Acting

Aaron Marcus

Actor

posted in Acting Sign in to subscribe

3 months ago

This Amazing Acting Job Just Crushed Me

This Amazing Acting Job Just Crushed Me https://youtu.be/ORJrmbWzSZA

Have you ever been really disappointed because of an acting job?

If so, share your experience so we can learn from you.

Maurice Vaughan

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1 person likes this
- Geoff Hall
3 months ago

It's great to look on the bright side during disappointments, Aaron Marcus.

Aaron Marcus

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2 people like this
- Geoff Hall
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

Thank you, Maurice. It took a while for me to get to that place.

Maurice Vaughan

1
1 person likes this
- Geoff Hall
3 months ago

You're welcome, Aaron Marcus. It took me a while too. I still have to remind myself sometimes.

Ifeanyi Felix

2
2 people like this
- Geoff Hall
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

You will pull through Aaron

Aaron Marcus

2
2 people like this
- Geoff Hall
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

I did pull through and grew from the experience. Thank you so much.

Aaron Marcus

Actor

posted in Acting Sign in to subscribe

3 months ago

Do Actors Need Managers

https://youtu.be/PIT37vygH_Y

If you have a manager let us know how the manager has helped your career.

Dealing With Audition Rejection

In the world of auditioning, no news is often the only news:

If you don’t hear back, it means they went with someone else. While it would be great to receive closure via direct rejection, casting directors don't have the bandwidth to notify every auditioner or representative who didn’t get a callback...

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In the world of auditioning, no news is often the only news:

They are also not in a position to disclose why a role went to one performer over another.

“Casting has huge amounts of work and time is tight,” casting director Louise Collins says. “So please don’t be disheartened if you don’t receive feedback.” The best way to cope with rejection is to try to reframe the feeling of rejection and the act of auditioning itself. Rejection is unavoidable, and it will most likely be frequent. With this in mind, consider setting a rejection quota for yourself.

Acting coach and Evolving Artist creator Teri Wade’s quota method flips the script, turning rejection from a fear into a goal. “I suggest giving yourself a numerical quota, such as getting rejected 30 times per month, or 10 times per week, and recording your points,” she says. “When the goal becomes meeting your quota, you stay motivated and you keep going.”

Also, remember that by getting through the door and in front of the casting directors, you have already been given the chance to perform. Make the most of it. “Treat an audition as a chance to practice and gain a new experience,” actor Joanna Pickering says.

Think of Cassie’s iconic “The Music and the Mirror” moment in “A Chorus Line.” She starts off by pleading to director-choreographer Zach for the chance to dance, but soon enough she’s not asking for permission to perform; she’s giving him an unforgettable, powerhouse demonstration of her technique. It’s her audition, but it’s still very much a performance.

These steps help actors achieve a state that actor Douglas Taurel refers to as thinking extraordinarily, or “the ability to experience failure and have the discipline to ignore it, move on, and immediately focus on the next audition or performance.”

#audition #actor

Maurice Vaughan

1
1 person likes this
- Tammy Hunt
3 months ago

Great post, Tammy Hunt! I've seen people do rejection quotas, but I haven't tried it myself.

I'm getting better at what Douglas Taurel said ("the ability to experience failure and have the discipline t...

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Suzanne Bronson

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

Rejection quota that's an interesting concept

Florin Şumălan

Filmmaker, Actor, Director

posted in Acting Sign in to subscribe

3 months ago

Oscar winning actor & writer Tom Hanks gives the Oxford Union an acting lesson - OxfordUnion

https://youtu.be/gWnMgMEVABM

Tammy Hunt

Manager at Sandstone Artists ♦ Filmmaker, Manager, Producer

posted in Acting Sign in to subscribe

3 months ago

The Top 5 Things Casting Directors Look for in a Self-Tape

1. Performance. When you’re self-submitting, casting folks have high expectations. Even though you may have just received the copy, we assume that you’ve had time to work on the material and can bring your A-game.

2. Personality. Since casting is asking for your self-submission in lieu of an in-pers...

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2. Personality. Since casting is asking for your self-submission in lieu of an in-person audition, we miss out on getting the chance to meet you. If possible, we’d like to get to know you a little through your self-tape. One way to do this is to use your slate as a chance to show some of your personality as well as your professionalism.

