UMMM, SO LET'S SEE

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

UMMM, SO LET'S SEE..........

You're on a movie set, probably playing an extra. Been in the business a couple of months, AND THEN,

another 'extra' starts giving 'you' advice on what you need to do to succeed. LIKE HIM< RIGHT?

There you are doing exactly the same thing, making exactly the same amount of money, and yet another

'extra' telling you where all you've gone wrong, if you want to be more like him/her listen closely to this 

person that is at the same place as you. No more, no less. The exact same thing.

This is like a dead broke person giving someone advice on how to get rich.

Really? Don't fall for this garbage, it can wreck your physicie'. 

Move away, you did your due diligence, you are here. Everyone does not have to go the same college,

to get an education. Walk to the beat of your 'own' drummer.

BEING LATE FOR AN AUDITION

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

BEING LATE FOR AN AUDITION;

Being late to an audition is never good, but being really early isn’t the best either. Try to arrive (or check in) as close your to scheduled time as possible.

Late can cost you your career, and I'm not kidding. That throws everyone's schedule off,  IF THEY STILL SEE YOU...And they may not. In fact probably not.

And that audition could have been the one you nailed, and it changed your entire life. BUT NO YOU WERE CAUGHT IN TRAFFIC, RIGHT?

Also, get there too early, go in and you get in the way. 

Shooting a film, even the auditions is BIG BUSINESS. There are schedules that are to be attended to. Don't become part of the problem.

CREATING A CHARACTER, 'YOUR CHARACTER'

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

CREATING A CHARACTER, 'YOUR CHARACTER'

The goal of any actor is to be able to tell a story as a character, so the main task from first reading to final performance is to develop that character. The first and most important step in this process is perhaps the easiest: read! Read the script, read the text, read everything given to you for your part. You wouldn't believe how many actors go straight to performance without having even read their material. It is only by reading the material that you can learn the fundamentals about your character.

So what do you look for when reading your script? Pay attention to everything given to you about your character: his or her name, age, address, likes, dislikes, family, friends, political and religious viewpoints, favorite foods, places, upbringing— anything and everything about your character. Just like you, yes you. You personally have everyone of these traits, so why should not the character you are playing DUH!  Some of these qualities will be said directly by your character or another character; other attributes you'll be able to pick up through context clues in the script. However, the script will only grant you a small fraction of what you need to know about your character. So what do you do to find the other details? You make them up! AND NO! I'M NOT KIDDING. IF IT'S NOT THERE, MAKE THEM UP, AND REMEMBER THEM.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DENZEL WASHINGTON

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

HAPPY BIRTHDAY....DENZEL WASHINGTON;

My all time favorite actor.

Two time Oscar Winner>>>> TRAINING DAY, AND GLORY!

AND up for another Oscar this year for "FENCES"

Good Luck DW

62 YEARS OF AGE 'TODAY'

DON'T BE BIGGER THAN LIFE!

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS

DON'T BE BIGGER THAN LIFE!

Some big differences between stage acting and film acting

# Volume:  The mike is either clipped to you or is hanging over your head. You don't have to be heard from the balcony or the last row. Acting is NOT all vocal. But acting on film

is vocally normal, unless you are shooting outside in a snowstorm, Acting on stage is NOT. No one in real life ever talks so loudly that you can be heard from the length of a 

football field.

# Movement: If you meander around, you'll walk right off the camera. HIT YOUR MARK AND STAY THERE...unless you are told otherwise.

# SIZE:  To me personally, this is the biggest difference.EXPRESSIONS. Your face can be 50 feet high on the screen, even a small twitch, a small expression IS GONNA BE SEEN.

So film acting isn't 'pulled back'. It's the closest thing to normal that acting ever get.

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

HOW DO WE CHOOSE ACTORS FOR CLIENTS?

First, I schedule the actors I already know are great with copy. Then, I always like to give new talent or talent I don’t know an opportunity. However, I need to see some kind of video reel of the person’s wor if and when I can.. Resumes are great, but.. since anyone can make up credits on a resume. I want to see video footage, a reel they are called. Most LA actors will have this. Atlanta actors are a little behind the curve on this one. However, there are rare occasions that I will schedule someone I don’t know based on their headshot and resume only.

