Course Fee: $150 (Early Bird/ANMT Member Fee: $120)
Learn how to use Animoto software, which takes your text, music and images and creates stunning professional videos in a matter of minutes. No expertise needed…because in those two hours, you yourself will become an expert. The mechanics are very easy: it’s really just a matter of uploading images, selecting the music and style you want, then adding a handful of headlines, and…voila! Your video is ready for posting on the internet, or your website, etc.
The first evening you’ll learn all the mechanics you need to create your first video. Then you’ll have a week to tinker with your video or create a whole batch more, and bring a final one to the second session for feedback and final refinement.
NOTE: Enrollees will also need to pay for a subscription to Animoto - a $39 fee - which will be separate from the course fee. Bring your credit card to the first session and we’ll talk you through the registration. The registration with Animoto will give you a full month to create dozens more videos, if you want. You can use your own music, or tap into Animoto’s library of over 1,000 pre-licensed titles which come with your subscription.
No special software needed; Animoto works online, for both PC and Mac.
INSTRUCTOR INFO: Scott Guy Under Scott’s tenure, the Academy has developed over 50 musicals for producers across the country, and over 100 independent musicals by ANMT writers. Scott’s current and recent writing projects include: Musical version of Pirates of the Caribbean for Disney; script consultant for a musical by Placido Domingo, Jr., book/lyrics of Manson’s Girls for UC/Irvine; Master Smee’s Finishing School for Gentlemen Pirates and Ladies is Welcome Too with music by Jacques Offenbach; and Hunger at 2009 Stages Festival in Chicago, with music by 2009 Richard Rodgers composer Karlan Judd. Television credits: Six Emmy nominations, and over 100 produced television scripts for Warner Bros., FOX-TV, Disney, Discovery Channel, PBS, etc.)
Course Fee: $300 (Early Bird/ANMT Member Fee: $250)
We’ve all wished at one time or another that we could walk back into the audition room and ask for specific feedback after we’ve heard the ‘Thank you.’ Well, now you can!
In a completely safe and professional environment, you will have two days of what I call scrimmage auditions or audition workouts … This is a singing and acting (prepared sides) audition with industry professionals who are active in the actor hiring process (Directors, Choreographers, Musical Directors, Casting Directors, and Agents*).
After each audition session, you will receive individual feedback on your work and specific, actionable ways you can improve your performance in the audition room.
INSTRUCTOR INFO: Dan Callaway is one of LA’s most sought after voice teachers. As an actor, he has performed at the Mark Taper Forum in PIPPIN, toured with the Broadway National Company of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, starred in PIRATES OF PENZANCE at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, sung in Linda Eder’s Broadway Concert at the Gershwin Theatre, and appeared at Sacramento Music Circus as Freddy in MY FAIR LADY.
Most recent credits include WHERE’S CHARLEY at City Center Encores in New York, Musical Theatre West’s acclaimed production of SWEENEY TODD (Ovation Award Nomination) (Video Clip Here) and at South Coast Repertory in PUTTING IT TOGETHER. (Check out clips from the show here.)
Dan is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and LA’s Musical Theatre Guild. He is married to Tony-nominated producer Heather Provost.
Four Sunday afternoons 2pm to 5pm; plus shoot dates
July 24, 31, August 7, 14; plus Sept. 18 & 25 for shoot
Course Fee: $500 (Early Bird/ANMT Member Fee: $475)
This summer…write an internet movie musical and get it filmed and onto YouTube! Here’s how it works.
Week One - Sunday July 24 - 2-5pm - We’ll discuss logistics, location, mechanics of the shoot, as well as the artform and your musical itself.
Week Two - Sunday July 31 - 2-5pm - Bring in an outline for your musical. We’ll discuss form, content, shape, character, story, and casting
Week Three - Sunday August 7 - 2-5pm - Bring in the first draft of your musical.
Week Four - Sunday August 14 - 2-5pm. Bring in revision of your musical. We’ll discuss camera angles, locations, mechanics.
Sunday August 21 - Final draft due, with tracks. Upload date only; no meeting in person.
