Brian Timoney Actors Studio
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Brian Timoney is one of the world's leading authorities on method acting and method acting training. Want to know more about his acting courses?
Reviews 110
Ben Mackay
Mar 12,2024The past year has been transformative. As an actor, I've learned to deliver performances that are not only truthful and authentic but also powerful and deep. As a person, I’ve become far more confident, sensitive, open-minded and curious. The programme is far more than just acting training, it’s a process of self-discovery and it teaches you how to become a real creative artist. You’ll be pushed out of your comfort zone, challenged to explore your inner self, and ultimately helped to grow not only as an actor but as a human being. Brian and Natalie’s professionalism, support, expertise and knowledge are unparalleled. I will be forever grateful to both of them for their guidance. Doing the course is without doubt the best decision I have ever made. If you’re looking to go beyond traditional acting techniques and are ready to dive into a journey of personal and artistic growth, this is where you should be.
Hannah Frankland
Dec 15,2023I can safely say that undergoing Brians Ultimate Acting programme was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Working under Brians eye has been a transformative and incredibly rewarding experience. I honestly believe I’ve learnt more skills from Brians programme in just one year than I would have done undergoing a 3 year course elsewhere. The course is meticulously designed to equip you with precise skills and knowledge that maximise your opportunities for success when entering the industry. The ultimate acting programme cultivates an environment rich in creativity, dedication and a strong support network. In just a short year I feel confidently able to go out and seek work in the industry. The end of year showcase was the perfect springboard to embark on our journeys and I even was sent offers by agents the very next day. Thank you very much Brian and Natalie for your continued support and for a truly wonderful year.
Claudia
Dec 02,2023As many of my colleagues have written here, Brian is an incredible teacher. He teaches techniques that produce natural acting (that you can find in many method acting courses I’m sure) but the real difference lies in his attention to details and mind reading powers :). You can’t get away with pretending. Even when you don’t realise it, Brian can pinpoint exactly what thoughts or issues are blocking you. His no nonsense approach can sometimes push you to the limit but he will only do this when you need it. He tailors his method to each individual, same for the scene and etude selection. He is truly passionate about what he teaches and it is infectious! The ultimate acting program doesn’t just unravel your natural artistic abilities but also sets you up with all the proper tools (thanks to Natalie who meticulously organises and checks everything!) for a running start: a great quality showreel, self tape and audition skills, stage and on set experience, a great cv, a West End showcase (where half of us got signed by an agent!) and most importantly for me: confidence (and being present!) so that walking on set and standing in front of a camera does not faze me. I don’t even see the camera, it doesn’t scare me or bother me at all (hard to imagine one year ago!) Apart from all the great things Brian does, he also set us up with a great voice and movement coach teaching us methods/tools that we will use everyday for the rest of our careers, no doubt. And last but not least, we were really lucky to have such a wonderful group, that I trust and cherish now, to work with. I say lucky, but it isn’t really luck knowing the selection was carefully done by Brian and then hard work was put into it by all of us guided by our coach, through various exercises to create an amazing ensemble. We are still in touch regularly and it is precious to have a group of people to keep in touch with and share ups and down. We are each others cheerleaders now :). Thank you Brian and Natalie for a great year (and beyond). It has been absolutely life changing.
Glenn Kirk
Nov 01,2023I completed my Ultimate Acting program with Brian in September 2023. It has been a fantastic journey with a wonderful group of people. Brian has developed a teaching approach that takes a complete beginner to a consummate actor over the course of the 12 months. The range of ‘method’ exercises are designed to give us the ability to produce authentic characters who live in the moment. This approach to acting really produces electric and compelling performances - literally an edge of your seat experience. Our showcase went brilliantly and was widely praised by the agents who came to see us perform. If you get a chance to train with Brian, grab it with both hands! Most of our class is continuing with Brian on his Pro course (training should never stop!) which is testimony to how much we value Brian and the techniques he teaches.
