Helen Mirren MasterClass Review 2024: Should You Join ? (Pros & Cons)

If you’re passionate about acting and eager to learn from a true legend, this review of the Helen Mirren MasterClass is for you. Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren invites you into the world of acting in a way that’s accessible to all.

Throughout the course, Mirren’s engaging personality and useful advice made difficult acting methods easier to understand. You should take this MasterClass if you want to become an actress or just like her work.

Join me as I dive into the Helen Mirren MasterClass review, uncovering the invaluable lessons and inspiration it offers. Let’s get started.

What Is Helen Mirren Masterclass All About?

Helen Mirren’s Acting Masterclass brings you 6+ hours of video modules.

That’s the legend herself, talking directly to us on a variety of key fascinating acting and storytelling ideas.

Each module is long-form, and the average length is about the time of a TV show.

Sometimes Helen is sitting talking to us face-to-face, sometimes she’s showing us around a set, sometimes we’re in her makeup room, costume closet, at the wig or prop table, or analyzing scenes from her movies and television dramas.

Helen loves to mix it up, keeping it interesting and making it easier for us to visually see the advice she is imparting.

Helen Mirren Masterclass Review: VIDEO MODULES 

There are 28 video modules, each detailing a core part of the storytelling profession broken into various exciting filmmaking topics.

• Human Behavior
• Bonus: Naturalism
• Characterizing the Set
• Breaking Down A Script
• Shakespeare (Part 1 & 2)
• Preparation and Rehearsal
• Film Acting Technique (Part 1, 2 & 3)
• Creating Characters: Hair & Makeup (Part 1 & 2)

Helen Mirren is an inspiring, raw, open, emotional, philosophical, fun, interesting, and compelling speaker. Her passion leaps from the screen and is incredibly infectious.

To be frank, it’s actually not possible to rank the lessons because each one is brilliant, and each video module is a Masterclass in itself! You can tell Helen is a great teacher right from the introduction video.

Helen talks about acting and her journey!

Helen begins by discussing the insecurities of the actor and the philosophy of acting – how it’s an empty space that we fill with our fears, terrors, imagination, poetry, philosophy, passion, and storytelling. From there, everything we do is a service to the story.

After learning about Helen’s journey within the theatre, how she evolved as a theatre actress, and how she chooses roles, we are treated to her fascinating script process.

Helen says upfront that her process requires you to be in a privileged position of getting good roles to start, but it’s fascinating, nonetheless.

Plus, when answering one of the student questions in the Office Hours section, Helen drops a few gems of advice on how to never have to do roles you don’t want to when starting out.

Helen’s approach towards the scripts!

If you follow Helen’s advice, her script process is completely relevant to you, even if you are an up-and-coming actor. We then learn how to break down a script.

Helen’s advice is based on her personality, but I thought it was great and a good reminder about what you should be looking for when reading a script for the first time and what you should be focusing on.

It was interesting to observe what Helen does right after the primary read-through.

You’ll learn why you’ll need two, three, or even four scripts for her method – because she literally deconstructs the script.

Helen’s love for Shakespearean works!

This part, according to me, has probably the most exciting informational content of the entire course! The entire Helen Mirren Acting Masterclass has immense amounts of replay worth.

Particularly the Shakespeare section, which I’ve re-watched in person a number of times currently.

Helen begins with a discussion on why Shakespeare is so nice for the budding actor to wrestle with.

Then, she dives into a read-through of a speech from The Merchant of Venice, one that she hasn’t performed and doesn’t know by heart.

She also performs a speech from The Tempest (one of my favorites).

This was a real treat. Helen reads out the lines, analyses them, and unpicks the meanings. The important thing we learn here is how to find your own meaning.

The literal meaning is one issue; however, significantly, with Shakespeare, you’re allowed to find your own meaning.

It must have a meaning for you because then the line lives for you – as an actor, that’s the most important thing.

I loved Helen’s reading and interpretation. I also thought it was great to see for anyone who is intimidated by Shakespeare because even Helen trips over a few words and needs to say a few lines repeatedly to get it right.

Helen offers an unbelievably ablaze and intelligent reading that made me want to devour Shakespeare everywhere once more.

Look in the comments for the Shakespeare module, and you’ll see that Helen has awakened a new love of Shakespeare in all of the other students, too!

These lessons even brought students to tears, and I can see why. Words come alive when Helen reads them. 

And we get a glimpse into how we can also do those ourselves on the stage.

Finding your character

After rekindling our love of Shakespeare, Helen teaches us the way to realize our character.

This was a superb segment of the course. Beautiful, inspiring, motivating, and filled with practical advice grounded in Helen’s years of experience.

If you’re an actor and you need pepping up on your journey, this class will thoroughly reinvigorate you and remind you of why you started in the first place.

We learn Helen’s analysis method, which is different for fictional and real characters. We are treated to fascinating stories of how Helen found unbiased accounts for some of her characters, like Elizabeth I.

We also get these in-depth multi-part lessons in creating characters using costumes, hair, make-up, and props.

We study how costumes will tell stories that serve your character. We learn about costume practicality, movement, and period, emphasizing your features.

These are extraordinary lessons as a result of they’re the proper illustration of why completely different people like Masterclass. This shows why writers like me enroll in acting classes.

A designer dressmaker or make-up artist could watch Helen Mirren’s Masterclass and get as much value out of it as the primary intended audience of actors. Some Masterclasses can get a mixed response.

But Helen’s class is a complete knockout. All the other students are raving about this class.

