Become A Host

I went to the two hour seminar today and was so moved, inspired and educated. You can tell Marki really knows what she’s talking about, she’s very eduacated and she knows that things are changing and she’s current, which means a lot to me! It was probably one of the most insightful seminars I’ve been to in a while and even better it’s free! I highly advise doing the seminar and then taking the Bootcamp! I look forward to enrolling in to the Bootcamp soon!

I attended the NYC boot camp this past weekend and I left a better person. Marki is the absolute BEST at what she does! The boot camp was EYE OPENING! I learned so much about this industry, things I never knew I needed to know. She is extremely insightful, I am so thank to have experienced this with her as a teacher. I now know everything I need to know to become a successful Host… Thank you Marki!

MARKI IS SENSATIONAL!!! NOTHING BUT AMAZINGLY POSITIVE THINGS TO SAY.
Quick disclaimer: (I even live in S.F. and had to make the drive down to L.A. for this. Thank you Madison Alexander for the referral and all the other positive Unilocal reviews for the rec. I now completely understand why this is most DEFINITELY A FIVE STAR BOOTCAMP.)
She has the ability to motivate, inspire, and propel your hosting career in the absolute best direction. The information learned is not something you can read about on the internet, something you can buy a book for, no. It’s an EXPERIENCE. Taking the bootcamp is a very sensorial experience that demands full attention, focus, and stamina. It is exhausting, yet uplifting. Terrifying, yet rewarding. It’s everything you want from a teacher and MORE! All questions are answered, new industry connections are made, and renewed confidence is gained!!! What is not to love?!
I am now completely re-​branding myself in my dream direction, and now I can safely and happily say I have all the tools I need to do so! (I could probably use a Marki follow-​up polishing session in a few months just to make sure I am making the right moves! :) She is also incredibly gifted at marketing and strategy!
I definitely recommend this class to those who are are very serious about taking the leap from hosting as a day dream fantasy to hosting as a realized career.

Markis classes are so great! I could tell after one day of class that the exercises really were helping me with my technique. It’s also a really great thing to take on a regular basis to keep up on the improv and presenting in front of others on a regular basis. There are very few classes like this in this town (unlike acting classes) and It really helps that Marki really cares about her students. She’s a great woman and has done something amazing with this school in helping us to reach our goals and become better hosts! –Brenda Barsumian :)

I first attended Become A Host’s weekend bootcamp back in 2009, but put my hosting career on the back burner in order to focus on TV producing instead. Thankfully, a couple years later, I was ready to dive in, and Marki’s classes were exactly the right place to focus my energy!
Become A Host uses copy from projects that are recently cast, so the scripts we practice with each week are powerfully relevant. And Marki has this bizarre ability to forecast entertainment industry trends years before they’re fully realized, so if you want to know how to get ahead of the 8-​ball, this is the place to do it.
Marki’s style of communication is unconventional, sure. She’s no-​bullshit in the way she communicates with her students, so if you’re used to having reviews of your work be all sunshine and rainbows, you’ll have to get over that mindset. I figure that if I’m shelling out cash, and spending 3 hours a week in a classroom setting (when I could be out enjoying the sunshine or furthering my paycheck), I’d rather not beat around the bush. After all, I’m there to learn.
As with anything in life — these classes are what YOU make them. If you come to class ready to learn, pay attention throughout the 3 hour class, and give your best self during your stand-​ups (even when it’s nerve-​wracking, or your tired, or you’re getting over a cold), you’ll find yourself way ahead of your peers in the hosting world.
Thanks to the things I’ve learned at Become A Host, I’ve not only honed my on-​camera skils; I’ve also booked a major hosting gig for a network, fine-​tuned a branded travel series that has garnered a social following of over 170k, and landed a ton of contracts with companies I love. It isn’t magic — it’s taking the lessons I’ve learned, and applying them for myself.
At the end of the day, it’s all about you. Are you willing to work, both inside the classroom and outside it? Are you prepared to open your mind to potentially new ideas, listen to feedback about your reads, and employ techniques that better your skills as a host? If so, it sounds like you’re ready to carve your path as on-​camera talent, and I can’t stress highly enough that Become A Host is the place to do that.

I just completed the holiday bootcamp class last week and I am so glad that I did – it was well worth my time. Not only is Marki an expert in her field, she is a gifted teacher and knows how to explain things clearly and simply. She is both encouraging and honest. She has helped me view my social entrepreneurship start-​up in a new light – within the framework of how a television channel sees my product and this has made me rethink how I will move forward with my business i.e. brand.

