LA Stories....

Former Acting in Columbus students now living in LA share their stories.

SEAN VELIE

LA is tough, very tough. Sometimes I want to be back in Columbus where I actually had auditions ha ha. I had no luck landing a theatrical agent in my first year, but did get a commercial agent. She is a well known agent who has been established since 1976. I don't think I worked hard enough in my first year, I need to work much harder this year. Moving here was a huge adjustment for me, luckily I moved with my girlfriend Hannah and that made it a lot easier. When you move to LA, it's not the actor moving, it's YOU moving, and it was very difficult for a while.

I take a weekly acting workshop with Jack Plotnick. He is amazing, I have heard a few people say he is the best in LA, which is quite a statement. He has been a working actor in LA for 15 years. He worked opposite Rene Zellweger in "Down with Love", Ian McKellan in "God and Monsters", and Sally Field in "Say it isn't so", to name a few credits. It's an audition workshop. You come in, he gives you sides, and he reads with you, as if he is the casting director. Each actor gets about 15 minutes.

A few of his quotes:

"It's the spontaneus moments that book jobs. The more of those you have, the better chance you have of booking the job"
"The creative choice is the honest choice"
"As the actor, you must want to feel, but remember that the character doesn't"

The highlight of my first year was definitely "Valkyrie". I worked 4 days on this movie and it was an incredible experience. I worked very close to Tom Cruise for 3 of the 4 days. He is a cool guy, I liked him. He was a nice guy and had a good sense of humor. He works extremely hard and you can tell he's also having a lot of fun.The first day he came to set, I was pretty star struck. 8 months in LA and I'm working next to one of the biggest movie stars in the world, a legend. That wore off after the first day though. It was so cool after a take, when the 1st AD says "Back to one", and I'm walking back next to Tom Cruise. I got lucky, I was originally booked SAG Background as a German soldier for the North Africa desert scene. I found out that the director wanted to feature me as an injured soldier. I was pretty excited obviously. I am in the theatrical trailer, which is awesome, but unfortunately was cut out of the movie, which sucks. The scene is at the very beginning of the movie, and they definitely made it as short as they could. they clearly cut it down. Oh well, at least I was in the trailer. I saw the movie and it is great, a must see. I recently worked on "Angels and Demons", starring Tom Hanks and directed by Ron Howard, which was really cool. I like LA a lot, but the traffic is even worse than advertised.

Britni Karst

Upon graduation from high-school, Britni had planned to move to New York City to pursue singing; however, after a little nudging from her parents to obtain a college degree she enrolled in the Nursing School at The Ohio State University. Although her mother had mentioned that she should study theatre, it was only when a friend told Britni about her acting class (Acting in Columbus) that she decided to enroll. Britni was hooked immediately! She continued to study acting while simultaneously attending classes at The Ohio State University. For the next three years Britni studied the likes of Stanislvaski, Strasberg, Uta Hagan, Stella Adler and Sanford Meisner. Upon graduation from The Ohio State University in an unheard of three years, Britni decided to decline all job offers and move to LA to pursue acting. To make ends meet she worked at times three jobs and lived under modest means. Her first break came when offered a job as a personal assistant to film Director Alejandro Gomez Monteverde and wife actress Ali Landry. The job opened a wealth of knowledge to Britni about the film industry and turned over a new leaf in her pursuits, directing and writing. Britni is now writing her first short film and studying at the Ivana Chubbuck Studios honing her skills as an actress. The future holds many successes for this young talent.

UPCOMING AUDITIONS

Curtain Players The Twilight of the Golds by Jonathan Tolis Directed by April Olt. Auditions January 4 & 5, 2009 - Contact the theatre for details: http://www.curtainplayers.com/

The North Central Regional Auditions will be held on Saturday, January 24, 2009 at Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. Muskingum College is located approximately one hour east of Columbus, Ohio.

