Acting without the Drama

Should Actors Have Knowledge of Story Theory? Guest blog from @StoryMeBad

2011-08-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

If you think about it, in the context of performing arts, a story can’t exist without an actor. The actor is the means of communication between the audience and the story, and the written character is the ‘media’ - the sensory languages - that connect the story emotion to the audience senses.

So it is your duty as an actor to be true to the character; and the character is defined primarily in terms of what he or she does in delivering the real story. If you are not true to the character, you will not communicate the story as intended by the writer. How can actors understand what a part really asks of them?

I recently worked with the actor Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley in The Harry Potter films; also star of 101 Dalmatians; Shakespeare in Love and many, many more) and with Willy Russell (Theatrical legend and writer of Educating Rita; Shirley Valentine; Blood Brothers). The results of our conversations threw up four key factors in, firstly, what an actor needs to do in delivering a story and secondly, what a story and its characters should have to reflect well on you as the actor. Here we go then!

1. Deliver the ‘Real’ Story

An actor must understand his character`s role more deeply than simply delivering the actions and speaking the words. An actor must understand his role in delivering the truth of the story - the learning and message the author wants the audience to leave with. Once you have read the script, uncovered all its mysteries and you understand the real purpose and message of a story, then your job is clear: you must deliver your character`s contribution to delivering that purpose and message. That is the actor’s job.

2. Deliver the Character

Secondly, the character himself: what is it about him that facilitates the delivery of this story? For example, if the story relies on your character`s cowardice, you can work on how to shape your delivery of this facet of the character. It is often way more important to approach this key component from its polar opposite in order to deliver it to maximum effect. In other words, a character who presents as strong and brave in dominating his wife and children may show this critical cowardice when genuinely under pressure to be brave out in the real world. By understanding the element of his character that delivers the story message and moral, the actor can be smart in the way he wraps up this precious deliverable and feeds it into the story at the perfect time and in the perfect manner. Watch Back to the Future. Marty McFly’s dad, George, is portrayed throughout as weak and unassertive. And yet this whole story pivots around his moment of bravery when he finally makes a fist. Everything. Watch it again, and think about that in the parts you play.

3. You, the Actor

You must ask yourself, as an actor, what can I bring to this character that is different and special and which stamps my authority on this part? When a part gets an actor it is inevitable – totally unavoidable, in fact – that the actor will bring something to the part that was unexpected by the writers. If an actor is any good, and has done 1) and 2) properly, this is generally a good thing, whereby the actor is able to give life to the character in the correct spirit – the one intended by the author and required by the story.

To give you an example, Mark Williams told me this about his role as Arthur Weasley, Ron Weasley`s dad in Harry Potter:

”When we first worked on Harry Potter, I was coming to grips with Arthur, and Julie Walters was playing my wife, Molly Weasley. Julie and I spent time discussing how our characters might have met; where we met; how come we have seven children; how long we’d been together and what shared loves and values our relationship might be based on. We decided that we met at college and had been together since then, so we gave them a kind of studentish attitude and a ‘Jolly Hockey Sticks’ characteristic that they share because they met at college and have been together since then. Obviously, JK Rowling didn’t write that into the books, but having that provenance and understanding helps me to ‘be’ the character and helped Julie and I to deliver something that makes the Weasley family, as an entity in itself, feel real.”

How can an actor know if the part is a good part to play?

The absolute top thing for an actor to look for in a story and in a part is our old friend, subtext. The majority of acting roles are `on the nose`. That is to say, everything the character does and says represents what he is genuinely doing and saying. It is very hard for an actor to make themselves look good with a part like this. A part that you can get your teeth into and which will reflect well on you as an actor must have subtext. The words you speak and the actions you take will not be the truth. Your character will know more or less than the audience about the truth of the situation.

When a character says `I love you`, but her actions tell a whole different story, this is a character with dimension, a character delivering the ‘real’ story in subtext.

If you would like to know more, I have a specific blog post on subtext at www.thescienceofstory.blogspot.com and address the subject in full in The Story Book, where you can also find the complete conversations with Mark Williams and Willy Russell.

Never forget, you aren`t acting. You are delivering a story. If you have a good story and you deliver it well, you will be a fine actor.

David`s Book - The Story Book - is available now in hard copy in the UK, or in eBook format from his website (www.baboulene.com) or from Amazon Kindle eBook stores.

Taking a Break

2011-06-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

So, I'm moving.

Again.

Some of you that have been following along know that I left L.A. last year around this time to move closer to my wife's family. We had never been in close physical proximity to them before and our kids had only ever had brief holiday visits to get to know them. We decided to change that.

And while we won't miss Idaho Falls all that much (hey, it's a great town--they now have an OLIVE GARDEN!!), leaving them will be painful. And yes, it is my in-laws I'm talking about. I'm one of the luckiest guys on the planet. Not only am I madly in love with my wife, but I love her family, too.

But...

I'm going to be starting a new job. I've been hired to build and then run a multimedia production studio. It's very exciting and more than a little bit overwhelming. It's also right next to where my parents live. #score

Clearly, this is a pretty big change for us in a lot of ways. And in order to really be there for my family, I'm needing to figure out how to better manage my time.

So here's the deal: my internet radio show is going on hiatus. The length of that hiatus is going to be determined by you guys. You've seen or read or heard me ask for help on my Twitter stream, here at my blog, my iTunes page, my imdb page and on my internet radio show. I've asked you guys to subscribe, to follow, to comment, to review, etc., etc. And some of you have. Most of you have not.

I really do understand, and this is not in any sense of the word intended to be a rant. We're all busy. We think, "I'll do that. Just not right this second." And then somehow weeks go past and we haven't taken action.

But in the meantime, those on the other end of things are left... well... alone.

Something you should know about me. I love to teach and I love to help. If, by my words or actions, I can keep someone from making the same mistakes and missteps that I did, it makes me exceptionally happy. If I get to watch an actor fall in love with the craft, I'm ecstatic.

However, with a few notable exceptions, I have no feedback from you guys about whether or not what I'm putting out there is helping anyone. I am able to track how many people read my blog, listen to my show and download my archived episodes on iTunes. That number is far greater than what my subscriptions, comments and reviews numbers would indicate.

And those numbers are important. They allow me to get the visibility, the sponsors and the support I need to justify taking time away from my family to do this work. Because it does take time, effort and creativity to do. And now that I'm starting a new and very full-time job, I'm not sure if it's worth the energy it takes.

That's where you come in. If you like what I'm doing and want to see it continue and even expand, you need to let me know. Start by following and commenting on my blog, since you're already here. :)

The other things you can do to help (and not all at once, for the sake of your own sanity) are listed here. My blogtalkradio page could use followers, facebook "likes", comments and reviews. Same with my iTunes page that archives all of those episodes. My imdb page could also use those facebook "likes" (and even just searches for my name, to be honest... which is why the link is just to the main imdb page... type "Ben Hopkin" into the search bar).

Lastly, if you're an actor and looking for training, take a chance on my online classes. Currently I'm only offering one-on-one training, which is incredibly inexpensive when compared with others in the industry. I also allow you to try me out for free with a half-hour trial class. Just email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com to set one up.

But really, the most important things here are the ones that cost you nothing but a wee bit of time. And yes, I just said, "wee". *snort*

My blog will return in July, regardless of the response. My radio show may also return then if the response is strong. If the response is moderate but enthusiastic, the show will return in August. If the response is weak, it probably won't come back at all.

I do want you all to know that this isn't intended as an ultimatum. It's rather a reality check for me. I have no interest in vanity projects. If all I'm doing this for is an inflated sense of self, it's simply not worth it to me. If, on the other hand, I'm really helping out and can receive some (free) help in return, then I'm all in.

So let me know. It's in your hands. :)

I'll announce the outcome when my blog returns in July. Until then, my Twitter stream will still be active (although reduced in the number of tweets) and I will do my best as always to answer any direct messages or emails I receive. Hope to hear from you all soon!

Mouthing Off

2011-05-15T18:28:00.000-07:00

I got a request the other day to do some additional dialect work on my podcast. Well, it's been a while since I switched over from prerecorded podcasts to live radio shows and I'm not positive that this new format is conducive to dialect training.

But so what?

One of the things I talk about all the time is that we should step outside our comfort zones. So, I'm going to put my money where my mouth is. I'm going to try something that I'm not sure will actually work. In fact, it may fail spectacularly. But if it does, who exactly gets hurt? No one but my ego, and he and I aren't really on speaking terms much these days anyway. I kinda blame him for the vast majority of the stupid mistakes I've made over the course of my life.

So, this Thursday at 8 pm PST, I'll be talking about dialect training on my internet radio show. I'll start with some general tips on dialect training overall, and then if there's time, I'll talk about the specific changes for what's called RP. RP stands for "received pronunciation", by the way, which is itself a shortening of "received in the best society pronunciation". We'll talk about that, too. :)

Therefore, I request the honor of your virtual presence, this Thursday at 8 pm Pacific Standard, for my grand experiment. Who knows? If it goes well, we may do multiple sessions.

That Was Fun... Let's Do It Again!

2011-05-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun talking with you guys this last Thursday that I thought we'd do it again. We only just scratched the surface of the topic of marketing, because (let's be honest) there's lots to talk about when it comes to self-promotion.

I loved so much of what came up during the last show. Yehuda and Stephy had wonderful questions and comments and it was great to get to the core of what ends up stopping most of us--self-sabotage. Remember always that there are two sides of the coin of fear: the fear we won't live up and the fear that we will. We generally discount the latter, but I've found that it can be the more powerful of the two.

It doesn't seem to make sense. I mean, who doesn't want to be fabulously successful, right? Turns out in practice that most of us want success and fear success in roughly equal measures (usually weighted a little towards the fear). Change... even good change... is scary.

So, let's embrace the discomfort. And let's start this Thursday at 8 pm PST. I know that there are many of you out there that want to call in but are afraid. This is an excellent time to get over those fears. I don't bite. I promise. :) You can find my show here. Go there now and set a reminder for yourself.

And for those that are afraid to start training--now's a good time to get over that one too. Sign up for my classes at the top of the blog! You won't regret it.

Brainstorming Session

2011-05-01T17:40:00.000-07:00

We've all done it in other areas of our lives. Gotten together with friends, family or co-workers and come up with ideas. So, I thought it might be a good idea for us to try it this Thursday at 8 pm, Pacific Standard Time on my internet radio show.

This is a session that's open to actors, filmmakers, writers, casting directors, artists in general. The point is to come up with ideas to help one another self-promote. Whatever our artistic bent in life, we need to put our services out there for public consumption. Unless we've already "made it" and our phone is ringing off the hook, all of us could use a leg up, or at least some great ideas on how to pick ourselves up by our bootstraps.

I've certainly given out a bunch of my ideas on what we can do to be marketing ourselves, but I want to hear from YOU! The collective mind is always better than just one person in the dark, blindly trying to come up with good stuff. Let's come together and help each other out.

Don't like to call in live to a radio show? 'Sallright. As much as I would love to hear from you, it isn't necessary. Leave a comment here, @ or DM me on my Twitter stream or send me an email--actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com. Let's figure out innovative ideas to connect with others in the industry.

An example of what I'm talking about? Kristy Hatsell (@Kristi_Gail) put together something called Actors Supporting Actors on facebook and it looks to be a really excellent way to network with other actors in the Los Angeles area. If you're in that area, you should check it out.

So, get those brains a-hummin', folks! I want to hear from you. This will only work if we step outside our comfort zone and participate. #callme #Iamlonely :)

Commitment, Revisited

2011-04-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah. I get it. I talk too much.

But at least I commit, right?

This week we're taking another go-round with the final "C", commitment. There's a reason for that. I'm going to blame it on the half-hour format. Some might blame it on the fact that I spend way too much time yapping. I prefer to refer to myself as someone who is very detail-oriented.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, you clearly missed my radio show last Thursday where I managed to spend the entire time answering a question from the stream as well as one from a caller. Hopefully it was useful information for everyone, but I'm not going to try to claim that it had anything to do with the topic.

I will say, though, that that's kinda how I roll. I give more weight to a real person asking a real question than I do to the topic that I chose. It does mean, however, that if you tuned in specifically to hear about commitment, you didn't get much of it.

So, we will talk more about it this week. Probably. I'm not making any hard-and-fast promises, because if someone calls in and wants to talk about agencies, marketing, some specific acting discipline or whatever... I'm most likely gonna answer their question before I do anything else.

There is a solution to this. If you want to hear about commitment, call and ask me about it. I LOVE to hear from you guys. It totally makes my night/week/month, so don't hesitate! I don't bite unless asked, and I'm pretty sure the rest of my listeners don't either. Remember: shyness is just reverse judgment, and none of us want to be judgmental, right? :) So, tune in this Thursday at 8 pm Pacific right here and call in at (424) 243-9619. At which point, we'll talk about whatever you want to talk about. :)

If you've been under a rock or just started following me on Twitter or reading this blog, just wanted to let you know of the amazing reduced prices for my online acting classes--$50 per month for once-a-week classes and $90 per month for twice-a-week classes. You can't find better than that anywhere, and the online classes are super convenient and perfectly suited to learn on-camera technique. You can sign up at the top of my blog.

The Final "C"--Commitment

2011-04-17T14:24:00.000-07:00

This is the one that sets apart the pros from the amateurs. If you can master this one, the audience will definitely sit up and take notice. They may love you, they may hate you, but they will NEVER ignore you.

I'm not talking about committing to being a working actor, or committing to training, or committing to follow through with what you say you're going to do. That is all good, and all really important, but it's not what really what we're discussing right now.

What we're talking about is making an acting choice and then going ALL IN!!! Acting is not a time for us to be wishy-washy about our choices, nor is it a time to hesitate. Let's learn to make strong (meaning not necessarily expected), active and specific choices. We talked about that last week with the actions, right? Powerful active verbs'll do it for us.

Once we've done that, we need to step into those choices 100%. Don't "punch" a little. "Punch" all the way. That doesn't mean the choice has to be physically huge. It just means we need to really embrace the playing of that verb. We don't like to do this. It makes us feel vulnerable and exposed. Guess what? That's a good thing. No, actually it's an excellent thing!

So, come join me this Thursday at 8 pm Pacific Standard Time for my blogtalkradio show. We'll be talking about this subject more in detail then. While you're there, follow my blogtalkradio page and leave a comment for me so I don't feel lonely!

Also, for those of you that haven't heard, I am offering my online acting classes starting at a measly $50 a month! So, what I'm saying is that location and money are now no longer an excuse for not getting top-notch training. You can join by going to the top of the page here, or you can email me with more questions at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com.

Second "C" part 2

2011-04-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

So, for the first installment talking about communication as the second "C" of acting, I talked (apparently a LOT) about conflict and objective. Good stuff. Conflict engages your audience. Objective places you firmly in the scene.

Now we're going to address internal obstacles and actions.

Every time we want something, we typically have some fear that works in direct opposition to our objective. If my objective is to convince the woman that I love not to leave me, my internal obstacle may be that I'm afraid that I may not be good enough for her.

The internal obstacle does several things for us. It humanizes us, first and foremost. As far as I've been able to observe, doubt is what separates us from our beastly brethern. My dog may not want to get caught stealing food from the table, but he doesn't doubt that he should have it if he can manage to obtain it.

An internal obstacle also gives us dimension. If I'm 100% sure of what I'm doing, that's kind of boring. There needs to be that interplay between what we want and what we're afraid of.

Finally, it gives us something to play when the other person is talking. While they're talking we really can't pursue our objective. But we can play our internal obstacle. While the woman that I love is detailing all of the reasons that she should leave, I'm listening with my fears firmly in place. I'm hearing everything she says through the filter of "I'm not good enough for her."

So, conflict draws the audience in, objective grounds us in the reality of the scene and internal obstacle humanizes us. Should be enough, right?

Wrong.

Now we have to be interesting. And that's where actions come in. Actions are active verbs that we can do to the other person in support of our objective. In other words, I may "punch" or "caress" or "tickle" the woman that I love with my words in order to convince her not to leave me. These actions allow our acting to be specific, active and intensely personal. The way I "pierce" or "seduce" will be dramatically different from the way someone else does it.

For more detail on these subjects, please join in with me this Thursday at 8 pm Pacific Standard Time, where I'll be discussing this more in depth while live on my show. Questions about any of this? Leave a question here in the comments (or in the comments on my blogtalkradio page), @ or DM me on the stream, or email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com. Oooo... one final option: call in to the show to have your question answered LIVE! I love to have callers, so don't be shy. The number is (424) 243-9619.

The Second "C"

2011-04-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

Well, there is one thing that I think we can probably all agree on. I talk too much. *sigh*

My radio show was back this last week, and my plan was to talk about the three C's of acting, as well as possibly starting the conversation about conflict and objectives.

The best laid plans of mice and men, right?

I got as far as the first "C"--connection. Now, in my defense, this is probably the most important and also least taught concept in acting, at least as far as my experience goes. I've talked a lot about why I think this is, and if you're curious and missed last week's radio show, go listen to it here.

The second "C"--communication--is where we typically spend most of our time when training as actors. Even in my classes, where the 1st "C" is given so much emphasis, most of the training surrounds this idea of communication. The reason why is that with connection, we're either doing it or we're not. We generally can tell whether or not we're connected to our partner with just a little bit of coaching.

With communication, we're delving deep into the craft or technique behind skillful acting. True, connection typically takes care of most of our communication problems, but we're never 100% connected. We need technique to smooth over the gaps. We may get to the point where we're 99% connected, but that 1% of technique is still hugely important to make our performances grounded and stable.

During this week's (and possibly next week's... let's be honest) show, we will go more into depth about what's required of us in order to communicate with our partners and the audience. As a brief spoiler, we need to be clear, active and specific. I'll explain what that means this Thursday at 8 pm PST. You can follow my radio show and set a reminder for the show by going here. Please do, as it costs you nothing, but does quite a bit for me. I would be sooooo grateful. :) Also, while you're at it, follow this blog if you don't already.

One final thing-- I have revamped the format of my online acting classes to make them more affordable. You asked. I listened. You can now benefit from my expertise starting at $50 a month for my once a week classes. That's one of the best deals out there (I've checked!) so take advantage while it's here! If you want more info, email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com. Otherwise, sign up at the top of my blog here.

Have questions you want to ask me? You can always @ or DM me on my Twitter stream, but I would LOVE to get comments on my blog here, so please leave your questions here!

Back to Basics

2011-03-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

After a week off from the radio show, I thought that this week it might be good to go back to the beginning.

Now, one thing that I've noticed is that actors with some training under their belts are really worried about anything resembling the words "beginning" or "basic". The response normally goes something like this, "Ummm. I'm kind of... beyond... this stuff."

Knock it off, guys. Seriously. Nothing marks you as an amateur more than complaining that you're "past" needing the basics. Or that you can't learn if you're surrounded by less experienced actors. Some of the biggest lessons I've learned have been from newbies.

Now, I understand the desire to work with those that will push you to excel and exceed your own expectations for yourself. I get it. But remember that acting is a little bit like martial arts. A black belt can be beaten by a white belt if the white belt is concentrating and focused. Same deal with actors. Surround yourself with both experienced and inexperienced actors if you want to train yourself for what's truly out there in the industry. And choose to study with dedicated actors, regardless of their experience level. After all, we were all beginners at one point, right?