Having taken tons of classes over the years, this is one that I have mixed feelings about. I took Marki’s 1 day class and found it to be just OK.
First off, this class is 1 day and it runs 8 hours, but with lunch it’s only 7 hours. Bummer.
Secondly, the things you learn in this class you won’t find anywhere else. Marki’s experience, advise, ideas & business are unmatched. She is a powerhouse not to be messed with and I am sure that if I was managed by her, she would go to bat for me. I like this about her. She really is a rock star. I respect this very much.
However…her format, attitude & professionalism REALLY needs some work.
I hate to split hairs, but the room is FREEZING. I mean not just chilly, but down right teeth chattering cold. Everyone was complaining about this. Next how this class is run feels like we walked into a class that has already started and we are all in the middle trying to catch up and figure it all out, despite being there on time all day.
Now I understand this class was on a Friday (aka work day), and she has to run her management office, classes, castings, etc, but why does it all have to be done on OUR time. She asks us to turn off our phones and give her our undivided attention, yet where is hers for us?
She keeps taking breaks to accept business calls, text messages, emails etc. In addition, she takes numerous smoke breaks & then the whole room smells of cigarettes when she gets back. It really is gross. She drinks tons of coffee but it seems like she is «on something». She yells, screams, stomps, swears & claps her hands to get reactions out of people, but it makes everyone jump and act scared in her class. Finally I think she spends WAY too much time on the talk show host format. It was ½ of the class time and it started to become redundant.
I would definitely go back to her class if her classes became more polished.

Really bad experience! Not worth the money. Would work 5 mins or less every 3 – 4 hour class. Studio very small. They are always trying to sell you on more classes or purchasing a reel. Not authentic and very unprofessional.

I attended bootcamp this weekend and can’t say enough good things about it. It’s obvious Marki is as knowledgable and well connected as she claims to be, and I frankly can’t think of how an aspiring host can get into the businesses without taking this bootcamp. She is a branding and media expert and I am chomping at the bit to start her ongoing classes next month. The bootcamp and the classes are absolutely worth every penny.
Marki is surprisingly kind in an industry that can be so tough. I felt like even though she’d just met me, she actually cared about my success and wanted the best for me (and all the other students). I will continue to try and be around Marki as much as her hectic schedule allows, so I can continue learning from the master. See you soon, Marki!

Marki Costello is a no non sense teacher but definitely with a sense of humor! She is a great teacher and knows her craft. Becoming a host gives you the tools and confidence to go to the next level and really understand the in and outs of the hosting world. Practice, practice, practice what you learn and you will succeed. Now I’m going to take my own words and get to work! Thanks Marki, your awesome!!!

I love Marki and her honesty! Hosting has been on my mind for quite awhile, and I felt like it would be pretty easy to get in to. I did a few segments in college, but the only guidance I had was, what I thought, as well as what I perceived to see on TV. And as Marki said, it is a TV Host’s job to make it look easy, and it’s not! It’s going to take a bit of time to truly get in the groove. Even if you have a personality, you still need guidance to get everything to mesh together seamlessly.
I first discovered on my own, the balancing act of a host, on the gameshow I work at. I noticed our host put in his personality, but he was taking notes from the executive producers, as well as engaging with his guests. And reaffirming my observations was Marki, she touched on all of these elements, and dove deep in to help us try and understand when to implement all of the elements a host needs.
I never thought I would pay $ 750 for a two intensive, but considering the hours put in, as well as the entire world of hosting being covered, you truly discover if this is something you want to do. And now that you have that information, it now comes time for practice, and working on your brand. Marki truly seems to support those who she wants to work with and helping cleaning up your host skills and brand. She’s upfront about the fact that you have to work for your part in the small host world. I would highly recommend her. I know some people were concerned about the size of the class, but the point is that you can always doing private lessons if you want. And even though some people may not get to do both exercises, you do learn from watching as well. If you believe this is a world you want to enter, you would hope to move into other classes with Marki and get to fine tune your skills. It’s not likely that just because someone got to go up a couple extra times in class that they would’ve perfected hosting by the end of the bootcamp. If that were the case, Marki would only have to say things once, and each group would tremendously improve. The reality is that everyone learns at a different pace, and other people’s mistakes may bring up situations that Marki has to discuss and bring to our attention. In the end, I hope I get to work with her again soon!

