Acting : Ask Me Anything (AMA) Wednesday 6/26 to Thursday 6/27- Training, Techniques, and Business: Working As An Actor Today by Tom Lapke

Hey, Tom Lapke. Hope your day's going great. Thanks for having this AMA. What's the first step to become a professional actor?

Hi Tom Lapke , thanks for sharing your expertise! My question would be what changes have you seen in the industry in regards to actors?

Hey Tom Lapke - thanks so much for spending your time with us and for all you do for Stage 32. Question: What training programs would you recommend that are online and what are the benefits of training online vs in person? How would you advise a multi-hyphenate (actor/writer, etc.) configure a resume? Thanks in advance.

Hey Tom, thanks for hosting this for all the actors out there! Question regarding your recco's for acting schools/studios --when recommending do you consider the students mental wellbeing? I ask because different schools use different approaches and the American Method (Strasberg) can have adverse mental health affects on the actor. There have been plenty of stories from actors in training about how they were (re)traumatized by Strasberg's Method among other issues at school. One being For example; instructors misuse of power. --big question! :) not sure you have an answer...

Thank you Tom Lapke for taking the time to do this AMA. To piggyback on the previous question, what technique to you teach? Stanislasky, Meisner, Strasberg? Your thoughts on the difference? What is your approach when it comes to auditioning, as that is a different skill set than acting? How do you prepare for an audition when you don't have the complete script beforehand? Also, how does one adjust to film/tv after coming from the stage?

Hello Tom Lapke! Thank you for taking the time to do this AMA! I'm a student who got into NYU Tisch, and enrolled for this coming year. I'm a bit nervous, though, since Tisch seems like it will make almost all of my classes be performing arts-related, and I would like the freedom and flexibility to take classes in a bunch of other areas also, continue to broaden my horizons. So, could I still make it as a professional actor without a Tisch education? Could I take classes at studios, like A Class Act NY in Manhattan, and fair just as well? I've also been doing (musical) theater for almost a decade, and would really like to transition to film/TV. What are some programs/schools that teach about on-camera work and behind-the-scenes that do not require a reel in order to be accepted? Thank you!

Thanks Tom Lapke for offering this 2 day valuable AMA.

i’ve been in 2 films and my experience has been to not over think any script because I can’t be authentic when that happens. What techniques do you use that works for you to get out of your own way during an audition?

Tom Lapke thanks Tom for doing the AMA and a belated welcome to the Stage32 community. I’m just wondering what difference has the SAG-AFTRA strike had on the ground, for actors?

So many great questions here. Let's dig in. Maurice Vaughan The first step is always going to be training. Acting isn't what non-actors think it is. To do it well, you need guidance and instruction. And yes, there are natural talents, just like there are some people who can just sit down and play the piano by ear, but those people are very rare, and unless you already know you are one of those people, you are not one of those people. But even if you were, savants still don't make it to Carnegie Hall without significant practice and training that goes on after their talent is discovered. All this is to say that people outside the industry often look at acting as something that anyone can do. Which is true. Just about anyone can act, but without training they will just be acting badly. There is a reason that Oscar winner Sam Rockwell still works with his famed acting teacher, Terry Knickerbocker, on every role and why he thanked him in his Oscar speech. An actor's career begins and ends with training.

Incredible answer, Tom Lapke! Thanks. I didn't know big-name actors still work with acting teachers.

Great answer and thanks also for that information.

Hey William Joseph Hill. I have seen so many changes. dating back to the advent of the switch to color headshots from black and white. But as of the last few years, the pandemic really rebooted our industry and got it to move to online auditions and taped submissions so much faster than it would have if its hand was not forced. Even a lot of theatre productions are doing their first round of auditions via taped submission. Some love it, some hate it, but no one can argue that the commute is a hell of a lot better. And especially in film and TV, I have seen roles that, five years ago, would have required in-person reads for every audition and callback that are now casting completely through Zoom. Not everyone does it, and it honestly might not be right for every project, but the fact that it is still an option when a few years ago you couldn't even sign up online for a time slot is amazing.

Something else that changed the industry so much for the better was the #metoo movement. Every industry had some terrible people in it who used to leverage their power to get people to do, or put up with, things they did not want to do, or worse. force it upon them against their will with the expectation of silence because they are a public figure. And while it certainly still exists and happens, there is now support of people who wish to not go unheard, which is really incredible. (BTW I am using past tense not to signal that it is gone, just that it is not like it was). This has even brought in the normalization and expectation of intimacy coordinators. No one would look at an actor funny for requesting one for a scene that required intimacy, nudity, or any physical contact required by the role that is outside the bounds of the everyday. And again, inappropriate behavior still 100% goes on, and all of it from the past has not come to light, but there is a definite shift in the mentality around it in the industry. People used to openly joke about "the casting couch." Not so much anymore.

