A visit by Glenn Morshower and talk on BEING PRESENT and Self worth.

In class tonight we had a wonderful guest speaker Mr. Glenn Morshower.  A man with more credits than he needs as an actor, and even more credit as a human being.  Glenn and I had never met but when we shook hands the first time I felt a familiarity.  I felt a comfort, an ease.   As I watched him met everyone he was present at all times.  His observation to the room and his awareness of everyone in the room was wonderful to watch.  We always say, "Man, I am so bad with remembering names," but in reality we aren't really listening.  We are either wondering what's for dinner, or how we are going to introduce ourselves.  His focus was so strong that he could probably name every student in my class before I can.

A Being state, we hear that all the time.  Being present doesn't come easy for many actors.  Now let me follow that by saying being present doesn't come easy for many human beings.  The reality of what we live in our every day modern society has caused many people to shut down so that their instrument isn't as capable of being present.  I don't mean in acting, I mean in just you, a regular everyday human being.  We don't take the time and use our observation to notice the colors, the sounds, the smells, the textures, the taste of the life we live.
Coffee drinkers, when is the last time you sat back and actually smelled your coffee?  I mean really enjoyed that sent that first drew you in.   Practice.  Start using your sences.  Get off your phone and listen to the world, talk to the person checking out your groceries, or go to dinner just to taste the dessert menu.  When you can find yourself being completely present in your everyday life, then it will be much easier to be present while working as an actor.
If you ever get the chance to listen to Glenn Morshower speak, take it.  Even if it is just an introduction, because he will meet you with the same respect he would greet the president.  Glenn and I share many philosophies, but one that I thought was wonderful was his reference to Auditions.  Which may seem like a jump in subject to you, but I completely link his "respect" to his advice for auditioning.  I will leave it to him to tell you his mind frame, and trust me it's worth it.   However, here is my version.  We do not have to seek approval to do something that we already know we are capable of.  As human beings we are all given the same amount of self worth and if you do not consider yourself an equal neither will anyone else.  Change that mind frame and no one can ever look down to see you.  Your objective as an actor may be "I want to book this job", but your action should never be to beg or plead for that job.  We, and producers want to work with people that are on our level, or above us.  No one wants to work with those who we have to pull along with us.  That slows us down.  Again, we are all given the same self worth when we are born.  You are all worth every bit as much as those producers, casting directors, and directors.  Respect them, but do not think they are any better than you are.  You can't play the game if you aren't on the same field.

If you would like to see and hear more about Mr. Glenn Morshower you can check out his website.
www.glennmorshower.com  You can also send me an email or leave a message here on my blog and he will be doing a seminar in New Orleans soon.