September 18 & 25 - We’ll shoot your musical! Additionally, you’ll assist as hidden cameraman in other writers’ musicals. Exact schedule to be determined, but plan on 9-6pm on both days.
Parameters for your musical:
- 2-3 minutes in length - Shootable ‘guerrilla-style’ (we’ll swoop in to some location, perform your piece surrounded by hidden cameras, and then swoop away — one take and we’re gone!)
Here’s what you’ll do: - write the show - provide the track - contact actors - help be a hidden camera crew member for your fellow writers’ musicals
Here’s what we’ll do: - rehearse the actors - direct the show - co-ordinate the shoot - edit your show (A $2,000 value!) - upload your show on YouTube and www.anmt.tv - provide you with a copy for your own use
Cost: $500 per musical
Note: We need a minimum of 8 projects for this course to go forward.
INSTRUCTOR INFO: Scott Guy Under Scott’s tenure, the Academy has developed over 50 musicals for producers across the country, and over 100 independent musicals by ANMT writers. Scott’s current and recent writing projects include: Musical version of Pirates of the Caribbean for Disney; script consultant for a musical by Placido Domingo, Jr., book/lyrics of Manson’s Girls for UC/Irvine; Master Smee’s Finishing School for Gentlemen Pirates and Ladies is Welcome Too with music by Jacques Offenbach; and Hunger at 2009 Stages Festival in Chicago, with music by 2009 Richard Rodgers composer Karlan Judd. Television credits: Six Emmy nominations, and over 100 produced television scripts for Warner Bros., FOX-TV, Disney, Discovery Channel, PBS, etc.)
Course Fee: $125 (Early Bird/ANMT Member Fee: $95)
Spend four Sunday evenings studying the lyrics of Stephen Sondheim’s very first musical, Saturday Night. We’ll spend as much as an hour on a given lyric, analyzing it for form, rhyme, character diction, point of view, progression…and hints of the mature Sondheim-to-come. We’ll play each song from the show (on a CD), and have a group exploration, lead by ANMT’s Lyric Lab instructor, Scott Guy.
Graduates of this class will be given free access to a series of online lectures on Saturday Night (the lectures are part of a projected series based on Sondheim’s book Finishing the Hat). You might enjoy this course even more if you acquire a copy of Sondheim’s book, but it is not a requirement of the course
INSTRUCTOR INFO: Scott Guy Under Scott’s tenure, the Academy has developed over 50 musicals for producers across the country, and over 100 independent musicals by ANMT writers. Scott’s current and recent writing projects include: Musical version of Pirates of the Caribbean for Disney; script consultant for a musical by Placido Domingo, Jr., book/lyrics of Manson’s Girls for UC/Irvine; Master Smee’s Finishing School for Gentlemen Pirates and Ladies is Welcome Too with music by Jacques Offenbach; and Hunger at 2009 Stages Festival in Chicago, with music by 2009 Richard Rodgers composer Karlan Judd. Television credits: Six Emmy nominations, and over 100 produced television scripts for Warner Bros., FOX-TV, Disney, Discovery Channel, PBS, etc.)
Course Fee: $250 (Early Bird/ANMT Member Fee: $225)
SO YOU CAN STOP WORRYING ABOUT IT
The majority of us performing in musical theatre have no problem learning the notes and knowing what we want to communicate in a song … the thing that a lot of performers are mystified by is their actual vocal technique.
Just the words ‘vocal technique’, ‘voice lesson’, ‘classical training’, etc. conjure images of rigid, hands-clasped, boooring scales and stress.
In this session, you will learn the basics of the belcanto tradition of singing …it’s a lot simpler than you think, and you don’t have to dig out your 24 Italian Art Songs and Arias book from college.
Using the simple tools of the belcanto understanding of singing as a default setting, you can then adjust to the many styles called for in musical theatre safely and with ease. We’ll also talk about what styles suit you best so you can specialize in the areas where you will actually book work.
You will learn how to use your vocal technique as a helpful coach that compliments your acting technique as opposed to a critical snark-face (yes, snark-face) that messes up your auditions.
Here’s the breakdown…
Saturday, July 23 11am-2pm Workshop that will demystify basic vocal technique for you as well as show you very simple, usable tools that we rarely learn as singers.
