Swanbeck's on-camera acting sessions show you how to command the camera and how to make the kinds of creative choices that are memorable. Working on-camera, you receive one-on-one direction from John Swanbeck, director of The Big Kahuna, starring Kevin Spacey and Danny Devito, in addition to scores of film, television and stage productions.

He says about his work, "Solid camera skills make an actor part of the 'in crowd,' the crowd that is called back time and time again. Creative choices allow the actor to stand out from that crowd. My classes emphasize both and show you how to create characters and choices that will get you out of your head and show you how to pop on screen."

Fabiana Medici is a former acting coach for the Teatro Vittorio resident company in Rome.

She is an actress and acting coach training actors and directors with different cultural backgrounds worldwide, including Rome and Buenos Aires.

Fabiana trained extensively with Susan Peretz and Dominique de Fazio. She trained in the Strasberg Technique with Charles Laughton and Geraldine Baron. She has trained at length in Ashtanga Yoga and theatrical acrobatics both in Los Angeles and Rome.

In addition, Fabiana specializes in in teaching children and teens. A published writer, Fabiana has penned Un Cuento Con Luna and Arturo (children's fiction).

She says about her work, "When I train actors, my goal is to lead them in building their confidence and guide them to gradually develop their own methodology of work, in an open, non-judgemental environment."

Mark Travis, a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and a former creative consultant to film director Mark Rydell, his highly praised work on A Bronx Tale, Survival of the Heart, Undressing New Jersey, Once A Man Twice A Boy, Wings, The Coming of Stork, Equus, the improvisational Linke vs. Redfield, and Verdigris have garnered a total of twenty-eight Drama-Logue, L.A. Weekly and Drama Critics’ Circle awards.

Mark’s television directing credits include The Facts of Life, Family Ties, Capitol and the Emmy Award-winning PBS dramatic special, Blind Tom: The Thomas Bethune Story. In 1990 he completed his first film, Going Under, for Warner Bros., starring Bill Pullman and Ned Beatty. In 1999 he directed the documentary, Earlet and in 2001 he wrote and directed The Baritones (a parody of The Sopranos). He is scheduled to direct Jeremy and the Aunties (based on his own script) in the summer of 2007 for Kevin Lee Filmproduktions in Munich.

Since 1992 Mark has been sharing his techniques on writing, acting and directing worldwide including Germany, England, France, Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, Brazil and Japan.

With his partner, Frederick Johntz, Mark has served as a Creative Consultant on several feature films including: Men of Honor; Barbershop; Barbershop 2; The Day Reagan Was Shot; Norma Jean, Jack and Me; The Last Run; Tournament of Dreams, Del Rio and television episodes of: Lois and Clark; The Pretender; Picket Fences, 90210, Melrose Place; Strong Medicine; NYPD Blue; The Practice and Ally MacBeal.

Mark is the author of the Number-One Best Seller (L.A. Times), THE DIRECTOR’S JOURNEY: the Creative Collaboration between Directors, Writers and Actors. His second book on directing, DIRECTING FEATURE FILMS (published in April of 2002) is currently used as required text in film schools worldwide. He is currently writing his third book LifeStories: the Art and Craft of Autobiographical Storytelling.

 

Acclaimed as "the guru of all screen writers" (CNN), Syd Field is regarded by many Hollywood professionals to be the leading authority in the art and craft of screenwriting in the world today. The Hollywood Reporter calls him "the most sought-after screenwriting teacher in the world."

His internationally acclaimed best-selling books Screenplay, The Screenwriter's Workbook, and The screenwriter's Problem Solver have established themselves as the "bibles" of the film industry. They are used in more than 395 colleges and universities and have been translated into 19 languages.

Field chaired the Academic Liaison Committee at The Writer's Guild of America, West, is currently on faculty at the USC Master's of Professional Writing Program, has taught at Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCLA, the AFI and many other noted institutions. He has been a special script consultant to 20th Century Fox, the Disney Studios, Universal and Tristar Pictures.

