Q. I paid my agent a one-time sign up fee and paid her for some classes she told me I needed. I haven't gotten any work from her - or even an audition! Now she wants me to pay to put my picture on her website so casting directors will see me and call me to audition. Is this a good idea?

A. No. It's a very bad idea. A legitimate agent or manager NEVER charges a fee. Ever. They make their money by getting you work and taking a commission (usually 10% sometimes as high as 20% in Hawaii). Agents also shouldn't be offering services - it's illegal in Los Angeles - and the website thing is a scam. Your agent should put you on their website for free because if it did lead to a job, then they would get a commission. You're actually better off getting your own website for about $20 - $30 a year and promoting it yourself.

Q. What exactly is the "Free Screen Test and Professional Evaluation I heard about?

A. We offer a free screen test and professional evaluation, which allows you to check us out extensively, ask questions, and actually see first hand how we teach. It also allows us to determine which classes would be right for you. The screen test is a fifteen second commercial that you perform on-camera. The professional evaluation is a one on one session, in which we'll tell you what you are doing right, what you are doing wrong, and precisely what you need to do to fix it. This is NOT an audition for a job or for our classes.  It is actually more of a chance for you to "audition" us and see what we have to offer you.

Q. How much do classes cost?

A. It would naturally depend upon which class and how long you sign up for but we offer many classes for under $165 a month. Take advantage of our Free Screen Test (no obligation, no worries).

Q. How do I know if a teacher is any good?

A. Check them out.  See if they have worked professionally.  All the teachers who teach at the Academy are members of the Screen Actors Guild but that is only a start.  Look at their bios to see where they trained and where they've worked.  To be perfectly frank, their are only a handful of qualified acting teachers in Hawaii.  Don't be fooled by hype.  If you don't choose to train at the Academy (and we certainly think you should!) then train with a teacher that has professional credits.  We'll even name the ones we think are qualified because, while we want you to train with us, it's even more important to us that you don't get ripped off.  So here are some qualified professional teachers, that teach private classes in Hawaii, that DON'T teach for the Academy:  Cary Tagawa, Wayne Ward, & Bill Ogilvie.

Q. Why do people need coaching to communicate?

A. Many reporters and news anchors are trained to develop stories and write, but many don’t put as much emphasis on the need to read and tell stories well. Businessmen, politicians, doctors, military - all may know everything about doing their jobs but nothing about communicating through the media. Media Coaching helps you by giving you a roadmap to follow so that you can build your skills.

Q. If I’m telling the truth, why do I need to be "believable"?

A. It’s not enough to be truthful, you have to be believed. There are many physical and vocal hints that you convey when you speak and people subconsciously respond to these, to determine if they believe you. By learning what they are and controlling them, you can greatly increase your credibility.