I Quit!

I quit!   I am over acting, and I never want to do this again.

Every actor that is anything in the world of actors has had this thought.  This can be a tough world, and I cannot tell you how often getting out of the industry all together crosses ones mind.  Those who make it aren't always the best of the actors at the time.  They may not be booking because they are the best for the part.  Some actors make it because they never quit. They were no longer a new face. They were the option that is deserving or that casting knows they can count on.  If this industry truly doesn't make you happy anymore, then quit; and do what makes you happy.  If you feel frustrated, sometimes a break is in order; but if you have a passion for what you do and it makes you happy, then don't give up.  Tough, hard, and disappointment can be things you learn from.  Sometimes you need to clear the mind and the focus.  Sometimes you need to just be.  Just sit there.  Often when frustration sits in, I choose to take a day to myself. Do something "brainless", shut up that brain, and stop letting your thoughts run your life.  You are the observer of those thoughts; and that gives you the right to ignore them.  Understand that attachment to things or your career can hurt you. Work hard, focus, and plan on achieving; but don't form so much attachment to an outcome that it breaks you if you do not achieve it.  Happiness should not rely on anything but you.  Breathe.

%50 Perfect!

My acting coach use to always say, "You are %50 perfect every time if you can just simply talk and listen."  Well, guess what?  Majority of people are not listening to you when you speak with them.  Majority of people are else where in their mind, or thinking about what they would like to say when you are finished yammering on.  Here is a read about Mindful Listening..

MINDFUL LISTENING

A great time to practice mindfulness is when listening to others.  By remaining completely present to what they are saying and avoiding the tendency to be distracted by our anticipated responses or judgements we can notice subtle cues we would normally miss.  Paying full attention to the person you’re talking with allows the best quality of communication to happen and also avoids what’s known as ‘communication anxiety’. The practice requires ‘on the go’ introspection to ascertain whether you have become distracted or preoccupied with thoughts and judgements.Similar to formal mindfulness training, simply bring your attention back to mindfully listening as soon as you discover you’ve been distracted, without any further internal dialogue about your distraction.As Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh suggests, “The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like FLOWERS.

“When your attention moves into the Now, there is an alertness.It is as if you were waking up from a dream, the dream of thought, the dream of PAST and future.
Such clarity, such simplicity. No ROOM for problem-making. Just this moment as it is.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

Intentions go a long way.

Actors- It is our intent that can make a scene great. It is our intent that can cause us to radiate energy to the other actor.. The content is only there to guide you, not confine you.

The Speech

A few powerful words.  Enjoy.

It's not always what you left out, sometimes it's what was already there.

Character work.  It's not always what you left out... sometimes it's what was already there that is causing a separation.  Judgment can be our own worst enemy, but observation is our best.  Human beings are creatures of habit.

Understanding the primal need as a human being can take you to the truth.  Start there.  When your objective stems from a primal need it will be come stronger.

Every human being has a soul, an aura, an essence of who they are.  Don't leave out the soul or you have only created a character not a human being.   Find out what that human being breathes for, what makes him or her tic.  What feeling do you get when you step into the shoes? You have to make those shoes your own. Your choices have to be strong, but let me follow that by saying they have to stem from the truth!!  Don't make your character based on things you made up out of the blue.  Everything has a reason.  Find it.

What inside you is it that is stopping you?  That could be a number of things.  If you are working on a character that may be gay and you have some issue about being gay, then you can't find the truth. If you are taking on the part of a prostitute but you can't get past thinking prostitutes have to be sluty, then you will not create a human being.  If you create a human being based on one word like "slutty", "mean", "dumb" or anything that sheds a negative light on that character, then you are going to create a one-sided character.  Others can call you these names, but not many people call themselves those names.

Take your EGO out of the equation.

How should I say my line?

It should never have to be about how you should say it, or deliver it.  If you ask me as your coach, how should I say this line?  You will never hear me say something that I want you to repeat.  Then I would be teaching you how to take line reads.  I want to focus on the truth of the line.  We will talk about what it means to you.  When the lines mean something to you, then you don't have to figure out how to say it.  It will come out however you mean it.  It may come out a different way every time.  Is that wrong?  No, it's life.  We have free will and every human being has a different set of values.  You must allow yourself to live in them.  For example: My line, " I love you" may come out a thousand different ways.  It only matters to us if it comes out real..  It is up to you to make it real any way you can.

NO ONE CAN SELL YOU A DREAM.

In a career where there is no such thing as a guarantee, you must be strong-willed, focused, and willing to possibly FIRE your friends and/or family.  My acting coach told me this when I first started his classes.  He also told me, "You cannot sleep your way to the top; but you may be able to fuck your way to a good middle."  What I am saying is: you need support, not someone pulling you down, slowing you down, or telling you that you will never make it.