Julie S
Oct 31,2023Brian Timoney Ultimate Acting Programme Having done a few of Brian Timoney’s online courses, and also an in-person one, I took the plunge at the last minute and applied to audition for the Ultimate Acting Programme. I was lucky enough to be successful and so the journey began. And wow! What a journey. The Ultimate Acting Programme is exactly that. It gives you the skills to become a professional actor, from basic relaxation (very important for actors) to the nuances of characterisation to the practical aspects of the business of acting and everything in between. Brian has designed a programme to help your skills develop and grow in a way that is both guided and organic. The exercises really do help you to become a character. To think, move, speak and behave as the character, and not just a pale imitation. And Brian knows how to get the best out of his students. He understands people and uses his own intuition and his wealth of knowledge and experience to develop his students’ intuition. All of the students in my cohort were different. We were different ages, had different backgrounds, different occupations and different experiences of acting. There were some that had done a lot of acting and some, like me, who had done virtually none. Brian recognised our different learning styles and was able to guide us all to achieve our best work. He is a very talented and intuitive teacher. And believe me, once you have learned lines the Brian Timoney way, you will never worry about forgetting them again! We learned how to recognise and act on impulses just as you would in your everyday life. We learned how to be creative and intuitive within the confines of scripted work and given circumstances. We learned how to communicate with voice, body, thought and behaviour. We learned how to give our characters a life of their own, so much so, that when performing, we were the characters. This level of intuitive acting leads to some very believable and powerful performances. Don’t get me wrong, it is hard work. Anything worth having is worth working for and you will work hard. Brian gives 100% commitment, and he expects the same from his students. This is method acting training at its best. They say behind every great man is a great woman and that is certainly true here. Natalie works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that things run smoothly, from sending us scripts, to producing the showreels. She is a Wonder Woman. I cannot stress enough just how important these two people have become to me and how grateful I am for what they have both done for me. But, for me, this wasn’t just about the acting. It was also about the journey. I had no idea where it was going to take me, but I knew I was looking forward to the ride. And what a ride it has been! It was also about the people in the group. We became very close, we helped each other, we laughed and cried and enjoyed each other’s company. We became like a troupe, like a family. This journey has been one of the best things I have ever done. I was one of the oldest students in the group and thought I knew myself pretty well, but I learned more about myself than I ever thought possible. I also look at other peoples’ behaviours with a different mindset. I question it more. For example, if someone is rude to me, I will often ask myself if they are bad, mad or sad? I have grown as a person not just as an actor. The showcase in the West End was even more amazing than I thought it would be. Industry professionals came to see us all perform. I was lucky enough to be offered representation by several agents and have been asked to submit self-tapes for both film and TV. After a long and successful career in the NHS I have decided to resign and concentrate on acting. That’s the other thing the course does for you. It gives you confidence in your own ability. I can proudly say, ’I am an actor’. Do the course. You won’t regret it.
Alexandra Vickers
Oct 31,2023Brian and his Ultimate Acting Programme have brought new levels of depth into my acting in ways I never knew existed. The techniques I learned over the year will stay with me forever and I’m incredibly grateful to have explored in an environment where I can ask all my questions and get personal feedback as to how to better unlock the best in my acting rather than being in a huge class where I’m not seen. The fact that Brian and Natalie also cover important elements of the business side of the industry is also incredibly helpful and is something I have yet to find in another course. I’m not usually one for taking notes but I filled every single line in 2 notebooks! If that doesn’t tell you whether it’s worth it or not… I don’t know what does! This course is clearly well-thought through. You can feel the passion that went into designing it in such a way to get the best out of you. If you want to upskill or you are starting from scratch (which is where I was) I would highly recommend Brian and his classes.
