About Clay Banks Studio

You might say that Clay Banks' career began at age 12, back in New York when his father first introduced him to an 8 mm movie camera and flat bed editor. He took to it quickly and began directing, shooting and editing his own short films.

By age 18 he had completed a two-year intensive program at a New York based Technical/Arts School where he study professional photography. This specific training imparted in him a skilled eye for composition and framing shots. After graduating from photography school, Clay advanced on to college where he continued his studies in filmmaking, acting, theatre and psychology.

After College, while looking for work, his life took an interesting turn when he landed a sales job with a New York based Fortune 500 Company. That entry-level position soon turned into the more prestigious position of National Instructor-Coach & Motivational Speaker. This decade long run provided him with opportunities to develop advanced coaching/mentoring and communication skills while furthering his knowledge of people, human behavior, social structure and life. It also allowed him to spend years studying under the tutelage of many of our great teachers such as: Zig Ziglar, Og Mandino, W Clement Stone, Mark Victor Hansen, Wayne Dyer and countless others. Talk about fired up!

After years of extensive travel throughout the United States and many other parts of the world (over 22 countries), he finally landed in Hollywood, California. It's here where Clay shifted his focus from the corporate business world back to his original passion -- the arts.

Over the next two decades, Clay has gone on to, coach and direct hundreds of actors -- produced and directed numerous shows and in 1995 he became the improv director and comedy coach at The World Famous Comedy Store.

Also a performer, Clay has appeared in upwards of 100 TV commercials, worked in movies and landed the recurring role of Lt. Richardson as a series regular in the high-concept action TV show 'LA Heat'.

Although Clay continues to direct and picks up occasional acting rolls, presently his emphasis is placed more extensively on coaching, mentoring and teaching where he continues to sharpen his focus and attention towards helping others reach their own goals.

Presently, Clay can be found heading up Clay Banks Studio International, an LA based, Film Acting Performance Studio and Indy Production Company. He teaches a powerful Meisner-based on-camera film acting technique that's strongly grounded in the art of working honestly and truthfully – specifically for professional on-camera work in FILM & TV.

Coach Banks not only understands first-hand, boths sides of the camera, but he has an amazing talent to inspire and motivate. He also posseses a unique gift for understanding where people are and even better...how to get them to where they're going!

Lia Fischer is an actress, improviser, and improv teacher based in Los Angeles. Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lia attended the The University of Colorado at Boulder and co-founded a sketch group called "On Your Feet." After receiving her BFA in Theatre from CU and performing in the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, she headed to Chicago to pursue acting and improv at the famed Second City. She studied at Second City Chicago's Conservatory and writing program, and at iO (formerly Improv Olympic). While performing at Second City Chicago, she also performed for the mainstage ensemble at the Chicago Comedy Company, performing "Whose Line Is It Anyway" short-form improv. Meanwhile, she taught and directed at Apple Tree Theatre, performed improv at The Playground, and toured for Cook County's, "The Fairy Trials."

At Second City Chicago and Second City Hollywood, Lia performed in such revues as "Red Hot Blind Spot", "Stop Makin' Your Dog Wear Hats", and Family Freud" which she had the honor of performing at the Chicago Sketch Fest.

In October 2007, Lia left Second City and Chicago and headed to San Francisco to teach improv and acting workshops at the Equity Theatres: The San Jose Repertory Theatre, The American Conservatory Theatre, and Marin Theatre Company. In late 2009, she moved to LA to further pursue film and television work. She was featured in commercials for AOL upon her arrival in LA, and went on to star in the Webseries AZ & Z and Running Late featured on FunnyorDie.com.