That makes me so happy to hear…that’s exactly why we made these videos and the campus. If you want, the 12 hours of video (craft of acting arts of being) are on the campus free for the first month…jump on, grab all you can!
Your teaching has revolutionized my craft, honestly. It's incredible stuff, Matt. Thank you. I do have one question about the practicality of doing a full intellectual prep on audition sides. Often times, we will get two or three self-tape requests within a short time, with a quick deadline turnaround. Now, in a perfect world, I could spend a few hours doing the text analysis, then enlist a coach or actor colleague to R&D the other character in the scene with me, rehearse it to make sure I'm vectoring out, etc. However, that seems unpractical for a self-tape I have to submit by tomorrow (for example). What would your advice be if I had no other options but to enlist, say, my (non-actor) partner as a reader and do the work myself? Do I need to then R&D both characters so I can make sure I'm hitting the moments even if my reader isn't? Surely not every working actor is able to get another working actor to be their scene partner (and have that other actor do the full hours-long prep) on every single self-tape. So how would you advise I get the best possible outcome in that grey area?
Fantastic question. Yes…if time permitted, for every self tape we would do thorough analysis of both (or all) characters then rehearse, and re-rehearse. But of course TIME forces us to abandon our rehearsal and surrender to the scene at some point. So…WHEN time permits, analyze and work out thematic conversations, scene structure, relationships, objectives, consequences, research style and genre, deduce R&Ds, and rehearse thoroughly. A three page audition should - in the perfect world - be given 5 hours attention minimum (before shooting). BUT…not always possible. The solution: learn to work more efficiently and faster. When NOT doing self tapes…get in a class, or work with fellow actors in studio, or online, or work solo from home…work on BIGGER more complex scenes and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! Then when forced to work under time constraint, analysis comes MUCH quicker, and R&Ds can be ascertained on the fly. The more experience you have, the fewer surprises scripts will present. In class, we use scenes as templates. So when I coach an actor, I will often say something like: “it’s A STAR IS BORN bathroom scene with a little MOONSTRUCK.” Like mathematics, analysis comes quicker and faster the more you practice. One last note: it is NEVER difficult to find professional and aspiring actors to help with self-tapes (every actor wants and needs to practice and play). I would NEVER work with a non actor in a self tape environment. Ever. You are only as good as the company you keep. Have fun! MH
You are such a fabulous acting coach. No one brings out the essence of acting so clearly.
Thank you! So glad to know it helps.
you need to upload more lol, you are a brilliant life teacher not just actor. im broke and this stuff gives me a lifeline
That makes me so happy to hear…that’s exactly why we made these videos and the campus. If you want, the 12 hours of video (craft of acting arts of being) are on the campus free for the first month…jump on, grab all you can!
You are AMAZING !! thank you ;)😘😘😘
Thank you!
Your teaching has revolutionized my craft, honestly. It's incredible stuff, Matt. Thank you.
I do have one question about the practicality of doing a full intellectual prep on audition sides. Often times, we will get two or three self-tape requests within a short time, with a quick deadline turnaround. Now, in a perfect world, I could spend a few hours doing the text analysis, then enlist a coach or actor colleague to R&D the other character in the scene with me, rehearse it to make sure I'm vectoring out, etc. However, that seems unpractical for a self-tape I have to submit by tomorrow (for example). What would your advice be if I had no other options but to enlist, say, my (non-actor) partner as a reader and do the work myself? Do I need to then R&D both characters so I can make sure I'm hitting the moments even if my reader isn't? Surely not every working actor is able to get another working actor to be their scene partner (and have that other actor do the full hours-long prep) on every single self-tape.
So how would you advise I get the best possible outcome in that grey area?
Fantastic question. Yes…if time permitted, for every self tape we would do thorough analysis of both (or all) characters then rehearse, and re-rehearse.
But of course TIME forces us to abandon our rehearsal and surrender to the scene at some point.
So…WHEN time permits, analyze and work out thematic conversations, scene structure, relationships, objectives, consequences, research style and genre, deduce R&Ds, and rehearse thoroughly. A three page audition should - in the perfect world - be given 5 hours attention minimum (before shooting). BUT…not always possible.
The solution: learn to work more efficiently and faster.
When NOT doing self tapes…get in a class, or work with fellow actors in studio, or online, or work solo from home…work on BIGGER more complex scenes and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! Then when forced to work under time constraint, analysis comes MUCH quicker, and R&Ds can be ascertained on the fly. The more experience you have, the fewer surprises scripts will present.
In class, we use scenes as templates. So when I coach an actor, I will often say something like: “it’s A STAR IS BORN bathroom scene with a little MOONSTRUCK.”
Like mathematics, analysis comes quicker and faster the more you practice.
One last note: it is NEVER difficult to find professional and aspiring actors to help with self-tapes (every actor wants and needs to practice and play). I would NEVER work with a non actor in a self tape environment. Ever. You are only as good as the company you keep.
Have fun!
MH
By the way…I’m so pleased to hear the teaching is helping.
This will help: www.actorsfoundry.com/files/File/Chapter%205%20Worksheets%20Part%202.pdf
I will join. This is exactly what I need to structure my daily routine.
I’ll see you on there!@@karstenkuhlmann7763