The entertainment industry has many roads that may lead to getting a foot in the door; but in the long run, you have to get started now.  If you have an uncle that has the last name of Cameron, as in James Cameron, then maybe you can take advantage of that.  If you are like the rest of us and do not have any relatives at the top of the ladder, then you better get ready to work and I mean work hard.   This industry is a job - %100 work.  You are basically starting your own business; so you have to know "who" you are and how to market yourself.

First thing to know about acting!!!  GET A JOB!  I don't mean an acting job - I mean get a job that can pay your bills and keep food on the table.  You don't need to party like a rock star - you need to drive a hooptie, if need be, so that you can afford your training and gas to get back and forth to auditions.  This industry is not glamorous unless you are Brad Pitt.  Otherwise you are not making a lot of money; and you need to know how to save it.  You don't need to like your job; but if you want your career to be acting, then you have to pay to play right now.  I call acting my habit, like a drug habit, because I had to keep a regular job to pay for acting class and keep myself afloat between acting jobs.  Eight years is considered an overnight success; so if you are in a rush, then strive to be a burger flipper at McDonald's and it won't take as long to reach your dreams.  No one is going to give you anything; and if you are waiting around to get discovered, then just quit now.  I am not here to discourage you, but to give you the honest truth about this industry. 

Extra work - it isn't a bad gig.  If you are a green (new) actor, then do some extra work and learn what happens on set.  Learn the roles of everyone and what their job entails.  Pay attention to the lead actors, and see how they handle themselves.  Hopefully you are watching a professional who isn't an asshole.  After you have done it a while or when you start auditioning for real acting roles (speaking parts), then you may need to get out of extra work!  You don't want to meet a director on set as an extra, then go in for an audition for them the following week.  It's ok every now and then if you need to catch up on some bills; but overall, in a perfect world, get out of extra work.  There is no job that is not good enough.  You need money; and you need to know how and where to spend your money.  You also need to know how to do your homework before you spend any of your money on photos, acting coaches, etc.  NO ONE CAN SELL YOU A DREAM.  NO ONE CAN MAKE YOU A STAR.  NO ONE GETS DISCOVERED.  If it were that easy, then you wouldn't want to be an actor.

Remember acting is a journey, not a destination.  Enjoy your trip!

Directors this one is for you... Touch for an actor at the end.

As a director sometimes we want to be really detailed in our vision of the scene.  We already know where we want to shoot from, where we should light the actors, and what the physicality of the scene should already be.  Just like an actor we must not give ourself physical and emotional decisions and choices until we see what the scene's potential is.  If you have done a wonderful job in casting then give the actors a chance to create the real human behavior and movement of what that scene may be.  After you see what and where it could go then make your decisions, then see where you want to set up camera, you may see some wonderful and beautiful natural shots that you would not have seen if you would have projected your expectations of the scene on the actors.  Plus many times when a first time director gives directions they only give the physical direction which takes away from the natural human behavior of the actor.  It puts the actor in their heads about what they should physically be doing and they stop living.  I am not saying do not direct, but direct after you see what the natural blocking of the scene may become.  Film and television is not a stage play, it is human life and behavior that as a director it is our job to capture that reality on film.  Learn to direct an actor by choices, and objectives, keep them living, not roboticaly walking through the scene and spitting out lines that someone put on a page.

As for the actor, do not try to become the director.  Do not try to act the scene the way you see it in your head, if you do then you have now become a stage play.  You took any chance of that scene being real right out of the equation.   Live in the moment.  The blocking and the emotions must come from a natural state of being.  It must come from living in those circumstances.  "ACTING-creating real life in imaginary  circumstances."-A.S

The moment before.....

A Professional Acting Resume

My resume is below and it is a great set up for a professional resume.  As professional actors we must keep everything up to par.  Our talent, and respect for our career is super important but understanding the business side of our industry is just as important.  I just want to cover extra work on our resume and imdb page for now.

I have nothing against extra work, however if you are wanting to be a professional actor that goes after principal speaking roles then you can not put your extra work on your resume or your imdb page.  Producers and directors do not think you are any better of an actor because you have done extra work, if extra work is on your resume then they think you are green in this industry.  Green is what we call anyone new to the industry.  It is more important to have a professional resume than it is to have a resume filled with extra work.  I also hate to bust any bubbles,  but featured extra work, is still extra work.  Having your training displayed is very important and working in small independent films to grow your resume is very important.  We can not jump a head of ourselves in this industry.  The work is still important.  Also find an acting coach that you like that you can learn from continuously.  Having a long list of workshops and coaches on your resume is not looked highly upon.  It just looks like you have a lot of mixed opinions coming at you to what acting really is.  Find one, learn, and continue learning.  On your resume next to that coach put (ongoing)  that way people know that you are always studying and getting better.  Every actor always has room to improve.  Don't let your ego stop your career from growing.    I hope this helps.

