We have found 19,242 posts across 4 actor forums:
ACTING - LESSON #1 by Winniehiller • last post Jul 21st
I’m a Hollywood acting coach who works with both celebrities and newcomers. Since agents and casting directors often send me their completely inexperienced “discoveries”, to prepare them for an important audition, I often need to give them a lifetime of advice in an hour or two before an event that could change their lives. It isn’t easy, but more than once, these fresh off a plane from a little town, non-actors, have succeeded after our sessions. It’s not ideal but so much better than nothing. And after they book the role they must continue their lessons. Studying acting is a lifetime process of always striving to be better. But watching YouTube college performances and after joining Reddit a couple weeks ago, I am seeing self-tapped videos that seem to lack evidence of even the most minimal training. They claim to be in class, but don’t know even the most basic of acting concepts. I want to be able to help them in some way. So I want to start from the very beginning...a thorough examination of what acting is...how it is different than simply reading or reciting lines. It is something all together different...an art form. A truly magical one. I think there are aspects of acting that can be beneficial for all people...even those who will never be performers. Acting requires deep self-knowledge and an understanding of what makes people tick (especially ourselves). Who wouldn’t benefit from that? So I’m working on writing a book for people who act. Which means it’s a book for everyone. Maybe you’ve been doing theater, TV and film for decades. Or you could be a beginner. Maybe you’ve never even read a script and have no intention of ever being a professional thespian. No matter which you are, you act. You’ve been acting your whole life, whether you know it or not. The following is just the introduction to that concept. What will follow in future posts is everything I teach newcomers when they are thrust into a professional situation. But I think anyone will benefit. Let’s look at the word “ACT”. What does the word mean? Let’s imagine you tell someone you were doing something and they ask you, “Did you complete the act?” What do they mean? Most likely they want to know if you finished what you were doing. You were in pursuit of a goal. You wanted something and that desire set you into ACTion. You either accomplished it or not. It is a focused and diligent attempt to DO SOMETHING. So acting is to be in pursuit of a goal. Accomplishing a goal might take strength and physical effort. It might take getting other people involved to help you. You may need to speak to people...try to persuade them to come around to your way of thinking. People and circumstances will oppose you, so you will try different means of convincing them to be on your side. When you really want something, you will do whatever it takes to get it. That’s acting. And it’s not pretending to do something. It’s actually doing it. Sometimes we say we want something but we don’t ACT like we do. We won’t do whatever it takes to get it. That’s because we don’t really want it. We want something else, more. For instance, we might say we want to study for an upcoming important test. The plan is to buckle down and hit the books. But what we really want is to avoid studying. We begin to try to convince ourselves and others that it is alright to procrastinate. We are going to get started soon...and we will do better after we’ve watched a little TV. We might employ more tactics to NOT study than to study. Avoidance is actually a pursuit. Either way we are trying to get something. We are ACTING. The point I’m trying to make is that for as long as we are alive, we are always acting. We always want something. We are always trying to get it. As soon as we complete one goal, we have another. Even when we are sleeping we are in pursuit of getting the rest we need so we can wake up ready to go out and accomplish more stuff. So you see, no one lacks any experience at acting. We do it womb to tomb. It is when you must do it on stage or in front of a camera when the real artistry is required. Some people think of acting as playing a character. If that is your definition, my argument holds. Everyone is an actor. Everyone has some kind of character. Everyone plays different roles. Sometimes you play the part of a parent. Sometimes a boss. You play the lover and the villain...the hero and the victim. The only difference between you and the greatest actors who have ever lived, is that they have the skills to do what you do naturally, ON CUE. They can take on someone else’s desires and go to work at achieving them with someone else’s words. It isn’t easy, which is why most people are pretty bad at it when they first try. They, in most cases, are only reading the words...reciting the lines. They are not going after anything. They are not using their words for a purpose, so they are ineffective. But sometimes the character we play in real life is ineffective. At some point everyone has had the experience of being too shy, too frightened or lacked the confidence or determination to achieve their goals. They needed a different character to get the job done. In that case, wouldn’t it benefit everyone to learn to employ one during these times...to have the character that could do what needs to be done? Many acting classes spend so much time trying to help the students to “be free”...to break through their blocks and barriers. Beginning students often become so obsessed with it that it becomes their objective in the scene rather than becoming absorbed in their character’s goal. And when your goal is “to be free” it assumes the condition of entrapment. No wonder they appear to be struggling. Get into your character’s mind...go after their desires and goals and you will have no room for your own self-limiting thoughts. This is true freedom as an actor. Just DO!!! So I plan to write this book for all you actors, whether you confine your performances to the real world or delve into the fantasy world of stage and screen. There is so much more, so stay tuned. I’ll be sharing some of it here and on my FB page, so follow me if you are interested. Shakespeare tells us “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players”. Guess we all might as well learn to act.
