YOU’RE A BORN WINNER

More and more in our society people are developing negative vocabularies and then they wonder why they aren’t successful. With actors it is no exception. In the first place, based on scientific studies done in the sixties, we have learned that the sub-conscious is the “programming aspect “of our being. We know also that it is “voice sensitive”, specific to our own voice…in other words, what we say with our mouth, goes in our ears and “programs” us. We as actors must be ever vigilant of our “Self-Talk”. Each time we say things like ” I won’t..” or “I didn’t” or ” I can’t”, we are placing limits on ourselves, when, point of fact..we are limitless! Did you ever notice how when you were younger you took so many more chances, so many more challenges you met head on, and so many more successes…without even giving it much thought. That’s because when you were young you were still “success oriented” WHY? Because you came into this world a success ! Think about it. we all had basic science 101, where we learned that when Mom and Dad got amorous and that magic moment happened suddenly the race was on with a gazillion sperm all racing to connect with one single egg and suddenly POW!…one connects and… nine months later out comes YOU. Now, if another sperm had connected, it would be someone else, not you…but it didn’t happen that way. you connected, you prevailed, in short…you WON the sperm race! You entered this world a proven winner!! That spirit still prevailed when you decided to learn how to walk. Think about it.When you were about 18 months old. You didn’t have this big magnificent brain you have now, you just had a little head, with a little body but you saw people walking around above you, thought it was pretty cool, so you wanted to do it too. So you got up, tried, fell down, skinned your knee, tried again, fell, bumped your chin, tried again, fell down and cried…did you give up ? Absolutely not! you kept going until one day…”Hey Mom, Hey Dad, look at me…I’m doing it!” …and the rest as they say, is history. Point is, when you go to work or the supermarket, or church…do you ever see anyone CRAWL in on all fours? …and you say what are you doing down there? and they say ” Who Me? I tried that walking thing once, fell down…don’t like it…staying down here ! Now as silly as this may sound. This is basically what we do as adults when we “give up” after one or two attempts. Truth be told. You would amaze yourself with all the successes you would chalk up if you would just keep going with the “knowingness” that you CAN do it. Change your thinking…Change your life!

…and keep working your craft with: www.auditionscripts.com

YOUR SUCCESS DEPENDS ON YOUR RIGHT TO BE DIFFERENT

Did you ever notice how if you asked any of your friends if they could be a movie star” they’ll usually laugh and say something like “Yea, right!” It’s because of the false image they  ( and most non-actors) have about you have to be a “Gloria Lovely” or a “Macho Max” to make it. In other words, most people think you have to fit an imaginary stereotype “image” if you are to succeed in our industry, when in reality, nothing could be further from the truth.  your uniqueness IS your key to success.  A good example is the television commercial industry. When our studio had a “talent bank” all the actors had their pictures on the wall.  some of the women were absoulutely beautiful, some men were handsome plus, then there were the “normal” types, and one guy was almost bald and very plain looking, (even had quite a pot belly) some of the women had thick glasses, not so perfect teeth, and looked like the teacher everyone had a name for. YET, out of all the actors ( almost three hundred) the TOP TWO  consistant money makers were two of the ones I just mentioned.

Why am I telling you this?  …So you should “homely yourself up” and make lots of money?…of course not. The point is be yourself. your “differences” are your strengths! Don’t try to be like “everybody else”  Let casting directors see the real you…warts and all. The same with your headshots. If you wear thick glasses, in order to see, don’t  take them off  just so the photo will make you look better. If we all looked the same what a boring world this would be. Remember, diversity is what makes things work. A perfect example of this is a mechanical clock…let’s say one of those old German cuckoo clocks. If we took the pieces out and counted them, let’s say there were seventeen…so, seventeen pieces make the clock work. So we, knowing this, take one of the pieces and replicate it seventeen times …and put the new pieces back into the clock. The old one had seventeen pieces, the new one has seventeen pieces. Is it going to work? Of course not!  The clock depended on the diversity and uniqueness of the pieces, and so it is with any production. Your uniqueness and ability to be different is not only your right, but, your key to success.

Practice your craft daily to bring out your uniqueness. Get tips, advice, scripts etc. on http://www.auditionscripts.com

Never Give Up!

Never Give Up !  ( Actually, these words by Winston Churchill  after the war, giving his most powerful and shortest speech ever…said, ” Never, never, never, never, NEVER, give up !”)  and he truly practiced what he preached. Constantly on the radio as a cheerleader and coach…empowering his people. During the war there were times when the English fighter planes were out-numbered literally ten to one…or greater…yet the pilots faught unceasingly coming down only to refuel, grab a quick cup of something and go right back up, sometimes days on end, without sleep. Hitler said of his adversaries, in so many words, I’ve never seen such tenacity in all my life. …and he was right.  In another time and another place, another great leader (and General), Hannibal, never let anything stop him (as was evidenced by him doing the seemingly impossible…taking elephants over the Alps) he said, ” We will either find a way….or make a way!” Such conviction is the stuff of those who succeed. 

When it comes to acting, ask yourself, “How bad do I want this ?” and “What am I willing to sacrafice for it ?”  If you are serious about your craft, then “See it be.”  Visualize your desired goal. Stay focused on the end result. You don’t always have to know the “how” ( How you are going to do it.) Just the fact that you are going to do it. Your knowingness is your truth and will get you there. Keep practicing, never give up!

Note:  for more information and practice aides, go to : www,auditionscripts.com

Your Essence

Now-a-days we hear so many cliche phrases that they seem to go in one ear and out the other. One is “Remember, you are very special” This is usually one we first heard from Grandma or Grandpa…and we nodded and thought “”You’re just saying that ’cause you love me and let’s face it…what’s not to love?”  But, do we believe it…and take it to heart?…not really.  We, like millions of others, fall in line with what society tells us and that is…we’re never good “enough” that’s why we need more products, services, advice etc. HOWEVER, truth be told…you are truly “special”…just the way you are!  …and… the sooner you learn to “own” this…the sooner your success will be.

No-one else possesses your unique “blend” of non-verbal, verbal, and visual “essences” along with your voice, pitching, intonations and flavor that truly make you a “ONE OF A KIND”

When you go on an audition, it’s not uncommon for there to be others with more, skill, talent, experience, etc. BUT, what no-one can do better than you…is to BE you. Directors know this and that is why they have casting calls. That is not to say you shouldn’t give your acting interpretation of the character called for, but to REMEMBER that you are automatically adding to it your “uniqueness” that cannot necessarily be defined, or described. It is your “essence”…the thing that makes you who you are. Wear it proudly.

Note: You can couple your uniqueness with various scenes, monologues etc found on www.auditionscripts.com

A word on auditions…from my “Actor’s Zip Guide”

Auditions are a key component to an actor’s career…auditions are an inherent part of an actor’s career.  The quicker you get used to the audition process and “not taking things personal“, the more effective you’ll be.

The thing to remember with auditions is…the more you go to…the greater your chances.  This sounds like a “no-brainer”, however there is great wisdom in this statment.  Because the audition “process” is for the purpose of matching the right actor with the “pre-conceived vision” the director has, it is not uncommon for you to “not be” selected regardless of the fact that you nailed the audition piece.  You simply were not in line with the director’s image.  However, by teh same token, you might merely walk into the audition, exchange a few words with the director and be hired…even before you ever read lines.  Why?…because you look, speak, and move in keeping witht eh director’s image for that character.

The full actor’s zip guide will be available for download on my actor’s resource site shortly…www.auditionscripts.com.