Energy is in everything

The more we understand how our world works, the more we are aware of.  The more we are aware of the more we are what is called Enlightened.  Understanding how our Body, mind, and spirit work allows us to create real life inside these imaginary circumstances more freely.  It allows us to let go of all of the labels, and rules we have grown up with that we no longer need.  Becoming more and more enlightened allows us to do away with the BOX..  We no longer need the safety of those 4 walls.  When we understand we are infinite and ever expanding we are free to Create without judgment or guilt.  We no longer worry about others judgements of us either.  

Nothing is Solid -Here is what Quantum Physics tells us.

Intelectual or internal.

Making an emotion or feeling real in your head could mean only your ego knows it..  An intellectual knowledge does not mean you feel it or believe it internaly.  You have to make things personal to you so that they affect you in your stomach or heart.   Love, to the ego is possessiveness and addictive clinging that can turn into hate.  Love to your heart is compassion and caring that can not be taken away.  If your emotions and thoughts are personal then they mean something to you.  Not the "Character" because there is no character..  There is only you..

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.

Does the scene make sense to you?

Do you know what is going on in the scene?  The lines are important because if there is one thing we know about this character, you're reading for it is what they say.   Those lines have to be the truth to you.  However, we also get to find out where this is taking place, who is in the scene with me, what am I doing in this scene, what do I want?  Do I care about any of these other people?  Dig out all the information you can find from the script.  Know as much as you can.  Now you know the circumstances.  Make them real.

Remember that all this information is not something you have to remember or think about when you start the scene.  A simple but specific need has to be there ... something good enough to sustain your drive through the scene.

"Bravery to the point of foolishness is where the magic is.  Whatever happens in the moment is part of the scene, use it." - Will Smith

Acting will never be a dance

If you do not take the time to understand what you are saying and why you are saying it, then why do you think the lines should sound truthful?

I was reminded today how easy it is to learn the lines without ever knowing what you are saying.  It becomes what some people mistake acting as: a dance.  Acting can never be a dance.  Not if you want to truly live.  It must be seamless like life that is being lived for the first time every time.  It can't be choreographed or seem familiar.  Every time I see it, I should wonder what is going to happen next?

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.

Article for parents and working with your kids

I have been working with different groups of kids a few times a week.  And, I know what you're thinking if you're in any of my adult classes...   "How does he tame his dirty mouth?!"  My answer is easy - I am not having to deal with adults that make me cuss!
Really quickly, let me explain why I say "dirty mouth".  In an adult acting class, we have to deal with the real issues that people in almost any lifestyle may have to go through.  If an actor comes in to work on building a character that is a cop, I may tell him/her to start looking into law enforcement.  Go find a friend that is a cop to do a ride-a-long.  Take a course on how to carry a gun.  We also may talk about how it affects you killing someone?  Things that change your life.  I do not judge any walk of life, I just observe it.

Simply stated, what do you think I have to talk about with a woman who decides to build the character of...  Let's say a "HOOKIE", for G rated sake.  My niece used to want to be 2 things in life.  Either work at Walmart or be a "Hookie", because she could wear the click click shoes and dress up.  Anyway, her dreams have changed, I think.  The point is, I focus not on who you are, but the root of how you became that human being.  As adults, we "human beings" don't just grow up and decide, "I want to be a bum!"  Even a bum, at one time, had hopes and aspirations of being astronauts, fire truck drivers, hell when your a kid you even dream to be a "Hookie"!  But, what led them on their path to be who they are now?

As for children, one of my most favorite things is the imagination.  I love a kid who is still allowed to day dream a little.  I don't mean hyperactive A.D.D. action, but the ones that can hear me say what if "insert circumstances".  EX: What if you were a bird flying in the sky?   Kids do not care if they look silly or get judged, they just become and believe what we tell them.  If I tell a child to be something or someone, then they do not judge the character like an adult would.  They do not care what they will look like, or what people will think of them.
Learn to stop judging other human beings; and you can help yourself figure out why or how they became who they are.  Who knows, you may think completely different after you get to know them.  The bible says, "He who has not sinned can cast the first stone."  All of you have sinned; so shut your mouth and stop judging!
EX: If I were playing a serial killer, I would NOT think that I was doing something negative or wrong.  I would understand why I do what I do, and how I became who I am.  Assuming or making negative statements about your character, is what I call "judging a character".  EX: "He is a dumb jock."  Well, maybe he has a learning disability; so I don't think, "I am a dumb jock."  I would think, "I am really good at sports and try really hard in school."  Or "I don't do homework and answer questions because people will think I am not smart, and it's less embarrassing to let them think I am lazy."

