A response to a Frequently Asked Question
I am asked, with discomforting frequency, what style of acting I teach. There is no "style" of acting, there is only acting. There is no acting technique. For the beginning actor there is a technical way of approaching the fundamentals which, when practiced enough, becomes a technique but with years of serious practice even that eventually evolves into second nature.
The concept of an acting method came out of the studies of Konstantin Stanislavski who was the first to codify the common characteristics of the great actors of his time. Armed with what he had gleaned from watching great actors work he began a lifelong experiment of training young actors in those same common characteristics. It was a method of training and not a method of acting.
It happens that the actors trained by this approach had difficulty working with anyone not trained their way and that gave rise to the disdainful label "method actors." That is the direct result of dependency upon the technique opposed to the independence of the artist.
Painters have to learn the technical properties of paint, color, composition, and subject matter but after solidifying their understanding, through repeated experimentation, must rely on talent and instincts to paint. That's our approach to acting. Likewise, the musician must learn scales, chords, harmonies, progressions, etc. but finally plays the composition out of feeling the music and listening to the other musicians in the group. That's our approach to acting. The dancer has bar work where the fundamental movements of dance are repeated until they can be performed perfectly then are choreographed into a continuous fluid motion subject to the individual dancers' talent and physical development. That too is our approach to acting.
The masters of these arts, like the master actor, make their work look like they're doing nothing at all. They have trained and worked at their art to the point that their efforts are as organic as breathing; instinctual, involuntary but controllable. We marvel at what they do, the clarity in their work, the depth with which they work, and the ease with which they handle the most difficult assignments.
Some people are better at each of these things than other people. The better of them are called 'talented' but it is really the integration of talent and training that makes one person supremely better at a thing than another.
Every kid can throw a baseball in some way but my cousin was good at it right from the start. When he got some coaching and practiced those fundamentals he became astounding. He did not however, get very good coaching and he did not have a passion for pitching so his name remains obscure among great pitchers.
When I interview a potential student and they give me all their logical reasons why they want to become actors, or were born to become stars, or were told by their high school drama teachers how wonderful they were, I listen very carefully and encourage them to look at all the training opportunities before making a decision. When someone comes in and watches the class work, which is not unlike watching amateur body builders lift weights, and he or she comes to me after the class, and cannot talk sensibly, and hasn't a single sound reason why they want to become an actor or study with us, I smile from deep down inside myself then try to explain when they can start; knowing full well they're not hearing a single word of it. Sometimes, out of sheer devilment, I will ask one of the latter why they want to become actors. They stumble and mumble something about this or that but finally the words, "I don't know," come out and I know I've found a real actor.
Talented people have no idea why they do the thing they do. Ask Eric Clapton why he plays guitar, or Pavoratti why he sings. They'll look at you like you just grew a second head. These people, like all great artists, are compelled to pursue their arts by an unnamable passion that drives every move they make. I say this in class from time to time, "Once you've made the decision to be an actor for the rest of your life all of your other choices and decisions become very easy." To say it another way, if being an actor is the central issue in your life, all other issues revolve around that or they are no issue at all. That's why actors can deduct almost anything from their income taxes because they never know what will influence them, what will enlarge them, what will give them a new insight into human behavior, their own or someone else's.
For the purposes of training we define the talent of the actor as the individual's sensitivity to that which is taking place outside of themselves. If a person is easily emotionalized by the behavior or emotion of another person, if that person permits themselves to become emotionalized by imagining something meaningful, at least we know that such an individual has the basic humanity necessary to build his or her acting on.
Now, let me say this, there are a great many people on television and in the movies who have none of what I've just described. These people may have remarkable personalities, or commercial looks but they must not be confused with actors. People in the movies and on television are almost always cast because of the way they look. This practice is part of what is called 'dramatic shorthand.' That means if a person looks like a bad guy all that the director has to do is show a picture of them, have the music play a minor chord, and the audience knows they're the bad guy. There is no need to add dialogue or a scene that tells the audience who this person is in the scheme of things. Movies tell stories through pictures so the way a person looks helps to tell the story.