Then, there is the audition. You come in, do your best, and you leave. At the end of the day, I send the session to my clients to review. Actors have always asked me, “Do you take actors off your session?” The answer is: Yes, sometimes. I have to. If someone comes in that I’m giving a chance to and gives a poor performance, or is totally unprepared, and just cannot take the direction I give them, I have to take them off. My clients are hiring me for my knowledge and eye for the best talent for their project. But for the most part, it is rare that I have to take someone off from my session. Next  after  the clients—producers and director—have reviewed the session, they tell me who their selects are. That is it. Done> Over. The End.

Your first big audition

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

YOUR FIRST BIG AUDITION....WOW!

Make sure you have practiced your audition monologue or script, so that you are word perfect, dress so that you feel good and are comfortable, and make sure you arrive on time. You are on your way as an actor and you have crossed the threshold from dreaming about it, to actually doing it! You're going for your first audition! Get excited. Although you may be keyed up and excited, try to eat something a few hours beforehand because feeling faint with hunger will not help your performance. Take something with you to keep you occupied too, like a n book Have your headshot/resume with you, don't make them ask for it.. Drink lots of water - make sure you are properly hydrated. It will help you remain calm and it puts up a barrier between you and the other actors while you are waiting. Other people’s nerves are contagious and may put you off. Maybe there is another actor there that is 'negative' or, 'unprepared'.MOVE AWAY, IGNORE DON'T ENCOURAGE.

Don't be upset

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

WISH BEGINNING ACTORS WOULD PUT THIS IN THEIR MEMORY BANK;

YOUR FIRST TWO BFA YEARS

IN MY OPINION

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

YOUR FIRST TWO BFA YEARS

FIRST YEAR

Training begins immediately, with six hours of voice and movement training per week and four of acting, providing a combination of studio practice and analytical/theory skills. Progress is evaluated and organized around a set of competencies in foundational skill development so you can start on the road to becoming a fully qualified, educated actor. Begin to understand and identify any limiting habits in acting, voice and movement, and to identify and mobilize new and more useful ones.

SECOND YEAR

Building on your foundational skills, you develop the next higher set of competencies in your craft, training in transformational acting and being an active contributor to the world of the play. Voice and speech class separates from movement class in order to focus on more specific techniques and skills, such as learning the International Phonetic Alphabet.  Movement class exposes you to a variety of pedagogies to help you transform into a greater level of expressivity through mask work and other physical theatre approaches.  Heightened text helps your voice and speech work develop into rich use and understanding of complex language.

AND THERE ARE STILL TWO MORE YEARS TO GO  FOR YOU GUYS THAT THINK YOU ARE 'A NATURAL'. {{{{ WELL NOT REALLY, MAYBE NOT AFTER ALL} (BUT EVERYONE TELLS ME, BLAH, BLAH.}}}

What is a background actor?

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

I GET THIS QUESTION FROM TIME TO TIME:

What is a background actor?

A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking or nonsinging (silent) capacity, usually in the background , for example, in an audience or busy street scene,  called a 'fan' or, 'pedestrian'. on your resume.

THE WORST ADVICE

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS

THE WORST ADVICE

I’ve heard that phrase a million times: “Just be you, and you’ll do just fine.” It’s supposed to sound reassuring, but it’s as contradictory as, “Act normal.” It’s impossible to do. If you are your normal self, you don’t act. You just are. Whether on stage, in front of a camera or in the recording studio, you’re not hired to “just be you.” You’re hired to be your best, most professional self, and to make it sound (and look) perfectly spontaneous. (Voice) actors are paid messengers. They’re paid to get information across in a way that’s easily understood and remembered. That’s why your speech needs to be clean and clear. If it’s not, it will distract from the message. In my experience, this is something the average person -regardless of their sound- is unable to do. And once again, don't listen to an amateur giving you professional advice. They are in possibly a worse place than you.