We have to let kids keep their freedom and their independence..  If a child looses his/her confidence, they will not feel comfortable doing things out of the box.  That goes for any age of actors.  Confidence is important in this business, but delusion is not.   Just to be clear.  An ego can get in your way every day; so make sure you know the difference when it comes to confidence.

As actors, I have to re-train people everyday that they can be who they are..
We grow up hearing:
-  Ladies don't shout
-  Men don't cry
-  Kids should be seen seen but not heard
-  That's a sin don't do it
The list could go on forever....

Also, per working with kids in acting... Know that just like adult acting, there are different tones of films and tv shows.  If the tone of the show is a 30 minute comedy such as, iCarly, then the style of acting will obviously be different then the tone of a 1 hour episodic such as, TrueBlood.  However, regardless the tone, I must believe you.  If I see you acting happy, then it's bad acting.  If I see you acting angry, then it's bad acting.  If I don't see you acting like anything and all I see is the truth, then you're doing a wonderful job.  As long as you're acting always stems from the truth and not you lying to yourself about feeling a certain way, then you're on the right path.

Any questions or if you would like a blog to focus on anything specific feel free to leave a comment...

Actor/Coach

If at anytime you think you know more, or you know you know more than your acting coach then find another coach.  You can not learn anything more from someone if you think you know more than them.  If you're not sure then approach your work with humility.  If you want to learn more than you will.  If you think you know everything you can learn, then you do.

The Question: What is too much?

Let me start by saying this.  There is never too much for me.  Let me explain that by saying that if it's believable to us then it is never too much.  Many films don't make it because even if the star is great it only takes a few actors to take you out of the reality of the story.

THE MOVIE- it's 3010 and Aliens with asses for faces kiss people and turn them into the ass face aliens.  We are the only human's left.  They call us the whole people race.  We call them the ass-whole people race.  Can we stop the end of the world?

Think that's crazy? I have auditioned for much worse.  However if you are going to take the role it has to be real to you.  It has to be real to everyone.  Creating real life in imaginary circumstances.  That is what we do!

If I don't believe you and your being really big or screaming at me or crying with no emotional attachment then your doing what I call pushing.  It means you are straining your instrument to get an emotional reaction.  Emotions can't be chosen they must arise from the truth.  So, there is never too much unless it isn't real.

It's not about the Audience anymore.

When our venues were only the stage for actors we developed certain training techniques so that the audience could hear us, and see us and understand all of our complex emotions we human beings have.  As a modern day film and Tv actor many of the rules to make us perform are gone.  If we act as though we were on stage we look like fools on the camera. The camera will catch every little nuance in your life.  It is no longer important to worry about the audience.  They are not there, they do not have to hear you or see you.  As a matter of fact if your shooting something that in the script takes place with you and one other person then guess what, it is only important if that other human in the scene hears you.  The Gaffers, and the hair and make up don't care if they can hear you.  Guess what? Your not on set to entertain the people on set.  You are there to truly live in the circumstances they have given you.  If you ever questions yourself, "am I over acting or under acting", then start with the truth.  Do you believe that aliens are coming to get you to suck out your brain?  No?  Then, neither do we.  You have to find a way to make everything real to you.  If you don't know how, then get to an acting class.  Respect your career.  If you think your giving acting a shot by taking some photos and getting an agent to send you on auditions then your wrong.  Doctors don't just give it a shot and try to heal someone.  They go to school, they train, they perfect their craft.  They have respect for what they do.  Have respect for this craft and industry and be willing to learn.  Humble yourself and be like a sponge.  If you don't respect your career then don't expect others to take you serious or respect what you are doing.  In the end this is a job, a career.

