Acting

Great insights, Matthew Gross! Thank you for sharing this post.

Ya never know how the perfect connection shows up! Congrats!

That's profound. Thank you and Congratulations!!!

Wonderful advice and congrats to you!

Congratulations on getting the role, Matthew Gross! Great idea! I'm gonna check out "Bertie the Brilliant."

Both. It depends on how the person looks and then the genre and the aesthetic of the genre. You can get away with some bad acting in younger films but I feel like in any film with older people in it it has to be on point or else it's just gonna look amateur for a fact. No what you think looks good. No. What is good? Are you convincing for real? Do you really look like and act like the person you're portraying? But really, I watch TV and film to enjoy the story for the most part. I've watched movies with people who dissect it and say this looks fake, this looks like this, but I rather enjoy the art. I be dissecting it in my head already automatically but I rather enjoy the art because that's what it's meant for you to do.

As an actress I only watch stories I am interested in and also that I can realistically get cast in... I always allow myself to be drawn into the story and when that happens I know the acting is good. Once you feel that you're so absorbed in the story and the characters, you care and are curious to find out what happens next, then you know it's great acting, a great storyline and great characters.

If it's a role I can see myself playing, I think, how would I do play that? Would I make the same choice? Do I find these people in this situation believable?

It's been really tough to watch movies specifically to be entertained but I don't feel bad about it. I relish it. I saw a movie recently and the male lead actor heard a bad news. He swallowed the words and subtly revealed the emotion of a bad news, switched to his personality as a chief before speaking. I rewatched it again and again and for me, it was just for the acting that stood out.

For every scene that I find a character's delivery done well, I take note. I'm good with watching all movies firstly because I'm both a screenwriter and actor. I have to take note of dialogues too. But I can also take notes of how to act different roles from someone's Oscar performance. My intention is just never to watch but it's not always planned.

As per usual, spot-on info. I would go so far as to say that even if they are a professional photographer, it might not be enough. Taking wedding photos and corporate headshots is a completely different skill than actor headshots (in turn, I am not sure I would hire a headshot photographer to take my wedding photos.

The way I'd think of headshots from this piece is- this picture has a purpose and once you add to the details, you abuse or don't achieve the purpose. I also believe that just by you being the person in the picture, it already reflects its uniqueness. Thank you.

I think it's great that SAG-AFTRA wants a new agreement to protect members’ voice and performance capture work, Geoff Hall! I don't want another strike, but I want my fellow creatives to get a fair deal, which includes protection against A.I.

John Gostomski “Keep your stick on the ice, we're in it for the money, fame and fortune plus the women!!!!!!” John, you must have me confused with your local Fort Worth lothario!

Maurice Vaughan me too, Maurice. Actors don’t need another long drawn-out strike. I’m just surprised the gaming industry didn’t learn anything from the last strike. They certainly don’t want Fran Drescher on their case!

There were grumblings about a gaming industry strike during the actor strike. I knew this was coming, especially using AI in video games. So easy to generate a voice. I hope they do a better job at protecting their members than SAG AFTRA did for the live action actors. It's ironic that Fran Drescher makes that comment now. I don't think she did a good job with the first strike. I don't know what A.I. protections she's talking about. Everyone needs to read your contract. It may be up to the individual to assure their likeness and voice isn't stolen, as it doesn't seem one can count on the Union to do it.

Do union members make proficient local/national executives. The talkies are coming out of the silent era to not just being recorded but created to be recorded. Technology is a tool but who does it really affect. A - F listers and entry level players?

Hi Aaron, great answer...So reassuring. Thank you.

One of my superpowers as an actor was completely forgetting about an audition after it was done. I sometimes had to ask them to remind me what the project was if the callbacks were a while past the first audition, but it kept me sane.