Click here for a list of producers who attended the 2007 auditions: http://www.ohiotheatrealliance.org/2007producers.html

Click here for more information and to register: http://www.ohiotheatrealliance.org/auditions.html

Columbus Children's Theatre will hold OPEN AUDITIONS for SARAH, PLAIN and TALL - Monday, January 19th 7:00 pm & Tuesday, January 20th 7:00 pm at Columbus Children’s Theatre STUDIO 177 E. Naghten St., Columbus, OH 43215 Callbacks will be on Wednesday, January 21st, 7:00 pm - Adult performers are paidContact Theatre for Details: http://www.colschildrenstheatre.org/auditions/auditions.html

Emerald City Players is holding auditions for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" By Edward Albee Directed by Douglas Whaley. Performances are March 6 - March 21, 2009

Auditions: Sunday, January 11, 2009 - 7:00 PM and Monday, January 12, 2009 - 7:00 PM

Contact the theatre for details: http://www.emeraldcityplayers.com/

THEATRE ROUNDTABLE OF CENTRAL OHIO UNIFIED AUDITIONS

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2009 at The OSU Drake Center, Roy Bowen Theatre..."An opportunity to showcase your talent to many producers at one audition…"

The Theatre Roundtable of Central Ohio is now accepting registrations (and 30 copies of resumes, with 30 copies of headshots attached to the back) for its 10th Annual Unified Auditions, to be held Saturday, February 28rd. Those auditioning will come before a panel of Artistic Directors and Producers representing 20-25 theaters. These auditions are for adult performers. Registration is free for those who might already be paid 2008 RT Individual Members. Otherwise the registration fee of $20 must be included. This will entitle you to an Individual Membership (and applicable benefits noted on membership form).
Click here for more information: http://www.centralohiotheatreroundtable.com/

FILM AUDITIONS

Open Auditions for Run of the Mill Productions
Open auditions for a faith-based film. Open to all ages, races, religions, and experience levels.
Must be available for call daytime and evening Feb. 19, 2009 to Feb. 26, 2009.
This film is part of the 168 Hour Film Project. The production is non-union.
January 29, 2009 7pm-9pm
January 30, 2009 7pm-9pm
January 31, 2009 1pm-4pm
Upper Arlington Lutheran Church
Lytham Road Campus
2300 Lytham Rd.
Columbus, OH 43220

Contact the producers for more information: http://www.runofthemillproductions.com/

ACTING IN COLUMBUS - WINTER CLASS SCHEDULE

Eight-Week Scene Study for Beginners - Saturdays beginning January 24 - March 7, 2009 10:00am-12:30pm $200

No matter what the medium, acting principles are the same and scene study is the place to learn them. This is the Mother Ship, the arena where you work on acting as a craft and art form, developing acting techniques you will be able to use anywhere. Actors are assigned scenes which they rehearse outside of class for presentation in class. Stage plays comprise the primary source material. This workshop also presents a good opportunity to prepare monologues that you will need to use in the industry. At the end of this eight-week course students present their scenes and monologues at our public STUDENT SHOWCASE.

This class is limited to 12 students - As of January 5, 2009 there are seven (7) slots available

On-Camera Workshop - Introduction to Acting for the Camera - Saturday January 17, 2009 12:00pm -7:00pm $200

Learn how to audition for and break into the local commercial and industrial industry. If you already have an agent but want to increase your "Bookability" this workshop will give you the edge over your competitors! This workshop will give you experience with the actual audition process. You'll work on-camera all day doing both prepared and cold readings, and receive plenty of feedback from instructor Richard Mason.

Script analysis skills: We have written our own textbook that breaks this process down and makes it simple.

Comfort in front of the camera: How do you stand? How do you hold the script? How do you deal with your partner and the camera at the same time? What is a slate? What do you do with your hands?

Practice at doing all types of commercials: Scene work, improv, one-liners, bite and smiles, handling products, etc.

You will learn how to make the first contact with the agents, and all the follow-ups you will need to "Break In". You'll also learn how to market to the casting directors, all about pictures and resumes, how the unions work, etc. By taking this class you have the opportunity to show the agents that you are serious about pursuing this type of work. It also allows them to be more confident in submitting you, because they know you'll be able to handle yourself in front of the camera. Being a good commercial actor requires many things, including strong acting skills, a solid work ethic, and lots of hard work. This class is a good first step toward acquiring those things and being successful. Enrollment in this workshop also includes three months of Career Management.