More on Character.

A human being takes a lifetime to create.  How do you expect to understand everything about them and their choices in a week?  Furthermore, during that week, you worked on the script, etc. for 3 days out of the 7, and 2 1/2 of those days were spent learning the lines. Those lines may not mean anything to you;  but you were able to memorize all of them perfectly.  Then you get to the audition or get up in class to show a "worked on" project, and all you know is the lines...

Does most of that sound perfect?  Does knowing the right lines mean that you did enough work?  If so, then let me ask you what you would do if the director said, "Now lets throw away the lines and just improv the scene freely" or  "Tell me a little bit about your character".  Would you know what the human being living in these circumstances would actually do?  If you do know what that human being would do, then you are half way there.  Would you be able to live in the moment not thinking of lines, the camera, or the actor/actress across from you that may royally suck as an actor?  We have to create "real life" in imaginary circumstances.

Actors tend to take this the wrong way when you first hear it - "It's not all about the lines".  No, I do not mean you don't need to know your lines.  I am just saying those lines mean something; and a human being usually says something for a purpose.  Real human beings live the way they do because of the way they grew up, and the way their previous choices have made their lives.  Figure out who the human being is whom you are playing, and "HOW" they became who they are.  Then, put yourself (character) in those circumstances.

When you finish with a great scene, you will not know what happened; nor will you probably think you did it right?  The words that come out of your mouth will be - "I feel like I did nothing".  That is when you know you are starting to truly live in the moment.  CONTINUE STUDYING BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THE TIP OF THE PENIS.  I mean iceberg.

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

What do you study? What is your method? Tooo many questions..

Every METHOD to me will work for someone. However, we have to let go of old ways of specific strict methods. Not all actors are a like there for not one method is perfect. I teach for tv and film, to name a method for madness would be like me telling you, "I can teach you exactly what women want"... If anyone ever tells you that. They are lying or ill... Women, replace women with men to get the full picture.

A quick note on Character work..

Remember. There are always at least 3 different ways to learn about your character before you make any decisions. The way you see the character, the way others see the character and the way the writer sees the character. Who the character "says" they are isn't always who they are.  Look deeper.  Most people lie, or don't know who they are at all anyway, it's your job to figure out the truth.

*******VOTE********

Actors, if you've been a studying and or working actor for more than 4 years ongoing, please put a comment below..

QUESTION:  
 If you had a choice, would you wish that your passion in life turned out to be something other than acting?   And, would you follow your dream if it changed from acting in the future?

I will share my answer after a few others step up.



I would like to do this so that new and or green actors can see the thoughts of "veterans. Tell us about career and or following your passion?  Actors should always know clearly what drives their career? WHY are you doing this?

Tip for auditions..

When you walk in the room full of honesty and truth then you have nothing to hide or be shy about.  The lines are only important to the right human being.  Focus on that human being you have created, and notice I didn't say character.   Create a real human being and just go into live.  If you go in and put everything on the table then their is nothing else to hide.   Live raw, live truthfully, and truly talk and listen.   If you trust yourself that you have done the homework, then let go of everything else, let go of all the work and time you have put into this one scene and just live....     Just like your doing now.  You don't have any idea what your going to say next until it comes out..  That's life.  As for acting, every time should be the first time...   Live it.

If you do not understand what I mean in some of my posts, then make sure you are going through a basic technique class.  What I say may mean nothing until you have trained enough to understand it.  But feel free to ask questions also.  If not to me, then to your own acting coach.

"Acting" is the worst name for it. That word makes people do the weirdest things... To live on screen it must be real life to you. Stop the acting, or leave that for the stage.

The moment before.....

Home work for this industry. Making good choices aren't by luck.

When I say "homework", I mean it in so many ways.  Homework starts immediately after you decide to be an actor. This industry is, as I always say - "TOUGH".  As green or "new" people in the industry, you are a target for a way to make a lot of money.  If you don't know what a quality acting coach is, then you won't know if he or she is any good or not.  If you don't know what a quality head shot is, then you don't know who can take a GOOD head shot.  The same goes with agencies.  If you are the consumer, then you should always compare their prices to the industry standards (the average prices of class/headshot/etc).  Also, agents will not charge you to represent them.  They will get a percentage (usually 10% - 15%) of what money you make once you book your jobs while you are working with them.  

