Sanity Check

I am not sure how to begin. This week has been… Traumatic? No, that’s too dramatic. Eye opening! That sounds misleading. Extreme. Probably about the closest I guess. Extreme excitement. Extreme fear. Extreme determination. Extreme self-undermining. I knew things were going to be hard, or at least harder, as I change direction in my career. […]

All in a rush

The universe has interesting ways of teaching you things, and I have learned that there are only two constants in the world; the only thing I have control over are my choices, and I will never stop learning. A lifetime in the making, I am finally looking at living a life that I had once […]

Stage vs Screen

Frequently, all too frequently, I see discussions around the difference between Film and Theatre, or should I be more accurate in saying Camera and Live Audience. So much emphasis is put on the differences between the two styles, and it scares many actors looking to make the transition from one to the other. Let me […]

Acknowledge the fear and do it anyway

It has been a while between blogs. To be honest, coming up with topic ideas is difficult for me, so here is another stream of consciousness diatribe from the chaotic grey matter of an aging Ham actor. The Audition There are two things that can really unnerve me; public speaking and interviews. Within interviews, I […]

Emotional Engagement

In days long gone now, I was a member of a Youth Theatre group, operating in association with a community theatre company. It was this group that really helped me get over my bad-tasting, childhood experiences of theatre. Working with like minded people and learning basic theatrical techniques was the first step. There was one […]

Attack of the Troll

The Troll. An interesting term for a “past-time” which is as old as social etiquette. It is not particularly nice and in recent times has seen a lot of media exposure. The increase in electronic telecommunications and global social networking has made the work of a Troll far easier, and the effects more extreme. Celebrities […]

Daring to be Great – Special Post

Today, I just want you to watch this. It’s a long video, and it’s worth it.

The truth about shyness

I was at a presentation just recently, talking with a fellow actor about the change that occurs when you are “on-camera”, or “on-stage”. Something I, and I think most actors, can relate to. There is a strange transformation that takes place the moment you either walk on stage, or the director screams “ACTION!” It is […]

Confidence

I question I have been asked, and I am sure has been asked of many an actor, or even public speaker, is “How can you do that?” Usually quickly followed with “I’d be too scared.” Usually some derivative of this discussion follows when you introduce yourself as an actor to “non-actors”, and I use that […]

Helping hands

An actor does not, and cannot work in isolation. What good is an actor who is writer, director and audience also? An actor needs an audience, be it live in a theatre, or via delayed telecasting (i.e. film and tv,) because that is what an actor does his craft for. You’re not an actor without […]