A great many things are done in photographing and editing to accommodate a person who looks right for the part but has none of the emotional depth required of the role. You may see a single tear roll down the cheek of the bad guy when his dog gets hit by a car but you don't see the make-up artist off screen who just squirted an irritant into the model's eyes. The single tear rolling down the cheek is a favorite shot of young directors. Notice I called the bad guy in question a model. That's what he really is in this context. The same way a fashion model is used to display how a garment looks on a person, our bad guy is being used by the director to display how a person feels or behaves in a meaningful situation.
Make no mistake about this, plays and movies are written about meaningful human situations. Even if the story is about a pig the writer and director will give the pig human characteristics and place them in meaningful human situations. The absolute bedrock foundation of our approach to acting is that art expresses human experience.
One more thing, don't confuse the way our model was photographed and edited with talent. Most of the time a director can "shoot around" a bad actor who looks right in the role. By photographing the reactions of a good actor when the bad actor says a line the director is able to show the audience some real human responsiveness even when a line is delivered badly. Then, in post production a good delivery of that line, sometimes performed by a voice-over artist and not the bad actor at all, can be spliced in so that the story has emotional continuity. Many times a director will shoot a great deal of film on the bad actor in the hopes that they can get a few seconds of truthful responses to splice in where needed. This is called, "coverage" and requires a lot of extra takes and sometimes shooting the actor in question when he is not aware that the camera is rolling, or by shooting the rehearsal. With a lot of film in the can a good editor can make even the worst actor look like they're having a real experience at least part of the time. In short, bad acting is very expensive because a lot of extra film has to be shot and a lot of extra time is spent in post production. A good actor, irrespective of looks, is a genuine asset to a film or television production where finished costs start at $10,000 per second.
A real actor will rise to the top irrespective of their looks. A story may be re-written to accommodate a real actor's looks. Stories may be written from scratch in order to showcase an individual actor's abilities. An individual's look and/or personality can change the whole meaning of a story. Case in point: Sylvester Stallone was the first choice in casting Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop. Imagine how that story would have changed if Mr. Stallone had been the final choice in casting. It was the free responsiveness of Eddie Murphy, a stand up comic by training, which gave that story its sense of fun and contrast with solving a complex and serious crime. Mr. Murphy's good looks and remarkable personality gave the story its charm and energy. He would never be cast in a role that demanded any real emotional depth. For that the casting director would be told to find a young, good looking Morgan Freeman.
I have gone into all this detail to give you some background to understand the following: there are only two styles of acting; good and bad. So, the answer to the question, "What style of acting do you teach?" is, "I teach good acting." One of the first things taught in our classes is that difference.
It is not in the best interests of most acting schools to teach their students the difference between good acting and bad acting. If the students can clearly define that difference they will soon seek training elsewhere. Almost all acting schools, particularly college acting programs, are in the business of selling their classes, not in teaching acting. Test that yourself. If, when you interview to enter an acting school they ask for a lot of personal information about your financial status or want your email address and phone number for the purposes of marketing then they are in the business of selling their classes. They don't even care if you ever learn to act. It works in the best interests of acting schools if the teachers are perceived as knowing some magic secret and will only tell students that secret after they have paid a considerable amount of money for that knowledge. Let me further point out that only a minority of these schools is intentionally out to defraud the actor. Most teachers of bad acting were themselves taught badly. Colleges in particular are filled with amateurs, teaching amateurs, how to be amateurs. College drama programs are a great place to experience process, to get experience in production and learn how to succeed in large bureaucratic organizations like colleges. No one who has ever had any real success acting professionally is going to take the pay and ego cuts required of being a college teacher. Those who show up at a studio, an agency, or a casting call with a college diploma in acting are at a disadvantage in hiring. Finally, anyone can open an acting school. There are no credentials required, they don't even have to have a business license.
Acting is extremely complex and to make it look real and natural takes time and an enormous volume of correct practice. The relationship between teacher and student in an acting school is intimate and complicated. Don't misread that as meaning anything but this: ours is a process of self discovery and those moments of discovery are impossible to predict as each student progresses at his or her own rate. The teacher points the student in the general direction of great acting then demands that the student find their own way there. The student must search for what is personally, emotionally, imaginarily meaningful to them and be able to integrate those discoveries into their work. The teacher is there to keep the student going in that general direction by making sure that their practice is correct and by progressively adding elements of difficulty for the student to master incrementally.
