American vs. British Accents
Webinar hosted by: Jon Sperry
Acting, Voice, Dialect and Accent Reduction Coach
Your host Jon Sperry is one of the top dialect and voice coaches in America. Jon has lived, coached and taught acting, voice, dialects and accent elimination all over the world, including in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Athens, and Buenos Aires. Jon has been the dialect or dialogue coach on over 60 films and TV shows, and taught for many years at Circle in the Square and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, among other institutions. His star-studded list of former clients and students includes some of the finest actors of screen and stage from all over the globe, including many Oscar winning and Oscar nominated actors. After graduating from Wesleyan University with a degree in Theater, Jon studied at Circle in the Square Theater School in New York, one of the pre-eminent acting conservatories in America. He eventually became a lifetime member of The Actors Studio, where he also teaches. In addition to his busy career as an acting teacher and dialect coach, Jon is also an actor and sometime producer with his wife and partner, the Italian writer-director Ivana Massetti. They presently live and work in Los Angeles. Actors Jon Has Coached: Arnold Schwarzenegger Russell Crowe Melanie Griffith Philip Seymour Hoffman Liam Neeson Zoe Saldana Juliette Lewis Geena Davis Harvey Keitel Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
Learn directly from Jon Sperry, one of the most experienced dialect coaches in America who has coached such actors as Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Rodrigo Santoro, Sofia Vergara, Zoe Saldana, Russell Crowe, Matt Dillon and Harvey Keitel!
In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, you will take your acting to the next level by learning how to accurately speak with American and British accents. You will also learn the common regional variations, so you can have a well-rounded comprehension of the accent and play any role that requires an accent from either country. Utilizing exceptional instruction from a world renowned Acting and Voice coach, this webinar will help you begin to learn to speak like a native British or American citizen, no matter your natural accent or dialect!
You will leave the webinar knowing:
- How to reduce or eliminate your natural accent or dialect.
- How to hear the difference between characteristic American and British sounds.
- What regional accent differences exist and how to mimic them.
- How to decipher a person’s origin by their accent and how to apply that to your acting.
- An introduction to speaking like a native of both countries.
- You will also have recorded exercises to help you practice on your own time!
Your host Jon Sperry is one of the top dialect and voice coaches in America. Jon has trained and/or coached many hundreds of actors of all levels, including such actors as Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Rodrigo Santoro, Sofia Vergara, Zoe Saldana, Gael Garcia Bernal, Julie Delpy, Liam Neeson, Juliette Lewis, Famke Janssen, Matt Dillon, Minnie Driver, Russell Crowe, Sophia Loren, Debbie Reynolds, Giancarlo Giannini, John Turturro, Geena Davis, Melanie Griffith, Thomas Kretschmann, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. He has enjoyed a long collaboration with Harvey Keitel on 15 films, including The Piano, Bugsy, Reservoir Dogs, The Bad Lieutenant, and Thelma and Louise. He has coached films made by Francis Ford Coppola, Jane Campion, Ridley Scott, Theo Angelopoulos, Barry Levinson, Andy Davis, Robert Rodriguez, Roland Joffé and Quentin Tarantino, to name a few. Jon is an expert in his field and he is here exclusively for Stage 32 to help you with your accent training!
What You'll Learn
- An overview of the basic principles of speech.
- What vowels and consonants are - including one hugely important surprise!
- The key sounds of a neutral American accent.
- A breakdown of how to project well-spoken conversational American.
- The key sounds of regional American English.
- New York.
- Deep South.
- Western/Texas.
- The key sounds of a neutral British accent.
- The difference between so called RP (received pronunciation, or BBC English) and neutral British.
- The key sounds of other UK accents.
- Cockney.
- Scottish.
- Irish.
- Key comparisons between American and British accents.
- Why knowing the difference is important!
- Recorded, in-depth Q&A with Jon!
About Your Instructor
Jon Sperry
FAQs
Q: How do I watch my webinar live?
A: If you received a confirmation that your webinar is on Go to Webinar, you will receive an email from Go to Webinar with further instructions for participating in the live webinar. You can also access your webinar link in your purchase history located under settings in the top right-hand corner of your Stage 32 profile.
If you received a confirmation that your webinar is on Zoom, you will receive a separate email from Zoom with further instructions for participating in the live webinar. Your login link will not be in your Stage 32 profile. If you did not receive your link via Zoom please email support@stage32.com.
Q: How do I watch my webinar on demand?
A: You will be able to watch your webinar on demand as many times as you’d like inside your Stage 32 profile. The recording is processed and posted between 24-48 hours after the webinar concludes. You can follow the instructions below.
