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The actor in cinema by calebrarmas • last post Jul 21st
After shooting my first short film titled “[Yoke](https://youtu.be/lK58w-9KGj8)” in 2021 I had the opportunity to experience first hand with a professional actor, something I had never done before. I also had the opportunity to get to know my way of directing actors and non-actors to achieve a cinematic image and I have come to certain opinions that are still tied to the experience I have so far, but I have the feeling that, for the most part, I will continue to be guided by them, barring new discoveries in my next projects. Something I noticed was my need for the actor to live his role, inviting him to have certain experiences prior to the shooting so that he would be nourished by a more real or true context, thinking that this is what was going to be captured on the screen. However, I later realized that this is a dangerous mistake when looking for the image and I saw that it is a very strong temptation when directing. This is because the actor is an extension of me as a director and writer. The character as such is a multiform of my essence, not a fantasy or alter ego, therefore, the multiplicity of people shown in a script, what they say and what they do should be considered as something that has no life of its own, but is nourished by my own existence. If the character is nourished by a part of the director, so is the actor. The main function of the actor is to empty himself in order to fill himself with the image of the director and to be as servile as possible in order to have a greater relationship with the director. That is to say, the actor by himself cannot produce truth, he can only resort to psychological and physical exercises to find the best resource to help him annul his individuality and put at the service of expression all his life history. When I was in rehearsals I tried to give him an example of what I was looking for, doing a previous acting exercise, that is, knowing that I could be in front of the camera and do it and then realizing that I can only be behind it because otherwise the image falls as it happened to me in a scene that I decided to appear and then, because of my lack of supervision, I realized that it was the one I liked the least. Within these exercises I began to give him indications on what intonation and speed I was looking for and he dedicated himself to propose me under that direction until I reached a pause in that register to then capture it with the camera. Therefore, actor and director have to be in a process of elimination of egos prior to shooting, they must destroy each other in the exercises and cooperation so that both can subordinate themselves to the image and fulfill the functions that each one decided to assume previously, one in front and the other behind the camera. When I worked with people who were not actors, people I practically got on the spot and didn’t know, I had to quickly and concisely direct what I wanted them to do. Always being the one to do the example first to take away their fear and then inviting them to do it themselves. This exercise was comfortable for me, as I was able to discover that non-actors have more barriers to break when it comes to getting in front of a camera and that, obviously, a professional actor should have fewer problems. Even so there were cases where the lead actor felt intimidated by the production crew and the tension of the set that on several occasions he made mistakes, but managed to get out at the end of the day, this happened because his experience came from theater, not film, which made me think about how an actor can lose his fear of the audience, but when he is taken out of that context, he loses confidence again. This may be because the actor gets used to a method and lives within it for a long time, where he gradually builds confidence, ego and security and then loses it if you take him out of it. It is dangerous for an actor to fall into a rigid work structure, because then he puts himself at the level of a professional and moves away from the artistic, something very difficult to do. Although the director suffers from it when he wants to continue working with certain types of people during his career, he must learn to choose which methods he wants to break with to find something new and which ones to stay with for satisfaction. Similarly, it is the actor’s responsibility to test himself in different ways to find himself and see where he feels he can do his best. The actor’s growth comes from understanding that the character is a manifestation of the director and that his main function is to be as docile as possible in order to cede all responsibility to him. In this case, improvisation can only exist as an explosion of creativity on the part of the actor, but it is always the director who defines the final register. Without the director, the actor is an entity in total perdition who will never know if he is doing things right or not, since his sense of aesthetics is individual and he does not see himself in the cinematographic language, something that only the director can do. In other words, the actor is part of the image to achieve a whole, through the cinematographic events that occur around him to enhance the total sense of the scene. The actor’s periphery and perception are weakened by always being in the first person looking towards the camera, where the audience ceases to exist. Therefore, the interpretative decision falls on the director, not on