- EACH VIDEO LASTS 5 - 10 MINUTES.
ALL ARE COMPLETELY FREE TO WATCH
1- HOW TO ACT REALISTICALLY (first of 2 videos on this)
Five examples of how to act “REALISTICALLY” !
Second of two videos on this. Please watch the opening one first. . . . By the way, during this video I promise to explain how it is even possible to ‘kill’ someone ‘realistically’ in a film - ! - And this is how : - As with any scene, take one step at a time. If you have to kill a person in a film, and you do not want it to look fake, the first step may be when you ‘see’ them before killing them. You have to ‘really’ see the person, not just have your eyes open . . . . as I explain in these videos you ‘actually’ allow yourself to take the person in, if only for moment, not just looking in their direction. The next moment might be that you move towards them, which you must do ‘realistically’ - not pretending to threaten, or moving with some exaggerated expression of anger, but - as shown in these two videos - genuinely feeling anger or hatred or pleasure or sadness - whichever seems right - as long as it is simply real. The next step may be to have that genuine emotion - perhaps of impatience or contempt - and “genuine” as shown in these videos - continuing, allowing the feeling to increase or to change, just as long as the feelings is not fake, however strong or simple it may be. THEN, if your hands are partly hidden from the audience they won’t think that you are faking the strangling (or stabbing, or however you execute your victim) , for the audience will imagine the killing is real because everything else leading up to that moment has been real. They have no reason to think you are faking anything. You have lead them to believe everything you are doing. But this video is not about killing ( ! ) - is to make you keep your focus on being real - WHATEVER the situation!
3- THE BEST ACTING LESSON IN THE WORLD
That is how this lesson was described by the Head of Education at London’s National Theater. I hope you see what she saw in it!
4 - HOW TO DO A BRITISH ACCENT CONVINCINGLY (first of three)
This is the British accent most often needed by American actors. There are other British accents, of course, (which I coach on skype and in person in New York if needed,) but this video covers the basics of the accent most asked for. A perfect accent most importantly include the truth of the script, of course, and most work has to be done on THAT!
5- ” (second of three on this subject)
6- ” (third of three on this subject)
7- THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT SHAKESPEARE
One huge fact about Shakespeare which even ‘great’ actors often need to be reminded about.
Websites, publications and organizations.
A more detailed video about this will come in a few months.
10- WHAT IS THE ‘MEISNER TECHNIQUE’?
This is not something all actors need, but it has helped many to be very successful, and this is only me hoping to give a clear introduction to the subject.
Speaking in verse can be FUN. (This is also explored in another page on this website, in - “Notes on British Plays”, - please see above).
How not to feel strange when standing on a stage talking to yourself !
13- UNDERSTANDING HAROLD PINTER (first of 2 videos)
First of two short videos about the playwright whom many consider the greatest of the 20th century, yet many others find hard to understand. The video may also help actors to understand difficult parts of other writers, including Shakespeare.
14- UNDERSTANDING HAROLD PINTER (Second of 2 videos on this).
Second of two short videos on this. Please watch the previous one first.
15- VOICE PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
Two common voice problems, and two unusual ways of solving them. Actors need to have strong voices, and to keep them that way.
16- HOW TO LEARN LINES FASTER (first of 3 videos on this)
First of three videos about this, one of the most important talents an actor needs, (the other important ones are to be heard clearly, and to act realistically.)
17- ” (second of 3 videos on this)
Second of three videos on this subject. See above.
18- ” (third of 3 videos on this)
Third of three videos on this subject. See above.
19- HOW TO SIGHT-READ LIKE AN EXPERT
Two ways to read from a script like an expert, - an important skill for modern ‘cold-reading’ auditions.
20- HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD AUDITION-SPEECH
Two ideas which even very experienced actors often forget.
21- HOW TO WRITE A PERFECT ACTOR’S RESUME.
New and experienced actors can all write better resumés. Good resumés attract good auditions.
22- THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT AUDITIONS
One way to make auditions more fun.
23- WHAT AN ACTING COACH IS SUPPOSED TO DO
What some of us do.
24 - HOW TO MOVE IN ‘PERIOD’ PLAYS
How to move with ‘style’ like an aristocrat. How to bow or stand, or sit like a Lord or a ‘Lady’.
25 - HOW TO MAKE SENSE OF PLAYS BY CHEKHOV.
How to stop the plays of Chekhov from seeming boring - which, frankly, some actors (and audiences) think they are.
26 - HOW TO START AN AUDITION SPEECH or a part in a film or onstage
A wonderful ‘trick’, connected to ‘realistic’ acting, for the start of any audition speech, or the start of any scene.
27 - HOW TO ANALYZE A SCRIPT OR AUDITION SPEECH
I will make a fuller video about this soon, but this simple method stops an actor’s lines from all sounding the same.
28 - HOW TO WORK WITH A DIFFICULT DIRECTOR
We all face this problem at some time in our lives, whether we are a star or a beginner, and it not only makes life miserable, but we can lose work if we do not find a solution to the problem. This may be the best way of dealing with the problem.
29 - WHY AMERICAN ACTORS SHOULD NOT GO TO BRITISH DRAMA SCHOOLS
This is incredibly important because the first steps people take to become actors effect their whole lives. Many make a huge mistake in attending a school in a different country to the one where they plan to work.
30 - HOW TO DECIDE ABOUT BECOMING AN ACTOR
Yes! Don’t decide too easily and waste years of your life and then find out that the whole idea was a mistake. BUT - but - but - maybe this video is a bit unkind of me, because if you just ‘feel’ very strongly that you want to do acting, and nothing else in the world really interests you, then don’t worry about all the ‘hard work’ I talk about in this video, just keep on with trying. But for heavens sake do a decent drama course somewhere first, or work non-stop in silly acting jobs. But don’t dither around.
31 - WHY A PLAY OR FILM IS “GREAT”
We want to be in (and to watch) great films, great plays and great performances, so it helps to know what makes them ‘great’.
32 - THE FINAL LESSON
What all actors, great, famous or new, - ALL need to remember in the end about acting.
33 - THE HAPPINESS OF BEING AN ACTOR
A reminder to all actors, - nervous film stars and worried students, - that the job of being an actor can be a HAPPY one.