Monday, August 28, 2006

Emmys Were Last Night

Click over to see if you won!

this posted by David August at 10:46 AM - 0 comments -  

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Samuel L. Jackson's Process

Doesn't matter if it's Sphere or Shakespeare, he says. Acting is craft, and everybody's got to bring it if you don't want your movie to be a piece of s____. (from Time). He writes out full character biographies for each part.

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Saturday, August 19, 2006

Talent Agency License Database

Useful to match the license number to the agency... if one is so inclined to do so.

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Thursday, August 17, 2006

Acting, Stocks, War and Calm

In reading a book this week, I came across the description of the stock market being similar to the common description of war: long periods of boredom interrupted by episodes of pure terror.

It strikes me that this is very close to the experience of an actor. Going to or from auditions, submitting p/r to projects, learning lines, and most of what fills an actor's day, is largely logistics: fairly boring. But at the audition, at the rehearsal, or between the 'Action' and 'Cut' is, to paraphrase David Mamet's True and False, to face uncertainty with courage. He refers to the person who will not be swayed, who perseveres no matter what. The observation of the extremes of acting, and of the link between courage and tenacity, gives me some type of calm. That, and I'm trying to kick a cold. So I thought I'd share.

And here's an inspirational/conciliatory quote from a non-actor:
No matter how difficult things get, you're going to be OK. It's very important to realize that.
(from Bob Parsons' 16 Rules for Survival).

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Sunday, August 13, 2006

The Universal is Specific

Strange but true: The more specific a film is, the more universal, because the more it understands individual characters, the more it applies to everyone.
-Roger Ebert

And yes, I think acting can also be universal in part by being specific.

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Friday, August 11, 2006

On Flexibility

Why, when I can just be flexible, would I need to make sure the world knows I've been somehow inconvenienced?
There is NOTHING inconvenient about my life. I love every bit of it. And if someone says, "Oh, this is Bonnie, our casting agent," I don't feel the need to say, "It's casting director." And if someone calls to say, "I'm not going to make it to dinner tonight. I'm so sorry," I say, "Okay. Cool. I'll miss you," and head out for a meal with someone else... such a happy surprise!
I've got no time to go out of my way to try and make people feel bad. And I worry about people who DO. No... wait... I don't worry about them. I avoid them. I've got no room in my life for that kind of drama. Life's too damn short.
(from Bonnie Gillespie). Ah, it's good to hear this said... thank you.

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Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Nielsen Rating for Stage Actors (and Shows)

A Nielsen venture plans to formally track which actors audiences would like to see on stage. An actor/agent who learns how to game the system could work wonders for themselves (if the system can be gamed).

this posted by David August at 10:39 AM - 0 comments -