the actor, because the former can see everything that happens around the actor from the front and decide what looks better. That is the difference with theater, which cannot generate an immediate record that is perfected once the play is made public. In film, the director can improve the record as many times as time and money allow to polish the performance, although there must be a prior rehearsal to break tensions and loosen up. Some directors like to arrive on the set without prior rehearsal and record or let the actor do what he/she thinks is best, this is only possible when the director does not know the cinematographic image and is only dedicated to capture with the camera a performance, not an image. At the same time, this exercise is a way for the director to be filled with surprise, let accidents happen and record the unexpected, in the same way, this is not cinema, but documentary, since the director is not only the one who shouts “action” or “cut” but the one who has the need to express something, at the moment of annulling this expression, depth is lost in the image, becoming increasingly lighter, since the actor, having less experience than the director, will try to fill the gaps with a poor or disproportionate performance. Art is an acceleration of life and its function is to help the artists to lose the fear of death and to approach it as soon as possible. That is why the director has to help the actor to grow and mature as soon as possible, otherwise the performance will remain at the same pace as the audience, who always goes slower than the artist and whom he has to observe to see if it helps him to mature and accelerate his own existence. That is why the director has to live faster than the others, that is his main function, without it he can only feel intimidated by the actors who have lived faster than him and who will despair at not being brought to a new limit that they did not know about themselves and which was the first reason why they got into acting so that in every shooting they accelerate their death. In some acting schools a type of true art is proposed or shown where the actor is endowed with a unique power when in reality the person who wants to be filmed is annihilated while showing a series of situations and dialogues previously prepared by someone else. A lack of understanding of the role of the actor, who is shown as someone who studies a character in order to use analogous emotions and give veracity to his role. This idea of sharing experiences is not possible because the actor cannot produce truth by himself, since he depends on the director, not in vain there are very good actors who have good and bad movies, that is to say, there are no bad actors, only bad directors. When the actor reads a script, he does not do it to find the truth in it but in the director and wishes to be directed by him to then move on to understanding and reflection with him to naturally create a personal relationship and see if the flow between the two is harmonious, that is, if the actor can subordinate himself to the director and if the director has the ability to command him, therefore, the two have to reach the same level of humility, responsibility and respect so that creativity rules the process and can completely override the individuality of each one. This is how it works with each of the team members, and anyone who tries to overstep his or her role and delay the bonding process should be fired as soon as possible. In this case, the actor’s resources are his alone and it is the director who can access his inner self under the natural inspection of the relationship, under pure intuitive control and without mechanisms or strategies. The character is not given a context beyond its dialogue and situation in the scene, since the life that exists before and after the film is irrelevant and does not serve to achieve a better dramaturgy, because the context is a subordination of the director to the actor and this is not possible because it is not the actor’s function to understand, but to show what the director deposits in him. Moreover, the character is a manifestation, it has no life of its own, since it would fall into fantasy. It is the destruction of a method that will give the actor his true function within the film and it is only the director who can see the beauty and purpose of the actor within the film. It is the director who discovers the actor or actress as a vehicle to reveal his or her whole soul in them, who are in a state of lethargy and total perdition because they have no one to lead them towards an ideal that they sense, but do not know how to reach it. In this case, the actor comes to life when the director observes him and portrays him with the camera, because just as the film only has life and meaning when it is observed, the actor only has life and meaning when someone sees something in him. Therefore, the director who prepares a script to make it shine is a mistake, because in art it is not portrayed what is seen from the front, but the interior of the one who makes it, cinema is a capture of the soul under the camera’s lens. The actor will never be the character because the character only exists in the mind of the one who writes it, not of the one who expresses it. The actors who are trapped in the characters is because they were endowed with fantasy and alter ego, not truth, because whoever wrote it did not transfer its truth to the script, but something that can never be. If the director writes a character that represents something