Posts

Diane Christiansen Kids & Teens

Fall in Love With the Process of Becoming Great

/in , /by

By Master Acting Teacher ~ Diane Christiansen

Why did you become an actor?  This is the all-important question.  It is a question worth revisiting from time to time in order to remind ourselves of our purpose as actors.  We do not do this for fame or fortune, for acknowledgment or accolades, or for other people.  We just want to be great actors.  Of course we all know great acting when we see it, but what does it mean to be a great actor?  And no, you’re not allowed to just shout out, “Meryl Streep,” without thinking about it!  A great teacher and casting director once told me that the best performances boil down to two simple questions: “Do I believe this person?” and “Do I care?”  Be sincere and be committed.  That’s it.  Simple enough to understand, but not so easy to deliver.  In order to deliver greatness, we must dedicate ourselves to the process of accomplishing sincerity and commitment in every performance, as well as in every day of our lives.  One without the other will invariably fall short of the mark.  Imagine believing an actor’s performance, but not being moved in any way.  Perhaps the level of commitment to a chosen action is not strong enough to stir your emotion.  Alternately, imagine it’s not for lack of a strong or committed choice that the performance falls flat, but rather lack of sincerity in that choice.  Perhaps the action is forced and contrived instead of occurring organically in the moment. 

Naturally, it’s easy to talk about the importance of sincerity and commitment in our work, but these tasks become especially difficult to accomplish given the fabricated worlds we live in on a set or on a stage.  Well my friends, here is the Holy Grail: We want to do great work and to be great actors, but focusing solely on being great is missing the mark.  The process is the prize. Greatness is merely the product of faithful dedication to process.  Falling in love with the process is like choosing to do long division over rote memorization or using a calculator.  It’s more challenging, but you can clearly tell whether a person really knows what they’re doing.  Like watching Meryl Streep.  So if you want to be great, then forget about greatness and dedicate yourself to the process of being sincere and committed in every role.  Do the work it takes to get you there.  Research.  Train.  Feel.  Observe.  Study.  Practice.  Recall.  Experience.  Develop a process that works for you so that you may fall in love with it, and in so doing, discover your own greatness.  

Casting Insider Tips, Part 2 - The Audition Room

Insider Casting Tips to do Your Best Auditions – Part 2

/in , , /by

The Audition Room

Inside the Audition Room is where all your training as an actor and your preparation come together so that you can do your best and hopefully book the job – OR NOT.

What the heck happens in there that often inhibits us from doing our best? The following audition pointers were formulated from personal audition experience, teaching thousands of students and observing actors who have auditioned at my casting sessions. I truly believe these tips will serve your auditions for commercials as well as TV and film:

  • * As you walk into the audition, don’t think about anything you worked on. Let it all go. Be present to whatever happens.
  • * Be respectful, positive and professional without losing your personality.
  • • Give full attention to the person who is directing you: Don’t be distracted by anyone or anything.
  • • When you are being given direction, don’t be figuring out how to do what they are saying. Just listen otherwise, you might miss information.
  • • If clarification is needed, ask questions. Questions are only irritating when they are unnecessary. Their answers will help you to do a better audition for them.
  • • If they talk to you or ask questions, don’t second-guess what they want to hear. Just talk to them as opposed to trying to impress.
  • • If the session director or CD is rude, short-tempered, rushed or seems ambivalent, do not take it personally. Remember, when “the powers that be” watch your video audition, they will only see you, not the irritating session director.
  • • Don’t allow yourself to be rushed. Before you start your audition, “get centered.”
  • * Breathe, take one or two seconds before beginning or find your own way to “get centered”.
  • • Do not speed through your audition. On the other hand, don’t speak really slowly or take long pauses between the lines.
  • • Stay focused and don’t allow unexpected incidents to upset you and or put you “in your head.” No matter what happens, go with it and adjust quickly.
  • • Motivate toward camera. In on-camera improvised and scripted scene auditions, when possible, find a way to “motivate out” your face, actions and/or dialogue at least fifty percent of the time to maximize your facial exposure.
  • • Look into camera when auditioning with a reader and told to do the dialogue looking into the camera, don’t look back and forth between the two.
  • • During the read, trust and commit to your instincts. Unless given a specific direction, don’t consciously perform anything you rehearsed or that you have learned. Don’t interrupt your instinctive interpretation trying to perform rehearsed choice. Allow for your read to flow – you will most likely organically do most of what you rehearsed.
  • • Have fun. Getting auditions is what you have trained and worked for – now enjoy the experience.
  • • When you feel your solo audition was lacking or if you have another interpretation that you would like to do, politely request, “If you have time, I would like to do it again” or “do another interpretation.” If they refuse, say “thank you (mean it) and leave. They may have loved what you did and don’t need or have time for a second version.
  • • Don’t ask “needy” questions, e.g., “When are the callbacks or bookings? Should I wear this outfit if I get a callback? Should I keep the script?” Needy inquiries make actors look insecure.
  • •Don’t be overly grateful or acknowledging. A simple “thank you” or “it was a pleasure reading for you” is sufficient. Much more might make you look desperate.
  • • Unless they insist you leave the audition material, take it. Build a library of sides, copy and scripts that you can use for practice.
  • • Let it go. When you finish the audition, those in charge will say “great” or “thank you,” which is your signal to leave. Just do your best, and when you leave, let it go.

