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The Objective-An Actors NEED

The Objective: ACTING your character’s NEED, Part 2

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The Objective is one of the most important power tools for an actor because it provides a starting point in the analyzing stage of any scene.

So what is the actual definition of “the objective”?

Every character is attempting to “get” something in every script and play. It may be love, a job, recognition, money, respect, sex, attention; this list can go on and on. However, it is important for the actor to figure out and articulate what the character you will be portraying wants and/or needs, and what is worth fighting for.

The objective supports the dynamics in any and all scenes, be it drama or comedy. If no one wants anything or needs anything in a scene, if nothing is at stake, the acting becomes uninteresting to watch. All drama and comedy is based on conflict.

“We are captivated by a struggle. We are captivated when watching a game that has two strong opponents.” – Acting with Impact

Think of a boxing match. If neither fighter wants to win the match it would be a silly and uneventful spar. But if both of their objectives were to let the other guy win, that would be an objective. And if they really played with that intention, because it is unexpected in a normal boxing match, the audience might even find it funny because they are taking great risks to lose instead of win. However, if they enter the rink with no need to win or lose, nothing at stake in fighting, no sense of competition, eventually the onlookers will lose interest in the fight.

Life is about going after a goal—a want, a need, something worth fighting for… some people want a family, others a career, and some both. Some are fighting for better health, some for a better day job. We all want, and because of our want, we feel emotion. When we feel we are winning in life, we feel happier than when we feel we are losing in life our objective. Interestingly, the Objective gives us many life lessons on how we experience our journey.

If we don’t have an objective in life, we may feel lost and without direction. This is also true in acting. If you discover that you feel a bit lost or without direction in a scene or cold reading, discover the character’s objective you are playing and play their objective with all of your heart. This will give your acting a point of reference of the character you are playing and support your commitment to live into their world.

Here are some fun exercises that will serve your ability to utilize the objective:

Watch a film, play or TV show with attention on what the main characters want. Ask yourself “what do they want?” Try to articulate their objectives in terms that allow you to visualize what it might look like if they did receive and win their objectives. And take note of their emotional life and notice how they feel by whether or not they are getting closer to what they want.

Also, take a moment to look into your own life to decide what you want and what you are willing to fight for, what’s at stake for you in your life. Perhaps you are looking for a breakthrough in your acting skill, or a chance to audition for a certain casting director, or you may want to book a job with a specific director, or you may have a love interest. Take note of your desire, your actions, and the risks you take to get it. Now, knowing that every character cares as much about their objective as you do about your own, play the character’s scene objective with that much commitment. Be compassionate to the hunger that lives in any character to get what they desire.

Your acting will always be enriched when you effectively take the risks that surrender your own desire to be great, and instead play the character’s desire to win their goal. One can never watch themselves in the work when playing the character’s objective with true intention.

Be strong, believe and live authentically,

Kimberly Jentzen

For a more complete lesson on the objective, please check out my book, Acting with Impact: Power Tools to Ignite the Actor’s Performance.

Tapping Into Your Creative Power

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by: Kimberly Jentzen

A large budget can enhance the quality of the filmmaker’s story, but the budget has nothing to do with the actor’s talent to deliver the performance. In acting, it’s not about the venue, it’s about the freedom within to access character and emotion.

You can put an actor on an empty stage with a single light and the actor’s gift will emerge — because an actor needs only access to their imagination.

In fact, the more limits or boundaries you put on an actor, the more creative the actor will become. This is how great direction works. The director will give you a new way to act the scene and it is your freedom that will allow you to deliver it in such a way that the direction becomes genius. A great actor understands this flexibility. Your freedom allows you to inspire greatness in others and which brings the project up as a whole. This is true for writers, artists, poets, musicians and any artistic expression born from the gift to create.

All that an actor has is the sense of their own internal freedom to express; this freedom delivers confidence, depth, and the euphoria of a process that happens because it comes from you, and is held by you from within.

So how do you tap into your own freedom to create?

When you release judgment of yourself and your process, you are free to tap into the creative process. The less judgment you put on yourself in the process, the more freedom you will gain. The less you judge the script, other actors, or the direction, the more inspired you will be to deliver a performance that makes an impact.

Over the next two weeks, observe your judgments and begin allowing yourself to be more neutral to your process. Forgive your judgments and put them aside. Focus on the enjoyment of the process itself, and take the risks necessary to experience that source that lives inside – let the internal light within you, your instincts, be your guide.