BAD ACTOR

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS

TRAITS OF A 'BAD ACTOR'

Pushing. Stanislavsky, the great Russian acting theorist, helped us understand that acting works better when actors pursue goals rather than try to emote. If that idea is new to you, and you'd like to learn more, see this post: Marcus Geduld's answer to What are some things that actors and actresses know that most people might not?
Bad actors think their job is to emote. And when they're "not feeling it," they force it. See Mel ("Give me back my son!") Gibson and Nicholas Cage.
And a:  Lack of confidence. It simply takes time to feel comfortable on stage or in front of a camera. There are many actors who will be wonderful some day, if they stick with the craft, but they simply don't have confidence yet. The stage, the camera, the moment, makes them nervous, which causes them to hold back. It cases them to protect themselves.  That means that you don't want to look vulnerable.  You want to look confident, and then the reverse happens, and the director, the audience sees right through it. 

Stick to what you are taught, not told by yet another actor trying to achieve the exact same thing.

You can do it

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

Actors, acting can you do it/

If you want to be an actor, you can make it happen. Don't believe me? Turn on the television and flip through the channels. We bet it won't take long for you to find someone that looks like you. Not every actor looks like a “movie star." There are roles out there for people of all ages, races, shapes, and sizes! The oldest talent we ever booked was 88 yrs of age. The youngest person, 5 days old, of course not a speaking role (lol) As for natural talent, it certainly helps to be born with the ability to perform. But acting is also something that can be learned and mastered through lots of practice. Like any skill, it can be taught. With passion and perseverance, you can be a great actor…even if it doesn't come naturally.

Confident

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

CONFIDENT FOR A GOOD REASON

Fake it ’til you make it, they tell us, and I couldn’t disagree more.

People who are trying hard to come across as confident, for example, can mistakenly behave arrogantly simply because they haven’t figured out what real confidence is or what it means to them. They try to be a showboat, blah, blah, That is a turn off to me and most other casting director types. They’ll talk over someone in a meeting, or audition because that’s what they think confident people do. They’ll voice an opinion without thinking about its impact, because they think confident people make themselves heard. And they’ll steamroll their view forward, because confident people stick to their guns. That’s BS, of course. Pretending to be confident sees you trying to live up to a heap of half-brained notions of what confidence might be, without ever asking yourself what real, natural confidence/training/ability actually looks like for you.

You don’t need to fake confidence. Confidence is earned.

Pilot Season

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

MYTHS ABOUT 'PILOT SEASON'

AND PILOT SEASON IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER...JAN-2017

The networks only want stars. Is that right? I would argue that if you watch a few TV shows at random, you’ll find plenty of series regular roles that weren’t filled by name actors. Sure, the leads will always be stars because that’s how the shows get promoted, but there are plenty of other parts that are open and available to actors who don’t get recognized when they’re walking down the street.

Booking doesn’t mean anything if the pilot isn’t picked up.This is what actors do. They turn a positive into a negative. I’ve never understood that kind of thinking. Look, no one’s going to argue that it’s better if your pilot goes to series, but booking the pilot in and of itself is a major accomplishment that everyone will take seriously. The credit on your résumé will help your agent sell you on the next project. It will also make you more attractive to casting directors. And the truth is, if you booked one pilot, you can book another.

Dreaming About Actor

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

BEEN DREAMING ABOUT BEING AN ACTOR?

If you've always wondered how to become a film or television actor, then here are a lot of  steps that may not get you the role of a lifetime, but they will help you to treat your acting career as a career and not simply as something you choose to do for fun. Here is one of those steps. The first one in fact.

Over 50 Actors

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

OVER 50 ACTORS HAVE PLAYED SANTA, 

HERE ARE 5.

TOM HANKS, JAMES EARL JONES, TIM ALLEN, KEVIN JAMES AND MARTIN LAWRENCE!!!!

PRETTY GOOD GROUP I'D SAY.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Quitting acting before you've really begun

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

QUITTING ACTING BEFORE YOU'VE REALLY BEGUN?

