BREAKING YOUR CHARACTER;

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

BREAKING YOUR CHARACTER;

Beginning actors usually break their character 'way too soon" ,,, sometimes within seconds. As soon as they finish speaking

they instantly go back to being their regular selves. Unfortunately the camera is probably still rolling. If one breaks their character

that soon, it means they were never in character in the first place.

Daniel Day-Lewis texted as Abraham Lincoln.

Day-Lewis is known to do extensive research before any and all of his roles.

He refused to leave his character's wheel chair in "My Left Foot" even after filming was finished. All of the slumping caused him to eventually break two ribs. Later, for "The Last of the Mohicans" Lewis spent six months in the wild teaching himself to build a canoe and trap and skin animals.

In his latest role as the 16th president in "Lincoln" the British actor kept his higher-pitched American accent going the entire shoot, and began signing texts "Yours, A."

His efforts have worked, because Lewis has won two Oscars and was nominated for Abe as well. {Quite a difference between staying in character for months, or dropping it as soon as you shut up} { Being an actor is 'easy' right?}

CAN DIRECTORS GET MAD AT BACKGROUND ACTORS

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

CAN DIRECTORS GET MAD AT BACKGROUND ACTORS, AND SOMETIMES USE BAD LANGUAGE:

HELL YES THEY CAN!!!!

I was recently doing a seminar, and was speaking of an 'Assistant Director" at the actual Directors bequest to go fire,

the hell out of several extras that were screwing up his scenes. Causing more takes and more money. The AD blew

his top as well and used several expletives to the group as he kicked them off the set.

One person in the class submitted to me..""Well I was in a movie in NY and I never saw 'that' happen" . If you were the

Star of that particular movie you were there for about 3 months, a background actor probably a day or two at most.

Plus about 95% of films don't experience problems like the one below. BUT IT DOES HAPPEN..BELIEVE ME.

True story from a A list Driector.

Background actors can ruin your movie.This is something I discovered on day one: You can have your shot list memorized, you can know the emotional arc of the scene forwards and backwards, and you can get great performances out of your actors, but all it takes is one extra in the background to ruin all of that work. I remember there was this one moment during the shoot where Daniel Radcliffe broke down and bared his soul, and after that amazing take was over, someone whispered in my ear, "Did you see those cops behind Dan?" Sure enough, the two background actors we had cast as policemen were straight out of a Keystone Kops movie in 1924, shaking their fists and overemoting. Just when I thought I had nailed Dan's greatest scene ever, I had to junk it because I had these two extras in the background ruining the shot!

DID HE LOSE IT??? WHAT DO YOU THINK

ERNEST HEMINGWAY, IS ONE OF THE TOP AUTHORS OF ALL TIME: QUOTE:

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

ERNEST HEMINGWAY, IS ONE OF THE TOP AUTHORS OF ALL TIME:

QUOTE:

WHEN PEOPLE TALK, LISTEN COMPLETELY. MOST PEOPLE NEVER LISTEN!!!

MOST ACTORS HAVE 'BAD' HEADSHOTS'

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

MOST ACTORS HAVE 'BAD' HEADSHOTS'>>>

A bold statement but a true one.  Let me explain.Over the course of my career in casting, I have been on the receiving end of a lot of headshots. A LOT.

After all, one of the difficult tasks every Casting Director has to do daily is go through mountains of submissions, scroll hundreds of pages of electronic submissions and pick the needle out of the haystack. When you look at that much data, some very consistent trends emerge.  Here are some… 

COMMON HEADSHOT TRENDS:

Actor Headshot Trend #1
Most actors have bad headshots.

Actor Headshot Trend #2 
Most headshots don’t accurately represent you

Actor Headshot Trend #3 
Most actor headshots get passed over and never grab the attention of the Casting Director

Georgia is #1

WHY SO MANY ACTORS FAIL>>>

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

WHY SO MANY ACTORS FAIL>>>

Acting is possibly THE most misunderstood career in the world.  I always tell the actors I work with,  it is a difficult industry but it is POSSIBLE. It IS possible. I don’t need to tell you that you need to be on point with your technique and craft, that’s obvious isn’t it? !So what are the reasons most actors fail and can you relate to any of these?

