One Quality Every Actor Needs To Become Successful!

written by Benson Simmonds

Yes, there are a few essential qualities that an actor needs to become a star and today we’re going to focus on…. well, let’s just say it’s something permeates every aspect of our culture. It’s everywhere – on billboards, in print, on the streets, in the office, in the home, and of course on TV and film…. did you guess yet?

Yes, it’s sex!  It’s not just that sex sells but as my longtime acting teacher and mentor Ivana Chubbuck taught me, a “star” actor can always find the SEX and the HUMOR in their work.  We’re not talking about looks here, because there are many beautiful people who just aren’t that sexy. If it were just about looks, then every good -looking actor would make it, but they don’t because it’s about much more than that!  Read more

The 4 Principles to Captivating On-Camera Work – Part 3

Written by Jamison Haase, L.A. On-Camera Training Center

Don’t miss out on Part 1 and Part 2!

As an actor, I’m sure you watch a lot of film and television.  But have you really thought about what elements are used to create the performances you love?  Of course there’s talent and hard work, but what technical elements did those actors employ to make the greatest impact possible?

Over the course of the next several weeks, we’re going to distinguish and discuss the four principles to creating amazing on-camera performances, and give you real advice and tips that you can use in your auditions now. Three of these principles you are probably already highly trained in, especially if you worked in theater.  But it’s the fourth that makes all the difference in on-camera work.  It’s the fourth that most actors never learn. And it’s the fourth that can make or break any film or television audition.  Read more

Before and After Each Project: Plan, Act and Reflect

All too often, when you land a role, you’re swept up in the excitement, the newness and the challenges of not only your part but the project as a whole. In the blink of an eye, or so it seems, the play has opened or your moment on set has arrived and there is no time left to pause and ponder over the work you’ve done or the work left to do.

Some actors will write down their thoughts or impressions in a journal or dairy, but without some kind of structured method, their observations will lack focus. Without focus there will be no clarity of analysis and then no way to truly learn from the experience. But you can overcome this with the “Plan, Act, Reflect” method.

Plan

Before the project begins you must do three things: set very clear goals; create a yardstick to measure you’re success and growth; fashion a detailed plan of action. Let’s use the example of you playing a lead role in an upcoming musical-comedy production. Among the several issues you might have during the course of this project, let’s pick just one to focus on – the vocal challenges of playing this role. Here’s what you might be thinking about.  Read more

A Little Rant About the SAG Awards

I liked the SAG Awards last night. They were short and sweet and didn’t have the fluff that most awards ceremonies force you to sit through. My favorite moments were the acceptance speeches from Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis and the cast of Bridesmaids yukking it up.

But, out of all the things I liked, there were 2 things that bugged me.

The first was something about the show in general. As SAG member Pam Munro pointed out to me in an email, the tickets for the awards were, according to their website, $800. “Who can PAY that? Certainly not most of the rank & file!” she said.

I absolutely agree. For most of us, $800 is a lot of change. That’s headshots and prints. Rent. 3 Months of acting classes. One drunken night on Sunset. It’s almost like the powers that be want to keep you and me from attending by keeping the price high, isn’t it?  Read more

The 4 Principles to Captivating On-Camera Work – Part 2

Written by Jamison Haase, L.A. On-Camera Training Center

Read Part 1 of The 4 Principles to Captivating On-Camera Work

As an actor, I’m sure you watch a lot of film and television.  But have you really thought about what elements are used to create the performances you love?  Of course there’s talent and hard work, but what technical elements did those actors employ to make the greatest impact possible?

Over the course of the next several weeks, we’re going to distinguish and discuss the four principles to creating amazing on-camera performances, and give you real advice and tips that you can use in your auditions now. Three of these principles you are probably already highly trained in, especially if you worked in theater.  But it’s the fourth that makes all the difference in on-camera work.  It’s the fourth that most actors never learn. And it’s the fourth that can make or break any film or television audition.  Read more

An Actor’s Credo: Why what we do matters

This is a guest post by Matthew Arkin

This year, many of us are facing financial uncertainty unprecedented in our lifetimes, both for ourselves and the nation as a whole. This can lead to a lot of questioning and soul searching, particularly for those of us who have chosen to follow a career in the arts, a career known for financial instability even during the best of times. Sometimes the voices in our heads can get very loud. We might look at our wallets and ask, “What am I doing with my life?” We might look at our work and ask, “Does any of this really matter?”