Some wonderful words by my students. Thanks..

Just a few messages I have gotten from a few of the students. Thank you guys for working hard, it makes me proud to be your coach.

dean.

I had a great time last night. Looking forward to next week.
K.S.A.

Class has been phenomenal btw I love it. Hope you have a blissful day.
R.P.

Good class tonight! I thought it moved at a good pace and you worked well with each group; giving each of us our personal time.
Just a kudo for the teacher!
T.L.K.


Guys if any of you from the classes want to say anything about the class please feel free. Also if you guys ever have questions on any of the postings feel free to make a comment and I will get back to you in time.

A great Prop!

A prop is anything you may use in the scene. There is no such thing as a great prop or a bad prop.. A prop is just a prop. Lets take a book for instance. If the book is in a scene with you and you are reading the book then it is just a book. "If" you are truly reading it. As soon as you act like your reading and are just skimming the pages or aren't truly reading, your just holding the book to act like your reading... Then it is a BAD prop. Because now I am watching you fake read, and that bothers me. That is not truly living, that is bad acting. A prop should never be more important than you. If the prop becomes more important than you or the story line, then you are not using it correctly..

What does Living in the moment even mean?? What does that even mean?

Acting is what we call "creating real life in imaginary circumstances." When we say that, we mean that you must now understand what your life would be like if you grew up in the same circumstances of your character (life, love, beliefs, etc, etc, etc, list could go on forever if you focus on the details ... and you should). After understanding that, you should try to live at this point in time. The CURRENT. Living in the moment. Living in the circumstances that have been given to you by the script for each scene. Each scene being nothing more than a person living their life at that point and time. You should not have to act. You do not have to worry about anyone getting you on the sound system. Your job is not to make sure the light is hitting you right. You are not suppose to be acting at all. Because with a close up of a camera we can see if you are trying to act, or if you are just living and searching for that objective ... that thing you need or want. Stop worrying about learning your lines so much until you have understood what it is you want. If you sound like a broken record every time you re-do the scene with the same rhythm, the same pauses and stops; then you are not living in the moment, you are just re-enacting the scene you have directed in your head. Guess what? You are not the director; and that is not your job! Don't make emotional choices, and plot out your future. The future should always be able to be forgotten like you never read the script. The lines should come from you talking and listening to the other actor while you are in search of this need you have... So, stop acting. Acting will only get you to the stage. That is not where all actors want to go.

So, what does living in the moment even mean? Living in the moment is being able to forget all of the work and dedication you should have put into learning this character so that you do not have to think about being anyone else. You should live just like you are living now. While you read this, there was no acting. You were just reading at a computer or reading on the toilet. Whatever it is you do with your time is not my bag. The point is that you were not thinking of anything that is coming next in life because we should not know it.

A sense of time in this industry. .....HONESTY.....

Many actors never get to hear the truth about this industry until you have spent close to 7 years or so in it. I had an honest and wonderful coach. Lucky me. I agree with my coach, I like for my students and other actors to know the truth right when they decided this is the career they want.

Truth: Acting is not a dreamers industry anymore. The reality of this industry is that it is tuff, ruff, and full of NO's. Please don't take the No's personal, but get use to them so that you can move on and focus on learning what acting really is. If you have no respect for your career and you think it is suppose to move super fast, and you don't need class, and you don't need to work every day at perfecting your craft then you might as well quit now. I think I have served my students well if after a while of studying with me they either decide to work super hard for their career, or quit. If this is not your passion, and at any point you feel that your passion has changed, then follow it. In the long run just be happy. But please, have the respect for your career that a doctor has for his, or a pro athlete. He doesn't sign up and they throw him a scapulae and a liver. He studies for many years before he even gets a chance. Pro Athletes practice almost every day of their lives! They practice for a living!!!

You can not fail until you have given your self a chance.

And don't listen to all those damn groups, schools, and ads that say they will get you in Twilight or any of that bull shit. Just find an acting coach that you believe in and trust. Get to work! Learn what you want them to hire you for. Then hang on, because it's a long road. Know that I am not saying you can't make it shorter, but you do it by working harder. Not by waiting around, and not by someone discovering you. Sorry if there were any Bubbles that just got busted, but know you can make your decision knowing more honesty.

Older actors feel free to leave a comment on this one.

Auditions.