YOU MUST HAVE A STAGE 32 PROFILE TO WATCH YOUR VIDEO – STAGE 32 IS FREE TO JOIN
If You Already Have a Stage 32 Profile:
- Log into your Stage 32 profile
- Click "Settings" in the top right-hand corner (gear icon)
- Click "Purchase History"
- Choose this webinar and click the link to view
- Go to www.stage32.com
- Create a profile using the SAME email address you used to sign up for this webinar. The email addresses must match in order to watch the webinar.
- Once you have your profile set up, you can view the webinar by clicking "Settings" in the top right hand corner (gear icon)
- Click "Purchase History"
- Choose this webinar and click the link to view
Q: What is the format of a webinar?
A: Stage 32 Next Level Webinars are typically 90-minute educational broadcasts that take place online using a designated software program from Stage 32. Your webinar will be taught by a working industry professional with in-depth teaching on a topic. If you are able to attend live you will be able to ask your Stage 32 Educator questions during Q&A.
Q: What are the system requirements to watch my webinar live?
A: You will need to meet the following system requirements in order to run the webinar software: Windows 7 or later Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or later.
If you have Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS X 10.9 (Mountain Lion): The webinar software does not support these operating systems. If you are running one of those operating systems, please upgrade now in order to be able to view a live webinar. Upgrade your Windows computer / Upgrade your Mac computer.
Q: What if I cannot attend the live webinar?
A: If you cannot attend a live webinar or purchase an on demand webinar, you will have access to the entire recorded broadcast, including the Q&A.
Q: Will I have access to the webinar afterward to re-watch?
A: Yes! Like all Stage 32 education, after the purchase of a live or on demand webinar, you will have on-demand access to the recording.
Q: How do I get a copy of the handouts provided?
A: If the webinar you take included handouts you can find them as downloads underneath your on demand video. You must be logged into your Stage 32 profile to view the video and get the handouts by clicking settings in the top right hand corner, then clicking purchase history.
Q: What if I need accessibility and accommodations?
A: Email support@stage32.com to request accommodations.
Thanks for your loyalty to Stage 32 Education. We value having you in the Stage 32 community.
If you have any further questions, we are always happy to help. Please contact Stage 32 support at support@stage32.com.
Relevant Tags
Share with friends:
Questions?
Other education that may be of interest to you:
Mastering the American Accent
Stage 32 Next Level Webinars is thrilled to bring you Jon Sperry to teach you how to develop and master the American accent! You'll leave this webinar with working exercises and various techniques that strengthen your American accent. Understanding that Stage 32 is a global community, we realize our members from all over the world may need help with mastering the American accent. Or, if you are based in America but live in an accent-heavy region, you may need help neutralizing your accent for acting or voice opportunities. We are excited to have brought in Jon Sperry who is one of the foremost acting, voice, dialect and accent reduction coaches in America. He has coached many of the finest actors in the world including Russell Crowe, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Harvey Keitel, and many more. Actors Jon Has Coached: Catherine Zeta Jones Arnold Schwarzenegger Russell Crowe Melanie Griffith Philip Seymour Hoffman Liam Neeson Zoe Saldana Juliette Lewis Geena Davis Harvey Keitel PRAISE FOR JON'S TEACHINGS: "Jon's webinar was very interesting today. The feedback from our questions were very good and helpful! He is very kind indeed. Now we have to do the "homework" by practicing pretty much every day. The good thing is that we have the possibility to see the video the whole year and check back on the exercises he goes over. That will for sure help me. Thanks Jon!" - Daniel Sebille, Webinar Attendee "Thank you for the fascinating class. I will know when I have finally got it, when my American husband doesn't burst out laughing as he does at the moment when I try our my British attempt at an American accent. I will keep practicing!" - Catherine B., Webinar Attendee "Excellent! Absolutely fantastic and helpful session. It is fantastic that I can be sitting in my office in Melbourne Australia and watch Jon in his office in LA! I got great value out of it and will be enlisting Jon's services in the future! It was very cool to be able to ask a question - he not only answered the question, but offered up so much more! Excellent session would recommend to anyone." - Chris Hilton-Wood, Webinar Attendee "It was an incredible experience with an a mazing professional. I hope I can take another one of this soon. Now, practice, practice, practice..." - Esteban Balbi, Webinar Attendee
How to Build Your Online Brand As an Actor (Examples of Actor Profiles and Social Media Profiles that Stand Out to Casting Directors)
