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Sorry folks,
Since I'm not well, there will be no blogs today.
H. R.

Memorizing Tips

Need to learn how to memorize? I can teach you that.
I used to be terrible at remembering my lines. A professor of mine used to say"Memorization is the $%!* work." But then I started using this magic memorization technique.

Let me show you.

The Problem with Repetition

Most people memorize by repeating the words over and over again. What they don't realize is that they're not only memorizing the words, but the rhythm, cadence, and tone of voice too.
We call it muscle memory and it's lethal to good acting.
Why? Because when you're acting in a scene, it has to seem like you're living it for the first time, every time. But if you're trapped behind your muscle memory, you're not vocally free. And you're not acting.

A Better Way to Memorize

You'll memorize by rote.

Rote:n.A memorizing process using routine or repetition, often without full attention or comprehension.

You're going to repeat the words over and over (and over) in a monotone voice, without any inflection. Like a robot.When you memorize this way, you eliminate the muscle memory associated with the lines.
So when you play the scene, it'll be different every time! One day you'll be angry and yelling, and the next day you'll be on cloud nine.

Give it a try, this stuff really works.

Memorization Tips

Cook, clean, or go jogging.

While you're repeating the words, do something with your hands and feet. Do some cooking, clean your bathroom, or go for a run. This will occupy the parts of your brain you don't need for memorizing.

Chunk it down.

You don't have to memorize all of your lines at once. Do a chunk of them this afternoon, and another chunk tonight.

Take your time.

This technique requires lots of time to work its magic. So if you have to be off book by next month,start now and take your time.

Ignore punctuation.

Just because there's a comma on the page doesn't mean you have to pause. Just because there's an exclamation mark in your script doesn't mean you have to yell. Just because there's a question mark.... You get the idea.

Whisper instead.

This technique requires you to talk a lot. It may be hard on your voice. If you need to, whisper it instead.

Remember to breathe.

It may sound simple, but it isn't. People like to hold their breath subconciously. But if you breathe, it will help you remember the text better.

The Bottom Line

A final note about how to memorize: Your lines must be so ingrained into your body that you can recite them in your sleep. If you're struggling to remember lines during a scene, you're not being attentive to your scene partner. And your acting will suffer.But if you know how to memorize by rote, you won't have to worryabout that. You'll be too busy building your acting career!

How to Become Famous, And Why You Shouldn't Try?

So you want to know how to become famous, huh?
You're just dying to be discovered. If only you could get on the Disney Channel or Indian Idol, you'd be a celebrity overnight. But why? Don't hit your browser's "back" button. Keep reading.

Why Become Famous

People who are trying to get famous are trying desperately to be loved. They have very little self-esteem, and to make up for it, they seek attention and approval from anyone and everyone. So when they turn on the television and see Miley Cyrus getting her picture taken, they crave that same sort of attention.

Don't agree with me? Think I'm wrong?
Fine, I'll prove it to you...
What if I told you exactly how to become famous? That all you have to do is travel to Delhi and assassinate the President. Tomorrow morning, your face will be splattered all over the front page of the Times of India. Everyone will know your name. You'll be famous. No? Not into it? I didn't think so.

The Curse of Celebrity

Rather than hear it from me... hear it from those who live it every day.

"Celebrity is death... Celebrity... that's the worst thing that can happen to an actor."~John Cusack

"My mom is always telling me it takes a long time to get to the top,but a short time to get to the bottom."~Miley Cyrus

"People want you to be a crazy, out-of-control teen brat. They want you miserable, just like them. They don't want heroes; what they want is to see you fall."~Leonardo DiCaprio

"I found the fame thing really was a torment for a while. Then you learn to deal with it."~Mel Gibson

"I go around the world dealing with running and hiding... I can't take a walk in the park, I can't go to the store... I have to hide in the room. You feel like you're in prison."~Michael Jackson

"The drama and the demands and the pressure and all of the people giving you so much access to so many things can be too much. So couple that with everyone telling you you're so this and so that and so perfect and of course you can lose yourself."~Beyoncé Knowles

