APPLY FOR ADMISSION
FIRST YEAR MEISNER ACTING PROGRAM
Begins January 7th, 2025
Call To Schedule an Interview
(917) 794-3878
Do Film & TV Actors Need Voice Training?
-
5m- 0
5m
0
There is a common misconception that the main purpose behind voice training for actors is projection, so most film & tv actors believe they have no use for it. Neither of these things is true. The voice is one of the most intimate parts of ourselves, and we share this continually with others. Our voice is one of the major creative tools of the actor. Whether performing on stage or in film, actors need a voice that is emotionally connected and intelligible. Our parenting, education, and socialization often teach us to stifle and limit our voice’s incredible potential. As actors then, we cannot take for granted that the voice will easily and consistently reach a place of transparency and clarity when needed. Brilliant actors speak with immediacy and personal truth, whether they’re in a 2,000-seat theater or on an intimate film set, and this takes discipline and self-reflection. At the Maggie Flanigan Studio, where the Meisner Technique is the core of our professional conservatory, training of the voice is essential in shaping a dynamic, vulnerable, and serious actor.
Voice Training for Film & TV Actors – Maggie Flanigan Studio – (917) 794-3878
The whole body is part of the vocal instrument, and tension in the lips, tongue, and jaw can compromise range and articulation. Muscular habits like clenching the jaw, squinting the eyes, or pursing the lips, protect us from expressing ourselves freely in moments where it would be inappropriate, or with people who we fear will judge what we say. The camera will also magnify these gestures, often times cluttering and diminishing an actor’s behavior. Repressed emotion goes hand in hand with holding the breath, which causes the voice to be pushed up, squeezed out, or flattened. Vocal fry is one common result of this. On one hand, speech patterns like this are part of our modern culture and may be appropriate for a character. However, it is unfortunate when an actor’s range is limited to his own personal behaviors so that every role he/she takes on has the same limited vocal range, which they carry in daily life.
Through a physical release, the face softens, and the breath becomes freer. This enables the voice to play through the actor’s 3 to 4-octave speaking range; last a long day onset or onstage without wear and tear; and carry the nuance of human emotion in any environment. Accessing specific resonant chambers in the body, mastering the subtleties of how tongue placement affects sound, and fine-tuning the ear to pick up the musicality of language put the actor at a tremendous advantage in acquiring dialects. When the actor is plugged into her voice, the scale of the performance can be incredibly dynamic. To examine the voice simply from the standpoint of whether it’s loud enough diminishes the power of the voice. To explore it from the standpoint of what it is to speak one’s truth, to be vulnerable, to reveal one’s fears and strengths, and to fulfill the desire to share these parts of the self with those who wish to listen, empowers the artist behind the voice. It is this work which separates mediocre actors from real serious artists.
Voice Training for Film & TV Actors – Liz Eckert – (917) 794-3878
More About Voice and Speech Classes for Actors at the Maggie Flanigan Studio
Voice Training for Film & TV Actors is part of the Two Year Acting Program at the Maggie Flanigan Studio. To learn more about the classes and professional training at the studio, call (917) 794-3878.
Recent Post
5m
0
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
“I was placed in the intense reigns of Charlie Sandlan. I became a better artist, actor, friend, sibling and daughter because of the studio. Even now, I crave the studio every day. What I learned is present in my work every day. I truly believe in everything they stand for.”
“Maggie taught me that I could control my work, my acting, and to throw all of the bullshit out that I had in my head about ‘what I should be doing’ and to just listen and respond honestly, in the moment. She gave me a craft. She is, quite simply put, THE BEST.”
“Maggie Flanigan taught me the true meaning of artistry, passion, and professionalism. I am certain that I continue to work as an actress because of my training with Maggie. At every audition and every performance, her guiding voice is with me. It is a gift beyond measure.”
“Maggie Flanigan is uncompromising, her instincts as a teacher are razor sharp. She doesn’t miss a beat”
“Maggie Flanigan has been one of the most important people in my artistic life. I want to work with Maggie trained actors. As an actor myself, she is my first source. I do not say this lightly, if you are serious about acting, and willing to work very hard, then go to Maggie.”
“Maggie helped me find my sense of truth, an actors greatest asset. Maggie is an expert at instilling that vital ingredient, which allows an actor’s potential to become limitless. My work will forever be rooted in the clarity and honesty she helped me develop.”
“After working for ten years, I did the 2 year program, and now feel that I have the tools I need to become the actor I’ve always dreamed of being. Maggie Flanigan instilled in me a clear sense of truth and a standard of perfection. I am a better actor because of this studio.”
“As an actor, the core of what you have to rely on is your sense of truth and humanity. Maggie allowed me to discover and embrace mine. Trusting my sense of humanity and truth has given me the ability to take risks in my work and my career decisions.”
“Maggie Flanigan has the unique ability to get an actor to the essence of what is true in a moment. She creates a safe and caring environment in which to work.”
“Maggie Flanigan introduced me to my own spirit and my own sense of Truth. Her passion for teaching and ability to communicate are rare gifts to any actor looking for a technique to set his or her talent free. Maggie’s voice has been the one constant guide in my career.”
