OPEN STUDIO ACTING
NYC-based on-camera acting coach offering professional self-tape and audition coaching to actors in the Hudson Valley & NYC — in person and on Zoom.
WELCOME!
Open Studio Acting is a professional on-camera training studio for working and near-professional actors who want their work to read clearly, truthfully, and powerfully on camera.
Whether you’re already booking or stepping into the professional arena, our focus is the same:
clear storytelling, camera literacy, and repeatable audition work that holds up under pressure.
We offer:
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In-person on-camera classes
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Zoom self-tape classes
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Private coaching & self-taping (in-person or Zoom)
All work is grounded in real-world audition and on-set demands — not hobbyist training.
You’ve seen our students and clients across TV, film, and theater.
THE COACHES
LUCAS VAN ENGEN
Actor & On-Camera Coach
Lucas appears as Leo Wise in HBO’s We Own This City and as Sheik Sheehan in Showtime’s City on a Hill, with additional recurring and guest roles across major networks. His coaching centers on helping actors align instinct, structure, and camera awareness so their work reads simply, confidently, and truthfully and makes a lasting impact.
IMDB | @openstudioacting, @LucasJVE
JENSON SMITH
Actor | Writer-Director | Coach
Jenson’s credits include Orange Is the New Black, Louie, The Affair, FBI: Most Wanted, and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. Having worked on both sides of the camera, she brings a sharp understanding of casting expectations alongside a deep respect for the actor’s process and lived experience on set.
IMDB | website | @jensonperson
IN-PERSON ON-CAMERA CLASS (NYC)
WHEN: Mondays from 6-9:30pm
WHERE: The Producers Club, 358 West 44th Street, NYC
HOW MUCH: $280/4 classes, $85 for drop-in, FREE to audit
This class is for actors who want to deliver clear, confident, and compelling work on camera.
Lucas works with each actor individually while maintaining a strong ensemble room.
Focus includes:
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Bringing your unique voice to the script
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Using the frame to tell the story (and taking pressure off “acting”)
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Precision, stillness, and presence on camera
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Building repeatable audition work that books
PRIVATE COACHING & SELF-TAPES
(In-person & Zoom)
Professional self-tape coaching, filming, and editing in a fully equipped studio — or remotely via Zoom.
When you tape with Open Studio Acting, you get to focus on the work, not the tech.
Rates:
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$125 — up to 1 hour
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$25 — each additional 15 minutes
Open Studio Acting was founded with a commitment to the principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. We take great pride in being a safe place for all!
ZOOM SELF-TAPE CLASS
An ongoing Zoom class for actors who want consistent, practical reps working auditions and self-tapes in real time. Actors join from across the country.
WHEN: Fridays, 1:00–3:00pm (ET)
WHERE: Zoom
TUITION: $50 per class
THE BUSINESS OF ACTING COLLECTIVE
A bi-weekly community focused on the practical side of building a sustainable acting career — strategy, mindset, and real-world navigation.
Actors in the Collective have:
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clarified representation goals
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strengthened professional communication
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booked work through improved strategy and consistency
WHEN: Thursdays, 3:00–5:00pm (ET)
WHERE: Zoom
TUITION: $15
(Free for ongoing class members and active self-tape clients)
REVIEWS