"First people discover you and they love you. You get big and then you fail. And people are glad that you fail. But I've always come back and I've started to trust myself."~Steve Martin

"Being famous was extremely disappointing for me. When I became famous it was a complete drag and it is still a complete drag."~Van Morrison

"I may be a living legend, but that sure don't help when I've got to change a flat tire."~Roy Orbison

"Fame makes you feel permanently like a girl walking past construction workers."~Brad Pitt

"I don't think I realized that the cost of fame is that it's open season on every moment of your life."~Julia Roberts

"You can't get spoiled if you do your own ironing."~Meryl Streep

"That's one of the weird things about celebrity is that you don't know who's watching. That's my least favorite part of acting, celebrity."~Denzel Washington

The Life of an Actor

In stark contrast to the life of a celebrity is the life of an actor. Most of us are constantly in and out of work, on the road with a touring show, attending auditions and callbacks, and making an honest living. We don't own million dollar homes, go to awards shows, and we're not hounded by the paparazzi. So why do we do it?

Do It for Passion

Real actors are hungry for work. They ache to be on stage. They know that the journey is the reward. They are passionate about what they do. If you came to this website hoping to learn how to become famous, it's time to re-evaluate your goals in life. Are you looking for a challenging yet fulfilling career in the performing arts? Or do you just want the best table at China Garden?

Audition Tips

What do I mean by audition tips & tricks? I mean the small stuff. Stuff you may never have thought about. But it makes a huge difference.
Over the years, I've been to hundreds of auditions. And every time,I've made a mistake. But every time, I learned something new. So shave a few years off your learning curve by following my advice.

The Arrival
First audition tip: Bring something to do. Do a crossword or read a book. Anything that occupies your full attention. Why, you ask? Because you're usually stuck in a room with other actors who are there to audition, just like you. One of them is going to start a conversation. Either because they're nervous, or they want to make you nervous.
Listen, I'm all for networking with other actors. It's a great way to find work. But at an audition, keep to yourself and stay focused. Also, reading a book will prevent you from pacing the hallways and reciting your lines. Don't do that either. It will only serve to jitter your nerves. And besides, if you don't know your lines by now...

How to Memorize
Speaking of your lines, do you know how to memorize them?
One of the best audition tips I can offer: Your lines should be so ingrained into you, that you could recite them in a coma.

First Impressions
Here's a good audition tip: When you walk in the room, be confident. The human brain makes over 27 judgments about another person within seconds of meeting them. These judgements are based on your posture, body language, voice tone,breathing rate, eye contact, etc.
Make a bad first impression, and everything you do thereafter is filtered through that impression. (Called a cognitive filter.) You'll smile and they'll think you're afraid and nervous.
If you make a good first impression, you'll smile and they'll think you're relaxed and confident.
Why is this important? Because acting is a business. And people do business with those that they know, like, and trust.

The Auditors
The powers that be. The folks behind the desk, in the dark, eating their sandwiches, drinking their coffee, smoking their cigarettes, and taking their notes. All the while, ignoring you. When I walked in the room, I used to think I was at their mercy for two minutes. Now I walk in and think the exact opposite.
They're at my mercy for two minutes. I can make 'em laugh, cry, or at least yawn. Whatever the case, I'll be having fun. A little known audition tip: Think of them as potential business partners. Equals. You're selling, and they're buying. Treat them with respect and courtesy, and they'll do the same. But don't ask who they are. Introductions waste time, time you could use for showing off your acting chops. And don't use them in your monologue. (Unless they ask.) They're there to observe and evaluate, not engage.

The Room and the Space
I've auditioned in all sorts of places. Living rooms, kitchens, rooftops, you name it. But typically, it's either in a theatre or a studio space. Wherever it is, there's usually an X on the floor, done with tape. Find it and go stand there. That's called a mark. (X marks the spot.)
Why? Because the auditors get antsy when you're too close. (I had a professor in college who would throw a pen at you if you came too close to the table.)But don't stay rooted to that X. Remember, the space is yours for two whole minutes. So feel free to move around.