Social media is another huge one. Obviously we still use it to look at cat videos and fight with strangers on the internet, but now it is being used in casting (not by all but some). And I mean that in ways you might not think. Yes, some producers are taking into consideration social media following, especially for low-budget films that can't afford a huge marketing campaign. If they are casting a role for a $500K film, and it's a toss-up between the final two actors, I would put my money on the one with 100K Instagram followers over the one with 167. This is not an endorsement or denouncement of this practice, but you have to be foolish to ignore it. But it goes further than that. They are also checking your social to make sure you aren't a jackass. No one wants to be on set for three months with someone who is insufferable.

Hey Leonardo Ramirez! this is an interesting question. The advent of online education has been incredible (motions broadly at all things Stage 32). I have certainly done my share of teaching online, but mostly things related to industry information for actors as opposed to performance techniques. I think there are certain aspect of performance that can lend themself to online training. For example, we have a great webinar coming up with the world-class dialect coach, Jon Sperry. Working with a dialect coach online is great for everyone involved because it is something that can be done from anywhere. But if you are starting out, I think you need to be in person to start your beginning acting training. There is a natural intimacy to acting that you really have to have a strong grip on before you can do the old "acting to a tennis ball" thing that films use in FX or if the scene partner is not on set that day. For learning to act for the stage, there is no online option that is a good one. You need to be in person and feel the space you are performing in. For film and TV, you can have some more leeway though. Film and TV acting are naturally a lot different from stage acting. So if you find the right teacher, it can work if you already have a good foundation. I don't know of any major programs that I recommend, but for adults, I would look into Matt Newton Studios. Matt is an incredible acting coach. For kids, there is no one better than Denise Simon. I don't think she offers online on her website, but I think she does do them.

Great info Tom Lapke - thanks so much! We do have a place in town called the "Nashville Acting Studio" that I've looked into. Thank you!

Alan Powell I am so glad you asked this question because it is a REALLY important one. It is 2024. We aren't letting anyone demoralize us anymore, let alone someone for whom we are paying for a service. I don't care how famous or up their own ass an acting coach is, the minute they start insulting people, either because they mean it, or because they believe a person needs to be broken down and built back up to be a good actor, I'm out. It doesn't help anyone and just creates trauma. there is no reason to do it for any discipline and if that discipline requires it to "be effective" then it can ride off into the sunset and die in the desert. Actor training, when done well, is already difficult enough emotionally. you have to confront a lot of things about yourself, including your past, your relationships, and your morals, just to name a few. In order to tap into these things properly, you need to feel safe. And if I am worried about how an instructor is going to embarrass me for my choices, I am a lot less likely to be emotionally available or equipped to face the challenge of the scene.

As far as Strassberg, acting teachers are just that, teachers, not licensed therapists. If you are not ready to tap into that affective memory because you have not worked through it, then no performance is worth retraumatizing yourself. If an acting teacher is unable to understand that and/or provide an environment where you feel incredibly safe so YOU have the emotional bandwidth to CHOOSE to explore that affective memory, then they have no business teaching, regardless of the technique.

Now that is not to say that an instructor can't be great, provide a safe space, and still be honest and tell you they think your scene was terrible. But they have to do so from a place of a genuine desire to help you improve and not from an opinion that they know what is best for you emotionally. As an example, one of my acting teachers in my undergraduate program was an absolute nightmare. She demoralized her students but did so while acting saccharine-sweet. But she did so intentionally because she thought you needed to be broken down. Imagine Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter as an acting teacher.

Counter to that, in my MFA program, I had an acting teacher who was a grumpy curmudgeon from whom the best compliment I ever received was "Well, that didn't suck too bad." But his hard exterior hid the marshmallow center of one of the most caring teachers I have ever met. You had to work your ass off for him, but you felt safe doing it. You knew nothing was going to be used against you. As such, I viewed him as a mentor for my whole acting career until he sadly passed two years ago.

I guess what I am trying to say is that we get one spin on the blue marble and I encourage anyone to use that time to pursue happiness, support, and mental health in all things, including their actor training.

I hope that helps.

Thank you for doing this AMA, Tom Lapke! My question is strictly business. Are there any materials, equipment or training that actor’s can write off as business expenses to help with the costs of pursuing acting as a profession?