Preparing for an Audition – What to Bring

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By: Kimberly Jentzen

Recently, an actor shared that she is always lending out her highlighter when she is at auditions. I’m thinking that it’s time for a blog to prepare all actors for the actual physical necessities for your auditions. What else do actors forget to bring?

What to bring to your audition:

  1. A highlighter: in case you have more or new dialogue. This makes cold reading material so much easier.
  2. Your photo and resume: already stapled or adhered together back-to-back. An unstapled photo and resume is a pet peeve to most casting directors. It’s unprofessional and often happens, so it’s become an annoyance. It’s important to respect your meetings with them by having your photos and resumes already attached.
  3. Your sides: if you were able to get them on-line, which is usually the case.
  4. Pen or pencil: just in case to take notes.
  5. Mints: for obvious reasons. You don’t ever want to feel self-conscious about anything, especially your breath.
  6. Bottled Water: it’s best to be self-sufficient and not need anyone to bring you anything.
  7. Your cell phone turned off! There is nothing worse than “Apple Bottom Jeans, Boots with the Fur” blasting out during your reading.
  8. Your coaches cell phone number: just in case you would like a last minute suggestion for the reading or to get feedback on your choices.
  9. You clothing should lean towards the role you are auditioning for. So, if you are auditioning for a lawyer, wear a dress shirt instead of the T-shirt with the holes.
  10. Most importantly, bring a positive attitude!

What to bring in your car:

  1. A great navigation system/or map.
  2. Plan extra time for parking and bring parking money.
  3. Dictionary: one that not only has definitions but notates the punctuation of words. Or you might be able to look up words and pronunciations on your smart phone. It’s great to have one. You can always mosey on out to your car to check out words in the dictionary you don’t know so you can commit to that dialogue!
  4. Different shoes: boots, heels, sandals, flats, thongs and tennis shoes all deliver different walks, stances and strides. Dependent on the script, you will want to choose your footwear accordingly. It’s so important for women to always have a pair of heels in their car (just in case) and for those tall women, flats.
  5. For women: hair accessories. A brush or comb and makeup is helpful to have in your car just in case the role calls for a different look and/or to freshen up.
  6. For men: a comb or brush. You may need hair-gel and base cover makeup to hide any imperfections or breakouts to feel less self-conscious about them.
  7. Your acting tools: that means if there’s a good reference book that you like to have to inspire you or help in your preparation, have it in the car. My actors like to bring a deck of Life Emotion Cards.

What not to bring to the Audition room:

  1. Don’t bring a tote bag: or huge bag of stuff and lug it around…unless it’s part of the character.
  2. Don’t bring animals: or other living things, unless they are required for the audition.
  3. Don’t bring gifts: Leave those to a more appropriate time, other than an audition.
  4. Don’t bring a bad attitude: always be ready to take direction and enjoy the process of auditioning.

Finally, always plan to be a half hour early. That way, with traffic and parking, you’re pretty safe to say that you will be there early enough to catch your breath and center yourself, so you don’t feel rushed. If you are always early, you will always be on time, which is essential for production. Being on time is one of the few things you can control as you apply your commitment to getting that gig.

Happy auditioning!!!!

Producer Suzanne Lyons – An Inspiring Force!

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If you ever have the opportunity to sit down with Suzanne Lyons, you will quickly realize that you are in the company of a powerhouse. She is as passionate about producing feature films as she is life, and she has the essential ability to bring the most joy to both. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to interview her for my acting class recently and was honored that she opened up and shared about her illness as a child. Despite countless surgeries and losing the sight in one eye, she has gone on to produce nine movies with more on the way. Suzanne Lyons accomplishes because of her positive attitude, fearlessness, and business savvy.

Why I chose to highlight Suzanne Lyons in the Actors section of Master Talent Teachers is because much of life is about overcoming. Her story of triumph against all odds is what life is made of when you go after something that matters deeply to you. Actors must be passionate about the study of being human and what motivates and drives us on. All great acting touches on the parts of us that make us who we are.

Videos from Suzanne Lyons on Career can be found on the career page of http://www.mastertalentteachers.com/category/careers/.

Filmmaking is very much about overcoming odds. It’s a miracle productions get completed, especially small films.

