taking a break

We officially told my son's agent that he was taking a break. We're in the midst of buyin a house and my workload has increased like crazy. She was very sweet, said call when the situation changes. We're hoping his theatrical agent - at same agency - will keep him on. Anyone have experience with that?

Great audition advice for young actors

GREAT STUFF -HAD TO PASS IT ON!!!
How to Perform a Perfect Audition, Part 1by Ruth Kulerman
A reader recently asked, "I have a huge audition coming up and I'mterrified about messing it up. What can I do to prepare? I want toknock their socks off!"What lies behind a great, wonderful, fabulous audition is first andforemost hard work. You can't always control the casting people butyou can always control your own journey to an A+ audition. Let's assume you've had excellent acting classes and maybe evensome professional experience. So your acting ability is honed andready. But I emphasize that what follows is for both newcomers andold-timers to the audition world. Auditioning is a technique that can and must be learned--unless youwere born knowing how to walk in and take over an audition room. Afabulous audition begins with preparation of material andpreparation of self and culminates in presentation of material andpresentation of self, plus a graceful exit. Preparation /Presentation / Plus. Simple? Hardly! PREPARATION OF MATERIAL (For both a monologue or sides)Preparation is grub homework research and includes hitting theInternet to learn about the production company, the director, thewriter, reviews of the work you are auditioning for (if available)and reading the entire script if it's available. If possible, placethe setting historically. For example, if the setting is the 1950sthen research the 50s. These searches are essential, even for anold familiar monologue. (Redo your research although you may havedone the monologue 20 times.) Learn as much as you can about the people holding the audition. Ifit's an open call, research the company's season and see what rolesyou're right for. Fit your monologue to their season. One of my students researched a theatre company she was auditioningfor, discovered a picture of their artistic director on theirwebsite and at the audition, as the actor approached the auditiontable she said (charmingly), "You are ABC, the artistic director. Isaw your picture on the website." That comment opened aconversation. It also demonstrated the actor's interest,imagination, and ingenuity. Just knowing your monologue or linesdoes not give you the needed edge. RESEARCH does.About memorizing. Know your monologue so well that your tongue cango on automatic pilot even if your brain crashes. I remember onceauditioning with a Shakespeare monologue I had used several years,taken from a play I had performed several times. I had coached therole and the monologue both in New York and in London. I KNEW IT.IT WAS MINE! At this particular audition I get to the final twolines (a couplet) and poof--they evaporated. Memory glitch. Tonguedies. Brain heads for Jupiter, maybe Pluto. Embarrassment. Totalflop. Graceless exit. A scullery maid, not a duchess. Humiliation.No, I did not get the role. "What! She can't even remember acouplet!!" How to avoid that situation? For a couple of days beforeeach monologue audition, review it as if it were new. Preparationof material! A lesson learned the hard way!However, if you have sides, do not try to memorize them unless itis a very short scene, where you only have a dozen words. You wantyour entire focus on your acting, not on trying to remember thelines or getting flustered because you dropped a phrase. Instead ofmemorizing the sides, work on the sides. Preparation -- a major way to build confidence. Walk in with yourmaterial prepared and the project and people researched.PREPARATION OF SELFOur attitude about ourselves is a performer's never-ending battle.Neither wise guy nor wimp. Neither a cocky know-it-all nor a shy,poor me, shrinking violet. While I personally find pleasantblandness boring, many audition committees prefer it to a hurricaneof personality. It's a tough decision for an actor. The casting people are not only looking for talent, but also forpeople who can and will take direction and who can and willcontribute to a comfortable workplace. Creating