Hot damn, Suzanne Bronson. You all are KILLING IT with these questions! You had a few questions so I will answer them individually below.

-------What technique do you teach? Stanislasky, Meisner, Strasberg? Your thoughts on the difference?

I come from a very Stanislavsky-based foundation which is supplemented by using the Lessac vocal technique, especially in classical work. As for my thoughts on the difference, I don't really have any. I think it is like asking someone what they think the best car is. You need more information. Who is it for? What do they do? Do they work construction, then probably a Ford F250. Do they have a large family? Then maybe a minivan or a Chevy Tahoe (PS - I like cars). But it is the same for acting techniques. Different people and personalities are going to jive with different things. You just have to audit a few to see what you think about the technique and the instructor. Different people can take different paths to becoming better actors and no one is going to care how you got there.

When a farmer takes his grain to the mill, they don't ask him which road he took to get there. They only ask if his crop is good.

--------What is your approach when it comes to auditioning, as that is a different skill set than acting?

If you are auditioning for a role, you (hopefully) love to act. That audition might be your only opportunity to do what you love that day, or week, or even month. So why not use it to have the time of your life and just enjoy the process? Here is a little secret about casting. 999/1000, they already know if they want to call you back within the first sentence of you opening your mouth. Not the first sentence of your audition piece, but just your pleasantries and introduction before that even starts. The audition actually begins the moment you step into the room before you even open your mouth. There are countless reasons why you get called back or not from the first audition, and how well you perform is only a small part of it. Do you fit what the producer has explicitly told the casting director they want for the role? If the creative team is envisioning the role to be played by an actress who is tall and skinny, but you are short and curvy, then you were already counted out the minute you walked in. You have no idea if that is the case or not, so you might as well have fun. If they already cast the other actor and he has long blonde hair, and you also have long blonde hair, they are most likely not going to cast you, and that also has nothing to do with your performance. What I am trying to say is that there are 1000 different puzzle pieces that go into casting a project and you only control 1 of those pieces, so, if the other 999 are stacked against you, you might as well just have the time of your life and act your ass off because it might be your only chance to act that day.

Also, because you have no idea what is going on behind the scenes, you should never enter an audition trying to book the role. Instead, you should be trying to book the room. What I mean by that is that they might not be able to use you for that role, but if you showed up on time, prepared, with strong choices, and delivered a great audition, then casting will remember you when a role comes around that you are right for. You would be SHOCKED how many actors are late, no-show, are not prepared, are not making choices about the material, or any combination thereof. Basic competency is in much shorter supply than you can imagine, so when you bring it into the room., it stands out.

How do you prepare for an audition when you don't have the complete script beforehand?

By taking what information I do have from what is provided between the sides and the breakdowns and using them to inform clear, bold choices about the material. Casting knows what they did and did not give you. Most of the time they are looking for someone whose performance illustrates an opinion on the material and the world it exists in. As I said above, you would be SHOCKED at how many people don't make clear choices, instead opting for a beige performance is safe, but unsatisfactory. Even if the choices are wrong, casting will most often recognize that you made them and then give you an adjustment to those choices. Now they are trying to see if you take direction, so don't be precious about your ideas and just do what they asked, because they are really just testing you most of the time.

-------Also, how does one adjust to film/tv after coming from the stage?

Outstretch your arms as far as they will go. That is the size of a performance on stage. Now use your index and thumb close together to indicate something that is very small. That is the size of a film performance. Now obviously that is a generalization, but it gets the point across. If you have a wide shot, vs a two-shot, vs an over-the-shoulder, vs a close-up, each one is going to be a different-sized performance, but you really have to respect the camera's ability to pick up the slightest details. It is always easier to go bigger when directed than to reign in a performance, so I always opt for the smaller choice first and let the director make the adjustment to make it larger.

There is a story (and I can't remember for which movie) about a director hating Robert Duval's performance on set for a scene, complaining that the actor wasn't doing anything. The next day he apologized to him because he went back and viewed the dailies and saw that Duval was delivering a very measured but powerful performance that he knew the camera would pick up.

Also, reign in the eyebrows. One thing stage actors don't realize is how expressive their faces have been trained to be. The biggest giveaway is your eyebrows being all over the place when you're reacting to something. Don't be afraid of stillness.

Tom Lapke, thank you so much for sharing your time with us today! What do you feel are the biggest challenges that actors are facing in the industry currently and do you have any advice for overcoming those obstacles?

