Acting

Sharing this in the Acting Lounge. I recently did storyboards for the film CLASSIC, written and directed by Michelle Hoffman. Here is a storyboard next to a close up shot of the actress/main character in the film. You never know how a scene is visually translated from script to storyboard to how the director and cinematographer frame/compose the shot. In the end, the actor/actress deliver the goods, serving the story by reacting/acting in the scene. Here is one example of the close shot up of the actress, acting in the scene, facial mood/expression/reaction within the framework/context of the shot. It’s as if you co-wrote a song with the screenwriter and the actress, as a singer, interprets the scene, bringing her own creative expression to the visual and the written word. Filmmaking, a collaborative process and a thank you/shout to the actors and actresses, bringing the scenes alive, from a script page and a storyboard.

Hey Superstars!

Hope you all had a fantastic Oscar weekend! I was truly inspired by the incredible talent being honored and wanted to share some exciting news along with a few valuable lessons from my own journey.

I currently have a feature film set to release this year, and throughout the process, I’ve learned some key lessons that I believe can benefit all filmmakers.

1️⃣ Choose Your Team Wisely – Work with people who genuinely want to see you succeed. Unfortunately, I experienced a major setback when my Director of Photography—someone I considered a friend—stole footage from Days 1-5 out of jealousy, which delayed production by a month and increased costs significantly.

2️⃣ Pre-Production is Everything – The more you prepare before shooting, the smoother things will run on set. While unexpected challenges will arise, thorough planning helps alleviate unnecessary stress.

3️⃣ Always Overbook Extras – If your scene requires extras, always book more than you need. It’s inevitable that some won’t show up, so having a backup ensures you’re never short on talent.

4️⃣ Contracts & NDAs are a Must – No matter how close you are to someone, always have contracts and NDAs in place. A paper trail protects both you and the production if anything goes sideways.

5️⃣ Feature Films Take Time – The average viewer may not realize how much effort and time goes into making a feature. That’s why having a trustworthy filmmaking community is so important—you need a solid support system.

6️⃣ Invest in the Best Crew You Can Afford – Cutting corners on key crew positions can cost you more in the long run. For example, hiring a cheaper sound mixer might mean spending extra in post to fix audio issues. Always aim to hire the best within your budget to ensure quality from the start.

7️⃣ Don’t Rely on ‘Fixing it in Post’ – It’s always better to address issues on set rather than pushing them to post-production. Fixing things in post is often more expensive and time-consuming, and in many cases, avoidable with the right approach on set.

I hope these insights help you navigate your own filmmaking journeys more smoothly! I truly appreciate all the support, and I’m looking forward to inviting you all to the premiere of Back Burner in July. I’ll keep you posted once I have an official date!

Thank you all for being part of this journey with me!

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I read this in The Dailies email this morning:

Hollywood's image managers are suddenly the ones needing image management. A nasty feud between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni over their film ‘It Ends With Us’ has erupted into uncharted territory: publicists getting sued for doing what used to be considered their everyday job.

The backstory: During production of their upcoming film ‘It Ends With Us,’ tensions between Lively and Baldoni escalated into matching lawsuits. But instead of just suing each other, they're targeting each other's publicity teams—turning standard PR tactics into potential legal liabilities.

The text drama: It started with a simple damage control move. When a Daily Mail reporter was about to publish that Lively was "difficult" on set, her publicist Leslie Sloane sent what would normally be a routine text, suggesting the cast actually had issues with Baldoni instead. The reporter changed the story—and now Baldoni is suing Sloane for damaging his reputation. Meanwhile, Lively's team discovered private messages from Baldoni's publicity team calling him "pompous"—leading to her countersuit. These cases are the first time such standard PR moves have become legal ammunition.

“This will change the personal publicist game forever, 100 percent. When a client says, ‘I want you to protect my reputation and get ahead of this story,’ or, ‘I don’t like that headline, can you call reporter?’ No way. If what you’re doing has ramifications for another [celebrity], you’re now going to think that you could get sued.” — A veteran personal publicist tells The Hollywood Reporter

The Ripple Effects: Hollywood PR has always been a two-tier system. Big agencies charge A-listers around $10,000 monthly and include legal protection in their contracts. But independent publicists, who typically charge half that, work without any legal protection for themselves. And it's these boutique PR firms that will likely take the brunt of the fallout from the Baldoni-Lively battle:

– Boutique firms can't maintain their current rate without legal protection—they'd be sitting ducks for lawsuits. But adding legal coverage would force them to double prices and lose clients.

– Hungry new publicists are making it worse, offering deep discounts and working without protection just to build their client lists

– Meanwhile, big PR firms with built-in legal protection keep cruising along

– Some stars are now avoiding publicists entirely—worried it makes them look like they're hiding something

The result? The industry is splitting into two lanes: legally bulletproof PR for the wealthy, and risky, unprotected PR for everyone else. It's the boutique firms caught in the middle that are feeling the most pain.