he can never be, for example, if he is shy and writes someone extroverted, and the actor, equally shy, plays the role of an extrovert, he will feel the transference of the hatred that the director has for the character and the actor will be trapped in his own hatred that the director validated at the time of writing it. The director has to educate himself in the ability to command, because that is what he was called to do, but he can only do it to the one who wants to be commanded, to the point of not feeling terror if the actor gives his life in exchange for an order, being the ability and the maximum point in this relationship, that is, if the director tells the actor to kill himself and he does not do it, the actor then needs to live more in his servitude, because if not he will live as a coward, because then the relationship was professional and there was no truth worth showing. But if he does and the director is terrified of that servitude, then he is in total cowardice and tragedy, because he realizes that he does not yet possess the ability and maturity to own someone’s life and is still afraid of death. Thus, the actor and director must get to know and fall in love with each other in order to evolve in their acceleration and make it impossible for both to work with someone else. They have to be on the same spiritual level to keep climbing in order and obedience, all fueled by love and mutual respect that is manifested and embodied on screen. The actor’s maxim is to find a role that kills it and a director that can carry it through, until that happens both are still in a spiritual weakness and will produce decadent versions of that wholeness. Now for the director to reach that maturity of command he must first lose the fear of his obedience, but he must carefully consider who he obeys and climb steps of unworthy people until he reaches God, but this he will only discover in the human relationships he lives where his self-defense manifests itself when he feels attacked and realizes he can get away with it. How does he defend himself from God? If even the director realizes that he can defend himself against anyone and feels confident that he can do so, then he is ready to be commanded by something greater than himself, for he only obeys the one who is above him and all the time proves it to him by constantly breaking his hope and security. Then, the deep desire of the actor is not to act, but to stop acting, like a vice that does not stop and arduously seeks someone to free him from his suffering, therefore, actor and director must die at the same time or for the same cause that led them to obey and command. The actor culminates his act when a film puts his health in total detriment, but thanks to the love he feels for the director, he does it without thinking and puts his life to be captured by the camera and transmit all that maturity to the viewer. The actor must prepare himself in servitude, breaking all traces of shame and dodging all the time his fears, to be ready to be worthy of a command at the moment of acting, where the director transfers his feelings to him and he shows them. If the actor does not reflect the director, then there is no art. The tragedy of the artist is that his life is surrounded by fears and he has the urgency to overcome them and not make mistakes. The idea that in error lies success is not possible because good is alien to evil and does not need evil to exist, which is a manifestation of our ignorance. In this case, an actor cannot depend on his natural talent to dramatize the scenes, he must study to be able to continue to feed his personal opinion and, consequently, mend as many mistakes as his life allows him and thus earn the right to die for a role.
Some much needed advice? by xlhello-therelx • last post Jul 21st
So I've come to terms that I want to pursue a career in acting, but I'm going to college majoring in a major that I truly want to major in, which is animation. Working in animation would allow me to work in the film industry, which has been my dream for a long time but I do not want to choose to either be a actor or an animator. Can I be both, can I be both a concept artist (specific type of job I want to have in the animation field) and a actor? Also is it too late for me to start an acting career? I've never done any acting before, I get too nervous to even act in front of other people. I'm a very shy and introverted person. Can I be an actor if I am shy and introverted? But overall is it too late for me start an acting career of any sorts? I'm 18 if my age helps determine any thoughts. Becoming an actor seems like a far away dreams sometimes, but it feels so real and certain at the same time. Becoming a concept artist seems scary and unattainable at times as well but I truly am excited to study how to become one. I'm just wondering if it is the only thing I am allowed to be. Sorry for all my thoughts being all over the place. I recently just rediscovered reddit and that is truly a good place get advice. Thank you for anyone who has taken the time to read this and I hope you
Toronto Acting Class Recommendations? by daisytuliprosee • last post Jul 21st
I’m looking for a new acting class. I’m not a newbie but sadly not booking as much as I’d like to. I’ve already studied at: LB Acting Studios, RAW Actors Studio, and Straeon Acting Studios I’m seeking a scene study class for working actors. My preference is for acting coaches who have their ego in check and don’t engage too much in favouritism. Does this even exist?