First off, Yehuda Siegal, congrats to you for being accepted. The average acceptance rate this year was only about 15%.

Now two things:

1. I am going to get really granular with you on the numbers because I wish someone had done this for me so I could make more informed decisions.

2. I am going to say some things that some might find controversial and might not agree with, but this is from my personal experience. Tisch undergrad ain't all that and, in my opinion, as a former NYU adjunct ( in Steinhardt for Musical Theatre) and the person who produced their industry showcase for two years, it is not worth the money. The estimated total cost per year for 2024 is $93,184. That is inclusive of tuition, room and board, books, incidentals, etc. What that means is that if you graduate in four years (and not everyone does), you will be on the hook for $372, 736 worth of student loans. That means that for a 20-year pay-off at today's current interest rates (they could change for better or worse after you graduate) you would be responsible for a monthly payment of $2,845.24/month, or put another way, you have to make just north of $1000 a week just to have enough after taxes to pay your student loan payment. That means you need to make $52K per year just for the loan payment. You still have to earn money for rent, food, utilities, the hope of a social life, audition materials, etc in one of the most expensive cities in the world (NYC or LA, take your pick). 88% of AEA actors are unemployed as performers at any given time. Only 2% of SAG/AFTRA actors make their living solely as an actor. It ain't easy out there. Now if we were talking about NYU GRAD school, I would have a difference of opinion. Tisch Grad actors, much like Yale Grad and Julliard undergrad basically have their tickets written for them. you leave your showcase with almost a guarantee of representation. I am not sure how many other programs can say that. But undergrad? The ROI just isn't there for most.

If I were hellbent on hitting the ground running in NYC, I would do what you suggested, which is to take classes at respected studios Like Bill Esper, Terry Knickerbocker, HB Studios, Atlantic Acting School, etc. for film and TV also look at Stonestreet Studios and, if you happen to have a magic genie that owes you a favor, no one is better than for film and tv in NyC than Bob Krakower, but his waiting list is years long. You will not have access to financial aid, but you will be spending pennies on the dollar compared to NYU. Also, I don't believe they require a professional reel for entry, but you will probably have to submit an audition, either live or on tape.

Now this might not be your situation. your parents might be rich and willing to foot the bill, in which case, awesome! Or the opposite and you get a nice financial aid package. But if that is the case, even if you got 1/2 ride to the school, cutting the numbers above by 50% doesn't really make them any more attractive to me.

Another thing is that going to any college in NYC, is going to be a very unique experience that is nothing like the expected "college life." knowing myself at that age, I was not disciplined enough yet to do it on my own without the safety net of the resources you have on a college campus. It can be a great transitional piece of moving into adulthood that I don't think you get like you would at East North West University of the state you live in. There are plenty of really great programs that also offer the traditional campus life.

The final thing to think about between school or just classes in the city is getting a college degree. Statistically, you will not end up acting in 20 years (not necessarily you, but you get my meaning). You will evolve and value different things. And that is OK. If your ideas and wants have not changed from the time you are 18 to the time you are 40, seek professional help. But if you do transition into another field, most jobs are going to look for a college degree, any college degree. This is true less than it was 20 years ago, but still true for the vast majority.

I hope this helped.

Hey Sandy Stickel. Thank you for the great question. My answer will mirror a lot of what I said to Suzanne Bronson above. The best thing you could do is recognize how little what you do in the room for the first audition is ACTUALLY going to affect the casting of the film. Like I said above there are 1000 different things that are considered when casting an actor in the role, and your performance in the initial audition is only one of them. Now with each Callback, it does become more important, but for that initial audition you should not be asking yourself what to do to book the role, you should be asking yourself what to do to book the room. And the answer to that is the same as the question, "how do I have the most fun with this audition while still staying authentic to the piece." Again, BOLD CHOICES. Make decisions about the sides or the script, show up early, be prepared, and be pleasant. That is all you can do. And when you leave the room, forget about the audition because you have absolutely no sway over the decision at that point. There is A LOT of freedom in realizing that. I got to the point where I would get callbacks for things that I had to ask what they were for again because I had put it completely out of my brain and moved on. CHEERS.

Hey Geoff Hall . On the ground level, it has resulted in a production slowdown that we are still feeling the effects of. Fewer productions mean fewer jobs. It also means that actors with more juice than you are considering roles they otherwise would not have because everyone is slowed down and shit rolls downhill. It is working its way back up, but the one-two punch of the SAGAFTRA and Writer's strike was a huge blow to the industry, as it should have been. I am pro-union and the protections that actors got around AI alone were worth the fight.

