This week we are splicing our final scene rehearsals with discussion on how we enter into the industry as professionals. We are exploring audition techniques, head shot and resume trends, typecasting, etc. and how to incorporate all that we learn into our professional practice as actors.
For this week, think about what it takes to be a professional actor. As you refine your craft (which is key), where do you see yourself working in the future? How can you use the skills you acquire here at KU to prepare yourself for the competitive marketplace? Make a list of what you think you need to accomplish and what tools you are missing that you need to acquire to make yourself an competitive "applicant" for semi-professional and professional roles. Get an action plan together and start working it. Bring it to class for discussion.
If the opportunity comes knocking, are you prepared?
Danielle Cooper’s Blog
ReplyDeleteWeek 15- Rehearsal
4-21-10
I see myself really trying to build up my resume with volunteering the next couple of years at the Kansas City Rep. ( I went to a play there over spring break and fell in love with the theatre.) I actually have contacted a lady who works there and asked her about volunteer opportunities and stuff like that so I can get my foot in the door with productions and really try to learn my way around a theatre. So in the next couple of years I see myself trying to attend workshops to improve my acting skills and try to be in as many productions as possible through KU and also through Kansas City. So when I graduate I plan on going to New York and trying to get into the business, find an agency and book jobs so that I can really try to start up a career. I am also keeping the option open of attending Juilliard or NYU to get more experience, build my name and start a character in that direction. I know that I am just learning about the industry but I really want to start booking gigs and productions in New York in the next 5 or 6 years so that I can really start off my career.
I know that for right now I really need to start researching more about the industry so that I can try to get the best people to propel me to do great work so that I wont get stuck in just one spot for very long. I plan on working a lot, because now I know that if I am going to move all the way away from my family and home for nothing… I want to become successful.
I think that I could say for right now if an opportunity came this week I would not completely be prepared to handle the industry but I would be willing to try it out and see how far I could make it. I would have to shift and try to work full time on my craft, because right now since my college career is not completely centered on acting and booking jobs, its harder to COMPLETELY put 100% on acting. Because I still have classes like, The History of the Earth that get me a little distracted from acting. So I would say over the next couple of years I feel I would be completely prepared to move up and on and start working in the industry full time.
In the future I see myself in either New York or L.A. hopefully as a working actor/singer. Because I have such an interest in both I get to explore many options, including straight Acting (Film, Theatre, TV), Musical Theatre, and Opera. I’ve always had a dream about going to Juilliard for music or acting and that is definitely a dream that I hold on to still. However, I’m also more open to other options as well. Part of me is considering a transfer or another degree in a city more specific to what I want to do. In my experience it’s good to form relationships and network in a area where you attend school. That way your growth is witnessed by many people and you can receive recommendations that way as well. It’s another way to get an “In”. I am thinking about maybe trying to go to a performing arts college after KU. I don’t know, I’m still researching. As far as what I am missing, I feel like right now I’m still a little bit loose and unrefined as an actor and that is what I really want to work on before heading out into the real world. I know that goes without saying but I really want to make sure that I am the real deal, a very good investment, and a force to be reckoned with before I go out and try, try, try. Something I’ve been thinking about is auditioning for shows in the summer break time. I think that would be a really idea for me, especially because all I do is work during the summer. I find that what I really lack is experience at the college/more professional level. I try very hard but I don’t get cast in very big parts and so it’s hard to get experience with a lead role as an extra. I’m not complaining, simply stating that there are obviously some things I need to work on to be more eligible. I was also thinking maybe it would be a good idea to talk to someone at KU or the Lawrence Arts Center or somewhere about some one on one work. If opportunity came knocking right now, obviously I would give it my all, I just want to make sure that when it does come knocking, I’m ready to answer the door and invite it in.
