After three sessions, I walked into the callback with a read I could actually repeat under pressure.
For adult actors · New Zealand
For working and aspiring adult actors
Coaching from someone who is still in the rooms you are trying to get into. NZST / NZDT time.
Tingley's Acting Studio coaches adult actors in New Zealand at every stage of their career: pre-representation, signed but underworked, mid-career, and working actors preparing for specific high-stakes auditions. The coaching is built around what you are actually doing, not a generic curriculum. If you have a callback next Friday, we work the callback. If you are preparing a self-tape in 24 hours, we work the self-tape. If you are between jobs and want to sharpen scene work, we do that. One-to-one, in person or remote over video on NZST / NZDT.
Four types of actor we work with
Pre-representation
You have done short films, fringe theatre, maybe a co-star. You want to sharpen the craft before you approach agents in New Zealand, or you want a second opinion on the work you are submitting.
Signed but underworked
You are with an agent. The phone is not ringing as often as you would like. You want to audit what you can control: reel, headshot, range, self-tape standards. Membership of Equity New Zealand (a division of Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance) is often a signal worth considering at this stage.
Mid-career
You are booking guest stars and supporting roles. You want to move into principal work. Callback conversion is the bottleneck.
Specific audition prep
You have an audition next week and you want to be in the room with someone who has actually been in rooms like it.
What coaching looks like
Three common formats. You can move between them.
Audition prep intensive
90 minutes, usually within 48 hours of sides landing. We work the scene, put it on camera, and play it back. You leave with a specific take and the tools to hold it under pressure.
Scene study block
Four to eight sessions of ongoing work on produced material. Not audition-driven. The purpose is craft depth.
Career review
A single 90-minute session covering your reel, your headshot, your castable range, your agent relationship if any, and your next 12 months in the New Zealand market. Ends with a written action plan.
Self-taught vs. coached
An honest comparison. Not a sales pitch.
| Self-taught | Coached | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Your time. | Time plus session fee. |
| Best at | Working your own pace, on your own material. | Outside eye on blind spots. Industry context. |
| Weakness | Blind spots. Plateaus that are hard to diagnose alone. | Requires committing time in someone else's calendar. |
| Risk | Practising the same mistake for years. | A bad coach. This is real. Ask to see evidence of their work. |
| Ideal use | Daily practice between sessions. | Diagnosis, redirection, and specific audition prep. |
From the working room
We worked a scene for forty minutes and I left knowing how to book it. I booked it.
Frequently asked questions
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I have not auditioned in years. Is this for me?
Yes, and we would probably start with a career review session to calibrate the re-entry plan before any audition prep.
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Do you make agent introductions?
Rarely, and only for actors I know well. I do not run a pay-for-referral model.
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What do you charge?
Pricing is confirmed on the introductory call, once we know what you are working on and which format fits. Rates are per session, or lower per-session on an eight or ten session block. We do not publish a price list because the right answer depends on the piece in front of you.
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Can I coach remotely from New Zealand?
Yes. Most of my coaching is remote, scheduled on NZST / NZDT. Technical setup on your end takes 10 minutes.
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Do you coach voice actors?
I coach voice work for screen actors and for dedicated voice-over work. For pure VO demo coaching, I can refer.
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How quickly can we schedule an audition intensive?
Usually within 48 hours of sides landing, subject to availability. Email first thing the morning the sides arrive.
Book a 15-minute call
No pitch, no sales script. We talk about your work and whether we can help. NZST / NZDT.