OPINION: Casting Directors Should Give Us Feedback on Our Self-Tapes!  Casting directors demand so much, yet don’t even give us the courtesy of feedback on our self-tapes  (by The Anonymous Actor)  (Photo: Pixabay…

Daniel Kaluuya:  “I ask the script, ‘What do you want me to do?’”  (arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Daniel Kaluuya in Get Out) “I ask the script, ‘What do you want me to do?’”…

What is the Private Moment Exercise? The concentration that it takes to have a private moment in public, empowers the actor to bring a higher level of concentration to a character (by Tonya…

The Ultimate Audition Preparation Checklist Are you fully prepared for your upcoming audition? (by Jim Webb) (Photo: Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels) You were just going about your day, minding your own business. You…

Michael Caine: “Listen and react” (arranged by AM Staff) “Listening is really what acting is all about, for movies.” “Listening is really what acting is all about, for movies. It’s not like the…

What is an Objective? Objectives help actors make strong character choices and deliver more interesting performances (by Tonya Tannenbaum) An “Objective”, in acting, refers to something (or some things) a character wants and…

Bill Nighy: “I still don’t have a process”  (arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Bill Nighy) “I’m old enough to say that I’ve never knowingly been in character in my life.” Bill Nighy, the English…

The Asian Actor:  New opportunities, and a new awakening (by Tonya Tannenbaum) (Photo: Aiony Haust | Unsplash) On March 16, 2021, a gunman walked into Young’s Asian Massage in Acworth, Georgia. The massacre…

OPINION: Self-Taping is a Godsend!  If the choice is between a self-tape and sitting in rush-hour traffic, I’ll choose self-taping every time! (by The Anonymous Actor) (Photo: Jill Wellington | Pexels) Anyone who…

OPINION: Casting Directors Should Give Us Feedback on Our Self-Tapes!  Casting directors demand so much, yet don’t even give us the courtesy of feedback on our self-tapes  (by The Anonymous Actor)  (Photo: Pixabay…

Ed Harris:  “Acting is a lifelong situation.” (arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Ed Harris in Westworld) “Acting is a lifelong situation…’til you drop dead.” Ed Harris is one of the most successful character actors…

The Power of Positive Thinking  Pledge to never allow another negative thought to enter your mind (by Javier Guerra) (Photo: Dingzeyu Li/Unsplash) Isn’t it amazing how much our brains can influence us with…

What are Residuals?  A brief breakdown of this important payment arrangement (by Jim Webb) (Photo: Shane | Unsplash) When you book a role on a television show or in a movie, you are…

Viola Davis: “I write a bio of the character.” Viola Davis describes her character-building and collaboration process (arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Viola Davis) “I read the script over and over and over again….

3 Hidden Advantages of Self-taping This new wave of self-taping also offers actors enormous advantages (by Carmichael Phillips) Self-taped auditions are the wave of the future, in part, because they offer casting directors…

When You Don’t Have an Agent, Your Agent is You!  You’ve got a very demanding client. So, get going! (by Jim Webb) (Photo: Fauxels | Pexels) Set up your office space. Clean off…

The Self-Tape Request from Hell! Sometimes casting directors ask for far too much! (by The Anonymous Actor) (Photo: Usman Yousaf/Unsplash) Forgive me for saying this, but this self-taping thing has gone too far!…

Uta Hagen, on her definition of bad acting: ‘If you can see what an actor has pre-arranged, it’s bad acting.’ (arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Uta Hagen) “When I go to the theater, if…

The Self-Tape Checklist  Use it to make sure you don’t leave anything out of your self-tape (by Carmichael Phillips) (Photo: Anete Lusina | Pexels) I can guarantee that you’ve missed something. It’s inevitable….

Katharine Hepburn:  “You don’t have to act. Let the camera do the work.”  (by Carmichael Phillips) (Katharine Hepburn) “Don’t act! You don’t have to act. Stop acting. Don’t push! Let the camera do…

Actors Losing Health Insurance at an Alarming Rate  Covid-19 is forcing changes that put new constraints on the accessibility of health insurance (by Javier Guerra) (Photo: Bermix Studio | Unsplash) Covid-19 has dramatically…

What is Taft-Hartley?  Let’s explore the law, and the report, that gets actors in the door of America’s largest actor union (by Tonya Tannenbaum) (Photo: Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels) A Taft-Hartley is the…

Create Your Own Opportunities!  What’s your excuse for not producing your own projects and casting yourself?  (by Jim Webb) (Photo: Gianandrea Villa/Unsplash) The advent of things like social media and the internet allows…

Edie Falco:  “Just make sure you’re always working on something. Representation or not.” (arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Edie Falco in Nurse Jackie) “Just make sure you’re always working on something. Representation or not.”…

Morgan Freeman’s Advice to Actors His advice to all actors remains as simple as it is universal: keep going and don’t quit on your dreams (by Carmichael Phillips) What’s Morgan Freeman’s advice to…

Konstantin Stanislavski: “Love the art in yourself, not yourself in the art” (arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Konstantin Stanislavski) “Love the art in yourself, not yourself in the art.” This quote, from Konstantin Stanislavski,…

5 Essential Budgeting Tips for Actors Budgeting is a crucial skill in the actor’s life (by Javier Guerra) (Photo: Michael Longmire/Unsplash) All you need to do is look at your last W2, the…

What does “SAG-AFTRA eligible” mean?  Some basic info about being SAG-AFTRA eligible (by Jim Webb)  (Photo: Jon Tyson/Unsplash) The union formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) represents performers in various areas…

The Easiest Way to Improve Your Acting Life? Go to Sleep!  The subtle ways that sleep impacts your performance (by Todd Bruce) (Photo: Damir Spanic/Unsplash) Not getting enough sleep at night? Do you…

The Mirror is Not Your Friend Why you should never rehearse in front of your mirror (by Jim Webb) (Photo: Phinehas Adams/Unsplash) Do you rehearse your lines in front of a mirror? Do…

Michael Jai White:  “This business does not support talent. It supports heat.” (arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Michael Jai White) “This business does not support talent. It supports heat.” Actor and martial artist, Michael…

Actor Stories: How Ed O’Neill Landed His Breakout Role by Making a Bold Choice  O’Neill hit casting directors with something they weren’t expecting (by Carmichael Phillips) (Ed O’Neill in Married…with Children) At an…