Lyndon Price
Oct 28,2023I can wholeheartedly and unreservedly recommend Brian Timoney and his Ultimate Method Acting Programme because he is a master at teaching method acting and his programme works. Brian taught me to act in an authentic and believable way, to ‘green-light’ the first natural impulse and to show real emotions, ranging from the most subtle to intense, and to create real, authentic, and believable characters. He is a master at teaching actors to deliver real and truthful acting, because he has studied the tools and techniques which have been successfully used to train some of the best actors in the world. Two weeks after our showcase at the end of the Ultimate Acting programme, I have signed with an agent because – in their own words – “my headshot was good and the showreel very good”! Before joining Brian’s programme I had virtually no acting experience. So, if you want to get into the acting industry, Brian Timoney and his acting programme delivers what it says on the tin. Sign up! Lyndon Price
Norbert Floris
Jan 02,2023Life changing course, but BEWARE! This course is Not for the faint hearted. You’ll be pushed to your limits, to see what are your TRUE potential is, but in return you have a professional training, with a very hard working team whose goal is to help you to make it happen. If Brian decide to pick you on this program means you absolutely have what it takes to be there, so if your earn the right, don’t half ass it!
Victoria Wiseman
Nov 17,2022I highly recommend this course. It gave me everything I needed to start my acting career properly. It’s not for the faint-hearted, and that was what I was looking for. I had some pretty significant boundaries and habits that needed dealing with, and I would always shut down my emotions when acting. I was struggling to get myself out of the way. Brian and his team saw this and worked diligently to help me, and they made it clear that if I were to succeed, I would need to put in a lot of hard work. I was coached with great care and respect and started to feel safe, allowing my emotions to be part of my work. This was a big thing for me! Now I am as free as a bird, and since graduating from this course, Brian has become a great source of knowledge that I rely on to keep on track and stay true to my acting. I have a one-woman show that I perform regularly, and I am pleased to say that I financially support myself entirely using the skills learned from the course. I have to pinch myself that I am doing what I love.
Lauren Macdonald
Nov 15,2022As we would say in Scotland, this course is a ‘belter’ - different from the rest. I started this class very timid and lacking in confidence but determined to follow my dream to pursue acting. Brian has designed the course to break you out of bad acting habits, encourage you out of your shell and decipher any other obstacle that may be preventing you from growing. He then proceeds to build you up as an actor. He is providing you with the tools to home in on the techniques that will continuously stretch your potential as an actor and artist. He redefines your focus and shows you what is important to concentrate on, to take your acting ability to the next level. Once you become confident in the method techniques being taught, you then put them into practice and simultaneously start to discover not only different character creations but parts of yourself you weren’t aware were in you - this can be pleasantly surprising! Once you put these eloquently together the creative process becomes even more alluring and makes the possibilities endless. I couldn’t have asked for better people to work alongside- my class and teachers were incredible-full of talented individuals to bounce off and learn from. Each month I would bounce into class so excited to see everyone and put into practice what we had been working on. Before he lets you go at the end of the journey you will have learned not only the method but the business side of acting. Meaning even after the year course, you are prepped and left with the skills that you can sharpen and practise solos such as warm-ups and relaxation before performances and auditions. You will also have vital knowledge of how to conduct yourself in the industry. In Demidov’s etude process you have to trust your physical impulses and green light them which creates spontaneous reactions in your work. What's interesting is even outside of class you become more trusting of your impulses and I became less hesitant and shy as a person because I trusted my own decisions and stopped second-guessing myself so much. All in all, I highly recommend this course.