The Slate
Another great audition tip: After you hit your X, tell them who you are. This is called slating. There's the good slate, and the bad slate. The Bad Slate: "Hello, my name is so-and-so, and I'll be doing Viola from Twelfth Night."Boring! Imagine how many times a day the auditors must hear that. It'll go in one ear and right out the other. The Good Slate: "Good evening, I'm so-and-so and this is Viola in the first act."That has class and distinction. Or what about this? "Hi everyone, my name is so-and-so and this piece is from Twelfth Night."Now they're listening! (Just remember to keep it simple.)

The Time Limit
If you prepared a monologue or a song, you (usually) get two minutes starting from your first line. And two minutes is plenty. (In fact, the auditors will have made their decision in about 30 seconds.)So as to be respectful of everyone's time, cut down your monologue or song. Rehearse with a stopwatch to measure how long it is. Then when you get to the audition, you won't be rushed. And if they cut you off, don't take it personally. It doesn't mean you're bad, it means they're renting by the hour.

Eye Contact
Actors love to stare. Especially in auditions. They think it makes them look ultra-concentrated on their scene partner. The end result looks like someone who might be slightly deranged. And who wants to hire that?One of the best audition tips on making eye contact is the 90/10 rule.

The Bottom Line
These little audition tips & tricks took me years to collect. And they can make or break your audition. Follow them, and you'll be light years ahead of the competition, and so much closer to becoming an actor.

Acting Exercises

Here are a few acting exercises you can use to sharpen up your craft. Some of them are simple theatre games, while others are more complex. All of them are designed to help your acting abilities.

Please note:
Some of these acting exercises require the use of a character. Go read a play that you've never heard of and choose a character that interests you.

They can be classified as under :

Middle and High School
College Level
Individual Exercises
and Homework

Middle and High School

Alphabet SceneTwo students are selected. Everyone else thinks up a scenario for them and a letter to start with. Then they play the scene, using each letter of the alphabet.
For example: If Y is the letter chosen, the first line of the scene starts with Y. The next line starts with the letter Z. The next line starts with A. And so on. If you want to make it harder, add more actors. Why? This acting exercise is like a game. It forces the actor to think on his feet and use his imagination.

Zip Zap Zop
Gather everyone into a circle. One student starts by clapping his hands at another and saying "Zip." That student immediately responds by clapping his hands at another and saying "Zap." Again, that student claps at yet another and says"Zop." The process repeats over and over, getting faster and faster,until someone says the wrong word, or hesitates too long. That person is then eliminated from the circle. The last student standing is the winner.
Why?This game is great for concentration, eye contact, and acting on impulse.

Also a great game for getting to know each other.
Freeze!
Two students improvise a scene suggested by the audience. After a minute or so, a student from the audience might yell "Freeze!" The two actors freeze in their pose. The student from the audience replaces one of the actors, assuming that same pose. That student must now begin a new scene, based on the pose he is in.Why?This game helps a student to explore their physical world and how it relates to acting. It also stretches their imagination.

Question Scene
Two students improvise a scene where the all lines must be questions. If someone hesitates or fails to ask a question, anotherstudent takes their place. The scene continues.Why?This game forces a student to think on his feet and trust their instincts.

Backwards Scene
Two students are selected. The class makes up the last line of an imaginary scene. The students must then improvise a scene backwards. (And if you want to make it harder, add more actors.)Why?This acting exercise forces an actor to think on her feet and use her imagination.

Party Quirks
One student plays the host of the party. Three other students are each given a wierd quirk. (For example, "thinks he's Madonna".) One by one, the students enter as guests at the party. It's up to the"host" to guess their weird quirk.
Why?
The students with the quirks are forced to get their idea across using only their behavior and speech.

College Level

Public Solitude
The student will play out their morning routine in the studio as if they were alone. Wake up, brush and floss, call a friend, make their bed, etc. It should be as close to reality as possible. Have them bring in their posessions and set up their living space. (In the interest of time, limit each student to 20 minutes.)
Why? Public solitude is the artificial sense of privacy. Humans don't behave the same way if other humans are watching. The goal of this acting exercise is to forget the audience exists.

