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In this clip from one of our virtual Master Classes, Ken takes a moment to address an actor's exclamation of "Damn it!" while working through an artistic struggle.

For more about how to join our ongoing Master Class (virtually or in person), or to schedule your first FREE coaching session, visit www.thekenstudio.com today!
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[TRANSCRIPT

KEN: Watch out for damn it. It's not illegal. It's just that it'll make it harder, not easier. The thing about damn it is, it ends up cursing the attempt at sharing who you are, who we are, and how we all feel and how each of us feels. It's cursing the thing that we said we were devoting our whole lives to celebrating. And that's not, like, illegal. It's not bad. But I do think--and it's not wrong. Do you know what I mean? But I do think it's not helpful. What we always say about "How do you play the Vanessa?" You know, you tell yourself stuff in order to get yourself to do stuff. That's the finger action on the keyboard. And then when your fingers do that on the keys, then something inside vibrates and makes a noise. So telling yourself stuff in order to get yourself to do stuff is how you're playing the instrument. And when you go damn it, it's a little like slapping the piano. It has the potential to hurt you to hurt the piano and to hurt your desire to ever try to play the piano. Sometimes it hurts the piano's desire to be played. That wasn't a sermon, you know?

VANESSA: No, it was good shit.

KEN: It was good shit. Yeah.]

One of our Three Pillars at The Ken Studio is Safety, both physical and emotional. In this video, Ken introduces an actor to the concept of cooldown, one of our key technique tools. A cooldown treats the acting artist as a professional athlete, encouraging the instrument to stay flexible, ready, and safe. This allows for a rich, dynamic exploration into emotionally demanding material without the trauma or danger of real mental distress.
For more about our approach, or how to join our ongoing Master Class (virtually or in person) or schedule your first FREE coaching session, visit www.thekenstudio.com today!
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[TRANSCRIPT
KEN: So does the concept of cooling out make sense to you? Because we touched a pretty intense bubble for you, I'm going to go through some specifics about cooldown in the interest of public safety. When you bring your system's attention to something challenging, difficult, awful, upsetting, scary, sad, anything like that, take a moment afterward and bring your system's attention back to something nice and something swell. It helps if it's something joyful or comforting or serene or, you know, otherwise splendid. If you were running a race, you probably wouldn't break the tape at the finish line and then simply stop moving right then. You would stretch a little bit, you'd walk it off a little bit, not as long as you ran the race; enough stretch, enough walk-it-off, keeping the muscles moving in a related but different way, so that they do not cramp up. Your emotional life is like this. In other words, it is possible to bring your system's attention to what this character is going through in a specific and even intense way, allow that to be expressed, and then return your attention to something that is nice for you. It's not a happy pill. It's not a denial of the rough stuff. What it is is reminding yourself that the rough stuff isn't the only stuff there is. And that is generally enough to keep a performer safe. Does that make sense so far?]

By popular demand, The Ken Studio now has merchandise! Shirts, hats, beanies, totes, mugs, hoodies, even laptop cases! And we're just getting started!

If you want to rep the best actor training in (any) town or even if you just need a little more of The Ken Studio in your life, head on over to www.thekenstudio.com/merch and get shopping!

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FREE ACTOR?

Taught by Artistic Director Ken Schatz, our ongoing professional acting technique and scene study class is the steady heartbeat of The Ken Studio.

Through detailed work on a wide range of comic and dramatic material—contemporary and classical scenes and monologues, songs, commercial copy, and all kinds of film, television, and theater audition sides—we equip each actor with vocabulary, tools, working principles, and skills to approach any acting task on stage or on screen with honesty, clarity, depth, and confidence.

We place a special emphasis on the acting artist as athlete, practical application of actor training principles, and real professional situations. You will rediscover your craft. You will book gigs. You will amaze the people.

Registration for the June 2026 class closes Friday, May 29th.

Go to www.thekenstudio.com/the-free-actor for more on how to sign up!

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FREE ACTOR?

Taught by Artistic Director Ken Schatz, our ongoing professional acting technique and scene study class is the steady heartbeat of The Ken Studio.

Through detailed work on a wide range of comic and dramatic material—contemporary and classical scenes and monologues, songs, commercial copy, and all kinds of film, television, and theater audition sides—we equip each actor with vocabulary, tools, working principles, and skills to approach any acting task on stage or on screen with honesty, clarity, depth, and confidence.

We place a special emphasis on the acting artist as athlete, practical application of actor training principles, and real professional situations. You will rediscover your craft. You will book gigs. You will amaze the people.

Registration for the June 2026 class closes Friday, May 29th.

Go to www.thekenstudio.com/the-free-actor for more on how to sign up!

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FREE ACTOR?

Taught by Artistic Director Ken Schatz, our ongoing professional acting technique and scene study class is the steady heartbeat of The Ken Studio.

Through detailed work on a wide range of comic and dramatic material—contemporary and classical scenes and monologues, songs, commercial copy, and all kinds of film, television, and theater audition sides—we equip each actor with vocabulary, tools, working principles, and skills to approach any acting task on stage or on screen with honesty, clarity, depth, and confidence.