PLEASE NOTE: I am neither a Certified Public Accountant nor a Tax Attorney. The following answer is based on my personal experience and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stage 32, or anyone associated with Stage 32 including, but not limited to, its owners, employees, contractors, or board members. Please seek out a professional when making any tax-related decisions.

Hey Sam Sokolow This is a tricky question. Regardless of your political affiliation or inclinations, The tax plan from 2016 really did a number on actors, making it more difficult to write off a lot of things, including agent and manager fees. The easiest way to write off business expenses as an actor is to form an LLC. It is why every big-name actor has a production company even if they are not producing, because there are so many tax benefits. When they get paid, it is through their LLC, which they then use to pass through the income. The downside is that you can't claim unemployment once the job dries up if you were being paid through your LLC (or at least it is A LOT harder to do in an already difficult system).

But some things that you can possibly write off are the following:

--Headshots - both the photography cost and printing

--Office supplies like the paper and printer you use to print your resume (but probably only partially)

--Commissions (agent, manager, lawyer) depending on your corporate structure.

--Legal fees related to you running your business as an actor - for example, if you hired a lawyer to look over a contract before you sign it.

--Commute to and from the audition but you have to keep a mileage log.

--Part of your rent or mortgage if you have a home office that is solely used for pursuing your acting career.

--A portion of your cell phone bill that is used in the pursuit of your acting career.

--You CAN NOT write off clothes unless they are uniquely for an auction and no reasonable person would otherwise wear them in public. So even if you buy audition clothes, if they are just clothes that look good on you, but you could also wear them in public when not auditioning, then you can't write them off.

Remember that there are things that you can write off in the pursuit of work vs the completion of work, so as I said above please consult a professional.

And if there are any tax professionals on here who see that I am in error, please let me (us) know. Tax laws change every year, so I am not so proud that I would argue being wrong

Thanks for the question Ashley Renee Smith. The biggest obstacle for actors today is the sheer volume of competition.

For competition - there are just north of 600 collegiate theatre programs (where most actors get their training) in the county. When I graduated from undergrad in 2001, there was not even half of that. Go back another 24 years and it is far far less. This is coupled with the fact that we are seeing the destruction of the American Regional theatre where most actors cut their teeth on their way to Broadway, which in turn is on the way to film and TV (for many but not all, this is the track). Some really major theatres closed up shop this year because non-profit regionals count on grants as well as ticket sales and both of those have dried up since COVID and never returned back to pre-pandemic numbers. I was the Director of Marketing for Triad Stage in NC, which was a professional regional theatre that closed its doors last year after over 20 years of production. So when it comes to the stage, there are too many actors and not enough jobs. The flip side to that is that there have never been more films and TV shows in production than there are right now. The advent of streaming services producing their own content has rocketed the number of projects that get greenlit. Instead of 70 shows being produced, there are 700 (not an exaggeration). The other option for too much competition is to just not compete. What I mean by that is there has never been a better or more inexpensive time to produce your own work. You have a better camera in your pocket than most of the cameras that were filming movies ten years ago. Editing software is cheap and there are tutorials all over YouTube. Stage 32 content can literally teach you every aspect of production. You don't need someone else's permission to be an actor. Go make your own stuff.

Thank you so much Tom Lapke, Your answers really helped me and your life experience is so welcome in my world. I really appreciate your time. Congrats on your position here with Stage 32 and I’ll be looking for more from you.

Thanks for the detailed and informed answer, Tom Lapke! I will take your advice and consult a tax specialist with experience in this area. Hugely helpful!

Thank you so much for you in depth and informative answers Tom Lapke ! I especially need to remember that the audition itself is the job. (I believe Bryan Cranston said that was shared on an earlier thread.) Also, I now feel better about turning down Tisch 30 years ago. I totally co sign on that answer YEHUDA SIEGAL. :)

Thank you Tom Lapke for taking the time to write such a long, thought-provoking, helpful, interesting answer!! I really appreciate it. I will process this, and hopefully keep in touch.

Tom Lapke thanks for your answer, Tom. Let’s hope that production picks up soon.

Thank you for all these thoughtful answers, Tom Lapke ! I've noticed the same changes in the industry as you have and I tend to have a positive outlook on them as you do, especially with self-tapes. Whenever I get stuck in L.A. traffic, I'm thankful I'm not trying to get to Santa Monica for a commercial audition - I just set up my folding screen, lights & tape those on my phone now. Also, for me, the ability to produce your own projects is the most empowering change.