Are you concerned your performances are “too big”?  Maybe you’ve started to become conservative in your choices because of a fear of being “over the top” or too “act-y”.

This is a topic that gets me fired up!!  Listen, all too often I see actors let this fear paralyze them in their preparation, creating bland, mumbly, dull performances. Boooooring! We go to the movies and theatre to see all the exciting stuff about life. Not to watch someone chat with their mom and run errands. Right? Life isn’t boring and bland, why should your acting be?

So how are you supposed to know how big is too big??

Well, here’s the secret.

There is NO SUCH THING AS TOO BIG, as long as you are emotionally justified and grounded in truth in your performance. Even on camera. Yep, I said it.

Watch Johnny Depp in anything he does. Every time I have ever asked a class who some of their favorite actors are, Johnny Depp comes up. Why? Well, for one, we know he isn’t afraid of being too big or act-y or we never would have gotten that Captain Jack Sparrow we all love so much.

And what about Cate Blanchett in The Aviator? If you haven’t seen it, add it to your list. She even had the challenge of playing a real person, a person known for their incredibly distinct mannerisms and voice. Cate pulled it off beautifully and she won an Oscar for it.

The last example is one my great teacher Larry Moss gives all the time because it really proves the point so well. You must watch the movie Moonstruck written by the fabulous writer John Patrick Shanley starring Nicolas Cage and Cher. This scene with Nicolas Cage (at about 2:45 in or so) is more proof that there is no such thing as “too big”.

Remember, you must be emotionally justified in all of your acting choices and it should make sense for the world the writer gave you. Start with honesty and you’ll forget all about how big you are.

Now get out there and rock it! Big time.  (pun intended) 

This is a list I find myself repeating a lot lately, so I thought perhaps many of you would find it useful as well–

Casting About - Lists every union film and TV project that casts in Los Angeles and every union TV, film and theater project in New York.  You’ll also see the production status and complete casting staff for each. Different people do different things with this info.  Here are some way you can use it to your advantage.  From the Casting About website:

RESEARCH: Find which shows are actively casting today, see all the shows cast by one particular person, check out all the shows on a specific network, learn the premise of a new show, or link to a show’s official website.


MAILING LABELS: Select the names you want and click PRINT. Done. Labels addressed only to the people you want, when you want them.

AUDITION (OR WORKSHOP) PREP: Brush up on the names of all the other people in the office before you go in to meet someone.  Know everything you can about their show. Knowledge is power.
Showfax - When you have a showfax.com subscription you have access to the actual current audition material for many projects that are currently casting.  When done strategically, I have seen many actors get themselves big jobs and job opportunities by taping themselves and submitting on roles they are really right for.  It’s also a great place to find sides (audition material) to practice your audition skills.  When you subscribe to Showfax, you also get free actor project submission on Actors Access.
The Workshop Guru - Many actors have a target list of casting directors they are working to turn into fans.  I have seen many actors use casting workshops to build relationships with their target list which have led directly to big bookings from day player and co-star roles to leads and series regulars.  The Workshop Guru is a fabulous site because it allows actors to search their entire database of casting directors to find where their target list is workshopping and compare the pricing and quality of the workshop service.  Actors can post and browse reviews of the CDs and of the workshop companies, helping them find the best fit for their individual goals.
IMDb Pro - This is the paid version of IMDb, an incredible research tool and probably the most essential paid website subscription for every professional actor.  The site lists the credits, background info and often times contact information of industrywide TV and film professionals.  There are many, many great ways to use this site to help you reach your goals, but IMDb Pro is especially fantastic when looking for representation.  By researching the type of role you are looking to book next, you can look up actors who are booking those roles (guest stars, recurring, etc), see who their reps are and check to see who if they have other clients like you.  This is a great way to build your representation target list.

hootsuite – The strategic use of social media can be very powerful for actors.  But unfortunately, many actors give up when they discover that sites like Facebook and Twitter are more effective when used consistently and frequently.  I get it, it can be totally overwhelming to remember to post something every day.  This is why hootsuite is so cool.  It allows you to schedule your posts  for several different social media accounts  as far in advance as you like.  Such a great tool!

Teen Actor’s Lab Blog - Lucky you, you have already found it!  Make sure you are signed up for our mailing list so you never miss a post!

Step Three – Forget About It

Be careful not to underestimate the power of Step Three, because with out it, you will look like an actor during your performance instead of a living, breathing, human being.

This work is for rehearsal and for home. When you go to audition or perform, you must let it go and trust that the work will join you.

That’s the magic.

Now get out there and practice, because you have to do it to learn it!

Looking for a place to practice all this good stuff? Sign up for our September/October Session or schedule a private coaching either in person or via Skype.

The next Session starts Saturday, September 22nd. Call or email for details.

More to Adore

So excited to share this with you.  Are you a smart actor who likes to do casting director workshops?  Well then, The Workshop Guru is for you!  If you have a goal to book an acting job here in LA, we always encourage actors to target specific casting directors for workshops and use their time and resources wisely.   Finally, there is a place where you can search all the workshops in town with one click.  Plus, there are reviews of both the CDs and the workshop companies.  Such an awesome service.  Let us know what you think!