ReplyDeleteI've already talked to you a lot about where I want to end up and what I would like to do and I'm starting to narrow down what direction I want to lead to. Since I'm still not 100% sure I'm going to keep working on every area of the industry I can get my hands on. I want to continue my acting, keep working as a techie, and I'm planning on taking a dance class this summer to get back in the groove of that. As for film, I'm totally going to start looking into more things to work on in the production side and maybe get a job at the movie theatre just so I can see movies for free and be able to observe any actress my little heart desires =) I still want to look into the business side of the industry so I'm starting to pursue the business minor soon so I can have some type of credentials for that. I'm thinking about looking into getting an agent also over the summer in the KC area to start networking and seeing just a small small glimpse of what it is like to work in the industry. I casted a guy in my music video who is with an agency in KC and he has given me the contact info and what all he did so I can start working on getting one. Overall, I want to do everything which is why I'm not going to limit anything I can learn while at KU and in the safety of the college world and hopefully all that I learn will get me somewhere in LA or NY!
ReplyDeleteI think being professional is very important. A professional actor shouldn't be afraid of anything. I'd say it's important to take chances as an actor. No risk, no fun, no pain, no gain, no outstanding result... Part of a professional education is on the one hand to figure out what the actor is able to do, but on the other hand being aware of that anything is possible. By “refining your craft” I understand actively working as an actor and exploring your boundaries while expanding them constantly. Being challenged and putting effort and commitment on succeeding is the key to improve. It's a waste of time and money to just keep chugging along. Always keep in mind that being an actor is a job, a profession.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite genre is definitely stage acting. Interaction with a live audience is the greatest joy in this business for me. But, again, if I see myself as a professional, which I do, I'd also do film and TV. I'd say the goal in such a competitive field is to be as broadly educated as possible. Thus I'll definitely explore as much as possible to increase my chances to get booked for jobs. I see my education at KU as a springboard for my future career. I've acquired a lot of technical and practical, as well as theoretical skills and experience of life. Experience of life is the tool for the actor. Since I'm involved in college acting I always recognize spatial real life characters and observe what actions they take to achieve a certain impression. Or if I watch a movie I study others techniques and judge whether they are effective or not. The more you've experienced, the richer your sense - and emotion memory is and the better you can portray a character. What I've learned so far will help me for auditions for German acting schools and I'll get a transcript out of it that proves that I've spent one year overseas. I am lucky to have such great conditions and a significant head start to get started in Germany.
Useful skills for my career I don't have so far:
flexibility in an athletic sense
read more classical German plays from Schiller, Goethe etc.
stage fencing
I need to work on:
singing
dancing
foreign languages
I have an immensely frightening path before me, but in many ways that's part of the excitement. I would never in a million years give up theatre or acting, but regrettably I have too many interests to be handled in one lifetime. Biology is a more immediate goal, and a very strong interest of mine, as well as incredibly difficult work. Balancing my struggle in that field with the prospect of getting more in-depth and involved in the theatre and film industry seems near impossible particularly at this moment of my education. That being said, while I want to focus on my scientific studies, I want to slowly get more involved in the arts industry. I too see myself ending up on a coast (preferably between LA and San Diego, where there are many opportunities in Biology it turns out :) ) and hopefully once I get settled and earning a semi-comfortable living, I can get more and more involved in the theatre and film industry. Who knows, maybe my primary income may one day switch from the sciences, to the arts! Here's hoping...
ReplyDeleteAs an actor, and acting being my craft, I want to fine tune it in every possible way. I want to see all sides of things and explore every inch of the business. I have learned so much and I have so much to learn but it is all part of this amazing experience. I could sit and talk to you for days about all of your experiences and learn from what you tell me. I am so excited to get out there and do whatever I can to get experiences under my belt. I want to be the best actor I can be and to do that I need to learn from experience. I am going to take advantage of being in the Kansas City market and use what I have here to earn credentials. When I am ready, and when I have my tool kit ready I am going to go out to a big market and just see what it is like. I honestly feel that I am supposed to do something in this business and I will do whatever it takes to get there. This is what makes me happy and having determination is a key factor I think.