Who is there in THAT audition room to help direct actors? Your guide, the person who can help you do your best audition is the Session Director. Watch my video featuring two top session directors and you will learn their insider “do’s” and “don’ts”.

Suzanne Lyons Careers

Career: Keep Your Eyes on the Prize!

/in /by

by: Suzanne Lyons

Is life going to get in the way of your career commitments from time to time? Sure. Are you going to be thrown the odd curve? Of course. Is it going to throw you off course and affect your focus? Absolutely. The question is, for how long. I have been a career coach for over 25 years and have seen people get stopped and stuck for days, weeks, months, even years. How can we turn that into minutes and seconds?! How can you do it? Keep your eyes on the prize! When an ‘incident’ or ‘event’ happens that throws us off track, we react to our interpretation of the ‘incident’ and not the ‘incident’ itself. It’s fact versus fiction. We stay stuck in what we think it means.

Okay, so that director was mean to you during your audition or that executive hasn’t returned your call. You can spend weeks making it mean something or you can separate fact from fiction and move on. It’s that simple! I find one way that helps me get back on track more quickly is my Vision Board. In his book “The Success Principles,” Jack Canfield says that “if you have trouble seeing your goals, use pictures, images, and symbols you collect to keep your conscious and subconscious mind focused on your goals.”

We all want to dream big and create a life of abundance and magic. And why not? As Marianne Williamson said “Your playing small does not serve the World.” So create a Vision Board displaying all the images that represent your purpose, vision and goals. It is so much fun to do. Nothing will get you back on track more quickly than this great exercise. It will help you “keep your eyes on the prize.” Don’t forget to look at it every day!

Gerry Katzman Comedy

GETTING THE JOB – a Magic Tool for Success

/in /by

By: Gerry Katzman

If someone gives you a job, and you want them to hire you again, there is a under-utilized tool that will increase the probability by 50%.

This same tool, can turn someone who hates you into a fan.  Let me share two examples:

Example #1: One of my students was recently booked for a week of work as a comedian at Harrah’s Casino. One week later, the head of entertainment called him to book him for three more weeks of work at a higher salary.

He used the tool.

Example #2: An actress in my class had a falling out with a well-known film director over a disagreement that happened on set. He said he never wanted to work with her again. Last week, we all celebrated his birthday together- and she’ll be acting in his next feature.

She used the tool.

So what is this Magic tool? It’s something so simple, yet so under-utilized that when you use it, it will make an unforgettable impact.

Here it is:

My student, who worked at Harrah’s comedy club – as soon as he got home from the gig – sent a sincere note of thanks and a thoughtful gift.

The actress who had a falling out with the director, sent a sincere note of apology and appreciation and a thoughtful gift.

Here’s the deal:

People feel so under-acknowledged in their work today, that when you take time out of your schedule to tell them that they made a difference in your life and your career, they will never forget it.  By showing them that they made a difference and expressing your gratitude, they become personally invested in your success.

From this day forward, resolve that anytime anyone does ANYTHING for you and your career – get on your computer, or get out your stationary, and send them a thank you note.

And if you don’t have stationery and you’re bad at mail, Sites like www.sendoutcards.com  and apps like www.thankyoupro.com  will make it so you’ll never have to buy an envelope or affix a stamp again. 

Give people tangible reminder of your appreciation and watch the cycle of gratitude and success come back to you.

For more information sign up for my newsletter at www.StandupComedyClass.com

Carolyne Barry Commercials

Book TV Commercials

/in /by

You Are the Character

By: Carolyne Barry

Actors are trained to play characters. From when you first began to train, the focus was on developing and being true to the character. With theater, film and television work, the actor’s responsibility is to bring them to life. I believe it is different for commercials. Commercials are very short and the roles portrayed are targeted at a specific segment of the population. There is no time to establish a character in the majority of commercials. In a few seconds, it has to be clear whom the actors represent and their roles. Those watching must see a semblance of themselves in order to identify and be motivated to buy the product. This is why physical types and essences are almost as important as talent in commercial casting.