looking for voice actors for my series by undeadrc • last post Jul 21st
For more information dm me
Move to NY or LA by Royal-Change-2094 • last post Jul 21st
Hello, I’ve been acting for about six years and have built up a bit of a resume and I have a agent where I currently live and I am satisfied with them but there’s a big change coming. I am preparing to move at the beginning of next year. I am 22 and I can’t decide whether or not to move to NY or LA to continue my passion. Now I do obviously know that I won’t work 365 days, and that I’ll have down time and that I need to actually like the place. I’ve been to both NY and LA and I love both places. I just came back from LA doing an audition ( I live in Arizona) I am trying to figure which place is better to move to for a young actor? I have only one friend in LA , zero friends in NY but some near in Rhode Island I don’t drive/ own a car I have a dog I work in tv and film plus stage Don’t know if any of those help I know it’s all a process but I was wondering generally where can I find some decent work and almost always be working ( of course I know how the audition works works and you won’t book everything) it seems that NY always has some sort of opportunity. I have faith in myself but I know once I move it’s not gonna be so easy to move states again so I’ll be stuck in either LA or NY. Which would be better to move to and essentially start over and having some credits under your belt ? I started off in a smaller market now I want to try a bigger market. I know it’s more competition. More rejections, but I’m willing to go forward with it.
Headshot-Age Range-Character Type Feedback by AutoModerator • last post Jul 21st
Use this thread to post your headshots for feedback, get info on your age range/type, find good headshot photographers, ask any questions you may have about headshots. If you are posting a DIY headshot for feedback, and not just a snapshot in order to get feedback on your age range/type/etc, it is advised that you do at least some basic research on what actor headshots look like--composition, framing, lighting. You will find a Google Image search for "actor headshots" to be very helpful for this. Non-professional shots are fine for age/typecasting; please keep in mind that one picture is a difficult way to go about this. Video of you moving and speaking would be ideal, but understandably more difficult to post. For what it's worth, the branding workshop at SAG-AFTRA recommends a five-year age range. That's inclusive, so for example 19-23, 25-29, 34-38, etc.
VoiceActorWebsites.com or Squarespace? by Coyotes94 • last post Jul 21st
Has anyone on this board worked with Squarespace on their website and then eventually switched to [VoiceActorWebsites.com](https://VoiceActorWebsites.com)? I'm trying to figure out which one would be better. I haven't received pricing yet from VAW, but Squarespace seems like a pretty good deal. I'm brand new to voice acting so I just need a simple site, for now, so I can upload my demos and have contact info. Thanks for any input!
wanted to do acting to be famous, but now it’s changed. by Civil-Gift294 • last post Jul 21st
I’m bored and just wanted to type the story of how I fell in love with acting. So initially I’ve always wanted to be famous. Ever since I was young and in my early teens (I’m 18 now), I’ve always dreamt of being on the red carpet and just have fame. Yeah it sounds dumb but I did. In high school tho the desire of being famous faded away and wasn’t as present before. But, when I moved to another high school due to family stuff I was gonna take the drama subject again just like in my previous school cos it was fun with my friends (not solely bc I wanted to actor, but cos it was enjoyable. I still did have a small desire to be an actor, but it didn’t majorly impact my choice to choose drama), but my mom said that u should choose another subject that can assist ur career path in the future instead of drama. And I found out that being an actor is difficult as a career and I was led to believe to that it isn’t a good career choice. So, I did what my mom said decided to choose another subject to help other dream which was architecture. But, earlier this yr, I had an epiphany. There was this video on tiktok or YouTube (I don’t remember) abt old people giving advice for the younger generation and one of them was to do the things u want to do right now bc u don’t want to feel regret that u didn’t when ur old. So, this desire of wanting be famous lit up again. I was like fuck it, we’re all gonna die what’s the issue with wanting to be famous. Then, I was looking for ways to be famous. Singer, acting, going on a reality show etc I was torn between acting and singing, but eventually chose acting since I can’t sing for shit and can’t make music lol So, I started on my acting journey (bc I wanted to be famous
Best YouTube channels for actors? by Alternative-Estate87 • last post Jul 21st
What are some helpful YouTube channels for actors?