Repetition

Two students will stand on opposite sides of the room, facing each other. One makes a simple observation about the other:"You're wearing a blue shirt." The other student simply repeats it:"I'm wearing a blue shirt." They repeat that same statement until they feel they have to change the statement."Stop looking at my shirt!""Stop looking at your shirt?"And so on. They must keep repeating. Don't let them stop and think of something to say, just repeat.
Why? Repetition helps a student to "get out of their head." They must acton their impulses instead of logic or wit. It also trains the student to pay acute attention to their scene partner.

Individual Exercises and Homework

Observation
Observe a complete stranger for few minutes. Describe his or her behavior. Are they sitting, standing, walking? Who do you think they are? How are they feeling? What are they doing? Reading a book, waiting for someone, having a conversation? (Note: Don't let them notice you. It will ruin the exercise.)
Why? Acting is behavior. Nothing more. The better you become at reading someone else's behavior, the more keenly you will react to it.

Music
Choose a theme song for your character. Is it classical, or contemporary? Does it have lyrics, or is it instrumental? Is it fast, or slow? If your character were a piece of music, what would they sound like?
Why? A simple yet effective acting exercise. After you've chosen a piece of music, put it on your iPod and play it just before a performance.

Circle of Concentration
Immediate Circle: Choose a location and get comfortable. Imagine that there's a circle around you, about 10 feet in diameter. Your task for the next five minutes is to concentrate only on the objects within that imaginary circle. How would they feel, or smell? How heavy are they? What color?
Intermediate Circle:The rules are the same, but the circle enlarges. This time it's the whole room. Do another five minutes.
Distant Circle:You might want to go outside for this one. Now the circle is as large as a house. Do another five minutes.If your attention moves outside the circle, gently move it back. Don't feel discouraged. Not only is it unhelpful, it isn't within the circle. So you're not allowed to think about it.
Why? Concentration is very important for an actor. When playing a scene, you must reject the stimuli you're experiencing as an actor in favor of the stimuli of the character. In other words, you must see what your character sees.

Research
Research your character's life. Down to the last detail. How old are they? What do they do for money? Where do they live? What color fingernail polish do they wear? Are their parents alive? If not, what happened? Write everything down. Be specific.

Why? Not so much an acting exercise, more like homework. But the more you discover about your character's circumstances, the better you are able to answer the question: "If I were this character, how would I behave?"

Picturization
Right now, vividly recall an event from your character's past. See it play out in front of you like a movie scene. Be specific. As the scene plays out, move from third person to first person. Put yourself in the scene. Become your character.
Why? This acting exercise will help you to "own" your character. Their experiences become your experiences. It's also quite a workout for the imagination.

Acting exercises are a key to success for any actor. They keep your mind and body sharp during those times when you're not working. Hopefully, you'll use some of these and apply them to your craft.

The Business of Acting

Wanna learn how to become an actor? You've got to remember that acting is first and foremost a business. Just follow this simple and practical advice and you'll book job after job.
Let's get down to business!

Acting is a Business First

I know, you love the lights, the camera, the action. But don't romanticize what we're doing here: You're a business first and an artist second.

SIDEBAR: Many actors and actresses I know would disagree with me. (Including my former professors.) They would say the craft of acting is first priority.Don't misunderstand: I'm in this business because I'm an artist, an actor. It is my first andgreatest love.But in order to get work, the skills and techniques I'm about to share with you are paramount. So hear me out.The secret is the right mindset: The powers that be will see you as a product. Something to sell and make money from. And you should think this way too. This is true of theatre, TV, film,voice acting, commercials, and any other medium you'll work in.You are an entrepreneur with a product to sell. You're selling you. Your face, your body, your voice, your acting skills, your singing skills, etc. All working actors understand this concept. This may seem dark and dreary, but it's actually a good thing. Why? Because you realize that it's not personal. It's business. (That's important to remember when you're dealing with rejection.)

Marketing Your Business

Now that we've identified the product (you), it's time to market that product. How do you get your name out there? How can you get hired? How to become an actor who's working?

