Tips and Tools Blog Posts

The legendary grande dame of theater, Stella Adler, dedicated herself to mastering the craft of acting and passing the valuable knowledge onto her students. One critical element of acting, she insisted, was the actor’s imagination. “Don’t use your conscious past…. Read More

Actors know quite a lot about vulnerability. They’re used to breaking through barriers to express their characters’ emotions with as much authenticity as possible. “The show must go on” means performing even if the performer is under the weather, in… Read More

Horror films are not just for Halloween. They are a genuine staple of any studio or production company’s yearly schedule—or for the Netflix team calendar, for that matter. The horror genre boasts an army of very loyal and, dare I… Read More

It’s easy to fall into a rut, even for creative types. Routines are certainly of value as they can keep you working out five times per week, cooking dinner, setting a practical work schedule, and getting a haircut once every… Read More

When asked if actors have upped their self-tape game over the course of the past months of lockdown, casting director Michael Testa told the Surviving Hollywood Podcast hosts, “No,” adding, “I think it’s now even more important that actors step… Read More

We all know the feeling; our friends, colleagues, and even family members sometimes can’t be supportive of our work and our dreams, for one reason or another. While it’s true some actors are fortunate enough to be lavished with the… Read More

There’s good news and there’s bad news. The good? Our industry is finally getting back to work after months of shut down. Productions of all types and sizes are up and running which means more castings are popping up every… Read More

What’s the worst part of being an actor or an actress? Being penniless and having to work a jobby-job to survive? Traveling across town in mid-day traffic to get to an audition with a thousand other actors vying for the… Read More

“I think it’s my job to risk looking foolish. One of the things I’ve learned from the actors I’ve worked with is you don’t get something for nothing. If you don’t risk looking foolish, you’ll never do anything special.” —Ethan… Read More

The coronavirus has certainly taken its toll on the motion picture industry. Countless projects are either waiting to be greenlit or have financing in place with hopes of going into production in the near future. However, no one is sure… Read More

Many of you work with a coach for your auditions, which is helpful. If it’s the next day, you clear your schedule of work and personal commitments to get focused. Maybe you plan out your meals to optimize your energy… Read More

It’s been said that cinema is all about creating conflict. Whether it be drama or comedy, conflict leads to challenges and obstacles which leads to a journey to inevitably resolve the issues at hand. When people drink, conflict is oftentimes… Read More

How can actors exercise their acting muscle between projects so they’re good to go once the next gig comes along? Georgia-based casting director Erica Arvold and acting coach Richard Warner list a number of affirmative suggestions in this Arvold Discuss… Read More

Todd Bruno shares five acting tips with thespians, and he demonstrates a few of them for the sake of clarity, which is always enlightening and entertaining. Bruno is an actor who is quick to roll up his sleeves and contribute… Read More

Back in March, the modeling and fashion industry abruptly closed up shop in response to the coronavirus pandemic right along with film and television productions across the country. Luxury fashion brands were forced to cancel shows and exhibitions while others… Read More