(Part 3) Best products from r/acting

Then in that case if you want to up the ante of gift giving, (i ordered all my supplies on Amazon since i have Amazon student and 2 day free shipping) but i also ordered a stand. Like you can build your own kit really nicely and then arrange it for him as a surprise!

Razor

Blades

Badger brush

Stand

Shaving cream, my favorite

And as for a cup to mix the shaving cream? Don't bother buying one just use a short mug it's much easier

Also, think about it this way, when you are using a regular 4 bladed razor you need to go over each spot at least 2 times right? That's as if 8 individual razors went over that spot. With a single blade you usually get every hair in one pass but sometimes you need 2-3 but still, 2-3 is less that the original 4 so you're regardless way less likely to get razor burn

I would highly suggest either Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual or any of the other books listed in the sidebar of /r/improv Or Improvisation For The Theater

The UCB manual is mostly concerned with Long-Form Improvisational Comedy, but it'll have good insight for any other kind of work.

Depending on who you ask, you can get different "tenets" of Improv. But the most basic things two I'd say are:

1.) Yes And - It is not just about literally saying yes, but about agreeing and adding information.
2.) Don't Deny - Again, this isn't about saying no, but about not denying the reality which has been created. As in, if you're in a scene where it is established that you're on normal Earth, don't just start going "Hey, I'm flying!"

All I'm going to insist on is, DON'T LEAVE CAA! Two months is nothing. They are literally the best agency in the world. You somehow got the golden ticket my friend, so just be patient. I have a couple friends at CAA and the same thing happened to them, nothing for a while, then boom, a recurring role on a network show, and a major role in a studio film. CAA doesn't mess around with small potato stuff, so seriously, you only need a couple bookings with them and you're off to the races. CAA plays by different rules. They have their hands in almost every single studio feature in town, and most network shows at guest star and above. Trust me, if you're on their roster, just wait for your turn. It's coming.

In the meantime, touch base every few weeks and ask what YOU can do to improve your brand and tools they use to submit you. Then leave them alone to do their work. Also, you should be self submitting, going to class, doing regional theater, and staying busy while waiting.

Oh, and if you haven't read this, buy it and read it ASAP. It'll blow your mind and make you realize just how lucky you are: https://smile.amazon.com/Powerhouse-Untold-Hollywoods-Creative-Artists/dp/0062441388/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510624481&sr=8-1&keywords=caa+powerhouse

I have a book called "modern monologues for men" which may be of interest. For men in their 20s it suggests the following MONOLOGUES (and plays):

HECTOR (Cressida Among the Greeks)
AUGUSTUS (The Darker Face of the Earth)
JASON (Car)
K (Kid)
RINTY (Kings of the Road)
TONY (Kiss Me Like You Mean It)
BAILEY (Best Man Speech)
MONDAY (The God Botherers)
ENGLISH BOY (Guardians)
COURAGE (A Question of Courage from White Open Spaces)

But to be honest it might be worth your effort just buying one of those monologue books and leafing through and finding something that resonates with you a bit more?

This book might help you. I took the class with Joseph Hacker and I learned so much about filming myself and how to set up attractive shots. I second what everyone else has said as well, don't use a front facing camera. If this is what you want, get accustomed to speaking to the lens as if you were speaking to a friend. Spend time with it. Set up a camera (doesn't have to be on) somewhere in your room and get accustomed to having it look at you. It's not scary, and the more comfortable you get around (any) camera lenses, the better your performance will be. Break a Leg!

If you find a Shangri La of a class that meets all those criteria, please let me know because I'm gonna be looking for something when I'm back in town on a regular basis. But maybe give Billy O'Leary a try. He used to work for Lesly and what he teaches is similar, but enough different that it should keep your interest plus it's all on-camera. It's a free working audit of one of his mixed level morning classes, so it's no harm, no foul if you don't vibe.

For something completely different, maybe check out Warner Loughlin who is probably who I'll be going to see when I'm back if I don't opt for something more traditional like Stuart Rogers. Of the scene study oriented places I audited a few years ago, hers was the only one that I left more impressed than depressed. I couldn't quite get my head around what they were doing with the technique, but those were some hellaciously good actors in her professional class and I recently read her new book which has clarified what her approach is all about and further piqued my interest. Having read that, it's now easy to see how Amy Adams brings all that nuance.

My first feature film is available here on Amazon Prime.

The trailer to my second feature, which is premiering on Friday at the New Jersey Horror Con, can be found here. We also just found out we're screening at a festival in London on October 30th!

The trailer to my third feature is was released last week!