Efforts Helen put in these video modules

I loved hearing about how Helen learned her lines, how she researched experiences she hadn’t had and her discussions about going into dark places.

It was also fascinating to listen to Helen talk about accents. Helen drops so much gold in this course. You know it’s a great lesson when it’s already long and in-depth, and you wish it was even longer.

We learn the differences between stage and film acting and techniques that help in both.

We learn how much to plan your performance, understand the context of your shots, manage energy, relaxation advice, what to do between takes, find freedom within the technique, and so much more.

After the film acting lessons, we start digging into analyzing some of Helen’s performances in case studies of works like Prime Suspect, Elizabeth I, and The Queen.

Helen dissects U in these scenes. Close-ups, theme, voice levels, technical demands, how to ensure the staging fits your character, how to approach period dialogue, emotion, and technique, the filmmaking environment, mannerisms, looks, intention, everything.

What Are The Advantages Helen Mirren MasterClass

Gain Knowledge from a Performer Who Is Highly Acclaimed

Helen Mirren is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished actresses working in the industry today.

Helen has garnered a number of accolades and awards for her work in the film industry, including one Academy Award and three Golden Globes, to name just a couple.

You have the opportunity of a lifetime to obtain instruction directly from Helen if you sign up for this MasterClass. She will teach you all you need to know, from dissecting a screenplay to developing fascinating characters for the stage and screen.

This is a comprehensive MasterClass that lasts for a total of 6 hours and 25 minutes and includes more information than Helen has ever presented in a video format previously. Because of this, I would argue that there are very few other classes that can compete with the level of education that Helen provides.

Excellent Suggestions for Ongoing Education and Development

In addition to the visual examples and case studies that Helen presents, you will also receive a comprehensive list of additional reading and watching materials that are available for you to investigate at your own pace.

This is a great approach to transfer learning beyond the scope of the course and into one’s own hands for individuals who are visual or hands-on learners.

Both the workbook and the video classes contain various recommendations for further reading and viewing, including plays, films, and books. These are all mentioned inside the lessons and Helen tells you why she feels they are crucial sources to examine.

One of the things that stood out to me about these suggestions was how varied they were. They featured a vast variety of materials spanning the entire history of cinema and literature, going beyond Helen’s own work in the process. In particular, the manner in which Helen dissected a line from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice was a remarkable example of the relevance of classic works.

You are You

And she learned from Peter Brook that there is no such thing as competition. In order to be successful as an actor, you need to be true to who you are as a person. Revealing who you are while playing a character rather than hiding behind one.

In fact, the opposite is true. Take ownership of your body, whether you’re tall or small. Confronting the thoughts of inadequacy that we have about ourselves — we are not WRONG; we may be wrong for a role, but we are not wrong. Take ownership of who you are, and stop questioning it.

Very Well-Structured format

As I was saying, when Helen is teaching a MasterClass, she has a very specific objective in mind.

She gives you a detailed explanation as to why she has organized the course in the manner that she has, which indicates that she has a good deal of latitude in terms of determining how the course will be organized.

To be more specific, Helen starts out her first class in a vacant room. She explains that the empty space serves as a blank canvas for her, which she will gradually paint with the props and costumes necessary for acting.

According to her, this is a helpful approach to watching the entire acting process, from the preliminary work to the finished product.

This course is broken up into manageable pieces by MasterClass despite the fact that it is somewhat lengthy. Because of this, it is simple to comprehend even after the material has been broken up and viewed over a longer period.

In point of fact, this is a great method to obtain an overview of the MasterClass in a shortened form, and it clarifies exactly what it is that you will be taught.

Train your voice

breathing, taking ownership of your tool, relaxing, and performing. Resonate your voice. It’s not necessarily about how you project yourself.

Work that is both consistent and of high quality — even she acknowledges that we are continuously improving.

Vocal skill, intellectual capacity, playing with the material, gaining control of it, and a magical feeling are all necessary components.

Who Is Masterclass For?

Masterclass isn’t ideal for people who thrive in classroom environments and prefer a more hands-on approach from teachers. The Masterclass is for writers, photographers, artists, musicians, painters, and creative professionals.

It’s ideal for students who are happy to learn at their own pace using a computer.

As a student, you can learn the art of comedy from Steve Martin, writing thrillers from James Patterson, dramatic writing from David Mamet, screenwriting from Aaron Sorkin, and lots more.

It is a great way of learning online from top creators you would not normally have access to. Unlike Lynda or Treehouse, Masterclass is suitable for writers, musicians, artists, and creative professionals.

Helen Mirren MasterClass Pricing:

There are two ways by which you can purchase a Masterclass: a single Masterclass and an All-Access Pass for any of the gurus on the platform.

• Single Masterclass: $90
• All-Access Pass: $180 per year

The All-Access Pass comes in real handy when you wish to take more than one masterclass, so there is no limit on the number of masterclasses on the All-Access Pass.

A 30-day money-back guarantee is also available for any of the Masterclass packages you purchase, and you will get a complete refund of the amount in case you are not satisfied with their services.

Quick Links:

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FAQs | Helen Mirren Masterclass

Conclusion

In addition to being crammed with practical wisdom, the course is a piece of art in itself – an absolute marvel to watch, and all the lessons sunk in so well because of it.

I noticed that every single lesson had many students saying it was their favorite. Every module is worth experiencing, bursting with advice and entertainment.

And, as if all of that wasn’t enough, Dame Helen Mirren is even super active in response to a lot of student queries within the workplace Hours section of the course.

You simply can’t get better than that. I might even go so far as to say this is the best acting MasterClass online.