This class is limited to 12 students - As of January 5, 2009 there are eight (8) slots available

Acting for Film - Saturdays beginning January 24 - March 7, 2009 1:00pm-3:30pm $200

This intermediate level class, ideal for actors who have some training and/or previous experience, offers a focused introduction to the process. Actors work, stage, and shoot several film scenes during the eight-week session. We work in depth on concepts central to the actor's role development for film. We use Shurtleff's 12 Guideposts as our basic text to help students make strong choices with a wide variety of scenes. Your ability to make active, personal choices is essential for dynamic auditions and performances.

This class is limited to 12 students - As of January 5, 2009 there are nine (9) slots available

THE ACTOR AND THE WRITTEN WORD By Basil Hoffman

The actor's first contact with a play, film, or TV show is with the script. His or her approach to that script will determine success or failure in the project, independent of any other factor. So what are the rules, if any, to guide the actor's approach to the written word? To begin with, the script is the only real authority for any dramatic (serious or comic) production. The script is the source of the story and characters and the basis for the project's very existence. For that reason, the actor's first responsibility is to respect the writer's words — all of them.

Whether the material is a play, screenplay, or teleplay, that script may be the result of many weeks, months, or years of writing, editing, and rewriting, sometimes with several writers collaborating and/or in collaboration with a director or even a producer. This is why an actor will be well-served not to assume the production team will automatically be thrilled to hear the actor's "improvements," especially if they alter or obscure some aspect of the character intended by the writer. It's also very important for actors to remember this when participating in the reading of a new script. The purpose of a reading is for the writer to hear the words as written, to see if they work. Changing words doesn't help. Here are two fundamental truths actors need to accept about every script they're given, whether they're auditioning or performing.

First, they should assume it's the best script ever written. Don't find weaknesses in the material, because every perceived defect creates an obstacle to giving a good performance. (Typographical errors, omissions, and inconsistencies invariably creep into the drafts of even the most carefully crafted scripts. It's the actor's responsibility to call those to the immediate attention of the production department.)

Second, they should assume the script was written for them. Accepting these premises gives actors absolute ownership over their roles. To Tell the Truth In life, when we speak, we choose words to express our thoughts and feelings. Actors, however, too frequently use words in ways that sound as if they're merely delivering information. Without communicating the meaning — the thoughts and feelings that the choice of those words would have naturally conveyed — actors too often engage in what I call double talk: speech that seems truthful but conveys little or no truthfulness at all.

CRAFT NOTES by Ed Hooks

EMOTION AND ACTING

Though actors practice their craft in an arena of emotion, emotion itself has zero theatrical value. You can cry and scream and pound your fists on the floor with all of your heart, and it won't keep the audience in their seats. To the contrary, if you do that kind of thing too much, you will hasten their exit to the lobby concession stand.

The study of acting begins not with an exploration of ones emotions but with an understanding of the theatrical transaction. If you want to be an actor, start by asking yourself why. What's in it for you? If fame and fortune and dreams of your own lovely emoting self on a movie screen are near the top of the list, I recommend going over to Starbucks for a nice warm latte and some reconsideration of your goals. People who come into acting because of a self-esteem deficit are asking for trouble. If your motivation for acting is self-flattery, then it might make more sense to try to get on the next edition of Fox-TV's "American Idol" or "The It Factor".

Acting as an art form is an ancient and honorable way to spend your life, and it has nothing whatever to do with fame. Its roots are in religion and shamanism. It is about helping the tribe get through a tough winter. When you act, you are helping the tribe understand its humanity. There is a purity and integrity of purpose to it. An actor traffics in stories, intelligence and emotion, but not to feed his own needy ego.

HOW EMOTION IS USED IN ACTING

Artonin Artaud correctly observed that "actors are athletes of the heart." An actor must have access to the full range of his emotions if he expects to affect the audience on an emotional level. Audiences empathize with emotion, not with thinking. Indeed, the audience will put up with thinking just so they can get to the emotion. As a paradigm, thinking tends to lead to conclusions, and emotion tends to lead to action, but the emotion must be connected to the story being told. The fact that an actor may be able to cry on cue or work up a good sweat is neither here nor there to an audience.

