About Todd Babcock
Founder & Director of Babcock Studios, Head Teacher
I was fortunate enough in my early Hollywood days a few people took some chances on me. It was Bill Condon on 'Gods and Monsters' that gave me the invite to be in his company of such greats as Ian McKellan, Lynn Redgrave and Brendan Fraser. It was the classiest, most interesting film school one could ever dream of and landed a few Oscar nominations and ruined my expectations for film sets ever on. Quickly following were great stints on 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and 'Frasier'. A beginning trifecta to make anyone's eyes glassy with envy. The talent and professionalism of those early projects would serve me for the many productions to come over the years.
Yet, one of the strongest perceptions I had during these early years was a deep, inner notion I didn't really know what I was doing.
I came to Hollywood, like many, with various acting degrees. A BFA from Michigan State and MFA work done on scholarship at Temple University in Philadelphia. They were fine programs that taught classic techniques we've all come familiar with in Stanislavsky, Meisner and Chekhov among many other disciplines. Upon graduating these institutions one would think they were ready to start their career. In truth, my learning had just begun.
When I booked my first budgeted short film through a self-submission I was excited to show what I could do. It was on the first take of the first scene that I wandered over to the monitor and saw what I was doing and went, "Oh, no...I'm ACTING!"
What followed was a steep and fast learning curve of dashing my preconceived notions of acting ideas. It seemed all my studies until then were suddenly useless and I had to figure things out quickly or that job in the mailroom was going to become a career. As I immersed myself in film technique I wondered why no one had prepared me for this eventuality? The shocking wake-up call that all my techniques had failed to prepare me for.
I then began an immersive and at times obsessive journey into training for film acting. Exploring a variety of classes, I found myself at one of the premiere acting studios in Los Angeles that was highly respected in the industry. I went to every class and sat in the ones I wasn't in. I spent six years so devoted to study, I was then invited in 2004 to teach at the studio. After my first day, I was hooked. Soon enough I was taking not only the techniques I had learned over the years but also the hard-earned lessons from being on set after set. After several years of teaching, I finally realized my voice had become too specialized to stay under another's roof.
In 2014 I opened Babcock Studios in Los Angeles and Pasadena. An acting studio that aims to bridge the gap between acting theory and the nuts and bolts of what it is to act in the television and film industry. A place where the practicalities of technique are implemented and then tossed away in favor of what works. Acting on a set is result oriented, but the art of acting is not. The studio is where actors prepare like artists and perform like professionals.
From this work I was invited to teach various workshops, including the rewarding opportunity to join FACT (Family Adult and Child Therapy) for individuals on the Autism Spectrum and other disabilities. The workshop that was meant to teach these young people in turn taught me more about being human and humanity than any class I've ever taken.
In creating Babcock Studios it was my hope to create the type of environment I would want to be in. A concentrated, playful and creative studio that has the virtue of real technique and experience along with a lifelong passion to engage with willing actors.
Our Coaches
About Kimberley Pember
Adult Teacher & Coach
Kimberley Pember is a veteran Theater & Film actor with over 30 years of experience. Most recently, she can be found playing Bruce Willis’s ex-wife, Camila, in 'Detective Knight: Independence' from Lionsgate Film. She has also entertained audiences as Nora in 'A Dolls House' by Ibsen, Mary Page Marlowe in 'Mary Page Marlowe' directed by Robert Walden ('All the President’s Men,' 'Love & Death'), and acting alongside Tony Todds ('Candy Man'), and Neil Sandilands ('Sweet Tooth'), in the 2019 independent film, 'Destination Marfa.'
She received her B.F.A in Acting & Directing from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. While pursuing her degree, she put up numerous shows ranging from Shakespeare to Tony Kushner. Kimberley later moved to Austin and joined the Carol Hickey Acting Studio. There she attended the extensive conservatory program deepening her skills with various intensives from voice and movement with Sheila Gordon (St. Edwards University), Acting in Tennessee Williams with Tracy Middendorf ('Boy Wonder' & 'Scream'), and the privilege of attending multiple workshops with the late Harry Mastrogeorge, the acting coach for the late Ray Liotta, Brit Marling, and many other Hollywood film stars.
In 2021 Kimberley moved with her family to Boulder, CO, and joined Babcock Studios. “I was desperate to find an acting studio- but not a studio where I was only exposed to one teaching- Meisner, Strasburg, or The Method because I feel like the craft of storytelling isn’t just “a one size fits all” art. I yearned for a studio, a mentor that would not only support me but would dare me- no, INSIST me, to fall hard on my face. I wanted a Tribe, a community of professional players that were just as passionate about storytelling as I was, which would force me to up my game. Above all, I wanted a fearless, supportive family. I found it.”
Kimberley’s upcoming projects include being cast as the wife of Harvey Keitel and the mother of Emile Hirsch in ‘The Good Side of a Bad Man,’ which is currently in pre-production. She is also starring in the feature ‘Speed Humps’ with fellow studio teacher Kat Wilson which she also wrote and is in development.
About Angie Kalen
Teen Teacher & Coach
Angie Kalen is a Denver-based actor and bilingual Spanish/English voice-over artist. As a teenager, she pursued her passion for the arts – studying acting, modeling, and dancing. After college, she was commissioned to write and direct over 20 musicals and original stage productions. During that time, she spent four years performing as a principal dancer in dance theater at Melonlight. She broadened her experience off-stage, doing commercial and voiceover work for companies like ESPN, Safe Sports, United Health, Wana, Adam and Eve, and many more. She expanded her on-camera career to include series appearances on The Walking Dead, B & B, and an upcoming series called Bookuchi that she has co-written. The stage adaptation of Bookuchi will premiere this October. Her film credits include Stealing the Show, Sleeper Agent, Limelight, alongside numerous local projects. As a multifaceted artist, she has also written, directed, and produced a variety of short films. Angie has a passion for nurturing aspiring talent, providing learning opportunities on her teaching sets, where actors and crew members can "learn while doing" and use the films to build their demo reels.
With a deep love for teaching, Angie's expertise extends beyond her acting career. As a licensed teacher, she has enriched the lives of students in both public schools and the homeschool community. Additionally, she is a mom of a professional child actor. Even after working in the industry for years, helping her daughter navigate the film industry as a minor was eye-opening. Angie understands the overwhelm of having a child in the industry, so in an effort to help parents successfully transition into the role, she offers classes and coaching on navigating the business side of the entertainment industry. Through her work with kids and adults, and her relationship with casting directors and industry reps, Angie understands the current market. In addition to perfecting the art of the self-tape, she has coached auditions across the country and for large markets, like Atlanta, New Mexico, and LA.
Driven by a relentless pursuit of excellence, Angie consistently hones her skills through voiceover classes, dialect coaching, scripted writing groups, and improv training. She has trained under voiceover powerhouses such as Alyson Steel, Carrie Olsen, Micah Espinosa, animation and dialect coaching from Eliza Jane Schneider, and Spanish voiceover with Eileen Galindo. Her comedic training from stand-up sensation Christie Buchele, sketch comedy expert Nick Armstrong, and improv luminaries like Josh Nichols and Steve Wilder has further sharpened her talents.
As an early member of Babcock Studios in Denver, Angie has studied under Todd at every level and developed a deep connection with the community at the studio. Her enthusiasm for the craft of acting is infectious, and she brings a unique perspective that she generously shares with her students.