Jordan
Nov 14,2022My name is Jordan, and I had completed two months of the 12-month Ultimate Acting Programme. Three days after the second month had been completed, I received an email telling me that it had been decided that this course wasn’t right for me, and that I was not able to continue. Without involving me in the conversation, they had decided that they knew the complete limits of my capability after 6 working days, and a total of 6 sets of Etude work. A practice we were meant to be moving on from after the third month. Neither a warning, nor explanation was given, and all of my attempts to reconcile, or ask for an explanation had been ignored. I had been given no favours, and in the first month I had received positive feedback from the course leader, Brian, and I had built a good repour with my fellow classmates. I had been extremely upfront with them about my issues with confidence, at application stage, and in the introductory session from day one. When I feel that I have made a mistake, I am prepared to take responsibility for it, and my frustration and self-critical tendencies reflect how much I care about trying to put things right where I feel they have gone wrong, and it is as though I have been punished for caring. Imagine your Driving Instructor telling you that they’ve decided that driving isn’t for you, and they don’t want to teach you anymore after you’ve stalled the car on your 5th lesson. At best, I have been misled in terms of how I was to be supported during my process of training, and at worst I have been discriminated against for mental health reasons. I only wanted to start this course so that I could finish it. To be proud of my accomplishment and to see how much I have grown and changed as a result. This goal has now been jeopardised for no good reason. No person who ever tried to do something they’ve never done before ever got through it without getting something wrong. People deserve second chances to improve, especially when they have demonstrated some previous potential. It is wrong to treat people like this. This practice should be avoided at all costs.
Chris
Oct 01,2022Ok, where do I begin. Most likely the best decision of my life. Let’s start with the obvious. Brian is a great teacher and a great human being. He will be able to help you get a very good understanding of the craft quite fast. From the first interaction you have with him, it will be easy to realise that he has spent a long long time understanding what good acting is and feels like. And, most importantly, he has the ability to help YOU understand what good acting is and FEELS like. He is not going to discourage you in any way if you are not getting where you should be, as many teachers do in a sad attempt to “show you how it’s done”, but at the same time he is not going to sugarcoat anything for you, which in my opinion is the best of both worlds. I feel like this is the best way to move forward and improve. It is important to mention at this point, that every person is going to get the help and attention they need. He is not going to keep saying the same things to everyone, something I have come across many times, as everyone is different. Everyone will be able to improve in the areas in which they are lacking, (well, some may hear the same because they are obviously facing the same problems). He is not going to enforce his opinion on you, but you should probably listen from the start, as he is most likely right. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t express what you are thinking, as there is a very good chance that your ideas and his guidance will lead to a great result. Personally, I feel like I have grown so much in the duration of one year. It was (and probably will be for you) a very challenging year. It may take some time to do even small (at first glance) things but you will 100% do those things. Whether that’s following your impulses, relaxing, perceiving as your character (and then breaking character as you had a random thought and coming back to it) or “being” with your scene partner, you will achieve these things following the process you will be shown. For me, it was quite a challenging journey as I am quite an introverted person. It was not easy to leave myself behind. It’s still not easy. But as you move on and learn and improve, it gets easier. I think you will realise at some point that you don’t matter as much as you think. I feel like after this year, I can experiment with the material I have and try everything I feel like trying. Whether that works or not in a scene, we will see, but for me the win was to get the confidence to create characters, embody them as well as I can, show them to the world and following the process hopefully the performances will be real in my own unique way. I was lucky enough to work with amazing people throughout the course of this year. My fellow actors were incredibly talented and worked hard to get even better, something I think is quite important as it motivates you to keep getting better and better. And most importantly, Brian will give you the opportunity to work with very passionate people that want to create great work, as he is really careful when it comes to who he picks (I am not implying anything about me, please do not take it like that). I am sure my fellow students will do amazing work and I am honoured to have worked with them. I have to mention that for any possible question you have, Natalie will answer it for you and make everything clear from the beginning. Brian’s course runs very smoothly from every aspect, and I feel like Natalie is a huge reason for this. I never felt like I didn’t know what was going on and every single question I had was answered. I cannot say the same thing about my Uni experience, so the conclusions are yours. I also had the pleasure of working with Gabriel. My voice was one of the main issues I had, especially in the beginning of the year. With Gabriel’s and Brian’s guidance, I did a lot of voice work which led me to improve the thing that was clearly holding me back in many ways. Lastly, I must not forget to mention that Brian will show you how to navigate acting from its business aspect. There is no “if you want it enough, you will get it” kind of guidance. He will show you exactly how to move forward and get work. I am not saying you will love it. But you will know what to do. Of course, the showcase is an incredible opportunity for you to meet people in the business, talk with them and, hopefully, get an agent. I am currently in talks with 3 agents, so by the time you are reading this, there is a good chance I will be an actor with an agent. All in all, this was an experience for which I do not have enough good words to say. I found parts of myself that I had both lost and never knew I had in the first place. Thank you Brian, Natalie, and Gabriel for helping me improve as an artist and a person, for being so kind, and for putting me in a position to do something that I really love.
