5 (More) Things You Know (Even If You Don’t Know You Know)
January 23, 2012 by Lance Carter
Filed under Columns
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.”
You and Steven Spielberg Have More in Common Than You Think
December 8, 2011 by Lance Carter
Filed under Columns
Written by Anthony Meindl
When we’re on the outside looking in, when we compare ourselves to others, when we listen to the glossy, photo-shopped stories the media feeds us about people who’ve “made it,” we often feel like there’s something wrong with us. We lack what other people have.
I remember early on during my spiritual path when I first started learning to meditate (and even after one of my first trips to India), I struggled with questions of faith. I thought I would wake up one day and all my doubts and insecurities would be gone because I was on a “path.”
They didn’t. In fact, they got louder.
And when I compared myself to the images and stories being spun of saints who seemed to have conquered all their fears, I felt even worse about myself.
Similar to when I was in my 20’s starting to act. No one in any of my classes talked about their struggles with the work. It was always about discussing the “character arc” and objectives. Here I was feeling doubt and loathing, excitement and dread – all these contrary emotions – but no one else was talking about them. Read more
Edward Norton on his ‘Stone’ co-star, Robert De Niro
October 18, 2010 by Lance Carter
Filed under Performing Arts News
Edward Norton and Robert De Niro are starring in the new film, Stone. The film, about an inmate trying to convince a corrections officer to grant him an early release, has the two actors battling wits in most scenes.
Norton talked to USA Today about working with De Niro.
“What I love about De Niro is that he’s a master of a level of nuance and inarticulate communication,” he said. “He’s like a savant at communicating things without volumes of words. I think great movie acting is off the lines, and De Niro’s just the ultimate off-the-line actor. It’s never really been about what’s coming out of his mouth.”
He also said that since De Niro is so “insistence on truth” that made his job even harder. “I knew I was going to have to really rock him off his moorings,” he said. “And that meant a lot of improvisation. I was going to have to go at him and at him and make stuff up and be as inappropriate as I can be and just bring as much in against that hard thing that he is. You do better because in some ways De Niro won’t really allow you to do less.”
For the whole article, click here
John Malkovich on preparing for a role and more
October 15, 2010 by Lance Carter
Filed under Acting Tips, Performing Arts News
John Malkovich, currently starring in RED, is someone I wish would star in more studio movies. He just elevates everything he’s in, doesn’t he?
He recently shared some thoughts on how he prepares for a part and more.
How does he prepare for a role:
“I always read a screenplay many, many times. Then when you show up (on the set), you get a sense of what people are doing. And I always look at the whole thing not just at what I’m doing. I look at it and see basically, if I’m a point or a counterpoint in this scene, in this story, at this moment. People often ask me about roles. I’ve done a few films where I had a fantastic role, and even maybe I was OK in it, but if the film isn’t good, you’re much better off not having made it, even if it was a wonderful role.”
On how he like being directed:
“I think there are two schools of acting. Some actors are highly reticent to commit anything to celluloid that is not their choice. They have an idea about it and they want pretty much exactly that or only that. I have nothing against that. Then there’s another type of actor – which is what I am. I would prefer that the director make clear what they want from me.”
On retiring from acting:
“They’ll retire me when it’s time to retire. I will have worked with and had the pleasure of having met some of the most incredibly interesting peoples and some of the most gifted filmmakers around the world. So when they retire me, I’d probably miss the people, but that’ll be that.”
For the rest of the article, click here
Want to be on TV? You have to watch TV!
September 16, 2010 by Lance Carter
Filed under Columns
This is a guest post by Amy Lyndon
It has always amazed me how much actors don’t know what is on television. Do you really think an agent or manager cares about booking you on a $100 a day film? They care about booking you on television. Why? Because that is where they make the most commission. I know most of you would love to be a film actor, but let’s be realistic folks, most of the film actors today started on television.
Also, know the television show you’re auditioning for. What is the format and tone? A lot of times you’ll be reading great, but no one will know how brilliant you are because you’re in a different show. Which is why you have to watch every show. If you want to be on television, you have to watch television. How are you going to have any points of reference if you don’t know what’s going on? Pick up TV Guide, subscribe to it and see who’s working. What are they wearing?
What are the popular hairstyles? If you don’t look like you’re on the show and act like you’re on the show, then why should they cast you on their show? Try not to extend the imagination of the people who are hiring you. Figure out how you can fit into the requirements of the given medium. It’s sad, but you can be the greatest actor in the world, but if they don’t see it with what they are casting, then you’re not going to get the part. It’s really that simple.
Don’t play the waiting game in your acting career!
August 30, 2010 by Lance Carter
Filed under Columns
Written by Dallas Travers
Every actor plays the waiting game. Regardless of if you’re waiting to hear about a student film auditions, an agent offer, or whether or not your pilot was picked up, waiting is part of your job. I know, I know, you’ve been told this a million times, but it’s true. You must be patient while you pursue your dream. Patience is indeed a virtue and it’s one that ironically becomes more challenging to master the closer you get to the finish line.
Develop the Habit
It has been said that it takes 21 days to form a habit. In order to increase your chances of success and avoid show business burnout, you must commit to habits rather than attach to any specific result. You must practice patience.