If you don’t play characters, how do you prepare? I strongly suggest approaching the parts as ROLES YOU play. You play numerous roles in your life? i.e: Employee, boss, friend, spouse or significant other, child, parent, neighbor, student or teacher, working person or professional, etc.

Many of these parts featured in commercials, are roles you are or have played in your life. (Those for which you are physically right but haven’t experienced should also be doable with a little work.) Approach your auditions using your feelings and reactions. Focus on how YOU would behave or react in the given situation not a character you create. It is easier, faster and you’ll have better results when starting with the premise that “You are the Character playing a role”.

Blue8 Intro to Basic Stunt Work

Intro to Basic Stunt Work

/in , , /by

Stunt performance is the ultimate form of physical acting. It is the moment when you commit, mind, body, soul into a physical state and share the same fears, exhilarations, triumphs and defeats as your character. In this place the lines of reality blur and for a blink you exist in complete portrayal of the role you have submersed into. Safety is step 1 toward this experience and involves years of extensive training to attain a foundation by which you can build on and progress toward higher level action scenes.

In this video our head stunt coordinator Kyle Weishaar breaks down the basics of action for film and introduces some traditional concepts that will help you gain a firm understanding of the fundamentals.

Today’s video will cover:

  1. The Golden Thread
  2. Action and Reactions
  3. Safety Tips

This course of instruction introduces you to beginner level techniques and general knowledge that we would like you to internalize and apply to the vast library of discipline specific tutorials offered by the Blue crew’s Action MTT’s covering parkour, kung fu, tactical work and much more!

To us action and stunts equals cinematic poetry. It is artistry and science combined that demands attention from both sides of your brain to pull it off. We know that these valuable teachings will augment your career as well as your life and are proud to share this knowledge with you. Check out our blog for more Blue8’s tips tricks and suggestions on how to approach stunt work and action acting.

Diane Christiansen Kids & Teens

Actors Must Always Be True to Your Impulses

/in /by

By Diane Christiansen

When we were kids, we acted on our impulses all the time. We wanted what we wanted and we wanted it NOW! Anyone or anything that got in the way had better be ready for a temper tantrum. But the grown-ups didn’t like that at all. They told us we had to behave ourselves, to sit down, don’t touch, be quiet, just wait, and a litany of other clipped commands. And so we were socialized (or brainwashed) to control our impulses. We were made to think that maturity under the guise of ‘being a big girl or boy’ was the prize. But what the adults didn’t tell us was that impulse control also came at a cost. Controlling our impulses meant becoming further removed from our emotions, our intuition, our gut, and the core part of our humanity that connects us to every other human in the world. So far removed, that as adults we must re-learn to listen to our intuition, to go with our gut, and to follow our instincts. This re-education is necessary because our basic inclination to act on impulse has been suppressed by early childhood socialization. Suppressed, but not extinguished. That’s the good news. Fortunately, the diligent actor can re-connect with her or his impulses, thereby tapping into the human condition. The actor’s courage to act on impulse is our gain because through that action we are reminded of what it means to feel, rather than stifle heart-wrenching sadness, crippling fear, boundless joy, and the full gamut of human emotion. It’s ironic that being authentic to our own wants, urges, desires–our impulses is considered a courageous undertaking, at least for us adults. We grown-ups are supposed to be objective, rational, and responsible. We have to manage impressions and gauge the needs of others after all. Showing emotion? Acting on impulse? Why, that’s taboo! Unless of course, you’re an actor.

As actors, we have license to throw caution to the wind, to wear our hearts on our sleeves, to act on impulse, and basically, to go there. There is where the other adults cannot or will not go, at least not on purpose. And who can blame them? It’s scary to be true to our impulses because doing so requires us to be vulnerable to others’ judgment. But we actors know the secret. We know that when we are truly vulnerable to our impulses is when we connect most strongly to those that might otherwise seek to judge us. Instead, we disarm them with our vulnerability and with our courage to expose ourselves to their judgment, because we know that in seeing our true wants, urges, desires–our impulses on display, they will relate to a similar truth in themselves. Though we are 7 billion unique personalities in a vast multicultural world, our impulses connect us all so that we are never isolated from one another. The actor is the lens through which our infinite connections may be brought clearly into focus. So actors, be impulsive!