We place a special emphasis on the acting artist as athlete, practical application of actor training principles, and real professional situations. You will rediscover your craft. You will book gigs. You will amaze the people.

Registration for the June 2026 class closes Friday, May 29th.

Go to www.thekenstudio.com/the-free-actor for more on how to sign up!

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FREE ACTOR?

Taught by Artistic Director Ken Schatz, our ongoing professional acting technique and scene study class is the steady heartbeat of The Ken Studio.

Through detailed work on a wide range of comic and dramatic material—contemporary and classical scenes and monologues, songs, commercial copy, and all kinds of film, television, and theater audition sides—we equip each actor with vocabulary, tools, working principles, and skills to approach any acting task on stage or on screen with honesty, clarity, depth, and confidence.

We place a special emphasis on the acting artist as athlete, practical application of actor training principles, and real professional situations. You will rediscover your craft. You will book gigs. You will amaze the people.

Registration for the June 2026 class closes Friday, May 29th.

Go to www.thekenstudio.com/the-free-actor for more on how to sign up!

Tonight's the night! Don't miss out!

Ever wondered what happens in our ongoing Acting Technique and Scene Study class? Wanna see it...FOR FREE?!

Our Open House is just that! It's a great chance to come see what all the fuss is about. You'll watch three actors work with Ken, then stick around to meet the people and ask questions!

Thursday, May 14th
6:00-9:00 pm ET
Online via Zoom
Reservations required

Go to www.thekenstudio.com/open-house-signup to RSVP, then we'll send you the details on the day! See you there!

Come hang out tomorrow night!

Ever wondered what happens in our ongoing Acting Technique and Scene Study class? Wanna see it...FOR FREE?!

Our Open House is just that! It's a great chance to come see what all the fuss is about. You'll watch three actors work with Ken, then stick around to meet the people and ask questions!

Thursday, May 14th
6:00-9:00 pm ET
Online via Zoom
Reservations required

Go to www.thekenstudio.com/open-house-signup to RSVP, then we'll send you the details on the day! See you there!

Ever wondered what happens in our ongoing Acting Technique and Scene Study class? Wanna see it...FOR FREE?!

Our Open House is just that! It's a great chance to come see what all the fuss is about. You'll watch three actors work with Ken, then stick around to meet the people and ask questions!

Thursday, May 14th
6:00-9:00 pm ET
Online via Zoom
Reservations required

Go to www.thekenstudio.com/open-house-signup to RSVP, then we'll send you the details on the day! See you there!

It's a FLEXIBLE FLASH SALE -- and it ENDS TODAY!

Ever wanted to take class with us but, dang, the class schedule just doesn't quite jive with your life schedule? That's what the Flex Passes are for! You can PICK AND CHOOSE which class dates work for you!

And now, you can get 20% OFF ALL FLEX PASSES with the code FLEXFLASH! Enter the code at checkout and get big discounts on big flexibility!

New here? Check out www.thekenstudio.com and then join us on Thursday, May 14th, online via Zoom for our virtual Open House! It's a great chance to audit our ongoing technique class AND see what coaching with Ken is like FOR FREE!

It's a FLEXIBLE FLASH SALE -- but it ENDS TOMORROW!

Ever wanted to take class with us but, dang, the class schedule just doesn't quite jive with your life schedule? That's what the Flex Passes are for! You can PICK AND CHOOSE which class dates work for you!

And now, you can get 20% OFF ALL FLEX PASSES with the code FLEXFLASH! Enter the code at checkout and get big discounts on big flexibility!

New here? Check out www.thekenstudio.com and then join us on Thursday, May 14th, online via Zoom for our virtual Open House! It's a great chance to audit our ongoing technique class AND see what coaching with Ken is like FOR FREE!

It's a FLEXIBLE FLASH SALE!

Ever wanted to take class with us but, dang, the class schedule just doesn't quite jive with your life schedule? That's what the Flex Passes are for! You can PICK AND CHOOSE which class dates work for you!

And now, you can get 20% OFF ALL FLEX PASSES with the code FLEXFLASH! Enter the code at checkout and get big discounts on big flexibility!

New here? Check out www.thekenstudio.com and then join us on Thursday, May 14th, online via Zoom for our virtual Open House! It's a great chance to audit our ongoing technique class AND see what coaching with Ken is like FOR FREE!

TONIGHT IS YOUR LAST CHANCE -- AND Tuesday classes are SOLD OUT!

Registration for the combined April/May session of The Free Actor is closing TONIGHT, Friday, April 17th, at midnight! Make like spring and bloom with our ongoing Acting Technique & Scene Study class!

Go to www.thekenstudio.com/the-free-actor for more.

Tuesday classes are SOLD OUT!

And! Registration for the combined April/May session of The Free Actor is closing TOMORROW, Friday, April 17th, at midnight! Make like spring and bloom with our ongoing Acting Technique & Scene Study class!

Go to www.thekenstudio.com/the-free-actor for more.