Whenever I hear students ask me questions like, “Am I good enough to make it?” or “Should I quit?” I always say, “How can you quit something you never fully invested in?” It’s one thing to quit and say, “I gave it a solid try. I did everything I needed to do to get myself positioned properly to be seen by the right people who can give me an opportunity and it’s just not working for me.” But it’s another thing to say, “It didn’t work. This career sucks,” and not do anything about it. Like any business, it takes time and money. Some of you might say, “Why is that guy or girl working? They’re awful!” Well, I hate to say it, but it’s as simple as, they know how to work the business better than you. Do you know how to work the business? What is working the business? Well, there’s having a package that works, having reps that send you out, having the training that helps you book, networking and building relationships, and being ready when the opportunity comes. THIS MY FRIENDS 'IS IN FACT' A BUSINESS.

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

VALUABLE TIPS FOR ACTING FOR A CAMERA....

1. Eye contact. To achieve solid eye contact, focus on your scene partner’s downstage eye. Yes, there is an “upstage” and a “downstage” when working on camera, although “stage left” becomes “camera right” and vice-versa. (While there are still some directors who use the terms “stage left” and “stage right,” it is becoming a less frequent practice when directing for the camera.) Inexperienced actors often look shifty-eyed, as they move back and forth between another actor’s two eyes. Depending on the tightness of the shot, this may not be an issue. However, you should be very careful if the shot is extremely close and intense. By focusing on the downstage eye (the one closer to the camera), your performance will have more stillness, which both directors and audiences prefer to the shifty-eyed look.

2. Take a stand. Most of us, when standing normally, see the same thing when we look down at our feet. A V-shape, with each foot pointing a bit outward and our heels closer together. This works perfectly well in life, but when an actor places himself on a mark in front of the camera, this stance can lead to swaying—both side to side and backward and forward. By breaking the symmetry of these two halves of the “V,” your stance will be far more solid. No need to attempt a ballet dancer’s fourth position here. However, moving one foot in front of the other, and shifting its angle a bit, will make it almost impossible for you to sway. Also, for those who suffer from shakiness from stage fright, this technique can prove to be a lifesaver.

3. Take stock of your habits. We all have them, but the ones I’m referring to in particular are the ones that might prove distracting to a director or an audience. These include: excessive blinking, flaring nostrils, over-active eyebrows, flipping hair, touching face, licking lips, sighing, crossing-arms, hands in pockets, and, well, the list is endless. But if you tape yourself and carefully self-scrutinize, you will be able to eliminate these habits altogether—or at the very least lessen some of them.                                                                               

4. Don’t beat up on yourself! We are all imperfect creatures. As an actor, it’s your goal to choose which imperfections to showcase in your characters. Just don’t let your own habits, affectations, and mannerisms get in the way of giving a great performance.

AND ALMOST TO A PERSON, BEGINNERS, OR SOMEONE THAT THINKS THEY ARE ALREADY THERE,  AT LEAST ONE OR TWO OF THESE. :( :( :(

Agreeing with Denzel

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS

ACTUALLY IT'S DENZEL'S OPINION

BUT I TOTALLY AGREE.

Mr. Washington was the target earlier this 'election year' of false reporting. This is his response....# (fist bump)

"If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you do read it, you're misinformed," Washington, the star and director behind the new film "Fences," told ITK at the Wednesday premiere inside the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

"Fences," based on an award-winning play of the same name, also features Viola Davis and centers on the life of a black family in 1950s Pittsburgh. It is set to be released on Christmas.

Washington was the subject of a phony story earlier this year that falsely claimed he was switching his support of then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to GOP White House hopeful Donald Trump.
One of the effects of "too much information," the 61-year-old Oscar winner says, is "The need to be first, not even to be true anymore."
"So what a responsibility you all have — to tell the truth," Washington exclaimed to the pack of reporters gathered on the red carpet.
"In our society, now it's just first — who cares, get it out there. We don't care who it hurts. We don't care who we destroy. We don't care if it's true," Washington continued.

"Just say it, sell it. Anything you practice you'll get good at — including BS."

