directors and directors in the industry. Casting directors and agents inquire regularly as to who has been taking my workshops and who I would recommend for their current jobs and new talent searches. I keep them up-to-date via a monthly Newsletter showcasing your headshot and professional contact info!

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

I absolutely love working with actors. As both a veteran of casting and a working filmmaker, exploring storytelling with actors is one of my favorite things in life. It is truly a passion.

In addition, it is essential to me that I offer alternative choices and paths to actors so they understand the myriad choices before them and how best to chart a path that is sculpted from their passions and desires. The need for self-expression, self-fullfillment, and how to find recognition and opportunities doing what you most love to do. The way you want to do it. On your terms.


Highlights

19 years in business
Serves Sherman Oaks , CA

Social media


Reviews

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GF

Gale F.

Hal is an amazing teacher with years of experience in the industry; this workshop added so much to my training and made such good sense, its a definite must-have for anyone who wants to work in commercial acting.
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May 17, 2018

JB

Jim B.

Hal puts sooo much effort and attention into each of his students. His process is amazing.
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May 17, 2018

DW

Ditria W.

It was great, the best Commercial workshop ever. You get a lot of
camera time and learn a lot.
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May 17, 2018

MS

Michael S.

I am very thankful that I found Hals classes when I did, he does a really good job of making the space that you are in feel as comfortable as possible to you as the actor, and encourages you to try out different things and making you realize that it is okay to make mistakes even in an audition. Also, the class size was another big plus, as it gives you more one on one time with Hal, also he films every class and sends you the footage so you can look back on your takes and see what went right and what went wrong. I would highly recommend Hals class to anyone who is looking to not only learn a lot about commercial acting, but just how to be a better actor.
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May 17, 2018

KG

Kathy G.

Hal works you but has an ease about him that makes it easy to work with him. He’ll challenge you and get the best from you! I learned a lot in his workshop and I use the techniques frequently.
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May 16, 2018

DL

Dasha L.

Anybody who would like to improve their approach to booking the next audition or mastering subtle tricks of acting for camera should sign up for any of Hal Masonbergs Commercial Acting Workshops. Hes an amazing teacher with decades of hands on experience working in the industry - including casting department for Whats Eating Gilbert Grape and even writing and directing his own feature film The Plague distributed by Sony Pictures. He has a unique caring approach to working individually with actors to cater directly to their strengths and weaknesses for overall growth. Check out and join his classes if you can!
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May 16, 2018

Frequently asked questions

All students start out with the Complete On-Camera Acting & Auditioning Workshop. That workshop only takes 8 students at a time so each student, whether new to acting or just brushing up, will get personalized in-class attention and direction geared toward their specific strengths and weaknesses. 

Over 25 years working both film and commercial casting. I have also worked as a studio writer/director and am an award-winning independent filmmaker. 

All workshops are 5 evenings long meeting once a week for 3 hours. The cost for the full 15 hours is $300. 

I discovered early on that actors I had gotten to know either personally or professionally were NOT bringing to their commercial auditions the same skills and insights they would being to film and TV auditions. I realized that many actors were  second-guessing what we as casting directors and our clients wanted from them in the audition room. And they were mostly guessing wrong! I watched far too many actors undermine their own auditions while not allowing us to see the full range of creativity and insight they would bring to any role/project. I began teaching to help more actors get out of their own way so that they can start making fans of casting directors and directors and start working at doing what they love. 

I work with both actors who are just starting out as well as actors who have been in the business for decades. And everyone in-between. 

Make certain that their teaching style matches your learning style. What kind of an envoronment do they create in the classroom? Is it a safe place to take risks? Ask questions? Make mistakes? How much actual time do you get working in front of the camera? How many students do they allow in a class? Are their too many? Will you walk away feeling that you had enough time and personalized attention to grow in the time allotted? 


Services offered

Acting