Testimonials

Alison Wandzura

"Joining Neil's Core Group was the turning point at which I decided to get serious about my acting career. The group became my professional family, and I still apply the work ethic and mentality that Neil taught us to my career today. Neil inspires actors like no other teacher and his mantra of "unkillability" is what has gotten me through many ups and downs in this business."

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“If I hadn't joined the Actor Core Group I would still be a hobbyist actor.  I know that because I had spent years thinking about how much I wanted to be an actor but never did anything about it except the occasional workshop and practice a bunch in the event of an audition. Since joining the group I believe in myself enough to call myself an "actor".  Before it was always, "I work in Marketing but I like to act and I might think about being an actor someday".  Now it's "I'm an actor but I also have another job for the time being, while I transition to a full-time acting career".  I honestly think I can do it, and I have allowed myself to fully want this for myself - for real this time.

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Mandy Magnan

“Since taking Neil's apprenticeship program I feel like I have a huge advantage on my career. I am no longer sitting around waiting for work. I have learned how to get out of a student mindset to a professional working in this industry. I'm actively working on my craft, career and learning more about BUSINESS in this Show Business that I could have ever thought. I love how in charge I am and how much outflow activity I have been able to produce. It's amazing having a highly qualified Actor/Director/Producer (Neil) by my side and as my personal coach has changed my mindset and my life! Imagine having a Coach with you for every step of the way!! Trans formative!”

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Having the group for support has been invaluable to me.  When I first signed up for the year, I remember thinking "What if we don't like each other?"  I have to laugh at that now, as I have never been part of such a supportive group that is so passionate about the same thing. Making the decision to be a real actor has not been easy, but knowing that everyone else is walking the same path keeps me going.

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“The Actor Core Group has been ultimately invaluable for me. The expectations from both Neil, as a coach, as well as the group are extremely high. There is always a push to "do better, work harder, expect more from yourself and each other", which doesn't make it easy, but acting's not about "easy". It's about getting to the core (as the group's name suggests) of each individual's skills and areas for improvement through invaluable techniques, honest critique, motivation, support, and endless encouragement to keep striving for the highest level of achievement. Neil's coaching focuses not only on the work and techniques involved in the art of acting, but also emphasizes the importance of the business of acting–what you need to do beyond training to meet your ultimate goals in the industry. Having attended other workshops and seen other actors at work, I'm constantly in awe of the standard of excellence of the Actor Core Group and unbelievable growth of each individual within the group - as actors and as everyday people. Tools are important, and Neil has the industry expertise and provides all of the necessary resources to support the group's and the individual's progress, and has a wonderful sense of understanding each actor's needs in terms of pushing them to the appropriate limits for growth. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been accepted into this elite group, one that any serious actor needs to consider being a part of. Do it.”

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“Being a part of the core group has changed my life.  When you are in a group like this it motivates you to work harder at your goals because you have accountability and support.  Over the past 8 months of being a part of this group I have come leaps and bounds from where I started.  I have a new level of skill and confidence.  If you want your life to change for the better and really know that acting is your true passion, join a core group and it will happen!”

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Patsy Tuba

“Neil's guidance is so valuable, he gives you encouragement and clarity especially when you feel lost or stuck. This can be either with a scene or a character, he knows what to say to help you explore different parts of a character to bring them to life. He makes "it" this journey of acting make sense.”

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As for your guidance in the group, I feel like you honestly think that every one of us can go as far as we want to go in this industry, and that in itself gives me incredible confidence.  The main reason I have invested in your coaching over the years is that you bring out the best in me.   You are positive about an industry that can easily become very plagued with negativity.  You think like me, in that you don't believe that actors need to huff & puff in a dark corner with a photo of their dead dog to genuinely connect with the scene.  Most importantly, you believe in me even when my confidence temporarily slides and I begin to doubt myself.  I suppose you're like an anchor of confidence for our group.”

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“Neil, you bring a lot of great things to the table: a gentle and insightful approach to critiquing one's acting; a continually positive and upbeat attitude; insider knowledge; cracker-jack humour; occasional prods to expect more of myself; effective coaching; and wisdom.  Your focus on the business/marketing side of acting has been most welcome, and literally has been life-changing.  Until I could visualize the steps involved in achieving a career, I was in many ways flailing. No longer!  Even living away from the epicenters of film/tv production, I am now armed with the info, principles and practical strategies to succeed.  My self-confidence re being able to achieve success as an actor is high, and getting higher by the week.”