This week, we'll be talking first and foremost about conflict--what it does for us, why we want it, how we get it. My guess is that we'll use up all our time on that one topic. It's a good one. So, if you have questions about conflict, leave them here, @ or DM me on my Twitter stream or email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com.

So, I'll admit that the response to my last blog entry was a titch... underwhelming. So, if you're reading this, I'm going to ask again for your individual response. If you, just you, could follow my blog if you aren't already, follow my blogtalkradio page, and/or subscribe to my iTunes podcast, I would be so grateful. It should take all of about 3 minutes.

If you're feeling ambitious, write a review or a comment on each. Time commitment factor? Tops...10 minutes. Keep in mind how much time and energy I put into the tweets, the blogs, the radio shows, the email responses. I'm not complaining. Just asking for some help with some stuff that requires nothing from you but a little time. A very little time. :)

A Call to Action

2011-03-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

Today I'm talking about something completely different. I'm not going to have a radio show this week, as I will be filming on Thursday. So, during the break, I'm asking for some help from you all.

As many of you know, I've been tweeting, blogging and doing a radio show for quite a while now, putting out acting advice, practical tips on how to navigate the industry and principles on how to self-market. All of this I have been doing for free, because I love acting and I would love for up-and-coming actors to be able to avoid some of the pitfalls I fell into when I began my journey.

When I went to grad school, I was married with one child. When I left we had two. So I completely understand that many of you are in financial straits. For this reason, it doesn't offend me when I ask for donations and receive none or when I get many requests for information on my online acting classes but few actual enrollments. Money is tight. I totally get it.

Now as a side note, I will say that if you're serious about acting, you will need to learn how to sacrifice what you want in the short term for what you want in the long run at some point. Acting classes, whether you take them from me or someone else, are really a necessity if you want to have a chance at a life-long career. Word to the wise.

There are some things that I ask for that require nothing from you but a little time or effort. And when I say "little" I mean "teeny-tiny". These are things that would help me to secure sponsors that would allow me to subsidize some of the time and energy (and money) that I put into this effort.

What I need is follows, subscriptions, reviews and comments. These cost absolutely NOTHING. Where I need them is here on my blog, on my blogtalkradio page and on my iTunes page. You may be thinking, "I'm just one person. One follow, one comment, one review... how much good is that going to do?" LOTS. Lots and lots and lots. First off, it helps me to know that I'm not just putting this stuff out into the void. It lets me know I'm doing some good. More important that my fragile ego, however, is the ability to attract sponsors that will allow me to continue doing this indefinitely.

So, if you like what I'm doing here, let me know. Show support for my blog, my Twitter stream, my radio show and my iTunes page. No cost to you, lots of benefits for me. I've done my best to scratch your back. Now I'm looking for a little quid pro quo.

I want to take a quick second and thank those that have done this already. I truly appreciate it, and I don't want you to feel like your efforts have been in vain. It's been those of you who have commented, emailed, followed and subscribed that have kept me going up to this point. THANK YOU!!!

One final plug for my classes. If you're thinking about taking them, stop thinking and start DOING! Not sure that you can do the times listed? Talk to me about times that work for you. You may find that I open up another section right when you need it. Have questions? Email me {actingwithoutthdrama (at) gmail (dot) com}. Otherwise, sign up at the top of the page.

Lastly, if you do have a little spare change, head over to my donations page. As much as all the above may help long-term, an infusion of cash is a HUGE help. There's nothing that I would love more than to go back up to the hour-long format on my radio show. Even if it's just a dollar or two, every cent counts.

So, guys... do me a solid, in whatever way you can. And remember, we're only actors if we continue to act. So get out there!

Tweet, Tweet... This Twitter Thingy's Sweet

2011-03-13T17:31:00.000-07:00


Twitter branding--which bird are you??

So, last week we talked about some of the basics of Twitter. We discussed how Twitter works, what makes it fundamentally different from other social media sites and what to look at in a potential follower.

Now it's time to get serious.

When I say "serious" here, please take it with a grain or two or three of salt. While there are some things that we can do to increase our presence online, reach out to other industry folk and improve the trajectory of our acting careers, it doesn't have to be filled with angst and frowns. Let's apply my catchphrase here and remove the unnecessary drama from the process.

What we're going to talk about this week is branding. How to brand ourselves, how to brand our streams, and how to use that information when dispersing our branded tweets, commercial tweets and social tweets out to our followers. If reading that last sentence has you hyperventilating, sit down, breath deep and trust that there's nothing here you can't handle. Promise.

Basically, your brand is you... distilled. We want your essence here. What makes you different, unique, special. What makes you cast-able, interesting, worth listening to. Now, your initial reaction may be to scream, "I got nothing!" and then bury your head in the sand. But trust me, you have something worthwhile.

So, let that information percolate in your brain over the next few days. Start thinking about what your brand might be. Watch my stream and ask yourself, "What's @Actingnodrama's brand? Why is he tweeting what he's tweeting?" It's possible I don't have a reason (not likely, but possible), but asking yourself the question will set you on the right road.

Then join me for my online radio show, this Thursday at 8 pm PST. I'll be going over all of the above in much greater detail. Call in with your questions, or, if you're just too overwhelmed, @ or DM me on my Twitter stream or leave a question here in the comments. I want to hear from you.

Then, take a second and consider taking my online acting classes. All of the information you get on my stream, here in my blog and on my radio show, but directly applied to YOU in real-time. How awesome is that? There really is nothing better you can do for your acting and your acting career. Sign up at the top of my blog, or email me with your questions (actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com).

*Quick update! My business partner, Carolyn McCray (@craftycmc and @writingnodrama) has an article up on Digital Book World's site right now about how to best sell your ebooks on Amazon.com. If you're a writer or have any interest in where the industry's going right now, you have to check this out by going here!

This Career's for the Birds

2011-03-06T16:30:00.000-08:00

We talk about marketing ourselves all the time on this blog. I think it's high time we talked about marketing ourselves on Twitter.

Twitter is one of the best social media tools around for the purposes of self-promotion. The way it's set up, the method of communication, everything seems perfectly suited for getting the word out about something. In our case, that something is ourselves.

There are several things we want to consider as we launch into the dangerous and fail-whale-infested waters that are Twitter. The one that we're going to talk about in this blog is, do we know who we are? By that, I mean that we need to understand our "brand" as actors. I, for example, am a teacher. I went to a top grad school. I worked in both theatre and film. I ran an acting for film program for one of the largest film schools out there. For me, the "brand" is someone that has experience and knows what he's doing.

That's not all of my brand, though. You'll also notice that I talk about my family. I do that because that's part of who I am. I'm also kind (or at least I strive to be). I believe in the power of dreams and imagination. I think we are ultimately responsible for our own success or lack thereof.

All of those things factor into who I am, and are (I believe) represented in my Twitter stream.

When I talk about "brand", don't just immediately assume that it's something that you need to make up to try to be marketable. When I talk about your brand, I'm talking about the best part of you. The things that make you unique. That makes you attractive to potential casting directors, directors and producers. Because in spite of the fact that Hollywood is perceived to be a bunch of fake poseurs, what attracts people more than anything else (good looks, a perfect body, sex appeal, etc.) is authenticity.

So, join me this Thursday at 8 pm Pacific Standard Time for my radio show, where we can talk more in depth about branding, plus some specifics about how Twitter can be used.

A quick note about the radio show and this blog (as well as my Twitter stream). I love providing what I can for up-and-coming actors and those that love the craft. There are some things that would make it SO much easier for me, without costing you anything more than a little bit of time.

Follow and comment on my blog--the more follows and interaction, the greater chance of sponsors. Follow (and "favorite" and comment on) my radio show here--again, the more follows and "favorites" and comments, the greater chance of sponsors. Also, subscribe to, review and comment on my iTunes page here. Same reasons as above. :)

Would I love you to donate to my radio show? Would it be great if you were to take my online acting classes (see the top of this blog)? Absolutely! But I also understand that many of you are flat broke. So I'm giving you things to do that cost you absolutely NOTHING! Please help me out by taking just a little of your time.

With that said, let's get out there and market ourselves!

Working Actors

2011-02-27T17:41:00.000-08:00

I hope you guys know by now that I'm not here to destroy or mock or change any of your dreams. I believe in dreams. I have them myself. I'm not jaded and bitter. I am full of hope and of the sweetness that hope brings. I am also full of hope that will never go away if I continue to choose hope over despair.

And one of the things that I like to do when despair beckons with its sweet, dismal keening is to talk about success stories. Also, remember that my definition of success is different than many others'. I believe that success is about doing what you love and living to do it another day.

But sometimes, that definition of success and the world's happen to coincide. Such is the case with a friend of mine from my undergraduate acting program. He was and is a talented performer. His financial success, like many struggling actors, wasn't all that great. But he persevered, continued making and keeping friends in the business, and above all, found ways to keep acting.

He is now in NYC, getting ready for the Broadway premiere of the show that he's performing in. The actor's name is Danny Stiles, the musical is Wonderland, and Danny's going to be a guest on my show this Thursday at 8 pm Pacific Standard Time, schedule permitting.

Danny's a great guy, a wonderful actor and singer wrapped around a beautiful soul. He's also been through his fair share of disappointments and frustrations as he's tried to navigate the business. That's true of everyone that attempts to have a career in entertainment.

I'm not going to share any more of his story, but please join us this Thursday to hear it from the horse's mouth. Have questions for Danny? Call in and ask them. Want to congratulate him for making it to the Great White Way? Do that, too. I'm sure he will appreciate it.

But whether or not you join in, make sure and listen. We can all use success stories from time to time. Keeps hope alive, you know?

You can listen to the show by going here or by calling in (424-243-9619) at 8 pm L.A. time. I look forward to hearing from you!

And remember, if you're enjoying the advice and information you're getting from my Twitter stream and radio show, put it to the test in my online acting classes. Doesn't matter where in the world you are, if you have internet and a webcam, you can take acting classes. Sign up at the top of this page.

AND, no matter what else you do, make sure that you keep acting!

Oh, for all you actors out there that love a good book, you HAVE to see what Bestseller for a Day is doing. Today only, 30 Pieces of Silver, the amazing and controversial thriller by Carolyn McCray (@craftycmc and @writingnodrama) is only $.99! You get an awesome novel, you can enter to win prizes, plus you're helping indie authors everywhere. Go here to find out all about Bestseller for a Day. Go here to purchase 30 Pieces of Silver!

Riddle Me This... the Q & A Session

2011-02-20T18:32:00.000-08:00

Nobody wants to look stupid.

Heaven help me, I understand the impulse, as foolish as it is. We all want to be "in the know", even when we really aren't. By the way, even the folk who are "in the know" don't know everything. I certainly don't. The only difference is that I typically will tell you when I'm giving you an educated guess.

Experience is an amazing teacher. However, none of us has unlimited experience. Therefore, it follows logically that there will be gaps in our knowledge. Those gaps are greater for those that are just starting out. There is absolutely no shame in it whatsoever. It's just a good thing to remember as we're trying to navigate our way through as system that's confusing to even old pros without taking the time and energy to be well informed first.

What do we do when we don't know something? We go about trying to get it. We go to college, to a parent, to a trusted mentor. We seek out experts in the field we're interested in to find out what we want to know.

So, for this week, I'm giving you an opportunity to ask anonymously any of those questions that you would be too embarrassed to ask otherwise. Or, if you want to be brave, go ahead and ask your questions in a more public way--commenting on my blog here, @'ing me on the stream on Twitter, or by actually calling in to my internet radio show this Thursday at 8 pm Pacific Standard Time. But if not, you can email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com. I promise I won't mention your name if you do. :)

Whether you email, comment, @ or call, I will try to answer every question I get during the show this Thursday, time allowing.

And if you like what you hear, maybe it's time to step up your game a little bit. It doesn't matter where in the world you are, as long as you have internet connection and a webcam, I can train you as an actor. You can sign up here on my blog, or request more information by email me.

So, here I am, ready and waiting for you questions. Let's get to it!

Shouting Ourselves out from the Rooftops

2011-02-13T17:48:00.000-08:00

Time to talk about it once more, people. Marketing. Self-promotion. Glad-handing. Schmoozing. The old razzle-dazzle.

Yes, we've discussed this before. No, I don't have any plans to stop any time soon.

Because it's important. I don't want anyone to misunderstand me. I'm not saying it's more important than other things like, say, acting craft. I'm just saying it's the one area that most actors neglect when they're pursuing an acting career.

Times have changed, people, and they're continuing to change almost as fast as we can keep up. More and more I'm hearing about actors (especially VO artists) getting work from their interactions on Twitter and FaceBook. Submissions are almost all online these days. A working website is nearly as important as having a headshot, resume and reel.

We can blithely continue forward, hoping against hope that we'll be "discovered", but those days are largely past. I'm not saying it can't happen. I'm just saying that it's not incredibly likely. And with as many actors as are out there, you will get lost in the shuffle if you're not putting your rowboat firmly in the shipping lanes.

In other words, shouting yourself from the rooftops.

So, we're going to be discussing it this Thursday at 8 pm PST on my radio show. As per usual, Kristi Hatsell (@Kristi_Gail) will be there with me, putting in her more-than-two-cent's-worth. So join in here, or better yet, call us! The number's (424) 243-9619 or you can Skype from my blogtalkradio homepage while the show's live. We would love to hear from you.

If, however, your voice is hoarse (because you didn't listen to last week's show, shame on you) or you're shy, or you have anti-social issues, @ me on the stream or leave a question as a comment here. I'll answer your questions during the program.

Enjoying what we're doing here and on the show? Then please help us to continue it by DONATING! All this stuff is coming to you for free, but it takes time, energy and moolah to make happen, so donate here. Even just a buck or two helps!

And, if you're looking to take your talent and your career up to the next echelon, join my online acting classes. They're flexible, affordable and you can learn without leaving your house (or changing out of your pj's). I would love to see you in class! Sign up at the top of the page. Let's get to it... there's acting to be done!

All the Way from Glasgow...Guest Blogger @actingcoachmark!

2011-02-09T00:10:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know Mark Westbrook (@actingcoachmark on Twitter), I wanted to give you a chance to check him out. He and I come from slightly different disciplines (although I have nothing but respect for his approach) and remarkably similar ways of viewing the craft of acting. Please take a second after reading this entry to go and see his blog, where my guest entry is currently posted.

First off, let me say, it’s an honour to feature on Ben’s blog, we acting coaches are not known for flocking together, in fact, the collective term for our profession is probably a ‘discordance’, if anything. So I really was delighted to have found another acting coach online, with a very similar philosophy of acting, if the actual practical application differs.

With each new student, I always start from the same point. Where are you at now? And where do you want to be? A simple coaching question. It could be asked in anyway field, but it cuts through what I call the ‘wantingitNESS’ and starts to make the actor figure out practicably (so it’s capable of being done) what steps should be taken to become an actor. I hear lots of people say they ‘want’ to be actors, want to be writers, want to be directors, but unless they actually take the steps to achieving this, you are only left with a burning want, and zero achievement. The want is not enough. You’ve got to take action.

But what action should you take? There are of course, two sides to this. The business side of the actor, and the technique side. If you’ve read Ben’s blog before, or caught his Twitter feed, or listened to his Radio Show, you’ll know that he handles both sides and his advice is always very valuable.

At my own studio in Glasgow, Scotland, we don’t really focus on the business side, we do help students that have those questions, but our primary aim is to help people to learn to become truthful actors.

Well, what the heck does that mean?

I mean that when someone watches you act, that you do nothing to disturb their appreciation of it. The audience will put up with a lot, but they sense bullshit and pretending from miles away, but give them truth, show them the truth, and you’ll notice an amazing phenomena, people start to lean forwards in their seats, the room goes quiet, and everyone is drawn to this actor, who may be doing very little, but they are doing so with truth and have become entirely captivating.

The starting point for our actors at ACS is the truth, we do this by combining the acting philosophies of many great people into a very simple little package. I said simple, but I didn’t say easy. It takes about two years of classes to ground the basics. After that, it’s a matter of growing experience in relations to different acting challenges. When I tell students this, (long before I mention Sanford Meisner’s quote about it taking 20 years!) some people look quite disappointed. They want the quick fix. Well it isn’t going to happen.

The starting point for you as an actor, is the understand that you are joining a craft of acting that takes time, requires an apprenticeship, needs a commitment that is long, steady and ongoing, and is often the cold truthful answer behind the hot burning ‘wantitNESS’ that’s driving you.

Mark Westbrook

Acting Coach Scotland

Mark's blog can be found here. Go and check it out!

Baby Talk

2011-02-08T05:43:00.000-08:00

Time to make idiots of ourselves, guys!

Whenever I start teaching someone how to use his or her voice properly, the first thing I discuss with them is what babies do. Sounds crazy, but go with me for a second, guys. You've been around infants before, right? And you've noticed, I'm sure, their crying. Ever notice how it can go on for hours and hours? And that they never go hoarse?

Sound useful at all?

You know as well as I how fragile our voices can be. And I don't know many films that are going to halt production for us to get our voices back after we've blown them out.

So, yep. That's our job as actors. Getting our voices back to the natural state they were in when we were born. And the way we do that?

By making some of the stupidest sounds known to man.

The main thing to know is that the less tension we have in our bodies, the better our breathing (and therefore speaking) will be. Getting rid of that tension is a bit of a challenge, but there's ways to do it. Relaxation exercises, Alexander technique training, yoga, meditation, among many other things, can all help. Once we've started getting the tension out of our voices, the next step is to make an absolute fool out of ourselves.

There are several techniques that I use to access the "baby" voice, but the one I've found a lot of success with is to imitate a baby's cry. Finding that place for us as adults is a challenge, not because it's hard to do, but because there's a real sense of embarrassment or shame in making those sounds. Try it right now and you'll see what I mean.

But once we let go of our pride and find that place, we can see that it's an incredibly intense sound that can be made with little to no effort on our parts.

So, come join me this Thursday at 8 pm PST for my radio show, where alongside Kristi Hatsell (@Kristi_Gail on Twitter) I will talk about how to get the most out of that little box in the middle of our throats. Join in here, or be brave and give us a call at (424) 243-9619 or by Skyping in from my blogtalkradio homepage during the live show. Like what you've been getting in these blogs, the podcasts and the show (all for free)? Help us continue what we're doing by donating here.

And, as always, if you're picking up what I'm laying down, let's do it on a regular basis! Join my online acting classes by signing up at the top of the page here. Let's get crackin'!

Move that Tushy

2011-01-30T18:27:00.000-08:00

There's so much to talk about when we start discussing movement, that I almost don't know where to begin. I guess the first place is to say that I, in times past, have been a movement hater. Yep. Movement was my all time least favorite class.

I know, I know. I've shattered all sorts of illusions about myself with that statement. That I'm this all-knowing acting guru. That I was the perfect student myself. That I'm an Adonis.

Please take a moment. Your hysterical laughter should soon subside.

But here's the point: moving through space as an actor is kinda important. Getting comfortable in our own skin is kinda important. Being healthy is kinda important.

And movement training (of any kind) does all that and more.

Whether it's yoga or fencing or Alexander technique or dance or Feldenkrais or Aikido, learning to use our bodies in an integrated way will do nothing but improve our strength, our stamina, our shape and even our presence. There is an ease of movement that happens when we become accomplished at any of these disciplines. That ease of movement is magnetic.

Just think for a moment about Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. We're not going to talk about what the movie did to the Star Wars franchise. We're just going to talk about the fluidity of motion that was Darth Maul.

