drdialect.com

What It Is

Dr. Dialect is a dialect, accent reduction, and performance coaching service designed for acting and professional communication contexts, with P.J. Ochlan as the primary coach. According to the website, it serves actors, voice actors, production teams, and business professionals. The service is based in Los Angeles, but also offers remote coaching via Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, or phone, and can support productions during on-set, location, and ADR stages.

Core Courses and Methodology

The training is not a generic language course. Instead, it focuses on how an accent can serve a performance or authentic communication. Dialect coaching for actors typically begins by explaining the rules of a given accent or dialect, helping students understand its sound characteristics, and then applying them directly to audition materials, scripts, or character lines. Accent reduction or adjustment emphasizes real spoken English rather than textbook-style examples, applying the principles of a standard American accent to everyday conversation. Courses for business professionals can be tailored around industry terminology and workplace scenarios.

Instructor and Background

P.J. Ochlan has been active in the entertainment industry since 1986, with experience as an actor, host, voice actor, audiobook narrator, producer, and director. The website notes that he has worked with a number of well-known filmmakers and has been involved in film, television, stage, and radio work. He also served as the official dialect coach for Universal Studios' Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This background makes the service particularly well suited to accent work in performance settings, rather than simply correcting pronunciation from a language-learning perspective.

Pricing and Payment

Pricing is not publicly listed. Individual private coaching can be arranged by the hour or half-hour. Location or on-set coaching is usually billed by the half-day or full day, with quotes available on request. For payments, the website states that it uses Square, accepts all credit cards, and also accepts cash or checks.

Pros and Cons

The main advantages are its high level of customization and strong real-world industry background. Coaching can be tied directly to scripts, auditions, ADR, or business communication contexts. Online lessons are available globally, and students are encouraged to record sessions for review. The downsides are that there is no public pricing, no standardized course syllabus, learning timeline, or certificate shown on the site, and the service appears to rely heavily on the experience and availability of a single expert.

Who It’s For and Access from China

Dr. Dialect is best suited to people with clear goals: actors preparing a specific accent on a short timeline, voice actors handling multiple character voices, production teams needing an on-set dialect coach, or business professionals looking to adjust their American accent. The website does not state whether it is accessible from mainland China, so this would need to be tested directly. Remote coaching depends on tools such as Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime, so availability and network stability should be confirmed in advance.