“JUST BE YOURSELF” by Winniehiller • last post Jul 21st
I am an acting coach in Hollywood and help actors prepare for their auditions for film and TV roles, and my students tell me they hear this phrase from directors all the time, Quite frankly, it is the worse thing they can possibly say. “Relax, honey...just be yourself!” It makes me tense just reading it and I bet it does the same thing to you. Why? The answer is very simple... First of all, your goal was to be your character...not “yourself”. I understand that what you are being told is that you look tense...self-conscious - which IS exactly “yourself” at that moment. So...You ARE being yourself!!! If he wants you to be yourself, he obviously wants a different one...a more relaxed one. But you see, there isn’t only one “you”. So the correct response to that direction is “Which one?” (But don’t actually say that. He’ll think you are being a smart ass) But the truth of the matter is, we are all a little bit different with each person that we know...every environment, every situation. The secret is deciding which “you” to be. You can’t be them all at once. You have to be one specific “you”...the one that most closely resembles your character in that specific situation...with that specific person. What do I mean by “different you’s”. Well, as a child, you knew if you wanted something from your mother you would go about it a little differently than if you wanted something from your father. You were a different “you” with each of them. Each friend you have brings out different qualities and personality traits in you when you are with them. Some people make you feel funny and everything that comes out of your mouth is hilarious when you are with them. Some people make you feel stupid and you can’t seem to do anything right when they are around. Different people can trigger all kinds of reactions that create different personae within you to emerge. The same holds with different environments. You are a different you in your bedroom than you are in your kitchen...a different you when you are in the hallway at school than when you enter the classroom. A different you when you are in a casting director’s office, auditioning, than when you are having fun with friends. When you are acting, whether it is in an audition or a performance on stage or screen, you are faced with a dilemma. Let’s say you are playing the role of Sandra who is having a conversation with a character named Jane who is being played by an actress named Rita. You don’t know Sandra, Jane or Rita. How in the heck can you “just be yourself” and which “you” should you be? Well, hopefully you’ve had the chance to read over enough of the script to understand the relationship between Sandra and Jane. You discover that Jane is a beautiful woman that has been flirting with Sandra’s boyfriend. Now you are going to be playing the role of Sandra, so you are going to think to yourself...”Have I ever had a situation like this in my own life?” You remember a woman named Ellie. A few years ago at work, you were sure was trying to make you look bad to your boss. She was after your job...flirting with him...setting you up to fail. It’s not the exact situation...but it is similar. You can use it! So as you are reading your lines with Rita you start thinking that she is Ellie. You imagine you are looking into Ellie’s face. She makes you feel the way Ellie made you feel. You use the words in the script to get Ellie to back off...to tell her that you are on to her. Now you know which “you” to be. You are the person Ellie brings out in you. Even when you must play someone very different from you, you must find yourself within the character. Let’s say you are playing a cheerleader’s mother who is murdering her competition on the squad. You would never do this (hopefully). But there is some circumstance in which you would murder. Perhaps if your child was being attacked. So...for your character, her child losing her position on the cheerleading squad is equal to you witnessing a life threatening attack on your own child. You know which “you” you must play. It is “as if” you were saving the life of your loved one. In a way, as actors, we are always “playing ourselves”. We can’t actually “become” someone else. But we can relate to our character’s relationship with the other characters and the situation they are faced with in the scene. It’s one more way to “get into the head” of our character. Think like them. Respond like them. And relationship is one of the most important aspects of any performance. What if you are acting alone? If you are looking into a camera to do a commercial, which “you” are you going to be? You get to choose by deciding which friend or family member you are going to imagine that the camera is. Do you want to be relaxed, loving, helpful....or firm, authoritative, and demanding? Maybe you want to be funny and charming. Instead of just trying to be those things, choose the person who brings those qualities out in you. When you look into the camera, you