What this training is
Where a general on-camera class teaches you to be truthful in frame, a film and TV class teaches you to work inside a shooting day. That means matching a performance across takes so it can be cut together, understanding what a close-up asks for versus a wide, hitting marks, and knowing what the crew around you is doing. Some LA programs run full set simulations with lighting and a crew.
Who it suits
Actors who are getting booked and want to be good on the day, and actors moving from stage to screen. It suits people who have already stopped being nervous about the camera and now need to be professional in front of it.
What these listings show
Counted from the verified records on this page when the site was last built, on 2026-08-15.
- Published pricing. 36 of 48 publish enough pricing to place them in a band: $ (10), $$ (17), $$$ (4), $$$$ (5). The other 12 do not publish rates, so you have to ask.
- Audit or trial. 17 of these 48 offer an audit or a trial class, which is the cheapest way to judge a teacher before committing.
- Audition required. 11 require an audition or placement before you can enroll, so plan for a step before the first class.
- Levels. 39 accept complete beginners and 38 run advanced work (81% and 79% of this list).
- Private coaching. 35 also offer one-to-one coaching alongside classes.
- Young actors. 25 of these serve kids or teens as well as adults.
- Where they are. Concentrated in Hollywood and Mid-City (18), Santa Monica and the Westside (8), North Hollywood and Studio City (8), across 9 areas of Los Angeles in total.
- Techniques taught. Most commonly Eclectic / multi-technique (27), On-camera technique (19), Meisner (11).
- How established. 36 publish a founding year, the earliest 1929 and the most recent 2019.
How to compare them
Ask what the shooting setup actually is. A class that runs a real set simulation costs more and is worth it for a different reason than a scene class. Ask whether you get footage you can use. Ask who is teaching: set experience is the qualification that matters here, more so than in scene work.