Tips and Insights, by John Boylan. He offers film acting classes and personal coaching for Toronto-based students.
“These are gems. John’s Tip And Insights are relatable and inclusive, and there is no doubt that every actor at every level will benefit. There are decades and decades of insight packed into these pages.”
- Rich Caplan, Talent Agent, Noble Caplan Abrams, Toronto
“There are the foundations of acting that as an actor you go over and over. But John’s tips and insights are, for me, like going through your house and cleaning out all the nooks and cranny’s. Tending to the areas of your work that you know are there but you don’t always address. They comfort the thoughts and questions that have rolled through my mind but never made it out of my mouth.”
- Natalie Krill, The Listener, Below Her Mouth, The Next Step
“Aha, that’s quite brilliant! Your entries are most useful to actors and everyone.”
- Lesley Larkum, Head of Strings, Dulwich College, London
“Great tips for the young actor, John. Your thoughts are much appreciated.”
- Michael David Kirby, Humber School of Creative and Performing Arts, Toronto
“John’s Tips & Insights are so useful to me as an actor. I like to read one every few days just to put a bright reminder in my mind.”
- Jake Epstein, Designated Survivor, Suits, Degrassi
In acting class, working with two beginners, one of them asked how do you do commercial auditions.
One key part is to go ready to improvise the situations they give you. Let’s do some now to see.
I made up a Coca-Cola ad. You walk …
Read MoreIt’s interesting to think what you actually have.
Not what you think you should have.
You may wish you looked like a certain movie star and feel inadequate …
Read MoreYou’re doing more self-tapes these days.
Many interesting points to consider while doing them.
Who you do the self-tape with is important. If it’s a friend or …
Read MoreYou hear people saying, ‘It takes so long to make a movie.’
Does it?
It’s actually, ‘It takes as long as it takes.’
It’s fine if …
Read MoreLots of characters are bored.
People get bored. You get bored. I get bored.
Some scenes the two characters are just passing time. That’s their action. Their objective is to be happy. They get happy by hearing the …
Read MoreAt the 1990 Crossroads Blues Festival the great B.B. King plays The Thrill is Gone and in a row sit Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Jimmy Vaughn, Sheryl Crow, ZZ Top, Albert Lee, Jeff Beck, Steve Winwood, all masters in their own right
They are playing with and following the master …
Read MoreThey don’t know what they want. That’s the TV rule.
Episodic television is very much about making it up as they go along. Searching, searching for what works under great time and money pressure.
The character description in the …
Read MoreDo what you did in your first audition. Wear the same clothes.
Try not to over-work or over-think prior to the callback. You want to do well, but observe what diverts you from - and what keeps - the magic that you had in the first audition.
Usually the director will be there and sometimes producers. Go as you …
Read MoreAs a movie actor you are part of the art form of its time.
Now.
The movies, or all media that has moving images are ...
Read MoreOne way you can pose the question of acting for camera is to say the camera is photographing thought.
It’s pretty good.
As always, none of these truisms ...
Read MoreWhat is discussion?
It’s what human beings do to make things and develop thinking.
There are two basic kinds of discussion. One: to make a plan to...
Read MoreHerbert Marshall was an actor who was wounded in World War 1 and had his right leg amputated.
According to IMDB, Marshall’s loss of his leg was ‘a fact not well known to many moviegoers because it was hardly noticeable on screen, as long as he ...
Read MoreBridge thoughts are the thoughts between the lines.
They are before a new speech or line, and bridge the ‘end’ to the ‘beginning’.
You first receive the impulse from something sent to you, and then you respond, and, as you inhale, different thoughts affect your ...
Read MoreBeing prepared to say No allows you to have a three-stage approach when faced with typical upsetting situations.
Situations where you are put on the spot, put down or caught off guard. Under today’s pressure people ...
Read MoreThis is the most difficult place before an audition.
Take this problem up for solution. Think about it, develop tactics, practice them over time so they become habits that serve you.
For instance: If your fellow actors are doing a lot of chatting, you don’t need ...
Read MoreIt’s important to recognize success and to celebrate both your work and the work of your colleagues.
Life is made up of many beginnings, middles and ends. At the end of a project you should take a moment to commemorate ...
Read MoreYour life as an actor will have many twists and turns.
Once you have analyzed a question, discussed it and made a decision why explain it or apologize for it. Your decision is made, now just act on it.
The actor says ...
Read MoreAs an actor you are asked to fulfil many typical adjectives.
They’re found in audition breakdowns and in movie advertisements and in movie reviewer’s reviews.
Let’s pick a few ...
Read MoreThat’s what they called it in the old days.
Maybe they still do.
An on-camera role in a commercial with lots of dialogue – that’s ‘wall-to-wall dialogue. Lots usually means 6 to 8 lines, which, compared to a ...
Read MoreBefore the audition an actor whispers: ‘Watch out, the casting director is in a bad mood.’
She might be. And, if so, why?
It’s probably got nothing to do with you and everything to do the high pressure of ...
Read MoreJohn Boylan | Toronto Acting Coach
Acting styles change with the times and right now acting for television and film is changing dramatically. What’s required today in episodic drama and feature films is the ability to be utterly and completely natural and truthful in front of the camera and this demands ...
This four-day Intensive is for advanced actors. You should be auditioning and shooting regularly.
At your level improvement comes in crucial small amounts. That’s the work we’ll be doing. An opportunity to get better and to get better at booking more work. To that end …
These Sessions are right for you if you are an Advanced actor auditioning and shooting regularly or a Beginner. Separate Sessions will be conducted for actors at each level.
You can work in a Semi-Private Session anytime during the year. Just contact John and let him know you'd like to do that and you two can find a partner for you and set up …
IT'S YOUR SPACE. TAKE YOUR PLACE.
A photo and resume must be submitted before registration is confirmed. Scheduled classes and coachings cannot be re-scheduled. If you’re unable to attend you forfeit the time and fee. Make up classes are not held over to future sessions, there are no refunds and money cannot be used towards another class. We reserve the right to change time, date, price of our courses.
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