ReplyDeleteThe things I would like to work on are being more impulsive and risky, along with little things like confidence in things I know. The other thing I would like to get out of my head is the thought I have that I am just a person and the people we see as actors are superstars because realistically even if that is how they feel about themselves they are just people too. That is for the most part why it is such a hard goal for me to have is because I don’t want to feel silly for having such high aspirations for myself. I believe I am good at acting and I have talent in some facets of this work but at the same time comparing myself to others I feel like the realistic-ness of this goal is off. A lot of it will be solved once I get opportunities to audition and start working which may be the biggest roadblock for me. I will have to work through that for myself but with learning and growing in the classroom this helps me gather momentum for feeling as if I am ready for the working world of actors. I would like to take voice lessons and more acting classes. Then I really will need to buckle down and go out and get moving on auditions and work. I will also need to look into getting an agent and have them be looking out for me to succeed or at least make money so they get their cut.
ReplyDeleteDuring this final week to wrap up my year in Acting 1 & 2 I’m really glad we’ve had the opportunity to learn how to take our acting into the real world. Things that will help me prepare is the knowledge I’ve gained of Hagen’s techniques and all of the improvisation and memorization we’ve had to do this year. I feel like I’m molding myself as an actor and learning what type casting I could possibly do in the future. It has helped me want to pursue my passion. I could see myself giving acting in the professional world a try and I’m going to try and reconnect with my agency from when I was a child model/actor back home in Dallas. All of the skills that I have learned here at KU have really helped me with my confidence as an actor. Things that I would need to accomplish is getting my name out there and being professional and organized about everything I do. I know that acting is a professional job, and I working for something I really love to do would really help me in the future. If the opportunity came to audition for anything, be it a play, commercial, movie, etc. I am ready for the challenge.
ReplyDeleteI think the thing that really hit home is when Nicole said that we ARE actors already, we should be going out and trying to book work because even though we come to school to learn; we are not far off from the people out there booking already. I think it's a mindset in school that you are not 'prepapred' until you get your degree and finish school THEN you are allowed to book jobs and go after what you've been working for. It's so true once I think about it, that we are here to refine our craft, but we are already actors and we already have all the tools we need to be professional, right here, right now.
ReplyDeleteFor as long as I can remember, I knew that I eventually wanted to live in L.A. because that is where all the business is. It is very definite to me that my personal hierarchy of the acting profession is: 1. Film 2. TV 3. Theater. I have come to realize that L.A. is where I would ultimately want the end of my traveling to be because I know that going straight to California would deny me the experience I would receive by traveling to Chicago and New York. Of course, this is what I say right now but who knows what I’ll do when the times comes, I just know that I have much more to learn before I go anywhere. From what I have learned in class this semester, I know it is better to fully start a professional career with knowledge of one or more techniques then to just go out there and act the best you know how. So many of the major name actors out there all base their form off the technique they learned from one of the many great legends, I think. I feel like it would greatly benefit me and make me feel more comfortable if I caught my knowledge up on some of these techniques to help me. Moral of the story, there’ s a lot more I need to learn about the industry and there’s a lot more I need to learn about my own abilities and I can’t wait to get going.
ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting how this class has changed my career plans. I came to KU primarily as a voice/music student. I didn’t think twice about acting. After last semester, I began to rethink everything. Being involved with Arms and the Man, Anything Goes, and this class, has made me aware of how closely related theatre and music are and how I love them both equally. I could be happy doing either one for the rest of my life.
ReplyDeleteBecause my horizons have been opened more, I can see myself going to any of the major performing arts cities (New York, LA, Chicago, etc.). Honestly, I will try to get work no matter what it is. It could be straight plays, musical theatre, or opera. As a beginning actor, I will take any opportunity I can get. I think in terms of professionalism I am pretty well prepared. As for what I need to accomplish, I think it’s as simple as I just need to keep acting. We’ve been given plenty of techniques and advice. Now, I just have to practice and perfect them. I do not think I am anywhere close to being able to act professionally, but I at least have a skill set to work on and refine until I am ready.