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ACTING TIPS

DAILY GUIDE FOR ALL ACTORS

Many of us go to the gym to stay in shape. (Okay, most of YOU... I sit around like a lump on log. But, hey, I'm retired.) Staying in good physical condition is a very good habit and it will keep you healthy. However, your mental condition is crucial to your dreams of acting success.
Because this is a business that has as its main feature a great deal of rejection (everybody gets rejected, even big stars), it is a good idea to get yourself into peak mental condition.
I call it the success attitude.
So, here's my 9 step mental conditioning regimen. Practice every day and the inevitable rejection you face will never get the best of you.
1. It's usually not about you. I know this is hard to get, but believe me, most other people are not thinking about you when they do the things they do or make the decisions they make. Always keep this in mind when you are on the receiving end of a bummer. Just keep repeating, "It's not about me, it's not about me."
2. Keep your accomplishments in mind. Again, it's easy to forget what you HAVE done when faced with something that hasn't worked out for you. But you must keep a good tally of each forward step, every little victory, and all the small things you get done every day. Don't forget this golden oldie: "The longest journey begins with the first step." And every little accomplishment is getting you closer to your goal.
3. You are already a member of the club. You are a human being and like all of the other members of the club, you may sometimes feel as if you have something to prove. You don't. Other people's opinion of you will not change your membership status. You cannot be drummed out of the club. You will always be a human being and you don't have to go out of your way to prove it. So relax.
4. You are not a walrus. No matter what anybody else says, you are not their definition. If other people say things to make you feel less than great, it's their problem not yours. Wisecracks at your expense are usually just someone else's attempt to be more than they are by making you less than you are. Ignore them. They will go away. Or you will.
5. As I point out in my book, love is the engine of success. Be a loving person, love what you do, love those who love you and don't forget that anyone who tries to make you hateful is attempting to rob you of your engine. Don't let them do this. You need this engine to get where you want to go. Love your enemies - it will drive them crazy. Hate your enemies and it will drive YOU crazy. Don't get crazy until you have REALLY good health insurance.
6. There is no perfect. Oh, how we try... but it just doesn't exist. Don't let your need for the perfect picture, the perfect part, the perfect timing or the perfect opportunity stop you from going forward in a less than perfect way. Going forward is the only way to attain the goal. Waiting for the perfect is a plan to keep waiting forever. I repeat, there is no perfect. Don't wait. Do it now.
7. What you like is important. You have taste. You are discerning. If you want a coffee table made out of a wagon wheel... go for it. Don't think that living your life in accord with someone else's taste will ever work for you. It won't. The reason this is important is this: following your own likes and dislikes will help you to be mentally at peace with yourself. Emotionally fit. And trusting your taste will keep you away from doing things that generally will be disastrous to your mental health. Follow YOUR bliss.
8. Nothing ever works the way it is supposed to. It's like physics or something. What this means is that when things don't work out for you, (which happens to everyone every so often) you shouldn't attach too much importance to the event. In fact, it is the very randomness of our universe that guarantees that bad things will happen from time to time. It is almost always a terrible idea to make big decisions based on one event... so don't. We all have issues. Deal.
9. Always remember to breathe. You would be surprised at how many bad decisions you will make while holding your breath. A good deep breath can save you money, save relationships, save jobs, and keep you alive. It's this last thing that I attach a lot of importance to. Almost no one succeeds after they are dead. Okay, some painters... but the dead ones don't get to spend the money.
As you have already learned from Arnold Schwarzenegger, repetition is the mother of fitness. Keep repeating these exercises and you will prevail.

TAKE THIS
Well, helpful is good. Concern for others is a definite part of it. Polite. Encouraging. A good listener. Willing to lend a hand. Amusing