Alex
Sep 28,2022If I had the chance to do the course all over again I absolutely would. It was the best decision I ever made. It gave me the chance to grow creatively and it transformed my acting for the better. On the Ultimate Acting course, Brian teaches you to just be free, to take risks, and just to be your authentic self in front of the camera and on stage, which is such a thrilling and new experience. So if you’re sitting at home and you’re watching a film or a TV show or you’ve just seen a stage production, and you think ‘I can do that’, then do it! Apply for his courses, take the plunge, take the risk, and do it. You won’t regret it. I’m sitting here today, as a fully trained actor, with an agent, ready for work. You honestly won’t regret it, just go for it and get your journey started.
Laura Clements
Sep 27,2022For me, the Ultimate Acting programme has been an immeasurable experience and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to do it. Throughout the year on the course, I have experienced a repertoire of emotions from anxiety and fear of failure, self sabotage through the scale, to the feelings of support and exaltations as the months progressed culminating in the crescendos of the Showcase! It's been crazy, but just so good! The demands and levels set by Brian were challenging which was met with fervour as the realisation of the quality of teaching and content emerged. Brian is very honest in his approach which I love, it's what helps you to learn and grow as an artist. I felt he wanted to get the best from us and put us under pressure at times but this all added to the intensity of the course which was demanding, fulfilling, and rewarding and has enhanced me massively. I have greatly valued Brian's knowledge, experience and direction throughout the last year. This course has allowed me to chase a lifelong dream and it has not disappointed in giving me the skills to continue along this path. You can't hide from yourself on this course, it has opened up my thoughts to other aspects of life and to the many facets of a career in acting. It has supported me in learning about myself and how to find, feel and just be the character. Getting out of your own head and into the mind of a character is liberating, albeit uncomfortable at times as you don't know where you're going! I can't really explain that process, I just feel it. Working every month with likeminded people has been amazing as we have been able to learn from and support each other. Those weekends in class have made me feel completely alive. The organisation of the weekends has been great overall and the communication has been excellent. I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and the opportunity it has provided to me and would do it all over again if I could!
Thomas Feasby
Sep 26,2022My year on the Ultimate Acting Course was exactly what I was looking for. I felt that I was at a point in my career where I needed a stronger foundation to my acting technique and came across the Timoney Method when reading Brian’s book which I also highly recommend. What I found within the book, and also on the course, is the understanding that the most important thing for an actor is to be present in the scene and connected to their scene partner without the need to plan exactly what they want to do. Therefore keeping the scene alive and spontaneous, something which has been instilled in me over the course of this last year. This course has also provided a group of friends who are equally passionate about this craft and the added experience of both a showreel scene and showcase. So any actor out there, regardless of ability or experience, that feels like they are at a point where they are looking for something more then look no further than this course. As it will teach you the fundamental technique that underpins much of the award winning acting that you can see at the highest level on both the stage and screen.
