debor009

I'm a firm believer in learning something from those who are successful at doing it. ("Those who can, do," as the saying goes.) Actor autobiographies are tremendous resources of information on how an actor achieved success, as are the many bon mots that turn up in actor interviews posted online. Very often, or so it seems to me, the breakthrough occurred not with some change in technique but with a simple change in the actor's way of thinking, as multiple Emmy-winning actor Bryan Cranston demonstrates in this slyly recorded snippet posted on YouTube. Going into an audition to "do" a job rather than "get" a job can take a lot of pressure off of your performance and enable you to "let it go" when you finish the audition. By the way, motivational coach/speaker Evan Carmichael posts the "Top 10 rules for Success" for various actors, which always have some positive takeaway. Here's what he posted for Cranston. It's well wort...

Note: I published this in October 2011, but I think the points are still valid so I'm reprinting it to move it up in the queue. Best workshop I ever attended.  Hearing a drama coach tell you to have “the courage to take risks” and “make strong choices” – especially when spoken in the same breath as phrases like “create stunning, three-dimensional characterizations” – can be intimidating for an actor.  And much to the chagrin of many drama coaches I’m sure, “take risks” is too often interpreted as a directive to reach down inside yourself and pull out someone totally different from who you are. In short, to “act.” That’s not it. Not according to  Geoffrey Soffer , casting director for  Ugly Betty  and  The Beautiful Life , who grew up in the business. I took notes during a workshop I took with him a week ago. The following is what I wrote down. Some of it I knew, some I suspected, and some was a complete surprise. Film and television directors cast personali...

I'm one of those who thinks that to succeed as an actor you have to live, breathe, and love film. You should swoon over lighting and close-ups. Marvel at the honesty in a moment's expression. After awhile you'll get a feel for what makes a scene work and, if it doesn't, why. I just finished reading author/screenwriter William Goldman's wonderful book Which Lie Did I Tell? , which is a sequel to his equally wonderful Adventures in the Screen Trade . If you want a behind-the-scenes look at how Hollywood works, from the screenwriter's perspective, these two are a great place to start. Move on to Hollywood biographies and autobiographies. Budd Schulberg's Moving Pictures (and his novel What Makes Sammy Run? ) Michael Caine's What's It All About? Alec Guiness's Blessings in Disguise . Michael Korda's Charmed Lives . So many others. Inspiring stories of struggle and providence and luck. I've read that Bette Midler is a collector of Hollyw...

Actor story #1: Early in the filming of Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror classic The Shining , Kubrick stops star Jack Nicholson in the middle of a scene, saying "No, this isn't working." "What do you mean?" says Nicholson. "You said you wanted it to be realistic." "Well...yes. But it isn't interesting." Nicholson made it interesting! Actor story #2: From Alan Arkin's  wonderful autobiography An Improvised Life . Arkin relates how early his acting career he hit a wall. Nothing was working. He gets an offer out of the blue to join Second City in Chicago and decides to go, feeling he'd failed as an actor. Two years later he's back in New York and again submitting for roles. Only this time he thinks to himself, To heck with this! I'm tired of trying to figure out what casting wants. I'm just going to give them the most interesting version of me. Take it or leave it. And he starts booking roles. I've been thinkin...

Okay, you’re in Los Angeles and looking for representation, that key factor in getting a shot at roles in top-of-the-line film, television, commercials, etc. Thousands of LA actors are looking for agents, and even among union actors fewer than half reportedly have one. People in this business will tell you it’s hard to get an agent – especially a union-approved agent – and it is. That shouldn’t deter you. Many factors enter into an agent’s decision to represent you, including your age and type (and how often those come up in casting), as well as acting talent and experience. Don’t second-guess the agent, or yourself. A terrific resource on the LA actor’s experience is An Agent Tells All by Tony Martinez, a long-time pro in the Los Angeles market. You can get it in hard copy or for Kindle and I recommend it highly. It makes sense and Chapters 7 and 8 speak specifically to this issue of getting an agent. You’ll find much more information there, including how to handle the all-important ...

In Los Angeles and still transitioning, but what an exciting time! This morning I was scanning YouTube over breakfast and came across the Small Market Actor channel and some wonderful advice on how to respond to the dreaded "Tell me about yourself" question that often crops up in an audition. I wrote about this topic a couple of years ago, but this is so concise I'll let Kurt tell you himself.