WHAT ACTORS MUST KNOW BEFORE THEY GO FOR AN AUDITION
I am often asked about auditioning - "what's the secret?" There really aren't any secrets, but here is my memory word to make every audition more successful. PARADIGM.
P - Prepare. Preparation usually involves several steps. Here are just a few: Know what you are auditioning for. Ask questions, get information, listen carefully. Familiarize yourself with the script (if there is one). If there is a script (or sides), study the character and make a couple of solid choices as to how you will perform it. If there is no script, but you have a general description of the character you are trying out for, again make some choices. Plan your trip to the place where the audition is taking place. Have your outfit picked out. Make sure you have gas in the car - or correct change for public transportation. Plan the day ahead of time. Give yourself plenty of time to get ready (hair, make-up, etc.).
The number one element in a successful audition - that most casting directors point to - is preparation.
A - Arrive early. This is VERY important. When you arrive early you accomplish two crucial things: First, you are "on time." This is a must in our industry. People who show up late are a pain in the ___ (fill in your choice of body part). Producers hate late. Directors loathe the lackadaisical. Other actors don't like it much either. Casting directors are unlikely to form a favorable impression of you if you are late. That's because if you are cast (on their recommendation) and then you show up late for production, they will get yelled at. CD's don't like getting yelled at. They are unlikely to recommend you if you are late.
(As was pointed out by one of my alert readers, it's a bad idea to show up a half hour early to actual place of the audition. Especially on a union gig. They do not want you signing in early. My advice pertains to being nearby ahead of time.)
The second thing that happens when you arrive early is you have time to do the next part of a successful audition which is:
R - Relax. Being relaxed is important to your results. If you are keyed up, stressed, rushed or still coming down from the trip to the audition - it will cost you. Almost everybody needs some time to "get ready." Only you can know how much time you will need, but whatever it is - that's how early you have to get there. There are about as many techniques for relaxation as there are humans on the planet - so I'll skip listing them. The bottom line? The relaxed actor is the more successful actor. Why? Because if you are relaxed, you help relieve the natural anxiety the CD or director has in the audition process. Oh, yes, it's tough on them too. If they don't get it right it can ruin an entire production. So, believe me, they are stressed. Relax and the whole world relaxes with you.
A - Act. A lot of actors forget the purpose of an audition. The CD's, directors and producers are looking for a performer, which means it is important to perform. This is another reason to relax. It's easier to remember to do the job when you are at ease.
D - Deal. Every audition is just one of the many you will have in your career. If you are a normal human being you will "fail" 80% of the time. Not just at auditions either. The best piece of advice about this failure business is given by one of the richest men in the world, Bill Gates; "If you want to be more successful, double your failure rate."
The most difficult thing to 'deal' with in the entertainment industry is the inevitable - "I didn't get it." - realization. You must understand that this is going to be the case much more often than not. Rejection is not an easy thing to deal with, but if you want to be a successful actor you must learn to deal with it. It's a central part of a professional acting career.
As I have pointed out, more than once, even successful established actors are rejected a lot. Every time a part is being cast (say, Batman or Scarlett O'Hara) there are hundreds of professional, money-earning stars who are dismissed as possibilities and dozens of others who meet with the producers and find out later that - "I didn't get it." Dealing with rejection is crucial to your eventual success. So, deal with it.
I - Impress. If you accomplish the goals on this list, you will impress the people doing the casting. You will be considered a "pro." Professionalism is the word you want attached to your efforts. This will happen if you are on time, prepared, entertaining, relaxed and able to deal with the inevitable rejection. That's your goal in every audition - to impress them with your professional attitude.
Even if you don't get this one, when you impress the CD, the director or the producer with your professionalism, they will think of you for something else. Guaranteed.
G - Grace. Gracious people have the edge. We like them, we trust them, we want to work with them. Be polite. Remember people's names. Be helpful. Listen carefully. Follow directions. Don't impose your 'neediness' on the CD. You will always leave a good impression if you are gracious to other people in the business. Think Cary Grant or Audrey Hepburn.
Your mantra should be; "I'm nice to other people."
M - Manipulate. If you hope to succeed you will probably need to manipulate somebody.
Of course, there is only one human being you have control over and have any hope of manipulating: Yourself. If you are a poor planner, you must manipulate your mind set to correct this deficiency. If being turned down puts you in a deep funk, you must manipulate your reaction. If you panic, you should try to manipulate your mental state until this is no longer a problem. In other words, don't waste a minute of your time trying to find the "reasons" behind someone else's decisions and attempt to change her mind. Take a step back from every 'failure' and discover what needs manipulating in your own actions and reactions.
You can only change the world by changing yourself.
That's the audition PARADIGM.
Is it easy to do all these things? No way. If it were easy, everyone would be a successful actor and we'd have a hard time finding people to wait tables and type up annual reports.
But make no mistake, you will accomplish all you want, once you set your mind to it.
The important words in that last sentence are "set your mind to it."

Piczo