Advice

I get worried when I don't get worried. Weird way to put it, but it's true. When I first started down this road, nerves used to bring me to shaking hands and a leaden stomach. Auditions were absolutely the worst. I'd be up there, barely able to slate. Dropping a line would be a small mercy at times like that. At least it meant you could get SOMETHING out. I'd stare down the long, pitiless barrel of a video camera lens and count the seconds till I could say my "thank you's" and flee from...

I have been asked to blog about stunts. Asking me to do that … well, first off you just asked a stuntman to write. I’m not a writer, so let’s see how that works. Imagine being asked to blog about your girlfriend, who you love with all your heart. The problem is, she keeps leaving you for younger men, and now you’ve reached a time where you can’t fight off the younger men any more. That’s how I feel about stunts. In fact, I must now bring those young men to her and make certain that she doesn’t h...

Excerpt from Actor Muscle: Craft. Grit Wit. A Professional Guide to the Business of Acting: "THE ONLY REAL ACTORS ARE FROM NEW YORK" ONCE UPON A TIME there was a New York stage Actor who was getting fantastic notices when his play traveled to Los Angeles. A very good Agent (we'll call him A+) was keen to represent him after seeing his remarkable performance. Since signing a new client needs unanimous agreement among all the agents, A+ arranged a big meeting so that the Actor could...

When RB asked me to guest blog, tell a personal story and give some advice, I shuddered. So much wisdom has been written. From great essays that went viral like Frank Langella's The Demon Seesaw Actors Ride to Julia Cameron's bible The Artists Way, there's so much to say and nothing to say ... The same demons the divine Langella and Cameron speak of remind me that I am an actor, not a writer, and what if no one wants to read my words? But just like when I walk onto a stage, onto a set, into...

Drive. Desire. Passion. As a creative, we must motivate ourselves every day. External forces work against us; it's the nature of the pursuit. It's how we rise above it all, the strength of the fire in our souls, that defines who we are, and the lengths we'll go to make our dreams a reality. So the question is: What have you done today to take another step toward your goal? Maybe you've joined a class suited to your creative endeavors. Maybe you've practiced a monologue in front of a mirror....

Thanks for bearing with the weird title... Recently I have been on several interviews for jobs, 'proper' jobs, some of them highly paid, with real responsibility. They went well, I have been called in for second interviews.... The thing is - I don't want any of them! Really, I couldn't imagine anything less appealing, I know what I really want to do and it's not that! My journey into the world of the entertainment industry has been short if you look at it from the point of me trying...

Show business has always been in my blood. When I was 5, I stood on a stage and sang with a live band at my grandfather's infamous restaurant in New York, Moskowitz and Lupowitz. Based in the lower east side, the restaurant was a celebrity hangout for the likes of Henry Fonda, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Laurence Olivier and Paul Neman. The world's biggest stars walked through that door every day. Some of the effects rubbed off on me. My uncle Hy Anzel was an accomplished character actor who worked in telev...

The most frequent question asked of me is, "How do I get an agent?" My Plan A and the one I consider the strongest approach is to mail well-thought out, and attractive hardcopy packages that appeal directly to the needs of the agency (commercial or theatrical). All packages will include a picture, resume, cover letter and access to a performance reel. I spend a great deal of time on this in my business of acting class, and devoted an entire chapter plus additional segments in other chapters, to...

So who is Sonal Shah and why are you reading this? I'm just a gal in the entertainment industry. Everyone is on his/her own path and has a story to share. As an actress, here is a bit of mine. I've been a bridesmaid 15 times. FIFTEEN!!! Yep, I'm the little brown version of Katherine Heigl. Wait a second, does that mean I only have to be in 12 more weddings before I get to marry James Marsden?? Albeit, I don't have a husband...I am married to my acting career. Sound like a clich'e? We...

When I find myself in between gigs, I end up reflecting like Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now. While I haven't punched out any mirrors--on or off the set--recently, being a Grip is a lot like being a Marine. We're action-oriented, and tend to get antsy when we aren't in the thick of it. There tends to be a lot of questions surrounding the profession of being a Grip. Most are from the general public that our industry serves -- questions like, "What is a Key Grip? (or a "Best Boy," or a "Gaffer"...