Oh. My. Heavens.

I really have no idea if Ray Park, the martial artist who was the body of Darth Maul, can actually string two words together. What I can tell you is that he was absolutely compelling to watch move.

A completely different example, but just as compelling in my mind, is John Malkovich in Dangerous Liasons. He's not a particularly handsome fellow, but the grace with which he slinks through that film makes him thoroughly drool-worthy. And I'm straight, fercryinoutloud!

Oh, and Ellen Barkin in The Big Easy. Again, not so drop-dead gorgeous. But WOW is she smokin' in that film. She brought more heat than Cajun spices.

As I said, there's too much here. Soooo, we're going to talk some more about it this Thursday at 8 pm Pacific Standard Time on my internet radio show, right here. As always, I'd love for you to call or Skype in, but if you're feeling too shy, just @ me with any questions you might have on my Twitter stream, @Actingnodrama. I'll be joined by Kristi Hatsell (@Kristi_Gail on Twitter), up-and-coming actress extraordinare.

And if all this information has got you champing at the bit to take classes, guess what? I got 'em! You can sign up at the top of this blog page, or for more info, email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com!

Kumbaya Acting

2011-01-23T18:25:00.000-08:00

"Namaste," the teacher intones in a soft, gentle voice. And my skin starts to crawl.

I am an admitted intellectual. Anything "touchy-feely" made me want to climb for the hills. Anytime a teacher asked me to send an energy dart at a classmate or touch someone's heart chakra, in my mind I was thinking, For crying out loud, just let me act, already!

What I didn't recognize is that was exactly what they were trying to do. So much of learning the craft of acting is an intellectual process. The problem with that is that acting as an art form is not. The craft is necessary for consistency of performance, but if craft is all there is, it will leave an audience feeling hollow.

There is a part of acting that is rarely talked about, rarely taught, but valued above pearls. That is the "it" factor. The connection that electrifies us in a performance. That elevates something above good, above great... and takes it to the level where comparison is unimportant. We are moved. We are inspired. We are changed.

That's what we'll be discussing this week on my internet radio show--Thursday at 8 pm Pacific Standard Time. Go set yourself a reminder right now! I want you to listen, I want you to call in, I want you to be a part of the conversation. We're actors; we're a part of a community. Time to start acting like it, right? :)

And for those of you that want to take it a step further, sign up for my online classes! The registration's up at the top of the page here. And if you have any questions, you can email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com.

Training, Training and More Training

2011-01-16T18:29:00.000-08:00

We all know the story. Young new actor, fresh off the bus, filled to overflowing with good looks, big dreams and possibly even some talent. And every day, at almost a one-to-one ratio, another not-so-young, no-longer-so-good-looking actor filled with cynicism and maybe a smattering of wisdom gets onto a bus going the opposite direction. The bus looks identical to the first, but its denizens aren't buzzing with anticipation to get where they want to go.

There's a lot of reasons why actors give up the dream. I've talked about a lot of them. Today, I'm specifically focusing on those that come out to Hollywood or the Big Apple to shape the face of the entertainment industry but foolishly forget their scalpel.

I've talked before about how silly it is to imagine that a sculptor could carve a block of marble without someone to first show them the way. Acting is just as much an act, and yet somehow we look at it as just walking and talking. Sure there are examples out there of actors who made it without formal acting classes, but let's look at that.

First, the examples are far and few in between. It's hard enough to make it in the industry. Do we want to start off by shooting ourselves in the proverbial foot? We're raising the already considerable odds against us by jumping in with no clue.

Second, many of those examples trained "on the job". Like Johnny Depp. Watch him in Nightmare on Elm Street or 21 Jump Street and tell me he didn't learn something before he did Finding Neverland. Or Kim Basinger. Seen her as a James Bond girl? Oooo. Enough said. And yet, she found her way into a brilliant performance in LA Confidential. Learn while you go. Only one problem. Once again, please look at the ODDS, people. I'm not denying that there are honest-to-goodness prodigies out there. But even those prodigies typically train. Mozart wouldn't have been Mozart if he hadn't been thrust into music at an early age by dear-old-Dad. Or Tiger Woods, either.

Finally, most actors who are successful without training have brief careers. Their innate talent can only take them so far. Remember the Coreys? Or Casper Van Diem? Or, or, or....?

So, let's lessen the odds and look towards establishing a life-long career as actors. To that end, listen to my radio show this week on Thursday at 8 pm PST. You can set a reminder for yourself here.

And for those that need no convincing, it's time to sign up for my online classes! Just go to the top of my blog here, fill out the form and click the PayPal tab to pay. You won't be sorry! If you have questions about it, or just want more info, email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com.

It's Time to Get Serious...about Comedy

2011-01-09T18:30:00.000-08:00

Why do we laugh?

What makes us cringe and move to help when we see someone fall down hard, but then causes us to split our ribs as we see almost the identical thing on America's Funniest Home Videos?

Context is certainly part of it. Timing's another. But I think the most important thing is the little bit extra.

Talking about the example I gave above, the little bit extra is the humorous (or sometimes not so humorous) voice-over, the over-the-top music, or the cartoonish audio stings inserted. In each instance, we're not just seeing the raw footage, which would be as likely to induce a gasp of sympathy as it would to elicit a hearty guffaw.

So, what does this mean to us? What it means is that we've got to get serious about our study of comedy. Find actors whose comedic work you admire and pick it apart. Study it for timing, for set-up and pay-off, but ultimately, study it for that little bit extra.

With comedians like Robin Williams, the little bit extra is typically WAY extra. It's out front and present. With someone like Andy Kaufman, the little bit extra was occasionally so tiny that most of the audience didn't see it. The reaction was many times out and out anger instead of laughter.

Study improv. A lot. Not only does improv help us find those beautiful, unexpected moments in our acting, it also allows us to do the thing that gives most actors the night sweats. Act without a script. And guess what, guys? So many commercial auditions are lacking in one area...an actual script with lines. You learn to improv well, and those jobs can be yours. Oh, one other thing improv does well: helps us find the funny.

Because for all that's been said here, your inner comedian is different from everyone else's. Finding your own comedic voice is as much a part of the process as learning the rule of three.

For those of you that don't know what the rule of three is, or who just want to take that next step on the road to comedy, join me this Thursday at 8 pm Pacific Standard Time for my radio show. Take a second now to go and set yourself a reminder, give my show a "favorite" or leave a comment. And give me a call while we're live. I promise, it's SO much fun! And if you're liking what you hear, go outside your financial comfort zone and DONATE! Just a buck or two makes a world of difference and would allow us to go back up to the hour-long format. C'mon...you know you want to... :)

I do have to say, what I offer here pales in comparison to what you get in my online classes. They're so easy...you don't have to leave your house! And they totally work. So if you're interested, sign up above, or email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com for more info.

Goals? You Mean Like in Soccer?

2011-01-02T17:52:00.000-08:00

It's that time, people. You know what I mean.

You wake up on the morning of January 1st, look blearily into the mirror and think, "What am I doing with my life?" (or possibly, "What was that I was drinking?", but it amounts to the same thing) I could take a moment to talk about the idiocy of staying up late and drinking the night before the new year is to begin, but I don't want to kick any of you who may still be hungover.

And let's be perfectly honest. For a lot of us, 2010 pretty much... well... stank.

There are a lot of factors that made this past year a bit of a doozy--the economy being the major one, probably. But we can find all sorts of things to blame for our lack of professional progress: the industry, SAG, casting director workshops, the President, Congress, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, the banks, Dr. Phil. Actually, that last one may be kinda true. Dr. Phil has always seemed a little shifty to me. Let's blame him!

The point is, the list is practically endless.

It's also typically missing the one thing that makes the most difference in our acting careers. Us.

We have a lot more power and control than we like to believe when it comes to our success or lack thereof. It's a lot easier to believe that something, or someone, is to blame for our present woes. That means we don't have to take responsibility for our own lives.

So, what are we going to do about it?

We are going to set goals. Tangible, attainable, measurable goals.

And then we are going to set about attaining them.

So, this Thursday, tune in to my radio show at 8 pm Pacific Standard Time so that we can talk about it! In fact, go there right now to follow me, set a reminder for the next show, listen to past episodes, give me a favorite vote, mock my logo, you know... whatever floats your boat. I'm going back to a 1/2 hour format, which won't give us quite as much time (bummer!). So, if you want me to go back to the hour (or even longer...), there's a simple solution: DONATE! If every listener donated just one dollar a month, it would more than cover the cost of a longer show.

But even if you can't part with that greenback, join in for our conversation. Better yet--call in! I'd love to hear from you. And a little shout out to @Calashi for co-hosting this last week (she was awesome!) and to @MichelleFH for calling in with a great marketing tip.

As always, if you're liking what I'm putting out in this blog, my Twitter stream and the radio show, it may just be time for you to experience the kind of training that I can do as your acting coach. Sign up for my online classes or one-on-one sessions. They are totally worth it! There's a form you can fill out at the top of the blog here, or for more info you can email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com.

Marketing Ourselves

2010-12-19T18:11:00.000-08:00

Yeah, yeah. I know, I know. Here I am AGAIN going on and on about...*cue foreboding music* duh duh DUUUUHHHH... self-promotion.

Now before you go all ape crazy on me, stop for a second. There may possibly be a reason for me harping so much on this subject. Hmmmm... wonder what it might be? Oh, I dunno, just... YOUR SUCCESS!!

Now matter how much we want to believe that alls we gotta do is get ourselves a really good agent or manager and then they'll do all the nasty marketing work for us, it just doesn't work that way. You want a really good agent or manager? Then you're probably going to have to prove to them that you're doing pretty well on your own. Maybe it didn't used to be like that, but it kinda is now.

It's a little bit like finding investors these days. Perhaps in the past you could come up with an idea, pitch the idea to angel investors and have them hand over gobs of cash (I don't think it was ever really that way), but now you have to prove that you're already making money. Essentially, when you no longer need investors is when you can easily get them.

So, rather than making us discouraged, this new marketplace should make us empowered and invigorated. We're living in a time where you can do it all yourself. Writing, filmmaking, voiceover, editing, and yes... ACTING can all be done by those that want to do it. And we can market it all ourselves.

Now, I could spend a long time writing about this, but rather than flog a dead horse, I'm going to refer you to my amazing radio show, where you can hear myself and my co-host, Carolyn McCray (@writingnodrama), talk about this very subject. This Thursday is Christmas Eve's eve, so we're not doing it this week, but will resume our show on this very subject on Dec. 30th at 8 PM PST. Join us here! You can comment, write a review and set a reminder for next week. And call in with your questions, whether or not they relate to the subject. The number's (424) 243-9619. You can also Skype in during the show by going to the blogtalkradio page and hitting the Skype button. For those of you who are really shy, just comment here or @ your questions to my on Twitter. If you ask it, I will do my best to answer it!

As always, I try to take my own advice, sooooo... I'm now promoting my AWESOME online classes! Sign up at the top of my blog, or email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail.com for additional information. Top notch acting training, as well as all the practical advice and guidance that you've come to expect from my stream!

The Thread of Connection

2010-12-12T17:55:00.000-08:00

I'm going to talk about the thorn in the side of every acting teacher. We all know what we want from our students. We try a million different ways to describe it. We rant and rave trying to get them to achieve it.

And it's simple.

You may have noticed that I didn't say it was easy or without any sort of discomfort, but it is simple.

Really simple.

Simple enough...and uncomfortable enough...that most teachers don't address it directly.

What I'm talking about is connection. That wonderful energy that happens between two people when they drop their barriers and reach out to the other person.

And it's the key to truly moving performances.

There's no easy way to teach it, which is why most of us that work with students are loathe to try. There's no A + B = C kind of formula, the way that there is when we talk about objectives and tactics and internal obstacles. All of those things help with clarity, but without the connection, they're just so much empty technique.

But don't despair. The reason it's not easy to teach is because it isn't necessary to teach it. We all know how to do it. We were born knowing how to do it. The real reason it's uncomfortable isn't because we don't know how. It's because we've spent a lifetime learning how to keep from doing it.

Because connecting exposes us. It makes us feel weak. Vulnerable. An easy target for getting hurt. Thing is, when we raise our defenses, we're actually more at risk. That wall is like a target, asking for all the pain we're looking to deflect. Like the person who's overweight, hiding behind baggy clothes, we're only making it worse.

So, what actually works is being in a safe environment, with someone who cares enough to say, "That didn't feel connected. Reach out more." Someone not afraid to call you on your stuff. Someone that is more interested in you succeeding than in you being "comfortable".

If that's what you're looking for, join me for my next radio show this Thursday at 8 pm, Pacific Standard Time, right here. You can follow me there, set a reminder for the show, "favorite" me, leave a comment, etc., etc. :) Also, you can call or Skype in (the number's on the show page, and there's a Skype "button" on the page during the show) with any questions whether or not they're related to the topic. I know you all are listening, but having your input during the show would be AWESOME! :)

And, as always, if you're interested in getting training from me directly, you should try out my online acting classes or one-on-one instruction. Go to the top of the blog to fill out the application form, or email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks!

Always Acting: Making Our Own Work

2010-12-05T18:02:00.000-08:00

We all face it as actors. We're completely dependent on others in order for us to be able to work.

Or are we?

We're not the director. We're not the producer. We're not the casting director. Our working depends on a whole bunch of variables that are out of our control: the amount of auditions we're getting (or not getting), whether or not we're "right" for the part, the tastes of the casting director, the needs of the script, the desires of the director and producer, etc., etc., yadda yadda yadda, ad naseum, ad infinitum.

But is that really true?

We've been conditioned to think of the industry in a certain way. And, yes, working on a paying gig for a SAG film or television project does indeed depend on most of those vectors lining up (although even here I think we have more power than we think). But what if we decided to think outside of that narrow box that we've been told is "the biz".

Let's start by redefining "work". Work as I'm talking about it is simply the act of using our craft. In other words, it's acting. And we get to decide whether or not we're constantly acting. We choose how much we are going to put ourselves out there.

We complain that there's not enough work. You have to be a name already in order to get a guest starring role on TV these days, right? Okay, but those names are coming from somewhere. And there isn't an endless supply of them, no matter how it may seem. "New" actors get "discovered" every season. Forgive the excessive use of quotation marks, but the actors that come into the limelight have usually been hoofing it for years before they get their "break" (once again, my apologies).

So? Let's make something happen. Take classes. Go to networking events to meet other artists. Get involved with a group of actors that want to work on stuff together. Find a bunch of writers and offer to workshop their material. Find new and hungry filmmakers that need free or cheap talent. In other words, MAKE IT HAPPEN! Mutually beneficial things, you know? I scratch your back; you scratch mine.

This topic is what I'm going to be talking about with Carolyn McCray (@writingnodrama) this Thursday at 8 pm Pacific Standard on my radio show. Join us here (give me a follow & set a reminder while you're at it), and call in with your questions (or Skype--there's a feature on the show page while the show's live--"Skype Click to Talk"). The number's (424) 243-9619. Or if you're too shy (come on, guys, you're ACTORS!), you can comment here, or shout out your questions on my Twitter stream by DMing or @ing me.

And, as always, if you're looking for good acting, diction, dialect or voice lessons, paired with the practical advice you see on my stream, sign up for classes or private instruction. You can fill out the form at the top of the page, or email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com.

Conflicted about Conflict

2010-11-28T18:37:00.000-08:00

Conflict is necessary in art. Doesn't mean we have to love it.

Most of us avoid conflict like the plague. Even when we do engage in conflict, it's only by ramping ourselves up to a fervid passion in order to do it.

But here's the thing: conflict is what makes the audience watch. It's why football is typically more engaging than say...golf.

It's our job as actors to find, clarify and intensify the conflict in a scene. If we shy away from it (our usual instinct), it makes the scene...well...boring, quite frankly.

Here's the other thing: conflict sparks our creativity. Imagine a scene where my objective (what I want from the other character) is that I want you to help me run lines and you want me to lend you $20. Does it create an immediate and vivid picture in your mind? Now imagine a scene where my objective is to convince you it's okay for me to date your ex and yours is to convince me that it is NOT okay for me to date your ex. That image is FAR more crystallized, isn't it?

This is one of those points that many acting instructors gloss right over. I've been lucky to have teachers that didn't. It's such a vital part of the process that I'm making it the subject of my radio show this Thursday at 8 pm Pacific Standard Time (11 pm for those of you in NYC...sorry!), so join in with me here. Also, I want you to call in with your questions and comments (even if they aren't about conflict) so here's the number: (424) 243-9619. See you then!

If you're liking what you find here in my blogs, in my podcasts and in my radio show, try my online acting classes. There's a sign-up form at the top of my blog--I'd love to see you in class!

A Radio Show!!

2010-11-21T18:03:00.000-08:00

That's right! Acting without the Drama now has a radio show. I had my first trial run this last Thursday with Writing without the Drama's Carolyn McCray, and it was a blast! You can listen to it here.

The idea is to move from the podcasts to this new format. What I love about this show is how interactive it is. You can call in live and ask specific questions about whatever the topic is for the week (or any other questions that pop into your pretty heads...and I mean "pretty" in the sense that you're all gorgeous, not the patting-you-on-the-top-of-your-head-condescendingly way).

So, join me on this fun new venture! Go here to follow me, set a reminder for yourself for the next episode, "fav" me, listen to last week's episode, comment, stare puzzlingly at my bizarre logo...you know, whatever floats your boat. Just as long as you join me for my next show about conflict at 8 pm Pacific Standard Time on December 2nd (there's no show this Thursday due to Thanksgiving...apologies to anyone not from the states!).

Oh, and please remember to call in! I know how many of you were listening last week and was stunned that no one called. Come on! We're ACTORS, fercryinoutloud! We should love to hear the sound of our own voices. :)

So, I look forward to hearing from all of you...not November 25th, but December 2nd. If you have subjects you'd like for me to focus on in future shows, leave me a comment or hit me up on Twitter. This is gonna be awesome!

Trying Stuff on for Size

2010-11-14T18:02:00.000-08:00

When you're talking about something like an acting career, there really isn't a straightforward way forward. It's not like becoming a doctor or an IT guy, where you go to school, do some interning and if you have the talent and education, you'll progress. You can be stunningly talented, have the best education on the planet, and still not get cast.

Luckily, we're talking about a creative career, so we're all creative people. Creative people look at the world in a different way. When presented with a winding or abnormal path, we can come up with all sorts of awesome ways to progress, right? Right??

Therein lies the problem. Most of us are busy trying to convince ourselves that we're not crazy or stupid for even attempting an acting career in the first place. The last thing in the world we want to do is experiment. What if we screw up our one chance, just because we were trying something different that didn't go over so well? That would be a TRAGEDY!

I'm not even going to say that this scenario is completely impossible. We absolutely could mess up a golden opportunity by trying something new. Sure. But the whole "one chance" thing? That's only true if we give up.

It's kinda difficult to get blackballed for life from the entertainment industry. I can only think of a few good examples, and most aren't dead yet, so there's still time for them to come back. And even then, in order to be ostracized like that, you have to be well-known first. Most of us just don't fall into that category. Basically what I'm saying is, we can break a few eggs in the process of cooking an omelet.