are looking into their eyes. You see their smile. They bring out the “you” that is needed. I believe we can use just about every acting technique in real life, and this is no exception. You know how nervous you get when you have a big job interview or a promising date? Your friends tell you to “Just be yourself”. But you ARE “being yourself” even if you are hyperventilating and about to throw up. You just want to be able to be a different “self” in this particular circumstance. So instead of seeing a potential boss or love interest who is judging you, perhaps you can imagine that you are meeting a friend of a close friend who is new in town. You want to make this person feel at home and welcome in a new place. Instead of an interview or date, the meeting turns into a warm “get together” in which you are the host. You put them at ease. You already have a lot in common. There is no reason to be nervous. You are a completely different you...a you that will get a much better response...but nevertheless, YOU. YOU are not just one person. You have a wealth of characters you carry around with you all the time and are at your service when needed. It’s all a matter of choosing which one. And when you find the right triggers for bringing them out...you only need to do one thing. “Just be yourself!” If you have questions, please feel free to ask in the comments below. ❤️
I got humiliated at a casting workshop by the casting director. I see this CD again next week. by mockmejay • last post Jul 21st
So I got roasted nasty. In front of other people too. But things are not always as they seem and I know he was being over dramatic and trying to hurt my self esteem and my belief in myself. I’m a LA actor in NY for the summer and I signed up for a casting workshop. I performed, I was not able to stand up how i practiced it, bc they said I had to be sitting, so I couldn’t show some of them physicality I wanted to show that would of added to the comedy. I saw the tape and I had good acting, it was not bad, I will admit I could of hit some points harder but it wasn’t terrible how it was set out to be. He was specific with criticism to everyone else, telling them specifically what was wrong, for example telling them that they are indicating, ending up how they started, not having thoughts, etc. and after I finished he tells me that 1. It was not the right scene for me, 2.that I am not funny. 3. I am never going to become a lead man in comedy. The reader was just starring at the floor...and everyone was watching. I felt bullied. He then told me he didn’t want to see it again, which is probably wrong of him bc these workshops are for “educational purposes only”. He didn’t educate me at all. To others he did. I don’t have a big resume but I do have talent. I don’t have any theatre nor went to a university but I learned at well known studios. I’m glad this isn’t my first CD workshop or else I would of been really self conflicted, but I’ve met other CD’s that think I’m funny and talented. He mentioned he went to college for acting and then “decided he didn’t want to do it anymore” aka he probably gave up. He’s not even a CD he’s a casting associate. I’m trying to not let this get to me bc I know my worth. And other people in their SUCKED. The person before me did nothing but indicate and when he gave me my criticism he couldn’t even tell me why he said what he said, and I should of asked but I was just in shock. Nobody has ever told me I’m not funny lol comedy is my shit. It could have been funnier tho ngl but it wasn’t as bad as he set it out to be. I also have good look too w/o trying to sound conceited, not a lot of my resume but like I said I have chops. Next time I’m not going to show my resume until after, at least while I’m in NYC. I have to see him again since it’s a 2 week workshop. I hope I’ll be able to block this negativity out and concentrate. It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t like me right??? I should just go in and say fuck it and not give a shit. I feel like he’s going to try to humiliate me again, anything to hurt my self esteem and self belief.
Based in SF for the time being, wondering what the best website for film/TV/commercials is in the Bay Area by lanoyle • last post Jul 21st
For the time being, I'm working in the tech industry, but want to build my reel and keep my acting muscle going. My background is in theater--I studied theater in undergrad and did a program at a well-known theater company in SF, and have acted in a few Bay Area theater productions. I have a subscription to Theatre Bay Area, which has helped me find these roles. Since I started working full time, I realized that the theater rehearsal process isn't one I find compatible with my lifestyle. In your experience, what has been your most valuable site for camera acting if you had to choose one? Actors Access? Casting Networks? Backstage? Something else? Is it reasonable for me to sign up for any of these sites given my full-time work? My schedule is set, but somewhat flexible.