Creators team needs a voice over partner by Axelmanrus • last post Jul 21st
Hello everyone! I´m a part of a small team of creators called [Okolo Kino](https://www.youtube.com/c/OkoloKino) from Ukraine, Spain and Russia. We make documentaries about cinema, especially biographical films about filmmakers. Now we are working with a British man who is very professional, but his accent is surely not for everyone. We had about 260k in our Ukrainian channel (Russian language), but, because of obvious reasons, we are not going to do entertaining content in Russian anymore. So, in order to survive, we are forced to focus on our channel in English, which has about 36k subscribers. Under these circumstances, being professional is not enough. In order to continue the project, we need to improve our results, so the voice over of our films shall be comfortable for the widest audience possible. However, I am not writing here just to find a voice actor. Of course these voice over works will be paid (+- 200usd per hour of video), but we are not interested in a person to do just punctual voice over works. We would like to find a film enthusiast who admires the protagonists of our films and wants to tell their stories as we do. We are looking for someone who, perhaps, wants to be part of our project and team. The channel is growing, so we are trying to contact the stars like [Keanu Reeves](https://youtu.be/zeoEwQmxmDU), Jack Black or Wes Anderson to complete our biography series about them with their help. However, we understand that it would be very difficult for us to deal with them personally. We are too far away and our spoken English is more or less a disaster. On the other hand, we get some offers for advertising that are very difficult to deal with being outside the US and that, obviously, could help a lot in the production of new content. It would be great to find someone who could be more than just the voice of the project, but also represent the team and act as an interviewer if needed, for example during the press tours. Please, take a look at [our work](https://www.youtube.com/c/OkoloKino/videos) and, if you feel that you are falling in love with it, ask all the questions you want, which I promise we will be happy to answer.
Successful actors...how ? Advice for a 30 year old wanting an acting career. by Shawneboismith • last post Jul 21st
Any advice is appreciated. I have only done a couple shorts and have had some training.
Any Other Military Veterans? by MalignantPingas69 • last post Jul 21st
Hey Everyone! I've been enjoying learning about how to start acting in this sub; I was in the Air Force and was wondering if anyone else here had been successful in pursuing acting after a stint in the military? If so, what was the experience like for you? Were you able to use any of the skills you picked up in the military to your advantage? I met one of my favorite childhood actors recently and it inspired me to start getting into voice acting/taking classes for theatre so I can pursue acting more seriously in the coming year. Thank you for your time!
Nurse and Actors?? by Scoobydoopapa123 • last post Jul 21st
any nurses pursuing acting። And if you are how is it going?
Actor Connection FYI by Blueeyesindisguise • last post Jul 21st
I hope this helps people. AC is clearly making a lot of money from these online workshops because of the pandemic. Actors have no other way to really meet CD's than to pay for services like this, especially now. **Acting on Zoom sucks.** The screen changing back and forth between the speakers is distracting and there should be a way to do it without the back and forth screen changes. They should give instruction on where to look or how to position yourself but everyone just does whatever. I also don't like how the platform invites everyone to watch your audition. They should keep everyone in the waiting room and let them in one at a time to audition. Its not difficult to do. They post a list anyways of the order and should just have those not auditioning in a waiting room or have a schedule and you join at your time or near it. Using the term intensive in the title of these CD meetings is misleading as I believe it infers it is a class. It is not a class, there is no instruction. It is an audition where you receive quick feedback and the CD moves on to the next person which I feel is misleading advertising. THE CD's don't give feedback on anything else but your audition which is a piece the CD choses. I wish they gave more input about your headshot and other materials for what you pay. AC is just trying to make as much money as possible when they can restructure these things to be more helpful to actors. The class sizes are HUGE. I waited over 3 HOURS to audition/read with a CD. The CD was clearly fatigued and SO WAS I. I have a small poorly ventilated room with a window I must shut because of the traffic noise and I was dying of the heat. By the time my turn came I felt like I was going to die and it absolutely hurt my performance. I had no idea the wait was that long. Ask about the class size and if you can go early. I don't recommend this if like me you also have roommates and have to go without air-conditioning for hours and compete for wifi/service. The CD made it clear that they're office didn't bring anyone in that didn't have rep and most of the participants didn't have rep. I would just use this as practice and if you're lucky maybe they call you in but they made it clear YOU NEED REP. **They do not offer refunds only credits! You CANNOT get your money back!** The descriptions are misleading of what to expect from these classes and you cannot get a refund at all. I spoke with another actor who shared that all of the classes basically follow the same platform. I thought I'd share if you were wondering about how AC works.