a pleasantself-confidence in the personal persona and imaginative, energeticintelligence in the performing persona -- that's probably the bestroute. Exception: If you are one of those truly rare creatures -- a greatactor -- you will find your own way. But do NOT take the word ofyour friends, family, or teachers about how great you are. You willfeel it deep in your being and your audiences filled with strangerswill let you know. But if you are a good (not great) actor then youmust brush up on your audition manners and persona. As you examine your feelings about yourself as an actor, betruthful in your self-analysis. What are your weaknesses--Shorttemper? Fear? Concern about talent? Depression? Nasty attitudetoward others? Defensiveness? Negative comparisons? Each one ofthese could damage an audition. I urge you to address your own weaknesses in an article you writeto yourself. Writing forces you to search for the precise words andthat search forces you to think clearly. Be truthful. Then use yourintelligence to solve those problems. Are you an actor whoseself-image/behavior/impression are keeping you from success? Whoseself-doubt creates doubt in those who hear your audition? Whosearrogance creates annoyance?Talent is important but it's seldom the major consideration incasting a role. Ask people who have acted as readers duringauditions. Ask anyone who has sat behind an audition table. Moreimportant than talent is presence, poise, confidence--not arrogantconfidence, but confidence that quietly exudes "I am professional,I am reliable, I do not require high maintenance, I know my job andI can do it beautifully." We who audition walk a fine line between arrogance and confidence.The first will skunk you. The second will go a long way towardcasting you. Develop an inner quality of quiet self-belief. Nothingis a bigger turnoff than arrogance. Nothing is a bigger turnoffthan "Poor me. I'm such a sweet little shrinking violet. Pleeeasecast me." And the biggest turnoff of all is lack of preparationboth of self and material.Your first and most powerful impression occurs as you open the doorto the audition room. Practice entering the room. It's good if youcan work with another actor. If not, then consider a coachingsession with someone who knows what they're talking about. Thatfirst split second impression is vital. They take in your posture,your face, your clothes, your hair, your energy, the way you walk,your general sense of yourself. It's all there, hitting them consciously or subconsciously. I oncehad a mock audition session with a talented handsome young actorwho had no idea that as he approached the audition table he walkedlike a bowlegged cowboy. In real life he was neither bowlegged nora cowboy. Would you cast a bowlegged cowboy as Hamlet? Teachyourself to smile openly (include the eyes), enunciate your nameclearly, dress appropriately. Remember, an overall impression ismade before you open your mouth. An audition is a sales event and the product you are selling isyour entire performing persona, not merely your talent. Preparationof SELF is as important as preparation of MATERIAL. I have had theopportunity to perform with some "names" and every one of them --yes, every one -- had that inner quality of poise and presence.With one exception they were also gracious, pleasant, professional.Put them in a crowd and merely from their inner energy you can tellthey are stars. Develop that energy. Go to every audition and open call you can in order to practiceyour auditioning techniques. Actors in an open call line often say,"This is a waste of time. Everything's already cast." Maybe so. Butif you learn HOW TO AUDITION from going to these open calls, thenyou will be ready when the "real" opportunities come. PREPARATION OF MATERIAL / PREPARATION OF SELF. These are thefoundations for a fabulous audition. Next week we'll look at PRESENTATION OF MATERIAL and PRESENTATIONOF SELF in the audition arena. Just remember all those P's:Preparation, Presentation, Presence, and Poise. These will carryyou as far or farther than talent alone. (And don't walk like acowboy! Unless that's the role you want.)Curious if you have what it takes to be a successful actor, checkout our new book, "Becoming a Successful Actor," here:http://www.actortips.com/products/acting_book_desc.htm

