I coach privately for audition prep, career consult, and acting technique in New York City. Contact me to set up a free meeting and talk rates.
This is some of the stuff we'll work on, depending on your goals:
AUDITIONING
My specialty. With over 400 auditions (tv, film, theater, commercial and print) in three years since moving to New York, I know the offices and the situations you'll encounter (including self-taped auditions).
YOU'LL LEARN: nuts and bolts specifics about how to behave in the room, how not to try too hard, how to look at sides and know why the casting director chose that particular scene (and therefore what might be good to show them in the room), and I'll make sure you don't commit some of the same stupid blunders I did.
THE COMMERCIAL CRAP SHOOT
For commercial work, learn how to make yourself part of the conversation by eliminating ways you/ actors automatically disqualify themselves. Most actors shoot themselves in the feet at an audition. Learn how to become one of the director/ ad exec/ client's top choices.
YOU'LL LEARN: slating, when to improvise (and when not to), what to wear, cold reads/ cue cards/ all the technically-unforgiving things you will have to do while looking happy and free selling toothpaste or Pampers or Applebee's. And you'll learn that the audition started the second you walked into the room and not now when the camera's on.
THE BUSINESS
Your materials have to be excellent or it's impossible to stand out. How does one get an "excellent" headshot? Do I need an agent? Well, I have 6, so, yes. How long should my reel be? What if I don't have a ton of footage? Should my goal be to join SAG-AFTRA? How do I go about doing that? Which online casting sites do I need to set up profiles on (i.e. give my money to)? Should I take classes? Where? We'll wade through the whole swamp.
WHAT YOU'LL GET OUT OF THIS: immediate direction. You'll know what you need to do in terms of making a to-do list. You'll hopefully start to see your career as a series of things you can accomplish rather than a vague, nebulous sense of something that will eventually "happen" to you. And if your headshots aren't excellent, you'll find a photographer and schedule a shoot (I'll help with wardrobe/ "looks"), and you'll get a slew of new/ better shots. And that's always a great thing.
ON-CAMERA VS. STAGE ACTING
Know the difference. Don't be that actor casting directors say is "too big" for the camera. Learn how to make the camera part of your performance.
YOU'LL LEARN: something of particular value, I've found: how to be SMALLER without being a PIECE OF WOOD. James Dean could naturally do it. Most of us have to figure it out.
WORKING ON SIDES
Prepping a scene/monologue, memorizing, and then freeing yourself. The actual ACTING you'll have to do.
YOU'LL LEARN: what your process is. You'll discover through practice your most efficient way of working to execute a solid first take when you get in the audition room. This is a good thing because you can spend literally years going in and just blindly swinging the bat hoping to hit something. It's the "work smarter, not harder" approach.
LA VS. NYC
Considering a move to Los Angeles? I lived there for 5 years before moving to New York, so I speak the language and can give an educated perspective.
YOU'LL LEARN: great places to live and eat in LA!