3. Technical Quality. Ultimately, we need to see and hear you. If we can’t, this could immediately take you out of the mix. It may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many times talent will submit clips that are lacking in one of those departments. And if they are, even if we love their performance, we won’t be able to send them through to the client to consider due to poor recording quality. Your best bet is to solve all of these technical issues ahead of time. Find a space in your home that you can designate as your self-tape spot. Set up a camera, lights, background, etc. and have it ready to go.

4. Following Instructions. Make sure you read and follow the format and size specs for the clip. Also adhere to any slate, wardrobe, and direction that is given in the breakdown. Casting directors share these helpful instructions, which are usually passed along from the client, because they’re expecting to see them in the recordings.

5. Fitting the Role. Make sure you’re appropriate for the role before going through the trouble of self-submitting. If you’ve specifically been asked to self-tape then by all means send something over, but if it’s a general call, save yourself the time and effort if you don’t fit the breakdown. Time is limited and valuable for everyone, so focus your efforts on submitting for roles best suited for you!

- Melanie Forchetti, Casting Director for Netflix, Amazon, CNN, Oxygen, among others.

#casting #selftape #audition #actor #script #sides #hollywood #slate

Maurice Vaughan

2
2 people like this
- John January Noble
- Tammy Hunt
3 months ago

Great tips! Thanks for sharing, Tammy Hunt!

Stephen Folker

3
3 people like this
3 months ago

Great tips! I will add, for tip 3, my son has booked over half a dozen commercials last year alone and all were filmed on a cell phone, no professional audio or lighting. I think the key is to nail the audition and bring some personality.

Aaron Marcus

Actor

posted in Acting Sign in to subscribe

3 months ago

I Never Should've Booked This HBO Show

Amazingly, I worked on the HBO mini-series

We Own This City after turning it down.

Watch the video to learn how this happened.

Have you ever booked a job you never thought you would?

If so, leave a comment below so we can learn from...

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Fran Harris

2
2 people like this
- Ashley Renee Smith
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

No is so powerful and empowering! But sometimes we need the experiences that come with saying yes to something that seems like it shoulda be a NO - but gave us some invaluable lessons and blessings that maybe we wouldn’t have gotten without the NO. ✌

Aaron Marcus

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

Thank you so much for sharing.

Ashley Renee Smith

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

That's true, Fran Harris! I think the balance between knowing when to say no and realizing when an opportunity may be worth it is the key.

Aaron Marcus

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

Earlier in my career, it was so much harder for me to turn something down. It still isn't easier, but I do have my priorities in a different place now. Thanks for your comment Ashley.

Aaron Marcus

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

Wow, Doris. Thank you so much for your amazing insights. I agree. I have never turned down a film offer because it wasn't "smart" enough for me. There are other reasons why I might say no. But, I alwa...

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Tammy Hunt

Manager at Sandstone Artists ♦ Filmmaker, Manager, Producer

posted in Acting Sign in to subscribe

3 months ago

Actors Keep Up The Good Work!

Keep submitting yourself. When you have an agent, it’s easy to let this part fall to the wayside. But to keep your audition numbers up, you want to make sure you’re an active participant.

Keep searching through Actors Access, Backstage, and other casting platforms.

If you do voiceover work or audioboo...

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Keep submitting yourself. When you have an agent, it’s easy to let this part fall to the wayside. But to keep your audition numbers up, you want to make sure you’re an active participant.

Keep searching through Actors Access, Backstage, and other casting platforms.

If you do voiceover work or audiobook narration, look for platforms where you can put up your profile and demo tracks. Remember, your agent has many actors on the roster, and no one knows your work better than you. You might find a gig that would otherwise be missed or passed over.

Communicate with your talent representatives.

Even though you’re submitting for and possibly booking projects on your own, remember that you and your agent are always a team. Be open and communicative about the projects you might be booking. Have your agent look over any contracts before you sign them.

For one thing, they may be able to help you negotiate better terms.

For another, you don’t want to lock yourself into a project that pays pennies without letting your agent know, only to have them submit you for better-paying work that conflicts. Make sure you’re both on the same page about when and where you’re submitting.

Remember to factor in fees.

When looking at rates for projects you’re submitting to, remember to mentally factor in rep splits and other expenses when you’re determining whether something is worth it.

