Regardless of their specific career path, most actors will require the services of a private dialect coach at some point. Developing a working relationship with an excellent coach on whom you can rely is a career step worth the significant time and effort.
Whether you need help mastering a new accent that will open up your casting possibilities or need someone in the trenches with you when one of those last-minute “This-role-is-perfect-for-me-except-I-need-a-Serbian-accent-in-48-hours” auditions comes your way, one of the most frequent questions I hear is: How can I find a good private dialect coach? This comes from both new and established actors—from those who have not yet worked with a dialect coach to those who have bounced from so-called dialect coach to so-called dialect coach with unhappy results. The frequency of this question sheds light on just how challenging (and frustrating) the process of locating the right person can be.
So what makes a “good” dialect coach?
The answer to this question will, in the end, be personal, but generally refers to someone who is professionally qualified and who is a great fit for your personality and learning style.
Qualified dialect coaches come to their careers from many different backgrounds. Some enter the profession via a linguistics education, while others arrive via an actor training program. While it’s important to take note of a coach’s educational background, what they do after their initial training is equally significant in determining their suitability.
Without exception, the best dialect coaches are lifelong learners. They are continually seeking to incorporate new knowledge and to take their teaching skills to the next level. If you decide to seek a dialect coach without using an independent vetting service to guide you, it’s an excellent idea to ask potential coaches about what they’ve been studying or researching recently.
In addition to locating a lifelong learner, you’ll need a key dialect coach who has knowledge of vocal and respiratory anatomy (both academically and experientially), is well-versed in phonetics (including extensive experience transcribing spoken language using the international phonetic alphabet—even if you don’t want to learn how to use the IPA for accent acquisition yourself), has a deep understanding of the craft of acting (whether or not they have ever been a professional actor), and is willing to work in a way that complements your learning style and won’t interfere with your acting process.
A qualified coach is all of the above—a professional who can balance on a tightrope between art and science and knows how to teach you to do the same. Here’s the thing, though: Finding a qualified coach is only part of the picture. In order to locate the dialect coach who will be able to help you reach your full potential, you must take that important last step of making sure their personality and philosophy work well with yours.
Once you have determined that every coach on your shortlist is qualified, the final step is to allow your gut instinct to kick in as you answer the following questions: Who puts you the most at ease? Who inspires you? And who, when you land your own series, will you want on set with you every day?
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