Richard Lawson Studios

Richard is a brilliant actor and teacher. He is someone who can hand you a fishing pole for your career. The tools he teaches and community that is built will support your journey as an artist. This Studio is a home base for committed actors, directors, writers, and producers. You will learn to make your own lunch and do it NOW! This place is the definition of LIFE FORCE! Check it out and launch yourself into the realization of your dreams.

I’ll lay it out there. This place is for people who dream big and then take the actions to make those dreams a reality. As we all get into this art because we have a love for performing and storytelling — yet often haven’t a clue how to actually make a living and build a career doing so. In this place you learn to take your career into your own hands.
It’s an incredible, supportive community of people with high standards and boatloads of talent. He is breeding professionals. And his students are WORKING. All the time.
If you’re reading this review you’re probably doing so because you are interested in studying with him. My advice to you is google him and read his writing or listen to audio. Let him speak for himself and trust me, you’ll likely look no further.
Cheers to you!
«Dreams do not have expiration dates.» — RICHARD LAWSON

This school is amazing and Richard has changed my life as an artist. If you are really serious about achieving your dreams then this is the place for you. No matter where you are in your career as an artist, he teaches you how to REALLY take your career into your own hands, learn how to market yourself and create your own evidence on film with which to do that.
I learned how to shoot and edit, all while improving my acting skills. By shooting small projects weekly, practicing on camera auditioning and by declaring what I want to achieve as an artist, I now have a pathway that I can follow to achieve my goals in small do-​able steps. It is truly remarkable and SOOO worth it!!!
How do I know this? Well, I am proof. Since working with Richard Lawson Studios, in the past 6 months, I have written and co-​directed 2 short films (one of which received honorable mention making the top 10 out of 250 films), produced and co-​directed a 48 hour film festival film and got paid to shoot a web commercial. Additionally, I now leave auditions confidently and I am get callbacks consistently. It’s inspiring and this is only the beginning…

I’ve taken acting classes on the East coast and West… and I can tell you that this might have been a terrible experience for me. Not because of Richard himself. He’s a very sweet and compassionate person. I think the class is useful, however, very overpriced for what it actually is. Aside from charging a starving artist and arm and a leg for «acting class» (THIS ISN’T REALLY AN ACTING CLASS) one has to pay for their own camera if they don’t already own one and then one must make sure they have all the right cables, tapes, video chips, etc. I studied at one of the BEST studios in Manhattan with the founder himself (Esper Studios) in which many famous actors have come and gone. Maybe because I am used to a certain type of professionalism — but I wouldnt recommend this class to anyone.
First of all — Class is held in his own house in the «back house». Secondly, you are forced to sign your life away by promising to pay 16 weeks even if you decide to stop attending classes (kind of illegal). Secondly– he has this stage manager who might be the WORST person on the planet. I bumped into another «classmate» on a shoot and she also had a terrible experience with Chariss (stage manager). I had a very personal incident in which I had to go back home and this woman has a. tried to compare me to Robert Downey Jr. and then b. ask me (blatantly) if my cousin was in fact dead. I simply scoffed at this due to the incredible amount of disbelief of what I just heard and then I told her conversation was over. My cousin’s freak accident was all over the NY Times and the Village Voice and The Daily News. I mean, seriously, to even question when I would come back and that my having to leave bc of my cousin’s well being was NO EXCUSE.
They are crazy fanatics and no offense to all the scientologist but they are «very happy» and over the top with their super positive energy. I say try it if you want, but don’t sign any papers. They will hold you liable. Or at least try to.
Good Luck LA ACTORS…
p. s. just fyi — after speaking to classmate the day i bumped into her, she said nearly half the class had dropped out ½ way through the term…

If you are not ready to work hard and breathe acting and everything about acting, DO NOT take this class.
The 16-​week class that I took changed my entire career path. I learned that the business is not about knowing how to act, or be the best actor there is. So many amateurs that came out to LA, or Hollywood (which they like to claim) arrived here with a dream. And some with an unrealistic ideology. Being the best looking, or best actor does not create your career. It is more than that!
You can wish to be an actor and wish to be a star for all you want, but if you do not work it, breathe it or even do what ever it takes to be it, you will always be sitting in that bus corner waiting for the talent scouting bus to come and whizz you away, which of course may never happen. (This I learned from Richard)
At RLS, I have started my career with an Independence of Declaration, plotting exactly what I want, how I am going to do it and when I will get there. I have so far managed to make a few short films, one of which was submitted to the YOMYOMF initiative; Interpretations Film Competition. I did not win, which is perfectly fine, because now there are more people in the industry know me than when I was trying to sell myself through my agents and CD showcases.
I learned how to use a camera, direct a scene, achieve good lighting and sound while filming, but most important of all, I learned to be accountable for making myself, the product, as visible as possible. I can easily create a script and start shooting. And I can edit my footage and be ready to post it on youtube all within a short week. In fact, I am ready to start shooting my next short film when the holidays are over.
All these would not be possible without the knowledge I got from RLS, and the close community of supportive artists that Richard has formed in RLS. Take that bold step, step it up and challenge yourself, you will be so amazed that you could actually do more than what you can right now.