Where are auditions for films physically held? by Fishingee • last post Jul 21st
I'm no actor, just curious. Where do auditions actually take place? Is it at the film studio? Thanks.
Audiobooks by primadonna416 • last post Jul 21st
So I’m an actress, but narrating my audiobooks is how I pay my bills right now. But lately, most of the audiobooks I’m booking are either erotica or have sexual content. I use a pseudonym soy name isn’t associated with the titles, but is it still possible that it could hurt my career?
What would you consider a "Local Hire" by scarlet-spider815 • last post Jul 21st
On my Backstage profile I have my location as "New York, NY", on Actors Access I apply for the New York (or surrounding areas) gigs, and when asked, I usually say I'm a New York based actor. Thing is I live in Pennsylvania Now, I've never really given this much thought as I'm always willing to do the drive and never needed transportation provided. The drive isn't bad, I basically live on the border of Jersey, so it's only about an hour and half drive from where I live to Manhattan (more or less given traffic). I've had situations where I've gotten a gig the morning of, still worked for the day, and got into the city by call time. But, I always get scared away from submitting for projects that have LOCAL HIRE ONLY in big bold letters. Cause like....I'm not? Technically? Am I missing out on potential opportunities by not submitting for these? Or does local hire mean they really want someone who lives in the city (or closer to it anyway), and I'm doing the right thing by steering clear of those?
How did you get a start in voice acting? by TheRealTealOwO • last post Jul 21st
Hi. I'm someone who does have an interest in voice acting and wants to get into it, but I have no idea how to improve skill/get experience etc. I want to ask how you all managed to get started and ground yourself in voice acting, and even some tips in how to develop as a voice actor.
Recent experience with American Conservatory Theatre? by Low-Vehicle8562 • last post Jul 21st
Anyone here have recent experience with San Francisco’s ACT American Conservatory Theatre? I’ve read things about some once prestigious institutions now having devolved into cash grabs resting on their laurels of previous success stories and that many haven’t produced anyone noteworthy for decades. I was wondering if ACT had suffered the same fate or if it continues to be a strong resource for Bay Area actors. For those of you with experience with it could you give us some insight? What classes/programs did you take, online or in person? How was the sign up/ application process? Did you apply for their MFA program? How did you like it? Was it worth it or are you paying more for a name rather than the content? Would you recommend it or avoid it? If not, what other studios or classes would you recommend instead? What did you learn? Did you find more success afterwards? Did you make industry connections there? What is the culture like? What did you wish there was more or less of? How did it affect your trajectory and development as an actor?
To be...or not to be....in a short film after decent credits by CuspChaser111 • last post Jul 20th
I am not famous by any means, wish I were at keanu level or justin level where i can act in something and not give myself credit on imdb but not there yet - i've been doing okay (guest stars, feature film co stars) but this was a rough year with a lot of close calls for major shows on hbo / netflix but no dice - asked to be in a short film - not a huge part - will this help me or hinder me? what would you do? i'm near 25k on imdb but that doesn't mean nothin' i love to act and this will be in festivals and stuff but curious what more established actors are thinking here...like if i had a good year i'd be in an abundance mindset but i feel this isn't that case....