Dialect Coaching

As a dialect coach for actors performing in movies, television, or theater, my job is to give you enough understanding of the accent for your imagination to take over and bring the character to life.  Though I have different approaches to help you transform the way you communicate, I usually get my best results following your artistic impulses.  In whatever situation we work together, pre-production prep or on set, we will establish a clear, firm foundation for relaxed expression of the dialogue.

Whether you’re working on an audition or preparing for a role, the process is the same: get a handle on the basics, tune your ear to the sounds, and map out a simple dialect plan that will allow your talent and artistry to shine through.

One of the areas where my passion and skill meet is the variety of ways I have to support that process.  I’ve found it works well to find audio recordings of real people to use as dialect models.  This is a way actors and directors can use tangible samples to find agreement on the right  sound for the character.  Once you have an idea of the voice (or voices) you like, we get very specific about the sounds.  I'm there to help you transition between the sounds you use in your normal speaking voice and the sounds you want to use as the character.

I’ll often make audio practice tapes for you to listen to and repeat.  If you’re more visual, we'll talk about ways you can score your script with key markings reflecting sound transitions.  And for people who are kinesthetic learners, I teach exercises that get the sound to live in the body.  And we often use some version of all of the above.