So when we feel "stuck" in our careers, not knowing how to move forward, maybe we should try something new. If we keep in mind that we always want to be kind, doing things differently than they've been done before probably won't kill anyone. Before Stanislavski came around, actors creating "real life" on stage or in front of the camera wasn't on the agenda. Now, it's hard to find any narrative performance that isn't influenced, at least indirectly, by that giant.

Go ahead. Take risks. Think creatively. Break a few eggs. And just remember that if things go wrong, we can pick ourselves up and brush ourselves off. We running a marathon, not a sprint, so there's time to make up for the glitches.

Sometimes it's hard to go through this creative process on our own. So, once more, I'm putting myself and my classes out there for you. Want to learn acting? Want to be mentored through the self-promotional stuff? Looking for someone to push you to excel? Take my online acting classes! You won't be sorry... :)

Speak the Speech, I Pray You

2010-11-07T18:01:00.000-08:00

One of the greatest tools that we have as actors is our mouth. The way we shape our vowels and consonants says a lot more about us than we may be aware of. And yet, most of us have little to no idea what actually happens inside our mouth while we're speaking.

Class. This is a charged word. In certain parts of the world, class is a fairly rigid divide. In others, it's much more fluid, although maybe not so much as we would like to believe.

I've taught a lot of international actors. I remember one in particular who came from the UK. One of the comments he made at one point was how shocked he was when he watched "Supernanny" for the first time. "I can't believe you let that woman on television." (He may have said "the telly", or that could just be me projecting British-isms backwards) He was commenting on Jo, who speaks with a very low-class London accent.

My students from the US were appalled. That was so classist! Why should Jo be kept off of television because of the way she talks??

I agreed. Then I asked them how they'd feel watching the same show with a woman from the backwoods, telling them all about "Hows theys gonna raise their key-uhdz." The silence was deafening.

The way we speak gives a lot of information to the careful listener. It tells them where we were raised, our educational background and even our social status and standing. Even to the casual listener, much of this information is gathered on a subconscious level.

This is important to us as actors. When we portray a character, the way they speak is as much a part of their character as the way they move and dress. There's a reason we accept Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams, but have a harder time with him in Waterworld or Robin Hood.

There's also a reason why George W. Bush was mocked for being stupid (he isn't, whatever else you want to say about him politically) and Clinton was not. Clinton's dialect sounds much more refined and polished than Bush's. Bush's was almost deliberately hick-ish (that's kind of a Texan thing...we take pride in sounding "just like folks").

Despite his enormous wealth, classy is typically not a word used to describe Donald Trump. His speech isn't elevated. We can "hear" the difference between a polished Manhattanite and a cab-driver. Between a polished Southern gentleman and a redneck (and I use that term with affection, seeing as how it describes a good number of my close relatives).

Learning and truly understanding diction, intonation and inflection, as well as dialects, is a very important part of becoming a truly versatile actor (Meryl Streep or Kevin Cline, anyone?). It's also something that is completely within our control. That's right folks! In addition to amazing acting coaching, I teach diction, accent reduction and dialects...online! My next online workshop coming up this week will be on speaking Standard American speech more clearly (accent reduction) and will be limited to only 5 students. If you would like to be one of those students (again at a discounted price), follow my blog, comment below and make SURE to leave your email or Twitter handle. Also, if you are interested in ongoing instruction in accent reduction or dialects, email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com.

Twitterizing Our Acting Careers

2010-11-01T04:12:00.000-07:00

Most of you visiting this blog are more than likely coming from Twitter. Twitter is a great social medial site. I didn't think so when someone first told me about it? "140 characters? Really? That sounds kinda dumb."

Hmmm...maybe I should learn to wait before I open my mouth.

Now, you may be on Twitter for a variety of reasons. You may be here to interact socially. You might be looking to network professionally. You may be a 'bot, seeking to inundate my DM box with endless spam.

If you are in the last category, let me just tell you right now that when you misspell "opportunities" or "growth" or "money", your credibility is somewhere right around the level of Pirelli's Miracle Elixir. You musical theatre types understand that reference (or if you don't, SHAME on you!); the rest of you need to spend more time with Sondheim. Yes, that's right. I just outed myself as a thespian. And yes, my wife does know.

So, putting the spam 'bots to the side (or into that special junk box with all the "little blue pill" emails), Twitter is great to make friends and network with professionals. Who knows, you may even find a real free iPad deal out there. Miracles happen.

One other way to use Twitter is to self-promote. Yes, I know we talked about this last week. It bears repeating. Self-promotion is part of a successful long-term acting career. Twitter is an amazing marketing tool. Ergo, Twitter is an amazing tool as part of a successful long-term acting career. How'd you like THAT syllogism, Mrs. Wilson? Boo-yah!

In order to use Twitter to its fullest, we need to understand Twitter to its fullest. And truthfully, most of us actors hover right around the social media "expert" level. If you haven't been on Twitter long, you have no idea how bad that actually is. We could be a lot more sophisticated in our Twitter use than we are.

Twitter is a bit of a numbers game. However, it's not just the number of followers you have. There is a way of looking at other Twitter users that can tell you an enormous amount of information in a very short period of time. And while it may not hold exactly true every single time, it's pretty stinkin' accurate.

Do you know what your following/follower rate tells about you? What about your listed/follower rate? Your follower/tweet rate? These statistics, or "metrics", give a sophisticated Twitter user lots of info about the kind of user you are, and the kind of (or lack of) interaction you will offer.

And that information is invaluable if you are trying to market yourself. The scope of what I can tell you about Twitter is somewhat limited in this blog, but it's important enough that the next online workshop that I'm offering will be on this topic. Again, if you would like a discount, follow my blog and leave a comment (which needs to have either your email or your Twitter handle, so I can get in touch with you). Until then, happy Tweeting!

Dressing Up, Baby! Simply Wicked's 13 Days of Halloween

2010-10-31T00:16:00.000-07:00

How to follow up the Women of Esoterica's (yesterday's stop on the 13 Days of Halloween) blog post? How to finish off the tour? How to hang with all of these paranormal experts when I'm blogging on freakin' Halloween??? I can't take the PRESSURE!!!

*Pant, pant*

I'm okay.

Seriously, though...this is a little bit like trying to take it to the hoop and realizing you're up against Michael Jordan. So, rather than try to "hang" or "compete" or "not make a fool of myself", I'm just gonna be me, and hopefully we'll all have some fun together.

So, for my little contribution to the Halloween fun, I'm gonna talk about something that actors know all too well. When you put on a costume, everything changes. Your walk, your talk, your thoughts, your actions. Throw a mask into the mix, and holy-Swiss-cheese-morals, Batman! Costumes and masks can lower (or completely obliterate) inhibitions far faster than any mere libation ever thought of doing.

There's a reason that something gels for an actor when they get into costume (or wardrobe, as they say on a film set). I can't recall which famous actor said they never really knew their character until they wore the shoes for the first time.

The whole tradition of dressing up for Halloween started with the Celtic Festival of Samhain ("sow-an"), which was a year's end festival filled with bonfires rituals of the harvest. The veil between our world and the world of spirits was thought to be super thin on this night, so people would dress as spirits to "blend in". As happened with so much else, Samhain was co-opted by the Catholic church and turned into All Hallows Even, the night before All Saints Day. Leave it to the Catholics to not only try to take the fun out of things, but then make you get up and go to church the next morning.

There's nothing like dressing like a mischievous spirit to make us want to act like one, right? When in Rome, do as the Romans. Is it any wonder that trick-or-treating became a part of this wonderful holiday? Give me sweets, or me and my puckish friends will have a little fun at your expense.

So, as you go out tonight, remember to be grateful for the harvest, try to blend in with the spirits around you, invite the good ones in, ward the bad ones off. And gorge yourself silly on all the candy!

As part of this wonderful blog tour (now sadly over), I'm giving away two one-hour online coaching sessions for either acting or dialect training. So, if you're an actor and wanting some lessons, or you've always wanted to act but have never had the chance, follow my blog and comment below. You MUST leave either your Twitter handle, or your email address so that I can get a hold of you to let you know you won. :) I'll announce on the evening of Nov. 2, so that everyone has a chance to recover from the overdose of sugar.

Marketing Our Butts Off

2010-10-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

There are so many reasons we retract our claws when someone says "marketing".

It feels selfish. It feels desperate. It feels...crass.

And guess what? It is.

At least it is when we force ourselves to do it. We all have been given insecurities, usually by well-meaning and slightly misguided loved ones. Those insecurities can be pretty strong, and sometimes hard to spot. We're pushing past that whole army of negative voices in our heads when we try to say something positive about ourselves. Naturally when the pro-marketing, pro-us voice finally emerges, it usually comes with all of that forced energy trailing behind.

We've all seen it. Most actors at a meet-and-greet fluctuate somewhere between groveling, self-deprecating behavior and preening like the proverbial peacock. Neither one is particularly endearing.

So what can we do? Are we just doomed to under- or overcompensate?

I don't think so.

Part of the process is acknowledging the negative stuff that roils around in our heads. Just identifying those voices as being not real takes a lot of the energy out of them. What feels like an epic battle turns into something just ever-so-slightly silly.

The next part is really understanding that our self-worth is innate and unassailable. We are beautiful individuals. There is no one in the world exactly like each of us. No one can take that away from us, no matter what they say or do.

And when our self-worth isn't on the line, all of the sudden, self-promotion becomes...if not natural, at least not painful. We can even progress to the point that we *gasp* enjoy it.

One other thing begins to occur. Our creativity comes to the forefront. Our personalities emerge. We come up with awesome ideas to promote ourselves that no one else could pull off because they aren't us!

Identifying our personal Negative Nancy's, embracing our self-worth and allowing our true personalities to come out and play. Pretty awesome!

Now, once we're there, we usually have a pretty steep learning curve ahead of us when it comes to effectively marketing ourselves. For that reason, the next of my online workshops will focus on how to market ourselves as actors! Keep your eyes on the stream, and as before, if you would like a discount on the workshop, leave your Twitter handle or email in a comment below. :)

Simply Wicked's 13 Days of Halloween Blog Tour

2010-10-23T08:58:00.000-07:00

So, I've been asked to be a part of Simply Wicked's 13 Days of Halloween Blog Tour. Awesome.

Apparently I'm wicked enough to be a part (who knew??) and interesting enough to have garnered the coveted October 31st date. Yikes! No pressure. :) That, or they figured that everyone would be too busy on Halloween to read blogs, so might as well slot the actor in there. That's so thespian-ist!

Seriously, though, I want to thank Jo Lynne Valerie (@JoLynneValerie) and Amy Williamson (@AmyFWilliamson) for including me in this awesome blog tour.

So, here's the skinny, with all the bloggers and the days that they'll be blogging. You will notice that most of them have some sort of give-away (including yours truly), so check them out, follow the blogs and COMMENT!! I apologize for getting this up a few days late:

Day 1 Oct. 19

Amy Williamson *Hostess with the Mostest* ParaScream Radio, Stage Actress, TV Personality, League of Extraordinary Women of Paranormal and Horror

http://www.theleagueofextraordinarywomenofparanormalandhorror.com

Give-away: YES

Day 2 Oct. 20

Jo Lynne Valerie *Hostess with the Mostest* Paranormal Author, ParaGoddess, TV/Radio

http://www.JoLynneValerie.com

Give-away: YES

Day 3 Oct. 21

Larissa Sarah *Featured Blogger*

http://www.larissaslife.com

Give-away: YES

Day 4 Oct. 22

Monica Koetz *Featured Blogger*

www.bibliophilicbookblog.com

Day 5 Oct. 23

Conjure Oils *Featured Metaphysical Expert*

http://www.ConjureOils.com

Give-away: YES

Day 6 Oct. 24

Scott Noir *Published Author of Erotica, Studly Man, "Smoldering Prose"

http://scottnoir.blogspot.com

Day 7 Oct. 25

Fan Spotlight Day

Featuring: Psyche Soul Goddess *ParaGoddess In Training*

http://aprilpsychesthoughts.blogspot.com

Featuring: Lily Oak *Publisher of Hope Open, owner of HedgeWitchery Books*

http://hedge-witcherybooks.blogspot.com

Day 8 Oct. 26

Kayleigh Jamison *Published Author, Spiritual Woman, Bookish Diva*

www.kayleighjamison.com

Give-away: YES

Day 9 Oct. 27

Intense Whisper *Featured Blogger*

http://intensewhisper.blogspot.com

Give-away: YES

Day 10 Oct. 28

Donna Carrick *Published Author of Fiction, Active Participant of #WriteChat on Twitter, Huge Hearted Gal*

http://donnacarrick.blogspot.com

Give-away: YES

Day 11 Oct. 29

Dyan Garris *Featured Blogger Visionary Mystic & Author of the Award Winning Finalist Money and Manifesting *

http://www.voiceoftheangels.com/deardyan

Day 12 Oct. 30
Women of Esoterica *Featured Paranormal Expert*
http://womenesoterica.blogspot.com
Give-away: YES

Day 13 Oct. 31
Ben Hopkin
*Featured Actor, Acting Coach Helping Other Actors Create Magic in Their Performances*
http://actingwithoutthedrama.blogspot.com
Give-away: YES

Balancing Act(ing)

2010-10-17T18:53:00.000-07:00

Talent. Training.

You will hear actors (and artists in general) argue passionately about these two words. Talent is innate. Talent can be taught. Talent should be kept pure. Training is essential. Training is limiting. Training is for those that aren't born with talent.

Here's my take on it. Are there individuals who are born with extraordinary gifts? Sure. Do they amaze and astound us? Indubitably. Are they exempt from the need to train? Weeellllll.....

My belief is that talent and technique (or training) should be balanced. Talent without training has a tendency to be erratic or unstable. It's exciting, but it's really chaotic. It may be stunning for one performance and miserable the next.

That said, training without talent gives us precision without life. We get performances that are impressive in their detail and almost overwhelming with their accuracy, but leave us feeling...cold. Not exactly what we're looking for, right?

Maybe we should stop for a second for me to tell you what I think talent is. Talent is that spark that lives inside us. It's our voice. It's what makes us individual and unique. It's a combination of everything that's beautiful and also flawed and broken in our souls.

Some people are born with an ability to immediately access that without walls or defenses. Others have to learn to drop those barriers, and that can take time. In other words, I don't believe that talent can be taught, but I do believe that accessing our talent can be.

Training is a way to focus and crystallize our talent. Not only can training help us access our talent more readily (if it's good training), it can refine our expression of it. On the other hand, training or technique can be a mask that we hide behind so that our souls don't feel so exposed.

One is not a substitute for the other. They are the Yin and Yang of the Tao of acting. The talent is the feminine...mysterious, dark, unknowable (ooooh...deep, right?). Training is the masculine...ordered, precise, active.

A good teacher is one that uses the training process to better access the soul of a performer and magnify that energy through the focusing lens of technique. In other, more simple words, they get you to stop hiding and to be specific and active.

If you're looking for that kind of instruction, do yourself a favor and sign up for my online acting classes. If you have a computer, a webcam and internet connection, it doesn't matter where in the world you are, you can take classes with an amazing instructor...me! Look at the top of my blog page for rates and the sign up. If you want to take class at a time that's not listed, contact me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com and we'll see what we can work out.

I'm Too Old for This $#!+

2010-10-10T18:09:00.000-07:00

No, this blog entry is not about Mel Gibson, so relax!

This is more about the character that Danny Glover played in all 25 (it was 25, wasn't it?) of those Lethal Weapon movies. Roger Murtaugh. So old. So tired. So close to retirement.

And each time, he gets dragged into all sorts of shenanigans by his slightly crazy (boy, if only we had known HOW crazy) partner. There he is, running around, risking life and limb and saying repeatedly, "I'm too old for this $#!+"

And yet, each time, he does it.

These were the thoughts that went through my brain as I shot my latest commercial. It was for a new product...a really kick-butt flashlight, and they had us running up hills, over vales and through rivers. Yes, you read that right...THROUGH rivers. And it was cold. Like 35 degrees Farenheit cold. And that's not an exaggeration like my earlier estimation of the number of Lethal Weapon films that have been made.

Basically, we spent two nights running wind sprints while soaking wet until about 3 or 4 in the morning. In boots. And short sleeves. And snow.

Okay, there was no snow, but you get my point. It was more than enough for me to think to myself, Seriously, I AM too old for this $#!+!

But here's the thing about both Murtaugh and me. We do it anyway. I can only speculate on what Murtaugh's reasons are, but I assume they're similar to mine. We do it because we love it.

I've had easier shoots. I've had warmer shoots. I've had shoots with more comfortable shoes. But I haven't had shoots that were more fun.

So, maybe I'm not too old. Maybe I never will be.

I'll tell you one thing, though. I'm going to make sure that I stay in better shape, because that next morning was NOT FUN!!

So, to benefit from the knowledge that I've gained through my own training and experience, take a second to go to the top of this blog and sign up for my online acting classes. They are just $125 per month, and they are awesome! I look forward to working with you!

Preparing to Get an Agent (or How to Tap Dance without Tap Shoes)

2010-10-03T18:27:00.000-07:00

This isn't the first time I've talked about this subject (you can find that posting here). It more than likely won't be the last. There seem to be very few topics that we actors like to talk about more than AGENTS (except for maybe ourselves). We love them. We hate them. We want one. We want a different one. We have oh-so-many stories to tell about them (mostly bad).

In short, we can't stop talking about them. Help...I'm talking and I can't shut up.

So, we're going to go over some salient points.

1) Don't move to Los Angeles or New York to try to land your first agent. Period. End of statement. If you already live there, don't despair, just know you'll have to work harder.

2) Before you begin to set up meetings with agents, make sure you're prepared to do so. Not sure what it means to be prepared? Don't worry. I'll be giving a workshop that will include a checklist.

3) Don't just sign with the first agent who says "yes".

4) Don't expect your life to drastically change the moment you've signed.

5) Don't stop looking for work yourself once you've got an agent, because no one will ever represent you better than you will yourself!

6) It's always better if you can get an agent to set up a meeting with you rather than the reverse.

7) Always be working.

8) Treat any prospective agent with respect, honesty and LIKE A REAL PERSON! (because...well...they are)

9) Once you've signed with an agent, keep those lines of communication wide open.

10) And probably one of the most important--don't assume that this advice doesn't apply to you. Is it possible that your experience will be different from mine? Absolutely. Is it likely that it will be different from mine and everyone else's that I've had the pleasure to work with and teach? Unlikely.

Okay, so some of those points may have been eye-opening, even disheartening. But that's why you're here, right? To hear from someone who's been there how not to have to go through all the same crap? Because, trust me, I've been through some serious poopy poop.

You may not have perfectly understood everything I just listed there. For those that have been through it, most of what's here will make perfect sense, but it may sound like gobbledegook if you've never been there. That's okay. Working in the industry is a process for all of us.

The industry is not set up like others, where you go to school, intern, get offered a job and start working. That doesn't mean that there isn't a fairly standard pattern that can be followed to help you get where you want to go.

There are no guarantees here. Guess what? Last time I checked, there are no guarantees anywhere in the job market. Real estate agent was a pretty hot job a few years ago. (Yikes!)

So, rather than flog a dead horse here, I'm again going to be offering an online workshop talking about getting an agent. As always, I'll try to keep it cheap, and as always, I'll give you a discount if you leave a comment here with your twitter handle or email address. I look forward to hearing from you all!

Deer in the Headlights (a.k.a. the Auditioning Process)

2010-09-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

Auditions.

