Scene Study Class
Benjamin Mathes
process-based scene study class
Sundays 1-5pm at our LA studio
Join us every Sunday to deepen your acting practice through our integrative four-point process of text, belief-building, embodiment, and play.
Not every class is right for every actor.
Crash Acting is for you if…
You want to deepen your craft without being told to “do it again, but better.”
You’re hungry for meaningful, relevant material and bold character work.
You can’t get to a studio—or you’re tired of ones that drain your joYou want to deepen your craft from the comfort of your own spacey.
You’re ready to train with actors from across the globe and bring new perspectives to your work.
You’re craving structure, artistic stretch, and creative permission
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Ben’s in person class meets every Sunday from 1-5pm at the Crash Acting Studio (1924 Raymond Ave 90007 near midcity).
-
Getting started is simple. Reach out through one one of our “apply to audit” forms on this page so we can schedule an in-person audit —we’ll walk you through the next steps and answer any questions along the way.
-
Our Integrative Approach to Acting centers the humanity of the character. Removing character-dominating language from the process, the actor is brought into greater equality with characters and restores a sense of their autonomy in this work. It’s freeing. Finally.
-
Class is $250 every 4 week pay period. A one-time, $300 deposit up front ensures a student’s place and is applied to their last month of class (you are also granted access to our online, self-paced course The Acting Class, which is a deep dive into our process with lessons, exercises, demonstrations, and more). To protect the quality of the room, a $25 payment is required to audit.
What People Are Saying
"Ben Mathes is a wonderful teacher and mentor. Having met him many years ago, I can honestly say he has fundamentally changed how I view my career, my work and the business as a whole. We have worked on numerous projects together and every time his observations and perspective have changed the depth of my work and how much I enjoy it. His classes are truthful, inspiring and much needed in world of quick fixes and shallow promises. I’m glad to know him and glad he’s teaching. It’s a relief to know that many more actors will be transformed by his approach, experience and insights."
-Daniel Sharman | Teen Wolf•The Originals•Fear the Walking Dead•Medici
“Benjamin Mathes creates and hosts an environment that encourages artists to dive into what I think is one of the most (if not, the most) important thing about being a storyteller- the truth. Now, I can go on and on about the “tactics” or “technicalities” that he “teaches” but that would limit his greatness. As a working actor I continue to seek for his wisdom and collaboration- I am lucky to have him on my side. Work with him. You won’t regret it."
Louriza Tronco | The Order • Night at the Museum • Zapped • Make it Pop
“Working in Ben's class was a transformative experience for me. His approach, his energy, his passion, and his first hand knowledge of the industry has helped me to transition from a star in the octagon to a star on the screen.”
Anderson Silva | Former UFC Middleweight ChampionMeet Ben
BIO:
Benjamin has been an actor for over 25 years. On film, television, and stage he has worked with artists such as Academy Award-winning director Clint Eastwood, Academy Award-winning actor Alan Arkin, Sam Raimi, Bradley Cooper, Andy Garcia, Chris Rock, and Academy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer. He received his MFA in Acting from the University of California, Irvine.Benjamin is the author of 5 books detailing and investigating the creative process. Thought Lozenges for Artists, is a daringly optimistic, “open-where-you-want” look into the creative process, and the second, CRASH {Unstuck Yourself}, is a guided journal designed to directly combat the blocks holding us from our creative potential. Short Paragraphs on Listeningwill change the way you think about listening and offer nuggets of wisdom gained from years of Free Listening on street corners around the world. You, the Careerrevolutionizes the way actors relate to the hustle, the industry, and the who they want to become. Take This Dailyis his newest book.Benjamin served as Head of Production for Hollywood’s Seine Pictures, overseeing the creative development and production of each film. He Executive Produced the dark comedy Murder of a Cat (starring Greg Kinnear, J.K. Simmons, and Nikki Reed), and the biopic Pelé: Birth of A Legend (in partnership with Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment). Both films premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and were released internationally. He also produced the documentary Listening is Loving about the power of listening to people with dementia, which was distributed internationally in 2018.His acting studio, CRASH ACTING, inspires a Non-Dominant Approach to Acting driven by the idea that service is the context for artistic greatness. His students have won or been nominated for Tony, Emmy, Grammy, and Ovation Awards, and have appeared on Broadway, as guest stars and series regulars on television, and in major motion pictures. He has served as an acting coach for Warner Brothers, HBO, and currently for Netflix. Internationally, he runs acting retreats in Ireland, and has run Crash Acting workshops in Lima, Dublin, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. He is a certified Associate Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework® and has served as a vocal and dialect coach for major motion pictures, network television, and theaters around the country.Benjamin is also the founder of Urban Confessional: A Free Listening Movement. Currently in over 80 countries, their volunteers stand on street corners with signs that say "Free Listening" and provide compassionate, non-judgmental listening for anyone who needs to talk. Their work has been featured in over 40 national publications including the Huffington Post, The Atlantic, Fast Company, and The Big Think, as well as in over 30 international publications across 15 languages.