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About Accelerated Professional Development Training
Classes are taught at the School of Voice Over in St. Louis Park just southwest of 100 and 394 (map and directions). The address is 5821 Cedar Lake Rd S, St. Louis Park, MN 55416. It is in the Sunset Ridge Office Center.
Accelerated Professional Development coaching is not only faster (4.5 weeks, instead of five weeks), it packs much, much more in:
- OVER an hour more coaching (4 hours 45 minutes vs. 3 hours 40 minutes)
- A 24-hour audition line you can call to record a performance and get professional feedback on that performance from a pro coach.
- Plenty of verbal and written feedback and guidance for home practice and review twice weekly .
- Private online forum to chat with coaches, includes all your assignments and scripts.
- All at a lower cost! Compare what you get:
| What you get: | Pro Development | Regular |
| Total Coaching Hrs | 4 Hours, 45 Minutes | 3 Hours, 40 Min |
| Audition Line: | 3 Sessions | NO Sessions |
| Online Forum: | Yes | NO |
| Phone coaching: | 2 Hrs 30 Mins | 1 Hr 15 Min |
| In-Person Coaching: | 2 Hrs 15 Mins | 2 Hrs 30 Min |
| Coaches: | 2-3 | 1 |
| Cost: | $435 (limited time) | $500 |
Already signed up? Set up your sessions here:
These are in addition to your regularly scheduled 3 weekly in-person semi-private sessions:
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Audition line: (612) 787-7176
The following description is for the NON-accelerated
training, while this page is being updated:
This is the most intensive training available, 20 sessions in all. There will be 1-3 coaches and an engineer working with you at all times during in-person sessions.
► Regular price of this class is $750, but during the 2014 Voice Acting Expo, classes are starting as low as $435.
What Happens in Professional Development Coaching?
First, we show you how to set up a simulated home studio for practice and evaluations for under $10. Then, each 20-part Professional Development series includes:
- 11 multi-day practice tests with optional audition line check-in;
- A total of 9 live evaluations with a core performance coach;
- 5 phone coaching sessions;
- 3 multi-hour in-person sessions with a core performance coach;
- 1 75-minute private sessions
The series is divided into four parts:
Introduction with a core performance coach.
- Info on setting up your simulated a home studio for practice and evaluations.
- Sessions: 2 total—Initial phone session and customized practice tests.
- Evaluation: Current skills and problem areas. How to best individualize training.
- Practice tests: Core vocal and acting skills.
Skill Building with a core performance coach and an engineer.
- Sessions: 12 total—3 in-person; 3 phone coaching, 6 practice tests.
- Time on mic: Devoted to rapid skill building, applying performance techniques.
- Emphasis: Performance, vocal control and highly individualized practice techniques.
- Evaluation: Core performance technique strengths and weaknesses.
- Practice tests: Selected skills and customized troubleshooting.
Simulated Professional Work with multiple coaches and an engineer.
- Sessions: 5 total—1 in-person; 1 phone coaching, 3 practice tests.
- Time on mic: Varied between session and audition-style work. One director coaching you primarily on your technique skill, one guiding you on your interpretation ability.
- Emphasis: Acting, interpretation and consistency. For advanced students, guidance on selection of new reads in preparation for demo.
- Evaluation: Consistency; ability to win auditions; interpretation quality.
- Practice tests: Troubleshooting skills or read types.
Goal Setting with a core performance coach or the founder.
- Sessions: 2 total—1 phone coaching, 1 practice test.
- Emphasis: Review and test of all abilities, clarifying practice goals.
- Evaluation: Readiness to win auditions. Complete final evaluation. For advanced students, guidance on key reads for demo.
- Customized practice: Determined by student's final goals in consultation with core performance coach
| "Lots of time on mic, supportive environment, small class size, incredible coaches...and after taking several classes I have an agent and am working!" –Student Michael White |
Don’t schedule this training unless you have time to practice outside of class! It’s a waste of your time and money otherwise.
New voice over training options!
By popular request, you can now receive additional training easily with these new options:
- You have the option to receive 15 minutes of additional in-person training at any time (with advance notice) before or after any class for an additional $27.
- You have the option to receive private coaching and extra time throughout the series, giving you 40+ minutes each week (vs. 25) for $79 in addition to whatever you have paid for the series. This means you get on mic for 40+ minutes in a row, often with two coaches. Time scheduling is flexible.
Many take this class repeatedly because our instructors will always challenge you at your level to expand your skills, and it's a lot of fun!
| "I learned more than I expected to! Very helpful critiques. I grew as a voiceover talent, and as a person—I have more confidence now. I learned a lot by paying attention to others' feedback too. You really do learn more for less in a very small group." –Student Katie Horvat |
Register here now using discount code DISCOUNT (all CAPS) to receive the $399 price. Be sure to click "Apply" before clicking "Check out" to get the discount.
What a typical week looks like:
- In-person skill evaluation;
- In-person coaching: Multi-hour, engineer-recorded;
- In-person skill evaluation;
- Training and tests in practice studio with phone check-ins;
- Live skill evaluation by phone;
- Live phone coaching with your core performance coach;
- Training and tests in practice studio with phone check-ins.
Some of the great coaches who work one-on-with students include:
Dave Larson
Dave is an actor and VO talent who coaches VO, acting, improv and stand-up, and makes his living as a voice over coach, talent, speaker and consultant.
John Wehrman
John is the "Baritone-Next-Door,” a longtime and very experienced voice over talent. Moore Talent represents him for voice and on-camera.
Ross Young
Ross is a Twin Cities director, actor and voiceover artist with extensive stage, on-camera, improvisation and voice over experience.
Gary Groomes
Gary is a longtime stage, film and voice actor. He once did a single-line VO spot that paid him $25,000/year for many years.
Gary Bingner
Gary Bingner is Creative Director of Quasimodo Advertising. He’s coached thousands of talent, and is a longtime VO talent represented by Wehmann.
Laura Johnson
Laura is the managing agent and owner of NUTS talent agency. She previously worked full time as an on-camera and voice over talent.
John Farrell
John is one of the most experienced and busiest voices in the industry, with thousands of vocal credits. He is represented by NUTS.
Beth Chaplin
Beth, author of The Acting Biz: A Career Guide to the Twin Cities, works in radio, TV, industrial & much more.
James Cada
James has been the Guthrie’s Lead Voice over instructor for several years. He has performed nationally in film and on stage for over thirty years.
Geanette Poole
Geanette is the owner of Talent Poole, representing and helping the careers of hundreds of skilled Twin Cities voice talent.
Kate Lawrence Baker
Kate has long been the primary voice over agent at Moore Creative, and teaches voiceover at the Guthrie.
Scott Jorgenson
Scott is in his second decade working in TV, VO, theater, print, improv and comedy and is heading to NY this fall in preparation to host a TV show.
Nancy Crocker
Nancy has worked extensively, appearing in five independent films, dozens of plays, countless radio and TV commercials, and corporate films.
Gigi Jensen
Gigi has worked steadily for many years in commercials and films, as a voiceover and on-camera talent. She is represented by NUTS.
Jerry Horwath
Jerry founded Voicebox Talent to build and coach a world class talent roster and connect them with fortune 500 companies.
Len Goodman
Len is a popular VO coach and experienced voice talent represented by NUTS. He owns Len Goodman Graphic Design.
Susan Spongberg
Susan has worked in all aspects of the Twin Cities voice over industry as an agent, talent and coach.
Register here using discount code DISCOUNT (all CAPS) to receive the $399 price.