Tips and Insights, by John Boylan. He offers film acting classes and personal coaching for Toronto-based students.
In acting class, working with two beginners, one of them asked, ‘How do you do commercial auditions?’.
One key part is to go ready to improvise the situations they give you.
I made up a Coca-Cola ad …
Read MoreIt’s interesting to think what you actually have.
Not what you think you should have.
You may wish you looked like a certain movie star and feel inadequate because you don’t. And dream …
Read MoreYou’re doing more self-tapes these days.
Many interesting points to consider while doing them.
Who you do the self-tape with is important. If it’s a friend or colleague watch it doesn’t get …
Read MoreYou hear people saying, ‘It takes so long to make a movie.’
Does it?
It’s actually, ‘It takes as long as it takes.’
It’s fine if civilians say it, but watch if you’re saying it.
To say that is to not understand what it is to make a movie. Movie is an …
Read MoreLots of characters are bored.
People get bored. You get bored. I get bored.
In some scenes the two characters are just passing time. That’s their action. Their objective is to be happy. They get happy by hearing the …
Read MoreAt the 1990 Crossroads Blues Festival the great B.B. King plays The Thrill is Gone and in a row sit Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Jimmy Vaughn, Sheryl Crow, ZZ Top, Albert Lee, Jeff Beck, Steve Winwood, all masters in their own right.
They’re playing with …
Read MoreThey don’t know what they want. That’s the TV rule.
Episodic television is very much about making it up as they go along. Searching, searching for what works under great time and money pressure.
The character description in the breakdowns are merely the …
Read MoreDo what you did in your first audition. Wear the same clothes.
Try not to over-work or over-think prior to the callback. You want to do well, but observe what diverts you from - and what keeps - the magic that you …
Read MoreAs a movie actor you are part of the art form of this time.
Now.
The movies, or all media that has moving images, are a product of the industrial revolution and now ...
Read MoreOne way you can pose the question of acting for camera is to say the camera is photographing thought.
It’s pretty good.
As always, none of these truisms are ...
Read MoreWhat is discussion?
It’s what human beings do to both make things and develop thinking.
There are two basic kinds of discussion. One: to make a plan to do something. Two: to move ...
Read MoreHerbert Marshall was an actor who was wounded in World War 1 and had his right leg amputated.
According to IMDB, Marshall’s loss of his leg was “A fact not well known to many moviegoers because it was hardly noticeable on screen, as long as he ...
Read MoreBridge thoughts are the thoughts between the lines.
They start at the end of a line and before the new line. They bridge the end to the beginning.
You first receive the impulse from something sent to you, and then you respond, and, as you inhale, different thoughts affect your ...
Read MoreHaving a three-stage approach allows you to be prepared to say No. Useful when faced with typical upsetting situations.
Situations where you’re put on the spot, caught off guard or humiliated. Under today’s pressure people often …
Read MoreThis is the most difficult place.
You must take it up for solution. Think about it and develop tactics that can become your habits, so before your audition you’re in …
Read MoreIt’s important to recognize success and to celebrate both your work and the work of your colleagues.
Life is made up of many beginnings, middles and ends. At the end of a project you should take a moment to commemorate ...
Read MoreYour life as an actor will have many twists and turns.
Once you have analyzed a question, discussed it and made a decision why explain it or apologize for it. Your decision is made, now just act on it.
The actor says, ‘I should have stayed in town for TV work instead of doing ...
Read MoreAs an actor you are asked to fulfil many typical adjectives.
They’re found in audition breakdowns and in movie advertisements and in movie reviewer’s reviews.
Let’s pick a few ...
Read MoreThat’s what they called it in the old days.
Maybe they still do.
An on-camera role in a commercial with lots of dialogue – that’s wall-to-wall dialogue. Lots usually means 6 to 8 lines, which, compared to a …
Read MoreBefore the audition an actor whispers, ‘Watch out, the casting director’s in a bad mood.’
She might be. And, if so, why?
It’s probably got nothing to do with you and everything to do the high pressure of the …
Read MoreJohn Boylan | Toronto Acting Coach
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 …
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 …
This is a one-hour session over Zoom geared to discuss the work in your most recent class or anything relating to your acting career.
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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