As much as we'd like to ignore it sometimes, auditioning is what a successful acting career hinges around, at least at first. Learning how to go in and present ourselves to oftentimes complete strangers, bare our souls and have them judge how well we did it.

And right there, in a nutshell, is the problem. At least on some subconscious level, that's how most of us view the auditioning process. And while there may be a tiny shred of truth in there, it's so hidden with raging levels of fear and self-loathing that it's almost unrecognizable as what it really is.

Because that's not really the auditioning process at all. Auditioning, from the casting director's, producer's or director's standpoint is much closer to the following: you have a project, you need good actors that fit your vision, you'd like to be able to enjoy the process as much as possible.

There's only one small part of the process that involves someone judging us as actors. The rest is about vision, the right fit, and good attitude.

Want to know how much of the audition is usually about your acting? About the first 30 seconds or so. That's it. Everything else is used to evaluate the rest of the puzzle. Does the actor take direction well? Will he or she fit in with the rest of the cast (looks-wise and style-wise)? Is this an actor that's going to pull massive diva/divo fits? Can I stand this person for the next 3 months (feature) to 3 years or more (tv series)?

And guess what? The more we go in with fear, the less likely the answers to any of those questions will be positive. When we're afraid, we radiate that fear in some really unappealing ways. Not only does the fear affect our ability to open up and connect in terms of our acting, it makes us stiff. When we're stiff, we don't take direction well, we feel isolated (not good as far as figuring out the fit with the rest of the cast), we're much more likely to be needy (diva/divo) and our energy will be uncomfortable to be around (unpleasant 3 months to 3 years). Ick.

So, really, the auditioning process is almost less about our talent and acting skill and more about our ability to let go of fear.

I've had some great experiences lately during auditions that I think could be really helpful, so I've decided to hold an online workshop on auditioning technique. I'll make sure that it's inexpensive, seeing how the economy's still in the crapper (despite the geniuses that say the recession ended in '09). If you're interested, comment here (leave your twitter handle or an email) or just watch the stream closely. In fact, if you do leave a comment, I'll give you an additional 50% off for the workshop!

In the meantime, keep breathing, and remember that no one can take away from us our sense of self-worth, even if they try.

Plan B

2010-09-19T18:40:00.000-07:00

Both of my sons are playing tackle football for the first time this season. It's been fun to watch them suit up in their pads and start to figure out the whole "hit hard" thing. One of their main goals now is to get a "pancake" block, where you lay your opponent out flat.

Football. Good times.

My oldest son spends most of his time on the offensive line, trying to make sure that the defensive line doesn't make it's way back to the quarterback. One of the strategies his coach has taught him is called a "Plan B". When he's facing an opponent that's consistently beating him on the line, he basically table-tops him by going down on all fours and having the other guy trip over him.

At first I was thinking, Hey, that's kind of a cheap shot. But then I spent some time analyzing it, and really his main job is to keep that QB safe. The Plan B isn't against the rules, and from what I've seen it can be pretty effective (at least at this level of play).

I think we do something similar sometimes with our acting careers. It's this kind of do-or-die mentality that says we're going to make it as actors or starve trying. Off we go to LA or NY with little or no thought of how we're going to make ends meet while finding our way through the industry.

In other words, we go in without a Plan B.

I'm not talking about finding a way to give up on acting if it gets too hard. Not at all. I'm talking about having a way to keep ourselves alive and kicking while we're spending time developing our acting talent and careers. I'm talking about accepting the fact that Hollywood may not fall down at your feet and worship you... at first. :)

Having a steady income stream allows us to go into auditions without the added desperation of "I need this JOB!!!" Trust me, that vibe does nothing positive for us on either a professional or social level. Nobody likes a needy actor.

Our Plan B should be something fairly flexible--IT work, website design, bartending, deejaying, massage therapy, real estate, house appraisals, notary public, etc. This isn't meant to be a comprehensive list, just to give you an idea of things that could work. Develop a marketable skill that will allow you to work but still audition and take classes.

It's time to break the stereotype of the starving actor. Having a solid Plan B can do that for us.

And one other thing that having a Plan B can do--allow us to pay for the training that's so important for our development as actors. If you're looking for an economical and convenient solution to your training needs, contact me about my online acting classes. You can leave a comment, contact me via Twitter (@actingnodrama), or email me: actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com.

Richard E.'s Notes on Acting

2010-09-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

This week's blog entry is mostly just for fun. It's one of my most treasured memories from my graduate acting program.

I was fortunate to learn from Richard Easton while I was attending the Old Globe Theatre. Mr. Easton is an amazing actor and an amazing man. For those of you who don't know who he is, he won a Tony for Best Actor in 2001 for his role in Tom Stoppard's The Invention of Love. This was right after he finished mentoring my classmates and I through our program.

He has a way of looking at acting that is completely different than anything I had ever experienced before (it took me about six weeks before I understood what the heck he was talking about). He has worked with Dame Judy Dench and Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson. His personality is bigger than any space I ever saw him in.

In short, he is awesome!

One day he came into class with a sheaf of papers (highly unusual in and of itself) and announced in his sonorous voice (replete with British polish), "I was on my second bottle of wine last night, when I decided to write down some notes on acting." He then proceeded to share some real gems with us. I'll share two of the most memorable.

1. "You must never whistle in the theatre. Not because it's bad luck. Because it's ANNOYING!"

2. "Always go backstage after a performance. It establishes you as a member of the club."

Here's the thing: besides the fact that the whole episode had me in stitches, there's actually some real stuff in there.

1. When we're working with others, we need to stop and think. Is what we're saying or doing potentially hurtful, disrespectful, or just downright irritating? Then maybe we'd better make a different choice.

2. Then the other--make opportunities to interact with other industry professionals ON THEIR LEVEL. Find ways to be working so that we can interact with working actors, with the level of respect that comes with being a working actor. I'm not even talking about income right now, folks. I'm talking about constantly acting. In something. Anything. It makes a difference. Seriously.

So, that's it for this week, except for the little nudge I'm going to give you right now. If you want to be taken seriously by professionals, you need to be trained like a professional. Guess what? I can help you there. I teach online classes--acting, on-camera, auditioning, dialects, diction, voice...yeah, that's right. I'm tooting my own horn. You know why? 'Cause I'm good.

But don't take my word for it. Test me out. Shoot me an email (actingwithoutthedrama {at} gmail {dot} com) and I'll alert you anytime I'm doing one of my free intro classes. Or, you can go off of the statements you've already seen from other actors on my stream and sign up. I've got some great back-to-school specials happening right now, so ask me about them. :)

Checking Out

2010-08-29T18:53:00.000-07:00

At some point in our artistic process, no matter how connected we normally are, we normally want to be or we normally seek to be, we will check out. We, the people we like to think of ourselves as, take a temporary leave of absence.

Checking out can manifest itself in a lot of ways. Some are much more obvious, like alcohol or drug abuse, compulsive gambling, sexually addictive behavior, overeating, rage-aholism. Then there's the ones that are much more subtle. Isolating ourselves, procrastinating, putting up our walls and defenses, getting snippy for little or no reason, enabling someone else's destructive behavior.

This list, unfortunately, is not all-inclusive. There are SO many ways we can check out.

All of them have one thing in common. They are self-sabotaging. They move us backwards rather than forwards.

There are a lot of "reasons" why we decide to do this (and it is always a choice, even when it seems like it's not), but ultimately we find that what we thought were really good excuses are just so much hogwash.

Here's the other thing: we pretty much always end up regretting what we've done while we were checked out... once we come back to our senses. In the moment it seems like the thing to do (sometimes the ONLY thing to do), but at some point, we always wake up. And remember. And cringe.

What can we do about this? One thing is to continually check in with ourselves and with someone we trust to call us on our crap. Don't have anyone like this? Find someone now.

Oh, and once you've found them, don't let them go. Because you'll want to. While we're checked out, we don't want anyone to identify that it's not really us. It's uncomfortable. We fight it.

But if we'll just listen and open up in that moment, we can break the cycle of unconsciousness.

The markers of when we're checked out vary quite a bit (remember the list?), but there are a couple of things that I find they usually have in common. Our focus goes inward instead of outward. We're looking at all of our misfortunes, instead of reaching out to others to help with theirs.

The only apparent exception to this is co-dependency, but even that is really inwardly focused. If we're obsessed with helping or fixing someone else, that's really about us. Otherwise, it's just us reaching out a hand. If they take it, great. If they don't, we're sad, but we don't try to control their behavior.

The other thing that I've noticed is that I get really defensive. I find it so much easier to focus on the problems of everyone else around me (especially those that are pointing out that I'm not acting like myself) rather than take a look at what I'm doing.

When we make the choice to do the uncomfortable thing and really look at ourselves honestly, some amazing things happen. We become more gentle, more loving, more understanding. As artists, our work gains resonance and power. We move audiences instead of just impressing them.

And I don't know about you, but that's why I got into this whole acting thing to begin with.

You know one thing that can really help in this process? A good, kind and passionate acting teacher. Which I happen to be. So, if you're looking for classes or private instruction, shoot me an email at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com. Afraid that you're too far away? Don't despair! I teach classes online. C'mon, that had to have made you curious. Email me and I'll explain how it all works. :)

Joy

2010-08-22T18:30:00.000-07:00

My assumption is that everyone that visits this blog on a regular basis loves acting or creating on some level. I would also guess that many if not all of you have a dream to live by your art.

It's a great dream. It's a great goal.

It may never happen.

Now, before you get your nose all out of joint, I'm not saying that to discourage you. At all. Promise. :)

It is my firm belief that if you love to act, you should act. I also believe that acting is a viable career choice. Some have insisted that this belief of mine qualifies me for a padded cell, or at the very least, a long and detailed interview with a licensed professional.

What I am saying is that sometimes, we base the success of our lives on whether or not we're succeeding at acting as a career. I'm also saying that this maybe isn't the way we want to exist.

We can choose to live joyfully. Now joy, for me, is different than happiness. Happy is transitory, fleeting, insubstantial. I think it's difficult (if not impossible) to be happy in moments of pain.

Joy, however, is something we can have with us always. Joy doesn't depend on external circumstances. We can be smack dab in the middle of seeming tragedies (like the loss of an agent, a "failed" audition, the giving of a primo role to an acting rival...or something much more significant) and still have a sense of joy.

Joy is a sense of perspective. Joy isn't limited by the normal human constraints we normally operate under. Joy is being connected to others, as we feel ourselves grow and expand outward into a universe filled with infinite possibilities.

Now, before I get too mystical on you (I know... too late, right?), let's take it down to a personal level. When we are faced with difficult moments, do we contract inward or connect outward? That's pretty much what joy is. It's going out instead of in. In is selfish and victim-y. Out is loving, soft and gentle.

It's not always comfortable. Sometimes it seems like it may even be the death of us. I can tell you, though, that it always feels better in the long run.

Kind of like joy, actually...always taking the long view of things. :)

What's My Motivation?

2010-08-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

Lazy.

We've all heard that word. Some of us have even had it pointed at us from time to time.

Here's the weird thing, though. I've been teaching acting for over ten years and I have yet to meet a lazy student.

Don't get me wrong. I've had students that didn't do their homework. Ones that wouldn't work in class. Ones that were downright disruptive with their lack of participation.

Not a single one was lazy.

There's something you should know about me (if you don't already): I love acting. I don't just love acting, I love teaching acting. So when I see a student behaving this way, my natural curiosity is piqued.

Another thing to know about me: my curiosity is quite strong.

So, rather than rant and rave at these supposed miscreants, I did something crazy. I talked with them.

And without exception, every single one of them confessed to me that their dearest desire was to become a successful actor. They were also aware that their current behavior was not helping them towards that goal.

So what gives?

This is normally where the word "lazy" gets thrown around. Well, obviously these students are just lazy. They aren't willing to put in the work necessary to become successful.

But, thing is, that's just not true. Because when I would start working with these students one on one, they would put in some serious hours trying to improve.

After many conversations with these special students (and I'm not using the word "special" in that sarcastic hey-there's-something-wrong-with-that-person kind of way), I realized that what was keeping them from engaging was fear.

They were afraid to fail. See, if they're not really trying, it somehow doesn't feel so much like true failure. Of course, there's an uncomfortable truth in there. If you don't really try, it's kind of hard to find success, especially in an industry like entertainment.

Now that's what was happening on the surface, but then I noticed that maybe it wasn't the whole story. Because as these actors began to engage and really work hard, I saw something else happening. They were finding other ways to self-sabotage. They were now trying, but were obviously still afraid of something. They were succeeding in the craft, but finding personal (and more subtle) ways to make sure that professional success eluded them.

I think the truth is that we're all afraid of success. With success comes acclaim and public visibility. We're now on a much bigger stage. A stage which, on some level, we're pretty sure will be the venue for our ultimate humiliation and defeat when we're exposed as the hacks and frauds we truly are.

This, of course, isn't true, but the negative voices in our heads are pretty sure that it is. And they work below the surface to make sure that their version of reality is what happens.

So what can we do about it? Well, the only thing that I've found that works is to acknowledge those fears when they crop up. And how do we know when we're scared (because sometimes it isn't obvious)? It's usually when our focus narrows and turns inward.

The choices that we make when we're scared are usually pretty destructive. When we're connected and looking out, those choices tend to lead us on to some pretty spectacular things.

Seems like pretty good motivation to me.

Move, Baby, Move!

2010-08-08T18:38:00.000-07:00

Here we come to one of those topics that most of us would like to avoid. Getting in touch with our bodies.

Groan.

I remember in both my undergraduate and graduate acting programs, I HATED my movement classes. Seriously. Hated.

Which right there should tell you something. Hatred is a very strong emotion. It says something about the person who's feeling it. Principally, that they care. A lot.

And I absolutely did. I cared. I cared enough to moan and complain and grumble and whine any time an instructor asked me to get my body involved in my acting. "Just let me ACT!!" was my constant (and I'm sure grating) response whenever the topic would arise.

Because (and I'm sure you've all figured this out already, because you're...you know...not thick) I wasn't particularly comfortable in my own skin. I was always one of those actors that was great with technique. I could think my way around and through (and under and over) any part on the planet.

What I couldn't do was just inhabit it.

Because, you see, inhabiting a role means embracing it fully. Embracing something fully means mind, soul and...you guessed it...BODY!

Crapola.

Then came grad school and my sadistic German yogi. Part of our program was an incredibly intensive style of yoga. If you know anything about yoga, you know about Ashtanga (or flow or power) yoga. Gerhard somehow managed to make really hard yoga even harder.

I showed up for my first class thinking that I was in for some gentle stretching. A little downward dog, some cat and cow, maybe the plow pose if we got a little nuts. Instead, I found myself an hour later with a pool of sweat in front of me, feeling like I was going to die. And Gerhard, bless his little heart, said, "Dat vas de eesiest day of yoga ve vill haf."

He was right. It got nothing but harder. But I loved it. My body strengthened and got more flexible. I started wanting to eat better. I slept more soundly. I found myself pushing myself further than I ever thought I could.

And something else happened. My acting deepened. I could get in touch with my emotions more readily. My presence and charisma skyrocketed. And I discovered that I could manipulate my body's energies in ways that seemed almost...magic.

Before this experience, I called any training that wasn't strictly cerebral "Kumbaya" theatre. I thought it was overly touchy-feely and distracted actors from the "real thing".

No more.

So, if you're like I was, you can fight this. That's a choice. I can tell you from experience it's not a great one.

Or you could try embracing your body. Training it. Strengthening it. Exploring what all it can do.

Don't limit yourself! Martial arts, Alexander technique, Laban's efforts, yoga, horseback riding, fencing, stage combat, stunt work, and on and on and on. The possibilities are pretty much limitless.

Get inside your body and stay there for a while. It's uncomfortable at first, but I'm telling you, it's absolutely the best place to live. :)

Personal Standards

2010-08-01T19:05:00.000-07:00

This is a topic that isn't addressed all that often within acting circles. It makes a lot of us uncomfortable. We find ourselves feeling either judged, with a finger pointed at us, or on the jury, pointing our fingers at someone else. We compare ourselves to others, checking to see what our favorite actors do when they find themselves in a similar circumstance. Or, if that doesn't fit with the we're looking for, we go down the list until we find someone (anyone) that agrees with us.

What I'm talking about is deciding what we will and won't do as actors.

One thing I won't be doing in this blog is talking that much about my own standards. Not because I don't want to talk about them. I'd love to. But because, for the purposes of this post, they're irrelevant.

We're talking about personal standards. Not professional standards (that's a different discussion for another time). Not industry standards. Not Standard American.

We're talking about individual guidelines we determine for ourselves that shape the kind of people we want to be.

Most creative people, actors especially, tend to rebel any time someone talks about limits or boundaries. And they're right, in a sense. We don't want to limit the infinite possibilities and potential we all possess, but what exactly does that really mean? Iambic pentameter could be seen as a limit or a boundary to a writer, but I wouldn't say it limited Shakespeare.

Talking about establishing and maintaining personal standards flies right in the face of what many say about the craft. The argument is that we're just acting; therefore, anything we do as we portray a part is fair game. No exceptions.

And that may work for some people. There's nothing inherently wrong in that reasoning. It just doesn't work for me. And I figure, if it doesn't work for me, it may not work for some of you out there. The fact that the subject comes up all the time makes me think that must be true.

One boundary that seems to come up all the time is the subject of nudity and/or sex scenes. But there are others. Many, many others. Whether or not to smoke for a part. Whether or not to eat meat. Whether or not to act in a film or play whose message goes against our personal beliefs. Whether or not to swear. Whether or not to wear the color purple, which CLEARLY doesn't work with our skin.

Okay, that last one may be just a touch silly. But then again, maybe not. What seems ridiculous or ludicrous to someone else may be something that you hold near and dear. Even sacred.

My point here is, each of us get to make our own choices about what kind of people...and actors...we want to be. Period. No one else can tell us what to do or believe. What I decide to do or not to do may not make any sense to you. That's okay. It doesn't have to.

Will we miss out on jobs if we decide not to do certain things? Sure. It's possible. Will we really be missing out, though?

The universe is bountiful and wants to give us all that we're willing to receive. One job here or there doesn't really compare with that, does it? :)

Local Hire

2010-07-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

You hear it every day. A fresh young actor decides that this small town just can't hold him or her anymore. They need to bust out of this place and make a name for themselves in the big city. New York. Los Angeles. Chicago. Miami.

And for every one of those young hopefuls that gets on a bus with a one-way ticket, there is another bus going back to the small town with their downtrodden doppelganger...a little older, a more world-weary and possibly a little bit wiser.

Where did they go wrong? Well, it might have been that first trip.

Now, if you've already bought your ticket and packed your bags, don't despair. I've got plenty of advice for you. That's a lot of what this blog addresses. How to build an acting career in LA or NY. Don't worry. I'll get back to it.

But for the rest of you, stop and assess before you jump on the nearest west (or east) -bound train. Or for you international types, before you step aboard that 747 or hijack a transatlantic steamer or something. I understand the allure of LA or NY. I get it. But it may not be the best route for you, at least to begin with.

There is a lot of work out there for actors. Local commercials, location film work, student or low-budget films, VoiceOver work, presenters for conventions, etc., etc. And most of that work can be found...guess what?...right where you are. No long trip, no moving trucks, no awkward camp-outs in a friend of a friend's living room.