• CONFIDENCE in self, including looks, ability, comparing self to others
• FEAR – of being rejected – of being successful (yep you read that right).
• NOT STICKING IT OUT – think Michael Fassbender (and many other actors), just on the cusp of quitting then bam, success
• NOT ENOUGH GROUNDWORK – learning who’s casting what, applying for jobs every single day. EVERYDAY..DON'T PASS ON ANY OPPTY.
• LISTENING TO NEGATIVITY – This speaks for itself. NEGATIVITY FROM OTHERS IS NOT ONLY HINDERS BUT KILLS MANY START-UPS.
• DON'T GET TOO SIDE-TRACKED BY YOUR OWN LACK OF PREPARATION, MOTIVATION AND OUTSIDE INFLUENCES.

AGENTS/CASTING DIRECTORS>

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

AGENTS/CASTING DIRECTORS>

DEAL WITH THIS EVERYDAY, LACK OF PREPARATION BY THE ACTORS.

Lack of preparation by 'new actors' to compete with 'seasoned professionals

can cause 'BITTERNESS' , which starts out as a hurt, and many times can cause this

basically new talent to lash out at the entire industry, that they feel is the cause of the

lack of their own success.

Cure= Walk away or ignore.

NONE OF THIS SUMMER'S BIG MOVIES FILMED IN HOLLYWOOD

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

 

NONE OF THIS SUMMER'S BIG MOVIES FILMED IN HOLLYWOOD.....

 

Other states,,like New Mexico, and Georgia. Even other countries (Australia) offer bigger incentives, like tax breaks to film there.

As a result, the summer's movies come from all over the globe. Warner Bros. filmed "Wonder Woman" and "King Arthur" in Britain, where the Time Warner Inc studio owns a large production space. Twenty-First Century Fox Inc's movie studio chose Australia for "Alien: Covenant." Walt Disney Co's Marvel Studios rolled its cameras in Georgia for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," one of six superhero movies it has filmed near Atlanta.

"The support we get in Georgia is tremendous," Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said in an interview. "We're certainly doing many of our biggest films there well through this year and into next year."

 

VERY FEW ACTOR GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME]]

107 TAKES

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

VERY FEW ACTOR GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME]]

In most professions, performing a task dozens of times before you get it right is not something to brag about. Film-making is not like most professions. For the upcoming release The Mummy, Tom Cruise insisted on filming an action sequence 64 times in a zero-gravity environment just to make it as realistic as possible.

When we typically discuss scenes or shots that require numerous takes, however, it’s usually about directors instead of actors. Stanley Kubrick was famous for it, and reportedly made Cruise walk through a door 90 times while filming Eyes Wide Shut. David Fincher has earned a similar reputation, claiming recently to have once used up to 107 takes to get a shot right. It sounds like a nightmare for the cast and crew, who are operating purely on faith in their director, but actors continue to flock to such film-makers because their methods seem to work. Kubrick famously never made a bad film, and Fincher hasn’t yet.  {{{ So for you beginners out there, don't get all  caught with "I've gotta go rehearse again??"}}} IT IS SO MUCH CHEAPER TO REHEARSE A SCENE WHILE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ARE NOT BEING SPENT....'JUST DO IT'.

WHY ARE ACTORS SO ARROGANT?

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

WHY ARE ACTORS SO ARROGANT?

It's rather difficult to survive as an actor if you aren't.

First, you're already going to have to play arrogant characters. Since there's way too much of The Method™, many learn to bring out their Inner Asshole to become the character.

Second, it's an extremely hard business to break into, at least to the point of becoming successful to any degree that means that you will have heard about them. Full of rejection like you wouldn't believe. Some degree of arrogance is necessary in order not to shrivel up and die from the onslaught.

Third, there's a disease associated with acting. People who get a case of it never seem to admit that it's a disease, but others close to them notice it. Acting is fantasy. Lying. Insulated from reality that way, people become more interested in a nice juicy line and disregard the effect it has on others. I wasn't at all surprised when Alec Baldwin flamed out at his young daughter. He was just doing schtick. It was the same when my actor friend said to me  "I should have worn a well you know" Just honing his impro skills, I'm sure, and I was handy.

SOME FILM SET TERMINOLOGY:

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

SOME FILM SET TERMINOLOGY:

Learn the following so that you'll be well prepared when on set:

• "Action" - The camera is rolling. Everyone must be in their assigned spots and doing what is instructed to them.
• "Background" - Extras must be in their assigned spots and doing what is instructed to them.
• "Back to One" - Return to your starting position for shot.
• "Blocking" - Preplanned movement in a scene.
• "Call Time" - The time you are required to be on the set.
• "Continuity" - Doing everything exactly as it was done in the previous take.
• "Cut" - Stop all action.
• "Extras" - Paid / non-paid actors.
• "Flashing" - This is said, only when the film/videotape is not running and someone is using their flash photography to take photos. It helps everyone to know that none of the various light bulbs have blown.
• "Quiet On The Set" - All voices quiet
• "Places" or "Places everyone" - This means that were ever you are assigned to be, please head immediately and quietly to that spot and await further instructions
• "Speed/Rolling" - Film is moving.

