Complaint Review: BOBBIE SHAW CHANCE STUDIO

  The negative comments about Bobbie Chance's studio are posted by trolls or by actors with behavioral issues who Bobbie banned were banned from her studio. The classes that Bobbie teaches herself are the best in LA. Not a minute is wasted by taking her classes. Just go see her in action and you will agree. And the list of actors named by one of the trolls is accurate and true. Anthony Hopkins just APPEARED at her class one night and did several improved scenes with us and gave his opinions about achieving success. Immediately after the class (about midnight) Bobbie, myself and two other acting students had dinner with Anthony right next door at Casa Vega until 2am. AWESOME!!!

I was with Bobbie for about 2 years from 1999 to 2001 and I can say that the classes were life changing for me as an actor and in my personal life. In fact I started booking regularly after her classes and I KNOW that it was because of what I learned from Bobbie that gave me the ground under my feet to pull in the work. The Saturday classes at the time were the most a*s
kicking and helped by far more than the scene study classes later in the week.

Back then it was $20 a class, an unbelievable bargain any where in town. Bobbies is a flawed human being like the rest of us but I cant see how anybody could replace what she did with her students, she was truly amazing.

After I left I began to hear that her classes were starting to go down hill since she was splitting her time in the studio with other projects and leaving the classes with Larry and Richie.

I liked Larry he had his own way yet also a lifetime of experience under his belt. Richie seemed to lack the depth (after all he was a kid) and experience. Just because he was Bobbies kid doesnt mean he picked up Bobbies gift and her years in the business by osmoses.

Bobbie was not always fair and would make judgments calls on people at a glance that were not always on target. She had too much pride and confidence in what she thought she saw and ran over a lot of people. Sometimes it was good and they needed it some times not. I used the times she misjudged me like it was a class exercise on how to deal with the a*holes youll deal with in the business. Many of her young students carried this same element of pride and quick judgments as well, I mean where are they going to learn humility if their teacher doesnt have any to teach them. Show case night was built up more than what it was BUT some DID get work through them. Bobbie kept after me to have my agent come in on that night and I finally was able to get her to come. But it ended up a loooong night and Bobbie put me up late and gave me a scene with 2 minor lines, nothing to show my agent my growth. I felt used and my agent was pissed as well. I never returned to a Showcase night after that.

In (May/June?) 2000 I was in that evening class of about 25 when Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston stopped by. They were eating at the restaurant next door and Bobbies daughter passed them a note asking them to stop by after dinner so they did. They did a little improve with us and watched a couple scenes and shared with us about the business. But yes Bobbie
milks those visits far more than they really were and drops names like these people wear out the carpet coming in and out her doorway. She teaches us not to care and not to be so blown over by the big names if you want to be one yourself you have to imagine your already there. But that night Brad and Jennifer was there (And Im sure it was just that night and not also a showcase night) I witnessed Bobbie acting like a schoolgirl around those two. Over the years in the business I noticed that on sets when big names were present.

Everyone acts like its no big deal but catch them at a party later and those big names are dropped on every ones foot, Bobbies no different. The biz is about people worship and wanting to get to the place where you are the one worshiped. Its kind of like trying to obtain eternal life but its all just an illusion. After 14 years in the business I no longer pursuing acting and moved out of state. I loved the work and am still very interested in the process of making films but being around so many needy and insecure people in nearly every aspect of the business is exhausting and disgusting. People in the business
have a dysfunctional need to be self-important and Bobbie is no different.

HOWEVER if Bobbie hasnt lost her edge and you can train under her.just her, DO IT!! She can teach you things and take you to a level you cant get anywhere else. The things she can impart to you are things you NEED to know to get to
the other side. I know Ive said a lot of negative things about Bobbie but I just see her for who and what she is. I actually love and respect her very much for all she has given to me. I have never been the same after being with her. I hope its not so but Im afraid that the classes that I experienced are no longer what they used to be. But go see for yourself, theyre still only $25 a class. Go to Saturdays (if they still have them) and see if it scares the sh* out of you and kicks down the walls of your box. If it does, stay in your seat until you learn to fly. And dont expect any body to spoon feed you and wipe your a*s either. Its a tough f*king business youre in, deal with it!

I wouldn't go as far as saying she is a scam.  After all, most acting schools in LA just take your money and run anyway.  I joined her school a few years ago and found her unprofessional.  Both times I met her, she reeked of alcohol.  My issue was that she didn't seem to know good acting when she saw it.  She praised people who went to emotional extremes.  That is just not REAL acting unless the scene calls for it.  It is a dramatic departure from on-camera acting which is what people need to study.

When I joined the class, I soon discovered classes started two hours late and ran two hours past the scheduled time.  When I called her on it, she pounced all over me.  Told me I was unprofessional and would never work in this town because she would tell everyone she knew what a little "a*****e" I was.  I told her two could play at that game, I could tell everyone I knew she was nothing but a drunk who didn't know s**t.  In my personal opinion, she proceeded to threaten me over the phone and I simply hung up on her.  A few days later, she sent me an e-mail saying that she would prefer I not come back to school because she only likes to teach serious, professional actors.  

Chalk it up as experiencing another bad LA acting school taught by a has-been who never-was.

To anyone trying to further their career this is NOT the place to do it. It is all a scam to make money and use young and old people a like for personal gain. Go to their website and you will see pictures of Anthony Hopkins, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Kathy Bates, Richard Dryfuss, and a few others that I am sure never took part in their waste of time classes. It is a shame that people like Bobbie Shaw Chance, Richie Chance, and Larry Chance take advantage of people trying to better their craft. It is like the quote "Welcome to Hollywood, what's your dream?" And they take all your money and give you nothing in return. These are the people you are warned about before you move to Hollywood to try to become a professional actor. The more I improve on my craft and the further I take my career the more I  find out that agents, managers, directors, producers and casting directors don't respect or recomend Bobbie Shaw's Methods or practices. They promise you big names will show up to their workshops but they don't. They name drop through all the classes with no proof, it's a lie! They have people at their office stalker call you to come to showcases and classes and if you refuse, they threaten you with "You will never make it in this town." I would love it if everyone could read this before they take their class and save their money and time. Shame on you and your whole family for running this kind of business/scam.