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Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop
Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop
Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop Workshop
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That's it.

NZAG presents: What's My Type? Acting To Your Strengths

What's My Type - Acting to Your Strengths

Acting class with Micheal Caine

I love Youtube. Where else you watch an acting workshop with Michael Cane from 1987?

Here are some of Michael Caine's wisdoms on movie acting from that workshop:

“Once you’re in front of that camera NOBODY exists, nobody except the other person in the scene. And what we do, we actors who are in the movie, we hang onto each other’s eyes. That’s the most important thing in film. Eyes. Eyes.“

On relaxing in front of the camera: “You know that you have no enemies. Everybody is on your side.”

“The camera is like a belt or a net behind you. And someone saying, someone standing behind you and saying, ‘Look, you can relax, it’s okay. You don’t have to push it…’ . Just relax and let it come out.”

“If you’re going to do action and movement, plan it absolutely perfectly, so you do it exactly the same over and over again. You can change your performance but you cannot change the action. Otherwise the close-up, the medium shot and the master shot do not match.”

“You cannot bluff [the camera]… you need to do nothing but you must feel, you must look and you must listen because she will see everything you do. She’ll pick it up and you don’t have to throw it to her. And she will love you even though you ignore her for the rest of your life.”

“In movies the camera is always your best friend.”

“You see, everybody is there to get the greatest performance from you that you’ve ever given. Everyone will help. The electrician up there, he will go scrambling along there and get that light absolutely right, so that there is glint in your eye. Everything is done for you, to help you do it right because it’s bloody difficult and everyone knows it.”

Wanna watch the workshop? No problem:

Quickpost 7

12-13 September

Yesterday, I contacted an acting coach, recommended by my agent. I have my first session with her Friday next. I am very excited!

I've also started working on a scene from Rachel Getting Married with a bit that lends itself as a monologue. I've done a first analysis of the text and it's quite fun!

I'm also back on doing my GenAm practice sentences and reading out loud in that accent.

More work has been done for the NZAG/Peter Feeney workshop in October. It's getting really exciting! Wish us luck that we book out!

Have I mentioned that I have my first audition of sorts in months tomorrow afternoon? Yay!

Lira Kellerman in Home At Last

My blogger friend Lira Kellerman who writes the witty, highly informative and truly lovable blog The Struggling Actress is staring in the new webseries, Home at Last! Out soon. I am very much looking forward to watching!

Check out the trailer here

Quickpost 6

10-11 September

Again, over the weekend my actual actor exercises had to take a back seat. I have done a lot of reading though; some more of Bonnie Gillespie's  Self-Management for Actors and I've discovered, thanks to my actor friend Richard Whiteside, the amazing Larry Moss' The Intent to Live.

Watch this if you don't believe the amazing bit:

You know how some teachers and some methods speak to you? It has been like this for me with Meisner. I just like, I get it. It's the same with what Larry Moss teaches. Only that I feel even stronger about his ideas. He draws from the Meisner technique but also adds other elements like the strong text analysis teachers like Stella Adler emphasised. I'm really excited to delve into the exercises in Moss' book!

The main reason I haven't been able to be diligent with my acting exercises this week is that I worked very hard to get a workshop for the NZ Actors' Guild off the ground. I am very pleased to announce that we will hold a Branding for Actors Workshop in early October taught by the ever awesome Peter Feeney!

It was my first time organising an event like this and I really hope it's a success. The lovely actress/publicist Brianne Kerr is doing the publicity for the workshop, so with that and the fact that the workshop is going to ROCK, I have no doubt that places will sell like hot cakes!

I also have my first meeting about another very cool event presented by the NZAG first thing tomorrow. Back to the acting regiment right after!

The Kid In The Front Row Film Questionaire

I don't do questionnaires, usually but the Kid is pretty darn great, so here goes:

1. What film has been sitting on your shelf for six months waiting to be watched?

Frozen River - I know I'm going to be devastated by this film and just keep putting it off. What can I say, I'm a wuss!

2. What is the one film you know word for word?

Cars - My son makes me watch it with him about once a week... Otherwise I am utterly hopeless, with the exception of thankfully the films I am actually in.

3. What screen character breaks your heart?

Ree in Winter's Bone

4. If you could bring an actor back from the dead, and had to pair them on screen with a current actor (who is no older than 40), what would your combo be?

I'll have to get back to you on that one.

5. How often do you check your phone in the cinema?

NEVER!

6. What film do you love which no-one else quite seems to 'get'?

I have a love-hate relationship with bad romantic comedies and I don't even 'get' that myself.

7. What is your favourite Al Pacino film?
 
 I don't like Al Pacino.

8. Why do they always manage to make us go one size bigger with the popcorn?

I don't know. I don't eat popcorn.

9. Share one memory from a cinema visit long ago.

Some friends of mine made me watch Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses. They wouldn't let me leave the theatre. I am scarred for life.

10. Have you ever used a line from a movie, in your life, without anyone knowing you stole it? Give details.

That would require me remembering lines from films people have actually seen. I shall do my best to make an attempt at being so clever in the future. In the meantime I shall bask in the glory of my son thinking that I am fantastically hilarious when I say 'Pit stop!' in a terrible excuse of an Italian accent.