Movie making in particular is a chaotic environment within which to function as an actor. The actor must be trained to work with selfless concentration amidst that emotional chaos. Most especially, when surrounded by people who were cast for their looks versus their capabilities, the actor has to be fundamentally rooted in good acting practices in order to function and do their best work. A solid foundation in the fundamentals of good acting, years of experimentation, practice and practical experience, and an organic (not intellectual) understanding of the acting problem and its solution are the artists' salvation.
Whether it be medicine, law or bricklaying, a first-rate education in the principles of any given trade is essential. The field of acting is certainly no exception. But, for the young actor, finding a legitimate training ground can be like looking for a needle in a haystack of needles. While in the area of medicine or law there are obvious credentials necessary to teach, when it comes to teaching acting, anyone can put up a sign and go into business. So what does the young actor do to make sure his time, money, energy and good faith are placed in the right hands?
Research.
A good beginning in solving this puzzle is to do some serious research. There are many books which deal with beginning an approach to the business and craft of acting. A very good example of this kind of book is All You Need to Know About the Movie and TV Business by Gail Resnik and Scott Trost. The Working Actor's Guide, LA
1999: The Complete Resource for Performers and Other Industry Professionals, lists all the acting schools and teachers in Los Angeles and gives thumbnail sketches of what they offer. These books are available via
Amazon.com, Samuel French and other bookstores.
Another kind of research is the serious study of theatrical history and the biographies of the finer actors. This research serves to acquaint the young aspirant with background to the craft lest he fall prey to the frauds who people the market of acting training. For instance, when I was very young I read voraciously about the actors I admired and knew by age 15 that I wanted to begin my training with Stella Adler since she was Marlon Brando's teacher. I also knew that Harold Clurman was the founder of The Group Theater, one of the most acclaimed theaters in American history. So, soon after beginning with Miss Adler, I enrolled in one of Mr. Clurman's classes. This very early exposure to
some of the best minds in American theater has served me well over the years.
The Word on the Street
While research is vital, there is another and perhaps even more valuable effort one can do. Ask. Ask other actors, ask people in the business: directors, agents, casting directors, etc. The more you ask the better. When certain places start turning up on everyone's lists it means they're worth checking out. Some of the larger agencies have what is known as a "short list" of acting schools. They know, first-hand, from their clients, which training in town is producing the working actors.
What's In a Name?
This might be a good time to mention that I studied with Stella Adler personally, not in a building with her name on it.
I would not put much stock in a name is on a building. It certainly appears that over the years, as the giants of American acting either died or retired from teaching, there has been no scarcity of those willing to capture their names and continue to trade on their reputations.
While some of these may be legitimate teachers in their own right, it is up to the young actor to ascertain, for himself, before naively signing up for classes, just what the school offers and not that it has a famous name attached to it. One young actor told me a story of interviewing at a school and being told by the teacher, "The name on the building speaks for itself." The name on that building cannot talk and will never watch you act or explain to you what needs correction in your work.
Beginning to Look
Once you've gotten to the point where you're ready to look at the schools, first-hand, it's time to make some calls and set up appointments. Some classes permit "auditing,." which is sitting in on an actual class in progress others permit only an interview in which the student is told about the school and then expected to make a decision on that basis. There can be a lot of pressure in both of these situations to enroll. Remember, it is your career, wait until you are positive and genuinely enthusiastic before you commit yourself. It should go without saying that the "audit" is a preferable situation for it allows you to actually see what you'll be buying. Imagine if cars were sold, not by going to the showroom and seeing them and taking test drives, but by simply having a salesman describe all the features to you and then expect a down payment, sight unseen.
What to Look For
An acting class is made up of four elements. (1) The technique or approach to acting that is being taught. (2) The teacher. (3) The students. (4) The program. Let's look at these in detail.
The Technique
There are many approaches, methods, techniques to the craft of acting. Stanislavski was the first to attempt to codify what all good actors had in common and devise a training system for actors out of those commonalties. This technique was introduced in this country by several Moscow Art Theater actors who remained in America after their first Broadway engagement in 1913. These actors became the first teachers in America of Stanislavski's system. Among the young Americans who studied with one or more of these teachers were Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler and Harold Clurman. This approach to acting had its first real trial and success on Broadway through the work of the Group Theater (1931-41). Out of the Group Theater, came all of those recognized in the forties, fifties and sixties as the premier teachers of acting in this country. Each devised their own approach to teaching out of the principles they learned and practiced in The Group. These teachers included Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner and Robert Lewis. It is difficult to find a major actor of that period who did not study with one or more of these teachers. Brando and DeNiro worked with Adler, Pacino and Newman with Strasberg, Gregory Peck and Robert Duvall with Meisner, Meryl Streep with Bobby Lewis. The question which arises out of this little history lesson is, "Is the technique offered in the class you're considering a proven one with a track record of success?"