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

KEEPING YOUR CHIN UP.

Well that is a lot easier said than done. If you are an actor, you have had this happen to you. You get booked on a film, your first job ever. Call time is at 6;30 AM in some

god forsaken place 40 miles from where you live. But you're still excited right? Yes you are. So you get there a little early after getting up at 3: AM, getting ready and then

driving forever. You get there, and you with a lot of others wait for several hours before they begin to film. Gossip here, gossip there. complaining on why so early etc.

Does the production company care. No they don't. They would have liked to have begun on time as well, but they had camera issues or whatever. And believe me, it can get worse.

You go through this for a year or two, and then BOOM, you get a principal role. SPEAKING. You are informed to be on the set tomorrow morning at some horrid hour, to go through

wardrobe etc. But, you have your own dressing room.

Mine was in the back of a U-Haul, with portable hangers, that I had to share with another actor. And of course there was no bathroom and we are in a rural area, way away from

civilization. Yep! Guess where we had to go?

So, to reiterate, keeping your chin up is not always as easy as it sounds.

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

YOU ARE THE 'ONLY' ONE!

I've said this before but it begs repeating. You and only you can bring authenticity to the character that you are wanting to, or trying to portray. PERIOD>

Not someone you met in class, or other people at the same audition you are on right now. Trying to emulate the character, as they see it, simply will not,

and does not work. It is up to those casting directors on the other side of the table, or behind the camera to make that decision, and they can see that, that

is not...NOT YOU>

Be a little more creative than that, since your ARE IN FACT AN ACTOR. IS THAT CORRECT?

Acting Bug

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

GOT THE ACTING BUG???

 Every ambitious actor who got recently bit by a acting bug wants to know how to start an acting career and how to do it efficiently. Nobody’s interested in years of useless meandering around, trying to score auditions and not even understanding whether they have progressed or not.

You’d be surprised how many people I talked to who always wanted to be in the show business, but never pursued their dream. This idea of becoming a successful performer, be it actor, singer, dancer or musician, has popped into most people’s heads. And when it comes to this, there are three kinds of people: Well, maybe 4,

1. Those who leave it at that, just a dream, and move on;
2. Those who blindly chase the fantasy of becoming rich and famous without any knowledge on how to do it;
3. And those who set realistic goals and educated themselves on how to achieve them, one step at a time.
4. YOU DON'T GO GET IN YOUR CAR WITHOUT A DESTINATION IN MIND DO YOU? OF COURSE NOT, YOU HAVE A PLAN. YOU PREPARE.

AND IT'S NOT, SIMPLY GOING OUT AND LOOKING FOR SOMEONE AT AN AGENCY TELLING YOU YOU'RE READY. CAUSE YOU'RE NOT. PERIOD.

IN MY OPINION:
WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

ARE YOU 'TOO' FOCUSED ON SUCCESS?

I think that sometimes,( unfortunately only one time) getting ahead of yourself can be an absolute disaster. Actors can become so focused on what is 'looming' in their
future that they don't appreciate what is happening to them right this minute. They get a speaking role, many times too quickly, and they believe that that are set. even
though they had only two or three lines. They must 'have the it factor'. They may begin to pixx a few people off that really matter. They elevate themselves up the ladder,
where they may not be ready for as of yet. All because of that one success. Of course I'm not raining on the parade for getting the role, but not showing respect for those
that may have assisted your rise. Try to be a little humble and enjoy the ride a little longer and don't start reaching out and reeling in the future a little pre-maturely.
It will come when 'IT'S READY'. CHILL A LITTLE.

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

GOOGLE: WHAT DOES A FILM TV AGENT LOOK LIKE?

I was messing around on Google this morning and typed in this (above) IMAGES.

A lot of pictures appeared, some movie posters, But much to my surprise GUESS WHO SHOWED UP CLOSE TO THE TOP ROW?

ME, THAT'S WHO. I thought that was kinda cool. So, you try it Google the question above along with IMAGES, if you so choose.

I didn't want to put my picture up anymore so I attached what I thought a real agent might look like.

:)