Sunday, July 24 11-2 Master Class …You will work your material with an accompanist, and we will use the tools we learned Saturday (slowly and safely) in conjunction with acting technique to discover how the two actually work together.
INSTRUCTOR INFO: Dan Callaway is one of LA’s most sought after voice teachers. As an actor, he has performed at the Mark Taper Forum in PIPPIN, toured with the Broadway National Company of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, starred in PIRATES OF PENZANCE at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, sung in Linda Eder’s Broadway Concert at the Gershwin Theatre, and appeared at Sacramento Music Circus as Freddy in MY FAIR LADY.
Most recent credits include WHERE’S CHARLEY at City Center Encores in New York, Musical Theatre West’s acclaimed production of SWEENEY TODD (Ovation Award Nomination) and at South Coast Repertory in PUTTING IT TOGETHER.
Dan is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and LA’s Musical Theatre Guild. He is married to Tony-nominated producer Heather Provost.
Course Fee: $195 (Early Bird/ANMT Member Fee: $150)
Everyone’s process is different, and we all know something about how to write or else we wouldn’t be here. But how do we write on a deadline? What does it mean to have technique? How much do we depend on our collaborators, and how much do we push them? In this two-day workshop, we will tackle a number of songwriting challenges. Exercises (depending on the desires of the group) could include writing a simple and clear 32-bar song, writing a song based on someone else’s experience, writing a (not boring!) list song, writing comedy, writing a song for a character in a found photograph, setting a piece of poetry, and/or writing lyrics to a pre-existing melody or writing music to a pre-existing lyric. Ideally, we will do some small group collaborating and assuredly we will have some overnight homework. Writers must be willing to attempt to write both lyric and melody even if experience is more significant in one area than the other. (Participants need not be pianists but must have some way (sing? guitar? demo?) to present original music.) Think ‘theater games’ for the writer. Class needs a minimum of four participants.
INSTRUCTOR INFO: GEORGIA STITT is a composer/lyricist, music director and vocal coach. Her original musicals include: BIG RED SUN (with John Jiler); HELLO! MY BABY (with Cheri Steinkellner); THE WATER (with Jeff Hylton and Tim Werenko); MOSAIC (commissioned for Off-Broadway and written with Cheri Steinkellner), and SING ME A HAPPY SONG (a musical revue). RECORDINGS: This Ordinary Thursday: The Songs Of Georgia Stitt; Alphabet City Cycle featuring Kate Baldwin (PS Classics); and solo albums from Susan Egan, Lauren Kennedy, Kate Baldwin, Stuart Matthew Price, Daniel Boys, Caroline Sheen, Kevin Odekirk and Sam Davis. BROADWAY (MD/pianist/coach): Little Shop Of Horrors, Sweet Smell Of Success, Avenue Q, The Music Man, Titanic, Annie, Parade. TV/FILM: America’s Got Talent, Grease: You’re The One That I Want, Clash Of The Choirs, Once Upon A Mattress. TEACHING: Founder of THE GYM (NYC), master classes in the UK, Denmark, Germany, Australia, and at colleges and theaters all over the US. Private vocal coach. EDUCATION: Vanderbilt (BMus), NYU (MFA).
Course Fee: $125 (Early Bird/ANMT Member Fee: $95)
Come prepared to actually collaborate with someone you don’t know - and may not even like. Maybe your collaborator has the wrong color hair, or smells bad, or writes better than you do - horror of horrors! Bring your long term collaborator(s) if you like - but I won’t let you work with them, at least not at first. There will be exercises designed to create artistic arguments you will resolve publicly in the workshop, and privately between sessions. Depending on the makeup of the group, the exercises will be able to accommodate bookwriters, lyricists and composers in various combinations. There will be something for everyone to hate - I promise. Oh, yeah - and some lecture about the psychology of collaboration, peppered with show biz gossip - juicy stuff.