Staring down the side of the camera when feeling emotion by Idobjj • last post Jul 21st
Is this a yes or a no? I never seen major motion picture actors do this they usually just look dead on. I'm always curious if this is bad during an audition or not.
Ideal schooling for an actor by Supermario12323 • last post Jul 21st
If you had the option to either take acting classes in an acting school or a university, which one would you do? Which route do beginning actors or people still learning take do get everything they can out of schools? I ask because I'm going to college soon and I'm not sure if I should go to college for acting and get a degree in it or if I should take acting classes and go to college for filmmaking instead.
How do you create your own content? by actingstarterpack • last post Jul 21st
Hi everyone, how did you create your own content. Is it all volunteer based? If so,wouldnt the quality be poor? Ive seen some good films created by actors in my community and have messaged them . It seems most DOP or editors charge a fee, so how do you get around this (especially those who created their own content before)?
Help me understand why people ask, "Am I too old to be an actor?" by WordAndCopySayer • last post Jul 20th
Some form of this question is asked here very often. I've seen people in their teens ask if they're too old to start, which seems crazy to me but I guess it's all in your perspective. If you're worried about possibly being too old to begin training or pursuing acting as a career, what's your greatest concern? That you're going to put X number of years in and not "make it"? That there will be too many actors your age who are ahead of you career wise? Does it have to do with your goals? Like, there won't be enough time to do whatever it is you want to do (lead a film franchise, be a series reg, win a Tony, etc.)? Help me understand all the age-related anxiety.
Willem Dafoe: The face of evil, the face of compassion | How much does an actor's face speak? | Florida Project casting by allthingsfascinating • last post Jul 20th
Play Recommendations Help by azakadaza • last post Jul 20th
Hello fellow actors, I am an emerging artist that is in the process of trying to build a theatre company. However, I am looking to fill up one more slot in my season. There are two actors who I think have really good chemistry on stage and I really want to work with the both of them. Long story short, I am looking for a play specifically for two male roles. Anything come to mind? Thanks :)
How to become an actress? by ActingEnthousiast • last post Jul 20th
I'm a 22 year old European girl and I will be getting my business degree next year! I'm supposed to start looking for a "normal" job (i.e. business, marketing,..), but I can't help to shake off the feeling that I've given up on my lifelong (Hollywood) acting dream. Or rather, that I have never even tried to pursue it. I have literally zero experience… Since I have this strong “now or never” feeling, I was thinking of applying for a summer program (in English) at a respectful acting school abroad (for the summer of 2019). Something like 5-7 (full-time) weeks? I want an emphasis on acting in front of the camera rather than theater/musical and a hands-on mentality rather than too theoretical. I’ve noticed that a lot of universities have summer programs solely for children or high school students. Can you guys recommend any good summer programs for people of my age? The American academy of dramatic arts in LAA (AADA) has caught my eye. However, I’ve seen a lot of mixed reviews about the school. What do you guys think? I’ll be spending almost all of my savings on this summer program, so I want to make sure I’m choosing the best one (price-quality ratio and chances of getting into the business of acting). My preference goes out to LA, since I think most of the auditions take place in LA? After my summer program, I could stay a couple of more weeks in LA to try and get some auditions? Or does this sound better/easier in my head? How does one even get an audition without an acting degree and with 0 experience? Do “open casting calls” even exist? Are there any websites I should check? How do you get an agent? And which agents are the best? I would love to hear your opinions and any information is appreciated! Thanks in advance!!
Ageism in Acting/Hollywood Studios? by TraderLoaff • last post Jul 20th
Is Ageism prevalent in Hollywood and in the acting studios in general? I'm a 26 year old minority man trying to get a start in Hollywood. It's a career change. I live in Los Angeles so its not a big time move for me. LA is home. But I'm worried given my age and minority status I'll have limited opportunities. Also, as a side note, what would be the best Acting Studios for serious newbies to join? Thanks!
actor moving to LA, looking for a cheap room or to spit a studio with somebody in August / September by intothevortex87 • last post Jul 20th
figured i'd put a feeler out on here in case anybody has a cheap living space, bedroom, couch, etc. Or, if anybody is interested in perhaps splitting a cheap studio together? 30 year old male, chill, been doing this for a few years, bartend to survive. coming from NYC. trying to live as cheaply as possible so I can work minimally and spend all my time on the acting stuff, would be cool to live with other actors. moving August 1st and air-bnbing for a few weeks, looking for mid August / September. hit me up if you're interested!