So now that the holidays are over, and we are getting back to day-to-day business, I’d like to share some of the thoughts that percolated through my eggnog-and-shopping-crowd addled brain throughout the season.

For me, at times of stress, general questions about goals and ideals in life become more focused into questions about the value and purpose of what we as actors do with our careers. After all, we’re really just storytellers, purveyors of entertainment and diversion. There are serious problems in the world. What are we, artists, doing about these problems? We’re not curing cancer, or housing the homeless, or feeding the hungry.

Or are we?  Read more

5 (More) Things You Know (Even If You Don’t Know You Know)

Written by Anthony Meindl

For the 1st 5 (More) Things You Know (Even If You Don’t Know You Know) column, click here

6) Know The Power of “No” Which Can Really Be A “Yes.”

Life is all about saying yes. But sometimes we have to say no to something externally, but which internally, is an affirmative (“yes!”) declaration of self.

But we’re so often scared to say no to someone because we think they won’t like us or we’ll be rejected for doing so. So we end up compromising our ideals, our integrity, and disregard our inner voice’s knowing, all because of what we think others will think if we follow it. Saying no can be healthy, empowering and self-affirming.

Those people who we’re scared to say no to are not the people who really care for us anyway. So trust your inner voice. Be brave and say no. Look at how often you’re expending energy toward wanting people to “like you.” Spend less time trying to be liked by others and like yourself more.

As Dr. Seuss would say, “Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”

Read more

The 4 Principles to Captivating On-Camera Work – Part 1

Written by Jamison Haase, L.A. On-Camera Training Center

As an actor, I’m sure you watch a lot of film and television, but have you really thought about what elements are used to create the performances you love?  Of course there’s talent and hard work, but what technical elements did those actors employ to make the greatest impact possible?

Over the course of the next several weeks, we’re going to distinguish and discuss the four principles to creating amazing on-camera performances, and give you real advice and tips that you can use in your audition, tomorrow.

Three of these principles you are probably already highly trained in, especially if you are theatre trained, but it’s the fourth that makes all the difference in on-camera work, it’s the fourth that most actors never learn, and it’s the fourth that can make or break you in any film and television audition.  Read more

4 Ways To Make Your Demo Reel Stand Out

Written by Mark Macias

Put yourself in the position of a casting agent. You need to hire an actress for a commercial shoot. She should have a comedic style and must be strong enough to carry a 30-second commercial. Her age and ethnicity can vary, so the actress search is broad.

I’ve posted similar actor ads on Craigslist and received more than 300 emails in the first 10 hours. After the first 20 emails, I have to be honest all CVs and headshots run together – with the exception of one group: actors with a reel.

I will never understand why actors don’t email a reel when they are applying for an audition, yet less than 3 percent of the actors who have applied for jobs that I posted emailed me a video reel. The rest emailed me multiple attachments with headshots and resumes, assuming I had the time to open 5 attachments.

It doesn’t make any sense. A video reel showcases an actor’s presence, acting skills, delivery, voice and style. A headshot just tells me what you look like, but even that isn’t always accurate.  Read more

The 7 Steps To Think Like A Producer So You Can Act For A Living

by Emily Grace

I’ll let you in a secret…when it comes to your acting success, thinking like an actor is probably stalling your career.

How can this be, you may be wondering.  I’m an ACTOR.  That is my job.  How can thinking like an actor be stopping me from BEING an actor?

Well, my friend, I’ve got some news for ya that you may not want to hear.  But, just like a bandaid, we might as well just rip this thing off quick and get it over with.

If you don’t have the auditions, bookings, clout, opportunities or financial security you want from your acting career, than being an actor is not your job.

Your job is to be a producer.

Now – you may literally be a producer of your own content, but you don’t have to be.  What I’m talking about is being a producer of results.  Results like more auditions, more bookings, great connections, and ultimately getting the industry to come to you.

If that ain’t happening, but you’re spending tons of cash on acting class, improv, scene study, on-camera technique or any other class that only focuses on craft, it’s time to put on your producer hat and get serious about treating your career like a bidness.  

Because none of that technique can land you a job if you can’t get in the room to show ‘em what you got.

I’m going to share my trusty 7 steps to think like a producer so you can act for a living.  Read more

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