The great thing about a local market is that there's less competition. Less work? Sure, sometimes, but the percentages may be working more to your advantage in a smaller market like Dallas versus a huge market like Los Angeles. And you get to build up your resume for the time that it feels right to take the plunge.

I'm not discouraging anyone from taking a risk. Let's face it, choosing acting as a career is already a fairly large gamble. But then again, so is life, right? What I'm suggesting is that we don't do things blindly, without considering all of our options.

Take time and assess. You'll ultimately choose what's right for you, if you're staying grounded and connected. And if you're not (or already haven't)? That's okay, too. Life is one lesson after another, and all of them are ultimately good.

Funny Accents

2010-07-18T19:17:00.000-07:00

There is a very precise part of me that just cringed when I wrote that title. "Ahem. They are not 'funny accents', they are 'regional speech patterns'."

I laugh at that part of myself (I'm not sure, but he may be wearing a smoking jacket, holding a pipe...even though he doesn't smoke...and watching Masterpiece Theatre) because he takes himself WAY too seriously. He's right in the sense that speaking in accents, if we're going to do it well, takes a lot of practice and attention to detail. The reason he's so prickly is because so often that's not what actors do when they attempt them.

I love dialect work. I find it challenging, rewarding, and...oddly enough...thrilling. I say "oddly" because this kind of training can be really tedious. It involves a lot of precision work in an area that we normally don't pay any attention to, unless we're brushing our teeth. Our mouths.

Unless we have some sort of dental obsession, we don't normally spend that much time thinking about what goes on inside our mouths except for when things go wrong: a canker sore, a cavity, a bitten tongue...something like that. We definitely don't think about what's going on in there while we're talking. Of course not--there's too much else going on.

When we start dialect training, normally the first step is to learn the "standard" accent for the country we live in. Standard American for the US, Received Pronunciation for the UK, and so on. It establishes a "base" sound for us, so that our own regional sounds don't get in the way.

But there is an essential arrogance to that stance. There is no "standard" sound in any country. It doesn't exist. Everyone has a slightly different sound, with certain regions demonstrating certain patterns. Those patterns are something we can learn.

I still think it's a good idea to learn those "standard" dialects, but let's always remember that they are dialects, not the "proper" way to speak. There is nothing wrong with the way you speak right now. It is part of who you are, as distinctive as a fingerprint. One small caveat--you can't change your fingerprint. You can change the way you speak.

Learning those "standard" accents allows us greater flexibility. I grew up in Texas and had a strong dialect. That dialect, if I had allowed it to remain my speech pattern, would have limited me as an actor.

Think of Matthew McConaughey or Kevin Costner. Both good actors. Both limited by their accents. Would you buy either one if they were playing Hamlet or MacBeth? One sounds like a Southern good-ol'-boy and the other like a Midwestern farmer. I love both those sounds. Doesn't really work with Shakespeare, though.

Dialect training opens up our possibilities as actors. That's one of my litmus tests for any kind of training. Does it give us more choices as actors, or fewer? If any kind of training makes us rigid and seeks to cut off our options, it's probably not good training.

If you are wanting to work on your dialects, your diction, or your voice I enthusiastically encourage you to do it. Start now! The sooner, the better. Our speech patterns do nothing but solidify as we get older. If you are older and want to do this, don't despair. It's never too late.

One thing to look for in dialect training is someone that teaches using IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet). It's a very specific way of approaching dialect work, and after seeing different methods, in my opinion, it's the best.

This is training that I offer. As always, I'm more interested that you get the training than I am that you train with me. If you would like to study this with me, you're in luck. No matter where you are in the world, we can work together. I offer online classes and private sessions using webcams, so even if you live in Kathmandu, there's no excuse! If you would like to check it out, leave me a comment below or email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com.

The Plan

2010-07-11T18:02:00.000-07:00

So, you want to be an actor? Congratulations! You've stepped onto that proverbial "path less traveled."

Now what?

I'm not going to lie to you and promise gold at the end of this road. It can come, absolutely, as can fame. Whether or not that will happen for you is not my call to make.

There are things we can do to improve our chances. I've talked about some of them already in this blog. I'll talk about others in the future. That's not what I'm doing today.

Today, I'm talking about the path.

If you've made the choice to act as a career, you've done something brave. It's possible that some around you would use different words to describe it. Even if you're blessed enough to have positive, supportive people in your life, those negative words may bounce around the inside of your head from time to time. Ridiculous, irresponsible, head-in-the-clouds, unrealistic...you know the ones I mean, right?

This choice is one that will test and try you. It will ask you to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Then, once you've gotten comfortable there, it will ask you to go a step farther.

Here's the other thing about this path: it can take some unusual twists and turns.

There is very little that is linear about an artistic life. It veers off in fascinating and unexpected ways. We think things are headed in a certain direction, and then BAM, we find ourselves in a completely different place than we originally envisioned.

That is a beautiful thing.

I believe that there is a plan for our lives. We can fight against that plan, but my experience is that when we do, we break. Running away from the plan just leads us back to it. Pushing forward, trying to muscle through our own idea of what the plan should look like just makes us exhausted. Railing against the heavens might be fun at times, but doesn't really do all that much.

Embracing this path, with all of its magnificent variety of switchbacks and detours, is the only way that I've found to have what's really most important. Peace.

Fame and fortune are great, but they won't give us peace. Letting go and trusting the plan will.

If we can do that, success will be ours, whether or not fame and fortune are a part of it.

All Right, Now...PUSH!!!

2010-06-27T18:03:00.000-07:00

If you’ve been following my blog, you’ve heard me talk about conflict. You’ve seen me wax poetic about objectives. You’ve listened to my diatribes on internal obstacles.

What now?

Okay, the conflict is what engages the audience. It’s what makes them want to watch.

Cool.

The objective is what allows us to step into the character’s shoes even though we may seem to have nothing in common with them at first blush.

Awesome.

The internal obstacle helps us keep it real. Being able to doubt ourselves is one of the only defining traits that I can think of that make us truly human.

Perfect.

Is that enough? The audience is paying attention. We’re grounded in the scene. We’re believable. We’re good, right?

Er. Not quite.

It may be believable for me to pick my nose, but I’m pretty sure no one would pay $12 to go see it. It’s not enough to be real. We need to be interesting.

Which is where tactics or actions come in. A tactic or action is something that we do to the other character in order to get what we want (our objective). And a tactic can always be expressed in the form of a verb.

Now, this can’t be just any verb. It needs to be an active verb. An active verb that you can do to someone. Preferably one that gives us a strong mental image.

I can punch you with my words. I can tickle you with my lines. I can humiliate you with my dialogue.

I can’t think, sing or swim you. Make sense?

With each new thought (or “beat”), our character will switch tactics (or verbs) to try something new to get what they want.

We may start by pleading, then switch to seducing, then segue into piercing. Each verb will give a different quality to the line of dialogue we’re delivering. The tactics heighten the conflict, make our choices active and specific, and most importantly. . . make us interesting!!

So go ahead. Push. I dare you.

Endless Distractions

2010-06-20T18:14:00.000-07:00

We all face them. They come in many shapes and sizes. They seem so very, very compelling in the moment.

And they do absolutely nothing for us.

Let's stop for a moment. Do we know what our acting career goals are? If we don't, that's probably the first priority. If we don't have a direction that we're actively headed, getting diverted from that path really doesn't matter too much, does it? :)

Now, once we have defined what it is that we want, let's look at the things that seem to take time away from that goal.

Sleep. Okay, unless you're spending more than 9 hours in bed, I think you're fine on this one. A bigger problem here is usually the opposite. Pushing so hard, burning the candle at both ends (and possibly from the middle as well), that we end up collapsing. Just in case it's not clear, when we go face-down we're probably not going to be pursuing our goals all that well.

Work. Another one that's kinda important. We need to pay the bills. Not doing so is cause for some pretty interesting (read: painful) experiences--no heat, no electricity, no food, no place in which to lie our pretty little heads. Again, this is not too conducive to pursuing our career objectives. The one challenge here is not to sacrifice what we want long term for what we want right now. I know an awful lot of unhappy real estate agents who just want to act.

Food. Ah, food. My friend, my solace, my downfall. Are we eating to live, or living to eat? Do we eat unhealthily? Do we eat to make the emptiness go away? Or are we eating out so often that we have to work overtime in order to pay for our habit (see above). It's important that we stay healthy, and eating properly is a huge part of that.

Exercise. This is a no-brainer. Just do it. It will actually increase the amount of your productive time by giving you more available energy. Plus, you'll look better, feel better and have greater confidence.

Now, for all the rest, take an honest look and assess. Is this taking me closer to or further away from my goals? If it's the former, keep it up. The latter? Cut that sucker out, if at all possible. A partial list of possible distractions? I'm not even going to go there. We know.

But here's the biggest distraction that I see in a lot of actors (and one that will make you absolutely crazy): worrying about things that have we have no control over. Why didn't I get that last callback? They loved my callback; why didn't I get the part? Am I too old to have a successful career now? What if the casting director doesn't like me?

Stop it! It's not helping you.

Sometimes, in order to stop thinking about the things we have no control over, we'll go in the opposite direction. We obsess over completely trivial things simply because we do have control over them. Should I part my hair on the right or the left? Blue shirt or red one? Blond or brunette? Dress professionally or dress up like the character? Paper or plastic???

Can these things have an effect? Sure. But it's rare for us to know what that effect will be ahead of time. So stop stressing about it. Think about being prepared. Think about developing your craft. Think about connecting.

All the other stuff is just that...stuff.

Self-promotion: the Boogey Man under the Bed

2010-06-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

Even just thinking about marketing ourselves is enough to give most of us the screaming heebie-jeebies. If we’re unlucky enough to dream about it, we wake up in a cold sweat.

Why is that?

I think part of it is that we don’t fully believe that we’re worth promoting. Even when we have a strong belief in our own talent, on an essential level most of us fear that we’re unlovable.

And if that’s true, self-promotion does nothing more than expose us to pain and potential ridicule. No wonder we avoid it like the plague.

But let’s stop for a moment. We all have things inside of us that we’re pretty sure would disqualify us from being loved, if only they were known. All of us.

And when we hear someone else that’s brave enough to bare their soul and share their pain, what’s our response? I can’t speak for everyone, but my response is that I can’t help but love them for it.

And in those moments that I don’t? Well, that’s usually because what they’re admitting to is something I share in common with them but am unwilling to face in myself. In other words, it’s my problem, not theirs.

The only thing that’s holding us back is a groundless fear. The fear of being unlovable.

The boogey man.

Because each of us are not just lovable, we’re infinitely lovable. And what’s more? We’re filled with infinite potential.

What’s the practical side of all this? Well, once we really connect and realize that our fears are, frankly, ridiculous, we realize one other key fact.

We are all dorks.

In the best way possible, of course. What I mean is that we don’t have to take ourselves too seriously. We’re all here just trying to do our best. There is no epic battle.

Once we realize that, the rest is fairly simple.

We get the best promotional tools we can (headshots, well-edited resume, reel, biz cards). We become active in the acting community. We make friends. We work our butts off.

And we open up our mouths. (When’s the last time we unashamedly introduced ourselves as actors?) Because, at the end of the day, marketing is just about sharing.

And we learned how to do that in preschool.

It's Not You, It's Me

2010-06-07T07:45:00.000-07:00

Rejection.

Even the word looks nasty, doesn’t it?

Rejection is the great leveler. Every actor, even the super-famous ones, face rejection from time to time. The part goes to someone younger, someone better looking, someone holding more golden statuettes.

It does feel more devastating to actors who are struggling to pay rent. We NEED that gig! And then it goes to someone else. It could be just an anonymous, faceless “actor” that nabs that precious part, but sometimes it’s worse.

Sometimes it’s someone we know. Sometimes it’s someone whose acting we don’t particularly like.

And it’s not just getting cast. It’s getting representation. It’s bad reviews. It’s online smack talk from disgruntled ex-fans.

No matter where we are in our acting careers, rejection is simply a part of the landscape.

Faced with this ghastly specter, actors typically do one of two things. They numb the pain with drink, drugs, sex, gambling or any other addictive and corrosive vice they can think of. Or they break, imploding inward while spiraling downward--quite the Newtonian feat, by the way.

There is another way.

This one requires that we do some uncomfortable things, but take a second and look at the alternatives. Probably worth it, right?

The first thing is to go outside our comfort zone and find a tribe. Make friends, both in and out of the industry, who will support you through thick and thin. Lean on them in times of hurt and emotional crisis. Then be there for them when they have theirs.

Then, find ways to be of service. The most successful actors (and by successful, I mean the happiest) make time to render kindness to others in whatever way they can. When you serve those that may have it worse than you, not getting cast or getting a bad blurb just doesn’t seem as…well…earth-shattering.

Finally (and this is probably the most challenging), stay connected. When we connect with others and STAY connected, we can feel our self-worth. When we disconnect and isolate ourselves, we become the piece of trash at the center of the universe. Not a pretty image, right?

‘Cause at the end of the day, it’s all about doing what we love. Rejection doesn’t even factor into that, does it?

Secret Agent Man: the Search for the Perfect (or Any) Representation

2010-05-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

Any actor embarking on a professional career faces the loveliest of Catch 22's.

I can't get work without an agent.

I can't get an agent without showing them my work.

It's not the only Catch 22 that exists in the biz. There are others. Like the whole Screen Actors' Guild thing. You know...can't get a SAG card if you haven't worked on a SAG film, but you can't work on a SAG film without a SAG card.

At times we might begin to wonder if it isn't some big conspiracy where all the currently successful actors are trying to keep all the new ones out. Us.

Here's the thing, though. I've said it before. These are not walls that are erected to keep us out. They are only there to make us figure out how bad we really want it.

Is it tough? Sure. Want something easy? Try something else.

So, once you've decided to go ahead and work the unworkable system, there are all kinds of options to try. I'm going to give you a run-down of a bunch of different things to work on. This is not a comprehensive list, by any means, but it is a good place to start.

0. There's a reason this is zero and not one. This is a total must-do. TAKE CLASSES! Is this self-serving advice? Sure. I teach classes. They are awesome. You should take them.

With that said, I want you to take classes wherever you decide to take classes. Just take them. We want to constantly be stretching as actors.

Think you're "beyond" classes? I'll say this in the most loving and gentle way I know how.

Grow up. :)

No one is. We are ALL still learning. If not, we might as well just hang up our acting hat, 'cause it's all downhill from there. If we're not moving forward, we're sliding backward. There is no standing still when it comes to art.

1. Make your own work. I can't stress this enough. If you want to act bad enough, you will act. Period. It can be memorizing monologues and performing them to your cat, but keep acting. Preferably with someone else, but at the end of the day, just act. Eventually, you'll start realizing that you can do some pretty amazing things if you just decide to keep showing up and keep practicing your craft.

2. Make friends who are like-minded. Form a support group. Sit around in a circle and share your triumphs and failures together and hold one another while you weep. Commune with one another. Heck, refer back to number 1 and act together. This will help us overcome the discouragement that can beat us down when we're on our own.

3. Audition for anything and everything you can. Theatre, student films, no-budget web projects, staged readings, WHATEVER! This will help you to continually meet new people that are also trying to make something happen. Learn their names. Connect with the ones that you resonate with. Refer back to number 2. There are online sources for auditions as well as Back Stage for these kinds of auditions.

4. Send out your materials. Headshot & resume. Make sure they look as professional as possible. Don't know what's pro? Check out #HeadshotTuesday to start to get an idea of what looks good. The comments are pretty solid for the most part, & you can start to see what you need. Get a reel together (professionally edited) from the projects you've been working on (see number 3). Get them into as many hands as possible.

5. Do your research. Watch TV & films and wait through the credits. When you're watching something that you think you should've been in, see who did the casting. Send them your stuff. There are physical and online sources galore for finding casting director contact information. IMDBpro is a good start.

You may think, "Wait. This is good stuff, but he hasn't mentioned agents yet." I know. This is the preparation, guys. Getting to know good CD's is a really good step in the right direction.

6. Offer your services. When you contact these CD's, instead of just telling 'em you want them to cast you, offer to be their reader for free at a moment's notice. Most of them usually have people to do that, but sometimes things happen. If you have the opportunity to be a reader for a casting director, JUMP at the chance! Making good friends w/a CD is a wonderful thing.

All of the things I've mentioned will do the following: they will get you familiar with the market and some of the players in it. The longer you work at it, the more you know what you're doing. At some point, it will become clear to you what your talent level is, where you fit in, what you can do.

You'll notice that I still haven't talked about how to get in touch with agents. There's a reason for that. All the previous steps were to put you in a place where agents will contact YOU, or you will have another industry person help you set up an appointment.

Remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint. We're setting up a life-long career, not a meteoric rise to fame and fortune.

You can occasionally land appointments with agencies by doing mailings of HS's & resumes or cold-calling. That does work (and I'm not telling you not to do it). It is a completely different ballgame when you're invited to meet with them. It puts the relationship in the right perspective, which is that they work for us.

This list isn't perfect. It's not all-inclusive. It's probably not the last time I'll address the topic. But hopefully it's given you some food for thought and some very specific things that you can go out and do right now. Because really, there's no time like the present.

Acting Classes, The Final Frontier

2010-05-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

This will be the last blog post talking about the acting classes that I'm offering. The website should be finished soon, and I'll post that link for everyone to follow.

In the meantime, here are the descriptions, schedules and tuition costs for my classes! Please feel free to email me regarding interest in the classes or questions about how they will work.

Classes

All classes are taught with the Acting without the Drama philosophy, which is that we don’t have to allow the conflict and drama we seek in performance into our personal lives.

It is a practical approach that helps actors grow from where they are right now without “breaking them down”. Learning to let go of our defenses and self-destructive patterns helps us become stable, grounded performers that can connect with an audience in a powerful, magical way.

Online acting classes:

Don’t come in expecting the tired old model of teaching acting here! Acting without the Drama approaches the craft from a practical, holistic view of each student developing as a working actor.

This innovative course embraces elements of technique training, scene study, on-camera work and cold-reading practice to create a well-rounded actor that is capable of stepping into the industry with confidence and knowledge. The approach is a holistic one, seeking to develop all aspects of an actor’s knowledge and skill.

In addition to the acting work done, we will use breathing, relaxation and vocal exercises to increase each student’s vocal range and resonance.

We will use the on-camera aspect of the online classes to learn film set terminology, as well as learning to connect in less-than-ideal circumstances (exactly like being on a film set).

Finally, we will discuss some of the best ways to navigate the business of acting by learning how to “brand” ourselves, best utilize our native talents, and develop contacts in the industry.

Tuition: $199/month for once-a-week classes, $349/month for once-a-week classes plus an additional once-a-week ½ hr. private session. Classes run 2 hours each, and enrollment is limited to 10 students per class. A $100 deposit secures your place in the class.

L.A. Acting classes:

This is anything but your typical scene study class. Acting without the Drama approaches the craft from a practical, holistic view of each student developing as a working actor.

This course will focus on technique training, scene study, on-camera technique, cold reading practice, as well as movement exercises designed to get our performances into our bodies.

We will use breathing, relaxation and vocal exercises to increase each student’s vocal range and resonance.

We will use Alexander technique and improv exercises to ground our performances in truth and impulses.

We will study film terminology and practice real-world applications of how to connect in less-than-perfect (non-classroom) circumstances.

Finally, we will develop plans for each student to effectively “brand” and market themselves in the industry, helping everyone to navigate the business of acting. We will discuss each actor’s strengths and how to magnify those strengths in their marketing approach.