Brett Neal (The Bandido's)
Sep 24,2022I would like to start by saying the ultimate acting programme is by far the most incredible experience you will ever experience, every month is a different challenge and just when you feel you’re getting somewhere and begin to get comfortable Brian then wants more out of you, you have to WORK. I came to Brian fearful and nervous because of how passionate I am about the craft and within 12 months he made me feel so confident and excited within myself that I no longer have the fear of the question 'can I act?' Over the past 12 months I have grown at a ridiculous rate, not only within my acting but also as a person, Brian taught me how to use the pain of my past and use it to fuel the instrument in the right way. He taught me a lot during the course and my most valuable lesson is your past doesn’t have to define who you are and by accepting what has happened and using it in the right way you can create characters with raw emotions, bringing them to life authentically. Not only was Brian my teacher, I also looked up to him as a father figure. Every class I would study him and his comments to learn more about what he wants from his students, he is very intelligent and he knows his craft, he is the messiah of method and I am truly grateful I had the opportunity to be a student of his. I highly recommend this to anyone, don’t think about it just do it because in the end you owe it to yourself, it is hard work, you have to be dedicated, you have to be able to listen and learn and if you can do all this things then you will be successful. I had 9 agent offers after the showcase and I signed with an agency. 12 months ago I didn’t even believe I could achieve that. I have so much love and gratitude for Brian and Natalie, for their hard work and effort they put in to their students to fully unlock their talent and potential. The hardest part about the course is the end, because it becomes a part of your life, and you have to say goodbye and move on to the next chapter, and for me I look forward to the next chapter as a PROFESSIONAL ACTOR.
Rachel H
Sep 22,2022Starting the ultimate actor programme was the best decision I’ve ever made. The whole year was truly amazing. Brian takes you from beginner to professional actor, teaching you everything you need to know to go out & be what you’ve always wanted to be! Brian has an in-depth application process, which is clear when you meet your classmates. I’m honoured to have spent the year learning & sharing the stage & screen with such hard-working, generous, talented actors. The course itself is brilliant, taking a deep dive into method acting, your own psyche & creating characters, as well as learning the business side of acting which is obviously extremely important once you have competed the course! You learn how to act for stage & screen & get to experience being on set. I started the year with a dream & now I can call myself a professional actor! The amazing experience I had on this course, the things I learnt & the people I met, I will cherish forever. If you’re wondering whether to apply DO IT! I can’t thank Brian & Natalie enough for the most incredible year ❤️
Harriet Waterhouse
May 19,2022Having discovered Brian’s work on the online Lockdown Intensive courses, I was excited to get into a real studio with a team of actors for the week-long Études Express, and it did not disappoint. Given the variability of zoom and internet connections it was amazing how much Brian had been able to teach us online, but in person he could make more subtle observations, catching on to our impulses and thoughts and missing nothing. His teaching is inspiring, and encouraging, and the classes are quiet, with all students listening and watching when they are not the ones on stage - our group developed a real feeling of camaraderie over the week. And it was not just études, as Brian also led us through relaxation and breathing techniques, vocal work, sense memory, plastiques, character boxes, psychological gesture and mask work, which was both fun and powerful. This was an amazing course; a taster of all the techniques we should be practising regularly throughout our careers, and the inspiration to keep learning and be our best. Thank you Brian!
Helen Cooper
Apr 22,2022Testimonial – Etude Express: 21st to 25th March 2022 I have been attending Brian’s online Intensive courses since June 2020. I chose to attend the Etude Express course because I needed nearly 2 years of lone practice during lockdown to come to life in a theatre. I knew I owed that to myself. I witnessed all my hard work in isolation pay off while surrounded by like-minded people, all working on this same exceptional acting technique. What I really respected was how Brian took care to ensure that his teaching was personalised. There were 10 of us, and he coached each of us as individuals depending on where we were on our acting journey. I now feel that I belong to an acting community, and that is very special for me.
Pitfield Street 40, N1 6EU, London, GB
http://www.briantimoneyacting.co.uk
Zaheer
Nov 28,2024I've just completed a year-long program at Brian Timoney Actors Studio, and it's been an incredible journey. The courses push you beyond traditional acting techniques, helping you become a more confident and authentic performer while also encouraging personal growth. Brian and Natalie offer outstanding support and expertise, creating a transformative experience. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your skills, you'll find their method practical and engaging. The training has even opened up new pathways for many, with classmates continuing on to further courses, demonstrating the value we all find in his approach. If you're ready to be challenged and grow both artistically and personally, this studio is a fantastic choice.