Filmed an episode of a web series last week as well, and have gotten several self tapes done. The wheel of fortune has me spinning toward the top right now, and it's a great feeling. Good vibes out there to everyone :)

Get a softbox kit on Amazon. You can get some for pretty cheap. Point two at your background/wall, and one at yourself. And have some seperation between you and the wall in order to prevent shadows. Most newer phones have great video quality, but if you're willing to invest a little more money, consider getting a dslr camera and a good quality mic. The Rode videomic pro is a great one.

https://www.amazon.com/CRAPHY-Professional-Continuous-Lighting-Carrying/dp/B06XQ1W14X/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?keywords=softbox+kit&qid=1557085204&s=gateway&sr=8-12

I only act as a hobby but I really enjoyed this book by Michael Caine -

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CKNWAM6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

And of course Stanislavski -

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1780938438/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Good luck!

Whatever you do, don't give up. People will question you for following your dreams. They won't understand and they'll tell you that you should do something more "realistic" with your life. Screw them. Stay focused and create a plan and follow it. Times will get hard and you will even question yourself, but if becoming an actor is 100% in every fiber of your being, those questions will answer themselves everytime. Keep applying pressure and it will eventually break.


I am going to recommend a book to you. It is on the Meisner acting technique. Extremely insightful and inspiring. The Actor's Art and Craft

I'm also in the Atlanta area. Take some classes at the Alliance Theatre. Great place to start.

Books can go a really long way if you apply them and with the help of some imagination. I say that because a lot of coaches and actors are against learning from books thinking that you can ONLY learn in a class. I’ve learned SO many applicable tools through reading about acting. Check out Stanislaski’s “An Actor’s Work.” It’s a new translation of his original texts, and it’s amazing! He covers the craft in great detail, and he has chapters on muscular release, which includes finding your center of gravity, and chapters on the voice and physical embodiment.

An Actor’s Work:
An Actor's Work (Routledge Classics) (Volume 153) https://www.amazon.com/dp/113868838X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_E5F6AbB5V1JW3

And here’s a great but dense book on the Alexander Techniqe:
How You Stand, How You Move, How You Live: Learning the Alexander Technique to Explore Your Mind-Body Connection and Achieve Self-Mastery https://www.amazon.com/dp/1600940064/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_U4F6AbTNM71Y4

Cheers!

I think that's what Harry's trying to get at. That there isn't any real craft to what that guy is doing. It's a bad example of voice acting because there isn't any thought being put into intonation, pauses, and the like. He's just reading, without any type of intention or meaning behind the words. It's essentially a guy doing a cool voice... and that's it. And "doing cool voices" really isn't what voice acting is about.

As an audience member, we can't glean what he's feeling, or where he's coming from, or what he intends to accomplish with the way he delivers his copy. Our only clue as to what he's feeling is what it explicitly says in the text.

That's kind of the base level of voice acting. You want to tell a story, through not only the letter of the text, but the way you convey feeling through vocal expressiveness.

The link I posted earlier will provide better examples of what you should be going after.

If you're looking for a book, here's what I'm reading currently:

The Art of Voice Acting

My copy came with a CD too... so that should be helpful.

DSLR is overkill. You really want to spend that money? You can just use your iphone with an adapter for mounting it on a tripod. Then you can buy a shotgun mic for your iphone for under $100. Plus a DSLR is complicated as fuck to learn how to use. You probably have to buy a lens (50mm at least) and install Magic Lantern to replace the firmware. It is a huge learning curve to produce good video with a DSLR.

Lighting kit is good but research how to properly light the scene. Just turning on the lights will create a mess. Learn about key, fill, and back lights.

I think the best backdrop is a muslin backdrop like this.

try David Niven's "Bring on the Empty Horses"

It's really not about acting or method, but a collection of anecdotes and truly funny stories about Old Hollywood. Well worth reading.

Most definitely. I read his three major books several years ago, but someone here informed everyone that they'd been re-translated into An Actor's Work, and it sounds like that's a much better volume. I would start there. http://www.amazon.com/An-Actors-Work-Students-Diary/dp/041555120X/

It probably doesn't matter that much whose book you read first, but I personally would recommend starting with Stanislavsky since he informed most of what happened in acting in the 20th century. All the other names you'll see mentioned were either an extension of or reaction to his work.

Is this the Stanislavsky one you are talking about? https://www.amazon.com/Barnes-Noble-Routledge-Classics-set/dp/113868838X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=An+Actor%27s+Work&qid=1567794522&s=gateway&sr=8-1