Let's face it. We spend a good portion of our days on social media. Be it Stage 32, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter we're constantly checking in. For many, social media serves as a fun distraction. But for those in the know, social media is a powerful tool to build your presence, brand, and portfolio as an actor. It's an absolute and undeniable fact that casting directors, managers and agents search social media platforms every day to help them with their ultimate goal - to find new, exceptional talent that they can book on open projects. Yet, so many actors misuse or ignore social medial altogether. That has to change. Your online presence can help you get noticed, get in front of the right people, get you in rooms, and, ultimately, accelerate your path to success. Being an actor today is more than just being talented at delivering lines. You have to approach acting with the mindset of an entrepreneur. That means taking advantage of all online opportunities for branding and exposure. You're in full control of taking time to carefully craft your online presence. You have to make sure your actor profiles and resume have the information and media decision makers want to see. You have to understand how to use social media the right way to capture the attention of people that can hire you. Actors who are taking the time to do this correctly have a competitive advantage. Wendy Alane Wright is the CEO of WAW Entertainment, a leading talent management firm in Los Angeles. Her clients have appeared on television networks such as ABC, NBC, TNT, CBS, HBO, Comedy Central, BIO, SyFy, Lifetime, and more. Some of the projects her clients have booked are TV shows including Modern Family, Black-ish, American Horror Story, Sharp Objects as well as hundreds of commercials for major spots including Shutterfly, Mercedes, Visa, Taco Bell, Universal Studios, Homegoods, Walmart, Justice, Target, Honda, Legos, Hot Wheels, and many more. After decades in the business Wendy uses the internet now more than ever to help her find talent and decide on talent when sending her clients on auditions. Wendy will teach you how your online presence can help you get more auditions (or lose them!). She'll help you zone in on what your brand is as an actor and how you can best portray that online. You'll learn what is needed on your online profiles such as Actors Access to be competitive, stand out, and be considered for more roles. Wendy will show you examples of actor profiles, resumes, social media accounts and talk through what about them stands out to casting directors, managers and agents. She'll teach you five things to up your game immediately on social media and how to approach networking to get noticed. And, she'll answer the question on every actor's mind: does your follower count matter? One of the industry's top talent agents will walk you through all of this step-by-step so you are crystal clear on what goes on in their mind when they're looking at you online. PRAISE FOR WENDY'S TEACHINGS: "Wendy, thank you for sharing your time, energy and insight. Seeing the profile examples and hearing you describe what casting directors and agents look for was extremely helpful. I hope to work with you one day!" - Jack S. "This is a fantastic webinar!! Wendy's straightforward approach answered so many questions that I kept asking myself about social media." - Amber F.
Actors: Stand out to Decision Makers - What You Need to Prepare to Book More Work
You’ve taken the classes, you’ve studied your craft, and even nailed your audition…or so you thought. Ever wonder why you might not be getting certain acting jobs, even though there may be nothing wrong with your acting? The truth is, the jobs don’t always go to the best actors. There are numerous factors that go into casting, the decision ultimately lies with decision makers. So how do you make decision makers choose you? The challenge for many actors is not what they’re doing right, but what they’re doing wrong. You’ve thought about the role, the character’s backstory, even what accent you might put on, but have you thought about who you’re really auditioning for? There’s more to auditioning than just your acting skills. Everything from your tone upon entry, to knowing who you’ll be in the room with when auditioning (i.e., the director, producer, casting director), and even your social media. There’s a lot more to think about than just your acting chops, but fret not, with the right guidance you’ll be able to fully prepare yourself for your auditions. Multi Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and author Shane Stanley has worked in almost every capacity on and off the set with hit shows like ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT and SEINFELD and producing films like Sony Pictures’ GRIDIRON GANG a #1 box office hit starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Shane produced and directed NIGHT TRAIN, which spent several weeks this year as the #1 movie on Hulu. For three years, Shane was Vice President of Sheen/Michaels Entertainment where he produced several motion pictures starring Marlon Brando, Mira Sorvino, Thomas Hayden Church, Donald Sutherland, Marisa Tomei, Sean Penn, John Travolta, and Charlie and Martin Sheen. Shane continues to produce and direct independent films of all levels, and just wrapped production on his latest action thriller BREAK EVEN. Having spent over 30 years auditioning actors, Shane knows better than anyone what it really takes to land acting jobs. In this exclusive Stage 32 on-demand webinar you’ll learn which actors usually end up booking roles and why. You’ll also take a look at your own acting career, what roles you should actually be submitting to and why you may not be reading casting breakdowns properly, discuss cold emailing producers, filmmakers, and casting directors, your acting reel, navigating the audition room, and how social media can be your best friend or your worst enemy. By the end of this webinar, you’ll walk away with more confidence to nail your next audition. Testimonials for Shane's Previous Webinars: "Shane was thorough and encouraging. Easy to listen to and follow. I'll be signing up for other classes he teaches in the future." -Karena K. "Just straight-forward, real, the kind of producer most of us would kill to work alongside." -Clark R. "Shane was relevant, knew what was happening, and could walk the walk." -Chuck R.