LA vs NY for film/tv by gall0wbooob • last post Jul 20th
Hey guys, first post on here. Might be a long one, so bear with me here. I'm a SAG-Aftra actor living on the East Coast in a decent film market. There is a good amount of legitimate work here, lots of big movies and the occasional TV show, but I am looking to make the next step. I'm 26, have been acting for about 5 years, done a bunch of local independent shit that has never seen the light of day, a couple of local plays, and a couple of small like two line dayplayer principal roles in a couple of the big movies that have shot here. Ideally I would like to continue to build a foundation here, and do some more principal work on legitimate projects, then make the move. While I think the theatre work I've done was essential to helping me grow as an actor and I suggest anyone who is interested in acting to do some theatre work, for now I am concentrating primarily on film and TV. Pros and cons of each: NY Pros: -Closer to home. -People have told me NY is a great market for TV NY Cons: -I know approximately 0 people in NY. -Theatre centric (?) LA Pros: -Have a couple of friends who are actors and live out there. -More film/tv agencies (?) -No more fucking snow. LA Cons: -Other side of the country -"Everyone in LA is an actor." -More expensive than NY (?) Any help at all would be appreciated.
IMDb by alienuri • last post Jul 20th
I had first film project, and my director created IMDb and added my name on it(look like created my profile). Should I make my own account and create my profile better? How to add another work if I get another gig in future? I really have no idea in these stuff. Still not sure how this works.
Voice Actors Needed! by zlistermixes • last post Jul 20th
Hello, would you be interested in playing a voice role for a project ? It’s a non profit project so you won’t be paid but it’s plain and simple and you will be credited! Please PM me if interested or comment and I’ll reach out!
Screen Combat Course Feedback by Major_Redux • last post Jul 20th
I'm a martial arts instructor and I'm thinking about doing a 6 week course in screen combat for aspiring actors. I'd like to get some feedback from any aspiring actors about my course content. Course curriculum \> safety, breakfalling and taking hits safely \> camera angles and positioning - being in the right place at the right time \> striking, grappling and groundwork (eastern and western styles) \> weapons (knives, swords, hammers, axes, spears, polearms, sticks, guns) \> improvised weapons (pens, books, credit cards, phones, everyday objects) \> fight choreography and cinematography for fight scenes Course would run for 6 weeks with 6 contact hours a week (3 classes of 2 hours). Curriculum is spread into three 2 week periods starting with basic martial arts concepts (striking, grappling, groundwork, weapons), fight scene case study (students form groups and choose a case study, then try to replicate the scene) and finally creating their own fight scene (students storyboard and choreograph their own scene, which they can use for a show reel). I'm thinking of charging $950 AUD ($700 USD) for the course with 20% discount for students. Also offering a personal 90 second show reel for $500 AUD as an optional at the end of the course. Thoughts? Would this be attractive to a would-be actor?
How do you practice facial expressions? by DeLaGrotto • last post Jul 20th
Not an actor. But is there any actors reference, guide, or youtube videos that shows different facial expressions? Haven't found anything good yet.
