A day in the life

I read this fabulous article today, put together by numerous actors-about what it is that they do daily to keep their craft alive and thriving.  Being an actor is so interesting and exciting.  It made me think about what I do everyday to keep myself alive and I thought that sharing would be fun.

One of my favorite things to do is watch people. I always try to study people: What about a person makes me see the person is sad? What is the relationship between the couple in a restaurant? Are they married? Have they been together for a long time? Is the guy in love with the girl? Is the girl in love with the guy? Seeing things for what they are is crucial to an actor. It helps you create a truthful scene and/or character. I usually spend countless hours a week studying people and their relationships, their reactions...what their body is doing when you ask them a certain question. Studying people, it is one of the things that we do best.

Besides all the exercises of studying others, you can also examine yourself. The good old mirror helps. Create a character and talk to the mirror, studying your face. How does it change when you become a killer? A teacher? A little girl? A cop?Take yourself on a journey in the safest environment of all, your own home! It will teach you and give you confidence. You see yourself in the mirror several times a day; so why not, brush your teeth as the character you imagined yourself playing! 

Another thing that I often do, as working my voice is a challenge that I am trying to overcome,I work my vocal exercises in the car...  Or when no-one is home. I always start warm-up with lip trills, then humming, humming-chewing exercises...etc.  Vocal warm-ups of the tongue-twister variety after are always fun just to get everything warmed up....try these "What a to-do to die today..." or this favorite of mine: "A box of biscuits, a box of mixed biscuits, and a biscuit mixer."

I also read the trades everyday.  Even if it is just the Variety headlines, just to keep up to date with ratings and what is new and fresh.  I always check Imdb--who is the #1 Star on the star meter this week?  I also, about once a week, check the ubcp film production list site http://www.ubcp.com/index.asp?navid=29 just so that I can keep myself up to date on what is going on here in BC.

There is a lot more we can do with our day, always, and impossible is nothing! Good luck on this most interesting journey!

SO I leave you with this incorporeal noun for the day: Perseverance. What does it mean to you? Think about it for a while. Reflect on it. Enjoy it.

Peace,

J

This Woman's Work

Life is too short to do things that we don't love, we must enjoy it while we can. Enjoy the beauty, enjoy the pain, enjoy the little things.  

Recently someone close to my heart was diagnosed with Cancer.  The news made me re-evaluate my life and think about what it is that makes me love life and what makes me happy.  I spent an afternoon at their house looking at an album of their life, and it made me see that life can pass by in an instant...  

As an actor, telling stories is what I am passionate about doing.  Affecting people-- in ways that they perhaps, aren't able to experience on their own....awakening feelings and emotions that were stored away.  

Well this week on television there was a story told through dance that really affected me.  It is a piece choreographed by Tyce DiOrio, and it is about a couple going through the struggle and turmoil of cancer together. The strength that the partner has to have to support her, and the struggle that she is going through inside and out.  Perhaps it is because there is someone near and dear to me going through this right now, but in any-case, it was beautiful and inspiring and I wanted to share it with you. Enjoy.

I leave you with an incorporeal noun for the day: Hope. Think about it. Embrace it. 

Peace,

J

No wonder some people say we're crazy.

I am working on a scene for my class right now, from the "The Owl and the Pussycat" and I have been trying really hard to access a source of "bat out of hell" anger...  Well, to be honest, I come from a pretty happy household.  There are not a lot of things that really piss me off...and if they do, I generally deal with them then and there.  So needless to say, I felt as though I had hit a bump in the road...when all of a sudden I found this story that fueled me with this immense anger, and the little voice inside me kept saying "YES!! Finally!!". Weird... that I would be so excited about feeling so angry, but I guess that is why I am an actor right?  

Funny people, actors.  We have to be vulnerable all the time, so that we can freely access all of our stories and emotions, yet we still have to be hard-shelled enough to deal with rejection, criticism and sheer exhaustion of pursuing this career.

I had a couple of friends over the other night, and I was trying to explain the specific hats we wear as actors. I wanted to explain how important it is to separate the different aspects of your acting career.  This little method of thought, has recently helped me organize my own ideas, and I thought it would be important to share with those who like me, want to excel at this career.  

So basically we as actors have to think of ourselves as our own business. We are essentially the CEO's of our own personal company, and we wear 3 hats, or we are the 3 Vice-President's of our company (as my acting coach and mentor Matthew Harrison would say).

Introducing the Vice Presidents of the Company:

1: Personal VP : This is the personal stuff.  The vulnerable actor.  The one who knows oneself so well, that they can access any emotional state, at anytime.  The one who works constantly at knowing themselves.

2: Actor VP: The craftsman.  This is the one who knows the process. The one who breaks down the script. The one who tells the stories. The one who channels all the personal stuff, and becomes an instrument for the writer. 

3: Business VP: The liason with the agent. The one who builds the networks. The one who does the marketing. The one who builds the fan-base. The one who builds the "Brand".

So to those actors out there who feel like they might be kinda crazy, well perhaps this little idea, will help you sort things out.  Make sure that you know which VP is representing you at all times. Make sure that the Business VP isn't in the audition room with you, and make sure that the Personal VP isn't out there negotiating contracts.

So I leave you with this one word to reflect on, embrace it, and really think about what it means to you today: Dedication.

Peace,

J