The Teacher
Once you're aware of the technique being offered the next obvious questions are: Does the teacher know anything about it? What is the real background of this teacher with this technique? Did they study personally with experts? If so, for how long? Does the teacher have a track record of success? Can they produce a list of names of real working actors who were in their classes for a significant amount of time? There is an old cliché, "Those who can't, teach," it contains a certain truth but about poor teachers not good ones. Lee Strasberg directed Pulitzer Prize winning successes on Broadway and in his later years acted to great effect and acclaim. Stella Adler was one of the top actresses on Broadway. Sanford Meisner acted successfully on Broadway and in films until a throat operation limited him to just teaching. Robert Lewis also acted on Broadway and directed successfully for years. These were not teachers "who can't." They were in and around the theater for years and their teaching came out of first-hand knowledge of working in the profession. It is a sad truth that the vast majority of those professing to teach acting today have rarely, if ever, had a real acting job. They have not been paid to act either on stage, in film, or television, except perhaps in very minor ways. Their interest in teaching has sprung out of their failure in the profession. Would you really want to learn your craft from someone with no first-hand experience or success in the field in which you hope to work?
The Students
This is a vital element in every class. Acting is a group endeavor. It is always done with others, working as a team. It is common knowledge in sports that if you play with others who are better than you there is a tendency to improve as you are challenged and have good role models. You will find in your search for classes that the good people have a sixth sense, and they know where to go. They can be recognized because they work hard, have a professional discipline, always come to class prepared and are seriously in the profession (they have agents and work). They are well groomed and their demeanor tells you they're serious. You can't make good progress if you are in a group that doesn't take their work seriously. So, you will want to study and examine the student body and determine if these are real professional people or flaky dilettantes.
The Program
Examine carefully what is offered in terms of progressive training. You should see a program which constantly challenges the actors and forces them to grow. Does the class remain at the level of simple exercises, or does it progress to scenes and plays? Does the program offer contact with leading actors as well as agents or directors who come in and offer advice, or is the instruction limited to just the one teacher? Are you given the opportunity to try out what you're learning in front of audiences, or do you just remain in the protective hothouse arena of the classroom?
Time to Begin
You've found a class. The teacher has a real background and a record of success. The technique is a proven one. The students you'll work with are serious and talented. The program offers progressive and continuous growth. Now you must do your part. The old axiom, "you get out of something what you put into it," is no more true than in the student actor situation. You must give your professional best to this situation. Devote all your time and energies to the learning process. Rehearse diligently and always come fully prepared for class. Take notes. Read every theatrical book you can get your hands on. Study every piece of good acting you can find, on-stage and in the old classic films. Study all art, for all is relevant to you as an actor. Give it your absolute all and pay the price for success and who knows--we may be watching you someday soon.
-- Robert Carnegie is the Founding Director of Playhouse West School and Repertory Theater in Los Angeles. He has appeared in and/or directed over 100 plays in New York and Los Angeles and starred in both film and television
The preceeding article was published in West Coast Casting magazine.. Permission to publish this article, for seattleactingschool.com, was granted by the author.
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It's like a freakin' virus...a disease...a sickness which is creeping into every crack and crevice in Hollywood (sounds like an ad for a horror move - kinda is).
Yes, now Actorsite has caught the Weekend Workshop bug and is hawking their new HOLLYWOOD ORIENTATION WEEKEND.
"for those of you planning on moving to LA sometime in the next few months or years, we've put together a special event for you"
Sound familiar?
Friday night: orientation
Saturday: casting director cold reading workshop
Sunday: another CD workshop and a PHOTO and RESUME seminar
Sound familiar?
"This is all a comprehensive approach, and will let you test the waters..."
Sound familiar?
"...you can learn about what happens in LA without a lot of BULL!!!"