Actors: 9 Secrets To Getting Your Best Performance
Being an actor means constantly evolving. It means being open to new ideas. It's realizing that to be the best, as perfect as one can be, one must pay attention and learn from those who keep landing roles. The goal is not only to do the best work, but to have that work recognized in a way that brings longevity to your career. Ron Marasco has had that kind of career. Ron has been making his name in film and TV for over 25 years appearing in successful films and television shows such as The 40 Year Old Virgin, Entourage, Lost and Bones. As if that wasn't enough, Ron has a Ph.D in Theater and teaches acting at prestigious Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. His book Notes for an Actor, has become a bible for many. In short, the man knows acting inside and out. The secret to Ron's success? Well, it's his 9 secrets to getting your best performance. And they're a secret no longer. Right here, exclusively for Stage 32, Ron shares all the information that has led to his massive success. Ron’s approach is not so much a “method” as it is “tool-kit” of tricks that provide fast-fixes to an actor’s work, doable techniques that quickly increase an actor’s on-stage/on-screen command, and gems meant to spark an actor’s inspiration. This webinar will be what Ron calls “shop-talk,” just one actor talking to other actors about the “secrets” he’s learned that are the base-work of every good performance. “This is the stuff,” Ron says, “they don’t tell you in acting classes." So settle in, let your guard down, open your mind, and let Ron's techniques sink in. Here's to better auditions and more jobs! PRAISE FOR RON'S TEACHINGS: "All I can say is, wow. I'm rewatching tomorrow and the next day and the next." - Angela Z.
Bobby Reed's SuperMarketing for Actors and Creatives
Since 2006, Bobby Reed has amassed 62 IMDB credits! 62! For this exclusive Next Level Webinar, Bobby shares his secrets for getting noticed and remaining in the minds of casting directors and producers! Come join Bobby Reed in an info-packed session about today's marketing for the modern artist, hear promotional techniques you may not have thought of, and get your questions answered about how and why to take charge of your own acting future. You and only you make it happen. The solution to your actor promotional questions is looking at you in the mirror: you are the boss, you will not be discovered sitting in the drug store. Bobby will show you some hot ways to get your career moving, and keep it that way. He's done if for himself; just check out his IMDb page. Come share his tips and tricks on how to promote your acting career each and every day (that's seven days a week, not five!). Well timed for the approaching new year, eh, when all your creative juices are flowing nicely? This will be your fresh start formula. PRAISE FOR BOBBY'S TEACHINGS: "Bobby's a firm believer in the "Do-It-Yourself" method. For the past year I had been saying I needed to "get a reel made." A week after speaking with him, I edited my own video reel." - Yvonne Senat "Bobby taught me that to be successful, I have to distinguish myself from the pack and to stay forefront in the minds of Hollywood decision makers - then he showed me how. Bobby's strategies are simple and sure-fire, and his love and concern for actors are real. Thanks Bobby for starting me on the right foot!" - Bill Bingham "He has limitless belief in the possibilities that come from action, persistence, and learning new skills. His ideas about what an actor can do are so useful, and get results! I feel like he really is invested in my success, and I feel lucky to know him." - Lisa Goodman "I was so impressed when I met Bobby Reed. His knowledge about the BIZ and what it takes to advance your career was exactly what I needed to really get going. Knowledge is power and Bobby willingly shares it all with you." - Porter Fowler
Ask Me Anything with Stage 32 CEO Richard "RB" Botto: Quarantine Edition
Since announcing our new screenings initiative, thousands of new members have joined the Stage 32 community, and there was no better time than to come together to connect, learn, and grow in our digital universe. So with that, I wanted to welcome our new members to the party by hosting one of my AMAs (Ask Me Anything): Quarantine Edition. Damn, you guys were on fire! The entertainment industry is rapidly changing as we all navigate this evolving landscape. In the last few weeks, in addition to talking with over 800 filmmakers from canceled festivals, I've had countless conversations with executives and industry professionals how creatives can keep hustling and put themselves in position to succeed in this new and ever-changing landscape. With everything going on, I can say without hesitation that I had a LOT to share! And I know you all had questions! In this over 2 hour AMA webcast we got together for inspiring, motivating, and brutally honest craft and industry talk. Remember, no matter what your discipline, skill level, geographical location, etc, this AMA will be helpful for ALL! You all brought your questions and the energy and I handled the rest. Amidst this global crisis that has forced so many of us indoors, we are excited to give film, tv, and digital creatives a safe place to stay creative and build relationships with their fellow entertainment industry folks from all over the world. Let's continue to come together for some inspiration, motivation and community love. And if you know any other creative who is not a member of Stage 32 that could use a lift, please invite them as well by sharing the on demand link to download. I enjoyed spending quality time with you all.
Register / Log In
