Getting Started in TV and Film
Day
WednesdaysDates
Jan 14 - Feb 25Time
7 - 9:30 PMInstructor
Brenna McDonough$370
Overview
This class will cover the ins and outs of all aspects of the film industry in the DC area, including commercials, corporate videos, indie and feature films, and where to look for auditions, jobs and performance opportunities. Class will include performing on-camera for playback and evaluation, as well as mastering the self-tape audition.
Additional Class Details
No Class: 2/18/2026
Class Size*
6-10
* Note: Small class sizes are a fundamental part of our training philosophy at The Theatre Lab. Classes are intentionally kept small to ensure every person receives extensive personalized feedback from instructors and meaningful collaboration with other students. If a class is full, we encourage you to join the waitlist, and we will contact you if a spot becomes available.
Prerequisites or Prior Experience
No formal prerequisites are necessary. Students who take this class typically have some background experience in acting and/or have taken one of the following classes at The Theatre Lab:
- Intro to Acting*
- Beginning Scene Study*
* Note: For new students with no prior acting experience, we recommend starting with Intro to Acting, and then taking Beginning Scene Study, for our essential training in the basics of acting.
Recommended Next Steps
Students who complete this class often continue with:
- On-Camera Scene Study I and II
- Acting in Commercials and Industrials
- Auditioning for the Camera
- Improv for Auditions
Class availability depends on the session. Return to our course catalogue to explore what is currently open for enrollment.
Tuition Discount
Theatre Lab members receive a 10% discount off of class tuition, automatically applied at checkout. Annual memberships cost only $70 per year and also include discounted tickets to all Theatre Lab performances. Read more about becoming a member here.
For our early bird specials and other exclusive discounts on class tuition, subscribe to our emails and follow us @theatrelabdc on social media for updates.
Class Policies
We encourage all students to review our Adult Class Policies prior to enrolling.
Location
onsiteSessions
WinterGetting Started in TV and Film
$370.00
10 in stock
Instructor
Brenna McDonough
Brenna McDonough, actor and author, has decades of experience as a successful actor in commercials and corporate videos. She founded her own studio, On-Camera Training, in 1995. Brenna began her career in her hometown of Chicago where she studied with Paul Sills at Second City. She moved to New York to study and work with a variety of directors. She also worked in Los Angeles before settling in the Washington, DC area. Brenna continues to work in voiceovers as well as on-camera, including various feature and indie films. She has taught her on-camera acting class at New York University, University of Maryland and Catholic University. She and her husband John Leslie Wolfe are co- authors of the book You Can Work On-Camera, which has been used in several universities. Brenna has been a proud member of SAGAFTRA since 1973.
More about Brenna