He is a creative screenwriting consultant to the governments of Austria, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Norway, and has collaborated with such noted filmmakers as Alphonso Cuaron (Y Tu Mama Tambien), James L. Brooks (Broadcast News, As Good As It Gets), Luis Mandoki (When A Man Loves A Woman), Roland Joffe (The Killing Fields, The Mission), and Tony Kaye (American History X).

By special invitation of the Ministries of Culture, Field has taught screenwriting workshops in Buenos Aires, Brussels, Berlin, Frankfurt, London, Mexico City, Munich, Oslo, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Vienna, Zurich, and Johannesburg, South Africa. He has conducted workshops for the Canadian Film Industry in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Edmonton, was the keynote speaker at the International Film Festivals in Berlin, Rio de Janeiro and Oslo, Norway, and the President of the International Film Jury at the 1998 Flanders International Film Festival, Ghent, Belgium. Field is also a special consultant to the Film Preservation Project for the famed Getty Center and was the first inductee into the prestigious Screenwriting Hall of Fame of the American Screenwriting Association.

Syd has taught at the Promenade Conservatory for two years. More on Syd Field can be found on his website at www.sydfield.com

Sean Barnes (AKA: Sean Michael Allen) began his study of Film and Theater at San Francisco State University.

He began working in films and television at age 17 in the bay area, then moved to Los Angeles, and earned his living as an actor for many years. He studied for 4 years, then taught for 10 years, at Meisner based, Playhouse West, acting school. There, he coached and directed top working actors, while co-teaching classes with master actor/teacher Jeff Goldblum.

He founded his own studio in 2006 and continues to direct and produce. He Joined forces with The Promenade Playhouse in 2009

 

Frederick has taught Film Directing at UCLA Extension, AFI’s Professional Training Program and the Film Farm in Kotla Poland. Frederick's film directing credits include the award winning short film Toast (CINE Golden Eagle), the concert video Talking Loud with Jim Carroll and Ray Manzarek; and Down the Pike. His theatre directing credits include Wonder in Aliceland, Birthday Girl, Ecstasy & the Ice Queen; Strange Voyage; The Harmfulness of Tobacco; and Dark Hours to name a few.

Jake O'Flaherty has booked over 100 commercials to date as well as voiceover and Television shows such as "CSI:NY", "King of Queens", "Grounded for LIfe" etc. Jake has been teaching at the Promenade Conservatory for 8 years, and teaches commercial as well as Improv classes. Jake has a new DVD coming soon called "A-Z Everything You Need To Break Into Commercials".

Watch Jake's FILM REEL of his bookings.

Jake looks forward to sharing his day to day experiences and knowledge with you.

Bruce Hermann studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York with Sanford Meisner, one of the most acknowledged master teachers of acting. His unwavering involvement in the entertainment industry, as well as his experience, provide students with much more than the “printed text” ever could. From his multi-dimensional classroom teaching to his work with individuals as a private acting coach, it is Bruce’s complete commitment to his student’s success that sets him apart from other instructors.

Bruce has been a faculty member at Ohio State, and actively participates as a professional actor and director on both local and national levels.

Mr. Wissner has over 15 years experience in casting and production. He recently completed work on, "Solid camera skills make an actor part of the 'in crowd,' the crowd that is called back time and time again. Creative choices allow the actor to stand out from that crowd. My coaching sessions emphasize both and show you how to create characters and choices that will get you out of your head and show you how to pop on screen. "Denise Richards: It’s Complicated " , acting as a Child Advocate for the show. He acted as a court order expert, insuring the physical and psychological safety of Denise’s children. Currently, he is writing and developing a Half-Hour Comedy for television and a network reality show. He has directed thousands of commercial casting sessions, more than anyone in Los Angeles. He is known throughout the industry, as an "actor’s director", helping actor’s find their best performances. In 1988 Mr.Wissner helped create and was an original partner in Beth Holmes Casting. Within 3 years BHC Casting had annual billings of over $1,000,000.00. His work can be seen on ABC’s hit reality show, SUPERNANNY. As the Casting Director of SUPERNANNY, Scott found not only dysfunctional, attractive and outgoing families, but also produced key story lines and guided the producers on psychosocial family issues. Mr. Wissner’s Master Degree as a Marriage and Family Therapist has always proven to be a valuable asset in casting and production.