END OF EMAIL

Edited: What are your thoughts on PR in Hollywood changing?

The email says, “Some stars are now avoiding publicists entirely—worried it makes them look like they're hiding something.” Do you plan on doing that or keeping your publicist/getting a publicist?

This is an interesting list from Variety. I agree with the top 10 but would have moved Chiklis in The Shield up a few spots - I loved that show. What do you think are the best performances on TV in the last 25 years? https://variety.com/lists/greatest-tv-performances/

Before you submit your resume and headshot, read the breakdown thoroughly.

Make sure you are the perfect fit.

Most breakdowns will clearly describe the type of person they are looking for as well as the filming dates.

Make sure you fit that description and that you are available for those shoot dates.

Follow the instructions in the breakdown. Unless stated otherwise, address the subject line with the name of the character or position you are applying for, along with your name (i.e. Submission for the role of Andrew by John Doe).

When the casting call includes a contact name, make sure you address that person in your email and use the right gender and correct spelling. In the body of the email, state the role(s) you are applying for and give a brief description of why you consider yourself the perfect fit for that role or what makes you eager to join that production.

Include any details requested in the breakdown like your weight, height, and size of your shirt, pants, and/or shoes, and where you are based. Make sure you include an eye-grabbing digital headshot which should be 500kb or less and your resume in PDF.

The files should simply be your name (john_doe.jpg, john_doe.pdf). You can also provide a link to additional photos, your website, and two to three links of clips of your work. Keep your email simple.

At the end of the email add a short and polite note indicating the materials you are submitting.

Use a professional email address. While this may sound silly many forget this simple rule. Imagine receiving an email from I_am_the_actor_for_you@gmail.com instead of john_doe@gmail.com

When signing off, use your full name. It is best if you create an email signature which links to your website and has your contact details.

#actor #audition #film #tv #casting #submission

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As an actor, it's always good to first find your niche to put yourself on the map, then you can show your range. A lot of actors bemoan the idea of "typecasting", but if you can get noticed for a specific niche, you can establish yourself as a working actor, THEN look for ways to "stretch". Perfect example that comes to mind is Lady Gaga. Before she became the music icon we all know, she was classically trained and an actress too. But she created that persona that put her on the map, which opened her to "getting" to do acting roles (which she had always had the talent for already).

I think the current climate is more favorable for actors getting to show range, especially with all of the indie production out there. My career has generally been in the indie world -- it seems that these indie filmmakers have the most creativity and are willing to take more risks, so there are more opportunities there. If you're an actor looking to work, you should get to know some of these indie producers creating their own project outside the studio system. If you have additional skills besides acting, you can build relationships that way first.

And let's not forget creating your own work which can help you typecast yourself the way you want to be known in the industry. I'm doing just that with CYBER FIGHTER, a high-end short film based on my feature script and novel. I'm heavy into Post Production now. I wrote, directed and am acting in it as well as doing all the Post Production work from editing to sound, VFX and color grading. The more jobs you can take on, the less people you have to hire.

If you have a script you're looking to produce, this is the perfect time to go after name actors who don't get a chance to play the role you might be offering. We actors love creating great characters and don't always get the opportunity. Like how Ke Huy Quan has been enjoying his recent success as his talents have finally been recognized. Many actors who might have had a good career financially will feel like their talents haven't been recognized, so if you have a vehicle that lets them show a character they would never get to play, you can probably get them to say yes.

I'd caution that you should first develop the script as much as possible to get it as close to perfection as you reasonably can before approaching anyone. And I don't believe in writing for a specific actor in mind as if they say no, then you got nowhere to go. Instead, you can have them pictured in your head, but develop the character as full and rich as you can. If you're not a writer, then partner with a writer who has the chops to write a great script.

Another case in point -- I just worked with William Christopher Ford on CYBER FIGHTER. He has just appeared in Season 6 of COBRA KAI, reprising his role of Dennis DeGuzman from KARATE KID 3. I had met him years ago and we always talked about working together, so this was the perfect opportunity. I cast him in CYBER FIGHTER just before he got the COBRA KAI call, so we had to push production back to accommodate his schedule. He had signed an NDA so he couldn't tell me what "big project" he had been cast in, but I had a hunch...

I gave his character a lot of fun stuff to do, not just in the action scenes, but a great way for him to show his acting talents and deadpan comedic timing. I plan on bringing him back for the feature once that goes into production.

Finally, remember that this is a long process that can take many, many years before you see the fruits of your labor. I've been developing this project for over 20 years, and the short film for almost 10. So it's a marathon. I have no idea where CYBER FIGHTER will end up yet (still need to finish it!), but it's very empowering to take the reins and drive your own career.

Break a Leg!