The goal of this class is to develop an actor who can go out into the industry and immediately make an impact. We train actors to think for themselves, create their own work and learn to collaborate effectively with other artists.

Tuition: $225/month for once-a-week classes. $399/month for twice-a-week classes. Classes run 2 hrs. and enrollment is limited to 10 students per class. A $100 deposit secures your place in the class.

Class Schedule

Online classes: Mon. 10 am-12 pm

Wed. 4 pm-6 pm

LA classes: Tues. & Thurs. 7 pm-9 pm (2 classes per week)

Wed. 12 pm-2 pm (one class per week)

Tuition: $225/month for once-a-week classes. $399/month for twice-a-week classes. Classes run 2 hrs. and enrollment is limited to 10 students per class. A $100 deposit secures your place in the class.

Classes start at the beginning of each month.

Private or semi-private classes by appointment. Private class tuition: $125/hr. Semi-private class tuition (up to 4 students): $60/hr. per student.

*Please note: if you don’t find a class here that fits your schedule, please contact us at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com. We are constantly forming new classes, and will notify you as one begins that meets your needs

Finally, please leave your comments for me! From out of those that comment on this post as well as the previous two, I will be selecting someone to receive a free 1/2 hour private online class.

Acting Classes, Part Deux--The Los Angeles Chapter

2010-05-09T22:19:00.000-07:00

Last week I announced that I would be starting online acting classes, which I am thrilled about offering. I'm going to be talking a little more in depth about those classes later on in this post.

But for the moment, I want to talk about the in-person classes I'm teaching in L.A.

These are not your run-of-the-mill scene study classes. Will there be scene study? Of course! Technique and craft are hugely important. They're also not the only part of creating a successful acting career.

My approach, the Acting without the Drama approach, takes a much more holistic view of acting. A working actor has many things to pay attention to beyond just rehearsing and performing one scene over and over again.

We will be studying the nuts and bolts of acting so that our performances are connected, active, specific and compelling.

We will be working on-camera, to understand the ins and outs of how to translate our performances to television and film.

We will be working with sides, mimicking the audition experience, in order to understand the pressure involved in making decisions "on the fly".

Additionally, we will be discussing the business. What are the strategies we can employ to "get ourselves out there" and create the career we seek? What is our "brand"? How do we promote ourselves without becoming used car salespeople or neglecting our art?

Finally, we will discuss who we are and what's important to us. I will never dictate to anyone what their standards should be. I will encourage everyone to discover what their own personal core values are and to STICK TO THEM!

Obviously, there are challenges to teaching classes online that won't be present for the in-person classes. I incorporate a lot of physicality into my teaching that's difficult online. Alexander technique exercises, experimenting with movement and just the energy of being present in the same room are all elements of my teaching that are harder online.

With that said, I want to talk a bit more about the online classes and workshops. The very challenges that make online acting classes less than ideal are the exact things that will provide us with amazing opportunities as actors!

First (and most obviously), anyone that's in an area where they are unable to find good acting classes (or any acting classes) will now be able to take them from their home. That's huge!

Interestingly enough, the things that appear to be the biggest problems of online acting classes are some of what makes it incredibly exciting!

Let's address those "less than perfect" parts of online acting classes.

1) We're acting through a camera, so it's not as personal.

Stop for a moment. That's pretty much film and television in a nutshell, isn't it? That is EXACTLY what we're facing if we want to act in front of the camera. And the fact that we HAVE to act through a camera is one of the greatest strengths of this class.

We're learning on-camera technique while we're studying the craft. There's no need to bring in a camera. It's already there!

2) The technical aspects of online classes can be distracting, so it's harder to connect.

Okay, yes. But think about being on a film set. Your environment is clearly less than perfect for connection to happen. You're surrounded by crew. Many times your fellow actor is not anywhere around when you're filming your close-ups. You're shooting your scenes out of sequence.

In other words, we need to learn how to "bring it" in circumstances that work against connection.

3) We don't have the same freedom of movement that we would in-person.

Clearly. Guess what? That pretty much mimics what occurs when we're filming medium or close-up shots on film. We need to learn to involve our entire bodies, even when we don't have the freedom to prance around!

4) Rehearsal with a scene partner will be harder.

Sure. Although I'm guessing that finding time for you and your scene partner to get on Skype together in the comfort of your home will be much easier than finding time and space to do so in L.A.

Additionally, rehearsal time for film and television is minimal at best. Learning how to bring our performances fully without lots of rehearsal time is part of the process. We will work with both--working on scenes with mandated rehearsal time and also doing cold-reading exercises.

Finally, I'm excited enough by the amazing potential of these online classes that I will be recommending even to my L.A. actors that they take online workshops at times.

Please leave me your thoughts, questions and opinions here for me. Out of those that comment on this week's and last week's blog, I will select one person for a free 1/2 hr. private online session, so get them up!! I will also be offering a free 1/2 hr. intro group class. If you are interested, please DM me your name and email address if you're on Twitter (@actingnodrama) or email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com.

Don't delay! There's acting to be done!!

Acting Classes, Acting without the Drama Style!

2010-05-06T20:17:00.001-07:00

I’ve been getting a LOT of requests lately from actors wanting me to start my acting classes back up again (thank you for that, by the way… *grin*). I was planning on starting back up in the fall, but hey, why delay? There’s acting to be done!

For those of you that don’t know me or my illustrious history, I’ve been teaching acting for a quite a while. I started teaching in 1998, at the University of San Diego. Since then, I have taught students from all over the globe, in various settings.

I was the Director of the Acting for Film Program at the New York Film Academy at Universal Studios, where I helped develop the first and only Master’s of Fine Arts degree in Acting for Film currently in existence. I have coached acting, dialects and accent reduction on film sets and for production companies. I have taught countless workshops and done private coaching for ages from 5 all the way up to 85.

When I decided to co-found a production company a couple of years ago, I took a break from teaching. I felt like the company needed my full attention as we started out. But things are now moving along nicely, largely due to the unceasing efforts of my brilliant business partner, but most of all, I JUST MISS TEACHING!!

I miss character building. I miss animal imagery. I miss monologues, for cryin’ out loud!

My approach to the craft is basically what you’ve already seen at the top of this blog: Acting without the Drama. We keep the drama onstage and in front of the camera, and out of our personal lives.

I don’t “break down” actors to later build them up.

I don’t subscribe to a dogmatic view of the craft of acting.

I take you from where you are and give you the tools that will not only help you move forward but teach you to move YOURSELF forward.

I give you a practical approach to acting that will allow you to create magic in your performances. Even when you’re not “feelin’ it”.

The internet has given us the gift that I can teach you, no matter where you are in the world. I’m going to be teaching online classes and workshops. We have the technology, people! There’s no reason that I can’t work with you, even if you live in Abu Dhabi.

Depending on what you guys need, I can form classes in accent reduction/Standard American speech, dialects, auditioning technique, on-camera acting and even… Shakespeare (Although, I’m realistic. How many people are really going to be clamoring for that one? #butaguycandream). Beyond these larger workshops, I’m also offering private or semi-private classes for any of those subjects, either in person (for anyone that lives locally in LA) or online.

So, if you’re on Twitter, DM me for the deets (@actingnodrama). You can also email me: actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com.

Finally, leave me your comments, letting me know what you guys need, what you thought of this blog, and how much you’re DYING for a Lady MacBeth workshop. #orawholeseriesofthem!

And just to make this interesting, I’ll be selecting one lucky commenter for a FREE ½ hour private coaching session.

So, what are you waiting for? There’s acting to be done!!

The Auditioning Blues

2010-05-02T19:57:00.000-07:00

We've all been there. And there are multiple refrains; one for each stage of our career.

The first one goes a little like this: auditioning for anything good is next to impossible without an agent, but I can't get an agent to look at me before I've gotten work. Welcome to the business' wonderful catch 22. Pretty much anyone that's ever attempted an acting career knows about this one.

There's some good news and there's some bad news. Actually, there's just information, whether it's good or bad is just in the way we choose to look at it. The "bad" news is that there is definitely some truth to the old catch 22. Another little corollary to that... are you prepared? Getting an agent doesn't necessarily mean that you'll get more auditions. Yikes. It totally depends on the agent in question and the market you're stepping into. You may find that having an agent only means that you'll have fancy letterhead to print your resumes on and 10% less of any money that comes in.

You may now be reeling from the "bad" news. Here's the "good" news.

It's possible.

Doesn't seem like that quite offsets the negatives, now does it?

But take a second and realize that the obstacles that are in our way are not there to keep us from the career of our dreams. They are to teach us how badly we actually want it. Do we want to act enough that we're willing to overcome what seems to be extremely unlikely, if not impossible, odds?

In other words, what's it worth to us?

In a later blog, I can go into some strategies for seeking representation in Los Angeles (they are location specific, but a lot of the same principles would apply to any market). That's not really the focus of this post. Just know that IT IS POSSIBLE. Knowing that it's possible puts us in a place where we can move forward with hope, and keeping hope alive is pretty much our primary concern as actors.

Now, once we have auditions coming out our ears (pardon me while I stifle a slightly hysterical urge to giggle), we enter into a completely different stanza of our bluesy journey. It's the "now I have to book" stanza. We have an agent, or a manager, or good relationships with a few casting directors, and we're getting out there. Now it feels like the pressure becomes enormous to get the gig. If we don't get callbacks or book the jobs, we fear that we'll lose our representation, or the CD's will give up on us, yada, yada, yada.

And sure, there's a kernel of truth there. But what's more true is that if we go into auditions with that kind of fear and pressure on us, the likelihood of us connecting and turning in a good audition plummets.

So, what do we do? If we go in reeking of desperation, anyone with any sensitivity (and trust me, CD's pretty much all have it) will be turned off. But how do we turn off the fear? How do we ratchet down the NEED?

Well, if we really care about acting as a career, it's not easy. But once again, it is possible.

There are some stratagies that can help. First, keep remembering that no one audition will make us or break us. Take "booking the job" off the table. That's not really what we're there for. We're there to connect with new CD's, directors and producers. We're there to, hopefully, make a positive impression on them. We're there with the hope that we'll be called in for the next audition, the next producer read, the next screen test. It's a marathon, not a sprint, remember? Keeping in mind that there will be other auditions after the present one will take some of the pressure off of each one individually.

Second, remember to breathe. I know it sounds silly, but when we get stressed out, our breathing becomes really stiff and shallow. It's really difficult to open up and connect when our breath isn't moving through our body. Taking voice classes, learning relaxation exercises or practicing yoga can all help with that.

Finally, find your tribe. Having a support group not only means that there are people to commiserate with after a bad read, it means we have people to call to help us settle before we go in. People that know us and love us and will support us no matter how the audition goes. Also, that love goes into the room with us. Knowing that there are people that respect our work and care about us helps us go into the room with added confidence.

Okay, this is quickly turning into the next not-so-great American novel, but we're entering the home stretch. The final stanza of the auditioning blues is when we get to the point that we're getting offered jobs, many times without auditioning at all.

Awesome, right?

Yeah, sure it is. Here's the thing. If you get to that point, I can almost promise you that you'll miss it. Because one of the main things we forget about, due to all of the stress and nerves, is that auditioning is FUN! We're getting to go in and perform new material, make choices on the fly and PLAY! What is cooler than that?

Other than booking the part, of course. :)

Taking Control

2010-04-25T22:53:00.000-07:00

We've all heard the stereotypes. Actors are crazy. Actors are professional liars. Actors are self-centered.

I can even understand some of them. We can sometimes skirt the edges of sanity in our quest for "acting truthfully under imaginary circumstances". Some occasionally go over that edge. The best actors don't, but enough have done it that I get the label.

Actors are professional liars. Okay. Again, I get it. We are constantly portraying characters that, at least outwardly, have very little to do with who we are. So, obviously, someone that isn't a part of that world would conclude that we are better at lying than most. What they don't know is that most of us are TERRIBLE liars.

On to the self-centered thing. Hmmmm. This one is more problematic. Because it rings true an awful lot. We do things that are... well... self focused, if not completely and tragically selfish. We do. You know it; I know it.

Why? Why do we do it? Why do we demand that green only M&M's be delivered by courier to our trailer out in the middle of the Mojave? Why do we play practical jokes or create drama or sleep around on set?

Here's my theory. We do it because we feel a lack of control. We are given our lines. We are told how to deliver them by a director. We are told how to dress by wardrobe, how to do our hair by the makeup department, where to stand by the DP.

So, what do we do? Do we just lie down and take it?

Ummm... yeah, we do.

Because if we're in the position where everyone is telling us what to do, it generally means that we're EMPLOYED! Employment is a pretty big deal in our profession, seeing as how 97% of us are not, the vast majority of the time.

That does not, however, mean that we need to be doormats. We are ultimately in control of our lives, as much as we like to think otherwise. We control which projects we do and which we don't. We control what our standards are: what we will do and what we won't. We are in charge of our own destinies.

If we don't like how things are going, we have the power to change them.

Now stop. If you're like most, you already had about 10 excuses flit through your head screaming at you why this statement doesn't apply to you. I know, because I'm writing this and I still did.

Aren't getting enough acting work? Make your own. Can't afford acting classes? Find other actors and create a scene study group. Pissed off because your acting career is taking off (let's talk about this later, btw) and you're getting "typecast" (important part of that word is "cast", just so you know)? Hook up with a writer and create a role that is outside of your type. For that matter, write it yourself.

In other words, take control. Or, you know, do it in passive aggressive ways later by demanding imported beer on tap in your dressing room so that people can prove to you how important you are. We don't have to buy into any of the stereotypes. None of 'em. We are who we chose to be. The kind of actor, the kind of artist, the kind of person.

As long as we're taking control.

Impulse Control

2010-04-18T22:15:00.000-07:00

The age old debate: which is more important, raw talent or technique?

Technique includes all of the learned skills of any art form. For acting, it's training in voice, dialects, movement. It's learning about objectives, internal obstacles, actions. It's experience with animal imagery, Alexander technique, Laban. It's the knowledge that comes with work and experience. Craft. Oh, and please don't think that this is a comprehensive list. :)

Raw talent, at least in the way that I look at it, is you. Your personality, your charisma, your... wait for it... impulses! It's all the things that make you unique and worth watching (and you are, by the way. Just in case you are wondering).

Anyone that's watched kids playing on the playground knows that impulses are fun, vibrant, exciting. They're also chaotic, inconsistent, sporadic. Technique, on the other hand, is all about structure. Consistency. Order.

Those two things don't seem compatible, right? And so, actors have had a tendency over time to go in one direction or another. The raw talent types have a tendency to be bright lights that burn out quickly, but make a pretty big impact. Marylin Monroe, James Dean, River Phoenix and Heath Ledger are some good examples. The technique actors tend to be longer-lived, but sometimes don't have the same emotional impact in the moment. Lawrence Olivier, Glenn Close, Kenneth Branagh and Richard Dreyfuss are ones that come to mind for me.

So that's it, right? We're screwed. We either go for the gut-level talent stuff and flame out, or we distance ourselves through craft and structure for a life-long career that leaves the audience ambivalent.

Not so much. There is a third space. It's the space of the fully trained and connected actor.

There are examples here, too. Sir Anthony Hopkins, Meryl Streep, Dame Judy Dench, Kevin Kline, Sir Ian McKellen and Alan Rickman are some of my favs.

How do we do it? Well... we use the craft to inform and shape our talent. Here's a practical example. We use the term "action" or "tactic" to describe an impulse. We chose active verbs like "to punch" to describe what that impulse feels like. Natural impulses are always more vibrant than a thought-out active verb. But impulses can be incredibly random. What to do?

Well, as long as our impulses are channeled through our objective, they will work. If we are using those impulses to get what we want, it will be focused appropriately. And there's another benefit. Because it's channeled through the structure of craft, it doesn't burn us out in the same way pure, un-managed talent does. We stay sane. In fact, take a look at all of the actors I mentioned in the third category. They are more than just "not crazy". They are incredibly grounded (as far as I can tell, at least).

And really, that's what I want. That's what I strive for. I want to grow and expand as a human being while I develop in my craft. I want to be there for my wife and my children. I want to teach others what I've learned from my teachers, so that they can experience the joy that I have.

We don't have to buy into the "tragic artist" stereotype. We don't have to live our lives by that false standard. We can have our cake and eat it, too.

Oh, one final plug. If you are going to go in one direction over another here, go with training. #justsaying

To Follow, or Not to Follow?

2010-04-15T20:03:00.000-07:00

Is it really even a question? (Insert bad Shakespearean follow-up joke of your choosing here)

I'm going to break from my routine to talk about something that may ruffle a few feathers in Twitter-land. This is Twitter-specific, but the principles that I talk about here apply pretty much everywhere. What I'm talking about is a trend that I've noticed most amongst my fellow actors, and it's one that I find a wee bit troublesome.

It's the "I have tons of followers and I don't follow anyone back" syndrome (Gotta find a shorter name for that).

I'm not talking about celebrities, here. That's a completely different topic, and one that I doubt I'll ever address in my blog. I'm talking about working actors or trying-to-work actors or just-starting-out actors. Us. The family of artists engaged in performance for theatre, film and television.

I get it. We don't want to follow 'bots. We don't want to muddy up our stream. We maybe don't even understand exactly how Twitter really works (and that's okay, by the way... we just want to figure it out at some point, right?).

But here's how it looks, guys. It looks like we just don't care about our followers.

Actors already have a bad rap as being at best self-focused, at worst painfully narcissistic. Do we really want to perpetuate that? Really?

I would guess that very few of us consciously set out to do this. But on some subconscious level, we see the famous actors who have hundreds of thousands (or even a million plus) followers and follow 12, and we want it. We're actors for a reason. We seek the limelight.

Doesn't mean we have to be jerks.

I'll let you in on something. I auto-follow. It's my not-so-dirty little secret. I also have an automated series of direct messages for those that start following me.

I know, there are some pretty strong feelings about that out in the Twitter-verse. Automation=robot. But, as you can pretty clearly see, I'm not (nor have I ever been, as far as I know) mechanical in anything other than my prose. ;)

Now, I'm not telling everyone that they should be doing this, too, but let me explain my reasons. I want anyone that follows me to immediately feel welcomed. I want them to feel included. And I want them to know that I'm here to interact with them. Am I perfect about it? No way! Do I try to be kind? Yes. And I hope that it shows.

I'm here to build a community of like-minded artists. I'm here to create ties and establish mutually beneficial friendships and acquaintances. And maybe to help, if I can. To encourage actors to stay the course. To not give up. To not fall prey to discouragement.

That can't really happen if people don't feel like this is a warm and safe place.

As for the 'bots, we can always unfollow them if they get annoying. It's not hard. When you do, they usually go away. If someone gets really aggressive, block 'em! Feel like your stream's getting too muddied? That's what the lists are for. Put your faves in a list so that you can check in on just them. It's not complicated. Even for the most technophobic amongst us.

You also may notice that if you don't follow me back when I follow you, I'll give you a chance for a while, but will ultimately let you go. We just aren't a fit. We want different things. It's not you, it's me. Okay, really it's you, but I'm not judging. ;)

One final point. Look at other people's profiles. What immediately comes to mind when you see that they have 512 followers and they're following 41? Be honest with yourself. What does it say?