You cannot control when your agent will call, when you’ll get your big break, or how often those residual checks come in, but you can control your own daily activity. Commit to developing the habits of a successful and balanced lifestyle. This goes back to The Rule of Seven. No one thing you do will make or break you, but you can create success by consistently doing one thing each day.
14 Acting Tips From Jeffrey Tambor’s SXSW Workshop
March 18, 2010 by Lance Carter
Filed under Acting Tips, Columns
Jeffrey Tambor gave his annual Acting Workshop at SXSW this year and no matter what, I was not going to miss it.
I arrived an hour early and was the 5th person in line. When Tambor got on stage, he brought out the stars of Bryan Poyser’s Lovers of Hate – Chris Doubek and Heather Kafka. The idea was to have them do a scene from the film and he would direct it.
Over the next 90 minutes, he would have them act the scene in different accents, make Doubek act like a child, sing their lines and finally do the scene as an opera.
And it made the scene better once was all said and done. His idea is to destroy the scene before you can build it.
Tambor has acting classes in Santa Monica and from what I saw, his style totally inspired me. Watching him is one of my SXSW highlights. I highly recommend taking his class. Click here for the website.
I took a massive amount of notes and below are the best of the best.
1. “In Meet Joe Black, they gave me size 13 shoes. I’m a size 12. I was on my way to do a scene with Anthony Hopkins and I was walking to the set from my trailer. Walking and I just started to sway a little bit. I had been working on the role for a couple of months. On that, maybe, 1 minute walk, he became a lush. And by the time I hit the set, I said to Marty [Brest - the director], “Lets make him about 5 drinks into this, shall we? [Pretending to be the Director, he puts his thumb and gives the 'OK'] That came, literally, from some kinetic thing that I learned to listen to.”
North Carolina Actor Resources
March 4, 2010 by Lance Carter
Filed under
Are you a photographer? Click here
Armin Shimerman: “Luck is a huge factor in every career”
December 8, 2009 by Lance Carter
Filed under Interviews
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:29 — 8.0MB)
Armin Shimerman made his name in television - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Seinfeld, Boston Legal (to name a few) – by playing unique, memorable characters. But did you know his true love is theater?
I caught up with Armin at the tail-end of his run of The Seafarer where he was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to talk about theater, how he prepares for a role and much more!
For ticket information on The Seafarer at the San Diego Repertory Theater, click here!
You’re currently starring in The Seafarer. Even though it’s a short run, how do you keep your performance fresh night after night?
How do I do that? How does any actor do that? By being inspired every night by what the other people are doing and finding new things in the play as we go along. Although it’s a rehearsed and performed piece, there’s always something new. That’s the great thing about live theater, you can always find something new and fresh each performance. The audience and the actors give you things.
How do you choose your theatre projects? Do you have a master list of shows or characters that you want to do somewhere?
I tend to prefer classical theater. That is what I’ve been trained in and what I’ve mostly done and what intrigues me the most. However, I saw this particular play in New York when I was visiting a couple years ago, and it was an incredible production directed by the playwright on Broadway. And when I saw it, after I saw it, I was just absolutely enthralled by it and there was a particular part in it that I really wanted to play. That is not the part that I’m playing, but I was really enthralled by the play. And I particularly wanted to play the Devil, but instead the theatre here, very wisely in my opinion, cast me as Richard Harkin which is the host of the party for want of a better term. And I’m just tickled pink. Without doubt it’ll always be one of my favorite character’s that I’ve ever played.
I’ve heard you’re fantastic in the show.
It’s turned out very well. We’ve had a wonderful director. Delisha [Turner Sonnenburg] did a great job directing it. The theatre has done a terrific job of producing it. And it’s an incredible ensemble of actors.
Jersey Boys Travis Cloer: “I left New York to get a job on Broadway”
November 18, 2009 by Lance Carter
Filed under Interviews
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:40 — 6.0MB)
Travis Cloer, who plays Frankie Valli in the Las Vegas production of Jersey Boys, didn’t have anyone hand him his career.
No, as a struggling actor in New York, leaving the city was probably the smartest thing he ever did. Because when he came back, he landed on a Broadway stage.
Check out how he did that, the differences between Broadway and Las Vegas and what it’s like playing an icon.
I saw the show Tuesday at 6:30 and I thought it was fantastic.
Yeah, it’s a fun show.
Yeah, you guys are great. I guess you can call that an early matinee?
Yeah, it’s weird here because everything’s in the evening. Anything in the afternoon is pretty brutal.
You guys were just on fire and cracking.
Those 2 show days are… you know, everybody is pretty high energy throughout the full day.
How long have you been in the show?
I’ve been involved with Jersey Boys since February of 2007. I was in the Broadway company for about a year and a half, and then they moved me out here last September of 2008.
Did you want to come out here?
It was kind of 50/50. I enjoyed being in New York and being on Broadway, but the role of Frankie Valli opened up out here and they offered it to me, so I kind of had to take it you know.
How do you keep it fresh?
That’s a good question, man (laughter). That is a really good question, especially after almost 3 years. You just really have to – well, a lot of it is what the audience is bringing to you that night. You know, if it’s a great house and if it’s a great audience of course you always feel as a performer to give it just that little bit extra, instead of – you don’t always want to coast on auto pilot. But sometimes you know you get tired. But as far as keeping it fresh, you just, with this show, I find I really enjoy singing the music. And the music itself is fresh to me just about every night on its own.
