Tips and Tools Blog Posts

The ketogenic diet, or keto lifestyle, has been receiving a lot of hype in Hollywood these days because of its vaunted weight-loss claims and its promise of better overall health and accelerated energy. In fact, the most googled diet in… Read More

With literally thousands of competing actors out there… What makes you stand out? What gets you the audition? What gets you the callback? What gets you the avail? What gets you the booking? It sounds complicated, but, in fact, the… Read More

Kimberly Jentzen, the author of Acting with Impact, discusses nine “power tools” for developing actors in her book. Two of the tools she explores are objective and obstacles. In two video lessons, the Los Angeles-based, multi-award-winning acting coach succinctly shares… Read More

A well-written script with compelling characters on a worthwhile journey … it’s what all actors are looking for. Unfortunately, excellent scripts are not so easy to come by–nor are quality, challenging roles for that matter. If you’re an actor who… Read More

Between working a regular job, going on auditions, and being on set, it can be hard for actors to find the time to learn new skills. But the importance of acquiring additional abilities can’t be underestimated because each new skill… Read More

From playing beloved SNL characters like Devin and Stefon to starring as a hitman in his HBO dark comedy series Barry, it’s fair to assume that Bill Hader is a confident and comfortable performer. But that would be a mistake!… Read More

Have you ever had your acting hopes and expectations crumble due to disappointment? Maybe you didn’t land a desired role, or after being cast, you were informed you were being replaced? Indeed, an actor’s journey is naturally full of disappointments,… Read More

When I began to study screenwriting with Syd Field, one of the major principles that he taught me was Dramatic Need and it really struck a chord with me. Below is a discussion of how now, years later, I teach… Read More

For almost 40 years, Larry Moss has directed numerous theater productions and coached countless thespians for stage and screen. The legendary acting coach worked with Helen Hunt on her Oscar-winning As Good As It Gets role; Hilary Swank in her Academy… Read More

Casting director/producer Bonnie Timmermann has an understated manner about her, but she’s certainly a powerhouse. Throughout her forty-year career, she’s cast about 100 films including Heat, Black Hawk Down, Armageddon, Amadeus, Glengarry Glen Ross, Carlito’s Way, Trading Places–and the list… Read More

Will Smith is now a YouTube vlogger, and since mid-December, he’s raked in over 700,000 subscribers. The megastar launched the channel so viewers can watch him as he showcases his playful sense of humor, ventures to exotic lands, and gains… Read More

Jenna Fischer is best known for playing Pam Beesly on the popular NBC sitcom The Office, for which she received an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Well, she recently authored her first book entitled The Actor’s Life: A Survival… Read More

February has already arrived and for many actors, the New Year and New Year’s Resolutions go hand in hand. Starry eyed hopefuls will imagine networking more, plan to nail every audition, and decide to look into that commercial class they have… Read More

Being a great actor takes talent, hard work, focus, endurance, and a bit of old-fashioned luck. Having all these components working on your behalf is a tall order in and of itself, but succeeding as a working actor also takes… Read More

The highly prolific actor and Oscar nominee Samuel L. Jackson is currently teaching the craft of acting with an online MasterClass. The class consists of 21 video lessons designed to elevate actors’ level of skill with topics including: creating characters,… Read More