Do your homework and look up information on your acting coaches - google them or go to imdb.com and check to see what movies they were in that were speaking roles.  Also, you can maybe find their resume and/or reel online.  Most acting coaches should have a reel, or video clips of them acting online.  If they don't, then maybe they haven't been acting long enough to be coaching you.  Try to find bio's on the acting coach to see if he or she mentions how long they have been in the entertainment industry.  Ask other friends/actors what they have heard, seen, or experienced with them as well.  Most acting coaches will have a time that you can come sit in during class, which should be free, to see if you feel like it is a good learning environment for you.  Do you feel comfortable with the coach?  Is he/she someone you could listen to and learn from?  You should always walk away from class feeling like you got a little bit better and/or learned something.  If you have been with that coach for a more than a few weeks and do not feel like you have learned anything, then maybe you should try another coach.  Go to a few coaches and check out their classes before you settle on one specific coach.  Even some good acting coaches may not be a great fit for you.  Also, ask the acting teacher what type of acting he teaches.  If he says theatre then ask yourself - "Do I want to learn how to act for the theatre, or for film and TV?"  Make sure your dream is the same as what he or she teaches.  An acting coach is not going to get or promise you work.  He is not going to tell you that you will be a star, nor will he get you an agent; but maybe he can help you or give you advice.  However, you have to take the initiative to do that homework also.  

Headshot photography is one piece of the pie that looks a lot easier than it is.  A great photographer, may not be a great headshot photographer.  Go to someone that shoots almost only headshots - it is what they love to do, like you love acting.  Look up some of the best headshot photographers in Los Angeles or New York; and get to know a good headshot.  Check out some of the ones that you really like; and then look in your local market for someone that shoots similar headshots.  The headshots should all be about the person in the photo.  When I say that, (for example) I mean don't wear big earrings unless you are shooting head shots for a certain type of character.  Most of the time you are going to need a headshot that looks just like you do in person.  When a casting director brings you in to their office based on a headshot they saw; then that is who they expect to see.  A head shot shouldn't make you look a lot younger, older, skinner, or sexier.  It should look just like you; so put that in your notes for when you shoot - no big jewelry, loud shirts, or anything that could distract someone from looking at that photo and being drawn directly to your eyes.  

I know most actors think you need an agent as soon as you start - Not true!  Treat this industry with just as much respect as a doctor treated his when he decided to learn how to do what he loved.  An overnight success in this industry is, once again, between seven and nine years; so if you truly want to make it in this industry, then "getting discovered" isn't going to cut it.  Now, agents are going to help get you auditions; but you don't want to go on auditions until you know act or create real life in imaginary circumstances.  Therefore, take a step back; and start by looking for an acting coach.  I say "coach" because most schools don't focus on film and television acting.  If you want to learn how to act in the theatre; then again, focus on an agent that works for theatre actors.  When choosing an agent, check out their IMDB page.  Also, check to see if they have a website that may give you more information on the agency.  Ask anyone you know who is with that agency that can tell you anything more; or you can ask your acting coach which ones are the good ones.  Usually, acting coaches will be up to date and current with what is going on in the industry - at least they better!  This is what they are suppose to be teaching you, as this is what you are paying them for.  That is the business of acting.  If they don't know what is going on in the current industry, maybe they aren't the right coach for you.  Plus, if you are at the point in your career that your ready to go on auditions and show them your BEST, then you should already have a wonderful acting coach that can give you some advice in any and all directions of this industry.

Remind me later, or just come to class.  Then, we can talk about a whole other book.  It's about homework when it comes to all the training and knowledge it takes to become a great actor.  I hope you want to be a great actor - not just a good one.  I don't mean a star.  I just hope that you are in this industry because you love it.  To be completely honest, if it isn't your passion, I don't think you should be an actor.  Follow your passion and your life will be happy.