SO YOU THINK ACTORS ARE ALL THAT?

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

SO YOU THINK ACTORS ARE ALL THAT?

DO THEY COMPARE THEMSELVES TO THE REAL DEAL?

HERE'S WHAT MARK WALBERG HAD TO SAY ABOUT THAT.

Mark on making a film like Lone Survivor>>

“I don’t give a sh-t if you get your ass busted. You get to go home at the end of the day. You get to go to your hotel room. You get to order your f-cking chicken. Whatever the f-ck it is,” Wahlberg said on Tuesday night. “I’ve done the movies where I talk about God. I trained for four and a half years and I was ‘The Fighter’ and f-ck all that. It really means nothing. I love Marcus [Luttrell] for what he’s done and I’m a very lucky guy to do what I do and I’m proud to have been part of it, but it’s just so much bigger than what I do.”

AND QUITE POSSIBLY THE MOST WELL KNOWN:

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

ANOTHER ACTING TECHNIQUE:

AND QUITE POSSIBLY THE MOST WELL KNOWN:

Constantin Stanislavski influenced the modern techniques by introducing Stanislavskian approach in the field of acting. This technique involves looking at the script closely and analysing the path of the character. Stanislavski emphasised on realism and also used the exercise named ‘magic if’. In this exercise, the actor has to think what they would do if in the place of the character.  This technique influenced acting mentors like Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg and Uta Hagen.

MORE ON ACTING TECHNIQUES:

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

MORE ON ACTING TECHNIQUES:

LEE STRASBERG: 

I HAD THE INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE TO STUDY WITH THE MAN BEFORE HE DIED:

It involves adopting the lifestyle, habits or traits of the character portrayed by the actor. A character’s psychological motives and personal identifications become the core matter in method acting. This technique is associated with Lee Strasberg, a world-renowned American actor, director and acting teacher. Actors like Jonny Depp, Al Pacino and Jack Nicholson have been known to be following method acting.

CONTINUING 'ACTING TECHNIQUES

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS

CONTINUING 'ACTING TECHNIQUES"

Next will be yet another technique.

This technique developed by theatre practitioner Sanford Meisner concentrates on the ‘self’. Here, actors practice the exercise of repetition. In this exercise, two actors sit across each other and communicate with each other by repeating a phrase. The phrase is about the behavior of both actors involved in the scene. The tone keeps changing depending on the response each receives from the opposite person. Few actors that practice this technique are Naomi Watts, Tom Cruise and James Franco.

Most acting techniques employed by 'real' actors are used in combination with another. Meisner is my personal favorite. IT IS NEVER JUST THE 'WORDS IN THE SCRIPT' BUT THE BEHAVIOR OF THE CHARACTER (the actor) Words don't mean much without the proper character behavior.

GOOD HEADSHOT

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

GETTING A GOOD HEADSHOT, ONE THAT WORKS, NOT SOME LOCAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER;

Anyone looking for an acting job typically needs one or more headshots to get an audition. The right look can really help actors get a foot in the door. Many professional photographers specialize in actor headshots and know how to make people look their best. All headshot photographers aren’t alike, however. Some focus on corporate headshots rather than acting headshots. For acting headshots, someone with REAL, experience in that area can provide exactly what you need. Acting headshot prices vary depending on how many shots are needed, the length of the photo session, the number of looks included and other factors. Number of looks:  Each time customers change clothes or makeup, counts as a different "look." Many photographers charge based on the number of looks in a given photo session. Typically in the USA (within the cities that work the most in the industry) photographers that photograph talent will charge an average of $155.00 per look with the average number of looks being around 4, with each additional look costing about $50,00 Number of re-touched photos: Most headshot photographers provide retouching services to make customers look their best (Although it has been my experience that many times this process is overdone, which in turn turns off most casting directors). Talent need to look like they look. Not a lot of makeup, and not a bunch of clothes that are rarely seen. The more photos that need to be retouched, the higher the cost. For example, one photographer in of, New York, will do minimum retouching for as little as $25 per photo. SUMMARY..THIS IS NO PLACE TO CUT CORNERS.