I'm not asking you to buy into my philosophy completely. I do hope that this will make you think about what you're really doing here. Are you here for fun? Then do what you like (even there, my thought is, "The more the merrier," but hey...). Is it for ego? Again, do what you like (although if you follow back, you'll find that you grow much faster). Is it to vent? (Ahem. Misery loves company. Enough said.)

But if you're here to network, to find other actors, to find inspiration...

Then maybe, just maybe, you'll join me on the follow-back bandwagon!

Objectives and Internal Obstacles

2010-04-11T22:21:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I love about acting is that it helps us to learn about human nature. Some of the things we learn are a little uncomfortable, at times, but they're always worthwhile.

Here's one of the things that's absolutely true: every time we open our mouths, we have a reason for doing so. We have an objective. We want something from the other person. And knowing what that want is tells us more about ourselves than any other piece of information. Same for any character we ever play.

Oh, here's the other thing. When we speak, we're always trying to convince someone of something. Every single time. If we tell a joke, we're trying to convince everyone that we're funny or interesting. If we give an answer in class, we're trying to convince the teacher that we're engaged or that we know what we're talking about.

A typical objective statement is, "I want..." But when we add the words "to convince" it becomes so much more specific. "I want to gain her love" is a great objective statement for a character, but "I want to convince her to love me" seems so much more direct to me. It allows us to really get behind the statement and PUSH for that objective.

Now, here's the part that we usually have no idea what to do about. We know exactly what to do while we're talking, but what in the WORLD do we do when it's not our line??!!?? Yeah, I know, we're told to listen, but that doesn't seem very active, now, does it? We end up losing the thread of connection during those moments, our attention drifting off to such pressing questions as, "What am I doing with my hands right now?" You know, really important stuff like that.

Here's where we need some humanity. I truly believe that one of the things that makes us beautifully human is our ability to doubt ourselves. We're pretty sure that 1+1=2, right? But if Stephen Hawking were to prove to us otherwise with all sorts of fancy algorithms and pretty formulas, wouldn't we at least start to question it? And if we can question that, we can question just about anything.

For every objective, there has to be an internal obstacle. Something that makes us doubt ourselves, at least a little bit. Because if there weren't, I'm pretty sure we'd never shut up. Why do we listen to the other person in an argument? Because we're not completely sure we're right, and we want to hear their points (at least to be able to fight against them). When someone is so sure of themselves that they stop listening completely, doesn't it kind of feel like they've lost part of their humanity?

Right now, I want to convince you that I know what I'm talking about. But I also have an internal obstacle, which could be the fear that I won't be able to explain myself well enough, or that I'm afraid I'm a fraud. That fear allows me to do something active if we're playing out a scene. Because we're good actors and we know what we're doing, we've clarified the conflict, so our objectives are exact opposites of one another. So while you're trying to convince me that I don't know what I'm talking about, I'm playing my internal obstacle that I'm afraid I'm just a fraud. Now I'm active in every moment.

The objective grounds us in the reality of the scene. The internal obstacle humanizes us. That's not all, but I think it's probably enough for the moment. Next week's podcast will explore this in greater detail. Hope this helps! Now, go out and act! :)

Our Package

2010-04-04T21:50:00.000-07:00

Before you get your knickers in a twist, I'm talking about our marketing package (jeesh, get your mind out of the gutter already--mine's already there and it's getting way too crowded).

"What is our marketing package," you ask? Quite simply, it's the collection of tools that we, as actors, need to use to get ourselves and our brand out there. Didn't know you were a brand? Well, you are, and the sooner that you realize that and start consciously controlling it, the quicker you can start seeing more rapid results. By the way, I'm talking specifically to actors right now, but the branding and marketing is true for any artist these days. The tools are slightly different, but the principles are the same.

So, what do we need? Well, anyone that's serious about acting definitely needs a headshot. No brainer, right? Well, yes... mostly. Most actors know that they need a headshot. Some aren't fully aware of the fact that they need to be professional quality headshots. There is a distinct difference between headshot photography and portrait photography. Knowing what those differences are is what makes the difference between a good photographer and a good headshot photographer.

There are also some differences in what individual markets look for in headshots. In LA, your headshots are now expected to be in color. My guess is that most other places will follow suit within the next few years (it just makes sense, as skin tone and hair/eye color is kinda important info for casting purposes), but currently I know that black & white headshots are still the norm in the UK. I'll be honest. I'm jealous of the Brits. I love B&W photos, and wish they were still the standard here. But, sadly, they're not.

So, here's the deal. Hire a professional. Period. This is not the time to skimp. I know, I know. We're all poor, starving artists. I get it. Honestly, if you can't afford it, get a second (or third or fourth) job, eat ramen and frozen burritos for a while. Sell plasma. Whatever. Find a way to come up with the money for the shots.

Here's the other part of that: we need to do our homework. Want to know what professional headshots look like? Do a Google search for headshots. Look at different sites. I don't mean look at one or two. I mean look at dozens and dozens. Hundreds of headshots. See what it is that those shots have in common. See what it is that appeals to you. Then see which of those photographers work in or close to your area, compare their rates, find one in your budget range and set up an appointment.

Next on the agenda is resumes. They are part and parcel with the headshot. You can't really have one without the other. It's important that your resume is formatted properly for your market. Typically, in NYC, your theatre credits will be first, as NYC is a more theatre oriented town. In LA, your film and television credits are front and center.

What do you do when you don't have credits? Go and get them!! I know that it may not seem possible to just go out and do it, but there are all kinds of student, low-budget and no-budget projects (both film and theatre) that will allow you to build up your resume and gain invaluable experience at the same time. It's true that without an agent it can be tough (if not impossible) to get professional auditions for tv and film, but auditioning for these other projects is doable at pretty much any level.

And then on to the demo reel. Casting directors need to know whether or not you can act. Training is important (hugely important) if you're interested in having a lifelong career as an actor. Here's the brutal reality: not everyone in the industry cares. Coming out of certain acting programs can get you in the door, but at the end of the day, it's your product that will get you called back. And a reel can tell a pretty convincing story of what level of acting skill you have.

Here's where professional product is once again vital. You need a professionally edited reel. I know you think you can rock iMovie on your Mac, but unless you have extensive training in Avid or Final Cut, I would highly recommend that you hire a pro. In fact, if your footage comes from mostly student or low-budget projects, it's even more important that the person editing the footage together really, really knows what they're doing.

I've given you a LOT of information, hopefully information that will help you to assess where you are right now, and where you want to go next. One of the things that can be pretty frustrating about the biz is the lack of immediate feedback. We keep plugging away, things aren't going the way we want, but we have little to no idea whether or not we're doing things right or if the tools we're using are the correct ones.

That is one of the reasons I got so excited when I talked to Lindsay Chag, a casting director that I've worked with before on several occasions, and she expressed interest in working with me on the Headshot Tuesday idea. Lindsay has worked in the industry for a long time (20+ years) and her imdb list of credits is here: http://bit.ly/dt6YTT.

The packages are these:

The basic package ($25) includes:
A professional casting director will critique your headshot and give you a ten point analysis:

1. Is this a professional grade headshot? Does it scream PRO or #notsopro?
2. At first glance what category of actor do you appear to be (lead, ingenue, character, etc.)?
3. If she had been casting, which type of roles would this headshot have been good for (horror vs. comedy vs. serious drama)?
4. Are your hair, wardrobe and background reinforcing your brand or taking away from it?
5. If indicated, which other types of headshots would she recommend (Dramatic? Hair up or down? More character-oriented)?
6. Do your eyes have that 'it' factor she talked about in the workshop?
7. What specific recommendations would she make to get that 'it' factor in the eyes?
8. Had this headshot crossed her desk, would she have requested more info?
9. How could you capture her attention more thoroughly?
10. On a scale of 1-10 (in the category YOU chose as your primary) where does she rank you?

For the advanced package ($50)...
You get all of that for 3 total headshots.
Plus you get the former Director of Acting for Film for The New York Film Academy at Universal Studios (that's me!) to review your resume and give you a five point analysis that includes:
1. Does the resume look professional? Are there spelling errors? Formatting errors? Wacky fonts that draw attention away from you?
2. Do you have the right balance of credits? Theatrical vs Film
3. Does your resume reflect your stated goal? Character vs Lead
4. Do you have enough dialects? Special skills?
5. On a scale of 1-10 where does he rank you (with at least 5 pointers on how to improve that score!)

The complete package ($75) includes all of that plus...
Both Lindsay and Ben review your reel and give you a detailed analysis along with at least 10 practical pointers on how to tighten and punch up your reel

1. An honest critique of the skill level indicated by the acting on the reel.
2. An assessment of the next steps to take to continue to develop your talent.
3. A critique of the professionalism/production values of the reel, including the editing.
4. A plan to follow to flesh out your reel.
5. A comparison of the reel to the rest of the package (headshots, resume, biz card, etc.) to make sure your brand is strong.
6. Ways in which to utilize your reel to it's fullest potential.
7. Whether or not your reel in its present form will serve you in the industry.
8. After reviewing this reel, would you be more or less likely to be called in for an audition?
9. What can you do to improve upon that impression?
10. On a scale from 1-10, where would Lindsay and Ben rank your reel?

One of the reasons that I'm so excited to be working with Lindsay on this is that this is exactly what I wish I had access to when I first came out to Los Angeles. I spent so much time spinning my wheels, not knowing that my package wasn't exactly what it needed to be. And I had come out of one of the top five acting grad schools in the nation! I knew how to act. I did NOT know how to market.

For anyone that is interested in this amazing service, please send me a direct message at @actingnodrama or email me at actingwithoutthedrama (at) gmail (dot) com for the details. And whether or not you decide to take advantage of this offer, please take my advice when I tell you to get professional-level products for your marketing package! :)

Conflict 101

2010-03-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

After a couple of blogs about social media, I though maybe (just maybe) it was time for some... I dunno... acting content or something. I know, I know. I'm crazy like that.

Here are some of my thoughts on the craft. I'm going to run down a list of some of the basics for you, in a way that makes sense to me. Some of this may be super basic for you experienced actors out there, but it's always great to get another perspective on things.

First, good acting has all of what I call the three C's of acting: connection, communication and commitment. Today I'm going to talk about communication. Specifically about one aspect of communication: finding and clarifying conflict.

What is our job as an actor? Well, the way I see it, one of our jobs is to identify the central point of conflict in a scene, crystalize it and intensify it. I can't overemphasize this point: conflict is what makes an audience watch something. Why is football more interesting than golf? The conflict is clearer. Which would you rather watch, a sprint or a marathon? The sprint has more immediate conflict.

Why do men and women typically like different kinds of films? Because we see conflict in different ways. A guy says he just got into a fight and there's generally blood on the floor. Ask a woman about the fight she just had, and she'll describe a verbal barrage that left her opponent emotionally shattered. Different kinds of conflict, different films.

How do we know what the central conflict is? Well, that can be a tough one, and is open to a fair amount of interpretation. When in doubt, ask the director. But as we're practicing our craft, we need to learn how to read scripts to find the conflict.

Most trained actors know to use objectives. We figure out what our character wants and then we pursue it. Generally, it's phrased like this: "I want...." That's a great start. But what happens when one character wants five dollars and the other wants help with homework? There's no clear conflict, so essentially, they end up acting in scenes that are almost separate from one another.

A tool that I've found immensely helpful is to simply add two words to the phrase. "To convince." Every time we open our mouths we are trying to convince someone of something. Every single time. And in order to find the central conflict, we need to find the two opposing objectives. As an example: Romeo wants to convince Juliet that they need to act on their love right now. Juliet wants to convince Romeo that they don't need to act on their love immediately. Now we can play out the balcony scene with conviction and... CONFLICT!

Intensifying the conflict sparks our creativity. We come up with tactics (ways to accomplish our objective) naturally, organically. In other words, our bodies tell us without us having to think about it during performance.

There's so much more that I could say on this topic, but this is turning into a novel. So, for now, do pretty much the opposite of what we do in real life. Seek out the conflict and put it out there front and center! Your audience will thank you for it.

Getting More Involved

2010-03-21T21:52:00.000-07:00

A lot of you are joining me via Twitter or Facebook, some of you due to #MentionMonday on Twitter. So, here's the uncomfortable question that I need to ask you. What are you doing here?

Don't get me wrong. I'm not criticizing. I know there are many who say that if you're spending time on Twitter or Facebook or MySpace, etc., you're wasting time... taking time away from developing your career as an actor, writer, filmmaker, etc. They may be right.

They don't have to be.

Here's the truth: social media can change the way you network. There are a lot of people using social media. With Twitter particularly, you can drive traffic to your blog or website, that has content that YOU control (headshot, resume, reel, bio, etc.). You can develop a presence that goes beyond what you can achieve by doing drop offs all day in LA.

There are a lot of different ways for you to develop a following here, but the main idea is this: your tweets are a little bit like a television station. You want good content, not just commercials. If every other tweet is plug for your website, that's just rude. Give your thoughts, your ideas, you. Let everybody know what you're thinking. Some will respond.

Numbers mean something in the industry. Lots of followers=attention. You can also target who you go after and WHEN you go after them (after you have numbers, for example).

Also, just as a side note, follow back the people who follow you. It's just polite. If they end up spamming you, unfollow them or even block them if you want. But if they're liking what you're putting out there, be kind and let them know you're a part of the action. I know that it seems like having lots of followers without following makes you look important. Really what it tells anyone that knows Twitter is that you're kind of a jerk. #justsayin :)

So, be here, but if you're gonna be here, really BE HERE! And welcome! It's a fun ride. :)

Putting Our Stuff Out There

2010-03-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

Most actors laugh inwardly whenever someone says, "But you're an actor. You don't know what it means to be shy!" We may handle it in different ways than others, but there are a lot of shy performers out there. I'm one of them.

So when it comes to self-promotion, we clam up. We're fine when we have our lines given to us, but this is real life, gosh-darn-it. "No one can expect me to know what to say or do. I'm an actor, not a talker!"

This is a problem, seeing as how the business of acting really is a business. We need to be our own marketing team, at least until we can afford to hire one. And even then, they won't care about our careers nearly as much as we do.

What to do, what to do????

Well, I've come up with one idea to get us in the practice of putting our best foot (foots, feet... you get the idea) forward. It's a brilliant, brilliant idea if-I-do-say-so-myself. It is called (drum roll please) #HeadshotTuesday. It's a wonderful way for us to help one another and to walk the walk, instead of just talking the talk. You're probably on Twitter. If not, get on. No, seriously. Right now.

I know, I know, I said it too. 140 characters? That's just dumb.

Turns out, it's not. It's one of the best marketing tools since they started hawking wares on the boob tube. So get with it! If you're already on, great. All's you gotta do is upload your digital headshot to Twitpic. Then post a tweet with the link and #HeadshotTuesday or #HSTues. Every time you see #HeadshotTuesday, retweet it to your followers, then follow the link, look at the headshot(s), and leave your comments.

You can tell them what "type" it seems like they are (in your opinion). You can share with them what's working about their picture, or even what's not. However, please remember to be kind. We're seeking to help one another, not brutalize those that need that help the most. Also, please don't leave lewd or offensive comments. Yes, guys, I'm mostly talking to you! Let's be honest, the women just don't do that very often.

Oh, I guess that brings up another point. Please don't post inappropriate pictures, either. There's some latitude here. For some, having a sexy headshot is exactly what they want to use to promote themselves. Use your best judgment. Your best judgment. :)

Most of all, enjoy it! Have fun! We're putting our headshots out for the world to see, but in a relatively safe environment of mostly actors. I've got lots of ideas about how to expand this if it goes well, but it's all about helping out our community of fellow artists. We're a tribe. Time we started acting that way, right?

Laban's Eight Efforts

2010-03-07T20:50:00.000-08:00

All right, actors! Here's the deal. Our movement through space is a little bit like a fingerprint. You know how you can many times identify a loved one just by the way they move?

This is a great thing. It's also something that limits our ability to transform ourselves as we embody a character.

So, how do we change our "movement fingerprint" while still being present in our bodies and allowing ourselves to be a part of the performance?

Tricky, eh?

That's where Laban's efforts come into play. Laban breaks down the way we move using three different areas of analysis: space, weight and time. Space can be either direct or indirect. Weight can be strong or light. Time can be sudden or sustained. When you put these all together, you end up with eight efforts that classify styles of movement, as well as something of the personality of the person making that movement.

Direct, strong, sudden--------punch (thrust)
Indirect, strong, sudden------slash
Direct, strong, sustained-----push
Indirect, strong, sustained---wring
Direct, light, sudden----------dab
Indirect, light, sudden--------flick
Direct, light, sustained-------glide
Indirect, light, sustained-----float

Most of us generally inhabit one or two of these efforts (one when we're happy, another when we're angry :)) at the most. The others are usually not as comfortable for us. But as we start experimenting with these different efforts, we can learn to use all of them. Using the efforts makes it possible for us to create wildly different physical performances, while still remaining true to our own unique and special quality that only we can bring to the table.

There's a lot more to be said about this one, so I think I may do a podcast on it in the future. Keep an eye out for it, and please leave your comments, questions and requests here for me. I want to know what's of the most interest to you. I look forward to it! :)

Welcome!

2010-02-28T21:17:00.000-08:00

February 28, 2010
Thanks for checking out my blog! For anyone that followed me before I switched over to blogger, thanks for rejoining. For anyone brand new, I'd love for you to see the other stuff, but my old service doesn't like to do things like export to another site. For shame! For SHAME!!!

But this gives me a lovely chance to start again. I feel a little bit like I've stepped back in time. That's not a completely comfortable sensation. I've learned a lot over the course of the last couple of years. Enough to know that I am now, and will forevermore be, a dork.

So, who am I and what am I doing? My name's Ben Hopkin. I'm a husband, a dad, an actor, a teacher, a producer, a director and a writer. Oh, and I edit. And iron shirts. And occasionally wash windows. Okay, not so much with that last one. But I do wash dishes.

My acting journey began when I was about seven years old. My dad teaches classical voice and directs opera, and my first stage experience was in a production he directed. It was Gianni Schicchi and I still remember my lines. I fell in love then, and it hasn't changed since.

I did have a short stint where I decided I would do something "sane" and "logical" (read "safe"). My freshman year of college, I started off as an aerospace engineering major. I continued to act on the side, which quickly became not-so-much-on-the-side, and I was in danger of losing my scholarship. After one of the worst years of my life, I enrolled in another university as a theatre major.

I graduated from undergrad and auditioned for (and was accepted to) my first pick grad program: The Old Globe Theatre/USD MFA program. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I learned to really be present in my body during performances there at the Globe. I worked with amazing directors, actors, mentors. I trained like I've never trained before. I loved it! Oh, and I did it all while working three jobs to support my family. I went into grad school married with one child, and ended married (to the same person, no less) with two kids.

We moved to LA, where I began to work in the industry, teaching and coaching acting, voice and dialects. I eventually ended up running the Acting for Film program at the New York Film Academy at Universal Studios for about five years, before leaving to co-found a production company, Off Our Meds MultiMedia.

During my decade as a teacher, I developed an approach to acting that incorporates a well-defined technique, but adds to it an element that I feel is sorely lacking in most approaches to acting: magic! It's the magic of connection, which is one of what I call the three C's of acting. Connection, Communication and Commitment.

That is my journey so far in a tiny, tiny little nutshell. I hope you will join me on this journey and keep checking my blog. There will be podcasts posted here eventually, as well.

So welcome!