Here are a few ways to get your name out there:

Headshot and Résumé.
An actor's 8x10 calling card. It needs to look as professional as possible because it's going to cross the desk of directors,producers, agents, managers, etc. Nothing to put on your résumé? Try to become a movie extra, or volunteer at your local community theatre. (Theatres love volunteers!)

Use your Type.

Directors use type-casting to better fill acting roles. Figure out your type (frat boy, valley girl, office professional) and tailor your approach. On the web sites like ReelAct.com will host your online information, hosting photos, your résumé, even your demo reel. The best part? It's free!

Networking.

One of the best skills you can develop is tuning into what's happening around you, and trying to get involved. What's more, surrounding yourself with positive, successful role models is essential. True entrepreneurs are experts at networking.And please realize, thisisn'tthe recipe forhow to become famous.The Audition is the WorkActors often say to me, "I can't find acting work. It's so frustrating!" Here's the answer:I had a professor in college who told me that until you get hired, the audition is the acting work. If you don't enjoy marching into that audition and strutting your stuff, why do you want to be an actor? Use your auditions to hone your craft. Until you get hired, your monologues are your acting work. And enjoy it. That's how to become an actor.

Be Patient

Don't you hate it when someone tells you to be patient? Me too. But it's true.Life is funny. Things happen by chance, luck, happen-stance, and divine intervention. You must be patient and wait. But that doesn't mean you can rest on your laurels.

I'm about to share with you the#1 tip on how to become an actor:

Constant and repeated exposure.

Get your arse in front of casting directors, agents, producers, and other powers that be, and they'll begin to recognize you. People do business only with those that they know, like, and respect. That'show to get into acting.You need to have a good, solid audition every time. Stay positive. Build your business. And I promise, you'll be telling others how to become an actor!

Creating a Profile for Auditions

In almost every on-camera commercial audition—after slating—an actor will be asked to turn sideways and show the left and right sides of their face and body.

Profiles are normally required so that those doing the casting can get a clear look at the side views of the actor. Most auditions especially those with dialogue are done facing the camera but in many commercials, actors move sideways or are working or speaking in profile. So, the creatives need to see if actors have: round shoulders, a large or small chest, a belly, a receding chin, a big nose, tattoos, long or short hair, etc.

If actors have any body issues that can be perceived as a distraction in the commercial, doing profiles will reveal them to those doing the casting. Profiles can determine how you are perceived so it is essential to perform them correctly.

The slate is usually done in a close-up or medium camera close-up then the camera zooms out as the actor does their profiles. Simple enough, right? It should be, but many rookies don’t always really understand what is needed and the correct technique, and I have also seen way too many professionals do it incorrectly. Doing profiles unprofessionally can make you look like an amateur. Why would those doing the casting even bother to take the time to watch the audition work of an actor who can’t even do simple profiles correctly.

Here are some mistakes actors often make when doing profiles.

1.  Turning just your head, not your body. This is technically a “profile” but is not what is needed at commercial auditions.

2. Turning your head and body only to a 45-degree angle. This doesn’t give the creatives what they need to see; they need to see your full body in profile. You need to be at a 90-degree angle to the camera.

3. Turning your head and body past the 90 degree angle.

4. Being cutesy, turning too fast or slow, fidgeting, looking angry, confused, bored, or with an attitude. This makes the actor look like an amateur.

To do a good profile, these are the instructions I offer my students in my L.A. acting workshops.

1. Be relaxed with a positive and confident energy.

2. Turn your body and head to the right at a 90-degree angle, stand for a second, face the camera, and  then turn to the left at a 90 degree angle, hold for a second then turn toward camera and smile.

Note: Although you are relaxed, be sure to stand up straight, shoulders back and tighten your stomach muscles.

Simple is professional. You might be thinking, “How boring.” Well, it is regimented for an important purpose. Your personality and essence will be present in your “slate” and your audition. The “profile” just needs to be done simply and professionally then it will send the right message about you.

You probably assume now that you have read this article that you understand how to do it and will have no problem with doing your “profiles.” Just to be sure, you should film yourself doing your profiles. If it is not clean, practice a few times and record yourself once again.