Sound familiar?
and they even provide info regarding offer hotel accommodations!
Sound familiar?
Hello? Dear ACTORS of the world, you should NEVER pay to MEET and AUDITION for casting directors, or their associates or their assistants or their coordinators - no matter how "inexpensive" it is.
And I GUARANTEE that you will NOT "learn about what happens in LA" in 2 days of cold reading workshops.
That's a ridiculous notion!
In my opinion, this COLD READING ORIENTATION is yet another way to capitalize on the naive and inexperienced actors outside of the LA market, by selling the sizzle.
They've taken their cue from another well-known enterprise, realizing the profit in the unsuspecting and uninformed. what a HUGE, untapped market! the potential for making oodles of dough on these actors is mind-boggling!
Don't ya just love "entrepreneurs"?
It is a generally acknowledged fact that actors who participate in these kinds of events walk away hundreds of dollars poorer, in return for meetings and auditions with casting staff, some of whom are assistants whose advice and counsel is completely SUBJECTIVE, and generally unqualified.
SO...
I will personally offer some advice to actors, HERE and NOW... and for FREE!
This is for actors who are both new to the business as well as seasoned pros, but
I want to specifically direct my advice to actors new to LA, or those who plan to make the move soon. this advice is coming from ME, a casting director who does NOT take money from actors to meet them, and who has cast hundreds of films, TV shows, plays and commercials since the mid '80s.
Copy, paste and print this next section...it will save you thousands of dollars.
I GUARANTEE it will.
===================
The money you spend as an actor should be spent wisely, and should be directed where it will have a genuine impact on the development of your career as an actor.
1) WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS
Don't pay to meet and read for casting directors ever - unless they are qualified teachers who are offering a *real* class with a written curriculum and lesson plan. NOTE: There are very few of those kinds of classes around, and workshops will imply that one-night workshops with
assistants are "classes". Don't fall for it! Weekend seminars or one-night "workshops" offer little real-world advice, and there is generally ZERO teaching provided. Having a casting assistant watch you do scenes, and occasionally offer a comment or critique can NOT be characterized as teaching. And for the majority of those who attend, no acting work will come as a result. The slim
possibility of a short term payoff will not offset the money you spend. The workshops will make claims of success and provide a dozen testimonials, but it's an ACTING LOTTERY. Thousands of actors pay for the small percentage who get jobs. And ironically, most of the actors who do get those jobs, would probably have gotten them anyway. You may put as many quarters in that machine as you like, and pull the handle over and over, but the ones who benefit the most from your gambling are the workshops and the casting assistants.
2) MASTERMIND GROUP
Create what I like to call a MASTERMIND GROUP. This is a group of people who have the same goals and aspirations as you. They can be old and young and men and women and even children. A MasterMind Group can be two people or 100. But they must want the same things you want as an artist and an actor. They must strive for the same level of excellence that you strive for. The reason for forming a group like this is because SUPPORT as an artist, from other artists is a critical part of an artist's survival and growth. And it doesn't cost a DIME. The importance of this group, and the applications for which this group can be used, will become apparent a bit later.
3) ACTING TEACHERS
Spend your money on the tools that will *really* help your career. Find a good acting coach in your area. If you call your community theatre, or local college drama department, they will almost certainly have some referrals and recommendations. Ask your actor friends for advice and recommendations. Rely on your MasterMind group for help in this area. Laying a FIRM foundation in technique and scene study with a qualified acting teacher in your area is paramount in the development of a career in acting. Coming to Los Angeles and vying for the jobs you really want cannot be accomplished with a "quick-fix" cold-reading workshop or "career seminar". You must have training to compete, bottom line. If you live in Los Angeles, you can "audit" most classes in town. That means you may sit in and watch other actors work, and watch the teacher teach. Audit as many classes as you need to, to find the teacher and the class that works for you.
4) WORK OUT
Like any profession or sport or skill, you must
EXERCISE - practice and repetition creates strength and precision. No matter where you live, get together with other actors; friends, fellow theatre members, high school drama classmates, etc., and DO SCENES. This is a great way to utilize your MasterMind group. There are hundreds of
scene and monologue books available, many on the internet at places like
Samuel French bookstores (http://www.samuelfrench.com).
