REACTIONS WORKSHOPS

The Emotional Language of the Face

Emotional Facial Expressiveness for the Actors, Directors, Voice Over Artists and Animators

Classes focused exclusively on learning the secrets to creating effective facial expressions and reactions.

Actors

If asked in an audition to create a very specific reaction, often to something completely imaginary, do you feel confident that you'd be able to communicate exactly what's needed on demand?  How about a rapid series of reactions such as slight surprise, skeptical disbelief, longing and pleasure?

FACT: A reaction audition is one of the most frustrating and difficult auditions to nail.

FACT: Most actors don’t realize that what they're feeling and what they’re revealing on their face are often two different things.

FACT: Reactions are a science that can be learned and mastered.

Every audition will include some degree of emotional reveal and reactions. The actor who knows how to effectively communicate through reactions has a great booking advantage over those who don't. 

Directors

“Be edgier,” is not a direction that most actors can interpret. You need that one moment from your actor that defines what the scene is about. You try to describe it to your actors and they stare at you as if you are speaking a different language. You may have great ideas but if your actors can’t translate your direction into action or reaction, there’s a problem.

Just as the primary goal for the actor is to understand and create complex human emotion, and then reveal it in a recognizable way, in part, the same is true for the director.  In this workshop you will learn:

• about the nature of emotions
• what they look like and what triggers them
• how to create and experience them

VO Artists

There’s no question that in voice acting, facial expressions effect the tone and quality of your voice. For example, creating a look of pleasure or happiness will heighten the pleasure or happiness in your voice.  In other words, when you create the correct emotional facial expression, the voice will follow.  This powerful technique will help you expand your range, as much as using varying placements, obstacles and signatures does.

Animators

Understanding universal emotions and the specific facial muscles that are involved with each emotion, will open the door for you to create more emotionally complex characters. "The Language of the Face" will increase your knowledge of emotional expression, creating opportunities for you to take your characters to new levels.

Discover a higher level of confidence in your ability to create specific reactions on demand
by learning

The Emotional Language of the Face

This unique class will teach you:

• how to translate directions into specific reactions
• how you personally reveal
• how to create a balance between what you’re feeling and expressing
• how to make each reaction bigger or smaller
• exercises to develop muscle memory
• how to apply reactions to commercial spots

Increase your callbacks and bookings by learning The Emotional Language of the Face and how to translate vague directions into clear reactions. Once you know these powerful techniques, you'll have the tools and confidence to create any reaction on demand!

Why should you study this technique at The John Sudol Studio?
John has pioneered emotional facial expressiveness for the actor and has been teaching these skills for over six years.  He has also been certified at an expert level in facial recognition by the METT Institute. His work is based on the award-winning research of U. of C. Medical School professor Paul Ekman.  This scientific approach to facial expressiveness has helped John's students consistently book work.

Los Angeles Classes

Level I: Facial Blueprint & Exercises

Check our schedule for dates

You'll work to determine the type of expresser you are and make the adjustments needed for clearer expression.  You'll learn the emotional facial blueprint, which is the foundation for building specific reactions, and how to apply it to commercial auditions. 

*Level II: Blending, Masking & Managing

Dates: TBA

*Level I is a prerequisite for Level II

You'll learn the tools to blend, mask and manage emotions, as well as intensify or deintensify your desired reaction. Exercises will help you take the application of these reactions to the next level in both your commercial and theatrical work.

Los Angeles Tuition

The cost of Level I and Level II is $150 each.  If you register for Level I and Level II together, the cost for both is $275. A payment plan is available. Space is limited to 8 people per workshop, so if you're interested in adding this powerful skill to your acting arsenal, get in touch with us soon!

Call 818-505-1223 or send us a email to sign up for a workshop.
You can make a deposit via credit card or PayPal or download the workshop registration form and mail it with your payment by check directly to the studio.

New York City Intensive

Q & A

What is emotional facial expressiveness?
The non-verbal means by which we communicate with our face what we feel and think. 

Why is this important for actors?
Because the actor has to understand and create complex emotions, and reveal them in a recognizable way.

Why hasn’t this been included in my acting training?
Because most traditional training focuses on the body, the words and the tone of the voice to reveal emotion and thought.  Those means are the way we express how someone is coping with emotion, but the face is the source from which we read what a person is actually feeling.

Does every actor express in the same way?
Each person expresses in a slightly unique way, based on their cultural background, upbringing, and whether they are an introverted or extroverted expresser.  Despite this individual uniqueness, the emotional facial blueprints for each emotion is universal.

Am I an introverted or extroverted expresser?
If you’re an extrovert, you’ve no doubt been given comments that your face shows every thought that comes into your mind.  If you’re an introvert, comments have likely included that you need to express more and they’re not seeing what you’re feeling.  Both types of actors have a distortion between what they feel and what they express. The extrovert tends to substitute facial movement for emotion and the introvert believes that everyone can read what they’re feeling and if they add expression it will look like overacting.

What is the Emotional Facial Blueprint?
A reference and guide to the muscles and muscle groups that are consistent to a specific emotion. A multitude of expressions all stem from the blueprint.

Why is it important to learn The Emotional Language of the Face?
An actor must find a balance between what they express and what they feel, so what they feel inside is in direct proportion to what their face is expressing.  Based on the emotional facial blueprints, they also need to understand what facial muscles are involved with what emotions or thoughts and learn how to control them.  Almost every actor who works consistently has had to learn these techniques.  That’s what film acting is about – it’s not just about being ‘smaller’ than you are on stage, it’s about a more intimate means of communication and letting the viewer read your mind.

Student Feedback

"This was one of the best workshops that I have ever participated in. It certainly opened my eyes to a more efficient way of auditioning for commercials."  -- Michael C.

"I went to an audition, even though I wasn't sure I was right for the role. I was the only Asian actor there. I booked the job and the director told me it was because I had the best reactions. Thank you John!" -- Jesse W.