Once you’ve done your preparation, and the scene is about to begin, you just start.

Actors prepare differently. There’s no one way to prepare to begin a scene. That’s true.

But, you might find yourself waiting for inspiration and it might be a divine kind and it …

They say the close-up is the money shot.

In television it certainly is the size we see most. Talking heads, they call it.

Learn to use the time of rehearsal, blocking, master and medium shots to choose what you’ll do in …

As you’re reading this you may notice that your foot is swinging regularly.

Mine is.

Or that your thumb is rhythmically rubbing your middle finger. These aren’t actually tics or twitches according to definition, but this is the best way to …

One of the best directing notes I ever received was from Peter Bogdanovich who said to me, ‘Think quickly.’.

I’ve repeated that to many actors over the years since.

It doesn’t mean speaking quickly. It means moving forward doing what you need to do in the scene …

If you have blocks as an actor explore different ways to loosen them.

A gay actor I worked with had a block about playing masculine roles. Any character described as tough, good-looking, macho, war veteran etc. would send him into an anxious state. 

He knew he looked the part, but his mental block made him freeze when he came to …

How do you work on a screenplay?

Breaking it down into it’s first, big parts helps. Those parts are the scenes.

As actors, directors, writers, producers we work on plays and films scene by scene. They’re the units of work.

You shoot scenes out of order, so you must work on each scene as a …

The event is what the 2nd AD writes in the call sheet for each scene.

For example:

‘Josh nervously divulges his …

You have to learn how to be still on camera. 

Observe how you’re still in life. 

Often, while acting your moving because you’re resetting or dropping out. It’s you, the actor, and not ...

These are the two main themes in Hollywood.

Hollywood reflects the ideas of those who make the movies and America itself.

And as an actor you’ll be asked to fulfil these themes. 

To land roles you’ll have to learn where you and your type fit ...

“In acting, I always try to go back to what would actually be the real situation, the real human behaviour in life. It’s the most difficult ...

As you rehearse add the word point to the end of a line.

Better still, say it at the end of each point you are making, which may be more than one per line.

Say it with the same tone, intent, and volume as you’re saying the …

Develop your ability to see parts of the scene that have potential for you to play. Particular and specific moments of playing. Moments that are describable and definable.

At first glance, something in a scene may appear problematic, but upon examination, you can see it as potential.

Let’s look at an example from an audition scene. 

There are many wonderful writers on acting: Stanislavski, Sanford Meisner, Lee Strasberg, Keith Johnstone, Uta Hagen, Harold Clurman and others. 

When you want to be inspired and enlightened pick up one of their books and open it.

Anywhere.

Read until you get …

That means you mean it.

The you is understood. It’s a useful reminder phrase to keep you playing truthfully. It’s simple and direct.

Try using simple guide phrases like this one and see if they assist you. Just before they call action you can …

Can you study in the same space and at the same time of day?

There is much belief that the mind and body learn well – better - when done in the same place and at the same time.

When you repeat that it becomes habitual.

See if it calms your brain and helps you work better.

When preparing a scene learn the situation don’t memorize a scene.

Learning the situation allows your brain to assimilate the words as they are linked to what is happening in the scene. 

Learning it is quite different from memorizing.

If you learn what is going on – how you’re getting what you want, the facts, relationship, time, place – you’ll have much more …

This is what Sergeant Joe Friday, played by Jack Webb on the TV series Dragnet, used to say to witness’s when they strayed from the facts.

Getting the facts clear in a scene is half the battle.

Learn the plot line, sequence of events, key characters, location, time of day, good …

Don’t start until you’re ready.

After ‘Action!’ you need time between their order and your beginning.

It doesn’t have to be much time, but not jumping when the gun is fired is critical. 

Always try to be on top of your work. To put ...

Does your character help or hinder the lead?

If a character played by a leading actor such as Harrison Ford is seeking to get on a plane so he can rescue his daughter from threatened death then the character playing the ticket agent must either be helping the Ford character get on the plane or blocking him from …

You often have to stand with both arms by your sides. Not holding on to anything.

It’s just you in space. At first it can seem awkward. 

Learn to do it by standing well and easy, with your feet really on the ground, breathing regularly, arms hanging heavy, shoulders down, ribcage holding …