NYC Acting Classes Maggie Flanigan Studio Alumni Talks about His Training and Movie Role

New York City, New York (November 26, 2013) – Maggie Flanigan Studio alumnus Michael Oberholtzer is sharing his training and experience on being part of the movie “Delivery Man.” The actor, who took Flanigan’s NYC acting classes nine years ago, had a small role in Vince Vaughn’s latest comedy film as one of his sons. In Delivery Man, Vaughn plays the role of an easygoing underachiever who unknowingly fathered more than 500 children in the fertility clinic where he anonymously donated his sperm 20 years ago. Now, about a hundred of them are filing a lawsuit to find out who their biological father is, and one of them is a grocery store bagger named Kyle Walters, played by Oberholtzer. He had an improvised scene with Vaughn, who later told him that he had liked his work. For Oberholtzer, being on the set was a learning experience as he watched Vaughn’s performance while filming. His interest in acting began at a young age.

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Preparation Tips for NYC Acting Classes

Acting classes in New York City are no walk in the park. A students needs to have dedication and patience to master the art of acting. Part of the lessons is acting out scenes in front of the class, something which can be intimidating for a first-timer.

If you are in a similar situation and are feeling anxious about performing in class for the first time, keep calm and remember that practice makes the best preparation. If you will be working with a partner or a group, it is best to initially prepare by your lonesome. Understand the emotional requirements of the scene and consider acting techniques you may have learned in past acting classes (if you have attended any). Memorize your lines well and make a clear picture of the details of the scene in your mind.

Give plenty of time for rehearsals, both alone and with your partner or group. The more you practice, the more you will get comfortable with the scene and the people you will be acting with. Rehearsals will also give you and your fellow students the chance to explore the various ways of tackling the scene. You can experiment with several techniques and methods to find the best approach.

Finally, remember to steady your nerves so you won't stumble or stall come performance time. Keep in mind that you will be performing among fellow students who are there to grow and learn along with you.

The Acting Technique That Helped Launch Careers

What do Grace Kelly, Robert Duvall, Sandra Bullock, Tom Cruise, Naomi Watts, and James Franco have in common? All of them studied a technique that helped them launch their stellar careers.

Almost anyone taking acting classes in NYC will inevitably come across that technique: Meisner. If the Meisner helped these Hollywood superstars, then it must really be exceptional.

So how does the Meisner technique work? Developed by the late Sanford Meisner, the technique trains an actor to access his or her impulses. That causes the actor to draw out real behaviors and responses to circumstances. It is applied to improvisation with another actor, interpreting a script, as well as other basics on acting.

The Meisner technique uses one fundamental exercise called Repetition. In the exercise, two actors sit across and respond to one another using a repeated phrase. If one actor says, “You look unhappy with me,” the other actor responds on impulse.

Basically, the Meisner technique helps achieve two things. First, it gets the actor to stop thinking what to say or do in the given situation. Second, the actor responds to the situation physically and vocally in a spontaneous manner.

The technique, of course, does more than just have two actors respond to a repeated phrase. By taking an acting class teaching the technique, one might find oneself joining the leagues of big names someday.

Developing Your Acting Skills

You may be wondering what you can get from taking acting classes and why aspiring actors bother to enroll or participate in workshops when they can just practice. By taking lessons and joining other students, you can develop your self confidence. You will be more comfortable talking in public and receive constructive feedback from experienced professionals.

The methods and techniques that you learn from the classes will also help you become comfortable showcasing your skills because you won't feel self-conscious, knowing what you're doing is right. The classes can also help you improve your communication skills.

It's not just because you can interact with various other people. Some of the classes are designed to help improve your pronunciation, enunciation, and diction. Aspiring theater actors will also find lessons on how they can project their voice better.

The lessons can also help enrich your imagination. You will be involved in many projects and assignments and, while this also serves as your training, it gets your creative juices flowing, as well. You will learn to analyze texts so you can understand your character better and you will know how to improvise effectively. You will also learn proper movement onstage through various exercises like pantomime.

Other than learning and developing skills, taking acting lessons is a fun and productive way of spending your time. While acting should not be treated as a hobby, it is still enjoyable and can help you improve yourself.

Acting Professionally Requires Training

Acting may seem easy enough, but it's a lot more than pretending you're someone else in a certain situation and delivering a couple of scripted words and hoping to evoke a certain emotion from the audience. It may be fun, but it is a craft and has to be taken seriously. This is why aspiring actors opt to take acting classes where they are trained by those who are knowledgeable in the field.

If you want to be a professional actor and are looking for acting classes in NYC, you have to make sure you are dedicated to your craft and make sure to enroll in credible schools. If they mention some popular actors that have trained under them, it wouldn't hurt to check if these claims are actually true. These classes are an investment that will help you learn the basics and develop and improve your skills.

Choose the schedule that is most convenient to you. It is your time and investment, so if you're doubtful you can attend some of the sessions. When you are in class, you have to be completely focused. These are not pure theories and lectures, there will be acting exercises, which will serve as your training, as well.