Writing about the working craft
Long-form reference pieces on auditioning, representation, technique, and the working life.
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How to get your child started in acting
Getting a child started in acting in a healthy way is a staged process, not a single decision. The first stage is play (local drama classes,…
Vocal health on a heavy shoot week: steam, silence, and sleep
A heavy shoot week can wreck an untrained voice. Long days, cold trailers, crying scenes, and after-wrap conversations all add up fast. This…
How to approach an acting agent
Approaching an acting agent is a targeted, professional exercise. The submission package is standard: a current headshot, a showreel (even a…
Voice coaching vs singing lessons: where they overlap and where they part ways
Actors regularly ask whether singing lessons can double as voice training. The answer is partly yes and partly no. They overlap on breath an…
How to prepare a self-tape in 24 hours
Preparing a self-tape in 24 hours is a standard working-actor skill. The process is broken into three blocks: text work (first four hours), …
How to build a showreel when you do not have footage yet
The hardest showreel is the first one. You need footage to get cast. You need to get cast to get footage. The way out of that loop is to gen…
Editing a showreel: order, length, and the merciless first cut
Most showreels are too long, open slow, and end where the editor ran out of ideas. Good reels are two to three minutes, front-load your stro…
Self-generated showreel scenes: writing, casting, and shooting your own
If you are going to write your own showreel scenes, write them honestly. Casting can tell the difference between a self-generated scene and …
What to do on your first day on a professional set
A first day on a professional set is mostly about not getting in the way. The crew knows their jobs. The other actors know the etiquette. As…
When to update your showreel (and when a new one is a waste of money)
There are two reasons to update a showreel: you have footage that is stronger than what is currently on there, or your castable range has sh…
Audition nerves: the physiology, and what actually calms them
Audition nerves are not a character flaw. They are a physiological response to a situation your nervous system has correctly identified as h…
Stage school vs. coaching with a working actor
Stage schools and one-to-one coaching with a working actor are complementary, not alternatives. Stage schools are good for ensemble experien…