Dialect Coach & VoiceOver
Photo © Katrin Faridani 2020
What clients said about Mark...
Please note that Lily recorded this in the Essex accent I'd coached her in. Her usual accent is that of Toronto, Canada.
When I first came to him, I was completely green. Mark said, “Absolutely, I can teach you!” and has been a joy to work with ever since. He comes to every class enthusiastic, excited and loving what he’s teaching.
Mercedes Davey
Actor, stage combat enthusiast & performer
He was able to point out the things that I didn't know, and that really helped me create a much more believable accent and a character around that. He was able to get me speaking naturally with a lot of confidence for my audition, which I'm pretty sure I rocked, so I cannot recommend him highly enough.
Lily Bowman
TV & Film Actor
Mark worked with actors on a production I was directing. One night, a South African audience member came up to ask who the 'Saffer' was. I replied that it was a Canadian actor who was helped by an excellent dialect coach.
Dr Art Babayants
Theatre Director, Artist, Educator and Researcher
Mark was able to help me elevate my understanding and mastery of the Yorkshire dialect to a whole new level. His knowledge of the mechanics of speech, ability to interpret the nuances of the dialect phonetically and thoughtful coaching style allowed me to develop a much more authentic voice for my character. To date, it is one of the performances of which I am most proud, and I could not have done it without Mark's exceptional support.
Brenda Massey-Beauregard
Stage Actor,
Live Actor Simulator
Mark Dallas is an amazing dialect coach and was able to help my daughter submit a British accent for a major role in a short period of time, even going above and beyond by creating a pronunciation sheet. He was able to push my daughter out of her comfort zone and is a great motivator. I highly recommend his services, especially if you are looking for someone to access your child’s individual talents and abilities and help improve on their voice weaknesses.
Caini Csak
Teacher and young actor's mom
About Mark
Mark Byron Dallas has been a Language Instructor and an Accent & Dialect Coach since 2003.
Formerly employed by the BBC, he is now based in Toronto and counts many film, TV and stage actors among previous clients.
Specializing in British dialects and proficient in many American, European, Asian and African accents, he is available for on-set productions as well as in-person and online coaching.
Your opening words speak volumes. People take less than a second to form an impression of your personality based on your voice alone. With training, you can change many aspects of it for the better.
A dialect determines the words one uses and the syntax by which they're governed. The accent with which you speak is analogous to the font in which the words are printed or the handwriting in which they're written.
Any actor or other professional whose day-to-day involves public speaking will tell you how important it is to get the voice right.
Any producer or director will agree that words spoken in an 'ill-fitting' accent can ruin a scene or even an entire production.