Mr. Wissner has cast many reality shows, including ABC’s "Ultimate Love Test", and "The Benefactor." He was recently the Casting Producer on "The Mole 3," for ABC. Within the last couple of years, he has cast “Master Blasters” for the SCI-FI NETWORK, “Top Gear” for DISCOVERY CHANNEL, as well as “The Start Up,” for NBC/USA and “One Week To Save Your Marriage” for TLC. He was also instrumental in casting The Mole, Seasons 1 & 2. As well, Scott cast Spike TV’s, "Joe Schmo" and numerous reality TV pilots over the past few years.

Mr. Wissner’s casting background began in the world of commercial production. He is known for his work with children, humor and “real people”. In fact, it has been his work with established “real people” commercial directors, Mark Story and Jeff Gorman that led to his success in reality television.

Natalia Lazarus
(SAG, AFTRA, AEA)
Artistic Director of the Promenade Playhouse.

Artistic Director, Natalia Lazarus is at the helm of the Promenade Playhouse (www.promenadeplayhouse.com) & its subsidiaries: Promenade Conservatory, an accredited Acting School, 3rd Street Comedy & the Creative Keys To Success Series, the Acting, Writing, Directing & Personal Growth technique that she created and developed. In addition, Ms. Lazarus is also a private & international coach for Hollywood celebrities on sets (most notably Ken Jeong of The Hangover, Community & Knocked Up; Teresa Ruiz from Border Town with Jennifer Lopez & winner of the Cannes Palme d’Or 2010) and in institutions throughout the world, like Bridge Media, The International School of Cinema of Paris and Casa Azul in Mexico City, to name a few.

Ms. Lazarus is a graduate of the Sorbonne University in Paris, France, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, the Film Program at New York University with adjacent studies at the University of London, The British Film Institute and the Ned Herrmann Brain Dominance Center. She is Syd Field's “docent” & one of the few in the world authorized to teach his screenwriting technique.

Her written works include: Screenplays: Ruling of Revenge, Norma Beckman’s Return (Hollywood Film Festival winner), Voices of the Drina, based on the Bosnian War, Ripened on the Vine, adapted from the book of the same title, A Life Interrupted, currently in pre-production and recently hired by Omega Films in France to pen The Picasso Rubens Enigma.

Plays: her One Woman Show, Birthday Girl (selection at the Edinburgh Int'l Theatre Festival in Scotland), Programs and Books: the entire curriculum of the Promenade Conservatory’s three year degree, The Actor’s Key, The Screen Star Key, The Screen Icon Key, The Pathology Key, The Director’s Key and The Screenwriter’s Key.

Directorial Credits include, Films: The Trilogy: Growing Up, The Room, Sans Promesse. Stage: Porno Stars at Home, How To Go Out On A Date In Queens, The Ties that Bind, Top Girls, Crimes of the Heart, Bobby Gould in Hell and slated to direct in Paris, France, Marie Antoinette, The Color of Flesh.

Acting Credits include: Stage: The Dreamer Examines His Pillow, The Runner Stumbles, Frida Kahlo, Malcolm & Teresa, Chilean Holiday, Not the Fifth, the Ninth!. Film: Across the Line, Hanging With the Homeboys, Portrait of a Puerto Rican, Touchstone, Maria Cristina, Side Bets, Love It Is.

TV: Promised Land, On Common Ground, Passions, The Young & The Restless, The Bold & The Beautiful, You Be The Judge, Reyes & Rey, Port Charles. Commercial & Voice Over Campaigns: Anheiser Busch, Bank of America, Dodge, Coca Cola, Texaco, Estee Lauder, Mitsubishi, McDonalds, Gerbers, Smirnoff Vodka. 

She is fluent in Spanish, French, and Italian. Ms. Lazarus resides in Paris, France & Malibu, California.

 

Watch Natalia's bookings on this FILM REEL.