If an actor lacks access to his emotions, he will have trouble acting, it's as simple as that. If he is out of touch with his own emotions, then he ought to work that out in therapy. An acting class is where you learn acting as an art form. While it is therapeutic and liberating to act, it is also true that acting workshops ought not to be a substitute for psychotherapy.

Not too long ago one of my Chicago students told me that he had never been angry enough to hit another person. That is of course not true. We have all been angry enough to hit someone. If he clings to that false notion, he will damage himself as an actor. Emotions are automatic value responses. One person may be afraid of a mouse when the next person is not. One person will be terrified of walking on a dark street at night, and the next person will not. One person may be delighted by the Christmas season, and the next person may approach it with foreboding. (Ebinezer Scrooge maybe?) It is a factor of values.

Emotions do not hover in space in a causeless manner. Emotion is connected to reason like the thighbone is to the hipbone. Emotions go off all the time. They are common currency for us humans. An actor needs to be in touch with his own feelings and those of the character. You may be portraying a character that is woefully out of touch with her emotions, but you can't do her justice unless you can access your own emotions. Yes, we are emotional beings. And yes we traffic in emotions when we act. But acting is an art form, a discipline, heightened reality. It is not a place where we just let it all hang out.

PAY RATES FOR ACTORS IN FEATURE FILM

The information provided here is provided as a guide or reference only. You will need to contact your local SAG office before entering into any contract or agreement. In the February issue we will sample AFTRA TRI-STATE rates.

You're pursuing your dream as an actor. You took classes, got your headshots, kept your resume up to date, networked with the right people, auditioned for a film with pay(!) and you landed the role! After your initial excitement of landing the role wear's off, you get doubly excited that you have a pay check coming your way for doing what you love. "Hmmm, I wonder how much I'll get paid," you ask yourself. "$50 a day? $500 a day? $5000 a day??" You realize you have no idea what a standard rate for an actor is. What's a fair amount? What's the minimum you should receive?

A lot of people are curious as to what an actor might get for working on a film. I'm not talking about the millions of dollars we all read about those Hollywood guys making per picture. I'm talking about the actors who make their living in film. All contracts are of course negotiated by the actor's agent, but what is an actor's pay scale or minimum pay rates for feature films.

There are over 8000 films listed with IMDb that were released last year alone. We all dream of becoming a Hollywood success and pulling in "the big bucks" but what can an actor who is hired for a film expect to get paid? We compiled the following information to give you a general idea of what to expect to be paid for your work. We listed 3 SAG agreement pay rates which vary based on the film's total budget. These minimum rates are not current and should only be used as a guide.

"Basic Codified Agreement" SAG Agreement for full budget feature film:

Principle Performer Rates: Per Day $655 Per Week: $2,272
Background Actors (Extras): Per Day $115
Residuals for theatrical films: Television/Cable: 3.6% of distributor's gross receipts

Video/Discs: 4.5% of first million sold, 5.4% thereafter

"Low Budget Agreement:" SAG Agreement for Low Budget Films (budgeted less than $2 million):

Principle Performer Rates: Per Day$466 Per Week $1620
Background Actors (Extras): Per Day $115

"Modified Low Budget Agreement:" SAG Agreement for Modified Low Budget Films (budgeted less than $500,000):
Principle Performer Rates: Per Day $248 Per Week $864
Background Actors (Extras): Per Day $115

BOOK OF THE MONTH

ACTING IN FILM BY Michael Caine

'What right does Michael Caine have to teach you how to act in film? Absolutely none. There are many actors who know as much and more. But part of the business is more than a business: it's a community. And a community where people share experiences with one another. What I know today is the result of what succesful actors have shared with me. I'm just passing on the torch. Don't take any experience for bleeding gospel. Just take it and run!' - Michael Caine

'Fascinating! Wonderfully practical film acting wisdom - all put across in the best Caine style.' - John Cleese