Sometimes these can be negotiated, but it’s important to keep in mind. If you’re auditioning for an audiobook, unless you have a home studio, remember you’ll have to factor in studio rates, and possibly hire an editor.

Don’t say yes to something without considering what it might cost you.

#actor #audition #agent #manager #selftape

Maurice Vaughan

1
1 person likes this
- Tammy Hunt
3 months ago

Excellent tips, Tammy Hunt! "Communicate with your talent representatives." That's so important. When I had a manager (for screenwriting), we checked in with each other about projects often, through e...

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Ashley Renee Smith

3
3 people like this
3 months ago

"For another, you don’t want to lock yourself into a project that pays pennies without letting your agent know, only to have them submit you for better-paying work that conflicts. Make sure you’re both on the same page about when and where you’re submitting."- This is a big one!

Suzanne Bronson

3
3 people like this
3 months ago

Thanks for the reminder that just because one has an agent one shouldn't stop submitting, but communicate with your agent to make sure you aren't in conflict.

Elaine Chang

Author, Screenwriter, Film/Theatre Journalist, Story Analyst

posted in Acting Sign in to subscribe

3 months ago

Congrats Jacqueline Elyse Rosenthal, winner of the Empowering Women Screenplay competition!

BACKLOG sounds like an amazing project on a crucially important subject, the staggering number of completed rape test kits that have gone untested. Time's still NOT up for all these survivors. Well done and all the best with your screenplay, Elyse!

(FWIW, as a semi-finalist, I feel honored just being...

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Barry Culver

Voice Actor, Actor

posted in Acting Sign in to subscribe

3 months ago

I Never Left

I spent a lot of time away from social media. I got some headshots done in the meantime and I’m ready to be back. I’ve been getting better with my voice acting and acting chops over the past 10 months since my last post. I’m eager to see what I can engage with on the acting scene. How has everyone e...

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Maurice Vaughan

1
1 person likes this
- Barry Culver
3 months ago

Welcome back, Barry Culver. I transitioned into the new year just fine. I've been networking, working on projects, and learning more about screenwriting and other areas of the industry.

Stage 32 publis...

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Barry Culver

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

That’s great to hear Maurice Vaughan

Barry Culver

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

thank you for the resources!

Maurice Vaughan

3 months ago

You're welcome, Barry Culver.

Ashley Renee Smith

1
1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

That's great, Barry!

Katherine Lansing Davis

Actor, Singer

posted in Acting Sign in to subscribe

3 months ago

Acting and Story Telling

I'd love to connect with actor or anyone who loves to tell stories. I'm older but weird and funny and I'll do anything Plus after four years in a Mythology program at Pacifica Grad Institute (home of Joseph Campbell's library) I have a pretty good understanding of the story. I didn't write screenpla...

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Nick Phillips

Executive Liaison/Producer at Stage 32/PBR Streetgang ♦ Producer

posted in Acting Sign in to subscribe

3 months ago

New Pics of Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in "Joker: Folie a Deux"...

Are people excited by the possibilities of these performances?

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/joker-2-new-look-joaquin-phoenix-lady-gaga-1235825368/

'Joker 2' Trailer Unites Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in Song

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/joker-2-lady-gaga-joaquin-phoenix-2-1235870636/

Joker 2 stars Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix team up in the first trailer for the sequel, which centers on Harley Quinn and Arthur Fleck.

Ashley Renee Smith

1
1 person likes this
- Brigitte Millar
3 months ago

I think the performances are going to be strong. That can be expected from them no matter what. But as a DC fan, I'm a bit nervous about the film overall.

Fran Harris

3 months ago

That’s some great casting! I have high hopes bc these two stars def have the depth to deliver. We’ll see.

Florin Şumălan

Filmmaker, Actor, Director

posted in Acting Sign in to subscribe

3 months ago

DEB AQUILA - Casting Director - Team Deakins Podcast

"Casting director Deb Aquila (CODA, LA LA LAND, SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Deb grew up in an arts-loving family, whose encouragement to enter the field led her to attend NYU and study under Stella Adler. Pivoting into cast...

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DEB AQUILA - Casting Director

https://teamdeakins.libsyn.com/deb-aquila-casting-director

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 76 - DEB AQUILA - CASTING DIRECTOR Casting director Deb Aquila (CODA, LA LA LAND, SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Born and raised in Broo…

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