Tips and Insights, by John Boylan. He offers film acting classes and personal coaching for Toronto-based students.
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 …
Read MoreSeeing a black wall at the end of your audition is deadly.
It’s best if your auditions are part of your ongoing work and life. With none of them ever being the be all or end all.
The continuity …
Read MoreAs 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 …
Read MoreOne 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 …
Read MoreIf 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 …
Read MoreLearn to recognize and appreciate the toll it takes on you being an actor.
Certain roles are demanding emotionally – Desdemona - and they can have a real effect on you.
A regular role on a series, a long-running play or a lead in a feature, all have their own …
Read MoreHow 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 …
Read MoreThe facts of your acting life make up The List.
When you feel down learn to refer to it.
What could be on the list?
Well, you exercise, try to eat well, you have an agent, you audition, you act in plays, movies, TV series …
Read MoreDon’t be pressured to think that your acting should be somewhere other than where it is.
It isn’t realistic, and you need to be if you want to improve.
This doesn’t mean you don’t have aspirations. Of course you do, but you …
Read MoreHuman beings always look to the future.
On a practical note you have the future to consider every time you play a scene or go to an audition. Part of your preparation will be seeing yourself at the end of the work. How will the audition go? How will …
Read MoreThe event is what the 2nd AD writes in the call sheet for each scene.
For example:
‘Josh nervously divulges his …
Read MoreLearning technical dialogue can be difficult.
Legal, medical, military, scientific.
Try separating it from the playing part of the scene. Usually most of the scene is playable – then there’s the technical language, so you could ...
Read MoreTry and present your work.
A common trait today, once someone has achieved a certain position of power, is to learn how to hold on to it. That can include kicking down the ladder anyone trying to come up and sucking up to those above.
If you get desperate you may find yourself trying to do that.
Presenting your work in a ...
Read MoreYou 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 ...
Read MoreWhy should you feel bad playing a small role?
If you’re in a large company such as Stratford Festival where the season is long it means you have work for a good period of time.
You deserve it.
Sometimes you get work ...
Read MoreAudie Murphy was a movie star in the 1950’s and was 1.65 metres tall or 5 foot 4.
Kiefer Sutherland is 1.75 metres tall or 5 foot 7. Lucy Liu: 5 foot 2, Rachel McAdam: 5 foot 3, Catherine Deneuve: 5 foot 5, Reese Witherspoon: 5 foot 1, and Tom Cruise: 5 foot 5.
On the other hand ...
Read MoreThat’s what you need when acting on camera. It’s both literal and figurative.
Let us see you.
When you drop in and believe, your skin literally changes. It softens and opens. We go in with you. As you have …
Read MoreTry not to get diverted, so you can do your job well.
Take note of what diverts you.
Do you sit in the front seat of the transport vehicle and talk to the driver because you want to ...
Read MoreThese 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 ...
Read MoreThe late excellent acting teacher, Arif Hasnain, called passing on knowledge ‘The rubbing of shoulders’.
The phrase is sometimes used in the context of mingling with the rich, but that’s not what Arif meant. He didn’t care for the rich.
People who know something well teach it to those ...
Read MoreJohn Boylan | Toronto Acting Coach
These are professional track acting classes with practices that meet the actor's needs to work in the film and TV industry.
This course is right for you if: you are committed to being a professional actor; you have some experience in theatre or film; you have some actor training; you recently graduated from theatre school; you have an agent or are actively seeking one …
Using a feature film scene and typical TV scenes you will have time and space to pursue questions that you need to work on. With only one other actor there is a peaceful atmosphere to do detailed work that can most assist you…
These are professional track acting classes with practices that meet the actor's needs to work in the film and TV industry.
This course is right for you if: you are committed to being a professional actor; you have some experience in theatre or film; you have some actor training; you recently graduated from theatre school; you have an agent or are actively seeking one …
The Intensive is right for you if: you are committed to being a professional actor; you have some experience in theatre or film; you have some actor training; you recently graduated from theatre school; you have an agent or are actively seeking one.
The only course of its kind in Canada.
The best work is often the result of …
This is a one-hour session over Zoom geared to discuss the work in our most recent class.
For years I’ve been frustrated that I don’t get to speak much to the actors …
Working on Zoom this method of recording all the takes while I coach you has proven successful. We keep working, hone the scene, make adjustments …
I can help you make a demo reel and we can schedule it at whatever time suits us both. Please send your photo and resume.
The first step is a one-hour consultation where we discuss who the reel is for, what types suit you, which scenes to do, your hair and wardrobe.
Second step is …
IT'S YOUR SPACE. TAKE YOUR PLACE.
All posted class times are Eastern Time Zone (EDT/EST). A photo and resume must be submitted before registration is confirmed. Scheduled classes and coachings cannot be re-scheduled. If you’re unable to attend you forfeit the time and fee. Make up classes are not held over to future sessions, there are no refunds and money cannot be used towards another class. We reserve the right to change the time, date, and price of our courses.
john@centreforthearts.com
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