Acting

I’ve been in this industry for several years and in that time, I’ve seen dozens of talented people give up because success didn’t come when they wanted it to. It didn’t come in an expected time frame and therefore, they left town. Maybe they spent some time at an agency before they packed it in. Maybe in that time they booked a few commercials. But they got tired because nothing else ever came beyond those commercials. And when they got tired, they gave up and drifted away. It sounds brutal,...

  It’s simple: to be successful as a voice actor, you have to be productive. A recent research report on How to Become a Successful Voice Actor found that voice actors who auditioned 7 or more times per day stood to make up to $20,000 more per year. However, voice actors also face the challenge of having their productivity tied to their ability to be creative on demand. This is not only difficult, it can be downright draining. So what can the average voice actor do to be their most productiv...

Happy Sunday, everyone. This is going to have to be a quick one. As the official film networking and educational partner of the conference, it's been wall to wall for the Stage 32 team at the American Film Market (AFM), and this morning I am leading a talk on independent film financing with the CEO's of Hyde Park Entertainment, Bold Film, Cold Iron and the President of Millennium Entertainment. So, in short, time has been limited. But you know I wouldn't leave you hanging with just your coff...

I was the kid who couldn't wait for Family Ties night. That show was everything to me. From having a crush on Michael J. Fox to wanting Justine Bateman's hair to attempting to write my own episode with me in it, the show was the stuff that TV dreams were made of. But Justine Bateman, the co-star who played Mallory Keaton, says living that kind of life was far from a dream. Her reality was distorted, she said. And while many young actors have a different perception of what it's like to wo...

Depending on the market you are based in, you may have a vastly different understanding of the self-tape audition. If you're based in LA or NYC, you are occasionally required to self-tape, and when that happens, perhaps you use your cell phone or go to a buddy’s house and have them tape you. I, on the other hand, am based in Atlanta. And in addition to being a full-time actor for over 15 years, I have co-owned a taping service with my wife since 2010. We were one of the first dedicated taping...

Do you have a great voice you believe can help you book more work? If you’re considering building a career with your formidable vocal pipes, you should know that there are some tips and business building techniques that can help you mold that raw talent into a golden opportunity. Curious to know what strategies successful voice over actors rely on? Voices.com, the world’s largest online marketplace for voice actors, recently compiled survey data from actors and vocal coaches around the world...

Katie O'Reilly is changing the way the world views people with disabilities. She's writing them onto the stage, leaving their disabled stories out and normalizing them with the same hopes, fears, dreams, and realities that any other human being would face. A hearing-impaired actor uses sign language during a stage performance. The playwright said, "Disabled characters are often metaphors or tropes, representing very negative aspects of what it is to be human. So you’re evil personified, or...

  “Luck” Photo by Erwin More of More Medavoy Every now and again when I hear people talk about actors, it’s not unusual for them utter the word “luck” to reference the reason for the actor’s success. I pause for a moment and then tell those people what luck really is. “Luck is being prepared when opportunity arrives,” I say. “You may not create it exactly, but you sure as hell execute it.” There will always be things that fall outside of your control. But as an actor, it’s crucial that...

It happened. You lost it. Your passion and motivation are gone. We've all been there. Whether you have writer's block or are in an acting slump, it seems hard to get through it. I've been there too and I want to share the lessons I've learned because of it. Creators create and when that fire withers away, it can be life changing and painful. For me, it was devastating and debilitating. I couldn't cope. It took me ten years to find my footing, after losing everything. I left a great University an...

Greetings from sunny London.  It's been an inspiring last few days screening our 3rd Annual Short Film Program at the Raindance Film Festival and shining a light on the incredible filmmakers who won this year's competition.  More on that soon, but for now, let's get to the Coffee & Content. First up, last week's Goodfellas Script to Screen proved to be extremely popular, so I figured I'd double up this weekend with a look at Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher's work with The Social Network. Thin...