Find a few books and WORK OUT in front of your group. You'll become more comfortable in front of an "audience", and the critique and support from your group will make you a stronger actor, as well as a more proficient cold-reader. And it's FREE! Keep in mind, that most cold-reading workshops on Los Angeles do NOT offer classes in the "technique" of cold-reading. They are generally nothing more than "showcases" where actors read and audition for casting people. Don't be duped into
believing that there is any teaching going on. There isn't. These workshops are NOT a substitute to good training and a responsible workout regimen. Rely on your MasterMind group to hone your skills in cold-reading. Take chances with uncomfortable and unfamiliar material. Take on characters you might not normally attempt. Your instrument will become stronger and you will be better prepared to take on the LA market, once you decide to come here.
5) HEADSHOTS
If you ask 100 casting directors or "consultants" what the perfect headshot should look like, you'd get 100 different answers. The fact is that every casting director wants one thing when they see a headshot, and that's that it looks like you. While I personally prefer a HEADshot, that is, not a 3/4 or full body shot, there are casting directors who will tell you they like exactly the opposite. Make sure your photos represent who you are. In preparing this post, I asked a former talent agent what advice she would give new actors. She told me this:
"There is NO secret to headshots. If you shot them recently, they look like you. That's about it. Keep them current. Dress like you dress. Be yourself. Don't try to 'become what they want'. You don't know what they want. THEY don't even know what they want, so you can't second-guess something that doesn't exist. Be yourself. You're selling YOU. Nobody knows how to sell you like you do. Every person you run into will have an
opinion on your headshots. It's irrelevant. I once had a client who was flipped out about headshots. I told her, 'I don't care if you're covered in mud and smoking a cigarette as long as you have a good time.' She shot printed exactly that and got hundreds of calls. WHY? Because she looked happy and beautiful in those shots. She looked like she was having a blast. Never
forget the "entertainment" part of the entertainment business. You're supposed to be having a good time. That's your secret, I guess. Be yourself. Love what you do. The rest will come. Oh, yeah, and never pay for advice. It should be free because it's subjective. If you could actually buy the secret, everybody would be a star. Just do what's right for YOU."
That's great advice.
Find a good photographer, take photos that look like you, and have fun.
There are probably some great photographers in your area. Once again, depend on your MasterMind group for advice. When you meet with a photographer, look at his portfolio. Do you like the quality of the photos you see? Do the actors in those photos have an impact on you?
6) RESEARCH
Once again, there are many who would have you believe that you must pay for your connections, in either meetings in cold reading workshops with casting directors and talent agents, of through paid "consultants" who will make big promises but deliver squat.
There are some great books and publications that you should consider reading before making the LA move.
The
Actor's Encyclopedia of Casting Directors: Conversations with Over 100
Casting Directors on How to Get the Job by Karen Kondazian is a comprehensive guide with interviews with LOTS of working casting directors...a GREAT reference guide for actors.
LAWRENCE PARKE offers a number of books on his website (http://www.actingworldbooks.org), including a wonderful home study guide for actors who are
considering making the LA trip soon.
Acting:
The First Six Lessons by Richard Boleslavsky is an easy to read book that explores the basics of acting technique.
All of these books are available at the click of a mouse, to actors living anywhere in America.
So read up and be informed BEFORE you get to Los Angeles.
7) THE MOVE
Ok...think you're ready to come to Los Angeles and work? Here are some things you'll need.
a) Living here can be expensive, especially if you're used to the lower rents that people pay in most every other part of the country. Do the research - before you move - in finding an apartment that is both reasonable in price, and in a neighborhood you're comfortable with. For instance, Santa Monica is beautiful, and while it would be great to live at the beach, it's VERY expensive and not extremely convenient from the standpoint of location (depending on where you work or where a potential audition might be).
b) You must come here with at least 6 months worth of living expenses. If your rent is $600.00 a month, and your food, utilities and other expenses are $1000.00, then you must come with just about $10,000.00. This can include money for headshots, and at least 3 months of training with a real acting teacher. Key word here is BUDGET. Good planning makes for the best chances of success.
c) You should really have a car. Los Angeles is a HUGE place. Getting around without a car is possible, but trying to get to class or make an audition when depending on the public transportation can be tricky. Think economy. Sure, a convertible would be nice (after all that snow and rain you just left), but the priority is to survive. And a Thomas Guide (the big LA map book) is a must.