INSTRUCTOR INFO: John Sparks was the founder/co-Director of the Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop (1979-1995) and the Artistic Director of ANMT from 1995 to the present. He founded the Writers’ Workshop at Theatre Building Chicago in 1987 and was its Artistic Director for over a decade. Between the two workshops, John has mentored the work of over 250 writers, including Mark Hollmann, composer/lyricist of Urinetown; George Gorham and Dan Sticco, A Change in the Heir. Other writers in the workshops have earned three Richard Rodgers Awards and two Kleban Awards. Nearly 400 shows written by workshop members have been produced in theatres across the country. John’s own musicals have been produced in Los Angeles and Chicago.
IN ONE NIGHT One Saturday evening, 6pm to 10pm July 23 Course Fee: $125 (Early Bird/ANMT Member Fee: $75)
OR
IN THREE WEEKS Saturday/Sunday evenings for three weeks, 6pm to 10pm July 23 & 24, July 30 & 31, August 6 & 7 Course Fee: $750 (Early Bird/ANMT Member Fee: $600)
The course that tells you; - What you need - Why you need it - How to set it all up (Step by Step by Easy Step) and…. - How to creatively integrate your website, Facebook page, Twitter feed, YouTube account, audio, video, and more, to successfully market and sell your musical, play, tickets, products and services!
Does the word ‘Twitter’ make you recoil in fear? Do you ignore people when they ask you to ‘Facebook’ them? Do you wish you knew how to make a video and upload it to YouTube? Does your website look like a forgotten ghost town? Hell, do you even have a website!?
If an embarrassed ‘yes’ is the answer to any of these questions, then this is the course for you!
In this Intro session, you will get an overview of what the heck you need to get yourself up on the internet; guiding you through buying a domain, building a WordPress site, setting up a Facebook page, a Twitter feed, and a YouTube account.
It’s fun and it’s easy - promise.
But wait… there’s more!
We’re also going to show you how you bring the online world into the ‘real’ world and creatively integrate your audio, video, social media and website into your musical, play, product, or service to create a seamless, 24/7 connection with your fans!
* Students who enroll in the Introductory Session and would like to continue on in the full course may do so at the end of the Introductory Session for an additional $625
INSTRUCTOR INFO: Kevin Saunders Hayes Film Composer: Composed, recorded, performed and produced over 45 feature film scores, including two Academy Award Nominated documentaries, Five 1st-Round Grammy Nominations and two 21st Century Filmmaker Awards for Excellence. Television Composer: Composed, recorded, performed and produced hundreds of hours of music for a variety of clients including; NBC, ABC, CBS, Turner/Cartoon Network, Sci Fi Network, National Geographic, A&E and Animal Planet. Advertising: Composer Composed, recorded, performed and produced thousands of National and International Television and Radio commercials for clients that include; Kellogg’s, Playdoh, Volvo, Mercedes Benz, Ford, Dodge, Six Flags, Discover Card, Toyota, AT&T, and The Home Depot. Vox Lumiere - Silents you can hear Creator, composer, producer of the five-time, 1st-round Grammy Nominated Vox Lumiere - Silents you can hear. Vox Lumiere is the next evolution in entertainment where rock concert comes together with new music, live performance and classic silent films such as Metropolis, The Phantom of the Opera, Peter Pan and The Hunchback of Notre Dame for a spellbinding live performance of modern theatrical magic. Vox Lumiere has received two 21st Century Filmmaker Awards, and their PBS Special is shown nationally on PBS. Theater Composer / Songwriter: Composer, lyricist and producer of thousands of songs, including the title tracks to a number of feature films. Hayes is also the composer and lyricist of 15 stage musicals. Record Producer, Audio Production & Multimedia Post-Production: Produced various music projects for a wide variety of bands, solo artists, singers and songwriters. Hands-on practical working knowledge of digital recording and sequencing with Logic, and Pro Tools and all major DAW production tools. Detailed knowledge of entire audio and visual post-production process. (www.kevinsaundershayes.com) Other Music Related Expertise: Composition, Music theory, Orchestration (real-world and sampler-based), Bass Playing (30 years of professional studio recording and live performance experience), Music Business (reading and negotiating contracts, copyright, performance rights organizations), Music Marketing (how to present yourself professionally, how to find work, making and keeping relationships).