A few quick notes about auditions. Remember, majority of the time, the casting director is not making the final call on whether you get booked or not. The producers that watch the tape will be making those decisions. With that being said, make sure your reader is close to camera so that your eye line gives whomever watches the video the best seat in the house.

Also, the most important thing about that audition is to talk and listen. Be there, in the moment with the reader. The lines should always be secondary. I would rather see you live in the given circumstances for the 3 minute audition instead of getting all the lines right... That's what the call back is for.

Acting is not about memorizing lines and spitting them out.. Anyone can memorize lines. You have to live.

Also, just a tip for sanity. After the audition, forget about it. Move on in your life. You will only hear about the audition again if they bring you to callbacks. Trust me, going over the audition time and again in your head will only drive you insane.

If you can afford it, go to a private coach to get help with your audition. Trust me, the money is worth it. Even if you don't book the role, you want to go in and do a wonderful job every time so that the casting director becomes a fan of your work. Casting directors will then bring you in to read way more often. Remember, if they are bringing you in time and time again, then they like you! Don't get mad if you are not booking just yet. They are at least looking for the right role for you. Keep your head up and continue to study. An actor should always be in class, as continuing education is very important!

reply: One on One vs Class room setting?

This was a reply to an email that was focused on whether I thought a Class room setting or a one on one setting is the best for actors...

My passion happens to be acting; and I come from many years in the industry on many levels, as well as many years of studying with a wonderful and amazing coach. With that being said, I am in the hopes that I can train some wonderful actors here in Louisiana, so that we have a quality talent pool for producers and directors to choose from.

There are only a few coaches that I would recommend in the Louisiana area. If you need some advice, I am more than willing to help you. As for me, I do think every actor is different; and that is one of the reasons I do not teach a specific method. If I did teach only one method, then I would be saying that there is a perfect way to teach TV and Film in that method alone. I think most of the methods were devised for stage; so to use methods that were devised years before my creative venue(tv/film) was even invented, would be wrong.

As for class settings, there are benefits to both one on one coaching, as well as a class full of students.

I think one on one is wonderful when you focus on an audition or rehearse and prep for a role you booked. It is also interesting, later on, when you have moved past the basics and are delving deep into your work. Even then, many things can still be done in a class setting for others to learn and for you to share.

A class setting is one of the best ways to learn and to absorb the fastest. Our jobs as actors are to be observant and pay attention to the human condition and to create truthful behavior. How better to do so than with a nice group of people to observe? I think many actors find they learn more by sitting and watching a scene or waiting until I speak about the scene rather than sometimes being in the scene themselves. Sometimes it is easier to see your own problems in someone else's work. However, you also have the advantage of working with many different personalities and walks of life that you would not have in a one on one session. Then once you are in the scene study class and you need to work on a scene, there is no hesitation from "living" in front of people in your imaginary circumstance. Acting is- creating real life in an imaginary circumstance.

One of Dean West's Reels

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgikE76q4SU

Truthful behavior.

A scene is not impressing because an actor can cry on spot, or he/she can scream at the top of their lungs.  A dying mother does not make me feel for her because she can do a wonderful fake choke with ketchup like blood coming out of her mouth.   I will be moved, and feel emotional when I see an actor or actress truthfully and without a doubt go through the pain and unmistakable fear of loosing a loved one.  If it is not truthful and you are lying to me, then I will feel that I was cheated out of my 12 bucks that it cost to come see your movie, or performance.   I don't want to see you act, I want to real life...  Live, stop all the acting.

Every Day.

As today began you were given a chance to pursue the career of a life time. The career of your dreams. Focus and know that this career is not for everyone but those who choose it know that it is a long road and a lot of work. Respect for acting. Prove it, and get to work.  Seven to eight years is an over night success.  If you succeed you get paid way more than a doctor so why should your schooling be any less.  Find an acting coach and get to work.  Even if you are a great actor, a trained actor is a step ahead of you every day.-DW

As an actor and teacher of modern day and age medium-film & Tv

Unlike the old days when you could take all morning to getting back into your character or building up the anger;  we don't have that kind of time or patients.  As an actor of modern day and not in the theatre of acting, I know that if I am going to work in TV and FILM, then I need to be able to access my emotions quickly, and in a controlled way because of filming.   In that case, I can't use past events or issues that I myself have not dealt with because their is no control.  We must be able to move on to the next scene.  I don't mind if you stay in character all day, but you need to be able to control your emotions.  If we loose you for 20 minutes because you brought up an issues for you and can't stop crying; then you just cost production a crap load of money. If your in a play or in class, then yes feel free to ball your eyes out because if its going to let you deal with it in class instead of on set then by all means let it out.  Class is a free space to try anything, if you never fail horribly then you haven't taken enough risk to be great!