Gary Austin founder of Groundlings?

My young actor is very into his music right now, practicing guitar everyday and wanting to be a better singer. He's taking kungfu, preparing to shoot a movie he and his bestfriend are writing but not studying acting right now at all.
A good thing too, those acting classes are pricey and with the guitar and kungfu already, that's about all we can do right now.
He did take a great workshop with Gary Austin a few weeks ago. He said it was amazing. Interesting too because Gary feels the kids can work with the adults and has no problems with that. Some of the material can be a bit sophisticated; you have to know your child.
you can catch Gary's classes in NY and San Francisco, other places too I think. Check him out online at
Garyaustin.net.

We want to see the movie!

When, oh when will we get to see White Picket Fence?! Russell can hardly wait to see it and of course neither can we. In the meantime he's waiting to get his braces on, had his oral surgery last week where they exposed the second tooth growing horizontally in his upper palate! Had the same thing when i was a kid - it wasn't discovered til I was 20. Didn't my parents ever take me to the dentist? He goes every 6months!!!

Is Your Acting Kid Missing some Coogan Money?

Check this out from www.bizparentz.com
Searching for a New Years Resolution you can still keep???We've got one for you. Let's resolve to make a HUGE dent in the growing list of child actors who have money at The Actors' Fund - in the Unclaimed Coogan list.There are now over 1,500 names there. Those names represent child actors who had earnings withheld for Coogan, but those earnings were never deposited into their Coogan account. Now those funds have been transferred to The Actors' Fund, who is holding them in trust for the child.You can find a lot of information regarding the laws and a listof names at www.unclaimedcoogan.org. The names are under the beneficiary tab.We've also cut and pasted all of the names into one big long list... which is on the website (www.BizParentz.com).Wouldn't it be nice to watch the list get smaller and know that the money got back to the child actor who earned it?You can help by reviewing the list for your child's name - review it for any familiar names - and talk about it to others you know in the industry. There are so many BizParentz subscribers - surely we can find some of these families!Anne & Paula P.S. And a friendly reminder - tax time is a good time to verify that you've gotten deposits for all of the Coogan withholdings you had last year!.

Upcoming tv shows for pilot season 2006

INfo from Actorsite:

NOW IS THE TIME TO BE ENCOURAGED TO BE MOTIVATED, because theACTIONS YOU TAKE TODAY DETERMINE YOUR SUCCESS THIS PILOTSEASON.
Here's the list:BECOMING GLEN---FOX
THE BOGEYMAN---NBC
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS---NBC
GAY ROBOT---COMEDY CENTRAL
HEROES---NBC
MO'S HOUSE---ABC
NINE LIVES---ABC
SEX, POWER, LOVE, AND POLITICS---CBS
TRAP TEAM---NBC
UNTITLED BASKETBALL PROJECT---HBO
UNTITLED BUZZ BISSINGER PROJECT---CBS
UNTITLED ZACH HELM PROJECT---FOX
WORST WEEK OF MY LIFE---FOX
AMERICAN CRIME---FOX
THE ASSISTANT---FOX
BUST---FOX
CRISIS---FOX
CORONADO PD: SERIES ALREADY GREENLIT FOR SYNDICATION
HAPPY HOUR---FOX
IN PLAIN SIGHT---NBC
JERICHO---CBS
MIA AND EVERYONE ELSE---CBS
MIDNIGHTERS---WB
NINE LIVES---ABC
PATHS TO FREEDOM---FOX
PEN AND THE SWORD---NBC
PRETTY LITTLE LIARS---WB
REVISION---FOX
SUSPECT BEHAVIOR---CBS
UNTITLED BILL BURR PROJECT---FOX
UNTITLED DAISY MAYER PROJECT---UPN
UNTITLED DANNY COMDEN PROJECT---ABC
UNTITLED LEGAL COMEDY---NBC
UNTITLED LOU BERNEY PROJECT---FOX
UNTITLED MARIN/ROSENSZWEIG PROJECT---CBS
UNTITLED RUTH REICHL PROJECT---HBO
WACKO---FOX
WAREHOUSE 13---SCI FI
UNTITLED MILLER/GOUGH---WB
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE---ABC FAMILY
THE INITIATION OF SARAH---ABC FAMILY
UNTITLED DAVID ARQUETTE PROJECT---ABC
SPECIAL UNIT---COMEDY CENTRAL
UNTITLED CHRIS KENNEDY PROJECT---FOX
THE STARTER WIFE---NBC (MINI)
HIM AND US---ABC
THE KICK---NBC
GRAND UNION---NBC
THE CLASS--CBS
FIRED---ABC
KILL SWITCH---ABC
OPS---FOX
STUDIO 7 ON THE SUNSET STRIP---NBC
THE ADVENTURES OF BIG HANDSOME GUY AND HIS LITTLE FRIEND-FOX

