“That’s great, can you just pace it up?”

in person

with John Markland

January 8th – Feb 26th

Let’s just demystify this. There is this belief that you book a role on a show, a film and then you show up and we are all transported into this magical place of everyone knowing what they’re doing. Yes, in a practical sense the set, sound, lights, wardrobe, makeup etc. have done their job but even they had their own doubts and insecurities about what they were doing. The director has their “vision”, if you’re lucky, more so on films or seasoned TV directors. But for the most part they will have an idea of something they want but aren’t sure how to get it. Then there is you the actor.

In truth, you hope you and the director have certain understandings of the world, the tone and the who of the character, but at the end of the day, if magic is to occur, you won’t know how… but you both trust the other has the courage to risk and the instinct to see it. In a lot of TV, the director is hired for one or two episodes, had a bible a few weeks before, had a few meetings with the show-runner but has a schedule to keep and is ordered to get plenty of coverage of the season plot points so that post can pull it together into something cohesive over the season.

How do you prepare for that? You give your expectations a reality check. You surrender to the fact you are not on everyone’s mind, nor will anymore hold your hand or even tell you what to do. The top most note from directors and producers is, speed it up, pick up the pace, just say the lines etc. There will rarely be a deep conversation about beliefs, motivations or fears and behavior. You must come in feeling a comprehensive sense of the character and how they act, express, and exist in any given circumstance and it better be in line with the tone of the project.

This class is a no-nonsense, no lipstick on the pig, straight talk, practical how to when on set. What you need to prepare both as the booked actor but also as the person and hopefully, the artist trying to find a deeper expression of self. We will set up scenarios of different sets and how you might be directed on any given day. We will take you through the pace of a procedural, the choreographing of a big budget studio films and the nuance of exploring for a low budget independent and everything in between.

Wednesday Nights at 7pm

Class Full

AUDITING