What questions would you ask an experienced Actor or Producer by Michael_Dinich • last post Jul 20th
Hey So glad I found this sub, I have a side business where I interview successful people. I have been blessed that a few actors, producers and celebrities have agreed to interviews. Other than being a fan of the work I'm a complete noob to the industry. What questions would you ask these people? My focus on success and productivity, however, I want the interview to appeal to people in the industry as well. Plus I don't want to sound like a noob. ;)
“JUST BE YOURSELF!” by Winniehiller • last post Jul 20th
We actors hear this phrase from directors all the time, and quite frankly, it is the worse thing they can possibly say. “Relax, honey...just be yourself!” It makes me tense just reading it and I bet it does the same thing to you. Why? The answer is very simple... First of all, my goal is to be my character...not “myself”. I understand that what I am being told is that I look tense...self-conscious - which is exactly “myself” at that moment. So...I AM being myself!!! If he wants me to be myself, he obviously wants a different one...a more relaxed one. There are many different me’s. And there isn’t only one “you”. So the correct response to that direction is “Which one?” Because the truth of the matter is, we are all a little bit different with each person that we know...every environment, every situation. The secret is deciding which “you” to be. You can’t be them all at once. You have to be one specific “you”...the one that most closely resembles your character in that specific situation...with that specific person. What do I mean by “different you’s”. Well, as a child, you knew if you wanted something from your mother you would go about it a little differently than if you wanted something from your father. You were a different “you” with each of them. Each friend you have brings out different qualities and personality traits in you when you are with them. Some people make you feel funny and everything that comes out of your mouth is hilarious when you are with them. Some people make you feel stupid and you can’t seem to do anything right when they are around. Different people can trigger all kinds of reactions that create different personae within you to emerge. The same holds with different environments. You are a different you in your bedroom than you are in your kitchen...a different you when you are in the hallway at school than when you enter the classroom. A different you when you are in a casting director’s office, auditioning, than when you are having fun with friends. When you are acting, whether it is in an audition or a performance on stage or screen, you are faced with a dilemma. Let’s say you are playing the role of Sandra who is having a conversation with a character named Jane who is being played by an actress named Rita. You don’t know Sandra, Jane or Rita. How in the heck can you “just be yourself” and which “you” should you be? Well, hopefully you’ve had the chance to read over enough of the script to understand the relationship between Sandra and Jane. You discover that Jane is a beautiful woman that has been flirting with Sandra’s boyfriend. Now you are going to be playing the role of Sandra, so you are going to think to yourself...”Have I ever had a situation like this in my own life?” You remember a woman named Ellie. A few years ago at work, you were sure was trying to make you look bad to your boss. She was after your job...flirting with him...setting you up to fail. It’s not the exact situation...but it is similar. You can use it! So as you are reading your lines with Rita you start thinking that she is Ellie. You imagine you are looking into Ellie’s face. She makes you feel the way Ellie made you feel. You use the words in the script to get Ellie to back off...to tell her that you are on to her. Now you know which “you” to be. You are the person Ellie brings out in you. Even when you must play someone very different from you, you must find yourself within the character. Let’s say you are playing a cheerleader’s mother who is murdering her competition on the squad. You would never do this (hopefully). But there is some circumstance in which you would murder. Perhaps if your child was being attacked. So...for your character, her child losing her position on the cheerleading squad is equal to you witnessing a life threatening attack on your own child. You know which “you” you must play. It is “as if” you were saving the life of your loved one. In a way, as actors, we are always “playing ourselves”. We can’t actually “become” someone else. But we can relate to our character’s relationship with the other characters and the situation they are faced with in the scene. It’s one more way to “get into the head” of our character. Think like them. Respond like them. And relationship is one of the most important aspects of any performance. What if you are acting alone? If you are looking into a camera to do a commercial, which “you” are you going to be? You get to choose by deciding which friend or family member you are going to image that the camera is. Do you want to be relaxed, loving, helpful....or firm, authoritative, and demanding? Maybe you want to be funny and charming. Instead of just trying to be those things, choose the person who brings those qualities out in you. When you look into the camera, you are looking into their eyes. You see their smile. They bring out the “you” that is needed. I believe we can use just about every acting technique in real life, and this is no exception. You know how nervous you get when you have a big job interview or a promising date? Your friends tell you to “Just be yourself”. But you ARE “being yourself” even if you are hyperventilating and about to throw up. You just want to be able to be a different “self” in this particular circumstance. So instead of seeing a potential boss or love interest who is judging you, perhaps you can imagine that you are meeting a friend of a close friend who is new in town. You want to make this person feel at home and welcome in a new place. Instead of an interview or date, the meeting turns into a warm “get together” in which you are the host. You put them at ease. You already have a lot in common. There is no reason to be nervous. You are a completely different you...a you that will get a much better response...but nevertheless, YOU. YOU are not just one person. You have a wealth of characters you carry around with you all the time and are at your service when needed. It’s all a matter of choosing which one. And when you find the right triggers for bringing them out...you only need to do one thing. “Just be yourself!” If you have questions, please feel free to ask in the comments below. ❤️