Kalmenson & Kalmenson
A top Los Angeles voiceover casting and training studio
Overview
Kalmenson & Kalmenson is a well-established Los Angeles voiceover casting and training facility that has been a staple of the West Coast VO industry for decades. It operates both as a casting studio and a training center.
Classes focus on commercial, promo, animation, and interactive voiceover technique. Students work in a professional studio environment and receive direction from active casting professionals.
How It Works
The studio casts for major national campaigns and its training arm benefits from direct industry connections. Many successful LA voice actors credit Kalmenson & Kalmenson as part of their development.
Classes typically range from $400 to $600 per session, with workshops and intensive programs at varying price points. Demo production services are available separately.
Who Uses It
Highly recommended for LA-based voice actors who want training directly connected to a working casting studio. The insights from active casting directors are invaluable for understanding what buyers want.
Pricing & Plans
Kalmenson & Kalmenson's class pricing varies by format and specialization, with individual workshops and classes typically ranging from $400 to $600 per session. Intensive multi-session programs that cover a specific genre in depth can cost $1,000 to $2,000 for the complete sequence. Demo production services are offered as standalone packages or bundled with training programs, with professional demo packages generally ranging from $1,500 to $3,500 depending on the number of spots produced and the production complexity. Private coaching sessions with the studio's casting directors and instructors are available at approximately $250 to $400 per hour, providing highly personalized instruction tailored to your specific development needs. The studio occasionally offers introductory workshops at reduced rates to allow new students to experience the training environment before committing to full programs. All pricing reflects the premium associated with training at an active casting facility where instructors bring real-world casting session experience directly into the classroom.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
The single most powerful advantage of training at Kalmenson & Kalmenson is the direct connection to an active casting studio — instructors are the same professionals who cast national commercial campaigns, giving them unparalleled insight into what clients and agencies actually want to hear in auditions. This casting-studio perspective translates into training that focuses relentlessly on practical, bookable technique rather than theoretical concepts, ensuring every skill you develop is immediately applicable to real auditions. The studio's decades of operation in the Los Angeles market have produced an extensive alumni network, and the connections formed during training frequently lead to referrals, agent introductions, and industry opportunities. Commercial voiceover training at Kalmenson is widely regarded as among the best in Los Angeles, with the studio's reputation lending credibility to its graduates when they approach agents and casting directors. The intimate class sizes ensure personalized attention and feedback, and the studio environment creates a professional atmosphere that prepares students for the pressure and pace of real casting sessions. The range of specializations covered — from traditional commercial to promo, trailer, and interactive voiceover — allows students to explore multiple career paths within the commercial VO landscape.
What Could Be Better
The premium pricing places Kalmenson & Kalmenson training out of reach for many aspiring voice actors, particularly those who are still evaluating whether voiceover is a viable career path and are not ready to invest thousands of dollars in training and demo production. The studio's Los Angeles location is a significant limitation for voice actors based outside the LA market, and while some offerings may be available remotely, the full benefit of the training environment is realized through in-person attendance. Class schedules are structured around the studio's casting operations, which means timing may be less flexible than dedicated training facilities that do not also function as working casting studios. The competitive, professional atmosphere that is a strength for experienced actors can feel intimidating for complete beginners who may benefit from a more gradually paced introduction to voiceover fundamentals before entering a high-intensity studio environment. The focus on commercial voiceover, while a strength for that genre, means the studio offers less depth in areas like audiobook narration, video game voiceover, or animation compared to training programs that specialize in those categories. Demo production bundled with training can create an implicit expectation to continue investing in the studio's services, and students should feel empowered to shop around for demo production if they find better pricing elsewhere.
Our Recommendation
Kalmenson & Kalmenson is the top recommendation for voice actors in the Los Angeles market who are serious about commercial voiceover and want training directly from active casting professionals. The studio is best suited for actors who already have some performance experience — whether from on-camera acting, theatre, or broadcasting — and want to apply that foundation to the commercial voiceover space with guidance from people who cast these projects daily. Complete beginners may want to start with a more introductory program or self-paced online training to build basic microphone technique before stepping into Kalmenson's professional studio environment. Voice actors focused primarily on audiobook narration, animation, or video game voiceover should look elsewhere for specialized training in those genres, though Kalmenson's commercial training will complement any VO specialization. If you are based outside Los Angeles, Edge Studio in New York offers a comparable studio-connected training experience, and online alternatives like Global Voice Acting Academy provide high-quality genre-specific instruction accessible from anywhere.
Pro Tips
Attend an introductory workshop before committing to a full program to experience the studio's teaching style, pacing, and professional environment firsthand — this also gives the instructors a chance to assess your current level and recommend the most appropriate next steps. Prepare for each class by listening to current national television commercials and practicing reads of real commercial scripts, as Kalmenson instructors expect students to arrive warmed up and ready to work at a professional pace. Ask your instructor for specific, actionable notes on your reads rather than general encouragement — the value of training at a casting studio lies in getting the kind of direct, sometimes blunt feedback that mirrors what happens in real audition evaluations. Build relationships with your fellow students, as Los Angeles voiceover is a tight-knit community where referrals matter enormously, and the people training alongside you today may become the agents, casting directors, or fellow talent who open doors for you tomorrow. When you are ready for demo production, discuss your career goals and target genres with your Kalmenson coach before selecting demo formats, and get their honest assessment of which genres realistically suit your voice and delivery style rather than producing demos in categories where you face an uphill battle.