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“I have had the privilege of training with Neil Schell in his Acting Apprenticeship program for the past two years.  This has been an incredible opportunity for me which I believe has helped me not only stay motivated and focused on my goals, but has resulted in my knowledge and growth as an actor to accelerate forward at a much faster pace than would otherwise have been possible. Neil provides valuable insight into the business of acting, and has a wealth of information to share from his many years of experience, not only as an actor, but as an editor, a director and a producer.  His training will help you learn what you need to know if you are seriously considering acting as a career, including everything from how to authentically connect with and create interesting characters, to discovering what it is about you that you can offer to the industry as an actor.  Neil will guide you through and provide his insight on everything from headshots to auditioning and self-taping, as well as ways you can work on marketing and promoting yourself as an actor (including creating your own content). In addition to learning directly from Neil in his intensive acting workshops that he puts on throughout the year, Neil continues to guide you with weekly Skype sessions where he continues to teach you, answers your questions, and discusses the actual situations you are encountering.  He provides you with guidance, insight and his advice that will help you understand how the industry works, and will help educate you on how to ensure you avoid the many industry pitfalls that can make it easy for actors to become frustrated or disheartened.  Neil also coaches you through your auditions and offers his advice and suggestions on improvements you can make, to ensure you are putting your best foot forward when these important opportunities arise.  Neil genuinely wants to see each of his students succeed.  And no matter where their present abilities may be, he helps each actor grow and guides them so they can make progress and move forward toward realizing their goals. I highly recommend studying with Neil.  It has been the opportunity of a lifetime for me.  Neil will be there to guide you wherever you want to go in this business.”

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“Living in a world full of compromise and obstacles, very few experiences illuminate a solid confidence in an artist.. But my time with Neil has. All of the pretense, the jargon, the mixed messages - not only about what it is to be an actor, but also the work itself - get efficiently chipped away. The realism, and moreover the reality, of who I am and what I can have allow me to navigate a more confidently defined road ahead. Neil is a warm and decisive soul, able to expose the parts of the business you can affect, and also take away the insufferable pressures we place on ourselves as performers. For this, I am astounded, and very much a grateful girl.”

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“Being a part of the Core Group has made a huge difference on how I look at my acting career. It's no longer a daydream I have in class or at work, but something I know is going to happen because I've learned how to make it happen. Not only have you been motivating and challenging us to work towards shaping our careers, you've given us so much information about all the other aspects I NEVER would've given a single thought to. Aspects, like marketing and being a business person. I laugh now when I think about my prof at school claiming to be my acting coach because he doesn't care even an eighth as much as you do about how I control my career. And I have you to thank for giving me the confidence to not be afraid of walking away from what is expected of me for a "normal" life and believing I can make it work on my own! You're the light bulb above my head ;)”

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“I can't thank you enough, Neil.  When I came to you I was the terrified actor, the beaten down actor, hoping for someone to believe in me in a way I still could not at the time.  Now I work daily on my acting, I have a business plan and a direction and vision of where this is heading.  Acting is no longer a dream, but a profession now that I've chosen as much as it has chosen me.  Now I know who I am, why I am who I am and I can stand firm in my decisions.  I've also learned to choose roles that suit me. My acting library has expanded this year as much as what I've learned both in regards to building my skill daily as well as furthering and caring for the actual business part of this career. I love acting even more now than when I began.  Now it's my passion, not my dream.  I know where I'm heading, thanks to the positive advice and coaching I have received from Neil. Friends who knew me before I began to work with Neil continue to comment on how different, how passionate, how open, how strong, how 'on my way' I am now.  I only hope they take me up on the advice to join Neil's group for this coming year. Neil, I am stunned at the changes in myself.  Thank you for believing in me, encouraging me, and pushing me at the right times, in the right directions.  I would not be where I am today, if I hadn't joined your group.  I may even have let go of this 'pipe dream' during the natural ups and downs this past year.  Every actor friend I have knows about you and has your contact information.  Each of them comments on how much I've changed. My main negative on this year - the fact that it may come to an end in a few months.  What ever will I do without the workshops and the feedback on questions I have?”

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