My Experience Directing and Casting

Recently the film I directed, Reign, won the New York International Film Festival. After winning both the Best Short Award and The Audience Award I was asked what I look for in actors. So I thought I would take a moment here and share with you my experience.

When I direct a project, be it film or theatre, there are always roles that are open that need to be cast, and my producing partners and I hold auditions. I love actors who are passionate about the role and bring a perspective that is fresh. I love the collaboration process. I want the shaping of the character to live under the skin of the actor. Often that shaping is about the depth of the life of the character.

Reign can be viewed at http://indieflix.com/film/reign-34365/#festivals-tab

In Reign, I cast a wonderful actress, Sheetal Sheth in the role of Fadwa, an Iraqi woman, who loses her family during a firefight in the middle of the desert. Sheetal and I had many discussions regarding her character and the direness of her situation. What attracted me to cast her was her passion for the role, her experience and training. I knew that Reign was going to be a rigorous shoot. We shot the film 52 miles North East of Palm Springs outside of 29 Palms, in a desolate desert terrain. The conditions were pretty tough. The women had to take a 15-minute ride down to base camp just to go to the bathroom and all the women were such team players, none of them ever complained. It was in February, extremely cold without the sun and hot with it, the wind was harsh and constantly blowing the dry desert sand. Now, I write all of this with a smile because I love directing so much, I was far too involved in the gig to concern myself with any of these challenges.

We had an A-list crew (for our budget) so we were cutting corners anywhere we could. I knew that anyone I cast would have to know how to concentrate and deliver a depth of emotion regardless of the pressure of filmmaking and the challenges of the conditions. It truly was a passion project for myself as well as everyone involved.

We shot Reign on 35 mm film, which is beautiful but expensive. I knew I would have to get all of my performances in one or at the most, two takes. I had a lot of faith in Sheetal. Her process was flawless and her preparation served her in the field. I’ve worked with both non-actors and trained actors. I feel that it is more advantageous to work with the trained actor because they have invested in their skill and understand the process. But the most important part of working with an actor is that we both feel a positive connection and both care about the project. I think my favorite aspects of a great actor is their passion, skill, and desire for perfection within themselves to bring their best to the work. I think all great artists have that.

Kimberly Jentzen

Reign has gone on to win “Best Direction” and “Best Casting Director” from the Actors Film Festival, “Best Short Film” from the Louisville International Film Festival, “Best Short Film” from the New York International Film Festival, “The Audience Award” from both the Louisville International Film Festival and the New York International Film Festival and the “Award of Merit” at the Best Shorts Competition.

Videos from Kimberly Jentzen on Acting can be found in the archives of Actors

Kimberly Jentzen has been teaching actors for more than 20 years, she has won the Backstage “Best Acting Coach Award” and “Favorite Teacher Award” multiple times, and is regarded as one of the top acting coaches and teachers in Los Angeles.

How to Prepare for Your Audition or Performance

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by: Kimberly Jentzen

Have a ritual of working out both your body and voice in the early part of the day prior to your audition. You’re body needs to be tuned up and present. Also, by executing a few vocal exercises, you won’t squeeze your throat from nerves or tension, and you will be able to drop that voice into your body.

Next is the mental preparation. Make sure you take a minute to close your eyes and quietly envision your audition from stepping into the building and meeting the casting director’s assistant to walking into the room and meeting the casting director; or if it’s a call back the director or producer. Experience being free from nerves and feeling a sense of confidence and enthusiasm for the project.

Visualize yourself doing your cold reading from beginning, middle, to end. Experience your intention, beats and emotion. (Let the emotion be held within, save the full-out emotion for the audition.) Then experience a sense of satisfaction and gratitude and see yourself leaving the audition room feeling like you did what you set out to do. Open your eyes and write down any realizations you may have about the process.

When you drive to your audition, listen to music that builds your confidence and gives you the added energy of emotion that will relate to your reading. Before you leave your car, take a moment to connect to your surroundings. Breath, relax and say to yourself, “I’m ready.” Even if you don’t believe you are, a part of you actually will.

Script Analysis with Kimberly Jentzen

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Read more

Inside the Industry with Casting Director Billy DaMota and Kimberly Jentzen

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Billy DaMota has depth. He’s the kind of casting director that really cares about the actor. My class spent a few evenings with him and we really enjoyed his take on acting. Read more