Step Two – Create a Relationship to PPOE

So you’ve seen the last two videos and now you’re wondering what to do next.  It’s incredibly important not to miss this step because it’s going to really up your game.  Plus, it’s the most fun and creative part of the process.

Create vivid images for every PPOE mentioned.  How do you do this?  Use your imagination and the world of the story to create detailed movies in your mind.

Using this line from the last video, you might first think about the event as a whole and flesh it out as specifically as you can.
Use all of your senses to include the things you see, taste, smell, touch and hear.  Then think about the girl.  Who is she?  What does she look like?  How do you feel about her and why?

Maybe she wears an awful perfume you can’t stand.  The more specific you can get, the more alive it will be in your performance.

Now repeat this process for the hall and the mean face as well.

There is one more step that is vital to the success of this process.  Want to know what it is?  Stay tuned for the final video!

Welcome to Part Two of the TAL special free four week video series: 4 Magic Words To Transform Your Acting Overnight.

Before we start, make sure you have a piece of paper and something to write with.

So how do you actually create a relationship to all Persons, Places, Objects and Events?

Step One – Circle All PPOE

Go through the script or scene and circle every single person, place, object or event mentioned.  Be careful, some things might be very easy to miss.

Write down this line on a piece of paper:

“When I pass that girl in the hall she makes a mean face at me”

Now, circle every person, place, object and event in the line you wrote.  (Do not cheat by looking at the answer below!)
Is this what you got?  Many people miss events in certain lines as they can be tricky to spot.  In this case, the event is the entire line.

What do you do after you you have circled all the PPOE?  Stay tuned for the next free video!

Welcome to Part One of the special free four part video series 4 Magic Words To Transform Your Acting Overnight.

Introduction

Of course in acting there is no magic pill to make you perfect overnight, but there are tools that will certainly make your job a whole lot easier.

The process I am going to share with you is something I often see young actors overlook, and it is one of the most important tools to use in preparation.  Are you ready for the four magic words?

Persons

Places

Objects

Events

Or, as I like to call it, the PPOE.

Creating a relationship to every person, place, object and event in the script is absolutely imperative so that you not only give life to the images the writer created, but you use these images to feed your character’s objective or want in the scene.

How do you do this?  Stay tuned for the next video!

Oh, and guess what?

We are starting enrollment for the wildly popular Everything Acting Class. Next session begins Saturday, September 22nd and runs for 5 Saturdays (no class October 6th). There will also be 6th class, offered as a Free / Bonus Make-Up, date TBA. Sign up by August 17th and SAVE $50.

What you resist persists.  Ever heard this saying first stated by Carl Jung?  Well it is true.  And it’s something that is especially important to be aware of as an actor so you can avoid hanging on to pesky habits that no longer serve you.

“Here’s the problem. Most people are thinking about what they don’t want, and they’re wondering why it shows up over and over again.”

John Assaraf

I am so tired of always getting the smallest part in the play.  I hate how my voice always cracks on the high note!  Why do I always mess up at my auditions?

This way of talking is called being in resistance.  To resist means to oppose, so any time you are fighting against something, you are putting more energy on the thing you want to go away.

What we focus on is what we will bring about. So if you complain or worry about your voice cracking on the high note, guess what you are going to get?

So the more time you spend in resistance to something, the more difficult it will be for you to bring about something new.

Food for thought.

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The truth is, there are many ways to procure great auditions, but since this is a question I get asked by actors all the time, I decided to share an experience I recently had with one of my students.  His name is Tom.

Tom recently moved to LA and has been working his butt off in my acting class and elsewhere to further his craft and get himself “in the game”.  He caught wind of a big feature film currently casting at one of the major studios for a lead role he was really right for.  He really wanted to get his foot in the door, so I gave him the advice of putting himself on tape for the role.

What does that mean and how do you do it?

There are services actors can subscribe to that provide downloads of audition material (called sides) for projects currently casting.  The most popular website is Showfax.  Tom was able to find this particular project’s audition sides, download them, work on the material, and then record his audition.  He then submitted his video to the casting office and let it go.  A week later he received notice of an in-person audition at the big studio for the juicy role he had “taped” himself for.

Pretty cool, huh?

I love this story because Tom is 18 years old, he just moved to LA and he doesn’t have an agent.  He took action and decided to create opportunities for himself.  He has been working hard on improving his craft so that when opportunities like these arise, he is ready to nail it.

Questions?  Comments?  Have your own great success stories about landing great auditions?

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“Ughhhh, but if I go to that party with you I’ll be out super late tonight and then I’ll be tired, grouchy and suck at my big audition tomorrow.”

That kind of line sound familiar?

Most of us have heard a lot about how powerful the use of tools like creative visualization and positive thinking can be in our lives.