Thank you Brigitte,. Tom, that is a great power to have. I am normally pretty good at letting go after auditioning. But, every once in a while, when the project or role is really special, I have to admit, i will think about it a little while after auditioning,

I think one should be fine with the name given by parents. Name doesen´t define someone´s character but the character itself.

I'm surprised when I look up actors and see that their acting names aren't their real names, Tammy Hunt. Example: I thought Will Smith was Will's real name. His actor name (and other actors' acting names) is catchier than his real name, so I understand why he goes by Will Smith. But it's great that actors don't HAVE TO change their names.

This is a really great post. I honestly don't know too many actors who change their name anymore (unless they need to for the union). It seems to have gone the way of the B/W headshot.

Tom Lapke Hello Sir, I am honored that you graced me your time. I fully take note of the valuable advice given to me by you and other respected members Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg Sam Sokolow Truly honored ! And i agree every bit of it.

Taking this opportunity, i wish to take this discussion further in depth and seek more professional insight into the matter in concern. Because, i feel this will also help the whole 'Acting' community.

My Stance and Out Come

I started with this same policy, as been suggested above, and for good many years ( 5,6), i kept on accepting the roles that came my way, even those which were over my age bracket. Casting agents would manipulate me for their commissions and offer me all kind of roles. ( negative, positive, lame, elder brother, father with kids, business man, corrupt friend, hence all types of roles accept female characters lol ).

After few years i realized that i was intentionally being put on a certain category ( D,E ...Actors who accept everything and any budget ) by the casting companies. Because, i saw my fellow actors were considered for Lead or Second Lead ( because of their previous Selective work ) while i was either not in those lists or was too down on the ladder. Though my work was more in quantity and better in appreciation, but the Label was pasted on my name. . This concerned me much. Because i have met some tremendously good senior actors who despite delivering great performances are kept for the ( character- actors roles )only. Because they were accommodating, compromising or needy as may have been the case. This scares me that not to hit the Top and remain in the middle.

So here i am, on Stage 32, exploring the world to get better and learn more. And looking fwd to know more of such platform.

So with that history of events i posted on Acting Lounge to seek professional advice.

Current Status :

I held my nerve for a year and i got a second Lead role in a TV serial and it got Mega Hit. Now i am being recognized in the malls, cafes, events and even on jogging tracks from a distance but still not successful in terms of regular work.

I feel after the success of this particular play an invisible bench mark is set on my name because those agents who manipulated me in the past, have disappeared and if some new agents come and ask about my previous work, and when mention my projects, they vanish and never return.

Fact of the matter is, i also have moved on, as now i am in contact with the Executives, Heads and Producers.

Question Now Is :

What to expect next and how to go about it by adopting the most professional approach ???

This is a difficult thing to answer. By American industry standards, if you are being recognized in malls and meeting with Executives, you should have agents and managers beating down your door. But I am not familiar with how the industry works in Pakistan. Every international film and tv market will be different. But it sounds like you should be seeking representation who can help guide you in your region's particulars.

Emmett: keep taking the offers. it is still work; the work means money and a resume with current credits. A bird in hand.

Hi Tom, great answer to the question. Exactly what I would have said and what I do myself. I recently accepted and played a role I wasn't interested in, but the money was good. So yes, it fed my wallet...I'm now looking forward to getting offers and roles that feed my soul and my resume.

Thanks Brigitte Millar. I am glad you found it helpful.

I've done jobs for all three reasons, Tom Lapke. I mainly did Feed Your Resume during the early years of my career. I took on all kinds of jobs back then, like writing a 15-second short film for a filmmaker. It was more of a scene than a short film though.

It's fine to ask at the audition when casting decisions will be made. If you are not called back or cast, 99 times out of 100 you won't hear anything at all. Often there are hundreds of submissions and auditioners and convention is that you don't hear back unless you get the part because casting simply hasn't the time or resources to call back otherwise.

Can't wait! Email edu@stage32.com with any questions you have about tomorrows summit.

...still casting.

Thanks, Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg - flagging for my network.