d) The support group you developed at home doesn't have to go away when you get to LA. There's a good chance that you've got a friend or relative who lives in Southern California somewhere. Connect with these people, and rely on their friendships to help you "acculturate". Los Angeles can be overwhelming for someone from a little town in Arizona or Minnesota who has never been here. Making friends and developing relationships are an important part of making a comfortable transition to any new and unfamiliar place, and especially to a city as big as Los Angeles. Don't be fooled into believing you must pay for these relationships. Remember the dynamic of the MasterMind group.
e) Don't expect to start working as an actor right away. You'll need to look for a "support" job, get into a good acting class, and start the process of looking for an agent. My advice to all actors who are ready to start this search, is that they try first to find a commercial agent. The criterion is less strict, and while every agent wants great actors (and you must still be well-trained as an actor to do commercials), they are little more forgiving when it comes to commercial talent, as much of the time, it's more a "look" or a "type" they want. Green actors, with good training, but not much experience, could have the opportunity to start auditioning for commercials, while continuing their search for the perfect theatrical.
I would personally suggest postponing any plans of moving to L.A. until after the
possble SAG strike is settled (if there is a strike). There will be very little work, and talent agents likely will not be taking on new clients before or during the strike.
============
So that's about it for now. There's a lot to learn when you decide to follow your dream to be an actor. it's tough, there's a good deal of cutthroat competition, there are
predators who will try to sell you every service and product ever imagined, with implications of stardom...
the bottom line is that it's up to you. Educate yourself before you make the leap.
This does NOT mean taking seminars that offer a lot of opinions from assistants and coordinators for a fee.
I promise you'll get all of this anyway, as a result of just *being* here, and it won't cost you a dime.
In fact, you'd probably learn more about the biz by just hanging out on Wolfesden for a few months -
The "Wolfesden Actors' Exchange Crash Course".
Make sure you're prepared. this means being well trained, and coming to Los Angeles with the financial resources to exist.
This does NOT mean spending money, depleting your "living" account" or running up
unmanageable credit card debt for "cold-reading workshops" that are nothing more than paid introductions to casting assistants.
If you come here with the right preparation and education, and avoid the traps set up by money-hungry, profit-driven enterprises to suck your bank
account dry...you will succeed.
What else...? I could go on forever...because there's so much to know and understand.
But hey, I think I've covered some basics here that will help all actors compete in this wacky town called Hollywood...and you can always write me at
castboy@castboy.com with specific questions.
I guess that's it.
See...? I just saved you $1299.00
-Billy DaMota, CSA
Billy DaMota is a casting director in Los Angeles and the Director of DoNotPay.org
Read the article posted by Backstage West titled, "Pay Your Money, Take Your Chances."
Permission to publish this article, for seattleactingschool.com, was granted by the author.
Who Votes For the Academy Awards
By Mr. Coburn
Q: Who votes for the Academy Awards?
A: Members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Q: How do you get to be a member?
A: Only the Board of Governors can invite new members and membership is limited to those who have achieved distinction in the arts and sciences of motion pictures. Some of the criteria for admittance are: film credits of a caliber which reflect the high standards of the Academy, receipt of an Academy Award nomination, achievement of unique distinction, earning of special merit, or making of an outstanding contribution to film.
Q: So, is it just actors and directors?
A: There are 13 branches represented in membership--Actors, Art Directors, Cinematographers, Directors, Executives, Film Editors, Music, Producers, Public Relations, Short Films and Feature Animation, Sound, Visual Effects and Writers.
Q: How do you get to be a member?
A: A candidate must be sponsored by at least two members of the branch for which the person may qualify. Proposed members must first receive a favorable endorsement from the appropriate branch executive committee before his or her name is submitted to the Board of Governors.
So, actors nominate actors, directors nominate directors, writers nominate writers, etc., but members from all 13 branches get to vote for the awards.
Q: How come my favorite movies never get nominated?
A: The Academy demographic skews old. That means many of the members have been adults for a long time. That's to be expected since it takes many years of consistent accomplishment to acheive recognition. Lots of young people have won "Oscars" but that does not necessarily mean that they've made an impact in the industry.
Some of those who vote haven't had anything do with the business for forty years. That might be why you're apt to see old-fashioned movies win over more modern themed movies.
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