THERE IT IS...NOW GET BUSY GETTING READY FOR A SUCCESSFULPILOT SEASON!
Actorsite is about the WORK!TO JOIN: http://www.actorsite.com/cgi-bin/ppsignup.plOr, take the tour: http://actorsite.com/tour/===================DROP OFFS WORK!===================THe first DROPS of the year. We hit the PILOT CASTING OFFICESplus the BUSY COMMERCIAL OFFICES!One of our members who hadn't been out in three months had THREE auditions in the week after our last drops! Good for him.How did you do?Next deadline: JANUARY 21, 2006http://www.actorsite.com/freepages/dropoffs.html

Where to live as an actor - from Chad Gracia's site

2. Where You Need to Live as an Actor"Mr. Gracia: I hate large cities. Is it possible to become aworking actor without moving to New York or Los Angeles? I wouldn'tmind staying as long as needed but I don't want to actually live ina city. - Palin"Palin: If your goal is simply to act, then any city in the worldwith a local theater will do fine. However, if your goal is to earnmoney as an actor, then you'll need to move to a "big" city.However, not all cities are as huge and overwhelming as New York,so you do have some options. Matthew Maher (who has worked extensively in theater and film inNew York and Los Angeles) explains: "An acting career -- aside fromthe art -- is about developing relationships: with casting agents,directors, writers, other actors. You can't really do this over thephone or online. "You you are selling your essence, your personality, your skill --which can only be appreciated in person. True, you could send in avideotape if you were auditioning for some movies, but for moviesyou would need an agent to submit your videotape, and your agentwould need to meet you in person, and have you available for inperson auditions. "You can go on dozens of auditions before getting a single job, andmany of these auditions you would find out about the day before.Maybe you're the best person for the job, but why would they gothrough the trouble when there are hundreds of people who could beas good, but are here. I could go on, but I'll stop and just say:you can't start a NY or LA acting career without being here. No way."But there are many towns, including Minneapolis, Seattle, andespecially Chicago which aren't as hectic and have opportunities,mostly in theater (Chicago is a great theater town, with nearbycountryside to escape to). For a film career, you can't escape NYor LA, but have you been to LA? It doesn't feel like a city in mostparts. There isn't really an urban center like in NY. It's like asprawling suburb, with many beautiful peaceful places to live. Youshould visit it before writing it off." Miami and Orlando also have lots of opportunities for commercialwork. If you enjoyed these tips, you can find hundreds more in our books,videos and CDs. You can see them all here:http://www.actortips.com/acting_supplies.htm----------------------------------------------------------MORE ON ACTING SALARIESI got this from a reader, and thought I'd share it:Chad: I just thought I'd add a bit that wasn't covered in yourarticle. Regional theatre is very important to add to the mixbecause that's where the bulk of working actors are and that'swhere most stage actorsget their start. Regional theatre usually starts at $250 a week but once you'veworked for a couple years you shouldn't settle for less that $350 aweek. A regional actor rarely makes more than that unless they havean equity contract. Equity interns usually make only $85 a week and rarely even getonstage. But they get an equity card from it. I usually adviseagainst that because it's already hard to get work, and nearimpossible if you're Equity these days.I hope you'll include regional theatre in the mix in the future.All acting isn't done in New York, after all.- MichelleNOTE: Regional theater is generally cast in New York and LA, orother big cities. If you need mailing labels for casting directorswho cast for regional theater, or for regional theaters themselves,you can find them here:http://www.actortips.com/products/labels.htm----------------------------------------------------------TEMPORARY JOBS FOR NEW YORK ACTORSHi Chad,I work as a recruiter for a very actor friendly temporary servicecalled Asset Staffing. Some of the positions we staff for areadministrative assistants, receptionists, and back office support.Candidates skilled in Microsoft office and looking for work in thegreater NYC area are encouraged to email or fax their resumes. Hereis Asset Staffing's contact info:Asset Staffing, Inc.14 Wall Street, 16th fl.New York, NY 10005212-430-1061 (fax)jobs@assetstaffing.comRegards,Dawn Schmidt, Recruiter