PART THREE, ACTING TECHNIQUES:

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

PART THREE, ACTING TECHNIQUES:

• Conflict: It's the basis of every story. That's what makes it interesting. No one wants to watch happy people for two and a half hours. It wouldn't sell tickets. As an actor, your job is to find the conflict in the scene. You want something, she wants the opposite. And only one of you can win. Play into that.
• Moment Before: It's true that every scene has a beginning, middle, and end. But for the character, there's no such thing. So you've got to create a moment before. What was the character doing, thinking, and feeling right before the scene started? ( I talk about this frequently, you 'don't just show up' during the scene, something had to happen before the scene began.)
• Place: Where are you? Whose territory is this? Are there other people around? Is it well lit, or really dark? Do you feel safe, or threatened? I Kansas different than NY or Tokyo? Is a restaurant different than a school? etc. Think about this, become part of this.

PART TWO,, ACTING TECHNIQUES:

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

PART TWO,, ACTING TECHNIQUES:

• Relationship: How do you feel about your scene partner? Do you love them? Do you hate them? Or maybe both?
• Notice I didn't ask, "How are they related to you?" It doesn't matter that they're your mother, brother, sister, cousin, rabbi, or your bookie. What matters is how you feel about them. Don't just make something up on the spur of the moment. Think this over, believe it. Don't overdo or slack off while rendering the role.

MORE ON COLD READINGS:

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

MORE ON COLD READINGS:

Acting Techniques for Cold Readings

Sometimes, especially in auditions for film or TV, you'll be asked to do a cold reading. They will give you a script and expect you to do it right then.

Ninety percent of the time, you'll get a few minutes on your own to read it over. These few minutes are extremely important. Spend them wisely.

"But what if I don't get a few minutes alone? What if they want me to read right away??"

Don't panic. Always ask (politely) if you can have a few minutes outside to read it over. They'll either say yes or no.

If they say no, then dig in. Be fearless.

Read the script over once or twice. It's usually only a couple of pages, so it shouldn't take long. Take a yellow highlighter to your lines. This is important because you'll be looking up from the page in the audition. You don't want to lose your place.

Then, start making choices. Choices about what? 

MORE ON THIS TOMORROW 

A FEW LITTLE TIPS ABOUT...ACTING:

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

A FEW LITTLE TIPS ABOUT...ACTING:

 Cold-reading happens every week. Cold-read classes offer fast food answers for actors who don’t want to rehearse. How often do you arrive unprepared to a real audition? Almost never. Proper text analysis and rehearsal technique are both essential for serious film actors.

The lazy actor might argue, “Well, William,  sometimes you don’t have time to rehearse on set.” And I would counter, “Well, hypothetical person, paid actors sure as hell don’t have scripts in their hands either.”

An actor should build a strong foundation of fully realized performances in classes. That body of work is what you will draw from on a chaotic set. Practice and train at the level you would actually like to work in films.This is not always easy either.  I would not spend 15 minutes in a parking lot learning my script for a Steven Spielberg film. And I would not attempt it in scene study class for the same reasons. Professionals stand out, amateurs look just exactly like what they are AMATEURS. 

SORRY I HAVE BEEN SO LAX

IN MY OPINION:

WILLIAM REYNOLDS:

SORRY I HAVE BEEN SO LAX IN THESE POSTINGS THIS PAST WEEK,

BUT WE HAVE BEEN SWAMPED CASTINGS.

YOUNGEST PERSON THIS WEEK TO BE CAST (5), OLDEST (68) AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

Georgia is quickly taking over the TV and film industry. Here are the 37 movies and TV shows filming in Georgia this May.

Georgia has quickly became the “Hollywood of the Soapriluth”. In little less than a decade, more movies and TV shows are filming in the Peach state than most places around the world. In fact, a recent study has put Georgia as the third largest film industry in the world only behind the United Kingdom. And with the recent BREXIT issues, expect Georgia’s film industry to only grow and possibly become the number #1 filmmaking location in the world.

JASON ALEXANDER

IN MY OPINION;

WILLIAM REYNOLDS;

REMEMBER THE CHUBBY GUY ON SEINFELD?

JASON ALEXANDER> HERE IS SOME OF HIS ADVICE FOR 'FRUSTRATED ACTORSS'

 IF, you’re among the actors who risk letting time pass by waiting for a role to come to them, Alexander doesn’t have a whole lot of sympathy for you. Although a certain amount of aspiring actors manage to succeed in getting into the business this way, many are likely find themselves waiting for extended periods of time. To these actors he says, “You are limited by your passion, your intelligence, your talent, your imagination, and nothing else. So if you say, ‘I never got the break,’ it’s your fault.”