Well, consider this:  Every time you speak, you create images in your mind and build energy toward the thing you are talking about.  Those images and energy you create propel you into action, positive or negative.  That may be an idea you have thought about.  But what about the images OTHER PEOPLE are creating in their mind ABOUT YOU when you speak?  And what about the incredible power those images have in your life as well?  We have the power to change what we think about ourselves, but it’s not like you can go out and control what other people are thinking about you!  This is an idea that kind of blew my mind when speaker/author/coach Greg Dinkin went into great detail about how that all really works in a workshop I took.  The point I’m making here is, what you think and talk about really matters.  Big time.

So, back to this scenario.  Try saying this line out loud and see how you feel:

“Ughhhh, but if I go to that party with you I’ll be out super late tonight and then I’ll be tired, grouchy and not on my A-game for my big audition tomorrow.”

Now try saying this out loud:

“You know, I’m going to skip the party tonight so I can be in bed early.  I want to get lots of sleep, wake up feeling great and nail my big audition tomorrow.”

How much better do you feel when you say the last one?  I definitely do.

It’s cool, because it starts to work as like, involuntary team work as we create these life enriching images for each other, proving again how interdependent we all truly are.  Can you imagine how many things you talk about regularly that you can make a slight tweak to right away?  Ask yourself what you are really talking and thinking about.  I promise, if you make this powerful shift you will start seeing really awesome things appearing in your life.

I can’t wait to see you surprise yourselves as you put this simple idea into practice.  Wait, I am actually seeing it right now!  So you know what that means…

Get out there and prove me right!

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The Acting Technique That Will Set You Free (and Book You Jobs!)

If there is one thing I see transform the craft of my students and fellow actors more than anything else, it is the use if the almighty intention.  Don’t get hung up on the word, some actors call it their “action” or as teacher / director Bobby Lewis apparently used to say, call it “spinach” if you want, the meaning is the same, it’s just important that you use it.

So what exactly is an intention?

An intention is what your character does to break through an obstacle to get what they want.  Every character always wants something in every scene.  Maybe they want to get the most popular kid in school to like them, or they want the love of their life to kiss them for the first time or maybe they really want that ice delicious cream cone their mother refuses to buy for them.  How your character goes about achieving that big want is through intention.

Huh?

Here is a little image I created to help illustrate the point:

Intentions are always active verbs or verb phrases.  So, for example, if I really want that ice cream cone, the obstacle is my mother and my intention in this case might be to beg or to throw a tantrum.  Or I might choose an intention that excites me even more and go for a verb phrase like to play the part of the perfect son.

How do you choose an intention?

Ask yourself, what do I want the other character to think, feel or do?  In our ice cream cone scenario, maybe the young boy starts out wanting his mom to feel irritated and frustrated by him, so he plays to throw a tantrum.  When that doesn’t work, he might want his mother to feel proud of him, like he really deserves it, so he chooses to play the part of the perfect son.  If you get stuck on a general word like “beg”, try using the thesaurus to look up other words that might activate you more.

Remember, we aren’t robots!  An intention that works really well for me might not excite you, or carbonate you, as  one of my acting coaches, the great Larry Moss loves to say.  The only way to know what will work for you is to try it out in rehearsal.

How do you apply it?

If I am playing the part of the little boy who wants the ice cream cone, maybe my line in the script is, “Please, Mom, can I have it?”  If I wanted to try the intention to beg, I would think about playing that specific action while I say the line.  An intention might only last halfway through a line before you switch to a new intention, or it might last a whole page.

How do you know when to choose a new intention?

You select new intentions to play when your character changes tactics to get their want.  So when your character realizes their intention isn’t working, they had better try something else!  Ever heard someone say a performance was too “one note”?  When that happens, the actor has usually gotten stuck playing one intention for too long, instead of trying different tactics.  So, if it didn’t work when you threw that tantrum for the ice cream cone, you would choose a new intention, perhaps to play the part of the perfect son.  Just make sure the intention makes sense for your character and for the material you are working on.

The other thing I know about intention is that you have to actually DO it in order to learn it.  Acting is an experiential thing.  You’ve got to get up on your feet!

Want to know why it will set you free?

Without intention, you will make a common mistake that many young actors tend to make by instead asking yourself:  How should I sound when I say this line? This is a sure fire way to quickly put your audience to sleep.  It will make your acting boring, inactive and “acty”.

Lastly, a very important note about intention.  When you are giving an performance, you forget all the work you have done so you can LIVE it.  Working with intentions is for performance.  The work you have done will still be there to join you.

Want to get some hands on practice?  We will be diving into intention in our final session of the Everything Acting Class before fall.  Starts on Saturday, call now to sign up and SAVE!  (310) 428-7055  4 sessions plus a FREE  BONUS  / MAKE-UP class.  Register today and save $25!  Call 310-428-7055

Watch the video version here:

The Acting Technique That Will Set You Free (and Book You Jobs!)

There’s one slot left to learn all about the business and craft of acting in the last Everything Acting Class before fall.  Begins this Saturday, May 26th and runs 4 consecutive Saturdays, plus one Free/Bonus Make-Up Class, TBA.

Click here to sign up

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