Truly an awesome, yet intense, experience!!! Marki is THE QUEEN of Hosting, no doubt! She trains ALL of the BIG names. Highly recommended to ANYONE even THINKING about becoming a HOST!!! You’re in for a BIG surprise! It’s so much harder than you think, but then, anything worth doing is WORTH the EFFORT! Just DO IT! You will come out of there knowing if this is truly your niche and what you need to do to get you to the next level. Let’s see how far I will go… www​.thek​itchen​vixen​.com

Marki knows her stuff, you can see she has knowledge on this. However, when I went to her ‘one-​day boot-​camp’ I felt rushed, and like she was just interested in getting the money and nothing else. I understand how busy she must be, but if I paid that much money for one day, I feel like I should have gotten more out of it. I didn’t learn anything I didn’t know.

i first heard about marki costello on her e! show and quickly went online to see if her business was actually legit. and of course, it was! i took the free seminar and in that few hours knew that this was the woman i needed to learn from if i wanted to actually start a career in hosting. so naturally, i signed up for the bootcamp.
the bootcamp was my first glimpse into the hosting world and it was pretty amazing!!! i didn’t realize how much went into the process and if i really wanted to enter this world… i needed to be trained. and why not let the best in the business teach you everything you need to know?!
there were a lot more experienced people in the bootcamp and even they needed marki’s help (obvi).
…the bootcamp is pretty expensive (i would take a star off for this, but that’s what the dollar signs are for– my 5 star review is based on the quality of the program and it does not lack in that department), $ 750 for 6 hours of training saturday, and about 4 hours on sunday. it’s a huge group (about 35 in our class) and not everyone gets equal time practicing and doing the exercises in front of the class…
you also film a mini-​reel with two short skits… one on-​site and one in front of a green screen (this is done sunday and depending on when your group gets to film, you could leave anywhere from 2−5pm)…the reel can only be «keyed» (edited out w graphics added) if you give another $ 50…this actually wouldn’t have rubbed me the wrong way if we were allowed to write our own copy and shoot something that had to do with our own brand… one guy ended up doing this (not fair to everyone else)…to be fair though, this reel wouldn’t be something you’d want to send out (which you would hope it could be) unlesssssss you actually wrote your own copy, which we weren’t allowed or at least told we could do…
become a host does actually provide full service editing for reels and allows you to come in and use their producer and equipment and all that to do this… but again, for a separate fee… an amazing service nonetheless…
after the course is through… marki gets in touch with those she wants in her advanced ongoing course on thursdays (taught by her) or those she feels would benefit from her regular ongoing courses with various professionals in the industry who come in and train the students based on their specialties… you cannot get into the ongoing courses unless you take the bootcamp and marki feels like you’re worth a shit… if anything, this alone is worth the 750 $…for more seasoned hosts, this is likely you’re only chance to get in front of marki and be trained by her and possibly have her represent you… for newer, aspiring hosts (like myself) this is a way to meet and learn from casting directors, vocal coaches, and other professionals involved in the hosting world and perfect your skills so you can actually create a reel that you won’t be embarrassed to send out and learn how to audition…
all in all… you need to know marki if you want to become a host!!! her advice, her attitude, her staff, her facilities… they’re where it’s at… i spoke to some of the more experienced hosts and they all agreed with me. i mean, people flew out from other freaking states to attend this workshop!!!
you have to at least start here to know if you can make it… and if after the bootcamp you realize you’re not made for this business… that’s just as valuable as realizing it’s your passion…
invest in yourself!!!

Be prepared for energy and tenacity on another level with Miss Marki Costello in her Boot Camp!
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but knew honesty and knowledge were a must from this instructor extraordinaire if I was going to leave feeling like it was money well spent… and, it defiantly was.
You will be overwhelmed with need-​to-​know information and that you are going to have to do the work to succeed, but she gives you to tools to do so over the 2 days.
I would recommend the Boot Camp only for those who have a great work-​ethic and a strong sense of self.
Kate Couture

Marki is amazing! She is by far the best in the biz, and everyone knows it! If you are thinking of hosting or want to explore your options in TV, then run to her Boot Camp. A weekend with Marki will be unforgettable and you can use her techniques in so many aspects of TV or life. She can get you out of your head and out of your comfort zone like no one can!
If you are hosting, then without a question no one even comes close to her production crew. Josh and Chelsea are the sweetest most talented crew you can have the opportunity to work with. I have worked with several production teams, but for hosting no one can come close to the talent this team has to offer. One tip, get the Full Reel as you won’t be disappointed. To see this crew in action they are miracle workers!
Marki rocks! Sign up for her boot camp, and you won’t regret it! Be ready for a fun ride with her and her crew! Her instructors are off the hook and the talent from this group is incredible!

If I had the choice of doing it for the first time again. I’d do it. Here’s the story of my weekend Boot Camp:

In the beginning of the year I took Marki’s boot camp in New York. Since then I made huge leaps and bounds in my personal life and career.
Marki is honest and straight forward. She makes you hungry for success and gives you the tools to achieve your goals.
After taking Marki’s boot camp I began to think about my brand. The wheels began turning and have not stopped since then! I then decided to take the next step which was to shoot my reel. I flew out to Los Angeles to shoot my reel and have a private with Marki. From bouncing ideas around with Marki, to her production team (Josh, Kyle and everyone else) I was thrilled with my experience. When friends, family and industry professionals saw my reel and were thoroughly impressed. I received nothing but positive feedback.
A month later I decided to officially build my brand, Ladies 2 Minute Drill. I flew back out to shoot my webisodes. As Marki always says, «If you build it they will come!» She is not more right… I created my website about 2 months ago and it continues to grow every day. I even booked an appearance on a National sports show.
A month after shooting my webisodes I flew back out to Los Angeles to take part in International Week. I wanted to end 2012 with a bang and begin 2013 with a bang! I was a bit hesitant at first, but I am beyond thrilled I decided to take part in International Week. The first few days we worked with a diction coach, a branding guru, a social media expert and a ‘live’ host. The knowledge I walked away with from these individuals made me feel as if I got my money’s worth. On top of all these added bonuses, we worked closely with Marki. She has expertise in so many outlets of the business, but when she is in class she wears her coach hat only.
When I take classes or audition I am always concerned how I am doing, if I mess up or what they think of me. However, Marki has taught me that it isn’t about me! I am slowly, but surely learning to place my audience first and not be scared to be who I am.
Most importantly, Marki continued to stress it is hard work over talent. She spoke about people who took her boot camp and had a better chance of being struck by lightning, but due to their work ethic they are not regularly working hosts.
She makes you work hard and feel as if your dreams are obtainable. I wouldn’t change a single choice I have made this year.
As if that wasn’t enough, I also built friendships with some of the most amazing people. Everyone was extremely supportive and we will always have a strong bond.
I suggest International Week to everyone and I highly suggest working with Marki.
Side note– There was some confusion on the dates, so make sure you confirm your dates before booking.
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I just participated in Marki’s International Week training with 10 other up-​and-​coming hosts from around the world. The first time I spoke with Marki over the phone, she hadn’t even met me, but said she would change my life (and then gave a little devious chuckle).
She really did change my life in three ways:
1. I walked away from her training having a CLEAR, DEFINITIVE brand that will help me cut through the clutter of the hosting world.
2. Learn to not give a shit what people think of you, EXCEPT for your audience.
3. Grow a pair of balls and «make the jump» because your time in life IS now.
Those are three game-​changers BEYOND the basics of reading a teleprompter, etc. (things that any joe schmoe can teach).
After spending a full week training with Marki, I can say with 150% confidence that she is the ONLY person (in this sometimes two-​faced world of entertainment) that I will look to for advice and mentoring in the hosting realm. The Become-​A-​Host team soars above and beyond the imitators, and really does care about their clients’ success, because it reflects their expertise and hard work.
If you are tired of making excuses as to why your career isn’t elevating, or you keep blaming others for your mediocre track record, then do yourself a favor and work with Marki — the NO B.S. Host Coach!
Ryan Kristafer
«The Live Game Guy»

Please believe it… Marki Costello is the truth! Before I moved to LA, I heard about Marki being the best hosting coach in the business. I said if I ever moved to LA, taking her bootcamp would be at the top of my list!
So I recently attended her free, 2-​hour workshop. I was so excited about the info she gave in her free workshop that I immediately signed up for her 2-​day bootcamp. The morning of the bootcamp, tragedy struck for me :(My grandmother passed away. I didn’t think I would get much out of the bootcamp because of my sadness, but with Marki’s honest-​yet-​funny teaching style, I not only was able to smile on a tragic day, I also gained much insight into my passion for hosting.
Marki’s bootcamp was transformational because she’s so knowledgeable about the hosting industry. Her lingo has now become the standard. Marki is also very forthright; there’s no beating around the bush with this lady! She is VERY honest with everyone… sometimes making me cringe because the truth hurts. But, you never get better with a lie, so I wholeheartedly embraced her candidness. Even though Marki is tough with her students, it is also very apparent that she cares. She personally answered everyone’s emails throughout the evening after class (how often does that happen in Hollywood?).
I definitely recommend taking the Become A Host Bootcamp. I also look forward to her ongoing class!!!
P. S. Her book «Become A Host» is also amazing and I recommend getting it if hosting is really your passion (especially if you want to know what her class will be like or if you live too far to travel)